Marka Ragnos

 

Chris Waddle's view. Fair?

 

"

Former England winger Chris Waddle

BBC Radio 5 live at Villa Park

Aston Villa 1-2 Chelsea

Posted at

"Chelsea have been in total control in this second half. Aston Villa could not do anything going forward, they really lacked belief and quality in the final third but they tried their best. Chelsea have done a special job here today. They are seven points clear but they were nine points earlier in the season, so it's not all over yet."

 

No. Totally disagree. Villa didn't lack belief. We lacked a clinical striker.

If this manager does'nt go we are doomed .

I am no Lambertian but Lerner's left him with no options. I think he was right to give Benteke a last chance but that should be it. It's just too bad PL didn't have many choices. Look at Chelsea. They bring on a player as a discretionary sub whom they just paid almost five times above what we failed to pay for a slightly over the hill striker. It's just obvious what the issue is, and it goes way deeper than Lambert. Chelsea could have left Willian on, too. Very hard to compete against this mismatch in resources.

Somehow this one really hurts especially bad. Was just beginning to get carried away with hope. Real let-down. I feel mad at Benteke. 

Benteke just seems awful.

Benteke made a great effort ... at trying to argue for a corner. Man o man.

Does Willian ever get knackered?? Could probably have stayed on.

The Great Curse broken. So happy!!!!

Wish I could get excited about this thread but it just feels like a non-starter for me as long as Lerner's in charge. Wish I didn't think so, but there you have it!

 

2-1 to villa

 

I almost believe it. Fingers and toes crossed.

I see that we've taken quite a few shots without finding the back of the net. Are there one or two people responsible for this statistic? Do we have one player who keeps missing again and again? Trying to work out!

... Hull Lerner will have to act. ...

Unfortunately, as much as I wish that was true, it just isn't. He doesn't, and he probably won't. That's his pattern.

Honestly If I were the coach given the circumstances I might field a reserve side against Chelsea and rest the players to focus on the Hull Match

Then we'd go ahead and lose two matches, probably. 

I say go for it. Our supporters deserve to see a real battle against Chelski, with respect to the reserves.

I've got a feeling we're going to win this one.

Ha! I've got that same feeling. I just have a funny hunch that the players are going to transcend themselves and their manager and their owner and pull out a little miracle -- of course, I wish I hadn't just said that, probably jinxes it. 

Just comparing statto odds with before the weekend. Went from 3,5 to 4 and still most likely 16th on points forecast. Not my own special system, but the one with highest correlation between forecast and results that I'm aware of.

Sounds about right to me. Don't think we'll go down, personally, but this year feels closer to last -- and that was bad enough!

How about a simple poll, yea, nay or not sure, on whether Lambert should be sacked?

He's continuing to take a massive gamble with our future (and the future of his investment).

By choosing to neither back or sack his manager, he is just leaving us in limbo and hoping there a three worse teams than us (again)

Amazes me that this thread often slips to page 2/3 while the manager gets called every name under the sun on an almost daily basis.

Lerner should be the subject of people's anger - blame the puppet master, not the puppet.

I don't see Lambert as blameless,  but what you're saying about Randy Lerner is unquestionably true -- and it almost can't be said enough.

I know quite a few people who support the Cleveland Browns back in the States, and the years of Randy Lerner's inherited ownership were marked by profound frustration, helplessness, and a sense of things standing still. His rep is one of a "do-nothing" owner who stands back, buys a few things, and watches and waits and silently hopes for the best. The Browns' record under Randy Lerner ranged from mediocre to failure with one semi-bright year. They achieved nothing special, but of course, in the NFL you can't get relegated, so the risk of real failure is lower. Most Browns fans were happy to see him go after a decade of mediocrity. From what I can see at Villa, Lerner's ownership has been slightly less successful than his time with Cleveland. He hasn't got us relegated yet, but you can smell it in the air. 

AVFC supporters need to turn up the heat on Lerner's ownership and press him to sell. The efforts should be organized, dignified, and polite -- that will speak to Lerner more than yobbish howls and vulgarity. It shouldn't be personal. It should be presented more as a kind of "thanks for the good times, but we really need a different owner for this particular club now" sort of proposal and it should be VERY public. A steady, growing, fair-minded, widely publicized groundswell of pressure is the only way, IMHO.

Everyone saying sack Lambert but can't see any names being put forward. Sacking him 2/3's through the season would be idiotic. His contract certainly needs to be reviewed in the summer though.

