thunderball

Arse 1-1

Could have been so different today - a completely different complection with Norwich winning at Arsenal, Southampton drawing and us drawing (or may yet lose). Sunderland and Stoke will win tomorrow.....

The script must have Bent down for a late goal surely?

Despite the usual missed opportunities, we are looking a much better team these days - we do carry a threat

Bent on for Weiman

Strange, this knife edge inconsistency is killing me: part of me thinks we could possibly not lose again this season, and 7 points should be easy, while part of me looks at the fixtures and thinks 'Christ, we might easily not win again and end up in a lif or death game with Wigan' which I don't think we'd win. Agree 7 points would likely see us safe and it could happen in he next three games if we continue our form - if only Man U had won lat night......

I just cannot understand positive comments here any longer?? There is nothing at the club that shows the slightest glimmer of getting out of inevitable relegation, we have no form, no quality, no prem experience, no scrapping experience, no defence, no midfield, no inclination to buy anyone in the window, no managerial experience. Lambert is clueless, utterly clueless. Not only will he relegate us, he will never work at this level again.

better second half but we are going down, make no mistake.

We are truly shocking at the moment and the worst bit is, its actually getting worse when those around us are lifting their game or reinforcing. I will honestly eat my hat if we stay up, I just cannot see it with this squad, they are like rabbits in the headlights, and failing to reinforce is just downright suicidal the whole club has lost its fight. Lambert has tried too much too soon and shown his premiership naivety. I just cannot see where the next point is coming from, let alone a win! This has to be the worst defence and worst midfield in my living memory and I'm in my 40's. I genuinely believe Lambert hasn't got a clue how to fix it, has given up and wants the sack - his sound bites have all the hallmarks of someone with nothing to offer and lining up for his pay-off.

Dear, dear. Doesn't bode well for next season, their Championship players are better than our Championship players

Out of his depth. I have seen NOTHING from Lambert since he has arrived, we are absolutely shite, our defence and midfield are clueless. Just terrible. Thanks for Benteke but nothing else, he should be replaced tomorrow morning.

We won't stay up, and sadly Lambert should go. A couple of good signings but is showing naivety as a premiership manager. The clubs response to our current situation is gob smacking and I cannot understand why there aren't fans at the VP gates baying for blood, perhaps we are all shell shocked or maybe just utterly worn out? Lerner needs to bite the bullet and appoint a new manager, CEO and reconsider the whole ownership strategy because its an unmitigated disaster, to be honest I believe we are better off without him, and I never thought I would say that.

Terrible, just terrible. Not a spark of positivity. Embarrassing: 3-0 to WIGAN at home, I'm not sure it can get any worse?(yes it can, relegation)

**** rubbish. Sorry but true. Home advantage, we showed absolutely nothing: no fight, no spirit, no talent, no idea. Worst of all not a glimmer of hope. Benteke will be gone in the summer too.

It's not so much Lambert got it wrong, more we don't have the quality or depth of squad. For all the headlines about the youngest PL team, itvshowed today and we missed old heads. Certainly could have done with Vlaar at the helm, and also the midfield looks very thin - Bannan has a long way to go before he wins me over, but again we missed a steady central midfielder (Petrov). For me, we need a left back, a DM and a creative midfielder in Jan, but also we need to hang onto Bent until the summer. I can't see Randy spending another £20m, and that's what it needs.

Much as I want Lambert to work, I am afraid he has us in no better position (in fact considerably worse) than any of our previous managers since MON left, and many on here were baying for blood with them by now. Much as I think he would work in the long run, PL survival is no1 priority and I think unless we win at least 3 games before Jan he has to be replaced to give us a fighting chance. I would have Rednapp in a heartbeat. Incidentally, we are shit and this is the worst Villa team for a long long time and I just don't see where points are going to come from. I think we are a dead cert relegation and I can only blame Lerner.

