DelboyVilla

You're completely wrong. Imo obviously. You are joking? Westwood wouldn't get into Derby's, Forest's, Watford's or Bournemoth midfield never mind another Premier League team. He could perhaps makes the knuckledraggers side but he is plainly not good enough for us!

First and foremost I hope your little brother get's well soon and home to his family! Little Villans are becoming a rare breed in these days of Sky dominance and following a team you can never watch live on a regular basis other than on the TV. I have a 12 year old son who avoided being put up for adoption by chosing the right path of following the Villa but in his school out of 200 boys there are only 2 Villa fans (and luckily no knuckledraggers) which for an inner city Birmingham school is disgusting? You asked when we stopped becoming a family club? I'd say about 4 years ago! For all his faults I think someone like the General (or actually Nicky Keye) would have sorted this. However when the going got tough the tough picked up their toys and ran home crying to mommy! To Lerner we are a millstone, nothing more than an unfortunate distraction from his true love of cake baking and knitting circles. This disinterest has flowed from the very top all the way through the club and it's staff. Hence your shabby treatment. I hope someone from the club still reads this or maybe another poster has some connection at the club as it saddens me to hear stories like this about my club. Villa are better than this!

Yawn. Double ditto! Will you ever post an intelligent comment?

Obviously a big problem between Jores and Lambert? Probably sat on the naughty step with young Jack? Obviously. Anybody who isn't in the starting 11 for every club in the football league obviously has a big problem between the manager now. Why the stupid sarky answer every time rodders? No one can fall out of favour with Lambert now? This is a guy that was probably first choice in partnering Vlaar last year before his injury. He been back in training for 7 months now and is playing competitive matches for the U21's for club and country. Now he appears to be 5th choice maybe if that and Baker and Clark seem in the managers eyes to be superior choices before him? Do you think that Clark has improved that much? Lambert has with his past actions proved that he can be vindictive over his player choices.

I've not really posted much lately for much the same reasons. There's nothing to say that hasn't been said over and over and over again whatever your stance on the whole thing. The club has done the worst thing possible here... it's made me completely indifferent to what happens at the moment Yep. The mountain we need to climb to be relevant again in this league is looking bigger by the day and I have absolutely zero faith in anybody at the club outside of maybe the likes Grealish and Guzan to stick to the task and get us on the right track. I really like Lambert and I still feel like he was the right choice to hire at the time despite the noises that we sounded out Koeman, but how can I possibly support him given how alarmingly weak we've been? Watching matches is getting painful and there just doesn't seem to be any light on the horizon. The lack of a new owner was a huge killer in the offseason. Lerner's handling of the whole up for sale business was complete lunacy and then he compounded the situation by handing Lambert a new 4 year deal but we have zero influence over Lerner and his decisions. With things like kit suppliers, shirt sponsors and possible stadium naming rights up for grabs I can't see how Mr Fox will get anyone to 'buy into' our current on the pitch product put out by Lambert each week? Let's hope Fox has the balls to question the current feeling of despair around the club generated by Lambert!

What I can't understand about Lambert appointing Keane is after sacking his two best mates for alleged bullying incidents did he go and bring in one of the games most nasty and vindictive players of the past 20 years? Was it that Culverhouse's bullying not up to scratch?

Obviously a big problem between Jores and Lambert? Probably sat on the naughty step with young Jack?

So he'll get a game when Lambert **** off then? Sitting on the bench or playing for the U21's is not helping his progression but Lambert is the managerial Fred West of youth development?

It's difficult to be captain from the bench? How's about the Beast leading from the front?

Why do we have to compare every current player with a player from the last 20 years? The real question is Westwood's quality against our current opposition? Is he good enough against the likes of Burnley, Leicester, QPR, Hull, Stoke, Palace, Newcastle, West Ham etc? That's answered by would he be in their first choice starting 11? For me no way for any of our direct rivals and I don't think he would make their benches in some cases! He is on his best day a solid Championship player and we urgently need a complete new midfield build around Sanchez who is the only one to have shown a glimmer of quality this season!

But he's likely to be back up to Vlaar, Senderos and Baker? Look at Manure and Arsenal and their defensive frailties this season because if Arsenal had their 3 first choice CB's out who would they be playing? Gibbs? Arteta? Flamini? Manure have their 3 first choices out and have to play Carrick there. We are not that badly off!

