Aston Villa News 24/7Writer: revdpete 
Date:Tuesday January 3 2012
Time: 3:51PM
UK time is: 21:16:29
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Desperately Sad At Where We Are, BUT....
revdpete says:
I was a shocked, upset and down right angry at yesterday (Swansea) as anyone. I really thought we'd turned the corner. When I saw the team (whilst eating my very nice beef bap in the Holte Suite) I was worried. How many times have we proved Gab is not a winger, and yet thats the change you make? I was in two minds as to wether it should have been wholesale changes like were made by Swansea, or exactly the same and bring on 3 later in the game. I think Swansea proved the change was the right thing.
Why do I say that. Because we were tired from the off, we were second to every ball, we were struggling to close down, we were as the game went on leaving our full backs exposed time and time again. For all the credit that should be given to Swansea, they got their away win because they had more energy. End of. Hindsight is a great thing isn't it.
So how does it leave me feeling about Alex McLeish? After calming down, pretty much the same. Was bemused (still am) by the appointment, he has a lot to do to prove to me as a supporter that he is as good as Randy and Paul believe. But should we really be changing manager NOW?
Have to say I can't see the logic.
We won't go down this year. In my opinion this is one of the worst premierships in terms of quality for a long time. There are some truly poor sides.
To stick rather than twist will prove once and for all if Alex McLeish is even a good manager. It will give the board and owner chance to sit back in May and say ok what did we achieve? I think it will also give us as supporters much more right to say 'you got this so wrong' if we finish below 8th (our squad is good enough to finish there with a good manager in this present league). It will also give us stability of sorts in what has been a truly awful 18 months. Do we really want to be appointing Ian Holloway or Big Sam as our 6th manager (counting caretakers MON, Mc1, Hou, Mc2, Mc3) in that time? Will we attract any player if thats our record.
Don't get me wrong, this is not saying I believe he is a great manager and will come good. I think he's a decent bloke who at the present moment is on a hiding to nothing. But he decided to take the job, so he has to work with that.
What about transfers. Must admit when I heard Keane, I thought 'here we go'. But what if there is method in that? What if we know that in the rest of this season we still are going to need to keep Ireland under wraps sometimes (he isn't that long back from injury and AM noted that himself). Is then not a 2 month loan logical? Piennar? Well I think he's a decent player, he could add something. Kranjcar? Again, yes he could add something. Maybe those two could show Gab and Bent and Bannan that we are still looking forward, and stop them leaving for wherever as has been muted?
Anyway, I'm just thinking out aloud, trying to give us a bit of reason in this so unreasonable situation. I have a great fear that we will all end up tearing this great club of ours apart. And Villa Park will be a poorer place for it. As was witnessed by the riot lines of stewards around Villa Park at the end of the Swansea game. Do I want that for Villa Park? No.
Of course I am as fickle as the rest of you and should we loose against Bristol and Everton I'll be getting my banners out!
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Your Comments
I'd rather he admitted the mistake and went, but then, from his comments, none of this is his fault so......... Should never have been done this, it is turning nasty as you could see yesterday with the way they lined all the stewards up
The Fear
Rev, as we approach (I believe) the equalling of the number of successive home defeats (five), I hesitate to hope.
the_lergy
Is that the record Lergy? 5 home losses in a row?
The Fear
Not saying it's good Lergy. Just saying could it be worse if we get what we wish for.
revdpete
Yes it's 5 Fear, back in 1963. Were you not there?
revdpete
http://www.statto.com/football/teams/aston-villa/records
revdpete
I was -6 at the time, then again, dad would have been so... I'll stop there.
The Fear
Lol. You youngsters!
revdpete
No buts....we need change....in varied departments around the club
reza
Yes hindsight is a wonderful thing but wasn't it obvious the players would be tired? It was obvious to you, it was obvious to the Swansea manager, it was obvious to many people on this forum, but not, it seems, to Alex McLeish, a professional football manager with twenty years experience. The mind boggles.
Saurat
It will get even nastier if things are allowed to continue on the current downward spiral. However, if it takes "nasty", then I say so be it. After all, it's in the best interests of the club we all love.
Pride of Lions
Sorry, J, for being late - I see that the Rev has confirmed that 5 is the record no. of successive home defeats. How sad it is that the ownership that boasted "Bright Future" appointed AM and to find ourselves so close to such a negative record as a result. It's not just the defeats but how they're being obtained that's the worrying factor.
the_lergy
Having got slaughtered at the weekend re my article about selling Bent, (you were right JF facebook was a battleground), what does McLeish do....put Bent back in and Gabby on the wing. Square pegs don't go in round holes! Best spell of the season has been with two genuine wingers, so McLeish drops Albie. Petrov, who has played well this season still has questions over his ability to last 90 minutes, so it was no surprise that he was tired yesterday. Don't think he is up to two games in a week let alone two games in 48 hours. So morale will be back on the floor, and next we have a cup match against a team who will be so up for the game, and playing with nothing to lose. It's now a giant killing in waiting. |Guess that's why it's on telly. Nice one McLeish. (stopped calling him Mr McLeish after yesterday, deserves no respect). Still expect to see Gabby on the wing, Warnock at left back, and 4 centre backs on the pitch. Cos he's an idiot!
