wazzap24

I'm pretty much on the same bus as KSV and HeyAnty. Right now I would still replace him if the right man was available to come in, but I can see beyond the shit results and there are definite signs of positive progress - off the field at least. With the signing of Gill and Delph's new deal, wouldn't it be great for all of us (the fans, team and Lambert) if Lerner actually recognised this could be a turning point and allowed Lambert to bring in one decent 'marquee' signing before the window closed? I refuse to believe the finances are still so bad that we can't muster up £10-15m for a decent player and their wages. I've heard/read these snippets about Fox admitting the backing hasn't been enough - well it's ok admitting that, but it won't get any better unless it feckin changes! You could really make a difference here Randolph, so stop **** around and get your wallet out. Never mind the bright future and jam tomorrow - give us something to be positive about NOW.

Not a bad draw that. Almost feel a bit excited.

Just watched this. Absolutely amazing, just unreal.

Spot on. His ego won't be helped by his followers on Twitter having a circle jerk every time he tweets either. Starting to worry that he believes his own hype before even doing anything of note. Needs to stay grounded

Spot on there. That's why when the job was last available, a 'proven' manager apparently laughed at the budget available and withdrew his application, but Lambert took the job. I doubt there would be a lack of candidates, I just don't think there would be many good ones (or at least 'good' in the sense that they had done well in another top league or the Prem itself)

Good post, agree with most points, not so much with the last. However, don't we already have better players on paper than most teams in the bottom half? Think about which other team's squad would you take over Aston Villa's, let's say top 15 or top 18 players. Same for last season's squad. Our players aren't world beaters and some of them are highly overrated on here, but they're plenty good not to be circling around 40 points per season. You are spot on there and that's where I firmly agree with those that want him out. He should, without question, be doing better than he is with the players he has. No argument. What I don't agree with is some assessments of his performance and those who think we should be doing MATERIALLY better than we are. I look at the table and think, we should be about where Stoke and Newcastle currently are. That for me is realistically where I think we should be, taking everything into account. So in my view, 6/7 points more and he would be doing a 'good' job. Therefore I'm not prepared the call the guy a complete word removed and say he's the worst manager ever, mainly because he isn't. To put my argument about coaching vs cash another way; If Lerner came on here now and started a thread with a poll and opened with the following line; "I'm not going to sack the manager, but I am prepared to either a) employ a brilliant, proven coach to assist Lambert or give Lambert £30m + plus an increase in wage budget this month. Whichever you vote for I will do. " Which would have the bigger impact on the standard of the team and which would you vote for?

I see what your saying Oz, but you are wrong. This is the Premier League and if there is one single thing that can help any team, then it's chucking money at it. I'm not saying it would make Lambert a better coach or hide his tactical shortcomings, but more expensive ( or 'better') players on higher wages would help us NO END. Take Mourhino as an example. Most would agree he is a world class coach and tactically astute no? He wanted to win the league this year and realised he needed more goals and more consistent quality in midfield. Did he get there by extensively coaching his already expensively assembled squad and overhauling his tactics? Did he ****. He chucked a load of cash at signing Costa and Fabregas - job done! Translate this to Villa and a couple of players who Lambert has admitted an interest in, before they signed for the current clubs; Coutinho and Sissoko. He couldn't sign either due to budget (and there have no doubt been countless others). Would Lambert be a better coach if we had those two in our side? No Would we be a better side for having them in our team under Lambert? I would strongly argue the answer would be yes. Players make the biggest difference, coaching and tactics are a distant second

No way that isn't photoshopped/edited. A villa midfielder, beating a man, laying it off and charging into the box for the return? **** off, you must think I was born yesterday!

Anyone watch the first episode of Ascension? Thought it was ok, not quite what I expected and the acting was a little 'hammy', but overall it was decent. Only 3 parts too so no major investment of my time of it ends up being shite!

I dunno about that Rob, I there there is quite a lot of common thinking, it's just that people are wound up about the whole thing and a forum like this is a way for us to vent. There is a lot of selective reading going on for the sake of continuing arguments. From what I can see pretty much everyone agrees it's an absolute shit tip down there at the minute and the vast majority agree that is in no small part down to the manager. I think the only real differences are, those 'defending' him feel there are aspects of the job he's done well or think he's not far away from doing a decent job given the circumstances and some think he's an absolute word removed who should be forcibly removed. Supporting or defending the manger doesn't necessarily mean that given the choice, you wouldn't replace him. We'll get steadily worse under each successive manager unless there's investment. The one thing we've got going for us is Lambert's eye for a good transfer deal. total myth. How many players has he signed and how many have improved the club. Glad you asked that: Guzan Vlaar Senderos Okore Cissokho Sanchez Gil Benteke Plus a lot of squad players who cost very little money and can do a job, e.g. Westwood, Bacuna, Lowton, Kozak It may be that Lambert could use the advice of a good, experienced assistant manager when it comes to formations and tactics, but his improvement to the squad on the budget he's had is actually heroic. I'd also say that Clarke, Baker, Weimann and Delph have all improved as players during his tenure. Given his signings have been decent and he's improved some of the players, it makes the performances even more baffling/frustrating.