Would more agree with this as he is more of a unit! (Cissokho) I can see Lambert going for this and yes having stood next to Aly in the lift last night he is surprisingly tall (I am 6'1").

It's not that simple, otherwise the premier league table would just match the amount of money spent by each club on transfers and wages. There's a group of middle-ranking clubs where performance is also influenced strongly by the way the club is run and the squad and team are managed. The relative success this season of Southampton, Swansea, Stoke and West Ham demonstrates this. There was an interesting article in the Guardian about this last week: http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/nov/10/good-housekeeping-premier-league-high-flyers Basically saying the important factors are a well-stocked and settled defence, lower expectations so less pressure on the players, and well-run club, youth, scouting and management set-ups. Got a feeling we fall short on all these counts and some are absolutely down to the manager. The way the club is run and the ethos employed is definitely important. The interesting things with the clubs mentioned are that they've had to struggle back from somewhere bleak on the whole. Southampton and Swansea were both financially stricken and West Ham were relegated having overspent. With Stoke, they've had to struggle in the bleakness of Stoke . But yes, if you're a well run club operating sensibly on turnover:wages, you have a better chance of doing well. Southampton's current form is nothing short of remarkable, mind, and a lot of credit has to go to both Pochettino and, moreso, Koeman who has come in and had to, essentially, re-vamp his first team. The club are run well, though, and that's where the money aspect comes into it. They've re-couped huge fees but been able to put the vast majority of those straight back into the playing staff. That said, there's no way they "should be" 2nd in the table. I still think that, given the end of the season, we'll see a league table that essentially reflects position in league = amount spent on playing staff. The middle bit is the most volatile and is looks as if Southampton are escaping it - very quickly at that, too. Plus when you look at Swansea who have changed managers every season for the past 3 years they have never changed their style of play from the passing game. Every appointment Lerner has made no thought has been given to the manager style of play. Houllier & McCallister did try and change it to be fair, would have liked us to carry on that way the season after but then Lerner appointed McLeish But they went about it in completely the wrong way and it nearly relegated us. It wasn't until they reverted to playing the same side and system as MON that we actually won a few games and got to safety.

It's not that simple, otherwise the premier league table would just match the amount of money spent by each club on transfers and wages. There's a group of middle-ranking clubs where performance is also influenced strongly by the way the club is run and the squad and team are managed. The relative success this season of Southampton, Swansea, Stoke and West Ham demonstrates this. There was an interesting article in the Guardian about this last week: http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/nov/10/good-housekeeping-premier-league-high-flyers Basically saying the important factors are a well-stocked and settled defence, lower expectations so less pressure on the players, and well-run club, youth, scouting and management set-ups. Got a feeling we fall short on all these counts and some are absolutely down to the manager. The way the club is run and the ethos employed is definitely important. The interesting things with the clubs mentioned are that they've had to struggle back from somewhere bleak on the whole. Southampton and Swansea were both financially stricken and West Ham were relegated having overspent. With Stoke, they've had to struggle in the bleakness of Stoke . But yes, if you're a well run club operating sensibly on turnover:wages, you have a better chance of doing well. Southampton's current form is nothing short of remarkable, mind, and a lot of credit has to go to both Pochettino and, moreso, Koeman who has come in and had to, essentially, re-vamp his first team. The club are run well, though, and that's where the money aspect comes into it. They've re-couped huge fees but been able to put the vast majority of those straight back into the playing staff. That said, there's no way they "should be" 2nd in the table. I still think that, given the end of the season, we'll see a league table that essentially reflects position in league = amount spent on playing staff. The middle bit is the most volatile and is looks as if Southampton are escaping it - very quickly at that, too. Plus when you look at Swansea who have changed managers every season for the past 3 years they have never changed their style of play from the passing game. Every appointment Lerner has made no thought has been given to the manager style of play.

Thanks No problem anytime. Sometimes people need to hear the no pulled punches harsh reality. It's called tough love? How old are you? About 40 years older than your usual type?

Ahhhh - ladies and gentleman, we have a youth coach amongst us! All that the young players need is time in the first team to develop. Let's just switch the U21's and first team around - we're bound to be better off because that is literally all that's needed. Time on the pitch in the Premier League. Can't believe Lambert hasn't already done it! Lambert out! You give me too much credit I never thought of that. Perhaps you can tell the mumbling buffoon directly of your brilliant idea?

