02 Jan 2021 09:52:02
A good result but unlike Jred I don't think we played well, better than against Wolves though.

What I saw was a well organised, well coached Villa side that had a structure of play, using the talents of Grealish well. We seem to have two compartments to our game, one, defend win the ball, two give it to creative attackers let them get on with it. With creative talents like Bruno and Pogba we are creating and scoring whilst not controlling games. We scored from a cross yet rarely seem to try it, we have no width and it does reduce our options. The substitutions were hard to understand, for someone campaigning for five subs, when fatigue is on show why wait so late to make them? Still we see the talent of Pogba now we have figured he is better further forward and of course all action Bruno and it is driving results. I wonder when teams will man mark Bruno. It's a results business and let's see where what we are doing gets us, I can't see that bringing the consistency needed to win the league, but I would love it to. Still the results are what matters and we all enjoy being relevant at the top.

As to Grealish, I suggested him on here several years ago when others didn't and the usual round of scorn started. What I see is a smooth talent, he glides with the ball, nurses it. He has a knack of being able to get the ball with his back to a player yet create enough distance to turn and face them. His crossing and creation is good, he is able to get enough room and knows where to put the ball for maximum danger. He wins or draws a lot of fouls, clever, and does seem to glide past people so a dangerous player. Maybe he would be an option when Pogba goes, albeit a very expensive one.

The table makes nice reading, crazy year so it's very open.

1.) 02 Jan 2021
02 Jan 2021 10:06:47
To be honest, I'm just enjoying the ride, hopefully it lasts the full way.

22 games left so a big ask, they'll have to play better. Crazy to even think that considering where we are but it's a weird season.

2.) 02 Jan 2021
02 Jan 2021 11:46:39
Redman give it up you have giving it doom and gloom for 2year .
Had us down for relegation when we finished 3rd last year
Maybe the simple and fact is things aren't as bad and you have been posting a load of twaddle?

3.) 02 Jan 2021
02 Jan 2021 12:42:23
The majority of posters that have had issues with the management have been nothing but complimentary of Ole and the team over the last while. You're like a spoilt kid saying "I told you so" over and over again. The fact is we're just under half way through the league and we sit 2nd. We're doing well.

Just for comparison. When Mourinho was sacked we had 27 points at this stage. It looked a lot bleaker because the teams ahead of us were much better. With an extra 6 points now sees us 2nd. It's a combination of us improving and our rivals dropping a level.

While you constantly say "things aren't that bad" I would reserve judgement until it's time to hand out some medals. We're playing well and could win the next 5 games just as easily as we could drop points in all of them.

4.) 02 Jan 2021
02 Jan 2021 13:17:55
Mumbles I replied to a post .
As for waiting until the end of the season, I done that last season .
The target was top 4 last season 👌.

5.) 02 Jan 2021
02 Jan 2021 13:21:01
Just think what this page looks like when we lose a game, when you talk about told you so posts.
Been a major overreaction imo over the last 12 month .

6.) 02 Jan 2021
02 Jan 2021 13:40:22
Jred

We are in second but as Mumbles said they don’t hand any medals out at this point, nor for calendar years, or for runs, or better than Liverpool runs. We have had some good results and it is a results business, so everyone should be happy, I am. Certainly it gives me pleasure to see us actually involved up there, rather than be present but not involved. All I did was comment on what I saw last night, but that is not allowed in Jreds cracked record world, as it seems whenever I post you trot out the usual stuff. For example, you have something in your head and it is just in your head about relegation, yet that is not something I said.

No things are not that bad, I am not saying they are bad at the moment, they have been at times this season, yet until we see this over a season and the aim must be first, not celebrating third or second, or a significant cup, then I still have to be convinced about the manager. It will be hard to erase some things, 35 yr old Dember Ba running from 20 yards inside his own half, but wins when it really matters will and that is likely to be in the last 5 games of the season, not December, January.

Yes, Ole has got a good string of results yet we could easily have dropped points in most games recently, even last night Baillys last second block meant we won and I liked to see the reaction of the players at the end of the game after Baillys block, it looked to me like they believe there is a chance to be up there. That doesn’t mean we will, the way we are we could just as easily finish fifth in a two horse race. I am pleased to be in second but it means absolutely nothing if we fade away.

7.) 02 Jan 2021
02 Jan 2021 13:59:03
Grealish is a nice player to watch and has been great for his development to stay a Villa.

