avfc1982am

 

Leicester, QPR, Hull, Burnley, Albion etc. will all be looking at who are the 3 teams shitter than them and I bet every one of them has looked at the fact that we have managed only 11 goals so far this season and have the worst goal difference and concluded that we are one of the 3 shitter teams and most likely to go down.

It is an absolute disgrace and Paul Lambert is very much to blame for our situation and he should be told so by the fans that pay their money to watch rubbish and be depressed every week.

You do that then. I won't be, nor will I be protesting. I also reserve the right to feel embarrassed by you.

Cheers.

 

Why would you be embarrassed at those protesting?

You see what I don't get is the fact that so many fans are totally against protesting because of the idea it will have a detrimental affect on the team. Yet let's be honest here, most fans that go aren't neccessarily supporting the team either because most of the time the atmosphere is flat anyway, only a small minority sing or try to get the rest going. I think fans have a right to protest if needed without it being frowned upon or looked on as embarrassing. The bottom line is, those that do indeed eventually snap, will have after being unbelievably patient for a long time. After realising something drastically needs to change.

And what about those that go and suggest they are supporting mearly because they turn up, yet sit there thoughout the game hardly saying a word or singing a song, raising the noise level, are they embarrassing?

At the end of the day we live in a democracy whether arguements or protests are warranted is to be decided eventually by the majority and as been happenening for centuries for what ever reason. I guess eventually the majority in our case will snap and protest. Also most fans I would guess don't neccessarily look at themselves as a fan but more part of the club as the club is part of them. Some people care enough to voice their concerns for something they genuinely love. Personally I call it passion and find it amazing how others can look on it as embarrassing or anything other than a genuine care for the club.

This isn't a personal dig doug but I am genuinely curious as to why you and others would find a protest uncalled for, embarrassing, or whatever detrimental? Maybe actually a small but affective protest by all or the majority may pull the players together and not neccessarily make them fold - just a thought. 

I'm not in favour of mass boycotting. Staying away this season hasn't made me feel any better about the current situation in reality. I still catch the games via internet, still get pissed off, spend my weekend and most of the week cursing.

The bottom line is if people(including myself) want a change then rather than bitching and doing nothing everybody needs to get their ass down the ground and be vocal. Let Lambert, Lerner,the players, the media and everyone else listening that fans have had enough. It happened all the time under Ellis and in fairness we had some good times as well as bad, one thing though during ellis's time, fans were nowhere near as passive then as the currently. I'm not down with the whole don't upset the players nonsense, their not babies and many of them don't give a shit anyway as they know if we go down it won't hinder their careers - they'll just move on.

The situation is, it's no good crying at the end of the season when it's too late to rectify the wrongs that have been made. I'm not saying spend all game chanting for Lambert out but if we are well out of the Chelsea game with 10 mins left Lambert and the players should get a full broadside from the whole of the ground. As supporters and people that truly love the club(not just because we get a wage) it is your duty to show that this shit won't be accepted.

It is time for those that want Lambert out to stand up instead of the continual passiveness which is also crippling our club.

 

Support is a tricky word. I support Aston Villa so I guess Lambert falls within that but, wanting him here at the club is a different matter.

 

I think that is a fair enough stance and most certainly during a game. I have wanted Lambert gone for some time now but that hasn't stopped me supporting and being 100% behind the team at the games and I therefore guess for the 90 minutes Lambert is a part of that team and I am right behind him. That will again be the case on Saturday. I guess even those that say they don't support him would acknowledge that come match day that by supporting the team and wanting those that can influence a game in a positive way for us to do well then they are for those 90 minutes supporting the manager.

I have always said that I will always back a player during a game as long as I know he is putting a shift in and doing his best. A lack of ability I can forgive but a lack of effort is inexcusable. I have a similar philosophy with Lambert as I have no doubt he is doing his very best but the sad fact is that his best has been shown to be in no way good enough and at this level he is out of his depth.

