You're the manager

If you were the new manager what would your plan of action be for the rest of the season ? Would you throw caution to the window in the next six matches, which are all pretty much considered write offs by most fans, and go all out attack or would you throw 11 men behind the ball to get much needed points on the board ? Who would you drop immediately and who would you reinstate ? Who would you sign in January ?

First thing is to get Tony Parkes to line up 100 footballs and get Guzan to launch each one and tell him that unless at least 70% land somewhere in Bodymoor Heath, he's doing it all again. And again. And again...

Next to the defence; First thing is to send Lescott out to look for all the balls Guzan fucked up. That'll keep him occupied for a few weeks. Then get Okore and Clark training with Richards. The most impressive player starts.

Next, apologise to Amavi for our previous dickhead manager and let him know that Richardson will be helping Lescott.

The midfield; learn to keep the ball at all costs (unless that cost is passing back to Guzan). Keep the ball, keep the ball, keep the fucking ball. Simple passes out from the back to the DM's. From there to the AM's. Keep it simple but do it well and do it fast.

You! Kozak! Over here, lad. Holiday is over and you're replacing either Gabby or Gestede. So get practicing.

Gabby! Go fetch us a cuppa. Good boy.

I'd tell the guys that there are 84 points to be played for, theoretically enough for a CL spot.

I'd tell them whoever performs will play, and if you don't you're rotated.

I'd swiftly make up my mind that Guzan, Amavi, Clark/Okore, Richards, Hutton, Gana, Veretout, Westwood, Grealish, Gil, Ayew and Kozak would play most of the matches, relative of opponents.

I'd move heaven and earth to sign Tom Heaton in January. Depending on how well Ayew and Kozak would do I'd probably try and swoop for a striker. I'd also probably look at a player like Kevin Diks.

Oh and if Gabby threw any shit during training at BMH I'd tell him to do one. One strike policy applies.

Id train the deference as a separate unit.
There would be set process for dealing with corners, a system for bringing the ball out of defence - everyone would know what they were doing.

Id give Kozac a few games - I would try and sign Charlie Austin.

I'd get Vereout and Gil to take corners and freekicks while Westy watches with a confused look on his face

My first action would be to strip Gabby of his club captaincy and stick him firmly in the reserves. I would drop Guzan, Lescott and Richardson to be replaced with Bunn (under the proviso he has until January to make the spot his), Clark and Amavi. I'd start Veretout instead of Westwood for a few games to see how he fitted in next to Gana and Ayew would start ahead of Gestede who would be relegated to super sub role. In January Heaton would be my top priority and them a proven PL striker, someone like Remy or Bony who doesn't get used by his club so we could get him a little cheaper but can still bang them in. Oh and a right back, definitely a right back but i have no idea who.

bruka wrote:If you were the new manager what would your plan of action be for the rest of the season ? Would you throw caution to the window in the next six matches, which are all pretty much considered write offs by most fans, and go all out attack or would you throw 11 men behind the ball to get much needed points on the board ? Who would you drop immediately and who would you reinstate ? Who would you sign in January ?

Players dropped would be Guzan, Lescott, Hutton, Richardson, Agbonlahor............to start. Bunn would be played in goal until January when i would obtain a new no.1. I'd ask Micah to help the club out big time by temporarily playing at RB, and I'd like to pair a fit again Okore and Clarke as my CBs. Amavi in at LB. Sanchez and Gueye in the engine room sitting behind Gil, Grealish, Ayew.........Kozak given a go at the front. 4-2-3-1

................................Bunn.............................
Richards...........Okore..............Clark...........Amavi
...................Sanchez.................Gueye.............
......Ayew...................Gil...................Grealish....
................................Kozak..........................


In January a goalkeeper and Front man would be crucial, ideally get a good quality DM as well. The players coming in would have to be of proven quality and real men, capable of leading. Villa have to be shopping in the £12-15m+ Player bracket in January, no point dabbling with another £7m player here or there.

bruka wrote:Oh and a right back, definitely a right back but i have no idea who.

I'd at least like to see Illori at RB on the pitch at some stage - either hopefully he'll be a revelation or - if not, we can file him under "get rid".