Unless Randy's allows Lambert to buy two experienced midfielders (read £20m to £25m, and possibly be Bents departure) in the January window we will be relying on luck to avoid relegation. We have nothing on the field or the bench who can boss a midfield and/or create. We were poor yesterday, of course not helped by the red card but IMHO that provides a smoke screen to more serious problems. We could have been on the end of a four or five goal beating without Guzan's intervention (the best player in the team at the moment), and while we are not clicking we desperately need to be putting in battling, fortress performances at home, but really need to be picking up 3 points against the Norwich's of this world. I have a bad feeling about this season, and fear Savage is on the money even if it pains me to say it. On he plus side Lamberts Benteke call seemed to be the right one, and with a bit more confidence he could kick-on, but I fear it may mean the departure of Bent.

He just didn't get the performance from the players this week, we never looked like the side we were against Swansea. Last week possession was chased down in two's and threes, the team was short passing with players always offering themselves as an out for those in possession, today we looked a man short in midfield and didn't chase down when out of possession. Midfield was poor. I would agree to an extent about Benteke, I think we did try and hit him with longer passes typical of a target man. We also gave possession away far too much, lots of careless and thoughtless passing - even Concrete Ron was hoofing it away a la Stevie Staunton rather than playing it out. I am sure we will have a bit of this, but our midfield is desperately short on real quality, breaking down play, holding and creatively, but we just don't have that at the club - we really needed Stan's steady head today.

WOW! A Villa game I actually enjoyed, and even felt we could win! Haven't felt like that since...... One performance and I no longer feel dread at forthcoming fixtures - roll on Swansea 10th (or better)

A clean sheet would be the biggest result. I think we'll see a big improvement today, maybe not winning improvement, but a more solid display. My fear is we will work hard all game and our inexperienced back line will concede late on due to lack of concentration. Bent, Ireland, CNZ all need big games today. 1-0 loss, but with reason to hope.

I think this season will see Man City and Chelsea run away in the title race, with Man U struggling to keep up in a distant 3rd. I think Arsenal, Newcastle, Liverpool and Everton will rise to the upper half but not by any great degree, and I genuinely think that this season will see a very close table from 4th down to 20th. This could be both good and bad for us . [i think MON will do exactly the same at Sunderland that he did with us, but it will be doomed to expensive failure and squad redundancy]. I think we will have just enough to be serious relegation candidates, as has been mentioned, if we are struggling at Christmas Randy will open the wallet, and incidentally I think we will see one or two more new faces in the January window anyway.

Blimey, all Lambert's signings slated as useless and already guilty together with Lambert of dragging our club into inevitable relegation - and they haven't even pulled on the shirt yet! Forums are all about opinion, and I have to respect yours, but at least give them a season - you never know they might surprise you? Lambert has to be given time, as do his players. Bite your tongue, save your judgment and get behind our team. Back on topic - Benteke is PL's biggest risk only because of the fee, but judging PL's signings so far (those who have played), he has an eye for talent that so far has shown promise - I hope CB proves this also - can't wait to see him upfront with Bent.

Credit to the Villa Management, a lot of brave business, good prices, I'm sure the wages are sensible and we are set up for a few years of [sustainable] development. Some may work some may not but you can't knock PL's vision. I think I posted once last year because I was so depressed with what was happening at the club, but yesterday we turned the corner. I take solice from the Newcastles, Swanseas and Norwichs of the league, and hope when Benteke or others hopefully blossom our substantially improved financial position will be that we can hang on to them, even if it's just a little longer. Just a shame we didn't shift all the dead wood once and for all.

Yes we are, and yes I would prefer De Jong, but we need a stronger squad and he would only cost us in wages as a free agent - what if Herd gets injured or struggles with consistency - we have a team of kids who will be world beaters one week and pub players the next. I was all for moving NRC on, especially with his (agent driven) wage demands, but he always put in a shift even though he had his limits - I'd rather him take a shirt than CNZ, you'd get a better return over a season of that I'm sure.

Re West Ham, Stoke and QPR - we need to put the ego back in the box, take a look at the table over the past two seasons, it has a habit of not lying - this is our level nowadays unless Randy sells to the Quataries. We need two solid seasons of steady growth and a change in playing style. Take a positive from Swansea and Norwich, not many big names there, but they have raised a few eyebrows with unfashionable names and hard work. Solid mid table would be more than acceptable this season. Oh, and finishing above Sunderland too.