I don't think there is any ill feeling towards Lambert. I have never seen the vicious and nasty reactions I witnessed under McLeish and Houllier towards him and I genuinely hope it doesn't have to get to that stage and that he is relieved of his duties, walks or a miracle happens and he suddenly develops a bit of tactical nous. I 100% believe he should go but for as long as he remains here I do hope for all our sakes he can turn things around.

 

I would love to still be in your position but for me things have just gone too far now. Every day he stays as manager is just further nails into the already closed coffin. The erratic way we played yesterday was conclusive proof that no matter what he does it just wont work. We had a decent last week in fairness with the win over Bournemouth and the signing of Gil, Sinclair and Delph signing a new deal- All that means though is we get some money now. But to go from that to what was witnessed yesterday was nothing short of disgraceful for a team in dire need of confidence. Playing Richardson at leftback was one of the most ridiculous decisions I have seen any Villa manager make.

It's too much now and if I am totally honest it's starting to become tiresome. On the outside I am passive but on the inside I am fuming at the lack of action to sort the mess out. More players aren't needed, a new manager is.

Personally I think if the fans don't rise up soon it will be too late, although part of me feels it is already.

 

 

Richard Keys is laying into Lambert on BeIn Sports, saying that interview could've been given after any game in the last 12 weeks. He says if the manager's message is constantly just to keep going, then how is anything going to change.

 

Spot on. A few pundits have been saying the same this weekend.

 

What else can Lambert say? How do you react to defeats? 

 

By maybe change his generic post match punchline?! Maybe every now and again he could say, " I got it wrong today. My line up didn't work, the formation failed and I made my substitutions to late and in the wrong areas".

How about that instead of the whole " mumble, mumble... we go again"!

Sorry but playing Richardson at left back today was idiotic. Both him and Hutton being expected to provide the width with no real cover is just plain stupid against a team that can move the ball quicker and who have pace. I don't blame Clark or Okore for the defensive shambles today, both had to drift too far to close spaces down today leaving them to far apart and exposed. Ridiculous tactics and line up given the expectations of a manager on his players so yes he could put it differently, just for a change.

One of the best players at the club last week and the reaction today is he's the worst ? Inconsistent for a new player in a new country

He was shit today and shouldve been taken off much earlier than he was. Nobody is trying to hound him out the club just commenting on how crap he was today.

Will be the first player sold in the summer if we go down. Plenty of clubs will want this lad. Only player to come out of todays game with any real credit.

I think anyone who still supports him after this erratic shambolic performance needs to seriously question their loyalty to the club! Too many poor decisions in selection, formation and subs week after week. Lambert needs to go!

That my friend was better than sex .

Depends on who your having sex with Sheepy!

 

 

"I'm just proving there's still loyalty in football"

 

Looks like he's tied to a chair

 

I thought this too! My first thought was someones pointing a gun at is head. Looks like an Al-Qaeda hostage video!! .

I know he hasn't been spectacular tonight but I'd try for Januzaj on loan. He's got a quality left foot and isn't that fancied by LVG.

We can't sign Januzaj as we already have cleverley from utd.

Doesn't look likely there will be further signings either..

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-scott-sinclair-deal-8506379

 

 

 

 

You have to look at things on the whole. Fair enough the forwards aren't scoring-but why? This is partially down to the midfield which would then lead to look at selections..tactics..formation...manager etc. There comes a point when you can't continually blame the players. The thing is unless you play a system that suits the players or they are played in natural positions how can you really judge them?

 

There is a real unbalance with the team at the moment and I would go as far as saying that when we do go forward we look completely fragile down the flanks. Even in games whereby we've missed chances, so did the opposition. Expecting Hutton and cissokho to provide width and balance to the attack without wide cover leaves them exposed and us open to the counter. Little thing's like this need to be addressed and until they are people can bang on about this player and that player are to blame but we will still see the same results. 

 

It's easy to blame players but sooner or later who is responsible for how they play if it's continually not working?! 

