After Villa’s last two defeats it’s becoming clear as to what the Spurs fans have warned us about Tim Sherwood. They will undeniably agree that Sherwood will make an instant impact, give us a great high, but within a few months that high will leave and expose Sherwood’s weaknesses as a manager. The team sheet against Burnley was simply appalling, and his tactics made little sense. The game against Burnley could have given a few players the opportunity to impress Sherwood, or make a final bow before the end of the season. Instead, his favourites are starting yet again, it’s starting to feel like the player favouritism we experienced under Lambert!
Sherwood is making it clear that he believes that our team is simply to big and Villa will definitely offload a host of players, but playing N’Zogbia at left back was just too much. I understand that Sherwood likes to experiment, but it’s rather daft to play a very offensive player in a position which he has no experience in. I feel really bad for Matthew Lowton, I think he’s a great player, but he can’t even start ahead of N’Zogbia! His past performances at left-back has demonstrated that he is more than capable of playing there, he did win us the penalty against West Brom after all when he played at left-back.
The midfield trio of Cleverly, Delph and Westwood is becoming a little to predictable. I think even the players feel it, our opposition teams have figured out our weaknesses and strengths, our trio isn’t working as well as it did in the first few months. I think that Westwood played a great game, protected the defence well and was one of our biggest threats forward! But we did not see Delph playing, he was a completely different player. Maybe his head was set for the FA Cup?
I just don’t believe there was a clear image for a first team, leading up to the game there was word that some of our younger players would be given a chance but it never really happened. Full credit to Jed Steer, he was a surprise inclusion and I think he did great, it seems as though he has massively developed whilst on loan this season and I can definitely see Steer becoming a future Villa keeper. He commands the box well, and I don’t think he could’ve done too much against Ings goal. It’s clear that Guzan is not rated by Sherwood and will be most likely leaving the club, but he will play in the FA Cup if Given can not shrug of an injury that kept him out of game against Burnley.
Additionally, I thought that Robinson would come on for Agbonlahor, I didn’t think that Agbonlahor played too well and his finishing has been shocking recently. Robinson is a talented player who knows were the net is.
The defeat against Burnley has produced two conclusions: Aston Villa’s mind was set on the FA Cup, and our team performance has to be massively improved and the mindset has to change if we want to stand a chance against an in-form Arsenal. And, Sherwood will need a transfer window and the chance to bring in his own players before we can fully assess him. I will still be behind Sherwood and I will give him a year before I make the verdict if whether or not he will be a decent manager for Aston Villa.
We were as good as safe even before the Saints game. I think after the WH victory, the adrenaline of the entire club plummeted, hence the last two games. It’s the same with Pool really…nowt to play for so the momentum goes, it’s a tough psychological barrier to overcome, especially with whatt the club has been through the last few years. TS bought a massive sugar rush into the club and thankfully kept us up. These last two games don’t suprise me, or worry me, but we have well and truly crashed.
I think at Wembley we’ll see a different Villa IF we have enough in the tank! We’ll just have to wait and see! UTV.
One last point, perhaps he should have completely filled the team with kids as they’d have been disconnected with the first team traumas and could have played with complete freedom.
Bum Bum , I did reply to your post but lost the reply in sending, I did agree with Adam that he played the wrong team, and seeing your second post have to say why didn’t he.fans would have excepted the lose, not what we had to sit and see at Villa park, I for one thought call back players would play, they didn’t, I know its early days but Sherwood started to confuse me. Maybe I’m losing modern understanding of the game.
It was obvious that the team that was selected wasn’t going to put in a blood and thunder performance and defeat really didn’t surprise me. Many, if not everyone, is focused on next Saturday and given that the game was pretty pointless (In regards that we were already safe) I agree with Bum Bum in that more of the youth/fringe players should of been given a game. Having said that it was also a chance for TS to experiment and given the job he was given and the position he was put in when given the job it’s fair to say he hasn’t had the opportunity to experiment.
I’m not overly bothered about yesterdays result or the result at Southampton last week. If we’d of been offered survival in February I’m convinced everyone would of taken it and the cup final next week is a bonus.
