Okay, so I have to be careful what I say here.
It’s just too easy to have an over-emotional reaction to a loss like this, after all.
But, I can’t get away from the fact that we were horrendously bad today.
So bad that I can’t point the finger at any one player, because as a side, we were just so,so poor.
I’ve seen fans calling McGinn and Watkins, as per usual, but I have to ask what they did that was so wrong?
The worst single player, if I really have to pick one was Digne. He honestly looked like he was on drugs or something today and it was like he didn’t know what planet he was on, let alone which part of the pitch.
Yet, in fairness, he’s been okay before today and I find myself wondering how he suddenly has looked so poor today.
But the same applies to many other players too. McGinn looks a shadow of his former self.
Ramsey is just none-existent and shouldn’t even be starting, in my opinion.
But apart from Buendia in the first half, the whole midfield lookes so, so lightweight, so it’s not just one player.
And because the midfield is so lightweight, it seems to have fed through to the defence too.
We look like we’ve never played together at the back and I’m perplexed how we have managed to go from looking extremely organised to just well, words fail me.
Again, I have to be careful I don’t say something I regret.
But, I said from the off that Gerrard was not the right choice for Aston Villa.
Am I calling for his head?
No, not yet.
Because I believe if he does go, it will be weeks away.
Purslow will support him as long as he possibly can, which is probably a good idea, because if Gerrard does get sacked, Purslow will “resign”, in my opinion.
We are not getting a point from our next three games, so it’s just a matter of things taking their natural course.
But there is no doubt that the total dissarray that we saw today cannot continue.
Sorry to say, but the story I always saw panning out is happening right now.
Shocking.
The more we slide down the league, the less appealing we look for players that we want. A defeat at Bolton in the cup followed by West Ham, Arsenal, Man City and Leicester and I can’t see where our next win is coming from. If we wait till we are in the relegation zone then who would want to take the manager job?
Get rid of Gerrard now and someone like Pochettino or Potter.
The question is how patient are our owners? 3 points from Bournemouth, Everton and Palace isn’t good enough. We were fortunate in the end to hold out against a weak Everton team!
I would be interested to know if SG really expected to get anything from Palace. CP have moved with the inevitable need to have midfielders who are small but world-beaters or big men who can bully opponents. The latter are a lot cheaper and more plentiful so that is what CP get. Against teams like CP Villa can’t afford to field more than one at once of Bailey, Buendia, Maginn and Coutinho. Ramsey looked as if he might be a toughie – but he hasn’t proved to be yet. Nakamba and Traoré have the physique needed for this type of opposition.
Digne was bought from Everton – that speaks volumes about his ability to defend. He was bought to go forward and deliver better quality crosses than Targett, but there was no chance he could cope defending against Zaha unless doubling up every time.
Maginn has been found out. 1/3 of the way up the EPL he meets players too good for him and just fades away. A ridiculous choice as captain.
Sarr to villa anyone know about this??
Don’t think it’s going to do much good I thought we wanted another 8 or CB or a striker?
This smacks of desperation to me
Poor as piss Digne was evertons best player he’s absolute dog shit his positional play is schoolboy at best
Our players are not good enough I said the same last week yet another long miseable season ahead
Seriously starting to become convinced that Gerrard being sacked is the right decision for the club. I cannot convince myself that he should go on for any longer, not only are his tactics not working, the worst part about it all is that he does not change them. So stubborn, as was Dean Smith too. I feel that we will really struggle to get points in our next few games, and, to be honest, West Ham at home is probably one of the nicest fixtures that we could have. Lets get behind the lads for that. But seriously, if Gerrard is going to continue like this, then he cannot go on for any longer. We must do whatever is best for the club, and if it means sacking Gerrard or even Purslow, then so be it.
If a manager continually doesn’t change anything, it seems a classic sign that it’s because he doesn’t know what to do.
The shocking part to me is that he’s supposed to have this top team of coaches behind him.
Does that mean they don’t know what to do either?
Given how poor our defence is, I have to question how good our staff, who are surely seriously well paid, are.
You can’t defend the indefensible.
I’ve seen enough, he’s got no excuse now that’s plain for all, to see, SG will try and wriggle out of this you mark my words, we have all seen the way he sets up his team and been bewildered in his choice, times up now .
Villa on way up for 3years now on way down.
Smith sacked to soon? Why did Terry and O’Kelly leave they knew that there was trouble ahead I think.
It’s all gone wrong since grealish sale. Is it possible that the owners have decided that the club must now fund itself more especially with stadium improvement and inner city academy plans.
This year Beale has left??
There’s definitely something wrong in the background.
Gerrard is a cheque book manager in my opinion and just rubs players up the wrong way.
Until we become a team were getting nowhere.
Now is the time to dismiss Gerrard. How many wins in the last 19 matches?
Simply not good enough. NSWE must demand a meeting with Purslow and tell him to find a new manager.
Gerrard is incapable of motivating the team. His team selection has no consistency. His man management is very poor, falling out with players. He seems to want players at the end of their careers, wanting one last pay cheque. He is not developing players, they are going backwards.
Gerrard out Gerrard out
It’s being claimed we’ve had a £24m bid accepted for Sarr – why?
Is he what we need?
Desperate signing and no better than what we have, Gerrard can’t coach the players to perform better, he can only keep buying them in the hope something sticks.
