Anybody starting to get worried…… again?

[Smithy]

I think 9th is a realistic possibility, given the group we're competing with for that spot (Southampton/Palace/Leicester/Brighton), all have similar inconsistencies to us.  Wolves have lost three on the bounce and are unfortunately STILL seven points clear of us, so 8th probably beyond us.

I would accept 10th/11th, given Gerrard effectively started at between -1 and -4 points against the teams we are competing with when he took over.

We're not going to get relegated, we're not going to qualify for Europe, and we're not going to win a cup, so for me, the biggest thing for the rest of this season is to see a pattern of play develop and evolve and have a team that plays Gerrard's way confidently and consistently.  I don't mind losing games along the way, if we're playing OK and trying to implement his plan.  I just don't want to see any more lacklustre displays like Newcastle, or ineffective displays like Watford.

Ending the season having played 10 or so games in European qualification form would do wonders for the squad's confidence, and would no doubt help with recruitment in the summer, given we're not going to have European football on offer.  That's what I want to see.

[TelfordVilla]

Bit harsh. I expect top 10. Anything less and the manager must go.

why do you think that ?

Judging by his previous posts, it's because Gerrard isn't Dean Smith.

it's not that he isn't Dean Smith, it's that if he doesn't finish top ten then he is no improvement on Dean Smith.

[Smithy]

Bit harsh. I expect top 10. Anything less and the manager must go.

why do you think that ?

Judging by his previous posts, it's because Gerrard isn't Dean Smith.

it's not that he isn't Dean Smith, it's that if he doesn't finish top ten then he is no improvement on Dean Smith.

Gerrard took over a team in 15th place, and 4 points off 10th place.  Finishing 10th would mean we've been getting the points you'd normally see for a team finishing 8th/9th during his 28 games. 

If you want to measure him against Smith's finish last year, you probably need to look at a table in May that only includes the games since he's been manager.  So the last 28 games only.  Anything else and you're basically criticising Gerrard for Smith's results.

[Brazilian Villain]

Wolves have lost three on the bounce and are unfortunately STILL seven points clear of us, so 8th probably beyond us.

Win our game in hand and beat them at their place and we're only a point behind. Not that likely as we've some tough games in the run-in but not impossible. Agree with the rest wrt judging Gerrard.

[Chris Smith]

Bit harsh. I expect top 10. Anything less and the manager must go.

why do you think that ?

Judging by his previous posts, it's because Gerrard isn't Dean Smith.

it's not that he isn't Dean Smith, it's that if he doesn't finish top ten then he is no improvement on Dean Smith.

Gerrard took over a team in 15th place, and 4 points off 10th place.  Finishing 10th would mean we've been getting the points you'd normally see for a team finishing 8th/9th during his 28 games. 

If you want to measure him against Smith's finish last year, you probably need to look at a table in May that only includes the games since he's been manager.  So the last 28 games only.  Anything else and you're basically criticising Gerrard for Smith's results.

So far, under SG, we’ve seen some a similar level of inconsistency as we did under DS. Probably for the first time this season we have pretty much a full squad to choose from with the added benefit of Coutinho in the side so I’d be disappointed if results didn’t pick up and we finish the season strongly.

Not doing so would not be a reason to sack him but would be a little underwhelming and mean that he still had a bit to prove.

[Smithy]

Bit harsh. I expect top 10. Anything less and the manager must go.

why do you think that ?

Judging by his previous posts, it's because Gerrard isn't Dean Smith.

it's not that he isn't Dean Smith, it's that if he doesn't finish top ten then he is no improvement on Dean Smith.

Gerrard took over a team in 15th place, and 4 points off 10th place.  Finishing 10th would mean we've been getting the points you'd normally see for a team finishing 8th/9th during his 28 games. 

If you want to measure him against Smith's finish last year, you probably need to look at a table in May that only includes the games since he's been manager.  So the last 28 games only.  Anything else and you're basically criticising Gerrard for Smith's results.

So far, under SG, we’ve seen some a similar level of inconsistency as we did under DS. Probably for the first time this season we have pretty much a full squad to choose from with the added benefit of Coutinho in the side so I’d be disappointed if results didn’t pick up and we finish the season strongly.

Not doing so would not be a reason to sack him but would be a little underwhelming and mean that he still had a bit to prove.

Of course, similar inconsistency, but definitely a better points total than under Smith (this season).  You're right in that we now appear to have a full squad of fit players, so the pressure is definitely on and the results should be excuse-free zones. 

However, given the way the league is now, and where we are in it today, we could have European qualification form to the end of the season and STILL not get higher than 9th, so I'm not going to base my decision on how well Gerrard has done in his first season on whether we finish 9/10/11th.  It'll be more about how we've played in the coming weeks, and whether it looks like we've found a consistent way to win playing the Gerrard way.

[Toronto Villa]

Eighth isn’t far off. We have a game in hand on Wolves and have to play them soon. We have focus on what’s in front of us but finishing as high as 8th is realistic

[Toronto Villa]

Smith’s form in 2021 would have got us relegated. Gerrard’s wouldn’t. And after a good run we were set to play Burnley at home. Covid hit and we played Chelsea instead and also lost the manager for a couple of games. That interruption didn’t help at all to what at the time was very positive momentum.

[mike]

I love Dean to bits but there's a reason why it was Norwich who came in for him and a reason why he didn't hold out for something better. I hope he gets them back up next year and does really well but his form over 38 games up to the point he left was relegation level. Five losses on the bounce didn't make it appear things were going to change. But a great bloke and not a bad manager.

[RamboandBruno]

I love Dean to bits but there's a reason why it was Norwich who came in for him and a reason why he didn't hold out for something better. I hope he gets them back up next year and does really well but his form over 38 games up to the point he left was relegation level. Five losses on the bounce didn't make it appear things were going to change. But a great bloke and not a bad manager.

This, with the added, he brought the pride and optimism back.

[lovejoy]

The issue we have is Klopp. he decides when we will be looking for a new manager, probably.

[supertom]

I'd like us to hit 50 points at least. Where that would leave us, who knows. But if we could get some kind of a good run and match the 55 we got last term, I think that would improve on 11th. Clocking 55 points and finishing 11th was quite tough on us I felt. We were well ahead of 12th. Conversely under Houllier we had 48 points and finished 9th.

[Sexual Ealing]

The issue we have is Klopp. he decides when we will be looking for a new manager, probably.

I suspect there's something of the Ferguson about Klopp. I can't see where else he'd go. He doesn't strike me as someone who'd be satisfied with international football, at least not for a few years.

[Risso]

I think Klopp will want to win the Premier League at least one more time with Liverpool before he calls it a day there, but as Paddy says, I could see him being there for another 10 years, easily.

[manic-road]

The issue we have is Klopp. he decides when we will be looking for a new manager, probably.

Gerrard will only be offered the job if he is a success at Villa.