Grasshopper

His "keep everything in house" is one of a few things that I really respect him for.

 

 

 

Mate they are in our blood. No matter what can never turn your back on them. Let's hope we get our act in order for the second half of the season.

 

That's all very worthy, but several thousand people HAVE turned their back on them, and the club/team/manager aren't exactly giving them many good reasons to come back.  The people "moaning" on here aren't the problem, it's the 10,000 people who to go regularly who have found something they consider better to do with their time.

 

The comment about "moaning" was in jest (as can be seen by the emoticon)! - Yeah but sad bastards like me can't turn their back on a club they have supported for nigh on all his life! Personally I don't give a flying f**k (the club might but I don't) about those turning their backs -it's their choice and good luck to them just as it is mine.

 

I'll be here when the good times come (if ever) but they MIGHT come back when the good times are back and then disappear again - no problem with that you makes your choice!

 

And this is not a better fan post nor a rant at them - just personal opinion.

 

I agree Naz, everyone is free to choose.

 

Throughout my history supporting the club we have had many times like the present situation. I cannot deny that there have been several times when I lapsed for a bunch of reasons but like a bad penny I came rolling back in the belief that "things can only get better" today, tomorrow, next week, next month/year.

 

That said I was never one of those who refused to turn up "as long as Turner/McNeill/ellis/Lerner/Lambert/mcleish" is/was in charge - if I want to protest, I marched, wrote letters blah, blah but I wasn't going to cut my nose to spite my face - I ALWAYS believed salvation was round the corner and that there was a danger if I didnt attend I would miss something.

 

Undeniably, recently I have found the trips up and down from Bournemouth pretty difficult but I put that down to the fact that am not getting any younger! There is no denying that things are not great but I always felt that it was better to go than not. My club etc

 

Many years ago (October 1968 - Carlisle I think?) I remember standing on the Holte in one of the lowest crowds we have ever had - I thought was 13K but maybe 14K - the average for the whole season was 19K the lowest till that point since 1908! I

 

It was pissing down, VP and the Holte End especially was like a graveyard BUT strangely I was proud that despite everything I was there. I fully understood why people had turned their backs and were frustrated but that wasn't for me - "Keep the faith, through thick and thin" was the mantra the hardcore fans kept repeating.

 

As you know the following year the "Villa Revolution" kicked in and despite some more ups and down within 12/13 years we were back at the very top and it was an incredible ride - the 70s were amazing, the early 80s were indescribable! No doubt many will think I am daft but I live in hope and believe that we will see glory again. 

 

When I do decide to "hang up my boots" and stop the fortnightly trips to VP, I will be able to say I was of the lucky ones who saw it all apart from winning the FA Cup (maybe this year :-) )  I hope for the sake of those that were not around in the 70s that they also get to experience the same in their lifetimes!

 

KTF! UTV!

 

 The downer of seeing us relegated to the 3rd div didnt seem so bad at the time for me because I was so young and new to football.

The sound of the Holte End singing, the Villa colours and the Majestic name "ASTON VILLA FOOTBALL CLUB" tatooed itself on my heart and will never fade as long as my heart beats.

The 70's was an amazing rise and the early 80's the reward for being a fan.

I feel very lucky to have lived through these times as a teenager and there's nothing more that I could wish for, for the Premier League era fans to witness too.

onward and upwards, we really need our club to get it's act together, it will take time but anything is possible if you do things the right way.

We need a new directive, leadership (on and off the pitch), but most of all we need to reduce and cut out as many mistakes as possible to get the snowball rolling forward.

A CHANGE MUST COME

Villa forever

The drop in minutes coincide with him having been carrying a knock.

Well noone can say he didnt have a chance to show what he can do (in his case cant do)

 

l believe this known widespread.

 

To be honest i don't even know if his started games ratio for us back this up, Maybe someone who has his stats could back it up or put it to bed.

 

Just looked at Squawka. He made his debut against Liverpool correct? If so, the only game he hasn't played in is the Man Utd game.

 

Liverpool - 85 mins

Arsenal - 90 mins

Chelsea - 90 mins

Man City - 90 mins

Everton - 90 mins

QPR - 90 mins

Spurs - 90 mins

West Ham - 90 mins

Southampton - 90 mins

Burnley - 90 mins

Palace - 88 mins

Leicester - 61 mins

WBA - 90 mins

Swansea - 76 mins

Sunderland  - 67 mins

Palace - 63 mins

 

And what has he done in all those minutes? Diddly squat.

