The Football.....

[Slick]

I reckon Gerrard will be the first Premier League manager to get the sack this season. Tactically clueless in my opinion and rumours are he is losing the dressing room, never a good sign.

Micah Richards in an article for the BBC said the Villa fan's reaction at the end of yesterday's game was over the top. Far from it, Gerrards record is far worse than Dean Smith, yet he is still our manager. I was at the game yesterday, and although I didn't boo Gerrard, fans pay to watch their team and are perfectly entitled to express their opinion, more so than Richards who stole a living whilst he was at AVFC.

Whilst its obviously not going to plan at the minute, Gerrard is likely to be successful if given the right tools to do the job. He's definitely not tactically clueless, quite the opposite I thought.

 

[Slick]

Yeah, right! So you've had the occasional Leicester, Blackburn and Leeds winning your 'league' have you? You've got an Arsenal, a Spurs and a resurgent Newcastle keeping the top two on their toes Don't make me laugh!

Is that the Leeds team that got handed their erse by Rangers?

 

[PaulB]

Is that the Leeds team that got handed their erse by Rangers?

No, it's a different one.

 

[AndyRM]

Yeah, right! So you've had the occasional Leicester, Blackburn and Leeds winning your 'league' have you? You've got an Arsenal, a Spurs and a resurgent Newcastle keeping the top two on their toes Don't make me laugh!

Occasional is the key word here. If you knew anything about the game in Scotland, you'd understand the disparity in finances between Rangers and Celtic, and everyone else.

Outside those two, our top flight is competitive and quite a lot of fun. Sure, the quality isn't great sometimes, but it is what it is.

Remind me, while the media was going on relentlessly about how Liverpool might be able to win a 4 trophy haul last season, what happened? Oh, that's right, it didn't.

And which club from the UK has managed that feat?

ETA: And the occasional Liverpool winning your league?

 

[VelvetUnderpants]

Whilst its obviously not going to plan at the minute, Gerrard is likely to be successful if given the right tools to do the job. He's definitely not tactically clueless, quite the opposite I thought.

He's been given more than enough tools i.e. money, his own coaching staff, a purpose built and brand new training centre

He bought in Coutinho, who has underachieved so far. It's mystifying as to why Buendia is consistently failing to get a start over him. Gerrard wants to play narrow and doesn't play wingers, much to the frustration of Bailey, I can see him leaving at the end of the season. The problem is Villa Park is a massive pitch which allows the opposition to get out very easy to get at you.

I sincerely hope he does turn it around, but the cards are now stacked against him. We have an in form Arsenal away on Wednesday evening and Man City next Saturday. We have Southampton and Leicester after that, if we lose most of these fixtures, I think he is toast.

John Percy of the Telegraph has written a good piece on the troubles facing Gerrard.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2022/08/29/why-steven-gerrard-already-pressure-aston-villa/

Use https://12ft.io/ to bypass the paywall.

 

[PaulB]

Occasional is the key word here. If you knew anything about the game in Scotland, you'd understand the disparity in finances between Rangers and Celtic, and everyone else.

Outside those two, our top flight is competitive and quite a lot of fun. Sure, the quality isn't great sometimes, but it is what it is.

Remind me, while the media was going on relentlessly about how Liverpool might be able to win a 4 trophy haul last season, what happened? Oh, that's right, it didn't.

And which club from the UK has managed that feat?

ETA: And the occasional Liverpool winning your league?

How many times have a team outside the bigot brothers won the 'league' in Scotland in the last FIFTY years? 'Disparity in Finance'! You really have no idea about football. Or finance.

 

[Slick]

He's been given more than enough tools i.e. money, his own coaching staff, a purpose built and brand new training centre

He bought in Coutinho, who has underachieved so far. It's mystifying as to why Buendia is consistently failing to get a start over him. Gerrard wants to play narrow and doesn't play wingers, much to the frustration of Bailey, I can see him leaving at the end of the season. The problem is Villa Park is a massive pitch which allows the opposition to get out very easy to get at you.

I sincerely hope he does turn it around, but the cards are now stacked against him. We have an in form Arsenal away on Wednesday evening and Man City next Saturday. We have Southampton and Leicester after that, if we lose most of these fixtures, I think he is toast.

