You may well have read or heard the comments of beleaguered manager Rémi Garde following yesterday’s crushing defeat against the recent League Cup winners. Four second half goals allowed the Citizens to keep their title hopes alive while reducing the Villans’ chances of beating the drop, which were already less than slim. Speaking after the match, Garde was brutally yet respectably honest and, in a way, that is exactly what his failing players need to hear.
Garde was asked whether the fans would have preferred to have seen the Villans give a bit more and attack more during the fixture at the Etihad, to which he replied that “being too optimistic would be suicide”.
If we think back to Paul Lambert’s time in the hot seat, we can recall how he would never say a bad word about his players and would regularly overlook the many, many negatives. Fair play to Garde for having the courage to admit that we simply aren’t good enough to go out and attack against teams like Manchester City; at this stage on our path to failure, being down-to-earth does a lot of good.
Countering Garde, although I agree with him, we really have nothing to lose. He could have played an all out attacking line-up with a philosophy of getting the ball into the box and throwing everything forward, but, really, what is the point?
The boss certainly doesn’t like to sugarcoat. Even more promising is that he seems to be making good observations. In the same interview he used an example of a previous home match, which you won’t be surprised to hear was one we lost, to illustrate what happens when he plays a more attacking style of football.
Aston Villa Football Club is very much a sinking ship. We are heading for the Championship and fans’ love of the club is ebbing away as Aston Villa Football Club is dying in the hands of the clueless folk in charge of this once-great sporting institution. However, Garde is becoming a likeable character and many believe he is worthy of this job, whatever the result after thirty-eight games.
It’s easy, just play like Leicester, sit deep and counter.
Every team needs to play different formations and styles during a season against various quality teams but to play 352 for only the second time was always going to be tough.
Nice article Sam, Remi Garde comes across as a man of honesty and integrity, the same can’t be said of the senior squad he inherited or the people who employed him. Sadly he’s not been tough enough to drop players and blood young ones. Had he done so he might have rode the storm around him. Unless Hollis the new chairman seeks out real professional advice from proven people eg Brian Little ex player manager in place of Lerner’s proven novice failures nothing will change. Nigel Pearson is the steel needed for the championship and with full hands on support could bring AVFC back to the prem.
Sadly Remi has not succeeded and will resign or be replaced along with a good many more at every level.