I just don't think Lerner will sack him during the season, even if we are in serious danger of going down. I just can't see it. It's time for him to go no doubt, mainly because I just don't think he is capable of redeeming himself in the long term, but I refuse to outright slate the man because I think he's doing the best he can and he isn't being backed adequately by his boss.

Going somewhere nice?

Or e. Has a different opinion to you I'm a d. myself Wibble.

Brooklyn nine nine and Suits are back baby! The world is a slightly better place.

To be fair that was someone who couldnt spell it was actually schwarzenegger we were linked with Could work that. We've got got a problem getting men forward quickly right? Stick him in centre mid and give Benteke a new nick name - 'Choppa' Then, when the ball goes forward to the big man, he can shout Everyone charges like **** at Benteke We finish fourth and win the FA Cup

Suck it up folks and sing a long - all together now.... He ain't, Goin Nowhere. He aint, Goin Nowhere. He can't be stopped now, coz its Lambert for life

I wouldn't trust him with the drippings off the end of a runny nose let alone any transfer money. He needs to be sacked and pronto. It's not his transfers that are the problem to be fair.

He either needs to be backed or sacked and I fear it will be neither.

Don't matter where they are from as long as they get the results and can coach the team to play decent football. It's fashionable to go foreign and whilst I'm not against it by any means, where they come from shouldn't even be a consideration. McLaren for me by a mile. Plus he comes with a Dutch accent setting, so he can sound foreign as well if you want him to!

I think he would get into the Spurs or Liverpool team if he chooses either of those. If he goes to Man City or Chelsea it will just be a cheap way of boosting their 'homegrown' numbers without paying a fee. Not sure on Arsenal, he is different to what they have already though to be fair and a bit more 'combative' - I could see him doing ok there.

Actually If we could ship out Bent, Delph, Vlaar and by some miracle find a home for Given there should be enough to get Falcao in!

No you don't P3te, but haven't we been told before that wages were/are the issue (going off memory, but something was said on this by either Faulkner or Krulak at some point)? All this austerity has been to make the club 'sustainable' but as we don't have any recent figures to go off, we don't know what sustainable actually looks like. If we are indeed running at around break even or a slight profit now, then there should be more than enough room to bring in at least one 'decent player', but I don't believe the money will be made available.

Are we due the next set at the end of February? Assuming Y/E is May 31st, is it still 9 months later they have to be filed at Companies House?

Quite. If, and I do say if, we get anyone this window it won't be a striker in my opinion it will be a wide player and most likely on loan. We could do with replacements for Gabby and Wiemann, if we are adopting this new possesion style football then they are virtually useless. They are good counter attack type players but asking them to make clever runs in and around the box when when we are having possesion is pointless, they are not intelligent enough to play that way and both lack any real technical abilty I agree, the problem as always is money. Wasn't it quoted (from somewhere) last summer that Randy would back Lambert financially in January? Cheap platitudes though aren't they really - he might chuck £10m at us best case scenario. Its hardly the £50m this teams needs to make it even vaguely competitive though is it? I don't think we're £50million away, we're a couple of players short from being a really good side (provided we're set up right), what needs addressing is the breakdown between midfield and attack. Trouble is a lot of the players Paul has brought in he has taken a gamble on because largely with the money he had that's what he had to do. Some have worked out some havent. The players we need now to make a difference cant really be gambles they have to work and so that will cost both in terms of fees and wages , not 50M maybe but lets say it's two 9 or 10M players thats 20M. They'll want 3 year contracts I guess as a minimum on around 60K pw so there's another 9M each in basic wages before bonuses and signing on fees so for two qualityish players that we need you are talking 40M starter. Yep, spot on this. The wage issue seems to have been forgotten about in the argument around 'net spend'. Not only are we spending less than a lot of teams, we can't offer the wages required to attract real 'quality', even on frees. Unless Lambo gets 'lucky' again as he has with Benteke, Okore and Sanchez, then the next signings HAVE to be of a higher quality and higher quality costs more in terms of fees and wages. With the wages now supposedly under control and Bent, Delph and Vlaar departing then there should be more than enough leeway to add the required players. Over to you Randolph. I can't say I will be holding my breath and the age old 'Jam Tomorrow' will no doubt be trotted out in Feb.

Gotta be the most depressing day of the year. **** You work