drat01

If you defend him now then you really are either a. Trolling b. A sha fan c. Mrs lambert d. In need of medical attention

Robert Mugabe backwards is what a Yorkshire bloke would say if he found some mints

There is a lot of negativity towards Paul Lambert which saddens me.

 

.........

Rodders hope you don't mind picking apart what is a decent post (in terms of laying out your views) - nothing against you or your views but a good post concise with many of the pro-Lambert views

 

I think that Paul Lambert is a top bloke. As a player he has proved himself as hardworking, adaptable, driven and successful. He's had a solid and successful career, winning domestic and European trophies, as well as gaining unique experience and insight into top German football.

 

This is something that we often see and hear, especially from those trying to cover for Lambert's failings. The answers is simple. He was a decent (not good) player who won a few trophies, so what? Playing attributes often mean bugger all for managers and coaches. Was SAF, or Jose or Wenger for example good players? Going back a while, probably two of the best English players ever in messers Bobby Moore and Charlton, were pretty poor managers.  Also this frankly toe curling attempt that seems to be shoe horned in every now and again because he played for Dortmund etc. What exactly is that is that proving? I would suspect that the Dortmund that he played in is a fair bit different to what it is today and more importantly what is needed to succeed in the English leagues.

 

I admire his approach and demeanor (never too high or too low - just stay the course)

Now none of us want a ranting Stuart Pearce for example as a manager, but praising Lambert's demeanour is pretty strange given that the general consensus from reading many football forums (not just Villa ones) is that he comes across a mumbling, hard to understand, rabbit in the headlights character.

 

Realistically we have a chairman who wants to sell (and who can blame him after £200+ million investment with nothing to show for it), and limited funds for wages and transfers. We need to find a path that gives us some development and consistency, and some hope of happier times ahead...and I 100% believe that Paul Lambert is the man to lead us on that path.

I think you would struggle to find anyone who is supportive of Lerner's approach to the club now in terms of real investment in players. The key issue here is your ;last bit. We hear that a few times from various people but very little evidence to show why that is the case in terms of playing style at all levels of the club. The accusation of blind faith (rightly IMO at times) gets thrown back and there is little counter argument against this. For me (and many I would suspect) the evidence is there for all to see that Lambert is NOT the man to take Villa forward given the circumstances that Lerner has placed us under. The facts are pretty damning, whereas the counter view seems pretty much based on a desire for Villa to succeed, which is ironic given that is one of the few key issues that both sides of the argument agree on and want for the club

 

Paul Lambert is 45 years old, and is in only his 4th Premier League season as a manager. He had great success at Wycombe and Norwich, and as of yet is yet to emulate that level at Villa, however he, like many of our squad is still learning. We must give him respect, time and our support.

Firstly I don't get the age argument. Surely you said previously that he was an experienced footballer with great exposure to winning things to paraphrase, so why does his age have any relevance in this? One key point you do make is his premier league manager experience and his record shows him to be poor at that. Now if we look at other leagues then why not replace him with some other manager from the lower leagues who has done well? You say give him time, how much exactly? nearly 3 years is a near eternity in football and there is no light at the end of the tunnel in respect to what he is doing at levels of the club in respect to the footballing style we play

 

Shrewd Transfers:

I would disagree (and please Guzan? really? - he was a Villa player when he got here - Note: I know very well the situation with his contract at the time etc)

 

Financial Control:

Personally I do not buy in at all to the idea that he has done a good job here. Buying players as you know is not just about the transfer fee there are a lot of other factors that go along with that. For me being a generous soul I think he has done OK, nothing more. The key issue here is obviously Lerner, but far too often Lambert is able to hide behind this when people start to question his value and worth to the club

 

Man management: players love him, and he's developing/bringing through youth/young players - Grealish, Clark, Baker, Wiemann, Okore, Westwood, Delph

A few points here. You say the players love him, do they? from what I have heard they don't "love him" as such and his record in his assistants certainly caused a great deal of unrest at the club. When you say developing youth etc, I would argue that you are actually pointing out of his biggest failings. AVFC for a long time had an academy that did well and produced a long stream of players that were considered for the first team. Do we do that now? what has changed? The players you mention, some of them are a regular source of fodder for criticism in many threads on VT for example. Personally I think he has no idea how to manage the more experienced player nor provide leadership and guidance for those less experienced

 

]For me, the main area we need to work on, is for both Lambert and Villa to find their perfect playing style and system (something we are yet to do). He's tightened up the defence, and actually got a really strong core in the team Guzan - Okore/Vlaar - Sanchez/Delph - Benteke, however you can tell we've not yet settled on a style of play. Think about how many goals we banged in in Lamberts first season GF47 vs GA69, last year it was 8 less scored and 8 less conceded, this year were on for GF21 vs GA42 (actually a +1 overall GD improvement on the last 2 years). If we can add a few more goals into our season whilst still staying firm at the back, we can become a top 10 side.

A key issue has been his style of play and the complete lack of idea. Look back to the Bradford debacle as a perfect example. I keep hearing about tightening up the defence but how exactly has (if it really has) been achieved. Returning Hutton, someone he personally froze out of the club? are we just a negative "don't lose at any cost" team? Wasn't that one of the criticisms that many threw at McLeish for example? The numerous bad records that have been broken by Lambert during his tenure shows that he has failed both in style and development of the squad. There is hardly anything out there now that backs up the optimism you show in your last sentence

 

I actually thought the 'we're trying a new passing style' quote from Lambert almost quite naive and endearing. I really relate to a young manager who is trying to learn and develop and improve our clubs fortunes. I genuinely believe if we are patient and stick with it, we will improve in the long run. Why get rid of Paul Lambert and substitute with some other poor guy we can all moan about and demand their resignation? Lambert has a plan, and I belive he will lead us up to table in the seasons to come.

Genuinely shocked and amazed that you would find his quote - "endearing". Again why the young manager thing, he isn't young and by your earlier quote he is supposedly experienced. To be nearly 3 years into a job and still have no idea what your football philosophy is shows a complete lack of understanding of what is required IMO and basically an admission that has no clue as to how to improve things other than hope something happens

 

Think how long it took David Moyes to build his style and 'brand of football' at Everton, where he joined at a similar stage to Lambert in his career and with a similar budget. Moyes' Prem finishes were (15th, 7th, 17th, 4th, 11th, 6th, 5th, 5th, 8th, 7th, 7th). So far Lambert has (15th, 15th, and currently 12th). In Lambert we trust!!!!!

I am struggling with this one as this is one that many who support Lambert often throw out. Struggling in as much as I cannot see how and why this is a credible reason to keep the bloke. For every Moyes I can throw up at least 10 counters, e.g. Paul Jewell, Owen Coyle etc etc

 

As for the last bit sir, in Lambert I, and many others, certanly do NOT trust - get rid and get rid now !!!

 

 

 

(Note: Rodders as said the above was not aimed at you but your post was one of the few that basically put all of the few arguments left to support Lambert in one post)

Waiting for the excuses to be spewed out again from a certain group of fans and Lambert again

 

What about "we were let down by ........ Lambert! "

 

A terrible manager, has been for a very long time and if not already is killing our club at so many levels. Why people defend him is beyond me and show more about their own persona and insecurities than the subject of Lambert and his inability to do a job at Villa. Oh for the day when SSn report "Sky sources tell us that Paul Lambert has left AVFC"