 

that is taking the F***ing P**s

Lambert Out

One of my best mates is from Grimsby and a ManUre fan (typical glory hunter)

Said Cleverley was great in small doses working behind the main offensive players with the quality of Rooney, RVP or Mata in front of him.

he said otherwise he's Shite and would be even shiter for us

I think he might just be right

I Think we should spunk everything we have (& dont have) on Messi

Villa Park would be sold out every week.

Lerner could even shaft us for another 10 quid per ticket

The fans would have their Nr 10

Lambert could carry on instructing the defence & 3 Holding midfield players to stay in their own half.

They would only have to be "ready" every 15mins, when the opposition picks the ball out of the net after yet another Messi-Gooooooooooooal, when they kick off again.

Lambert wouldnt need to learn any tactics, just "give it to the short guy" and say "go again"

 

 

 

 

 

................... we are only 5 points off relegation places but they also fail to mention we are the same number of points off a top ten spot and only two more than that off a top 8/9 spot...................

OK

Check this

7 pts behind L'pool - but - 5pts off Relegation place.

at our current 1.something a game Liverpool would have to lose 7 GAMES ON THE TROT for us to be level with them.

WBA (new manager), Palace (new manager) &/or Burnley would only need to win 3 games on the trot (or at some point in a run without losing) to OVERTAKE US

So basically, if things carry on as they are, we'll stay in the same place.

(A)If we do better than the teams above us, we'll catch up with them.

(B )If the teams below us do better than us, they'll catch up with us.

Flipping genius stuff this!

To be fair, I think he's saying it's far more likely that (B ) will happen than (A).

Which seems reasonable enough.

Yep. Was pretty obvious the point he was making.

 

I got that.

It still didn't require the convoluted calculations to make that point, which is what I was getting at.

 

You don't need a calculator to work out we're less likely to overtake Liverpool than Burnley are to overtake us.

 

FWIW, I think it's even more likely that neither will happen.

I don't have any maths to back it up though.

 

firstly, you edited out (I wonder why) my concern at not getting enough pts to remain the oh so cherished "12th - 5 pts above the relegation places" after the next 4 games.

Secondly, If we catch Liverpool up that'd be good because theyre not going down

Thirdly, If WBA, Palace & Burnley do overtake us WE'LL BE AS GOOD AS F***ed if we cant catch up again

That's what concerns me

 

 

 

After 2 and a half years though? It's a pretty big change. A change that I think will take at least 2 or 3 months to be effective. A good change I agree but it just seems to have come out of the blue.

I think the change has been season long, but two stages.

First stage seemed to be to imrpove the defence, and then build from there by implementing a passing game.

Why he chose now to go from defensive counter attacking to possession, I don't know. My guess would be the favourable fixtures we've had recently. Maybe he felt it best to weather our hard run and then attack the passing?

Whether this has been his plan all along, who knows?

Well he certainly missjudged the timing.

Sun 7 16:00 H Leicester City PREM W 2-1

Sat 13 15:00 A West Bromwich Albion PREM L 1-0

Sat 20 15:00 H Manchester United PREM D 1-1

Fri 26 15:00 A Swansea City PREM L 1-0

Sun 28 15:00 H Sunderland PREM D 0-0 35,436

January 2015

Thu 1 15:00 H Crystal Palace PREM D 0-0 29,047

6pts

should have got 12pts

You kind of missed the point I think.

The point was it would be easier to implement a new style against "easier" opponents.

The points we got from those games were pretty much irrelevant to what I was talking about.

 

Possible

I missed your point

you mine

AVFC are missing the points

Long term I'd like us to try and set up in the same way Chelsea do.  Before I get shot down, I know it is a stretch to imagine and we won't have anywhere near the same quality, but I think Mourinho's philosophy is quite similar to Lambert's ideals (not necessarily what he feels we have been capable of playing in the past) of a narrow midfield playing through the centre, everyone tracking back.  Here's the comparison...

 

                          Costa

                        Benteke

 

        Hazard --- Oscar --- Willian

       Delph  ---  Cole ---  Cleverly

 

           Fabregas   ---   Matic

          Westwood --- Sanchez

 

Azpilicueta -- Terry -- Cahill -- Ivanovic

Cissoko -- Vlaar -- Okore -- Hutton

 

                     Cortouis

                     Guzan

 

 

Now as I said it is a stretch and for sure the 3 behind the striker are way off being (1) as good or (2) as suited, but given that Delph could be off and Cleverly might be rethought, for me thats the area of the pitch and type of player we should be investing in, that hard working mobile style of AM rather than out and out wingers.

 

Thoughts?

