praisedmambo

Reo Coker would have hit row z from 6 yards so in that way he is an improvement. Also Reo Coker would have loved to have a shot go close.

Someone needs the offside rule explaining.

Is he really on 60k? Where did that come from? I don't think that's true. Gabby is essential for our counter attacking - I can't believe people call him lazy because the way I see it he is anything but. He's got so much better on the ball over the last few years but still has the pace. He ruins full-backs and gives us a great outlet.

I don't really think that's a good comparison. A few seasons ago we would have been happy beating Reading 2-1 away just as we are happy beating them 2-1 away now. This. And the thing before sums up PussEKatt's grasp on the game. We have a good manager here who has made almost entirely good signings and is in process of turning us around from such an awful mess. (and I have said it from the start all the way to now, all through christmas and everything that has happened)

Even if he misses he has it in him, and his work rate is incredible.

I think he accidentally slightly copied Weimann's goal celebration. He would be MOM if it wasn't for Benteke being such a beast. He's good with retaining possession, Gabby. The system suits him.

Yeah he did well. I'm encouraged.

Or maybe Sylla isn't ready. So then putting Sylla in would be the dodgy team selection and Bannan in the sensible one (AKA the only option).

Floating corners into the keeper? Yeah, that makes sense, the fact at least 3 goals should've been scored from his corners and the fact they were whipped in means Bannan was 'floating corners into their keeper'. Good one.... His floaty corners have been there for all to see, and it drives me nuts!

I'm worried about who replaces Delph if KEA is out. I'd even go with Bannan, and I think he was pretty dire before he was dropped. That's not been the case all season though, he has had a few ok games. I just don't have a good feeling with Sylla, and I'm never this sceptical usually so I hope I'm proven wrong. Big game, eh. If Vlaar fit then I am sure he'll start.

I think you're thinking a little simplistically. How much thought did you put in to what you said there?

That is not 'fact'. Look, Andy, the team have been playing well recently. We did actually win three games ago, and since then have played two of the best teams in the country in close games. I can't be bothered with this thread. There is utter madness uttered by some of you lot. I hope Sylla might come good but - and I'm an optimist when it comes to Villa - I have a feeling he's not ready at all. Admittedly that's just from the brief glimpse I had of him against Everton, but in that game he didn't look like a footballer, he was like George Weah's cousin again. I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt however and hope it's just down to the fact it was a tough game to come in on, he'd only been around for a day by then anyway. Sylla and Dawkins have freshened up the squad a bit and they offer options if we get injuries in certain positions. But central midfield is too important a part of the team to take risks. Delph has been a different player since Sylla arrived, so maybe that's enough of a positive impact. Still, KEA will start above Sylla. I bet Barry Bannan would even start ahead of him. This is not the time for Sylla (unless he is actually surprisingly amazing, which I doubt). We have won games with the other players apart from Sylla, that's fact.

Absolutely 100% not the time to play him. We need to win the games not blood more players. KEA looked better than he has in a long time when he came on.

Played well yesterday too. Another player who has received unnecessary abuse - criticism, fine. But not the abuse.

Lambert's performance at Norwich is irrelevant. Even with the constraints placed on him he has still done a poor job at Villa Lambert's performance at Norwich is anything but irrelevant. If Ferguson was manager you wouldn't write him off as a clueless manager if he struggled to sort out the mess we've been in for the last few years. Lambert's performance at Norwich is significant, as it shows what he is capable of given time once a club has stabalised (he fixed Norwich like he needs to fix us) and it is the showings of a biased opinion if you choose to discount his prior success. This is exactly the reason why McLeish was so unpopular - and in my opinion, fair enough. McLeish had a reputation of dull football and relegation. Lambert has the reputation for progressive football, promotions, and building a competitive, goal-scoring team from limited resources - he is perfect for Villa. He is the best we are going to do, and the right age to be here long term. Despite the optimism of the summer, injuries, a loss of form over christmas, have contributed a lot to put us in the position we are in. But we do have talented players - we just don't have enough of them and we have been relying on a few players making up the team who shouldn't be near the squad. This takes time to fix. We haven't seen what Lambert can do with Villa yet but I hope that we finally stick with what we have because, no matter what happens in the short term, we will be better off for it. I am very aware of the battle to stay up but I have been encouraged. I don't think we are as bad as people make out. We have suffered from inexperience, certainly, and the age of our side has been a risky strategy, but it is also one with an eye on a sustainable future. In that light, the mess of the last few seasons has not been fixed buying senior pros - Hutton, Given etc. - it just filled the squad up with even more players we needed to get rid of, even after moving on NRC, Sidwell, all those that weren't cutting it, we bought more and now we've been struggling to get rid of them too. The strategy now is the only way to do this on limited funds. Whether people want to see the truth or not, Lerner has put in obscene amounts of money. He's made massive mistakes, none more so than the abysmal decision to appoint McLeish, but we have been hemorrhaging money - like £58 million per season - and it is total madness. This club cannot sustain those kinds of losses season on season and we shouldn't expect Lerner to pay it off every year. It would get worse and worse and the future of the club would then be in doubt. We're in the shit but we have a good manager, that's the way I see it. "He's made mistakes, rah rah rah!" Any manager coming in would be accused of the same easy bullshit. Until you're at the club and know the whole deal - the finances and the players - you're pissing in the dark. Even then, that's not to say he hasn't made mistakes but mistakes are a fact of life and always happen. The best managers make them and it is a pointless stick to beat Lambert with, basing your whole argument on that. I believe, given time, he will make a great more positive contributions but in the mean time you cannot polish a turd. A better squad and he'd have all that extra leeway from player performances to show that futile argument for what it is. This bullshit about "The cult of personality" is an empty soundbite - there's two approaches, see what he achieved at Norwich and realise how tough a job he has take on at Villa, or bury your head in short-term thinking, the likes of which - if it had any sway on the decision making within the club - would keep us firmly in the shit, not just this season but next season and the one after. We'd keep getting rid of managers. They'd keep being accused of being clueless, mostly down to what they have to work with. There is no silly money to wave the magic wand and fix everything. Without that we have it as good as we're going to get it. Might as well try to enjoy the drama while it's happening and hope we can pull it out of the bag and stay up, and from there build next season. If we stay up and Lambert is in charge I would be large amounts that we would not be in another relegation battle.

