I was looking to write something about the appointment of Remi Garde tonight, but the issue came up in my article last night and I thought I’d practically ruined the idea.
Fortunately, I’ve been saved by an article that’s cropped up in the Birmingham Mail.
There were suggestions on here and on Sky that Kevin MacDonald’s team selection was pretty much a two-fingered gesture aimed at the board, which indicated that he thought they didn’t know what they didn’t know what they were doing and that he was in total agreement with what Tim Sherwood thought about the situation.
I really don’t agree with that assessment.
Regardless of what we might think of KMac as a manager, I don’t think we have any reason to say anything other than he has been a very good servant of the club, who only has the club’s interests at heart.
While you might be tempted to say that KMac deliberately chose a poor side just to try and prove some point, I really don’t think that was the case.
My opinion says he played the side that he thought was the best to get the result, even if you think he might be deluded.
Which is worrying either way, as either KMac is indeed deluded, in which case he needs to be sacked.
Or he had genuine reason to not select what many of us think is Villa’s best starting eleven.
Which is where the Mail’s article comes into it. It names what Villa fans have voted as the best starting eleven.
Which is Guzan, Richards (RB), Clark, Okore, Amavi, Traore, Sanchez, Gana, Gil, Grealish and Ayew up top.
And to be fair, I’d suggest it’s not far off what most of us think.
Indeed, it’s pretty much what I think, although it’d be a 4-2-3-1, as opposed to a 4-5-1, as Gregg Evans suggests.
I also think it’s a bit lightweight overall, but the differences are small and the main point is it’s not far off if we want to go for it.
What on earth the scum badge is doing on the graphic, is beyond me, but it’s the Mail after all, isn’t it?
So what has Remi Garde got to do with all this?
Well, simply, I reckon this is the team that he’d ideally want to play.
It eliminates all the dross; the workhorses that try, but have let us down for years.
Particularly the likes of Hutton, Gabby, Westwood and Richardson etc. We all know who they are, even if some of us might think the odd ones have their uses.
So why do I suspect that our starting eleven under Garde, will not be what we all think it should be?
I hinted at it in the previous replies.
I think there is a major divide amongst the Villa players and I’m not talking about the odd one or two.
I’m talking about a divide that goes deeper than that; a divide that goes higher than just the players; a divide that might even have been built up by Sherwood.
I know, I’m talking rubbish.
So explain why there’s been a load of claptrap about how players aren’t fit enough and they’ve “lost their sparkle” in training, according to KMac.
This is utter tripe and I just refuse to swallow it.
There’s something seriously wrong behind the scenes, again in my opinion.
“Lost their sparkle” is surely code for “they ain’t trying”, isn’t it?
Well, that’s how I see it.
Either that or the players we all want to see start are plain and simple not good enough.
I’m not sure which situation is worse.
I think Remi Garde is going to need loads of luck in sorting things out.
Comments
167 responses to “KMac, Remi Garde and Villa’s best team”
I’m not expecting miracles and yes we could do with an enforcer or two in mid-field but I honestly believe that it’s possible to put a team together from this squad that can get us enough points to give us some hope. Then get the players we need in January and hopefully drag ourselves to safety.
From what I’ve heard Garde isn’t an idiot and he must see something in the team that makes him think he can make it work.
Always optimistic (and always disappointed so far) but still hoping. I’ll be watching the Man City game with some interest. I don’t expect a win but I hope we see the start of something different.
UTV
I’ll stick with my pessimistic head for a moment, if I may.
Garde has come for the money. It’s as simple as that, imo.
Else he would have refused, same as he did with Newcastle.
Same old,same old.
Lerner made him an offer he couldn’t refuse; more so if he couldn’t bring his mates in.
And it’s going to bite us on the arse, you just watch.
That said, I will try to support him.
But I’ll bet he’s on a hiding to nothing and we’ll be screaming for him to go in short time.
I so hope I’m wrong 🙁
@Badger
I also hope you’re wrong.
Garde’s a young manager and. if he’s only in it for the money and doesn’t mind that he’ll be tarnishing his reputation and future career prospects by managing a club that he thinks is likely to be relegated, then he’s very, very stupid indeed.
From what I’ve heard about Garde stupid he isn’t!
“But I’ll bet he’s on a hiding to nothing and we’ll be screaming for him to go in short time.” –
Don’t ALL managerial appointments [outside the Sky 4, although ManU might be the exception even there…] end up that way.
It’s why I have to laugh whenever any club presents it’s new manager: we all know how it’s going to end…
The only difference is how long before we get to that stage; what’s a ‘short time’?
