VillanousOne

Be nice to see what Albrighton, Gardener, Helenius and Tonev can add to the above also, be interesting what a 442 would be like with two natural wingers.

Let's just say I'm "saddened". If you've heard politicians say this, you'll know that it means "I couldn't really care less." i didn't know you were a politician

This I thought he originally lost his place due to injury, but i agree that no-one should be guaranteed a starting place - it has to be earnt and sustained. I'm sure he and Lowton will get back in again. KEA is a strange one, not a bad player but never been consistent enough or affective enough, but deserves praise for yesterday.

You weren't impressed with the performances for us and with the CL performances v Chelsea then? He is a weapon. Sorry you haven't noticed! Nope sorry haven't yet, apologies if that troubles you.

also not sure what Okore has done to be labelled one of our best outfield players, he's barely played i'm sure he will be just saying he's not quite earnt that yet.

I am always very critical of Lambert, but he has certainly made us into a incredibly high spirited, hard working team who rarely give up. again we still need depth and creativity and it could only take one or two players to take us to a new level.

Under MON we had one very limited style of counter attacking play, granted at times that worked very well and with a fairly decent although unspectacular defensive/midfield background we did well at times. But still, stick two players on Ash Young and we were nullified. My expectation from Lambert was he would set us up to play passing football, with players constantly looking for spaces to run into and creative midfield play. Granted I didn't think this would bring success instantly, just a level of stability. Maybe we just don't have the players to play this way but I kind of thought that was what Lambert was going for, experience or no experience. But the fact we can't even get basic possession football right is what alarms me, too often if there is no break on, the ball goes back to the keeper and it get's hoofed to Benteke. I think things have conspired against us a little this season and we've just not got into our stride properly. Too many injuries, ridiculous reffing decisions and strange drops in form from certain players. Of the new signings Bacuna actually gives us more options as defensively he seems quite sound and he is actually able to take a decent cross or free kick. Kozak, Tonev, Heleniius well get better as they get more game time - but I don't think the latter two will make a big difference to our squad for quite some time. Luna - whilst clearly has a good footballing brain and some really good passing and pace related attributes, isn't a massive improvement on Bennett defensively - and i'm talking about the Bennett of the end of last season form. I do think at some point Lerner and Lambert have to realise that the only way the team is going to improve is to rethink our transfer poiicies, i don't mean free spending and stupid wages, just a more calculated high risk signing. Gambling on the type of players we are now signing means at best - the turn out to be above average with potential that could mean they over achieve at times, at worst they are league one standard.. I would rather have one decent 10 mil midfielder on 60K a week than KEA, Bowery, Tonev (ok harsh on Tonev).

Given, Bent...........

it was the same last season though, our first eleven looked able to compete - any injuries or major changes to our tactics meant humiliating losses. Our first eleven have become more resilient, but that resilience is fragile. None of the fundamental problems have changed and long-term injuries to Benteke (unconfirmed) and Okore could really damage us. The policy of gambling on unknown young hungry inexperienced players from home and abroad is laughable. To make such a gamble your team needs a spine to start off with, you need experienced players to help mould and bring on the young players. We have nothing. Vlaar and Gabby can't lead. I love this club, but I can't blindly believe in what Lambert is trying to do, do any of you really subscribe to another two seasons of humiliation and relegation dog fights in order for this great plan to pay off?

doesn't help that our victory over Norwich is a little more hollow by the fact they are getting bummed by Watford

i'm in Montenegro on 1990s internet, can anyone tell me if anyone in a Villa shirt has performed well today?

I think he gets criticism because he creates so many scoring opportunities but hasn't scored any of them - this season his finishing hasn't been clinical, but as long as he keeps making those chances or creating chances for others it's hard to drop him. Few players make as many chances as he does. I think Tonev and Helenius will come into the picture more and more and maybe then we can reassess what Weimann is or isn't doing. my only criticism is he tends to vanish for large periods but probably because he can't keep his incredible work rate up for 90mins.

no way was Clark at fault

Really impressed with Bacuna. we did look a little lacking without Gabby and Benteke though. Weimann looked better but needs a goal. Our midfield seemed to disappear towards the end. very scrappy from both sides, just glad we won.

