McGregor1888

A big no from me.

If we're still relying on Tony Pulis hoofball in 3 years time in order to survive then we would have a right to moan. But clearly under Lambert we have played exciting stuff at the end of last season playing 3 if not 4 forwards at a time, basically because that was the best of what was available to him. This season Weimann and Benteke are suffering from second-season syndrome so playing free-flowing stuff is not realistic unfortunately as we don't have the back-up options. Lambert clearly wants an attacking midfielder so I can only see this style as temporary until he further adds to the squad. He's getting the best out of the squad he has, one that he is transforming completely in front of our very eyes in a very short time scale. Just think of how much more progress we will see with another year or two at this rate. It is the turn around in the belief of the players that is truly outstanding, Lambert's man management has been excellent. Added to his scouting of players things can surely only improve.

Nail on the head.  Lambert is genuinely doing a superb job.  Of course there are going to be times when things aren't running smoothly and we play poorly but its clear that we are a club that is becoming stable once more and gearing up for another upward swing.  Rome wasn't built in a day, be patient and get behind what is happening at Aston Villa F.C..  The more we stick together and push the club on the more confident and better our players will feel.   I still don't feel this Villa team has actually played to it's potential yet - when we do we will give someone a hiding.

 

A couple of years back I moaned like crazy at Houllier for trying to get a pair of cloggers like Dunne and Collins to pass it around from the back. We got hurt a few times and thought to myself "what's he doing? They're not Barcelona. Get it up the pitch where our better players are."

I didn't expect to see that situation develop with Vlaar and Clark because those two are quite good footballers. Obviously, Lambert hasn't been impressed with the footballing qualities of our defenders, hence the "play it long to the forwards and hope the midfielders win the second ball" tactic that seems to have become popular.

No matter what we might think of it, and I personally do think it could lead to a few scary results, it certainly paid dividends tonight.

Our luck continues. Long may it hold out (fingers crossed)

 

Southampton were extremely lucky to find Benteke currently out of sorts and Vlaar injured at half time.  

A great three points.  The manager got his tactics spot on and the players were lethal - credit to the whole team.  

- We are the only team in the league not to concede more than 2 goals in a game.

- 5 games unbeaten, without playing well, imagine if we played well.

- 2nd best away team in the league

Hard to imagine the amount of stick Lambert was getting before tonight

Stick from the same old same old.  Anyone with a little common sense can see what Lambert is trying to do and can appreciate that it will take time.  

I'm not convinced another club will pay what we want. I don't think we will get above 20 mill. for him

 

I have seen some really good forwards at Villa over the years ....I don't think I've seen one of the better ones with a form drop so low.

 

I never in my wildest dreams thought he was capable of playing as bad as he did on Saturday, wanted him to come off to save his own embarrassment.

 

I must admit I'm shocked at the magnitude of the drop.

 

 

Ps The only thing I would say is I don't believe he is not trying, I just don't know what is wrong.....but if ever he needs support, its now.

TRO, if another club doesn't pay us what we want for any player the player doesn't get sold.  It's simple.  

 

 

 

"West Brom should have been out of sight and Sunderland missed the sitter of the decade. We've been luckier than this time last year."

 

 

So West Broms missed chances should have been goals and our missed chances shouldn't?

 

I know it's barely allowed for one to go against this myth of 'progress', but we are luckier than this time last year IMO, and for me that accounts for our slightly better position. We are playing some of the worst football I have ever seen and at Villa Park and that's up against some pretty stiff competition.

 

If it improves and is all part of a big plan of Lamberts then I'll be as happy as anyone and I'll eat, but I don't see how anyone can argue that the football is anything other than one dimensional and dire.

 

Any chance of giving us some stats on how "lucky" the rest of the other clubs have been in comparison to last season?  some detailed examples and analysis would be appreciated. How on earth can you say progress is a myth when we are doing far better in the table?  I fear you really don't understand football, my friend - unlucky you.

 

 

IMO, the main improvement (same time this year to last) is our luck. Last year we had none up until Xmas. This year we've had a fair bit (apart from Chelsea away).

 

If we carry on playing like this, but the luck deserts us, we are in the doo dah, because it's woeful stuff.

