‘Simply not good enough’ – Andy Gray slams Steven Gerrard after Aston Villa loss v West Ham United
BeIN Sports pundit Andy Gray has slammed Steven Gerrard after Aston Villa lost 1-0 to West Ham on Sunday, making it just three wins in 15 games.
Villa were the dominant side in the first half but struggled to create any clear cut chances and were eventually punished in the second half, when Pablo Fornals’ strike deflected off Ezri Konsa and looped over Emi Martinez in goal.
It means the Villans have lost three of their first four Premier League games despite Gerrard spending over £100m since taking over as manager in November 2021, and Gray told BeIN Sport’s matchday coverage that simply isn’t good enough.
“Steven’s had over £100m to spend,” he said. “More than £100m. He’s shaped this team, he has, this is his team. And it’s not performing for whatever reason. It’s not performing.
“You can’t argue with it, no-one can, the record you’ve said says it all, 3 wins in 15. It’s simply not good enough for what Aston Villa want and what the owners have invested in.
“Now as I’ve said to you, I would hate to see anything happen now. I think that up to the international break I don’t think there’s any need for anyone to pull the trigger for want of a better description and get rid of their coach.
“I don’t think anyone should be worried pre-that, but if we get to 8 games in and Aston Villa have won maybe only a couple of them and they’re sitting where they are then Steven will be under enormous pressure.”
Shocking
Gerrard has got a great reputation from his playing days at Liverpool and his time in Scotland as manager of Rangers where he went a season unbeaten and won them the league title.
But that isn’t enough in the Premier League these days and since arriving at Villa Park he’s managed to put together a record worse than what Gary Neville managed during his time at Valencia.
After shaping the squad in his own image and spending a lot of money, the fans are well within their rights to ask questions and demand answers about what is happening considering the initial plan to start pushing for Europe.
The style he is trying to implement simply isn’t working right now and he needs to change things, whether it’s the personnel he’s selecting or something stylistically with the shape and style he is using, but something has to give.
It’s poor from the players and the management and if it continues, then Gerrard will be lucky to still be in a job by the time his one year anniversary comes around.
In other Aston Villa news, the club are scouting in Portugal and Spain for a new defender according to a report