If he can settle down his private life he’d be a great option and compliment the squad and playing style.

He’d be the perfect indirect replacement for Pogba, Lingard and Mata. Offers something similar in the final third and would enable us to contract the squad size and provide some opportunities for younger players to pick up some minutes as his back up.

8.) 02 Jan 2021
02 Jan 2021 14:15:40
Redman the first line of your op mentions me? So don't moan when I reply .
You can continue to move the goalpost all you want, just like you did last season .
Relegation etc some of the stuff you havd posted in the past 12 month is laughable and in my opinion doesn't tie in with results over the last 12 month
Target was top 4 last season until we achieved it .
The squad imo has improved under ole, results have football has team spirt have
He has been a breath of fresh air imo 😉.

9.) 02 Jan 2021
02 Jan 2021 14:41:57
Red Man,

Own up for once. Whenever things went wrong in the first half of last season you blamed Ole, and never mentioned the players he was working with. Pereira and Mctominay in midfield, Pogba and Rashford out injured. The club had screwed him over by not getting Fernandes in the summer.

This summer they screwed him again. Its clear Van De Beek wasn't in his plans. We knew at the start of the summer he wanted Grealish and Sancho. I can clearly see what he wanted to do. Grealish cutting in from the left, Sancho stretching teams on the right and Rashford and Martial alternating at Striker and exploiting the space in the middle. So no kidding we don't have width, THERE IS NO special-ist WINGER IN THE SQUAD! Ole wanted to fix it but as always the board screwed him over. Grealish would've massively helped against teams that sit deep against us.

"We could easily have dropped points" you said. That is true of Liverpool in almost a third of their wins last season and some of their wins this year. Winning those games is what matters. With fatigue this season and during Christmas fixture congestion one can't expect swash buckling performances every week. Why don't you mention how we could easily have gotten 3 points instead of the 1 at Leicester. It balances out.

Reality is that its not "just good results", we create enough chances to win almost every game we play these days, result depends on finishing and that can't be said about any of our previous managers. Not even the ones with the "CV" that you so adored who served absolutely unwatchable dross most weeks. Pogba could've had a brace yesterday and Rashford too.

So you put the blame at Ole's shoulders when we weren't clicking and now that we're winning its "individual brilliance". No game is won on the tactical board. Its players that play and win. If the manager is putting players in a position where their abilities are shining then that's exactly what's needed.

Do I think we'll win the title? Not without January reinforcements. Its not Ole that will be to blame. Its the people above him that didn't buy Fernandes last summer and failed to get him Grealish or Sancho and a CB this year.

Ole is not the world's greatest manager but he was never as poor as you made him out to be and wasn't to blame for most of the things you blame him for. You even blamed him for Halland not signing when it was clear its the club's relationship with Raiola that screwed us. Reality is that you came to a conclusion before he had even presided over a game and now that the evidence is pointing to the contrary are struggling to come up with more excuses and it shows.

Own up and give Ole some credit. He's never lost the dressing room, players always play hard for him and his signings have moved us forward and the ones he didn't get would've too.

10.) 02 Jan 2021
02 Jan 2021 14:46:38
Jred

It not that you have replied, I have no issue debating, discussing anything with anyone. Unfortunately it’s the complete nonsense in nearly every one of your replies which makes it near impossible to have any sort of communication with you.

11.) 02 Jan 2021
02 Jan 2021 14:50:44
Redman
What nonsense in particular?

12.) 02 Jan 2021
02 Jan 2021 15:29:58
REDFAITH

So it was the players, the ones that posters were saying Mourinho must do better with after finishing second? Now those players were the problem.

You won’t get any arguments from me about the owners, the board, our purchasing of players. My position on the owners has been the same since the day I knew about the leveraged buyout. The thing is no one gave Mourinho or LVG any leeway on player purchasing issues but Ole can’t deliver because he hasn’t been supported.

If you want to talk about unwatchable dross, Ole has provided some of that this season as well and you know that.

I am not making any excuses, all I did is comment of what I see. I don’t think I ever said he had lost the dressing room, the rumour was the players all liked Ole, would play for him but didn’t think he was top level.

Do I give him credit, yes things have improved since the start of the season and yes we are in second, but we get nothing for being second now. It’s not the time to go overboard with praise, let’s see what happens and hope we can keep it up.