 

 

I don't see too many people putting all the blame on the players? But certainly for me this is a factor - I beleive our forwards have been poor this season in both creating chances and scoring them - Benteke, Gabby and Weimann are all capable of better

 

I agree about the lack of width - but spotting it is one thing and sorting it out not to the detriment of another area of our game is another. 

 

Many on here will have their view on selections, tactics and formations - I'm not making any excuses for Lambert but very often a fans have a simplistic view of things. "we should attack more" "we need to play two wingers" "Through Grealish and Robinson in they couldn't do any worse" etc etc. I just think that it is much more complicated and delicate than that

 

We're struggling at the moment - with the squad we have I would have liked to see us on 6-8 points more by now. Some to the reason for that is poor form of players, some is injuries, some is sendings off, and some I'm sure are things that the manager and coaching staff could have done better

 

If Mourinho becomes available, or Fergie comes out of retirement, I'd be in the Lambert out camp but at the moment I'm forced to stick with him over an unknown, random manager in the Magath, Curbishly Mccarthy-mold. Last season people were asking for Rednapp, Bruce or Pearce - would you take any of them now? I wouldn't

 

VillaCas totally agree with some of the point's you've made but let me try and answer the bold if possible without offending.

Firstly can anyone honestly say as shit as gabby is at times since benteke has come back he isn't just being facilitated in an AM/support role? Gabby never plays there and to play to his strengths you need to give him space with the ball infront- not with his back to goal which is how he has being played. Wiemann plays best when up top through the middle, not as a link up player. And I think Benteke has been feeding off scraps the last few games in fairness to him.

The width issue I completely understand where your coming from with,' the detriment to other areas' comment, let me say this though. Footballers might not in general all be the smartest of cookies but top level footballers are very knowledgeable when it comes to positional patterns, passages of play,  etc. If there are deficiencies then good coaching and instructions should improve things eventually especially with decent players- which we have. Also if players aren't pulling their weight then why is that? And why are they not getting dropped?

Personally I'm not interested in simplistic views without talking about possible resolutions. As for the managers you mentioned I wouldn't want any of them but that doesn't mean there aren't managers out there that would come and do a better job. Not knowing something is never reason enough to not try and find find out what it is you don't know!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is the season over yet?

It would take some amazing performances to finish the season in order to claim it hasn't been a struggle.

Amazing performances? We just have to turn the corner and start scoring. We have been well in games and are hard to score against. We have been let down by our forwards and if any of Gabby, Benteke or Weimann had hit some decent form and banged in a few more goals we would be pushing top 10 easy. We aren't that far off being a solid all round team!

12 points from 18 games. That's not because we've been let down by our forwards at times.

Yes it is...

You have to look at things on the whole. Fair enough the forwards aren't scoring-but why? This is partially down to the midfield which would then lead to look at selections..tactics..formation...manager etc. There comes a point when you can't continually blame the players. The thing is unless you play a system that suits the players or they are played in natural positions how can you really judge them?

There is a real unbalance with the team at the moment and I would go as far as saying that when we do go forward we look completely fragile down the flanks. Even in games whereby we've missed chances, so did the opposition. Expecting Hutton and cissokho to provide width and balance to the attack without wide cover leaves them exposed and us open to the counter. Little thing's like this need to be addressed and until they are people can bang on about this player and that player are to blame but we will still see the same results.

It's easy to blame players but sooner or later who is responsible for how they play if it's continually not working?!

Ye I agree with what you are saying and by stating we have been let down by our forwards not putting the chances away I wasn't claiming that to be the only reason for how things are atm. A couple of quality attacking signings could totally turn us around as we aren't being dominated in the majority of games and when we lose its usually just by 1 goal.

 

I'm not trying to put down your point at all mate. I just made a point, asking the question and throwing in my conclusions. I think personally as I have stated that I don't think additional signings are necessarily going to solve the issues. For instance, say we bring in another AM, take out one of the DM's do you think this will provide the cover to allow the fullbacks to support the attack? Bringing in players is all well and good but if the set up ain't right it ain't working.

