ozvillafan

There are 10 types of people - those who understand binary and those who don't. It's not all doom and gloom for Lambert and, imo, he deserves more than 1 season to get it right given the turnaround in performances and positive football (compared to our last manager). But he is not immune from criticism. His persistence with a 3-5-2 system through consecutive 8-0, 4-0 and 3-0 defeats set us back badly - something we are only just recovering from. After a result like the one at Chelsea, a more astute manager would have set us up more defensively for the next game. After the next loss a good manager would have changed things up. After the 3rd loss, even my wife knew something had to give - but still Lambert persisted with it! Granted, he is learning - but it took too long for that particular lesson to sink in. If we go down this season, the blame will sit squarely on Lambert's shoulders.

Given the recent form of both Sunderland and Norwich compared to our own, those are winnable games - though the DiCanio effect might make Sunderland a little difficult. Happily, Stoke are also in an awful run of form and should struggle to pick up points. It's going to be tight!

Why not Michael Harding? Marcus Albeck? Mustapha Hadji?

Ouch.

Compared to his last full game (for Australia), he was a massive improvement. I saw him complete passes and fight for possession. I don't think he did anything wrong when coming on, though his impact was a little muted.

The reaction of another striker who might've thought that he was in a better position but also realised that he would've shot too. I don't blame him for shooting in that position, but he should've done better with the shot. It was a good opportunity for Benteke to score, and good strikers almost always tries to score themselves. Yep. Get the shot on target and even if he doesn't score there is a real chance Bent bundles over any attempted save. I don't blame him for taking the shot - but he should have gone for precision over power from that angle. The worse miss was Delph's. A rush of blood.... ... and in row ZZ.

Not sure if already posted (mods, please delete if it has been) Link

Wrong youtube clip. You wanted this one:

He's one of our few out-and-out wide players. I'd like to think he has a future here - but he has a lot of work to do to regain a first team spot. I'm hoping Lambert can help with that (as compared to our previous manager).

Apart from Dunne (and arguably Gardener), none of the players you mention featured regularly even when they were fit. Compare that to Houllier against ManUre in 2010. In this preview Houllier is hoping that Clarke, Bannan, Albrighton and Delfonouso will rise to the challenge of playing the champions (and they almost did it!). They were only starting because we had no other choice. From memory (looking at the squad that year), we had injuries to Dunne Petrov NRC Downing Ireland Agbonlahor all at the same time during this period. All are first team starters. Now that is a tough run of injuries.

There's no excuse beyond the fact that he was coming in as the 5th man in charge in a few years, dealing with a frankenstein of a squad built up by other managers, with a massive wage bill he needed to get under control. That's all behind the scenes stuff, on the pitch we started off very poorly, but we're improving. Why hold the first 5 months over his head now when it very much appears that the corner has been turned. As I said earlier in this thread, if, come December, we're back the way we were previously and the improvement looks to have been temporary, then I believe it's time to start considering that he's not the right man. If that doesn't happen and things continue to improve, then why the **** does it matter that he started slowly at the end of the day - assuming we don't pay for that with our premiership status? I don't remember saying any of that. I do remember stating that injuries are NOT an excuse for Lambert's performance. As for the rest of your excuses, they are just that: Excuses. Every other manager has to handle the squad they inherited and they are judged on their ability to get the most out of the team. I don't see why Lambert should be treated differently. I like Lambert and want to see him stay on - I just wont make excuses for his performance and will be critical of the mistakes he has made.

The injuries we had this year have been nothing compared to the crisis we had at times in our last season AND in the one before that. Did either Houllier or McLeish get any reprieve from the fans because of that? Nope. As such, I see no reason why it is a valid excuse for Lambert's results. Injuries are an unfortunate part of the game for every manager - and Lambert has had it pretty easy in comparison to his predecessors.

That his attitude stinks... that whilst all other Villa players are tweeting about winning an incredibly important game and which may have kept us in the league Barry is only interested in himself and isn't a team player. No club needs players with that type of attitude. Nope. Still don't get it. His attitude stinks because he hasn't put anything about Villa's win on a supposedly private instagram that we would never see? If this is the crux of instagramgate, then boy - some of you lot are reaching for anything to hang Bannan with.

I don't get it. Even if it is real, what does that instagram prove exactly?

How did you feel about McLeish last season? The less said the better ;-) Credit where it is due - tactics and starting personnel were strange, but it worked! We have 3 wins from 4, coming against other drop candidates. Important games that have yielded important results. Well done Lambert - lets keep the momentum going.

Hendrie - while Bannan does an admirable job, nobody plays the pantomime villain better than Hendrie. He'd do a superb job in behind the forwards. Laursen - some steel and experience at the back and an attacking threat from corners Petrov - we need a leader in the middle of the park All of them bleed Claret and blue. Something we need in our current situation.

I'm not buying the whole "Suarez is slippery/world class/in form" argument. Surely that's even more reason to NOT slide in and to stay on your feet. And a mistake it most definitely was but it was no accident. He wasn't "unlucky" in his challenge - he took Suarez out. You can blame this on youth all you like but, ultimately, it's the manager's responsibility to get his head right. Especially considering the task at hand that he was thrown into.

An interesting discussion here - but I'm not sure what it's doing in the Lerner thread. That aside, I agree with Big John here. Lambert's signings for midfield and defense - along with his formations - have put us in this situation. His failure to address the situation throughout the season doesn't stand us in good stead for next year (whichever competition we find ourselves in).

.....so for the last 15-odd years he's been told that sliding into a forward in the box is a good idea? It's a bad thing to do in *any* level of football. "Keep your feet in the box" would have been something drummed into him from an early age, as it was for anyone who played CD as a kid down the local park. It's not inexperience being shown here. It's stupidity.

100% agree with this. Some of the mistakes made by Clark and now Baker are not down to inexperience. They are the type of fundamental lapses of judgement that separate good central defenders from poor ones.

Clark made a shocking error against Man City and got lambasted. Baker gives away a cast iron penalty in what was a shockingly poor tackle.... ... and people rate him a '6'. Sorry. His schoolboy error cost us a point (though I think Liverpool would have probably scored another anyway). He gets no more than a 3.

There's nothing wrong with encouraging a CB to play out from the back or take on the opposition forwards but it's generally not a good idea to try the latter when there is more than 1 within 6 feet, the game is in the balance or an easier/safer option exists (like play it back to the GK). I'm not convinced this is something that requires a great deal of experience to get right. That sort of error you generally only make once..... ... but Clark has done it twice in a short period now.

Wouldn't have liked to be in Clark's shoes in the Man City game.

Cracking goal - no doubt about it - but nobody turned over as much possession as him. His inability to control the football and retain possession has NOT improved after 4 years - hence the original video. That's not being overly negative - that's just calling it like it is. I'm convinced we would have carved better opportunities throughout the game if he didn't start...... ... and, when Lambert looks at our midfield options, it would appear he thinks the same.

Yep - and that is what worries me. I saw the exact same thing last night. Nothing has changed.