We need sylla for tonev

Bacuna has looked good, Kozak has done well. Tone. needs to calm down and stop shooting on site. Please god let the injury to Tekkers not rule him out for months. I can't see us not conceding though

Lambert needs more time I agree with that. But now that this team is pretty much 'his team' and he's had enough time to change things and put stuff right - i do expect to see improvements. However I don't expect us to be competing on any level for anything just yet, I just want to us progress to mid table obscurity and right now i'm sure all the arguments in the world won't convince me we are near that. There are two many questions marks. Gabby, Benteke, Guzan - are the only consistent 'good' players we have Then we have second season syndrome candidates in Weimann and Lowton Maybe Delph and Westwood are players who have impressed and need to keep impressing - but again Westwood is pretty limited and Delph hasn't quite delivered yet although again he's looked the part at times. So aside from the new players who haven't played enough to be judged yet, the rest seem to have question marks against all of them. We don't even seem to have 100% faith in our Captain or have any idea what our midfield should be. I don't honestly know a single Villa fan who believes in the tactics we play at the moment. Yes the Kevin Keegan style of play is awesome when it pays off but horrendous when it doesn't. Hoof ball from Guzan to Benteke is lame, bringing on more strikers when losing the midfield battle is also useless.

People keep saying Lambert's project is a long term thing and we have to be patient, but in all honesty I can't remember a manager being this bad at getting results for this length of time without getting sacked. Yes there is a lot to admire in what he has done so far, but the successes are pretty slim compared to the seemingly inevitable flirtation with relegation we will get every season if he continues with these players and tactics. Amongst other suppoters and media - we are known for three things now - Being appalling at defending - Having a young team - and Christian Benteke. No-one expects us to do anything other then narrowly stave off relegation and get rolled over a lot. I will back Lambert when we stop conceding comedy goals every game and stop playing like a bunch of headless chickens at home. I want to love the manager and back him and stop being a pessimist, but the post O'Neill era has just been - utter humiliation and misery.......................... and i'm jaded as hell.

new suggested tactics for Lambert: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrBnTlesjHk&feature=player_embedded

if you watched the YT videos before he joined he was everywhere - an all action tackling midfielder always in everyone's faces now it seems he has the turning circle of broken down coach and the speed to match, he takes so long to make a decision to pass forward that it's usually half time before he remembers what he intended. you can see he has skills and talent, but as yet it has only been shown in brief but beautiful glimpses.

I wish Jores well as that is unbelievably shitty luck. Haven't Gardener, Albrighton and Delph all had similar injuries or ones bad enough to majorly disrupt their careers? For such a small and average squad we have some **** diabolical luck.

How come? Do you know him personally? Is he evil? The son of doctor No? Er..... perhaps he just means because he is a PL footballer and so will be paid well thus not poor. Not sure what you are on about to be honest. I know what he meant. But a player being payed well does not give supporters the right to abuse him. Is it really so hard to support our own players? Really?? It's more the issue that as soon as Lambert decides that he doesn't like someone then suddenly people on here decide to become like rabid sheep tearing those players apart. I'm guilty of it to - but I certainly have never been in the camps that went feral on Bent, Hutton, Ireland and co. And i am not saying criticism is not deserved, but most of it is based on perserved life styles, attitudes, effort and what they earn - much if which is total and utter conjecture. 98% of players are over paid delude rocket polishers with no concept of the real world, (in fact the whole state of football is now just a infated oil billionaire's playground, only a matter of time before there is 20 teams the world over that everyone pays billions to see and the rest slowly fade and die....... but i digress) Yes we should back the manager but he's far from perfect and is often as much as fault as the players, as people have pointed out Bennett has had very little protection plus he came in the side at a time when we were already defensively awful. I agree that Bennett has been crap at times, but he's also just stepped up a division and shown just about enough to suggest he has some genuine talent and that we should back him when he next gets a chance to play.

still has more technical ability than KEA and can cross a ball unlike the rest of the midfield. also at times he has been decent defensively as well as awful, my feeling is he could make it if he changes his weight/muscle ratio and haircut. with Villa when anyone is shit there is no covering for them, all players make mistakes in other teams it just seems that because average players can't mop up other average player's mistakes, therefore we get punished for every mistake made big or small.

My dig? What was my dig? Bennet didn't do enough because he wasn't good enough and it seems the manager agreed. i'm with StefanAVFC, Bennett had some shockers last season - but he did improve. And a lack of preseason has caused him to be dropped not just Tony Moon coming to town. well...... possibly

It is impossible to say if Luna is better than Bennett or vice versa yet and I like Luna, but in terms of someone with a little of technical ability and composure on the ball Bennett was one of few players we had who can 'sometimes' do that. Most will argue he doesn't have the physical frame to be a midfielder, but considering our lack of other options I just don't buy that.