Apparently one of our young lads is going great guns in scotland - might be Dundee, not sure (appreciate the difference in level) -is it Riccardo Calder - something like that - left side winger I think - he's due back in Jan.

Problem is we're (again) fighting for our lives which would work against my desire (should I be manager) of trying some of our youngsters.

No doubt in my mind (as others have said often) who the deadwood is that I'd shift, I think the problem is there's so little leeway for experimentation and I know I'd be torn between putting out a side to fight and grind out every point, as against putting out a side with flair and trickery (and I do believe we have those players, but not sure we'd see that if they're all shitting themselves that a mistake or a cavalier action when on the ball results in a catastrophic mistake, esp. with Uncle fester in goal behind them.

You are the manager - mmn, this is too hard, think I'll stick with You are the ref......at least there's some pictures with that

Call an emergency meeting and ask the players two questions.

Are we good enough to get out of relegation?

Are you prepared to work extremely hard to achieve the biggest turn around in premier league history?

Those who replied with the incorrect answers would be instantly dropped to the reserves, until preseason no time to carry passengers on this ship!

UTV

I think any manager coming in would be well aware of the players that need a rocket up their arses.
Gabby dropped instantly. Never a club captain, never.
Lescott back to the planet Klingon, he may find a game he can play there.
Richardson needs to wake up.
Guzan, sorry but he needs dropping.
Kozak straight back in the starting 11 with immediate effect. How the lad has not featured is a bigger mystery than the Pyramids.
As for the rest, well i think there is some decent quality in there, enough to make a fight of it, should we get the right gaffer in and here in will be the problem.

Bloody hell - I almost had a panic attack when I saw the title of this thread...!!

Dions_Bald_Head wrote:Bloody hell - I almost had a panic attack when I saw the title of this thread...!!

It took me 3 looks to make sure.

It's all been said but whilst I was getting to know the strengths and weaknesses of my squad I would concentrate on stopping the rot and disrupting the losing sequence. This may result in a few 0-0 or 1-1 results but it would steady the ship.

With all the clamour for Kozak and the head scratching at him never getting a chance, I wonder if - given that he must be aware of all the players - we'll see KMac name Kozak in the squad for saints, and if we still keep fannying around appointing a successor and KMac is still in charge for the Spuds game, whether we will see him named in that squad. Just a thought as if we don't see hide nor hair of him - unless it's a fitness issue, there must be some reason he's not getting even named in the squad - not like we've an abundance of strikers is it?

De Kuip wrote:
Apparently one of our young lads is going great guns in scotland - might be Dundee, not sure (appreciate the difference in level) -is it Riccardo Calder - something like that - left side winger I think - he's due back in Jan.

I was raving about him in the summer and a little bit gutted we let him go out on loan (so much for Sherwood giving the kids a chance)....to me he has the build of a centre back, but plays in a very similar way to Fabian Delph....I have to be honest, we have a ready made replacement for Delph in him already....it's just whether he can improve enough at prem level....desperately wanna see him given the chance though.

He's started 5 games in the SPL for Dundee so far, still only 19....surely one of our brighter prospects?

I would go as back to basics as possible. Come out and tell the fans that we can win ugly or lose pretty and I know which one we'd all prefer.

Get Kozak and Ayew to form a partnership up front with Grealish, Gil, Adama to fight it out for the roles out wide. Veretout and Gana will be starting in midfield unless the likes of Westwood, Gardner, Sanchez are performing well enough in training to take their places.

The defence picks itself for me with Amavi, Richards, Okore/Clark unless I could convince Richards (Although for me he has been our best player by far at this point in the season) to play at RB to accommodate Okore and Clark central which could also work. If not then Hutton, Bacun and Crespo can play rock, paper, scissors to decide that position each week because they all seem as average as each other to be honest!

This squad of players is a comfortable mid table squad. Just need managing properly.

There's no way in hell this squad should be playing 442. We need to stick with 451 where we get a 3 man midfield. We've already been overrun so many times this season in midfield, so thinking we can do it with 2 players is just...no.

451 and let us counter in a 433. Scrounge points when and where we can. Get Kozak up there and let Veretout play.

Arguably our best performance of the season was playing a diamond, it all fell apart when Sherwood's genius changed it