So it’s been 23 years since Forest were last in the top flight.
That’s a long time and while I can think of bigger clubs that ought to be at the party (Sunderland, for example) I do feel their history is sufficient for me to quite miss them.
Indeed, one of my best footy memories was when we played them away in the league cup as was, around 1979. I don’t remember the final score, but we were 3 down at half time and I think it ended 1-5 or similar.
What sticks in my mind most was the probably 10,000 fans we took and seriously taking the proverbial out of their rustic away stand, where we were completing chants by banging on the corrugated roof that covered it. Yes, it was that low.
How times change and what Cloughie did for that club was truly fantastic. The stand that his achievements built is still probably their best, I would imagine.
After gambling and spending money like a western government in the summer, I think Forest have had something like 22 players come in to the club and unsurprisingly they haven’t really jelled yet, meaning they’re currently looking absolute favourites for bottom place come the end of the season.
In fact they’ve been so poor that Steve Cooper was looking a cert for the chop on Monday.
Imagine my pleasant surprise then, to find that the club have instead given him a new contract until 2025.
I found that really refreshing, but wonder if I would have felt the same if I was a Forest fan? Do they want him gone?
Whatever, I wonder if we’re going to do our usual charity act and give them the points, as we usually do against any club that needs a change from their usual results.
The strange part is that if Forest had sacked Cooper, they’d have probably got a new manager bounce against us, because that’s usual too, isn’t it?
It’s probably more like we’re really not that difficult to beat.
Squad news is that Leon Bailey has tweaked a muscle behind his knee and is therefore doubtful.
Augustinsson is out for around three weeks because of a hammy issue and they haven’t even worked out Digne’s heel problem yet, so he’s likely out for weeks too.
Jed steer and Diego Carlos are long term problems but Boubacar Kamara might make it back in time for the world cup.
Forest have a full squad to pick from.
So Forest have lost five games on the trot and we’re unbeaten in our last three.
It ought to be pretty straight forward then, eh?
Except we’re the Villa and our last three results haven’t convinced me we’re going anywhere soon.
We still look short of creativity and even on the odd chances we create something, we look toothless up front. Watkins, who I really like, would have been dropped a few weeks back to give another striker a go because he’s just been miles off it.
Which only tells me that Gerrard doesn’t rate Ings in the slightest.
Which is okay, because neither do I. He is often blowing early in the second half and is not the man to lead the Villa line on his own given the way we play, in my opinion.
Archer though, is another question. I’d even stomach say, 70 minutes of Ings on his own up front if it meant the lad would replace him for the last twenty minutes.
I made a jokey comment the other day that I thought Gerrard was under orders to not play Archer just so he couldn’t ruin him, the same as he seems to have many other Villa players.
If he doesn’t get a decent run out soon, I might begin to think that I was actually right.
Why we persist with the same lack of goalscoring without even giving Archer a go is beyond me and I keep going back to that recent press conference, where Gerrard was incredibly rude and asked if the Birmingham Mail reporter was an Archer fan or something, when he queried his lack of playing time.
How ignorant, or more likely just arrogant, of Gerrard to seemingly not understand the fact that many Villa fans are wondering why he won’t give the kid a go.
As much as I think we’re rubbish as a team, I’m hoping that we should just have too much for Forest, so am going to say we’ll win 1-0.
But I have as much conviction as some criminal who’s just got off scot free.
Which will probably describe Forest perfectly. Ie, they should have lost, but didn’t, same as Leeds last week.
It’s the Villa way and has been for years.
Wow, didn’t think it could get much worse after that Leeds match but that was so boring. We stroll around the pitch like we’ve already won and our build up play is so so slow it’s as if we’re winning 5-0 from kick off. Even in the 90th minute absolutely no desire to play fast it’s so bad not seen us this bad consistently since we got relegated.
Can anyone see more than a point from our next 5 games? That’ll be 10 points from 14 games. Guaranteed relegation form.
How can they stick with Gerrard? Abysmal.
He’ll point to being unbeaten in four in his defence which is true but frankly we are absolute rubbish.
No passion, too slow, poor in front of goal – there are no positives.
When your best player week in, week out is 37 years old …….
If NSWE don’t act quickly it’ll be too late.
