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Author Topic: The view from up here  (Read 5672 times)

Online dave.woodhall

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The view from up here
« on: February 24, 2022, 12:10:54 AM »

Offline adrenachrome

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Re: The view from up here
« Reply #1 on: February 24, 2022, 02:48:34 AM »
Where I reckon we are.

https://heroesandvillains.info/2022/02/24/the-view-from-up-here/

"The big trouble is that it’s difficult to persuade top six players to join your club when you haven’t been in the top six for over a decade. "

Good point. Furthermore, we are not able to keep a player like Matty Targett when a replacement is brought in.

Nowt new. Bent comes and and Gabby gets the hump. Ings comes in and Ollie gets the collywobbles.     

Offline ROBBO

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Re: The view from up here
« Reply #2 on: February 24, 2022, 05:45:31 AM »
I watched the Leeds Liverpool game and what I took away from the game was how Liverpool players all wanted the ball and created spaces for each other. Without the ball they harrassed the opposition all game, I watched and lamented of watching our players playing pass the ball across the backline and midfield not running hard enough to recieve the pass. Somethings not right at Villa, the players look sour and look to be playing for themselves.

Offline JD

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Re: The view from up here
« Reply #3 on: February 24, 2022, 05:55:03 AM »
Brilliant Dave, exactly how I feel as well.

We have a squad of very good players who should be up in the top 8, but there doesn't seem to be any cohesion and we only look good in patches. It's totally mystifying to me.   

Offline Nev

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Re: The view from up here
« Reply #4 on: February 24, 2022, 07:35:12 AM »
In the wake of the Newcastle defeat it felt like the old days, I wasn't looking forward to the next game and my fears were proved to be correct. My doubts about the Manager meant that those fears were always lurking and this was behind my lack of enthusiasm over the Coutinho signing. As much as it represented our ability to attract world class players, in the main down to the reputation of the new Manager, that alone is not enough. World class players also need motivating, a working and progressive system in which to work, and a flexibility when things go wrong.

The events of Saturday were alarming, not least the body language from the Manager who appeared to give up once the opposition scored.

This may all be part of the Manager settling into the role, time is important, as is patience something I was accused of having a lack of as I argued with a supporter post match. We can't just keep sacking managers was the point, to which I replied do we just stick with bad ones?

I though the time was right for Smith to leave but was very disappointed how it turned out. I had major reservations about the new appointment, these have grown in the last few weeks but as I have said on many occasions before, I hope I am wrong, I hope I end up with egg on my face and I hope someone reminds me of my cynicism as the Manager waves a trophy all around the place.

Offline nick harper

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Re: The view from up here
« Reply #5 on: February 24, 2022, 08:47:55 AM »
I watched the Leeds Liverpool game and what I took away from the game was how Liverpool players all wanted the ball and created spaces for each other. Without the ball they harrassed the opposition all game, I watched and lamented of watching our players playing pass the ball across the backline and midfield not running hard enough to recieve the pass. Somethings not right at Villa, the players look sour and look to be playing for themselves.

Yes, it was painful watching us knock it about in the middle third to so little effect, and Watford able to pass it around at will around their back four with so little pressure. All the intensity of those early Gerrard games has gone and we look dispirited on and off the pitch.

Offline Abbeyfealeavfc

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Re: The view from up here
« Reply #6 on: February 24, 2022, 08:51:14 AM »
The view from last season's 11th was good.
Being lucky enough to attend the final match vs chelski and seeing Villa win 2-1 I felt hopeful and excited for the future.
After a sh-tshow of a close season this feeling turned to one of expectation after Smith left. In the interest of progress purslow said Smith had to go, so whoever he brought in was surely going to get us into the top 10 and at the very least I expected that.
Beware the words of a silver tongued ceo.
With our last defeat vs Watford I have now reverted back to my default feelings where Villa are concerned of resignation and acceptance. It appears we are starting from scratch yet again and I genuinely don't know where our next points are coming from.
It doesn't take long for the "view from up here" to change if you're a Villa fan.

Offline LeeB

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Re: The view from up here
« Reply #7 on: February 24, 2022, 11:22:35 AM »
In the wake of the Newcastle defeat it felt like the old days, I wasn't looking forward to the next game and my fears were proved to be correct. My doubts about the Manager meant that those fears were always lurking and this was behind my lack of enthusiasm over the Coutinho signing. As much as it represented our ability to attract world class players, in the main down to the reputation of the new Manager, that alone is not enough. World class players also need motivating, a working and progressive system in which to work, and a flexibility when things go wrong.

The events of Saturday were alarming, not least the body language from the Manager who appeared to give up once the opposition scored.

This may all be part of the Manager settling into the role, time is important, as is patience something I was accused of having a lack of as I argued with a supporter post match. We can't just keep sacking managers was the point, to which I replied do we just stick with bad ones?

I though the time was right for Smith to leave but was very disappointed how it turned out. I had major reservations about the new appointment, these have grown in the last few weeks but as I have said on many occasions before, I hope I am wrong, I hope I end up with egg on my face and I hope someone reminds me of my cynicism as the Manager waves a trophy all around the place.

I too share these concerns, but am clinging to a belief we're going through a difficult chrysalis stage, and when we come out of it we'll be able to go heights we couldn't previously manage.