You've got a point there about other names. There really aren't many great choices out there that I know of. Tim Sherwood? Jens Keller? Nope. Nope. When you really think hard, it seems all the best ones are spoken for, unless I'm missing something?

 

Everyone saying sack Lambert but can't see any names being put forward. Sacking him 2/3's through the season would be idiotic. His contract certainly needs to be reviewed in the summer though.

I would literally take anybody. I don't know how anyone could want him in charge for a second longer.

 

 Not really, tho, not if you stop for a second and consider. Felix Magath took Fulham from bad to worse to total disaster, for example. We would need a proven winner who could steady the ship.

 

 

Clearly not nonsense. There is a hardcore of support on here who will back Lambert no matter what shit is served up on the pitch. Now, its their prerogative to do that but I simply can't fathom out why he is above criticism for certain people. I'm genuinely mystified. 

 

The notion that there's a set of hardcore Lambert supporters on this forum is complete rubbish, it simply isn't true. The fact is we're all Villa supporters with differing perspectives on our current situation. So please stop trying to cause a divide by labeling people, it's not necessary.

 

I am one of an army of supporters of Paul Lambert ... in his move to another club. I really think he'll be fantastic somewhere. Can I just say, also, that I think he's nice bloke? And those early-2000s era bins. Pretty darn cool. See? I support the man.

 

Isn't this the time when David Cameron should step in and say something in public? Or perhaps a well-placed leak in the media, voicing his displeasure at seemingly disinterested "distant owners" of English institutions? Honestly, haven't we got the point where well-positioned Villans need to stand up and throw their weight around a little? 

You would think with a Prime Minister, a future King, a former Governor of the Bank of England and Tom Hanks all declaring themselves as Villa fans we should have some sort of high proclamation that means Lerner has to sell the club for a £1 and Lambert has to dance around Glasgow just wearing a sporran and begging for soup on a daily basis.

 

You are causing me to laugh so hard I think I have broken a rib.

Isn't this the time when David Cameron should step in and say something in public? Or perhaps a well-placed leak in the media, voicing his displeasure at seemingly disinterested "distant owners" of English institutions? Honestly, haven't we got the point where well-positioned Villans need to stand up and throw their weight around a little? 

 

Even a three legged dog puts up more of a fight than us today

 

 

So sweet. Brilliant lol!

 

 

How can you defend it useless? Are you really a villa fan?

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/row-zed/record-breaking-rubbishness-aston-villa-5086775

Yes I'm really a Villa fan. I can't defend where we are as a club, I just don't think it's Lambert's fault. It still bugs me that he hasn't been given an Assistant to work with, it's like he's being asked to carry the whole club on his shoulders.

Wow.

 

@Useless, with respect, I almost feel like you're asking us to feel sorry for PL. I feel sorry for little children with leukemia and three-legged dogs. I don't feel bad for well-compensated Premier League managers who are paid to MANAGE.

 

Having just looked at March's fixtures I too don't think we'll see a dip in form during that period. In fact I think we should be looking to do very well indeed, should be a big month.

 

I thought that about the games recently but alas, no wins. I just pray we hit some sort of form before long

 

You know, I am trying really hard to resist the self-destructive "hang-it-all" attitude where I find myself actually and quite perversely HOPING for relegation because of my anger at the club. I know that's a really dangerous and immature mind-set, but I can understand how supporters get drawn into it out of a sense of helpless fury.

We must not give up though. I've got to remember that even now relegation is not yet a fait accompli and it would be a horrible outcome. 

I keep thinking of that part in Lord of the Rings where the elf queen says "I know what it is you saw, for it is also in my mind. It is what will come to pass if you should fail. The Fellowship is breaking: it is already begun." But of course, the fellowship holds. Somehow, we've got to hold on.

Having just looked at March's fixtures I too don't think we'll see a dip in form during that period. In fact I think we should be looking to do very well indeed, should be a big month.

I don't share your optimism but I appreciate it! Let's hope you're right.

... Given that they haven't seen their side score a league goal since 20th December, the whingeing of Villa supporters could not be more justified.

 

Yes indeed, tho I wouldn't even call it whinging. It's more like mourning and abject embarrassment. 

We might get lucky this season, with Hull having injured strikers strikers strikers and QPR unable to even get get a point away from home but, sooner or later, if we persist with this man in charge, the inevitable will happen. We can't be lucky in having three poor teams promoted forever!

 

Yes, I fear Leicester or even QPR could sink us with a few wins. I think Hull is gone, but we have every reason to worry about everyone else.