DCJonah

Does the last 4 years wipe out the previous ones? I don't remember any condescending voices when Lerner was spending heavily. Now I've a hypothetical for you. The wage bill is now down to a sustainable level IF Lerner decided not to sell and backed Lambert as he did MON with a CEO running both the financial and football side of things properly. ie not letting the wage bill get out of control again would people be adverse to him staying?

I for one wouldn't mind. I don't care if he doesn't set foot in VP as long as the club is run properly with results to match his no appearance is only an issue when we are doing badly so for this reason a string CEO would be needed so as not to seem rudderless. We'll probably be sold on the morning now anyway!!

Do the last 4 years wipe out the previous ones? I'd probably say they do now for me. I enjoyed finishing 6th and challenging for a cup but i don't think that means the last 4 are acceptable

You say you care about the club being run well and the results to match but he hasn't done that for a very long time. If at all really. When you look back I'm not sure you could ever say we had a period where the club was run well and the results were good under Lerner.

As for your question, I'd say no. I don't trust him to make right decisions and I don't think he's capable of running us the way we should be run.

Well no, it's not, is it? It's your opinion.

You're right! It's my opinion that, if Lerner had bought from a previous owner who was actually liked instead of hated, and we'd done what we've done under Lerner's reign, he would have faced large protests to try to force him out.

So it's not fact and is purely a hypothetical musing then?

You don't think it's played any part in the patience fans have had with him?

Not a fact but a pretty fair assessment. I think he's fortunate that he replaced who he did. I feel that another poor year and failure to sell the club may turn more fans against him this year.

I don't think you can blame anyone for wanting out of this place at the moment.

Any update on a contract offer?

I wouldn't mind some clarity from those that get the statement easily as I'm a bit confused.

Given that no agreement has as of yet been reached, I feel that it is time now to turn my full attention back to Villa matters at hand.

So what does this mean? What will he be doing now that he wasn't doing before? How will this effect the ability to sell the club?

While the sale process has been productive and remains ongoing, my priority at this point in the summer, heading into the upcoming season, is that the Villa organisation's sole focus be football - undistracted by any sales process.

This bit really confuses me. If the sole focus is football and there is to be no distraction from a sales process how is the sales process still ongoing?

I (think) it means "I've been concentrating while all the staff and players were away, on the sale. Now they're back I'll be doing the stuff needed to operate the club in football terms - actions on players contracts, signings etc that wouldn't have been done by me, if I'd sold it already - I'm not going to let things just drift aimlessly."

The sale process, it implies will be left in the hands of bankers etc and he'll get back involved in that if and when necessary, but right now he's working on keeping the club healthy.

That's what he's saying, whether we feel he's doing that well or not is a matter of opinion for each of us.

Thanks

I hope the effort to sell the club doesn't slow down and I hope randy doesn't neglect his investment while waiting for it to happen.

I'm not sure I trust Lerner enough to actually believe they've been productive.

If you're bored tomorrow can you see who's had the most top,half finishes then got relegated the following year? It's probably got the same significance!!

How so?

Tom Ince signing for Hull. They're improving their squad so far.

Yeah I'd agree.

I just think while those issues aren't sorted the issues from these consecutive finishes continue to build.

I wouldn't mind some clarity from those that get the statement easily as I'm a bit confused.

Given that no agreement has as of yet been reached, I feel that it is time now to turn my full attention back to Villa matters at hand.

So what does this mean? What will he be doing now that he wasn't doing before? How will this effect the ability to sell the club?

While the sale process has been productive and remains ongoing, my priority at this point in the summer, heading into the upcoming season, is that the Villa organisation's sole focus be football - undistracted by any sales process.

This bit really confuses me. If the sole focus is football and there is to be no distraction from a sales process how is the sales process still ongoing?

I agree that other issues cause the initial bottom half finishes but then consecutive bottom half finishes contribute to existing issues and create new ones.

Do you not think finishing bottom half over and over again creates any problems for the club? You get less money than others, you're less attractive to potential players, ticket sales decrease, sponsorship money will decrease etc..

Its a continuing spiral which is why teams that usually finish in the bottom half 4 or 5 times in a row get relegated.

well i have some doubts about this but to be honest when i think about it he is a high profile name, ambitious and single minded and driven for success I think we can all agree on that?

The fact that he has joined us over other offers given the shite state we are all in well there has to be some justification for it surely?

I think he's joined us over others because he gets what he wants. He's able to continue both jobs and gain coaching experience without any long term commitments.

I don't think it really means anything. If we go down it won't be because we were on our 4th consecutive bottom half finish.

I think it will have a lot to do with it. Consecutive low finishes will lead to an unhappy fan base, players lacking confidence, difficulty signing quality players and just a general negative feeling towards the club. I think all of those could contribute to relegation. Its not like if we were relegated next year that it would be a complete shock out of nowhere. The continuing decline plays a part

These are symptoms, not causes. The fact is we've been spending hardly anything for the last few seasons and if we go down that will be the main reason - not because of some meaningless stat.

You don't think consecutive bottom half finishes contribute at all? You don't think it has an effect on the club?

