Villa v City live

We play shiiiit football and have no bottle, that 2nd half was absolutely spineless

Last week we were all Nut Cases because of Covid for questioning him, now he can just F8ck Off.

I think regardless of whether anyone wants Rodgers to stay or go, it just feels inevitable at this point, one way or another. It has done for some time to me. I was hopeful Man Utd would come in or do something to resolve the situation, but instead they're messing around and likely costing the pair of us any ambitions for this season.

The atmosphere feels wrong at the moment, like everyone's contemplating where they're going to go next rather than how to progress forward as a group. Effectively, like everyone's given up on the club and where it can go. So either there needs to be a refocus or new personnel with new drive and ideas.

I think at this point we just have to hope for a good result on Thursday so that we have good European football in the new year. Whoever the manager may be at that point.

Interesting thoughts Dunge. Why would Brendan not be manager in the New Year? Either a 'big' club would have to be be coming in for him in mid-season, (if so, who?) or he'll be sacked, which doesn't seem very likely at this point as we're not (yet) in serious trouble?

Or is there something I'm missing here?

I agree Nuneaton, I don’t think BR will be sacked unless we end up in serious risk of relegation (which I admit isn’t off the cards but I don’t think we need to panic about that yet).

What is clear is that something is wrong and it’s beyond a few individual player performances now. As a team we simply look lost for whatever reason.

This needs fixing and quickly. I really hope that we can squeeze through on Thursday and then the injection of injured players returning in the new year helps us push on again to at least have a run in the Europa and finish top half. This at least sets us up for next year to either transition under Rodgers with players leaving and coming, or under a new manager.

What is so painfully clear though is that we are imbalanced in midfield and we have the 2nd worst record at defending set pieces in the whole league. That has to be addressed.

I thought there was good analysis on the tv yesterday around Villa’s set piece coach. My brother din law met him at a recent event (when Dean Smith was still there) and he was saying that his job is to analyser the opposition weaknesses and create inventive set plays that exploit them.

We go zonal which meant that he put all their big men on the back post and left all our big men in the middle creating height advantages in key areas. It worked.

Surely we now have to accept that what we are doing isn’t working. Surely????

I’ve believed for some time now that Rodgers has lost faith in the squad. Failing to get top 4 twice, I think he believes they can’t go any further. That’s why he’s talking about overachievement, sounding frustrated all the time at players, fans, everything. You can’t tell me that we look like a team who are all pulling in the same direction right now? To me we look like a team of individuals who all have half an eye on their future and what they’re doing next. Aston Villa weren’t very good at the weekend, but they still deservedly won because they looked like a team.

That lack of unity, that lack of a team - it has to be fostered behind the scenes. And it has to be fixed behind the scenes. We’ve overperformed this season in wins and points compared to actual ability on the pitch, mostly because Vardy’s had a hot streak. There are already signs that that streak is at an end, meaning I believe that results are going to get worse.

But more than that, if I’m right and there isn’t any unity behind the scenes, and all of Top’s assets are making plans for leaving and where to go next, he’ll see the red warning flags flying and he’ll act. The only question is when, and Brendan’s own gob is likely to decide that one as much as what we see on the pitch.

comment by The_Dungeon_Master (U4830)
posted 2 hours, 51 minutes ago
I’ve believed for some time now that Rodgers has lost faith in the squad. Failing to get top 4 twice, I think he believes they can’t go any further. That’s why he’s talking about overachievement, sounding frustrated all the time at players, fans, everything. You can’t tell me that we look like a team who are all pulling in the same direction right now? To me we look like a team of individuals who all have half an eye on their future and what they’re doing next. Aston Villa weren’t very good at the weekend, but they still deservedly won because they looked like a team.

That lack of unity, that lack of a team - it has to be fostered behind the scenes. And it has to be fixed behind the scenes. We’ve overperformed this season in wins and points compared to actual ability on the pitch, mostly because Vardy’s had a hot streak. There are already signs that that streak is at an end, meaning I believe that results are going to get worse.

But more than that, if I’m right and there isn’t any unity behind the scenes, and all of Top’s assets are making plans for leaving and where to go next, he’ll see the red warning flags flying and he’ll act. The only question is when, and Brendan’s own gob is likely to decide that one as much as what we see on the pitch.
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We'll see. Matters may become much clearer in the next few weeks. As Mersey has indicated, we simply have to sort out the atrocious defending from set pieces, we'll not get much success on the pitch if we're leaking 2 goals per match!

comment by The_Dungeon_Master (U4830)
posted 6 hours, 3 minutes ago
I’ve believed for some time now that Rodgers has lost faith in the squad. Failing to get top 4 twice, I think he believes they can’t go any further. That’s why he’s talking about overachievement, sounding frustrated all the time at players, fans, everything. You can’t tell me that we look like a team who are all pulling in the same direction right now? To me we look like a team of individuals who all have half an eye on their future and what they’re doing next. Aston Villa weren’t very good at the weekend, but they still deservedly won because they looked like a team.

That lack of unity, that lack of a team - it has to be fostered behind the scenes. And it has to be fixed behind the scenes. We’ve overperformed this season in wins and points compared to actual ability on the pitch, mostly because Vardy’s had a hot streak. There are already signs that that streak is at an end, meaning I believe that results are going to get worse.

But more than that, if I’m right and there isn’t any unity behind the scenes, and all of Top’s assets are making plans for leaving and where to go next, he’ll see the red warning flags flying and he’ll act. The only question is when, and Brendan’s own gob is likely to decide that one as much as what we see on the pitch.
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Completely disagree, all he's doing is protecting his image for the next job, he's a weasel blaming everyone else apart from himself and his failings.

It's the fans

It's the fans

It's young Players

It's the Players

But Whoa, nothing to do with me Guvnor.

Rodgers Out!

You’re right on that TB, he is being very defensive and passing the blame for this one.

Like Schmeichel, he needs to take responsibility to fix this. That’s what real leaders do. Help the players believe and then work with them to realise it.

His interviews are very defensive at the minute. That’s not good.

Rodgers has his excuses ready for tonight, too many games making the poor lambs tired.