I remember an old quite from a baseball coach which went along the lines of –
‘All coaches will end up getting fired, winning just postpones it a little’
“Lerner made him an offer he couldn’t refuse; more so if he couldn’t bring his mates in.”
As ridiculous a reason as I’ve heard. Had everything to do with Wenger and Houllier talking to him, especially the latter who was the one who convinced him. He didn’t reject Newcastle for not getting paid well.
Ok, Andrew, what in your opinion makes Villa a better bet than Newcastle?
Trying to put a neutral head on, I’d say they’re both very similar; they have been and are in the mire.
I gave the two reasons. Houllier and Wenger. I’d also put the third as we tried getting his assistants and Lyon said no, and we told him we’d try again.
Newcastle never tried going for his assistants, it was January instead of November and he said himself he has full control on transfers.
I dont know enough about French football, but I wonder what formation Garde played at Lyon? Be interesting to see if he goes with the same formation at Villa.
4-4-2 diamond or 4-1-4-1 based around Gonalons at defensive midfielder. Sometimes played the 4-3-3 as well.
First picture of Remi Garde taking training is of him with Lescott, Clark and Hutton. Good luck in sorting those three out
Starting with trying to work out whether they understand some basics: “Left, Right, Front, Back”, how to recognise which colour kit their own team-mates wear…
This next game can’t come soon enough, my patience is running thin with regards to pundits and media in general. I’m tired reading quotes and articles concerning Moyes and how awful Villa are because they sacked a promising British manager (nevermind him causing Villa’s worse start to a season ever).
https://audioboom.com/boos/3779726-garde-targets-survival
I like what he has said so far. Garde strikes me like a proper manager – calm and collected. Dare I say someone who actually has a plan.
Agreed from what I’ve heard so far. I’ll still be watching from behind the sofa Sunday
As has been said, Garde has to work with this sorry squad until January. But not quite, he can bring in players who are U21 from our reserves. If he has got a confident CH GK and RB he might as well promote them,
He said he is not a magic man, but perhaps he should spend the International break at Hogwarts, because he is going to need a Spell or 2 to banish weak-minded errors from the defenders we have.
It will take another spell – because it really is impossible – to engender a Talent for Captaincy in any of the first team regulars.
Lack of an inspirational captain has been a problem at Villa for some years now and we desperately need a leader in defence. It seems to me we should still be in the market for a quality CB who also fulfills those two needs. Probably a pipe dream given the money that would cost!
I’m going for a 4-4-2 diamond Guzan,Bacuna,Okore,Richards,Amavi,diamond of Gana,Sanchez,Vertout,Gil as the head of the diamond for creativity with 2 up top of Kozak & Ayew utv
Just watching clips from training session this week – No Gabby, please god let this be a sign he’s been bombed!!
Is there anything lower than the bomb squad, that is where he should be. What is pissing me off is some of the media and TV pundits saying that Garde is the wrong choice, what do day know. I am praying that Garde can turn this around. I seen his interview and he looked confident answering all the questions.
Just wait until we lose the next game – they’ll be saying ‘told you so’ over and over on every available medium.
It was quite interesting to read Garde’s comments about transfer policy last night – i.e. that he has the final say, but accepts that a ‘transfer committee’ or ‘sporting director’ is the norm. Maybe we at last have a manager who lives in the 21st Century…
Sadly is the British press ever wrong? They’ll probably spin it to their favor some how, although who knows a lot of people came out of the woodwork to state how crap the club is and how much they disagree with the sacking/appointment. It would be nice to see them backtrack when things turn around.
“Talent without hard work, it’s nothing.”
I especially like this quote from Garde’s press conference yesterday. I have a feeling the squad will actually be forced to earn their wages now.
His persona comes over very much like. Martinez, I could be wide of the mark it’s just my impression.
Garde strikes me as more of a Wenger lite than Martinez when it comes to emotions – reserved but always thinking – but in terms of his ideas of how the team should play and how he talks about football I can see the comparison. Either way, if you believe that teams play like the personality of their manager – we are definitely in good hands.
Here’s an interesting line, that I’ve just read in the Guardian, asking Pellegrini about Delph. Note the last bit;
“Asked if Delph could expect a difficult welcome, Pellegrini said: “No, I hope he will not receive that. He played a lot of years for Aston Villa and Aston Villa wanted to sell him also.”
To me, that’s an absolute lie or a bloody disgrace if true (bearing in mind the money he was surely worth?).
