Gerrard out ?

[mondaze]

I know it's too early to call for the manager's head at this stage (or is it?) but the truth is I do not feel invested in Gerrard's version of my beloved team. I am very unhappy about how he is upsetting players for no good reason. It smacks of Mcallister's last stint as Villa's head coach.. And we know how that ended. The team he picked on Saturday was patently anti- intuitive, Konsa is just out from a knee injury, and both Chambers and Mings were better in the pre-season. Similarly, Coutinho had been out-played by Buendia in the pre-season and Ings was the worst of the three strikers used. His agenda is thus not about form but about favourites. He does not have the cache of Deano, he is not a villa fan... this job is a practice run for his next job as Liverpool manager... and I don't like that at all. I fail to see where he is of value. He doesn't coach, he is patently not good at man management, so what does he bring? A cache with foreign players which might aid them through the gates? Is that enough for a Head Coach?

[birminghamborn]

Some good points, but I’ll give him ‘til Xmas, Deadly Doug would have.

[TrianonDave]

I don't think the away fans will give him that long, 10 games and he needs at least 4 wins from 9.....

[bongosdad]

Good points Mondaze. Im not sure he favours Ings though. Watkins is usually ahead of him in the pecking order. That's why i thought benching watkins was very odd. Mings physical presence and leadership qualities outway the occasion hiccup. Konza didnt deserve to start either. Just very amateur decisions from Gerrard. However he is a winner and i hope he can sit in the bath at home and think thats was **** and i f@@ked up.

[westcountryvillain]

It's on him 100%, his ill thought out game-plan of swinging crosses into an oppo defence much taller than our strikers along with slow ponderous passive lethargic ball retention really does make me question what he brings tactically. To leave Buendia out when he is consistently the most creative player we have in the middle along with picking Carlos & Konsa as a central pair when both are right-footed, sidelining Sanson and his treatment of Mings makes him a bad man manager. His style of play on the whole isn't easy on the eye, I really thought he'd be a great appointment as a born winner, leader on the pitch etc but it's not looking great is it - hope I'm made to eat my words.

[TrianonDave]

Didn't he have a slow start with Rangers and I always thought it was attacking football with the fullbacksdoubling as Wingers! Got to give him time, he will want to succeed at Villa or he will not be getting the Liverpool job. At the minute, he's turning into Lampard, the big Name who's used to failing...

[bongosdad]

I think Buendier was comming back from a knock to be fair but i still dont think he would have started anyway. Im hoping he does an Arteta He was poor at first but improved. Fingers crossed.

[Exiledvillan]

Wow, why don’t you say what’s on your mind, Mondaze?

My shout? Nah, way too early to sack the manager. Mistakes have been made, as you pointed out if he repeats those mistakes, then yes, there are questions to answer.

The debacle over the new coach not going to Oz is the biggest fk-up for me, be it no passport, no jabs, no visa, whatever. I’d say Critchley privately knew what was in the pipeline with Beale, all 3 are very close. It should have been sorted.

Mings has been vilified by so many for 2 seasons now, then in true Villa fashion (pointing no fingers at VMad), as soon as a player is out of the team, they become Lionel Messi overnight. I have always been a fan of Mings’s leadership and commitment. We all heard his influence during lockdown (for England too), but sometimes his ‘brain farts’ can be costly. Averaged out though, I’d say he has plenty of credit.

Bit hard on G Mac. I remember him saving our season when Hula-Hoop fell ill. When free from the hula-hoop’s claws, I think that he did well. I was disappointed that he left, even more so, when Beelzebub took over.

Deano was too close to the Villa. His devotion clouded his judgement, for me. Yes, he had more experience, insider knowledge, and rapport with the fans, but his time (for me) was up at the end of the previous season. In fact, the Bournemouth result reminded me of so many DS performances.

See y’all in the next cartoon.