 

I really want Lambert to work some magic as I want him to succeed here, but I'm really just sitting back and watching what happens, game by game, with the sort of interest you give a car crash. I hope the training is different to the match play.

 

Have we been lucky, really?

 

Okore getting injured and out for the season. Benteke in a fine run of scoring, then gets injured and struggles to find form or fitness.

 

Gabby playing through injury and then missing games through injury. Weimann, Delph and Luna out through injury. We're not even upto Xmas and we've played quite a few games with three or four key players missing.

 

We may not be playing great football but we have cut out the defensive mistakes, to a large degree, and thats not down to luck.

 

Also it's not beyond the realms of possibility that when the majority of these key players are back to speed that our game will improve.

 

Yes, I believe we have ridden our luck. The last two games we were lucky to get anything. Every team gets injuries. I stand by what wrote earlier. If we carry on playing like this without the luck then we're in serious trouble.

 

Of course, a few things can happen. We start playing a lot better and/or we stay lucky. I hope we do both.

 

You fail to take into account how much "luck" other clubs are having and you also fail to take into account how other clubs are playing and the respective qualities of other clubs' performances.  Do you think Villa are the only club that plays poorly now and again?  The stark truth is that we are a more organised, effective and better team than this time last year - if you don't believe me look at the table.

I think that might be the case as well Con.

Hopefully Lambert sees (if this is the case) that Benteke is being an utter c*** and hasn't just turned into Harewood, and so still gets a good deal for him.

Embarrassing comment.  Have a rest son.

Burnley changed to claret and blue in 1910 in tribute to us too...they thought the colours would give them a change of luck.

There is an Arsenal team as well in..brazil or was it colombia? Don`t remember. Guess juve - notts county stands out. 

The South American Arsenal were named after their local gunnery and weapons factory and have no links or connections to the English Arsenal.  

Talking of (the English) Arsenal, I read a long time ago that Herbert Chapman was a big admirer of Villa and the famous claret body, blue sleeves kit design and it was because of this that Arsenal changed their tops from all red to a red body and white sleeves design 

Derry City in the League of Ireland originally played in Villa's colours, too.

 

I might have choose a better time to make my point about Lambert. I love the guy. I think he is gonna come close to my love for Macca. The team he had last season went through hell and he was the manager who picked them up from the bottom and made them play quite good. He is a man-manager he can spot a talent and Im quite sure he can tactics….picking that team from last year up, I wanna hear you argue that he didn't make that awesome.

You make it sound like he only took over in January...

 

He's spot on though.

 

 

Everyone loved the heights we hit under Oneil, but he messed up big time and left us in a mess. Why do you think nobody of any note touched him with a barge pole after us??

 

 

Problem is, Villa is a poisoned chalice of a job. For a whole plethora of reasons, who has ever managed Villa and then gone on to much bigger and brighter things?

 

I can think of nobody. Irrelevent in this discussion, but I can't think of a single Villa manager who has gone on to excell elsewhere.

 

Joe Mercer.

 

I thought it was a bit pathetic that they are still trying to blame MON's departure for the disaster that was 2010-2012. No mention of the appointment of two hopeless managers who dragged us down towards the relegation zone and wasted most of the money they had to spend on high wage players whom we are now struggling to offload, let alone paying precious millions in relation to the managerial appointments.

It would be fascinating to hear their account of how Houllier, McLeish and then Lambert formed part of a consistent recruitment strategy. They are lucky to have found Lambert, who at least has a clue how to manage a club on a tighter budget, but they should hang their heads in shame at the damage they have done to the club since MON's botched departure.

I get the impression this meeting was a bit of a cosy chat, so I doubt whether any such points were raised.

 

indeed 3 more different managers you would struggle to find. If as seems likley Lambert decides not to stay after his current deal - I shudder to think who these turkeys would come up with next !

 

What makes you say that?  Interviews I've heard with Lambert suggest he's here for a while yet.

I watched Ince at a recent England U21 game, the lad is quality and would be a capable addition to the squad. He's got alot of natural ability and a little bit of his fathers attitude which is no bad thing.

His old man was a Billy Big Bollocks.  I wouldn't want this type of player anywhere near the current Villa set-up.

Stick with Ireland Jack!  Your blood's green, son.