The season is almost over, the objective given to TS has been achieved, lets look forward to Saturday and hopefully put some long overdue silverware in the cabinet.
I also think it’s a tad unfair to judge TS on what Spurs fans “told us” Given he has never had a pre-season where he is manager and given he has never had a chance to build his own team therefore not really spending the time with the team BEFORE the season starts. When we see a TS team with TS tactics that’s when we can judge him imo. I take my hat off for what he has achieved so far at AVFC given the hand he was dealt.
UTV
There is more to TS than the greenness you think the Spurs fans saw. The Wembley task is to live with a massively better team for 90 minutes with a defence held together with Duct Tape. TS talked about bamboozling Liverpool and he may need this to work again versus a much shrewder manager. Essential to this is shielding the starting line up and any set piece moves from Arsenal until the last legal minute. Hence the odd selections.
Nzog at left back is dafter than my idea of Gabby playing there, but I think Nzog is on his way out and TS and the board just need to check that an unexpected talent for defence is not lurking in him. If we have one fit LB, and I suspect we do, then playing him yesterday would have been a big risk.
I am still not sure which is the real Delph: the idiot we saw for most of his games, facing his own goal, trying to help but really hindering his defence, and losing the ball in dangerous areas, or the brilliant forward-running attacking midfielder who sometimes plays in his shirt. Needless to say we need the latter at Wembley or Arsenal could hit double figures.
Steer was the surprise bonus, he has shown a massive improvement. As you say he could do nothing with the Ings goal – he was reliant on Baker not being beaten to the ball without doing something to unbalance the striker.
Nice to see some more balanced views today. Well said Bum Bum and OLL, I agree that since West Ham game we’ve taken the foot off the pedal and had one eye on the cup final. Don’t get me wrong, would have liked to have seen us push past the 40pt mark and finish a few more places above the drop zone, but survival was the benchmark. Would be nice to see a condensed league of when Sherwood took over to see whereabouts we rank, I’m guessing mid table. Let’s hope Arsenal are complacent next weekend and we can spring another surprise. 19 years since we’ve lifted a trophy has been far too long!
I think that N’Zogbia will be given one more year. I mean his contract expires at the end of next season anyway and I don’t see any suitors. From the looks of things, he rates N’Zogbia over Sinclair.
I was just disappointed that some of the younger players weren’t given a chance. But I think it’s fair to say that Sherwood deserves a chance. This season was still largely a Lambert season and I didn’t take into account the mentally and the negative atmosphere that still existed from his reign. I think things will be reset during pre-season
I used duct tape on a disloged pipe yesterday. It’s worked wonders. Maybe Tim could borrow my roll for our defence! Was amazed to see Baker back yesterday…I thought he was out for the season.
You may have hit on something. If Guzan plays he could sneak a roll out in his gloves bag and tape the bag to the bottom of his right post. It will save more shots than he does.
Just one point Nzogbia has plenty of experience at LB and Lwb for both Newcastle and Wigan
If someone had said to me at xmas Villa would be in the FA cup final and would stay up. I would of saying they where NUTS. Sherwood came here to keep us up,that box is ticked. Players where not given 100% at the weekend. This weekend you will see a totally different Villa. The cup is ours. Come on the Villa
Good positive post Dave I’m with you.UTV
Reportedly made a 3.5m bid for Luongo and Gladwin of Swindon.
Well FA Cup victory or not, I am going to go out on a limb and predict that Sherwood will be gone before the end of next season. If the club is sold, probably sooner than that.
Absolute joke article.
Second bottom when he came in – safe after wins against Everton and West Ham.
In FA Cup final for first time in 15 years – a proper clown in action was MON, right back at left back for entire season and the “brilliant” decision to play hokey cokey at RB in the Anfield drumming.
Seriously, joke article.
I think tactically, that Tim is weak, naive, lacking real strategic think and easily be out fought, out thought, out foxed and out engineered. Great motivator and man manager but not a great football man. I guess his career as a reasonable players with quality around him will also be reflected in his management because he simply isn’t the man that some have foolishly think he is.
