I don’t want to be cut any slack. I’ll take the flak...i’m just asking for time
STEVEN GERRARD has asked for time to turn around Aston Villa’s season - claiming he just needs a break.
Villa’s boss is acutely aware of the grumblings of discontent that have started in the stands as the club hovers just above the relegation zone.
Gerrard, 42, admitted last week that he was feeling the heat – and the temperature was turned up a notch following a 1-1 draw at struggling Nottingham
Forest on Monday night.
As Villa prepare to face
Graham Potter’s in-form
Chelsea, Gerrard maintained that his side are making progress.
Understand
He said: “If we’d have scored a second against Forest – I’m saying ‘if’ – I understand we didn’t.
“If John Mcginn decides to volley that chance instead of heading it from 16cm out. Or if Philippe Coutinho’s shot goes in off the post against Leeds and we see that one home, we’d be ninth.
“I know people will say, ‘If my auntie was my uncle’ and all of that but they are the facts. Those moments, small margins, I’m giving a perspective.
“In my eyes, I can see and feel a progression, and realise how close we are. That we just need to change and fire on all cylinders in the final third. “I can see it being close. But I also appreciate where we are now in the table and people’s opinions of that – I can understand where the pressure, frustration and criticism comes from.
“I’m not trying to pull the wool over anyone’s eyes.”
When it was pointed out to him that all bar one of the players who started at the City Ground were on the books when predecessor Dean Smith was sacked, Gerrard agreed. He said: “I took over this team when it was 16th, two points off relegation off the back of five defeats.
“The team right now isn’t that different.
“You can shape and support the players – but the reality is that the group doesn’t look much different. And that is a fact.
“It isn’t different because we’ve had key injuries to big players. But when I first came into the job I didn’t expect anything to be completely different after one or two windows.
“These situations and challenges do take time. But I’m also aware you don’t get time because of results. It’s my job to improve results so that I do get given more time.
“I don’t want to be cut any slack, it’s fine. I’ll accept that and continue to do the job the best way I can.
“I’m asking for time.”
Judgement
Gerrard provoked some rumblings himself when he decided to give the captain’s armband to John Mcginn (top left), stripping Tyrone Mings (left) of the honour.
The misfiring of Scotland star Mcginn has come under the microscope lately but Gerrard argues that the focus instead needs to be on his skipper’s all-round contribution.
He said: “If you are judging John on goals and assists, you can understand if people think he’s not in top form.
“But there’s many parts of a game that John’s doing fantastically well. He’s very honest and humble.
“He knows where he needs to get, he will get there. He is one I trust, for sure. OK, he might have made a few mistakes in possession and may not be, personally, firing on all cylinders.
“But out of possession, he’s been magnificent.
“And we’re going to need bags of that. A whole lot of that fight, that togetherness, against Chelsea.”