He's tactically clueless. You're tactically clueless. Funny that is what he is reputedly not clueless about. Err what? What Smetrov said has nothing to do with tactics, and you come up with that nonsense. I rate Lambert, I think he's the best manager we've had in ages. The job he's got to do with the finances and how we've been and the squad he inherited is one of the most difficult out there. We'll be ok long term with him and I think we've got a very good chance of staying up. I've seen every game this season and apart from over christmas we are not as bad as people make out. In my opinion some of you guys can't help a moan and you come up with some proper tripe, over and over and over. It's boring. Support the **** team. We played well today against Man City - we weren't amazing but there's enough going on at the moment that makes me think that we'd all be better off trying to be positive and getting behind the team until they come out of what has been a tough period for a young team, who are learning and improving. Yes it is. Tactics isn't just about formations. Best manager we've had in ages? Why do people keep saying this? What is the appeal with Paul Lambert? I don't believe anyone here isn't supporting the team. Jesus Christ Lambert is not the club. Criticising him isn't criticism of the club in general. I know you think you're supporting the team, but I wonder why you feel the need to slate Lambert after a good performance against the champions - losing to a goal like the one we lost to? Pay attention: I am questioning why the **** you need to come on and slate Lambert in this period where we have been improving? I base how I rate Lambert on what he did with Norwich, and I don't think he's become a bad manager in half a season. I don't think the tactically adept Norwich manager is now clueless - I think we were in a mess, which is his job to sort out now, but it is still ongoing. This was never going to get fixed easy and it's going to take a bit of patience and we're going to push it close this season (as we have the last two seasons too, with more players)

I also think mental strength is something Lambert is doing well with. The shit he has to put right! He's got a philosophy and he's sticking with it. Going with the youth, he's stood by that. There's nothing wrong with his mental strength. You say such needless, sad sad things. We were good tonight. Stop being a dick. Support the team.

He's tactically clueless. You're tactically clueless. Funny that is what he is reputedly not clueless about. Err what? What Smetrov said has nothing to do with tactics, and you come up with that nonsense. I rate Lambert, I think he's the best manager we've had in ages. The job he's got to do with the finances and how we've been and the squad he inherited is one of the most difficult out there. We'll be ok long term with him and I think we've got a very good chance of staying up. I've seen every game this season and apart from over christmas we are not as bad as people make out. In my opinion some of you guys can't help a moan and you come up with some proper tripe, over and over and over. It's boring. Support the **** team. We played well today against Man City - we weren't amazing but there's enough going on at the moment that makes me think that we'd all be better off trying to be positive and getting behind the team until they come out of what has been a tough period for a young team, who are learning and improving.

Surely you'd look more at Lerner? Lambert was bemoaning having no money? Good players cost money? Anyway. Looks like we've been playing well for a while now, since January, since those NOTHING signings came in. At least we're competitive, which gives me more than a little hope for the Reading and QPR games.

He's tactically clueless. You're tactically clueless. Funny that is what he is reputedly not clueless about.

dudevillaisnice, there's positives from that game. You've just gone on loads of different threads to vent anger, no need. I bet you everything on the planet it will be KEA.

Christ you guys. Who'd be a footballer, at least they earn all that money eh. Apart from the mistake does he deserve all that stick? I don't think so. Funny to look at Bennett who's looked one of our better players the last few games after all the shortsighted abuse he got along the lines of the dumbass comments on here. Apart from the mistake he played well.

He's been a different player these last few months. I've been impressed how he's turned it around. He has been the best CM for a while now. Gutted he got that card. The ref is a dick. He had a good game though (Delph).

I don't agree. Villa have been in a mess for ages. He needs time. Etc. Repeat till the end of the season. (Although I do believe what I said. We've got the best manager we could have and I don't think he's bad at all.)

he makes terrible decisions almost every week. I have never seen a manager make so many selection and tactic mistakes in my life. You say Wilshere is shit, therefore I believe you can't grasp 'terrible decisions' or 'selection and tactic mistakes'. I think you're seeing fairies.