John Percy of the Telegraph has written a good piece on the troubles facing Gerrard.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2022/08/29/why-steven-gerrard-already-pressure-aston-villa/

Use https://12ft.io/ to bypass the paywall.

Thanks for the link and the ladder.

Interesting read, and I won't try to argue with any of that. My only point was I always felt we were watching the development of a potentially cracking manager up here and still fully expect him to go to the very top in much the same way as his playing career.

Obviously there will be tough times for him, but that's the challenge for everyone.

 

[Slick]

No, it's a different one.

Really?

 

[PaulB]

Really?

You started it.

 

[AndyRM]

How many times have a team outside the bigot brothers won the 'league' in Scotland in the last FIFTY years? 'Disparity in Finance'! You really have no idea about football. Or finance.

Aberdeen won the league in 1985, Dundee United won it in 1983. And I'm well aware of the finances in the game.

What is it about Liverpool fans and being so tetchy about football on here? It's very strange.

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

Aberdeen won the league in 1985, Dundee United won it in 1983. And I'm well aware of the finances in the game.

What is it about Liverpool fans and being so tetchy about football on here? It's very strange.

You know what they need to do though...

 

[PaulB]

Aberdeen won the league in 1985, Dundee United won it in 1983. And I'm well aware of the finances in the game.

What is it about Liverpool fans and being so tetchy about football on here? It's very strange.

You've got everything as wrong as wrong could be here. You seem to have a very curious way of thinking about stuff. I'm a born lifelong red so if we win everything or win nothing, it's neither here nor there for me. I'll be going till I die anyway so it would suit me much more if we were in division 4,

But your mental block about finance! WTAF? One of your only two teams fell off their perch and there was a massive rush to fill the vacuum...until the other team just went back on their perch again. Nae problemo. No massive investment was forthcoming of the sort that's needed to bring others to the table in England. No film stars bought any teams like happened in Wales. Finance keeps the others out! More like apathy.

 

[AndyRM]

You've got everything as wrong as wrong could be here. You seem to have a very curious way of thinking about stuff. I'm a born lifelong red so if we win everything or win nothing, it's neither here nor there for me. I'll be going till I die anyway so it would suit me much more if we were in division 4, then I wouldn't have so many Jowys around.

But your mental block about finance! WTAF? One of your only two teams fell off their perch and there was a massive rush to fill the vacuum...until the other team just went back on their perch again. Nae problemo. No massive investment was forthcoming of the sort that's needed to bring others to the table in England. No film stars bought any teams like happened in Wales. Finance keeps the others out! More like apathy.

Righto, so there are only two teams in Scottish football in your mind? Seriously?

There was no rush when Rangers went bust, what on earth are you on about?

People predicted doom for the game in Scotland, didn't happen. You clearly know nothing about it.

 

[PaulB]

Righto, so there are only two teams in Scottish football in your mind? Seriously?

There was no rush when Rangers went bust, what on earth are you on about?

People predicted doom for the game in Scotland, didn't happen. You clearly know nothing about it.

Well I do see swathes of empty seats when the Edinburgh derby is played.

Of course I don't think there are only two teams in Scotland, Fort William being my favourite second team. I do know however that there are only two teams in the Premier Scottish league and your psychic crutch - finance - has nothing to do with it.

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

You'll know about this then, the practicalities of going the match. How much are the seats at the London? Do you use them as seats or do you stand? How much for a bag of crisps? A pint of lager? Do you leave slightly before the end or wait until the final whistle and how long does it take to get out of the stadium if after the final whistle?

Sorry only just seen your post as i flit in and out of C/C so i'll answer your questions.
I pay £170 for my season ticket as i am a (cough)senior.It might be the cheapest S/T in the stadium but you still get a good view.
I sit most of the time.
Never buy any drink or food in the ground as it's a rip off.
Wait until the final whistle.It still baffles me why people are leaving the ground with ten minutes to go and the game is still in the balance.
Takes about one minute to get out of the ground.I don't go to the nearest station(Stratford)as it's too packed.Prefer to walk to West Ham station which is about twenty minutes away.