Who did we spend £8m on? I think people are reacting to the press reports around Cleverleys loan signing and potential perm move in Jan? However could the current regime be that stupid as to pay such a large transfer fee for an average midfielder with only 6 months left on his contract? No one is that stupid are they?

I can't think of a single thing of note that Grealish has done in a Villa shirt, and I really hope the hype coming from Villa about this kid isn't unfounded. When I've seen him play for the first team he's looked like a little kid out of his depth, and that's why I think he's been dropped. Lay off the PR hype Villa. If he's a good player he'll naturally rise to the top. I would suggest you pay closer attention next time he plays then. And I suggest you take off those claret and blue specs for a few minutes and tell me what he's actually done in a Villa shirt to justify the hype. I wouldn't worry your little head about it he won't be starting against either Southampton or Burnley?

Thanks No problem anytime. Sometimes people need to hear the no pulled punches harsh reality. It's called tough love?

Money buys you success but a good coach will get you good football! The players are better than their performances. The players are in the main lower mid table players with the odd gem thrown into the mix. That is typically what we are getting on the pitch, lower mid table performances with the odd gem thrown in You missed the point though Richard. A good manager gets the players together as a team and raises the performance levels of the poorer players to the leval of the better ones. Lambert is the opposite and lowers better players down to the level of the poor players. He is the High Priest of Anti-Football with many duped into following him and believing his evil sermons. Even McLeish looks up and admires his powers at making weak minded people believe that dire unentertaining turgid football is all that we can expect and deserve. He is wrong, his message is wrong and his work is evil. We need a footballing exorcism now! Some fans will need counselling but they will again be able to watch us play and attack the opposition and even see our players scoring goals and winning games. We need a revolt and we need to start returning those tricked into this cult back to the religion of the Aston Villa and stay away from the Altar of Anti-Football! Please remember that whatever money, however small in comparrison to some, Lambert has had he has never improved the performance on the pitch!

I can't think of a single thing of note that Grealish has done in a Villa shirt, and I really hope the hype coming from Villa about this kid isn't unfounded. When I've seen him play for the first team he's looked like a little kid out of his depth, and that's why I think he's been dropped. Lay off the PR hype Villa. If he's a good player he'll naturally rise to the top. So if a young kid doesn't come into a team and immediately start pulling up trees he is over-hyped? What you have to remember is we are a side managed by a blithering idiot who's style of football makes Wimbledon of the '80's look like Barca at their pomp? I don't think CR7 could be put into this current team without being affected by the anti-football philosphy employed by Lambert. When we have a proper football manager let's see how Jack performs. Lambert has dragged this whole club down when he's gone we will see football being played by our real footballers! Started off so well but you couldn't help but once again blame Lambert could you? Its the Villatalk grading scale at work again. Its either useless or amazing, or in this instance, hopeless or pulling up trees. How about he is somewhere in between with the potential to be towards the higher end of the scale? I feel sorry for Jack or any other talented young footballer down VP at the moment having to play under the high priest of ant-football. What young players need is time on the pitch to develop however as with everything Lambert is all over the place with his squad selections. And who else other than Lambert am I supposed to blame for footballing decisions? Doris the Tea Lady?

So Lambert is a cheque book manager then? There are still some managers out there who konow about motivation, formations and tactics? Spending a shit load of money on loads of players is not always the answer? Spending money is only part of the skill of management!

I can't think of a single thing of note that Grealish has done in a Villa shirt, and I really hope the hype coming from Villa about this kid isn't unfounded. When I've seen him play for the first team he's looked like a little kid out of his depth, and that's why I think he's been dropped. Lay off the PR hype Villa. If he's a good player he'll naturally rise to the top. So if a young kid doesn't come into a team and immediately start pulling up trees he is over-hyped? What you have to remember is we are a side managed by a blithering idiot who's style of football makes Wimbledon of the '80's look like Barca at their pomp? I don't think CR7 could be put into this current team without being affected by the anti-football philosphy employed by Lambert. When we have a proper football manager let's see how Jack performs. Lambert has dragged this whole club down when he's gone we will see football being played by our real footballers!

I wonder about this. We do have some decent midfielders in the club. Could not one of them be coached/deployed to play the AM role since we have no specialist? Cleverly? Delph? Richardson? N'Zogbia? At BMH a coach is the bus that takes the players to the games!

It's as embarrassing as Arsenals 'singing section' at the Emirates? English football humour is best when spontaneous!