While most Aston Villa fans seem to have come to the consensus that it may well be best for all parties involved if Remi Garde leaves the club, they are divided on whether the Frenchman could really have done much more.
A meagre two league wins since his arrival have failed to lift the club off of bottom spot at any point since the former Lyon boss’ arrival, though the fact that Villa had won just once beforehand speaks of the dearth of quality within the squad. That Garde has been unable to steer the Midlands outfit clear of the drop has been no shock whatsoever, but the manner in which the team has put up so little fight has been alarming recently.
A complete departure from predecessor Tim Sherwood, the board hoped that Garde’s sense of calm would help the players to remain level headed themselves, but it hasn’t worked. It’s further proof that while there are clearly huge issues at board level, that much has filtered through to the playing staff for years. Countless times reports have arisen that the senior players at the club have disapproved of training regimes under multiple managers and coaches, so much so that it appears that they just don’t like to train at all.
It’s come across that way on the pitch this season, with a lack of organisation, concentration and pertinently commitment at the back proving to be most galling for the fans. It is of course the manager’s job to motivate his players but with every candidate over the last 6 years at the club failing to do so it’s hard not to feel sympathy for Garde.
Arriving from a sabbatical following three successful years at Lyon, the young manager came to England with great ambition and desire to prove his ability in the Premier League. Both have been drained from the 49-year old by decision making by his players on the pitch and the powers that be at the club off it.
While his measured demeanour in press conferences and on the sidelines meant many were impressed with Garde’s professionalism initially, a large section have since come to the conclusion that he has failed to connect with the supporters. To keep Villa up and portray a more sunny disposition, however, the Frenchman needed luck and help along the way and in truth he has had neither.
Following an excellent result in his first game in charge, with his appointment inspiring an admittedly fortunate point against Manchester City, the timing of his arrival proved problematic. An international break immediately after saw a handful of first team players go off on duty leaving the manager with a mismatch of players to deal with in his first full weeks at the training ground.
The news that summer signing Jordan Amavi had suffered a season ending injury with France’s under-21s then served as a massive blow. The 22-year old had shown his naivety at times defensively but also the promise that he could offer the club quality from deep that they have lacked for years. He remains Villa’s highest rated player (7.48), having picked up three WhoScored.com man of the match awards in 10 appearances, registered 2 assists and averaged 3.6 tackles and 3.7 interceptions per game.
Villa returned from the break unprepared and were slaughtered by Everton, with Jack Grealish then showing his understandable yet disappointing immaturity to make an inebriated appearance on Snapchat the night of the game. Garde disciplined the youngster and has failed to build a rapport since with a player who promised so much at the tail end of last season but has been hampered by injuries for months.
The theory, though, that Villa have been whipping boys all season is actually off the mark, particularly following Garde’s arrival. The team lost just five of their first fourteen matches under his guidance but it was a failure to turn draws into wins that proved their downfall.
Back-to-back defeats to Norwich and Sunderland over the New Year were ultimately decisive. The results saw the board effectively raise the white flag and have shaped Villa’s season since. Despite only missing out on the signing of keeper Lovre Kalinic due to issues with attaining a work permit, the club only made half-hearted attempts to pursue the players that Garde had identified as targets. Having made assurances that they would back the manager in the window, the club’s failure to sign a single player - of course hindered by their league standing - left the fans and the manager all but accepting defeat.
It begs the question had they been active in January, could they have stayed afloat? Given Garde’s first league victory came in Villa’s second match of the month, results of those around them since show that a survival bid was far from impossible.
Victory over Palace saw the club move within 8 points of safety with 17 games still to play, failing to lose more than twice in a row under Garde until the current run of 6 consecutive defeats that began with their humiliation by Liverpool a little over a month ago. The fact that the players have all but thrown in the towel yet fallen just one point back up until the weekend suggests that a few reinforcements could have made things far tighter at the bottom.
It’s come to pass, however, that there is a disconnect between Garde and a number of his players, though the fact remains that they aren’t his players at all. It’s little coincidence that the English - or at least English speaking among them - that ultimately hold the power in a fractured dressing room have failed to get on board with yet another manager’s ideas.
The summer signings - perhaps Idrissa Gana aside, having made more tackles and interceptions per game combined (9) than any other Premier League player - look completely lost and have failed to adapt to what is an increasingly toxic environment. The feeling is that this is not a team in the truest sense of the word, and therefore it’s proving impossible to manage.
The board are making strides in an attempt to put that right, with Garde’s imminent departure the latest as necessary wholesale changes are enforced. The manager is perhaps unfortunate to face the axe under the circumstances but at the same time there seems little option but to make yet another managerial switch and doing so ahead of what will be a busy summer may be wise.
One thing’s for certain; returning the club to its former glory and securing promotion at the first time of asking will be a mountainous task for whoever takes over the reins.
How much is Garde to blame for Villa's woeful season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below