Offline Chris Smith

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Re: The view from up here
« Reply #8 on: February 24, 2022, 11:37:54 AM »
I agree, Lee, but with a nagging doubt that it’s wishful thinking rather than anything I could backup.

Offline LeeB

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Re: The view from up here
« Reply #9 on: February 24, 2022, 12:54:53 PM »
I agree, Lee, but with a nagging doubt that it’s wishful thinking rather than anything I could backup.

As I say Chris, I'm clinging to it, whilst being buffeted by gales of doubt.

Offline Nev

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Re: The view from up here
« Reply #10 on: February 24, 2022, 01:43:13 PM »
I can't get past the feeling that something deeper is wrong you know, having given it some thought.

Smith's demise came about due to a drastic shift in tactics and catastrophic run of results. The team went from style to shithousing within a few weeks, the team looked lost, the results didn't come and the Manager was fired. Subsequently said Manager has taken another role where he has reverted to style once more, albeit up against it with the quality of the squad.

When the current incumbent took over, out went the long ball, long throw rubbish and in came a narrow but pleasant style of play, topped off with energy and pressing gleaning some fine results. On the evidence of Saturday that energy and press has been all but abandoned, while it would be a stretch to say that we are shithousing again, we are certainly shit and with the exception of that 20 mins against Leeds, recent performances have been flat, uninspired and lacking imagination. Just as they were at the end of Smith's reign.

I laid the blame for Smith's sacking at the door of McPhee or rather the former allowing the latter more influence than was healthy. Although McPhee remains, it really is a stretch to hold him accountable once more, particularly given the gargantuan backroom staff we currently employ with certain members held in such high regard within the game.

This recent regression has been as surprising as it has been depressing and one would hope that it's not the Club itself that is the problem, as Dave alludes to in the original article, but something that can be fixed within. Or doesn't exist at all and I'm being a big bed wetting twat who's overthinking a run of a few poor results. That have occurred twice in the same season with different Managers...

Offline RamboandBruno

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Re: The view from up here
« Reply #11 on: February 24, 2022, 02:36:09 PM »
I can't get past the feeling that something deeper is wrong you know, having given it some thought.

Smith's demise came about due to a drastic shift in tactics and catastrophic run of results. The team went from style to shithousing within a few weeks, the team looked lost, the results didn't come and the Manager was fired. Subsequently said Manager has taken another role where he has reverted to style once more, albeit up against it with the quality of the squad.

When the current incumbent took over, out went the long ball, long throw rubbish and in came a narrow but pleasant style of play, topped off with energy and pressing gleaning some fine results. On the evidence of Saturday that energy and press has been all but abandoned, while it would be a stretch to say that we are shithousing again, we are certainly shit and with the exception of that 20 mins against Leeds, recent performances have been flat, uninspired and lacking imagination. Just as they were at the end of Smith's reign.

I laid the blame for Smith's sacking at the door of McPhee or rather the former allowing the latter more influence than was healthy. Although McPhee remains, it really is a stretch to hold him accountable once more, particularly given the gargantuan backroom staff we currently employ with certain members held in such high regard within the game.

This recent regression has been as surprising as it has been depressing and one would hope that it's not the Club itself that is the problem, as Dave alludes to in the original article, but something that can be fixed within. Or doesn't exist at all and I'm being a big bed wetting twat who's overthinking a run of a few poor results. That have occurred twice in the same season with different Managers...

Or it could be that we had a world class player, who was the heart beat of the club, playing the best football of his career, with a manager who knew how to get the best of him. When said player left, the players that came were decent but not as good as our former captain. They also in hindsight were not bought to fit into the system Smith preferred, hence him getting distracted with different systems, trying to fit these Grealish replacements in, that failed largely.
In addition to losing our former skipper, we also lost our assistant manager, who happened to be a world class defender in his day. As well as the support Smith may of lost here, it seems like our rock solid defence from last year, hasn’t been the same since Terry left. Maybe a coincidence, maybe not.
The combination of these factors I think did for Smith. And now we have a manager who wants to play a different way, that seemingly requires at least some movement of players who can’t play that way, out, and some new players in.

One of the noticeable things for me on Saturday, was the relatively mild by Villa standards, booing from the Holte at the end. It made me realise just how much credit Dean had in the bank. Despite the 10 game run being amongst my favourite times going down to Villa Park in 40 odd years, there was also a dire run in January/February that season and a particularly awful performance in the 0-2 home loss  to Albion, almost exactly 3 years ago. The season after as we know was a struggle with some awful games and performances and then this year before the end of his time, we got outplayed by West Ham at home. Still within any of those periods, I don’t really remember many if any occasions when the home crowd turned. Maybe my memories letting me down here.
Either way, its clear to me that Gerrard is on a much shorter timeframe for turning things around than Smith had.
« Last Edit: February 24, 2022, 02:37:54 PM by RamboandBruno »

Offline darren woolley

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Re: The view from up here
« Reply #12 on: February 24, 2022, 03:33:35 PM »
Great read Dave.

Offline Woofles The Wonder Dog

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Re: The view from up here
« Reply #13 on: February 24, 2022, 03:48:02 PM »

Online dave.woodhall

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Re: The view from up here
« Reply #14 on: February 24, 2022, 03:59:43 PM »

 


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