I don't think it really means anything. If we go down it won't be because we were on our 4th consecutive bottom half finish.

I think it will have a lot to do with it. Consecutive low finishes will lead to an unhappy fan base, players lacking confidence, difficulty signing quality players and just a general negative feeling towards the club. I think all of those could contribute to relegation. Its not like if we were relegated next year that it would be a complete shock out of nowhere. The continuing decline plays a part.

OK I'm a bit bored and after todays announcement a bit more concerned, so I've decided to look into a bit of premiership history.

We've finished in the bottom half the last 3 years and I'm pretty sure its nailed on we'll be doing it again this year.

So I decided to look through the premiership tables and see what other teams have done similar. I looked for teams who had 4+ consecutive bottom half finishes and survived in the league. And then looked at what that led to.

Coventry - 8 consecutive bottom half finishes and relegated on their 9th

Southampton - 5 consecutive bottom half finishes and relegated on their 6th

Everton - 5 consecutive bottom half finishes and then a top half finish.

Boro - 5 consecutive bottom half finishes and relegated on their 6th

Wigan - 6 consecutive bottom half finishes and relegated on their 6th

Bolton - 4 consecutive bottom half finishes and relegated on their 5th

Sheff weds - 4 consecutive bottom half finishes and relegated on their 5th.

Firstly, its dissapointing to see that we're very likely to join that list of clubs in consecutive bottom half finishes. What it also shows is that clubs that continue to finish in that bottom half, the vast majority of the time are relegated.

I think a sale was very important this summer as I'm not sure how much longer we will continue to just scrape by surviving in the league.

You can always hope the law of averages kicks in - we must must be due a good season soon.

You'd hope so but without a sale I can't see it being this one.

Wish we had those two 5 years ago.

Bit of a strange post. Firstly, the season hasn't even begun yet. Secondly, we all know what the problems are at this club - the bottom half finishes are merely a symptom of that.

Not a surprise. I was just interested in how long clubs usually lasted while continuing to finish in the bottom half. We're on for our 4th and not many clubs have managed to survive long after doing that.

OK I'm a bit bored and after todays announcement a bit more concerned, so I've decided to look into a bit of premiership history.

We've finished in the bottom half the last 3 years and I'm pretty sure its nailed on we'll be doing it again this year.

So I decided to look through the premiership tables and see what other teams have done similar. I looked for teams who had 4+ consecutive bottom half finishes and survived in the league. And then looked at what that led to.

Coventry - 8 consecutive bottom half finishes and relegated on their 9th

Southampton - 5 consecutive bottom half finishes and relegated on their 6th

Everton - 5 consecutive bottom half finishes and then a top half finish.

Boro - 5 consecutive bottom half finishes and relegated on their 6th

Wigan - 6 consecutive bottom half finishes and relegated on their 6th

Bolton - 4 consecutive bottom half finishes and relegated on their 5th

Sheff weds - 4 consecutive bottom half finishes and relegated on their 5th.

Firstly, its dissapointing to see that we're very likely to join that list of clubs in consecutive bottom half finishes. What it also shows is that clubs that continue to finish in that bottom half, the vast majority of the time are relegated.

I think a sale was very important this summer as I'm not sure how much longer we will continue to just scrape by surviving in the league.

Damned if you do damned if you don't!! The proof will be in the signings but if Lerner doesn't say anything everybody would be moaning about what's going on. He has now told us where we are at. It's exactly the statement I was expecting and I believe he will back Lambert as previous summers. What more can he say though?

Has he backed Lambert much in previous summers?

I've no idea about the amount spent but if you're asking has he backed him in bringing in players I think it's safe to say that's a yes!! 5+ every summer. This year if he buys 2/3 at twice the quality we'll be fine. When Lambert has spent over £3m he's brought in quality.

Maybe I should have phrased it as acceptable backing. While he's allowed players to be signed I don't think he's given Lambert an awful lot to work with.

I really cant wait for him to go.

I never thought I'd feel this way about him but I agree.

"Lerner's too quiet. Worst owner ever."

"(Lerner publishes clarifying statement on ongoing sale). Wrong type of message! Worst owner ever."

I've read a lot more valid reasons why Lerner is a poor owner.

Damned if you do damned if you don't!! The proof will be in the signings but if Lerner doesn't say anything everybody would be moaning about what's going on. He has now told us where we are at. It's exactly the statement I was expecting and I believe he will back Lambert as previous summers. What more can he say though?

Has he backed Lambert much in previous summers?

Christ, dry your eyes Nick.

Do you not think fans should feel frustrated?

Bad news. Another year of poor football, bottom half finish and damage to the long term future of the club.

There's not much he's managed to do right over the last few years.

Gutted.

I just can't see why Vlaar would sign a new deal. Moving now or on a free next summer would probably both be better financial decisions than signing a new deal now.

That depends really, I mean if Lambert does indeed have £8m left I'd rather he uses a chunk of that to tie up Grealish, Delph and Vlaar rather than try get new players.

Could we offer a wage now that's more than he'd get if he left on a free next summer? I seriously doubt it. I would imagine his agent will be advising him to not sign any deal with us.