2big4seatswannastand
Randy has done wonderful for the club since he arrived. He gave the money to the manager most adored and built the infrastructure to much better levels. we improved but not enough to warrant the money spent. Too much money wasted by M'ON. He wanted more money to waste, the club hadn't got any left and now Randy is trying to balance the books, but in doing so is alienating the fans who can see how much he has put into the club. His inability to land the club with a worthwhile manager could well be his downfall. I just hope his refusal lto listen to the fans on the McLeish appointment doesn't come back to haunt him and us.
voiceoftheholte
Holloway, Holloway, Holloway, Holloway -- but give Eck till Summer to do what Houllier was trying to do at first, before fans wrath caused him to back down.
Trouble is if Blackool get promoted again on a shoe string, then Holloway won't be available. The guy is a legend who motivates teams, tactically changes things throughout a game where required, and gets the best out of his players.
You may laugh at him or scoff at the thought, but you would laugh with him if he was ours, and Villa Park would again be a pleasure to visit with entertaining football
stennyvilla
Holloway reminds me of John Gregory
delirium
kind of agree with most of the responses. Now is the time to make a change. With GH I was in the camp of giving him till the end of the season because I could see glimpses (albeit brief ones) of what he was trying to do. Mcleish has no plan, no ability and no dignity. Whilst i agree about Gabby on the wing and I was screaming all game long that we never won a single second ball I can't go with the players being tired. Not one of them left it all on the pitch. We need a new manager now whilst there is time and a transfer window to put a stamp on things. A motivator with an attacking philosophy is what we need, I hate Holloway but would grudgingly accept him, Rogers would be awesome but wouldn't come, Hughes is out of work, hell doris the tea lady couldn't do any worse!
AVbornandbred
i have to laugh at the managerial options being spouted on here. Holloway who said we were an half arsed club that used to be famous, no thank you and because Swansea beat us Rodgers is the best thing since sliced bread, do me a favour, none of these are any good. Everyone wanted Jol well hes done nothing so far apart from upset there dressing room, Hughes has never won anything as a manager and was another draw specialist. Anyway while Lerner holds the purse strings tight we might as well have Michael Jacksons monkey in charge
madforit
Voth, RANDY HAS LENT US THE MONEY!!!! There's NO excuse for appointing someone who makes us play like this, and then not getting rid of him ASAP.
Villan444
And LOL @ bornANinbred. " I kind of agree with everyone " . You basically said everyone was wrong and you're the only one that's always right the other day!!!
Lololol. Glad you took my advice on humility. Lolol. I guess you're only 5" tall as your small mans syndrome is evident. Glad that I suppressed it do that the others don't have to put up with it. I know you'll have a comeback for me though.Lol. X
Villan444
Well Said Madforit
tubbz
Madforit's "I have to laugh at the managerial options being spouted on here. Holloway who said we were an half arsed club that used to be famous". As I said, but his record and his football are there to be seen. I read his comments every day and he is spot on almost always, and questions himself when things go wrong. He learns, and is still learning. And yes he is a fans' manager talking the talk like John Gregory, but that is only one small aspect of his offer. He is a rounded, well informed , intelligent, ambitious manager and decent guy to boot. OK he is emotional - that's good too.
stennyvilla
Rev, "should we change manager NOW?" YES!!! if you can't see the logic just look at sunderland new manager who knows what he's doing and look how things turned around "we won't go down this year" how can you be sure of that? because the last team that gave McIdiot a chance didn't go down? Although in a way you are right as who would we get instead of this fool, Holloway sorry not good enough for the prem probably the complete oppoisite of McIdiot an attacking manager but has no idea abput defence (but McIdiot can't even get the defence right) I would take Rodgers not cause of them beating us but because he has the right philosphy gets the most of his players and has given them a belief that on their day they can beat anyone and he would be low budget which it seems our board wants.
KerryVillian
And if it doesn't happen KerryVillan? If the rationale of the board is to give the guy time? What would you do then? Unfortunately you and I don't get to make the decisions, Randy and Paul do, and Alex will still be here at the end of the window.
Revdpete
Doris ? sorry AVbornandbred she transferred to albion start of season along with the villa park cat. Not forgotten Holloways comment that "Villa were a a once great team but were nothing now" and that was before we signed Mcleish.Before we go choosing managers better ask them if they would come because as things stand we arent an attractive option.
Merlin128777
McLiesh knows how poor our squad is, a lot of them are set in their ways but we will survive and big changes are coming in the summer, maybe even the od one in Jan. Randy will start again. He has no choice, relegation will cost us tens of millions and he knows this.
astonmilan
The difficulty with having confidence in the last comment is the continued selection of certain players and lack of opportunity to some others provides no confidence. Hope your right though.
stennyvilla
Well rev if the board won't get rid now then we really have no choice to support the team BUT we should still make our feelings known that we don't want McIdiot at our club even if he does keep us up which I really hope your right about, we simply HAVE to get rid of him in the summer can you imagine another season of this dire crap?
KerryVillian
VotH - I knew it would be Martin O'Neill's fault.
chocolate teapot
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