Aston Villa - Nottingham Forest

[ozzyten10]

I didn’t notice to be honest - up in the stands he looked ok to me - he was playing next to Hutchinson who is tiny though so that might be it!

[Salvatore Matrecano]

I’ll ask you a question in return (it was something we discussed today at the game). Should Ange have been given more time?

Agree with a lot (not all) of your reply above.

My answer to your question may surprise you. I was prepared to give Ange the season and take the bumps so yes he should have been given more time.

Conversely EM isnt as thick skinned as some lime to think he is, I reckon he is very tuned in to supporter opinion, probably too much. Therefore the reaction to the Midtjylland defeat shocked him and he was on very thin ice from that moment. My own opinion turned not by the performance on the pitch but his ludicrous press conference pre Chelsea when he talked about himself non stop.
The only way it could ever have worked though is with a full pre season to bed in his style and some players (notably Milenkovic) were always entirely unsuited.

My problem overall as you have alluded to is the lack of strategy which is ever the case. Buying players is easy, looking at how they fit together and whether they will fit with the club is the bit we seem to miss.

[Sniffer Dog (Admin)]

That will probably never change because it's the way EM likes to work.

He has won the double at Olympiakos then changed the majority of the squad.

Not saying it's the right way but it's his way.

[Username]

Have a look at this second goal FFS:



Twisting my melon

[Salvatore Matrecano]

That will probably never change because it's the way EM likes to work.

He has won the double at Olympiakos then changed the majority of the squad.

Not saying it's the right way but it's his way.

Thats fine. EM has instructed his management team to build a squad capable of competing to win the Europa league and given them a huge budget to do so.

Therefore I expect Edu to put in more work than simply picking up the phone to his agent mates and saying “oi do you know any wingers for sale?”
Buying 4 randoms from Botafogo hardly spells strategy either.

The way we do it you will find the odd decent player but we get so many more misses than we should.

[stirred]

The tactics are sh@te. Part of the secret of getting good team performances is the buy-in of the players like we had last season, like Sunderland have this. I’m not saying our players aren’t trying but that real belief in what they’re being asked to do isn’t there when your tactics are sh@te, and you lose something because of that. And that’s probably where we are.

And then people think are players are sh@te, just like they did under Hughton. But they weren’t. And they aren’t now.

[Salvatore Matrecano]

For those who were there, whats the general feeling in the away end?
Still supportive and accepting a difficult situation? Or growing restless/borderline mutinous?

[ozzyten10]

Fans were great until the ridiculous third goal. Those that stayed clapped the few players that went over…

[ToryTom]

For those who were there, whats the general feeling in the away end?
Still supportive and accepting a difficult situation? Or growing restless/borderline mutinous?

Today was a turning point for me. I went with the excuses for dreadful performances against Bournmouth Everton and Wolves. The three points gained from the latter was enough to overlook how bad we played that day. Since Liverpool every away game we have been so far off it and it seems to be getting worse. Until recently i thought we would finish above Leeds WHam Burnley and Wolves. i am now convinced Leeds will finish higher and West Ham will buy enough quality to get out of the bottom three. Dyche doesn’t seem to be getting a response from the players. Our best players levels have started to drop alarmingly. Anderson, Lurillo and even Neco today making mistakes. The players are better than what they are showing and the collective will just doesn’t seem there. I would like Dyche replaced before it is too late but couldn’t say who by.

[Username]

For those who were there, whats the general feeling in the away end?
Still supportive and accepting a difficult situation? Or growing restless/borderline mutinous?

There was some mild booing of Bakwa at one point but mostly apathy