                         Costa

                        Benteke = compairable

        Hazard --- Oscar --- Willian

       Delph  ---  Cole ---  Cleverly = a Joke

           Fabregas   ---   Matic

          Westwood --- Sanchez = Sanchez eventually

Azpilicueta -- Terry -- Cahill -- Ivanovic

Cissoko -- Vlaar -- Okore -- Hutton = Only Okore

                     Cortouis

                     Guzan = Compairable

Maybe Pep told him that the 'backs to the wall hoofball' tactic went out with the dinosaurs and that actually football was meant to be more about keeping the ball on the ground (hence the word FOOTball) and that having the ball in your possession was far better than giving it to the opposition.

 

When he goes back to Germany for his next lesson Pep will show him how to score a goal.

 hope so

 

After 2 and a half years though? It's a pretty big change. A change that I think will take at least 2 or 3 months to be effective. A good change I agree but it just seems to have come out of the blue. 

I think the change has been season long, but two stages.

 

First stage seemed to be to imrpove the defence, and then build from there by implementing a passing game.

 

Why he chose now to go from defensive counter attacking to possession, I don't know. My guess would be the favourable fixtures we've had recently. Maybe he felt it best to weather our hard run and then attack the passing?

 

Whether this has been his plan all along, who knows?

 

Well he certainly missjudged the timing.

Sun 7 16:00 H Leicester City PREM W 2-1

Sat 13 15:00 A West Bromwich Albion PREM L 1-0

Sat 20 15:00 H Manchester United PREM D 1-1

Fri 26 15:00 A Swansea City PREM L 1-0

Sun 28 15:00 H Sunderland PREM D 0-0 35,436

  January 2015

Thu 1 15:00 H Crystal Palace PREM D 0-0 29,047 

6pts

should have got 12pts

 

 

Houllier also got £24 million to buy a top player, Lambert wont get that

 

I wouldn't trust Lambert with the remote to the telly!

 

 

I'm sure if you gave him the chance he would pick a cracking movie for you too watch.

 

FALLING DOWN

maybe?

 

 

................... we are only 5 points off relegation places but they also fail to mention we are the same number of points off a top ten spot and only two more than that off a top 8/9 spot...................

 

OK

 

Check this

 

7 pts behind L'pool - but - 5pts off Relegation place.

 

at our current 1.something a game Liverpool would have to lose 7 GAMES ON THE TROT for us to be level with them.

 

WBA (new manager), Palace (new manager) &/or Burnley would only need to win 3 games on the trot (or at some point in a run without losing) to OVERTAKE US

 

Taking into account our next games Leicester (0-1-3pts) Arse Chelski & 'pool (0-4pts).

0 pts from 12 = LAMBERT OUT!!!!

More likely 1 point from 12 = LAMBERT OUT!!!!

possibly 3pts from 12 = LAMBERT OUT!!!!

great would be 4 pts from 12

unlikely 6 pts from 12

 

4 from 12 would be 1 pt per game average

WBA, Palace AND Burnley could all end up above us if we get any less than 3 pts

 

12 from 12 I'll give Lambert my B****cks on a silver plate

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

If we occupy a relegation place and "Sacrifice" the Bournemouth FACup tie to "concentrate on the league" then................

 

LAMBERT (well & truly) OUT

if my aunty had bollocks she'd be my uncle

 

nothing like being in the know eh?

So you agree with me then?

Just in case my point wasnt clear

LAMBERT OUT

................... we are only 5 points off relegation places but they also fail to mention we are the same number of points off a top ten spot and only two more than that off a top 8/9 spot...................

OK

Check this

7 pts behind L'pool - but - 5pts off Relegation place.

at our current 1.something a game Liverpool would have to lose 7 GAMES ON THE TROT for us to be level with them.

WBA (new manager), Palace (new manager) &/or Burnley would only need to win 3 games on the trot (or at some point in a run without losing) to OVERTAKE US

Taking into account our next games Leicester (0-1-3pts) Arse Chelski & 'pool (0-4pts).

0 pts from 12 = LAMBERT OUT!!!!

More likely 1 point from 12 = LAMBERT OUT!!!!

possibly 3pts from 12 = LAMBERT OUT!!!!

great would be 4 pts from 12

unlikely 6 pts from 12

4 from 12 would be 1 pt per game average

WBA, Palace AND Burnley could all end up above us if we get any less than 3 pts

12 from 12 I'll give Lambert my B****cks on a silver plate

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If we occupy a relegation place and "Sacrifice" the Bournemouth FACup tie to "concentrate on the league" then................

LAMBERT (well & truly) OUT

Similar result will do me. Not sure we'll have 48k turn up for this one though!

 

Gave me goose-bumps

did you hear that crowd -- VIILLAAAA

magical

Quick ...... somebody find Andy Lochhead !!!!!!!!

