Next season will be better, won't it?
Tuesday, 03 April 07, 04:24 AM · Comments (9)
More and more people are starting to question some of the decisions made by Martin O'Neill as of late and it's starting to get a little worrying.
It's worrying because in my own little World those same questions are starting to get asked, simply because I'm not seeing the type of football I think we should have started to see.
It's April 3rd 2007 and Martin O'Neill has had more than two months with players like Shaun Maloney, Phil Bardsley, Ashley Young and John Carew; even longer with Petrov and the rest of the team, so why has the football really not moved on from last season?
I'm still seeing lots of long balls. I'm still not seeing players looking at creating space. I'm still seeing corners not getting past the first defender. I'm still seeing some players unable to control the ball or play a decent pass. I'm starting to wonder what goes on at the training sessions.
While I'm starting to wonder all these things I still also believe that Martin O'Neill is the right man for the job but with seven games left of the season I'm starting to wonder about when we're going to see the right type of football.
You all know what I'm talking about because we see it with teams like Liverpool, United, Arsenal and Chelsea week in week out. They don't hit long, they create space and pass with a fluid motion that suggests it's something they work on in training. Just because these players are 'professionals' it doesn't mean they don't need to work on the basics.
Rafael Benitez won the Champions League in his first season at Liverpool and while I appreciate the squad he had at Liverpool and the players he brought in were all fairly excellent players it's also about how he motivated his players and how he got the team to play. Why is it taking O'Neill so much longer to make an impact at Villa?
I don't know the answer but I'm standing by the manager. He'll spend big in the summer, because he has to and next season will be better. I'm expecting a big clear out over the next season or two and I'm expecting to see some players leave that will surprise a few.
These things have to happen for Villa to move forward and Martin O'Neill to bring success back to Villa Park. I also applaud the Holte End for cheering the side when they came out last night for the second half. The message was sent at the end of the first but support for the team was excellent.
It will change and it will get better. Next season will see some new signings and maybe a player or two leaving. It's our right to question and it's our right to get annoyed but we should also be clever enough to know that in Martin O'Neill we've got the right man and while many think he may walk on water we shouldn't expect miracles at Villa Park; not yet anyway.
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9 Comments · Add yours
Perhaps, given what you write, it is the senior coaching staff that must invite the questions as much as the manager. O'Neill has been loyal to Robertson and O'Neill - but are we seeing the results of their training ground work?
...of course, I meant to write Robertson and WALFORD...doh!...
I'm beginning to get worried too. MON doesn't appear to be having much effect on the team after New Manager Syndrome wore off.
I can't believe we're still giving goals away from set pieces- it's costs us loads of points this season.
Why oh why does he stick with McCann and Petrov when they're both uninspiring beats me.
Hopefully things will change with some quality players, but if we don't get at least 4 goof quality players it'll be same old story.
And if we're not careful we might be in the Championship by then. It's only 5 points...
calm down hes only been there 7 months and only 4 of his players lets see what happens in summer and end of next season before you give oneill the bird.it took saunders and fergie 7 years before they won the league so lets have a bit of patience as your starting to sound like cretin butler on radio wm
MON inherited a side that finshed just outside the relegation zone. Apart from Petrov he has had to work with exactly the same squad up untill january, and with rearranged fixtures and international breaks the games havent come as regulary as we would have liked.As for new signings Carew wasnt playing regulary Bardsley was a reserve,Young is under the pressure of his price tag and Maloney as sufferd from injury and illness.The above dosent excuse poor set peices and individual errors but you have to take into account that some players know this is their last season for villa so perhaps their commitment for the team isnt what it should be .
I think petrov will do the the buisness, its Mccann i worry about
Maybe the ticket reduction price was to be in more line with Championship football.... Because that's what we are watching!
I really like MON and I really want us to succeed, I really want to buy a season ticket for next season!
Personally I think the changes he made those players should have been on from the start against Everton.
As for tactics well long ball works well against others and is awful against teams like Everton. One trick Poneys? I blinkin hope not.
I don't think we are one trick ponies...if the 2nd half showed us anything we can play decent attacking football!
as long as we survive, we'll shoot straight up that table next season, MON won't put up another season like this, not when his reputation is on the line. we now have the investment to get rid of the dougy and O'dreary virus thats haunting the villa still.