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/nov/06/manuel-pellegrini-fabian-delph-aston-villa-return
Dream on Pellegrini, Delph will probably get it in spades.
Yes the snake will get SHITE LOADS of abuse & totally justified, pelergrini added that bollox at the end to try & deflect blame onto the club.FUCK him FUCK the snake & FUCK city UTV
The snake should get both barrels.
Hung drawn & quartered sprung to my mind.
I really don’t get why Delph is the bad guy here. Lerner wanted to sell him and let’s face it he’s not that good and spent most of the time injured. So he changed his mind big deal we’ve all done that in our time. He was offered a shed load more money for the same or less work we all would of done the same.
Don’t see how Villa could have kept him once news of his release clause was leaked – other than by offering to buy his loyalty for another season or two by offering him the sort of stupid money Citeh pay their benchwarmers.
Give the snake all the stick he deserves…
News of his release clause? I was down VP the day it was announced he’d signed the new contract and to be honest I thought at the time what’s all this about? It just didn’t ring true.
Then surprise surprise he goes in August after a bit of faffing about it’s off to pastures new.
Imo he never was going to stay, it was just a deal that increased his money for the remainder of his time at VP and gave a bit of resale value on him, the least he could do after all the time he’d collected his wages while he’d been injured.
It was all smoke and mirrors when he signed that new deal, he had no intention of stopping and RL had no intention of keeping him.
Delph, he’s the easiest player to get sent off, he’s agresive on tackles plus he will have a lot on his mind over the move he did underhand, he might even get injured some of the players know him inside out.don’t think he will get much playing time anyway.I’ve bought my blindfold for Sunday.????.
I can’t stand Scholes and all the rest of the manc owners, but I watched that Salford- County game and it was well deserved.
The magic of the FA cup isn’t gone for me.
A great source of income for the little clubs that are lucky enough to get the right draw and
probably the biggest re-distributor of wealth in the game, anywhere in the world, imo.
Long may it live!
Cue Oohah, who says it’s a load of crap 🙁
You must admit though county were utter SHITE & more than likely see them at aggborough next season.
I didn’t watch the match but that class of 92 program where they bought Salford is excellent. I really think Gary Neville would make a good manager. Talks a lot of sense as a pundit as well.
It’s a load of crap 🙂
I see Newcastle winning against Bournemouth 10 minutes to go. Dear o dear.
Hi Bill, Newcastle’s our last home game, could be interesting.
BWS ,hope its not the game of all games who stays up or down, where 6 point’s down on them at the minute. Christmas might give us some idea as to what? just crazy BWS.
Don’t they owe us one for sending them down?
what price cahill in jan?
Billy boots, nice thought but a dream me thinks, BWS forgot about that hope they’ve got Alzheimer’s on to day.
He won’t come to us
Shawcross played well today can’t believe one of the top 5-6 clubs have come in for him
Christ WE MUST be really CRAP if we are below all the shit above us……..watched most of the games today and how the hell have we lost to most of them……….
We are. Or at least were.
Of course I hope that changes.
But I suspect in the next few weeks/months we’ll find out out much of a mug Sherwood really is. Or maybe not.
It’s all very worrying.
No man city preview LADS????
Have you got the nerves to read one???
Unless we get at least SIX points before the end of this month, I guarantee you, Lerner has taken us down. Remi might be the right man to change our fortunes, but it’s too late…
In saying that, three points today is a start!!! 🙂
Yep I’ve got the nerve I’m upbeat about today hopefully the end of shabby,I do believe the New manager factor will kick in today simply onwards & the only direction is upwards.UTV
Can’t wait to see his first team selection. A fiver says most of our summer signings feature, and no Gabby.
Looking forward to see what Garde,s team selection will be and the formation he is going to set out.
I’ll put something up in a while Giddy.
Also can’t wait to see what team Garde puts out today. Not expecting a win but some fight would be nice
Here’s a pridiction Guzan; Hutton, Richardson, Lescott, Richards; Westwood, Sanchez; Sinclair, Grealish, Bacuna; Gestede. What you think?
Wrong Bill
01 Guzan
21 Hutton
06 Clark
04 Richards
23 Amavi
24 Sánchez
08 Gueye
25 Gil
17 Veretout
09 Sinclair
19 J Ayew
Apart from Guzan and Hutton looks okay to me. Amavi and Gil both in and Ayew leading the line. It will be different anyway.
Sorry Pat, I’m after the most dislikes, top of the league now, beating Oohah and Andrew.???? looks good to me what’s playing, like to see Gardner.