R.I.C.O.

17th or 18th for me. Only three games of Lambert to go.

There is no way in hell McLeishbert will still be Villa manager at the start of next season. If he is, the new owners may as well write off their first season in charge. The overwhelming majority of fans have had enough of him and have seen enough already to know he isn't the man to take us forward, even with money to spend.

Exactly, and I think he'll be one of the first out of the door when the new guy comes in. Simply not good enough for this level.

I hope whoever comes in after Lambert either gives him a huge kick up the arse or looks to replace him with someone better. He's been mostly dire for going on three seasons now and if he was pulling his weight, you'd expect to be able to build a team around him as he is supposedly coming into his prime. Unfortunately I think his best years are behind him and he's a spent force.

A quick steal of wikipedia: AVFC Coaching Staff Paul Lambert Gordon Cowans Shay Given Scott Marshall Lambert appointment from Norwich Terry Gennoe Lambert appointment from Norwich Michael Watts Lambert appointment from Norwich Chris Lorkin Lambert appointment from Norwich Roddy MacDonald Alan Smith Bryan Jones Steve Burns Tony McAndrew Simone Farina Highly random decision - probably appointed by Paul Faulkner!!! I expect all his main coaching staff will resign when he goes anyway. They all go way back with him - I think a couple actually were there with him from the start of his managerial career.

Didn't McLeish say the same just after his final match? http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/wouldnt-change-aston-villa-experience-7029901? From reading that article, it is clear Lambert really is not protecting Lerner any more, talking openly about lack of investment over Lambert's time here, and that the club is in a 'position of mediocrity'. Hardly pulling the punches or selling himself to Lerner there. He no longer talks about "long talks with the owner"; that all his "chats" with Randy are "very brief", and the most telling part is that he "doesn't know everything". I'm now more positive both Lerner and Lambert will be gone in the summer. Hooray! Yeah I think he's going to bang on about these constraints to try and protect what's left of his reputation before he's out of work soon. Absolutely. He's done in this job IMO, I knew it when his two buddies were suspended. Dead man walking and he'll be given the bullet when the final whistle is blown against Spurs. Hopefully we are safe by then; the inevitable could be sooner!

Absolutely not. IMO it would take a lot of the feel good factor away from the takeover. There needs to be a clean sweep across the board. Lambert, and anyone appointed by him (not including Sid and Shay of course) should go. Give the new man a clean slate to work with.

Didn't McLeish say the same just after his final match? http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/wouldnt-change-aston-villa-experience-7029901? From reading that article, it is clear Lambert really is not protecting Lerner any more, talking openly about lack of investment over Lambert's time here, and that the club is in a 'position of mediocrity'. Hardly pulling the punches or selling himself to Lerner there. He no longer talks about "long talks with the owner"; that all his "chats" with Randy are "very brief", and the most telling part is that he "doesn't know everything". I'm now more positive both Lerner and Lambert will be gone in the summer. Hooray!

There's a few young managers out there that could do a decent job actually, and would probably relish the chance and are not out of our grasp. They would probably need a bit of a compensation payment but I doubt they'd turn down the chance to turn around a PL team with a blank canvas and bit of money to spend. Remi Garde (Lyon) Unai Emery (Sevilla) Oscar Garcia (Brighton) Mauricio Pellegrino (Estudiantes) Failing that, and they want to pick up an out-of-work manager then Michael Laudrup is surely worth a go. His contacts abroad would be worth it alone. Dan Petrescu could be another one worth a shout.

For the love of god no more Scottish managers. We need either a young up and coming continental manager, in which Murat Yakin would be a perfect fit.

As long as we don't lose this, and none of the teams below win, then everything should be ok.

Well Man Utd fans probably make up a HUGE proportion of subscribers so I'm not at all surprised. Thank god SSN is no longer on freeview, so there's no chance of being subjected to this shite.

Nothing more than a French Isaiah Osbourne. He has been totally shocking this season, won't be missed. I expect he'll be the first of many of Lambert's flops out the door.

When I look at those poor bunch of sods, and compare it to our situation, I always remember that things could be a lot worse. It would be HILARIOUS if they went down to League One. But I don't think its going to happen.

There's no way Lambert will be our manager next season. The new owners will want their own man in place.

It is a double act taking us over apparently, Ray Davis and Bob Simpson.

Yeah its not like these two will need to get the OK from a family trust before they spend money on the team either. People need to chill out and look to the future! New owners, new, better manager, better players....a fresh new start!

These guys combined are worth up to 4 or 5 times more than Lerner is currently worth.

Well as long as they know their arse from their elbow, they will be an improvement on Lerner.

Yes, he only has a year left. He'll get a nice little payoff I'd expect.

DOL was deliberately antagonistic, I'll give you that. Lambert just randomly mumbles a load of cliches. He doesnt seem like a nasty person. But this is a results game! Lambert's results have been very poor, on top of the concern over his tactics and coaching methods (given his two best buddies have been suspended) There have been times this season where the similarities have been pretty striking with DOL's last season in charge.

I'm absolutely fine with that. I reckon Sid is doing most of the work behind the scenes anyway.

Well DOL had to work under similar constraints in his last season, and he had acheived more than Lambert did in his first two seasons, just from changing our playing style and getting more out of the players he had. I didnt see anyone arguing to keep him on when Lerner came in, and that was because his last season was beyond defence and his attitude stank. No-one was saying "lets see what he would be like if he was given money to spend" or other such guff. Even before he was sacked for instigating the fictional player's complaint letter, when the takeover rumours were gathering steam, no-one wanted to keep him on. Everyone wanted a takeover to herald a complete change from the top to the bottom in how the club is run. That is what the club needs again. Lambert is Lerner's bag carrier and yes man. In the grand scheme of things that's why he was bought in, to take his £2million a year and be quiet about any constraints. Any new owners will get rid of him the moment the ink has been dried on the contracts. In fact I wouldnt be surprised if the wheels have already been put in motion.

So by your own logic then you'd classify someone like Ian Holloway as being a better manager than he has shown in the Premiership? Di Canio could have acheived back to back promotions if he'd have stayed with Swindon. Didnt make him any more of a success. Lambert will be consigned to the George Burley/Owen Coyle/Phil Brown drawer once this season is over. He'll have to rebuild his reputation somewhere else.

I doubt it. I know I won't be looking back on Lerner's tenure with much enthusiasm. The early years of MON are the only things worth remembering.