I can see this Villa team building up momentum and going on a bit of a run at some point.  I think we're capable of finishing anywhere between 6th and 13th - my money is on us finishing closer to 6th than 13th.  

 

 

 

Interesting how relatively quiet this thread has been almost a full day since our game

95 posts since the final whistle yesterday.

 

How much "noise" do you think would be about right?

 

 

Well for comparison, there were around 200 in the same timeframe after a boring 0-0 draw last week. Easier to discuss the negatives I guess *shrug*.

 

So, 95 posts this week., 200 posts last week. What exactly is your point, if in fact you have one?

 

His point is 

wow it's not even December yet and Lambert's bleating on in the press about how we won't make any big money signings, doesn't even say when so I guess he means ever.

 

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11677/9019570?

 

so you can bet your arse that signing this much desired central attacking midfielder is about as likely as Alan Wright coming out of retirement and replacing Guzan in goal.

Before falling for this type of Talksport/tabloid nonsense, ask yourself: When did Lambert make this statement and in what context?  Don't allow journalists to manipulate your feelings.

It's not rocket science to suggest that a positive atmosphere will lift and help any team.    

We have a good five to ten percent of supporters at Villa Park ( a rough estimate on my part) who tend to let the club down with constant negativity.  It'[s quite simple, if you can't  support the club and try to lift the team for ninety-plus minutes simply don't go to our games.  If you can't see the bigger picture and understand the process of building a football team, clear off and follow another sport.

We all want trophies at Villa.  We all want to see the team get back to the very top of the game.  I reckon we'll get there a whole lot quicker without the negative clueless dimwits who constantly drag the club down at the slightest whiff of pressure or defeat.  If you're coming to Villa Park to have a moan, do us all a favour and save your money by not turning up, or - even better - spend the money on something that will make you happy.  Leave the mighty Villa to those of us who want to make the club the very best around.

 

Will everyone just calm down...ur gonna make urselves ill!!! Lamberts approach is going to take TIME....that means u have to ride the ups and downs for a while and give him TIME....or do we want the expensive 'quick fix' like we have shown before, doesn't work??We will do better than last season, I have no doubt. Continued steady improvement over TIME.

How much TIME does he get? 4-5years?

 

Hopefully, yes.  If we start winning trophies here's hoping he'll be with us even longer.

Sad to see that so many are frustrated

They'd be just as frustrated if we were fighting for top four.  There's no patience among fans today and having so much coverage of the game in the media and on the net just adds to the frustration.  

We're in transition and we're steadily improving.  If we finish comfortably mid-table this year that will be  progress and allows us to build again for improvement next year.  All this moaning and failure to see the bigger picture smacks of the Venky's boardroom at Blackburn Rovers.

Does anybody know when we did last go four games without scoring by the way? Just checked and it didn't happen under McLeish.

..and?  I wonder if it happened under Ron Saunders.

Posted this in the Match thread.

 

All sorts of the usual apocalyptic doom mongering as we get a point away without at least 3 first choice players.

 

And continue a fine record which now goes back exactly 1 year.

 

19 away games, and outside the Big 4 NO DEFEATS...of 19 games away in that time we lost 5, to Man U, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Man City.

 

Of the other 14 games we won 7 and drawn 7 scoring 25 and conceeding 17.

 

How on earth do you find that so dreadful FFS ?

Excellent point.

 

Kozak was a necessary purchase as we have no backup for Benteke.

A back up to Benteke was a necessary purchase. Kozak was not.

 

Profound.

On paper they are "easier" fixtures but they will be just as tough in their own way.  What I hope now is that the boys can find some kind of settled rhythm to their play, giving them the platform to grow as a team.  If, by Christmas, we are sitting somewhere between 8th and 13th (with a healthy gap between us and the bottom three) I will be happy and regard this as "on schedule" progress for the season.

 

I have not posted on here for many a year, but was moved to do so by the marvellous comments made by our future King (Prince William) regarding the continuing Royal patronage of our great club.

 

"When Villa thrash Man Yoo at Villa Park, my son will be there".

 

I trust this means that little Prince George will be visiting us in December!

 

UTV!

 

I hope he realises that by making this sort of remark he will antagonise large parts of the Commonwealth and Asia.

 

He's benignly pointing out the error of their ways!