VillanousOne

how many years of 'transition' do we have to go through before we can just be considered as just 'not very good' without the excuses to go with it. we have now established ourselves firmly as a bottom half of the table side and this season have started going backwards in terms of our forward line. we need a strong performance and win to push us back in the right direction and give us a platform to start improving again, so far that hasn't happened and if anything we have got worse as this season has progressed. not saying we haven't got more potential in the side now, just stating where we are now.

I think Lambert has been at Villa long enough to be judged. It feels like two steps forward four back every step of the way, everytime I think we've turned a corner we find a new and more interesting way to lose. But is that down purely to Lambert, 'No' is he worse than McCleish 'erm no' do we have all the facts to prove it yet 'yep' are we playing well 'nope'

Yeah the hoof ball has got way out of hand, our possession is back to the McCleish era

stating the obvious here but it feels like we have gone backwards in the attacking third Benteke isn't match fit at all Gabby isn't back to full fitness Weimann is out of form Also Lambert keeps either trying to play Gabby more central or switching him and Weimann on the wings, this doesn't work, Benteke central Weimann left and Gabby right works, it shouldn't but it does. Westwood - Delph - Sylla - looked the right balance of midfield last season, far from perfect but still better than other combinations, yet Lambert has decided to go with KEA and Tonev above Sylla and stick with an out of form Westwood. Defensively despite Clark playing well with Vlaar - Lambert has stuck with Baker - which up until Luna wen't off injured seemed an ok plan. Lambert doesn't have much to work with here, so no combination that ends with Baker or Clark at left back is going to end well. Bacuna has been excellent at right back but i'm sure we bought him to play in midfield and need to give him that chance again and restore Lowton. I refuse to believe Lowton deserves being dropped for this length of time whilst Weimann and Westwood are terrible every week yet survive. -------Benteke------- Gabby--------Tonev Delph -- Sylla -- Bacuna Luna --- Baker --- Vlaar --- Lowton Guzan No idea how Helenius or Kozak fits into the above at all, as Kozak doesn't seem to be a good swap for Benteke at all and lord knows where Helenius is meant to play.

I think he is starting to look an excellent player but he still doesn't manage to do anything with the possession and mazy dribbles most of the time by the time he has gained control of the ball then got past two players - he is clueless as to what to do next. Maybe the rest of the team are not giving him the options. he needs to start getting assists or goals to really be considered the player we know he can be.

he was awful today, it seems because he from Spain and has a nice hair cut everyone gets excited about him. Everton picked the left hand side for most attacks because that is our weakest side, in fact every game that happens. I do think he looks like he could be a great player for us, but i call it like it is and right now he is pretty average.

Any form or momentum we had has long since gone and Lambert needs to make some hard decisions. Gabby doesn't seem fit or as sharp as he was at the start, I have also no idea where he is meant to be playing and neither does he. Weimann has to be dropped. Tonev looked fairly decent at times and really tries to pass forward creatively and put at least two decent crosses in, but he still can't shoot for toffee and is totally static when not on the ball. Benteke clearly isn't fit, his first touch has been dreadful since he came back. I like Bacuna but I think we need to try him and Lowton on the right - as we miss what Lowton offers going forward. Westwood - tried hard today but even at full throttle he is average. Delph - so much energy and dribbling speed and yet he never does anything with it. Luna - starting to lose patience with this guy, he offers powderpuff defensive cover and sod all going fwd. Bring back Bennett. Baker - slow and out of position Clark - thought he had turned a corner until the mess up today Vlaar - was having an awesome game then the goal happened. Helenius - needs to start or get more than ten mins, not convinced he will do anything if he does - just saying. The luck has totally deserted us.

Benteke is clearly not fit, Gabby doesn't seem to know what he is meant to be doing anymore. Weimann is terrible. For eveything he does right Delph has no end product. Westwood can't take corners. Luna can't defend Lambert will say we didn't deserve to lose and how well we played, utter delusion.

They really aren't that great, lets not get carried away

But our main strength used to be the front three which could compete with any team, now that front three couldn't score if they were other players on the pitch

wow a masterclass in how to lose a game

even gabby has lost that loving feeling

someone take Weimann off

Tekkers has been shite

never more undeserved

Lambert has to take some bold decisions on players not performing well and I do mean Westwood, Baker and Weimann we have depth now, he needs to use it. Clare, Sylla and Tonev in

i thought this thread was about Tonev? Hope he starts tomorrow.

Strange performance, we were never outplayed yet totally toothless up front. Fluke goal also. Guzan: 7 - Two world class saves - i do think he hoofs it too often though Bacuna: 8 - Looks better and better every match Baker: 5 - Unconvincing Vlaar: 5 - Never seems to be near the goal/player when the opposition score Luna: 5 - To easy to get past Westwood: 4 - Just dire KEA: 5 - Some criminally poor touches and passes not quite offset by many good tackles Delph: 8 - Shining light in a midfield of garbage Weimann: 5 - Too many missed chances now to be starting every week Kozak: 4 - No idea what he was doing or trying to do, not sure he knew Gabby: 6 - Not yet back to his best but still a threat Subs: Benteke 5 - Rusty as hell but that was expected Tonev 7: Best cameo from him so far, was everywhere and had some good shots Sylla 6: Looks better than KEA or Westwood

we have been pretty decent, just seem to have lost our edge up front.

if we can press and close them down quick like we did vs Arsenal and Chelsea we might stand a chance. if we let them have all the possession and send long balls over all the time we will get brutally bummed in the face.

i thought he was one of our best players last season, but because he has had a couple of very average games and been dropped I think we should probably accept his Villa career is over. ...........I hate him so much now. i now actually believe any talent or further potential linking him to an England call up or move to a bigger club was just his way of cruelly toying with us and for that alone i think he should at least be thrown out of the country...... if not brutally murdered by angry Smurfs.

Lowton was our one of our outstanding players last season, funny how as soon as Lambert drops anyone they suddenly get branded as rubbish.

good point Arsenal we were excellent, maybe luck played a part but we actually played really well in all quarters Chelsea - in many ways we were better than against Arsenal - but got bummed in the face by the ref. Liverpool - we were like statues - bafflingly poor Newcastle - like the bad days of last season Norwich - not really much better than against Newcastle just we defended well and they were awful Spurs - our b-side showed they aren't great, but the score line flattered Spurs and their big money signings. Man City - Outplayed for much of the game - but a spirited smash and grab with some awesome goals and top class finishing considering the injuries...... i guess many of us including me have been very harsh on Lambert, still doesn't mean i don't keep hoping for better.

I wouldn't be much of one if I were. I can't even get everyone to agree that Okore's an excellent defender. Probably couldn't even sell EU membership to Turkey. well for the record I think he is an excellent defender, he is the signing i was most excited about, i was merely saying that haven't seen enough of him in a Villa shirt yet to confirm he is an excellent Villa defender..... I have little doubt he will recover and become Laursen Mark 2 (in terms of form not injuries). I just don't like to get carried away. Remember Alpay, excellent defender then the Beckham incident and we threw away the money we spent on him: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2423907/Alpay-blames-Beckham.html ok yes i know he was a dick and not comparable to Okore in anyway - just saying weird stuff happens in football.

I simply cannot see it at all would be nice to get better ball retention/possession But defensively we are starting too look stronger and we know have someone who can actually take set pieces. if the other signings start to contribute and we add some more creativity we could be looking at a radical improvement by Jan.