I have a ticket for Sunday and am desperate for a certain Argentine to be in the dugout. I don’t think I’m ready for VP to turn full toxic. NSWE, please show Mr Gerrard the door tomorrow morning and appoint Mr Pochettino as a matter of urgency.
Gerrard out. Poch IN!
To quote baby Eubank, Gerrard could get his ‘schooling’ from Potter on Sunday. I hope he doesn’t get the chance. The board have a clear choice. Full toxic VP on Sunday and Villa in the drop zone. Or a buoyant VP with Pochettino in the dugout.
Another clueless piss poor performance against a shite team that look odds on to be relegated. Do NWSE actually watch the games? Unfortunately a draw just prolongs the agony as Purslow will say it’s 4 games unbeaten. I wanted Potter but he went to Chelsea so what are the odds on him getting a win on Sunday that finally sees Gerrard given the boot. Here’s hoping 🤞
And Gerrard – take your mate Purslow with you.
Given the investment since Dean Smith sacking, we have gotten worse. I just cant wait till that prick is out of the club. I celebrated the equaliser, but right at the end i was praying for Forest to get a winner to put us out of our misery. This team has little to no hope of picking up points against top half teams and will heavily rely on wins on the road against the likes of Leeds and Forest. There is no easy games in this league but that is a big 4 points dropped and may come back to bite us. Surely he has to go after that start to the season. The points tally isnt the issue for me, its the shit football.
Ryan Yates is a cheating shite who should have been booked long before he saw yellow. As for our front 3 they were all woeful. Coutinho is a waste of time and Gerrard’s persistence in playing his mate could cost him his job 🤞
Weren’t we 16th when Gerrard arrived?
12 months on and we’re still 16th.
Well that’s one form of consistency 🙂
Gerrard out.
We’ve scored 7 goals in 8 games and by the end we had 3 strikers on, Steve Bruce tactics right there.
9 games, Guest.
Even worse!
Desperation tactics that confirm he is out of his depth and doesn’t have a scooby.
What Mr Purslow and the board have to ask themselves is do they believe Gerrard can turn it around to anywhere near the standard that’s required and what they wanted for AVFC? The answer, surely, is NO. I can’t believe intelligent men would be so deluded to believe Gerrard can turn it around. It’s too far gone already and there’s no way back, even if he did have the skills set to sort it. The fact is he hasn’t, clearly. Therefore, there is no merit WHATSOEVER in keeping him installed as manager of AVFC. Every week that passes, the players lose more confidence, the fans become more despondent, the club gets closer to relegation, and the possibility of the high-calibre managers currently available becoming employed by another club increases. RELIEVE GERRARD OF HIS DUTIES TOMORROW. IT IS THE ONLY OPTION THAT MAKES SENSE.
GERRARD OUT!!!!!
Let’s keep typing this in the hope this gets reported back to NWSE. 99% of Twitter comments begging for club statement “Thank you for your service Steve but f*** **f”
OK, Holte…
GERRARD OUT!!!!!
GERRARD OUT!!!!!
GERRARD OUT!!!!!
GERRARD OUT!!!!!
GERRARD OUT!!!!!
GERRARD OUT!!!!!
GERRARD OUT!!!!!
GERRARD OUT!!!!!
GERRARD OUT!!!!!
GERRARD OUT!!!!!
GERRARD OUT!!!!!
GERRARD OUT!!!!!
GERRARD OUT!!!!!
Gerrard is losing the supporters faster than liz truss, i dont see how he can be here much longer
Let’s hope the delay in getting interview with Gerrard is because Edens or Sawris have been on the phone 🤞
https://mobile.twitter.com/TyBracey/status/1579578106985451520/photo/1
Now be consistent Purslow
Just retweet it and change the name…
Gerrard: “I am aware we should have more points and more goals. I am not stupid. I have not got my head buried under the sand. I am very much aware of the external pressure and noise and what people are saying. I am not soft.”
The pressure is getting to him; that’s a dreadful comment. It’s a classic job is too big situation. He wasn’t ready for Villa. It was a mistake to hire him. The only way to rectify is to put him out of his misery. Pochettino is well equipped to deal with a club Aston Villa’s size. As big as Spurs were when he started there and bigger than PSG. Mr Purslow, redeem yourself. Dismiss Mr Gerrard. Hire Mr Mauricio Pochettino. The fans will thank you and Dean Smith’s dismissal will not have been in vain.