villianusa

What's David Platt up to these days?

I think one thing we can all agree on is we are s#%t on the ball. We have little are no imagination and that would make me believe things aren't going to change unless the manager leaves or his philosophy changes. He has tried the same thing for two and a bit years and it hasn't really worked. We have scraped by for the last few seasons on large amounts of luck sprinkled with a little bit of endeavor. I personally feel he isn't getting the most of the players we have. Even when Benteke is playing he doesn't attack down the flanks and look to get crosses into the big guy. No, he lumps it up field where he must try and control it and wait for his teammates to catch up. He's a good player but he isn't going to do that consistently when he is surrounded by 2-3 of the opposition. We only need to go back and watch games over his tenure to see the little movement off the ball to see we don't practice it much. We pass it around in our half fairly well, but then we get lost and lump it up field. Players run in straight lines and are marked very easily. If he could show me that he is willing to change over the coming month then I may be okay with him staying a little longer. Sadly, I expect the same against the lowest team in the division this weekend and it wouldn't surprise me if we lost. I hope he surprises me!

I'd like a minimum of 3M, but I agree.

Interesting Read on FFP http://tinyurl.com/odrkhlx I learned quite a bit.

A bunch of decent players who could be better as a team if they had a manager who knows what he is doing. Sadly, a draw will keep in him a job for a little while longer. We are just terrible going forward, this isn't a new thing as it has happened for the majority of the last three seasons. Nothing has changed for me, Lambert needs to go.

No, I just think a new owner that would be willing to spend more than Lerner would be able to attract better managers than somebody who was willing to continue the current spending restrictions. No I don't and no I don't think no other manager could do better - I don't know where this perception comes from that I don't think any manager could do better. I've not once said or implied this. What I have said is that I'm not sure we would be able to get any of those managers that could do better than Lambert with the current ownership uncertainty and spending restrictions. I didn't say you did, I was just asking the questions for my own clarification. The idea of getting a better manager would be difficult because of the present set-up, but I don't think it is impossible. I think a manager like Moyes would jump at the chance at managing us now and he has proved to be a way better manager than Lambert at this level. He had a rough time at United, but Van Gaal hasn't done much better even with the money he has had to spend.

@Mantis, you wrote, "I wouldn't be against getting rid of Lambert if we got new owners in who were willing to spend more." Does that mean the only way we are going to improve is by spending? Do you feel that Lambert is getting the best out of the players we have? Do you not feel no other manager could do better with the players we have?

If he needs surgery then we are looking 3-4 months. Hopefully he'll feel guilty enough for missing more time that he will sign the contract.

Going goals down against a side like Arsenal means it's virtually impossible for us to come back, to win these games we have to take the lead. When the emphasise comes on us to attack a team that is so comfortable and with so much quality controlling possession, we just simply don't have anywhere near the quality to break it down. The game was simply over at 2-0. It is if have no belief in your abilities. We were doing fine until they scored. Gabby has run his legs off an the tactics have given him no support. We have retreated after the goals and never looked like scoring. Very poor tactics since conceding.

Villa sitting back on a 3-0 defeat.

All the confidence has been drained. Going from a team who believed we could win, we have gone back to th 13/14 season.

Senderos and Baker did great in the middle, rest of the defense was immense also. Tough battle in the second half, but what a resolute performance.

Was it though? If we had £8M to spend on Cleverly then I see no other way to interpret this than the fact that there was money there, don't know how much but at least another £8M, but it just wasn't spent. Still not a huge amount (15m) especially when others have spent a lot more. Others have wasted a lot more! Not one to praise Lambert much, but he has done well this season with the money he spent. I don't think there are any of us or in the media who truly know what we had to spend.

A few more halves like the first half today and I might start warming to him. Until then I'm still in favor of him going, but knowing he won't.

How much would you hate Man U if they came in with a deadline bid? I did say earlier in the thread that injuries would be the reason he wouldn't go. Let's hope I'm right by the end of Monday. Another great performance today.

Didn't see the game can't say who did well or not but the one problem that is constant is that we can't do anything when we have the ball. Clean sheets mean you don't lose game, goals allow you to win and our team doesn't look like they can create too much. Last year the goals conceded hid the fact somewhat that we were terrible in front of goal. With tighter defensive games this season so far the offense is going to be in the spotlight.

4-1 Villa 26,000

We didn't lose at home and defensively we looked strong. A couple of good points there. Two games and one shot in target that's a concern. People will say we have four points but we are not going to get away with that against stronger terms. We really don't know what we are doing going forward. Newcastle should have won today with chances they had. I'm happy with four points from two games but some of the same concerns as last season for me.

12th

Good thing to see was tactics were changed for the second half and we pushed up to support Gabby who was woeful in the 1st half. Very good team performance.

Want him gone but have to get behind him for the start of the season. He has made some shrewd to very good signings this summer and the best may turn out to be Roy Keane. He needs to get the players performing well at start of the season or it will get horrible very quickly.

Everything player who came on in midfield did better than Westwood, sadly he will start next week. I'm worried that he will be our weak link,

Really, is that the best you can do Gabby?

Shoot Jack, shoot!

Center mid have been weak again today. I would get KEA on for Westwood.