When Steve Staunton moved to Centre back, I'm sure that when he would hoof a left-footer up to Stan, he wished "Ol' Andy" would get on the end of it

We had a famous game against Bournemouth in the old third division in 72 48000 and we won 2-1

Bowyer & McDougal were the strikers at Bournemouth

Was there halfway up the Holte End. Great atmo

(think it was a 3rd Div attendance record 43,000)

Liverpool wank-fest on Sky

Gerrard off

Rodgers legend-tributes

Thompson (the Noze) picking the transfer targets

pass me the buckett.........

Home or away

4 Blackburn Rovers
8 Rochdale
13 Reading
15 Cardiff City
21 Brighton & Hove Albion
22 Fulham or Wolverhampton Wanderers
24 Scunthorpe United or Chesterfield
26 Cambridge United
31 Preston North End
32 Doncaster Rovers or Bristol City

Home

9 West Bromwich Albion
10 Birmingham City
16 Bolton Wanderers
17 Sunderland
19 Millwall or Bradford City
23 Leicester City
29 Sheffield United

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Be great if we were drawn against

11 ASTON VILLA

We get a 0-0 draw and be sympathetically waved through by default

(100% possesion - No shots at goal)

 

 

 

Conceded too many goals .........................." can't believe he's changed philosophy it shows he has no idea "

Damned if he does damned if he doesn't

 

But thats the whole point

 

no matter what he does its all the same.

 

Proof he's not good enough as a manager.

 

If I pick the same numbers for the lottery week in week out and dont win. Then change my numbers once in a while/every week/more attempts at number/less attempts at numbers but still dont win.

Then I'm not good at winning the lottery.

 

Should I keep trying? or find something I'm good at to make money/a living/Millions?????

buy more tickets gives you a better chance

Thing is we have retained our position in the league which is all you can realistically expect to be honest given the level of investment, it shows he is doing a good job to keep us where we are and in order for us to progress we need to be buying better players

 

 

So when Lambert says it is his best squad yet and with the improvement of other players (Westwood, Baker, Clark), and the addition of Hutton and Cissokho who are better than Lowton and Bennett. With one of the best strikers in Europe, a solid keeper, and with Delph who will be playing for a top 6 club next season... added to the fact we don't care if Vlaar is missing anymore, as Okore has stepped in and looked an even better player.

 

With all of this in mind, he's doing a good job by struggling to improve on two very very very poor seasons?

 

Absolutely

100% true

I find it quite disturbing that this is not obvious to Lambert himself.

If I ran my business like this I'd have gone under within a year or would have seen the light and done something else

 

 

If he sticks with young and hungry, he's wrong. If he signs experienced players, he's wrong.

Yeah but nobody's said that, have they? People were decrying young and hungry and crying out for more experience, and I haven't seen anyone say that they want young and hungry back.

I want it back. In fact, I never wanted it abandoned in the first place. It was a viable model if executed properly. Signing a bunch of experienced players with no re-sale value is short-term and leads nowhere. Lambert completely u-turning on this policy with it being the entire basis of his 'project' was one of the most cowardly and pathetic things I've ever seen. The problem was only in his execution of it, not in the model itself.

 

this

(Quote not working ???)

You said......

Thing is we have retained our position in the league which is all you can realistically expect to be honest given the level of investment, it shows he is doing a good job to keep us where we are and in order for us to progress we need to be buying better players

This is where I beg to differ

what we've had, Lamberts buys (he's very good at this), and what's coming through, we should be doing better.

With a better Manager/Coach/Coaches we wouldn't be shitting ourselves every season

 

 

If the results the same then yes he is.

If I'm trying to solve a maths calculation and get it wrong. It doesn't really matter that I tried different ways to solve it.

 

 

In which case, he shouldn't have changed anything at all despite the fans crying out for it?

 

In that case,

despite the "changes" he's still F***ing it up

should have just walked

Remaining games: 

 

Leicester - 3 Draw or Lose?

Liverpool - 0

Arsenal   - 0

Chelsea - 0

Hull - 1

Stoke - 3 Like to see that, not so sure (1pt)

Newcastle - 0

W Brom - 3 Pulis v Lambert = 0-0 or Pulis win

Sunderland - 1

Man U - 0

Spurs - 0

QPR - 3

Man City - 0

Everton - 1

West Ham - 1

Southampton - 0

Leaving us with 29/30/31/32 points and -GD

Burnley - 3 ??? Sean D. will be spitting fire if they're still in with a chance

 

Strangely, my working out actually matches our current form but leaves us on 41 points.

See bold (maybe I didnt have to point that out)