Official Premier League 2010/11 thread

[brenchill]

I'm genuinely shocked that both Gerard Houllier and Rody Hodgson are still in a job. I can only hope that Houllier's "vote of a confidence" is the kiss of death he rightly deserves.

[Hobo]

If Woy isn't gone by Monday, I'll be surprised.

[ONO]

And the Yanks back Houllier.

Jesus fucking Christ.

32k showed up last night on £12.50 tickets. Off to SHA away and Man City. At least Doug Ellis had the balls to sack a manager when he was clearly clueless.

Edited January 6, 2011 by ONO

[brenchill]

I wouldn't go and watch Villa with Houllier in charge for £2.50 nevermind £12.50. And I live a five minute walk from the ground .

What are these noises coming from West Ham's board? "We can't decide if we're going to sack him or not"

[britneyspearsisgod]

I have no sympathy for Hodgson in his inability to show any adaptation and his surprisingly poor man management skills, but Houllier by no means deserves the shit he is getting. This may sound contradictory, but a manager always needs time to implement his style on a club. And where as Roy has managed to alienate the entire club by his own will, Houllier has got on with his job without question. Houllier is by no means a bad manager. Neither is Roy. But Houllier put a lot into redeveloping Liverpool (including the famed "Melwood" Academy, if not in function then at least in actual basis), has been involved in successful French national teams and has helped lead Lyon to Ligue 1 championships. That's not winning a bunch of Scandinavian leagues - that's proper success. Houllier is bring a style he knows works (and has proven to work - maybe not to the greatest level of success, but for Villa's level it will work) and only fails because players have shown no desire to adapt.

Both teams are full of players who have given up, but at least Aston Villa's players have the ability to turn it around if they wouldn't be so spoilt and learn to adapt to a new style. Liverpool have much bigger malaise in their squad and whereas Benitez managed to turn water into wine, Roy has managed to turn water into mud and expects the village to still admire him.

Again, it seems contradictory. In fact, it is. There's nothing to say that both managers shouldn't just adapt to their players and forget trying to change a set-up set in it's ways. But Roy isn't doing that - he's isn't actually evolving Liverpool in any sense of the word and doesn't grasp the actual meaning of the club. Houllier, however, is attempting to evolve Villa. And he deserves his time to do that. A couple of extra players in the January window, a couple of wins on the board and Villa will turn it around and move up.

All Liverpool need to do is dispense of Roy Hodgson's services and let Kenny Dalglish take over until the end of the season. By no means does it solve any problems, but it certainly will appease a lot of people for now. That "new manager" feeling and initial string of wins are exactly what Liverpool could do with right now.

[Liam]

Since when was Benjani rubbish? When he had a run in a first team, he was pretty useful I thought.

Just in response to some of the stuff mentioned when he scored, that's all

[jack95]

Hodgson needs to resign if he wants to keep any dignity whatsoever. I will always remain steadfast that Roy Hodgson is a good manager, but I will also always say that Hodgson, like Sam Allardyce for example, can't handle the pressure at a big club. Sam failed spectacularly at Newcastle back when they still could potentially challenge for Europe, and Hodgson has failed spectacularly at Liverpool in much the same manner. Yet there's no denying, while Big Sam annoys me with his style of football and arrogance, he did a fantastic job at Bolton and Blackburn, and in the same vein Hodgson has done a terrific job at Fulham (which everyone except for the people on this board seems to have forgotten about, despite it only being a season ago) and also with some of the better clubs in Scandinavian football.

I'd give Houllier, Ancelotti and Grant a couple more games before wielding the axe, but Hodgson has to go and has to go now. However, I'd be more than happy, unlikely though it is, to see him turn up at my club, Charlton, because he could do a good job there.

[Jimmy]

I wouldn't resign if I were him. He'll probably make good money off of being fired.

[Hobo]

Houllier's youth development at Liverpool was mainly "buy French kids" who flopped. He was successful at Liverpoool initially but he has declined post heart problems. He did well at Lyon, but he inherited a dominant team. Who had most of their success under LeGuen.

Fulham, is Roy Hodgson's only success in England (and turned him from the man who practically relegated Blackburn to the great white hope of English managers). He did well with Fulham. But most of his success has been in Sweden and he has overseen the worst start to a Liverpool in decades. He could very well drag the club into a relegation battle.

[9 to 5]

Blackburn had other problems that would have fucked Roy over at the time, tbf.

[ONO]

Houllier is past it and is a comedy act. Unfortunately he is managing my club.

[Guest Mr. Potato Head]

Houllier is past it and is a comedy act. Unfortunately he is managing my club.

Pretty sure you mean Coulier.

[ONO]

He would probably do a better job you know.

[Szumi]

Dave Coulier is not past it, you bite your tongue. Cut..it..out~!

[Hobo]

Liverpool have canceled Roy Hodgson's press conference for today. Probably not the best sign for him.

[therockbox]

They're just going to put his answers up on the official site. Saves him from looking like a tit again when he walks out after a couple of minutes.

[Lineker]

Nothing could save Roy from looking like a tit now.

[ONO]

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/794dbcaa5a.jpg

Banners outside the Chelsea training ground.

[Lineker]

Banners outside the Chelsea training ground.

How ridiculously stupid. He did a great job last year and has only struggled recently as he wasn't adequately backed to buy in the summer and is now paying for the absences of Carvalho & Ballack.

As for Abramovich I am sure he will be backing Ancelotti with money this month and without him they wouldn't even be where they are now!! Silly, short-minded, fickle pleb's of "fans"

[EddieG]

Picture's not working for me. :/