Spending money is no guarantee we will turn a corner, sooner or later the manager has to prove he is tactically adaptable and knows how to draw the quality out of his players. It's like a workman blaming the tool's scenario without proving he can do the job, if you get my drift.

I can tell you this. If froggy publicly said he has had a conversation with tom fox then he did indeed have that conversation.

 

 

 

I worry if we are relegated we won't come back up. We'll do a Leeds, Notts Forest, Sheff Wed, etc and stay down for a long time. 

Newcastle and West Ham also returned swiftly, it is impossible to predict.

 

 

True, but its not guaranteed that it can happen. Simple fact is, we can't take that risk. We must stay up at any cost. 

 

Nor is it healthy to worry about it.

 

No it's not healthy but something people need to realise is a very likely outcome if we continue down the road we are travelling. What concerns me personally is that the action to avert this will come too late.

 

 

I really have admiration for Lambert's ability to have confidence that he's doing the right thing and to stick with it despite early setbacks. This is one of the things that makes a great manager.

 

Of course it's even more important that what the manager thinks is the right thing IS the right thing, and that's where he's maybe failing

 

But our main problem is psychological at the moment. It might not be our only problem, but I don't think anyone can say we're not worth a lot more goals than we're getting.

 

I've little doubt that a new manager would get us scoring goals in the short term, because of the psychology of it, but form is temporary and class is permanent.

 

The best scenario for me is that Lambert makes a very shrewd selection for his assistant: At the very least someone with experience, whose coaching and reading of team selection, tactics and formations offers Lambert an alternative to his own thinking. That way we get the best of all worlds.

 

Next assistant?! What like the 2 previous assistants? I think your pissing in the wind. I think also your comment about Lambert sticking with what he's doing despite early setbacks is a little stupid to be honest. Not sure if you have realised but this isn't early in his managerial position at the villa, were over 2 years down the line with no improvement. Your admiration for Lambert is baffling, for a start, a great manager he is not!

 

 

Just about every one of the shortcomings Lambert has or is accused of having would disappear if he had the right kind of assistant.

 

Maybe a better manager wouldn't need this, but seeing as Lerner doesn't want to sack him it might be the best and most realistic way to get Aston Villa winning games again, which SHOULD be what we want above all.

 

If you think I've called him a great manager you either haven't read properly or haven't been able to follow the logic of what I did say.

 

I followed what you said perfectly. I think you were indicating lambert had the qualities of a great manager. My response, was my response. I don't think much of your defence of lambert is that logical anyway. As I said in my previous comments, what about the 2 previous assistants? I don't have any faith that lambert can bring in the right assistance based on  previous experience. As you also alluded to with the 'sticking' comment, which in my opinion is just him being stubborn. What actually leads you to believe he is capable of bringing in an assistant and completely change his tactical way of thinking? On one hand you admire him for sticking yet claim all his shortcomings would disappear if he listened to a new assistant and changed his ways. You contradict your own logic mate.

I thought we played well today all be it against one of the poorest Liverpool sides I can remember in recent years. However you would have to be the most short sighted fan ever to be looking at games in isolation now. To balance that up a little though and to be fair to Lambert I also don't think there is any need to be looking at his first two seasons here as I can see there can be an argument made that many of the players were young and we lacked a bit of experience and nous.

That leaves us just looking at this season then and no one can seriously argue with what is staring us in the face. That is now just 12 points taken from the last 54 on offer and we have now gone on two long runs of not winning this season, one run of nine games and the current one which stands at seven and is likely to continue. We have scored 12 goals in 22 league and two cup games against lower league opposition. All this with for me a good squad of players.