Make no mistake I wanted Lambert gone and my highlight of the season is Lambert’s sacking but I wanted a forward think, tactically astute manager in but learnt to accept Tim because it is what we do, but he was never my choice.
Fair play to Tim for keeping us up and motivating Benteke to take us forward but if a takeover happens and someone new comes in, I will not cry for Tim. Sorry but just not my cup of tea.
I am so afraid that the gunners are going to do what Southampton did to us just a couple of weeks ago but it will be on a world wide stage. Their pace, passing, incisive play and their movement may kill us, it is Arsenal a proper team, not Liverpool a mid table team.
Are you an arsenal fan? You seem a little bit in love with them. Then again you find like you’ve copied and pasted off a Spurs forum from around 12 months ago. I’m surprised the board didn’t ask you who your choice was when Lambert went.
Give the guy a chance for god’s sake. Did you think he was tactically naive when we battered Liverpool in the semi final?
*Sound (not find)
It’s amazing to me how a number of supporters have TS figured out after only 50 odd games as a PL manager; maybe they should have applied for the position. Tactically niaive – possibly but he’s still learning his trade so to that extent he is a risk – but write him off that’s plain daft. He remains the only English manager in the top ten win ratios after 50 games – a fluke?
Fuck me timbos written off already impatient fuckers out there.
Sherwood is certainly Marmite, isn’t he? Some love him, some hate him.
Personally I can’t see any reasons to dislike the bloke as our manager.
Ok, he’s a bit brash and “wideboy” like, but at least that makes interviews interesting.
And yes, he makes some strange decisions, which usually coincide with poor performances.
But we’ve been very decent more often than not.
And how some can say he won’t be able to keep it up, is just beyond me, when he’s never had a chance.
It’s pure guesswork, based on absolutely nothing.
I’m not going to say that he definitely will keep it up, because I’ve nothing to base any judgement on, the same as anyone else.
And you can’t get away from the fact that he fulfilled his mission this season, with a fat bonus of the cup final thrown in.
What’s not too like?
Yes, he may well prove a failure in the end (and they all do), but it seems some are not giving him a fair chance, imo.
As for Arsenal possibly thrashing us at Wembley, well yes, that’s always possible.
But Arsenal are capable of thrashing any team in the league on their day, so I’m not sure I see the point . Or how that might be Sherwood’s fault?
The way I see it is we wouldn’t even be at Wembley (or even in the Prem today) if it wasn’t for Sherwood.
Hence I believe he deserves a chance to build a team, at the very least.
This is the most ridiculous / knee jerk article I’ve read in a while on here – well done mate.
If we lose to Arsenal do you know what, maybe they’re better than us – that shouldn’t be news to most fans. We go in to that game as underdogs but that makes me even more optimistic.
The fact that we got heavily beaten by Southampton and couldn’t be arsed against Burnley genuinely doesn’t concern me given where we are in the season and what’s to come next weekend – I’m more concerned by the fact that if we’d won those two games people would be calling Tim the Messiah and no one would be questioning him. Losing those two games could well have done us (and Tim) a massive favour. I’ve heard a rumor some of our lot are F*ckle.
And as for using the Burnley game to let some players ‘bow out’ before the end of the season – you must be having a laugh. You do not pick a team based on sentiment – look how that’s worked out for Liverpool / Gerrard / Rogers.
So some Villa fans want to have a real pop at Tim Sherwood. No idea / limited on tactics ? What a load of tosh! I believe his win ratio in the premier with Spurs and now Villa is up there with the best.
I do recall a Villa team this season who could not buy a goal for love or money. Now there is a vibrancy where we try and play attacking football and do score goals. The nature of the Premiership is that there is now and will be indefinitely a gulf between our squad and the “Sky Fab 4”. But as long as we go out there any try to play attacking football and give it a real go, then I am happy with this approach.
Keep going Tim Sherwood. Your my man to manage the Villa. Ps I really hope you give “Ken” cause to eat his words.
