Gerrard In or Out?

[mrfuse]

I know what you mean, but I think Ings and Buendia understand each other better. And let's face it, neither of our strikers is scoring.

Agreed.  I'd be playing both of them.  Ings is far better at link up play than Watkins, he is a very clever player.  We should just back him in a run of games to see if he can find his shooting boots.

Edit - I'd also like to try the line up you posted.  I think I mentioned the same but with Doug not Tim a while back, but either works for me 

                 Martinez

Cash     Konsa     Mings    Chrisene
      Iroegbunam     Nakamba
Buendia                       Ramsey
                  Coutinho
                  Ings

I disagree, nothing I've seen suggests Ings is a clever player. If he doesn't score which is pretty much most games he becomes anonymous.

At least when Ollie doesn't score he puts himself about like he did in the Leicester game.

I can't see how you come to that view if you have watched him regularly.  His passing, link up play and movement is mostly excellent.  It's his finishing which has let him down this season and given that is normally a strength he is known for I can't help feeling he'll come good with a run of games.

I watch every Villa game, but that's the beauty of having opinions people have different viewpoints.
I didn't particularly see the need for signing Ings at the time but wasn't too displeased as I thought him and Watkins could push each other.

Ollie hasn't been that great but just less shit than Ings who has really disappointed me. I'f someone like Newcastle came in for him I would be more than happy to see him go. Hopefully Archer can step up because he does look a prospect.

[Dave P]

I saw a stat earlier that since his opening four wins, we have four wins from 15.  Including the three on the trot in March. 

Why would you ignore those wins?  That seems to be reaching for a bad stat?

[kippaxvilla2]

I saw a stat earlier that since his opening four wins, we have four wins from 15.  Including the three on the trot in March. 

Why would you ignore those wins?  That seems to be reaching for a bad stat?

New Manager bounce?

[Beard82]

See Klopp realised the media wet dream was at risk, so decided to put off SG starting date by 2 years to give him a chance

[olaftab]

A red scouser actually said on a radio phone in “It’s great and means we let Villa keep Stevie for another two years.”
How blessed are we?

[olaftab]

I saw a stat earlier that since his opening four wins, we have four wins from 15.  Including the three on the trot in March. 

Why would you ignore those wins?  That seems to be reaching for a bad stat?

Well lot of teams get an initial boost, look at Burnley, without any meaningful long term improvement. I said at the time we will judge him 10 to 20 games. So post settling down his last 15 is a fair measure and it doesn’t look good.

[levico]

Getting a sneaking feeling that this thread is going to become much more relevant after tomorrow’s match.

[Footy-Vill]

Getting a sneaking feeling that this thread is going to become much more relevant after tomorrow’s match.

I think tomorrow performances of both teams as much as the result will give a good indication if the club was right to get rid of Dean and replace him with Gerrard

[PaulWinch again]

Getting a sneaking feeling that this thread is going to become much more relevant after tomorrow’s match.

I think tomorrow performances of both teams as much as the result will give a good indication if the club was right to get rid of Dean and replace him with Gerrard

I’m not sure it will. Dean needed to go, as much good as he had done. Don’t know whether Gerrard will succeed  or not, but he needs time and tomorrow won’t answer that either way.

[curiousorange]

Getting a sneaking feeling that this thread is going to become much more relevant after tomorrow’s match.

Obviously any negative will cause a mass panic, you're right. But a win more or less guarantees safety, and you'll probably find most just realise that Gerrard is going nowhere and flock to a newly created "who do we sell/buy?" thread.

[Rigadon]

Lose tomorrow, Gerrard fan or not (I am generally a fan), a certain amount of panic is justified in my opinion, especially if other results don't go our way.  It's certainly plausible Burnley will beat Watford, less so that Everton beat Chelsea but still possible.  If that happens we'd be 5 points above the relegation places with 5 games to go, 2 being against bloody Burnley!.  That could get very uncomfortable indeed.  I think the game tomorrow is huge for Gerrard the more I think about it, especially considering who the other manager is.

[Drummond]

I'm not sure tomorrow will make any difference.

[Rigadon]

I'm not sure tomorrow will make any difference.

I don't think we'll be relegated.  But lose tomorrow and Burnely / Everton both win and the pressure gets amplified.

[paul_e]

I'm not sure tomorrow will make any difference.

I don't think we'll be relegated.  But lose tomorrow and Burnely / Everton both win and the pressure gets amplified.

Whilst that is true if you re-write that as "We might be in trouble if 3 of the 4 worst teams in the league so far all win" it looks pretty unlikely.

[Mister E]

Lose tomorrow, Gerrard fan or not (I am generally a fan), a certain amount of panic is justified in my opinion, especially if other results don't go our way.  It's certainly plausible Burnley will beat Watford, less so that Everton beat Chelsea but still possible.  If that happens we'd be 5 points above the relegation places with 5 games to go, 2 being against bloody Burnley!.  That could get very uncomfortable indeed.  I think the game tomorrow is huge for Gerrard the more I think about it, especially considering who the other manager is.

Yes, can this group of players and rookie manager deal with 'very uncomfortable'? ... I'm not convinced they can, although I do think we'll get something from tomorrow's game.