I will always praise Lambert for the squad he has built given the finances he has had. I think he has again found another good player at right money in Gil. He just doesn't have a clue how to get the best out of the players as a team though. I don't think any one player currently epitomizes his lack of ideas, or  shows an example of him continually making wrong decisions, more so than Cleverley. The lad is being shoe horned into the side and today played wide right in a front 3. This is a player with no pace, no tricks, who can't take a man on and who offers little to no goal threat. What in Lamberts mind makes him continually pick him and worse still pick him and play him in a position totally unsuited to him.

Lambert is totally incapable now of getting it right here. However this squad is capable of so much better. Sadly though it won't be under this manager and a change is now needed before we become that team that was too good to go down but did.

 

Good post. My concern with praising his transfers though is this... Continue in the same way we have been playing under Lambert and there is a realistic possibility that the decent players in the squad will be leaving come the summer. It's great that he has brought in good players but if we go down, what was the point? Lamberts only positive in his time here will get stripped away by the vultures come the end of the season. The likes of benteke, sanchez, hutton, gil, okore, cissokho and a couple of others will go along with vlaar and delph, leaving us with the little more than half a squad of players that will have no chance of getting us back up.

The starting 11 today was nothing short of disgraceful, 4 dm's in midfield at home was absolutely stupid when your looking for a goal or even a win. I can't back him after that I'm afraid because he bottled it again with his selection!

 

 Given funds and maybe a Championship team, he will succeed but I think this is just a bit much for him now.

 

You may be right, but if you are, what would you do if you were RL?

 

Which manager would you suggest for the role of moulding a top 8 team from a bottom 5 team with 15 million pounds a year for transfers and 0 pounds a year for salaries?

 

Not Lambert that's for sure! He hasn't moulded anything down the Villa which would take him straight out the running. I realise what your trying to say but the bottom line is that in 3 years the only improvement under Lambert has been the playing staff after endless attempts . Nobody could say 100% which manager could get this team to top 8 however that in itself is no reason to persist with a product that isn't working.  

That article is an utter disgrace as for me it smacks of someone using their position in a personal vendetta not unbiased reporting 

The article is the opinion of the majority of Villa fans so I don't see how it's an utter disgrace? Thankfully he is using his position to get his and the majority of fan's opinion across. At least someone in the media is.

If you want to make your point then just dont go to VP and part with your hard earned cash to watch us fail to score again, dont take a bed sheet or a crappy banner, they are embarrassing, small time and never work anyway.

Like your profile pic?!

Sorry fella, couldn't resist.

 

 

We have pretty much no natural wide players, and the ones he puts on the flanks always tend to find their way closer to the middle as soon as the game starts.

Add to that that we have very little movement and play at a slow passing pace we are the easiest team to defend against in top flight football.

This is the issue. When you're playing non-wingers as wingers, and don't carry any kind of threat from the middle, you're not hard to figure out. Dangerous wide players are needed as much for what they do when the ball isn't near them as what they do when it is

 

Yup

Take a player like Robben who often tries to move as close to the touchline as possible to find room for himself to recieve a pass stretch the defence and to have open space to utilize his pace and technique to take on the defenders.

 

Gabby & Andi on the other hand seem to wan't to be as close the goal as possible and thus forcing Cissokho and Hutton to cover the whole flanks making us easy to defend against and forcing our midfielders to stay back and cover the space left behind on the rare occations the fullbacks move across the halfway line.

 

It's fundamentally flawed

 

Now were getting somewhere!!! This is and has been exactly what the issue is with the formation and players in it. The problem is we have no natural width and neither GA or AW stretch the fullbacks to create space in the middle for the 3 to move into, they're too busy drifting into the middle themselves and closing the spaces instead of expanding them. They are the wrong type of players for the system. Width and movement have been the biggest issues in the last 2 and a half years under lambert in my opinion.

I think now is definitely the right time to sack him. We have a good chance of getting no points from our next 3-5 games given current form and the opposition. I think we should use the next few weeks to find a new appointment. Once january is out the way if we are around the relegation zone it will be harder to convince someone to come in and sort out the mess, especially without the opportunity to at least bring in 1 or 2 loan signings or assistants.