Sorry fellow bloggers so negative about next week,4-0 arse.
@Little8 Believe me you will have to eat your words. When we stuff the Arse I want you to come on this blog and tell us all how wrong you’ve been.
One match, one day, at our best we’ll beat anyone… (except Barca that is)
Come on you Lions and eat the f***ing Londoners alive!
UTV
You’re negative? That’s shocking (not). Unless Sherwood decides to again play a high line against Walcott (Welbeck’s been ruled out), they’ll play into our hands starting Giroud.
Bit harsh, i dont think we were that bad, but I was hoping that we would get to see Robinson and Gardner at some point. And where the hell is Gil????
Sherwood is such an unproven manager he will always split the supports and there is nothing wrong with being cautious or optimistic right now. He really could be a revelation or curse, only time will tell, but I think even Sherwood himself would agree that as of today he has proven nothing. Survival was always the minimum requirement and nothing to cheer about for a club our size. Personally after so many failed managers before him I feel that with some supporters he will always have to win their trust rather than lose it.
As for this summer, as long as he doesn’t throw the baby out with the bath water he can play whomever he wants at left back.
Good god Sherwood’s hardly had a chance to prove himself. He himself even said the tactics this season were solely to make us safe and you’d see the changes and his style next season way back when when he first came. Never my first choice, first choice was Tuchel but we got Sherwood and I can’t see him going no matter what. Fox would fight any new owner who thought of letting him go if we are sold.
I still expect a hell of a lot of changes this summer.
Andrew, hope your right, but at the minute he’s made two mistakes with me, Southampton, Burnley, both on team selection, may that not continue. I don’t want to sound like Oohah in condemning him, just that I’m at a loss and knowing his history at Southampton you cannot blame me..
Oh I agree that his squads were odd, but he knows that. Solely looking at who has that “winning” mentality and who doesn’t. He said he’s looking at making changes for the final and wants the “losers” out of Villa. (Also said not everyone leaving Villa should be considered a loser). His substitutions annoyed me moreso than actually losing either game.
Utter rubbish you are not happy unless you have somthing to moan about , quit reading your moaning negative article after the first paragraph , can you not remember we were dead and buried under lambert only 3 months ago , yet today we have secured our top flight status and find ourselves in an fa cup final ! Bet you can’t wait for us to loose on Saturday so you can write some more bollocks . Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz utv sotc
Dear oh dear Markam , bit Strong that, think me and Andrew was sharing opinion on todays play, you have to ask did we actually help ourselves or did other results help, think about it ?
I think any league position is based on a combination of your own results and the results of others Bill. Chelsea won the league because others didn’t win as many games as they did, QPR, Burnley, Hull went down as they didn’t do as well as the 17 teams above them ……it’s kind of how it works…..’think about it’
How did you feel when we beat Liverpool? If losing to Southampton 6-1 makes him rubbish then battering Sunderland must make him a genius right? Whichever way you look at it he’s done what he’s needed to do to save Villa’s season – I’m fully behind him and am keen to see what we do next season.
I understand that Kent, I follow Villa everywhere even this Saturday, but you have to ask when you see games that are not consistent are we still on that gravy train? Don’t get me wrong I’m still in Sherwood’s camp but he’s not proved to me I’m wrong yet. Hope he does.
I get your point Bill. Let’s just hope the last two games were a blip symptomatic of where we were in the season (safe from relegation / FA Cup final to come), and that Tim has learnt something from them (as long as he’s still learning).
I think the setup against Arsenal will tell us a lot – Lambert abandoned his negativity (for once) and tried to go toe to toe with Arsenal with disastrous results this season – some kind of balance needs to be struck. There’s no shame in losing to arsenal, the shame would be getting to Wembley and not competing.
No I’m afraid you wasn’t you were having a dig at sherwood and his tactics and jumping on his managerial ability , also you were questioning his long term credentials and branding him as merely a man motivater . Let’s not beat about the bush . Without Tim Sherwood we would be playing in the championship next season give the bloke a break , I for one recognise that and would personally like to shake his hand the guy is a breath of fresh air for the club .