Bolton 1 Aston Villa 4 Post Match Thread.

[Mister E]

... I can't imagine there being any consistency in results and performance and general improvement. Gerrard is a cheque book manager, has made the wrong call with captaincy, pissed off our leader and generally made a pigs ear of a lot of things. He hasn't promoted youth so far, quite the opposite and his hard man attitude doesn't appear to have roused the squad.
We can either give him loads of money and he can replace everyone with players who fit his desired formation or trundle along in lower mid table because he isn't a good manager who could improve us with nous alone.

And ...

The midfield is a major concern to me, none of the permutations used this season, including last night, fill me with confidence. Without any doubt, Mc Ginn is not justifying his place except to be involved in the coin toss at the start...
... there comes a time when we have to give a manager time to have his own players and implement his overall playing style...

In 2 differently-angled posts we have a summary of where we're at: still trying to work out how to play with the resources we have. I personally think the SG project is nearing a decision time.

[LeonW]

... I can't imagine there being any consistency in results and performance and general improvement. Gerrard is a cheque book manager, has made the wrong call with captaincy, pissed off our leader and generally made a pigs ear of a lot of things. He hasn't promoted youth so far, quite the opposite and his hard man attitude doesn't appear to have roused the squad.
We can either give him loads of money and he can replace everyone with players who fit his desired formation or trundle along in lower mid table because he isn't a good manager who could improve us with nous alone.

And ...

The midfield is a major concern to me, none of the permutations used this season, including last night, fill me with confidence. Without any doubt, Mc Ginn is not justifying his place except to be involved in the coin toss at the start...
... there comes a time when we have to give a manager time to have his own players and implement his overall playing style...

In 2 differently-angled posts we have a summary of where we're at: still trying to work out how to play with the resources we have. I personally think the SG project is nearing a decision time.

He'll get criticised for it, but I'd have more trust in Gerrard if he realised that the current squad profile can't play his system and change it up to maximise what we currently have. It's got to be a 4-2-3-1 and McGinn has got to be changed as captain. It's better to admit you've made a mistake and start to address it then to double down because it'll see him get the sack for sure.

[Bent Neilsens Screamer]

Why would he get criticised for picking a system that suits our players better?

[mrfuse]

Why would he get criticised for picking a system that suits our players better?

I think it would be because he had this plan in his head and he has a system bringing in players in that was supposed to make this all work. So throwing out that system would suggest he doesn't really know what hes doing. But as LeonW says he would be better just scrapping that for now and saying that he needs time to implement his initial ideas.

[aj2k77]

I thought that was what being a manager was about. Using your resources as best as you can to get the most out of each and everyone.

[LeonW]

Why would he get criticised for picking a system that suits our players better?

Because he’s set his stall out with what he’s currently doing and spent half a season and pre-season trying to refine it with the current squad and new recruits. Some will use it to criticise him whereas I would take it very much as a sensible approach because what we’re doing isn’t working.

[Mister E]

He'll get criticised for it, but I'd have more trust in Gerrard if he realised that the current squad profile can't play his system and change it up to maximise what we currently have. It's got to be a 4-2-3-1 and McGinn has got to be changed as captain. It's better to admit you've made a mistake and start to address it then to double down because it'll see him get the sack for sure.

Agree, Leon.

[LeonW]

Why would he get criticised for picking a system that suits our players better?

I think it would be because he had this plan in his head and he has a system bringing in players in that was supposed to make this all work. So throwing out that system would suggest he doesn't really know what hes doing. But as LeonW says he would be better just scrapping that for now and saying that he needs time to implement his initial ideas.

There’s also the leadership element to consider, but a stronger leader recognises their errors and is prepared to correct them in the face of criticism for ‘not knowing what they're doing’ because they've invested political capital and resources in something that isn’t working.

[Ian.]

If we ply well and start getting results and he won’t get any criticism for too long.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Why would he get criticised for picking a system that suits our players better?

Let's address this question when it happens.

[PeterWithesShin]

If we ply well and start getting results and he won’t get any criticism for too long.

I wood hope so.

[Bent Neilsens Screamer]

If we ply well and start getting results and he won’t get any criticism for too long.

I wood hope so.

Well at the moment Gerrard can’t see the wood for the trees, it’s obvious that the midfield needs sprucing up.

[Percy McCarthy]

He was in a no win position last night though.  Imagine how much pressure he would’ve been under if he had picked a weaker side.  Plus for years we’ve been banging on about taking the cups seriously.

Totally agree - not necessarily starting line (we all argue about starting personnel) but picked who he should have largely from the first team squad.

I would like to have seen Cam get a shot as he did last year albeit against a weaker side. Watkins and Ings scored so it was the right call. 

I would expect Konsa and Cash to play Sunday (the former a worry) but what he does in terms of formation and picks further forward will be interesting.
If he plays 4-3-3 and we are as insipid as per Cherries and Eagles then he will righly get tomotaoed or cabbaged

Watkins didn’t score.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

If we ply well and start getting results and he won’t get any criticism for too long.

I wood hope so.

Well at the moment Gerrard can’t see the wood for the trees, it’s obvious that the midfield needs sprucing up.

It's a hard board that doesn't give him time to fix this.

[LeonW]

If we ply well and start getting results and he won’t get any criticism for too long.

I wood hope so.

Well at the moment Gerrard can’t see the wood for the trees, it’s obvious that the midfield needs sprucing up.

It's a hard board that doesn't give him time to fix this.

It would also be one that didn't do it's homework on a young manager who hadn't really struggled in his career yet and expect him to transition what was working for Rangers to Villa.