Gerrard out.
I’d take him any day.
Gerrard out sadly.
Gerrard out. Poch in. ASAP.
Should have put at least a grand on Palace today. So obvious that was coming.
Was our defence terrified of Zaha? Was theirs quaking in their boots at the sight of Ollie? Straight swap Mr Vieira?
Gerrard OUT. Quick.
Would rather have Bruce than Gerrard.
Also would take Poch, Zidane, Bielsa, Nuno.
Villa and Wolves fans laughing when Gerrard and Lage are gone by the end of the season. Lage another manager I’d take over Gerrard sadly. Don’t know why sadly, the man is young, had loads of money to spend, had a great career, and will have many chances to get the Liverpool job, but the step from the SPFL to the Premier League is just too much for Steven Gerrard, and that is a straight fact.
I actually think that might’ve been one of the worst games I have ever watched.
Gerrard has to go, sadly.
Tried to play what looked like a pressing setup with Watkins (who criminally started over Ings, the miles better player) and Bailey in the XI against one of the best counter attacking teams in the entire league and expected not to get caught out on the break.
Even against Everton we were caught out so many times, I don’t see what we don’t learn from previous games.
Unfortunately, this success is too good to be true for all Villa fans with this board, this manager, and the whole team apart from some players.
Nakamba changes our game defensively, no idea why he’s sat on the bench.
Appalling decisions to be honest, I felt sick watching that game.
Players and managers are human, I’ve given them no abuse whatsoever, just stated facts, can’t put it better than I just have.
Sky reporting the ‘Sarr deal’.
Why are we signing a winger when we need a quality number 8 and a central defender plus a decent left back?
Probably because Gerrard is deluded and thinks that if we play wide players, push them up and leave our wide defensive positions wide open, we’re a good side.
He’s clueless, basically.
I watched a few of our pre season games and I was filled with dread. Based on what I’d seen I said we were going to be in the bottom half of the table. The three games this season have been even worse and I now think we are going to be in a relegation fight.
We’ve got no adventure or invention. Far too much tedious keep ball with no end result. We look like a negative, safety first, Steve Bruce side. ( Who ironically smashed it today.) Is Gerrard any better than Smith ? On current evidence, I’d have Smith back in a second.
John, I’d have Bruce over these poor tactics.
My only question is how long can Purslow try and defend this utter garbage?
As long as Badger because he’s fighting for his own job!
If we sign Sarr, it will be an absolute joke.
We need a new centre-back, a new #8 and a striker…yet we are being linked with a winger who is no better than Traore and will be as inconsistent, injury-prone and peripheral as Bailey.
Utter madness 😠
Personally don’t see how signing a new player who would contend to get in our team would be a joke, especially how we have money to spend?
Because we had similar players and Gerrard didn’t/doesn’t want them?
As for money, spend or waste?
To be fair, Gerrard doesn’t fully have his own team, but he didn’t sign the right players for him, so that ultimately has to come down to him. He has to go or we will be bottom 5.
‘The game was in the balance for an hour and then a big decision went against us’.
‘I thought the penalty was harsh on us’
Which game was Gerrard watching?
For the record, whilst I am massively annoyed with today’s performance, at least Palace are an established, mid-table PL team with some excellent players and Selhurst Park has always been a very difficult place to go. The defeat at Bournemouth a fortnight ago, however, was simply inexcusable
In terms of us, Konsa simply isn’t the player he was since Terry and Smith left; Digne is not as good as he was for Everton; McGinn has gone backwards; Ramsey faded last season and needs to come out of the team; Bailey is peripheral and inconsistent; Coutinho hasn’t delivered; Watkins and Ings aren’t prolific enough.
The first XI are currently way off it and, other than Luiz, there’s no one who can come in and make a difference.
It’s an utter shambles and it’s doing my bloody head in.
Apart from the Covid season of 2020/21 when we finished 11th, the last 12 years since O’Neill left us high and dry has been SO utterly disappointing and frustrating. ..😭
Gerrard is on borrowed time if you ask me. If we get past Bolton in the cup that will buy him some time. Is it wrong to hope we lose to hasten the inevitable? I don’t see any plan in place to what our style of play is. Two up front one week then one striker the next week. I think Kamara could be a decent player given time but he is still a kid and with Ramsey our midfield is lacking in experience. I don’t know why Konsa gets the nod over Chambers. It’s a bit like the Coutinho over Buendia saga. Every time Chambers plays we hear fans praising his performances. He even offers a goal threat which none of our other CB’s offer.
All I see with Gerrard is someone who doesn’t know his best team or his favoured style of play. When we go behind in games there doesn’t seem to be any chance that Gerrard will be able to switch formation or offer any input from the sidelines.
The only thing I’m certain of is that his dream of managing his Pool team will never happen.
As for the Sarr situation, well if he does sign I will feel sorry for him. A promising prospect turned into a conference player under Gerrard’s watch. It hasn’t taken him too long to make Coutinho look like a pub team player. Digne was half decent for Everton but now he makes Targett look like a top international.
Gerrard is making me lose interest in our club. I have not been this angry and frustrated about Villa since Mcleish was in charge. If NWSE don’t realise what is going on then they are as guilty as Purslow.
Over hyped summer then falling flat on our faces, same old same old when it comes to Villa.