avfc1982am

The 'For Sale' sign has been on Bent's head since the start of the January window but seemingly no-one has come in for him yet. Other teams know we are desperate to sell so they'll probably wait until just before the window closes to drive down the price.

I think they may even wait until the end of the season instead and get him for absolute peanuts if we go down. All the teams around us are scoring goals at the moment  although I wouldn't bet against someone throwing in a cheeky 4-5m bid last minute as you said. I would put my arm around him, tell him how great he is, start pinging balls in from the flanks and guaranteed he'll start scoring if fit. I honestly think he's worth more to us now than ever and if we do manage to stay up may even get at little closer to what we paid for him back. I would play him and Benteke together with Gabby and Zog on the wings in the run in. Use Wiemann in rotation of the front 2.

It may look assertive but I've done the research and can back every claim up with stats.

 

Just try.

It's ok I believe you!

Long ball is a style. Long balls need to be accurate. We've tried. Ours aren't.

 

They'll win the knock downs anyway so is pointless.

 

442 is a basic football system. None of this 3-2-4-1 shit. 

 

Any length pass you want, unless you're a defender because defenders can't pass.

Con, this is very assertive attitude your are displaying and without statistical reference- I like it!!. 

Boycotting the games is a waste of time . Loads have been doing it the last couple of years and it will steadily increase if the situation stays the same but it's had no effect on the football as it has stayed shit. I suggest getting rid of 'shit support M'lord' and start singing the lords prayer instead- with hands together of course. Any thoughts?

I don't mind a proper debate and maybe I shouldn't have got personal with the fella but we started discussing one point (he was pretty much having a pop at Lambert for not signing a batch of specifically named players he mentioned and I simply informed him because of the money they'll earn at their respective clubs that wouldn't have been possibly for Villa. That arguement then changed to something else and something else again.

 

I stated repeatedly I could understand if he wasn't happy but maybe money played a part in a number of the signings which I believe to be the case. Why would any manager not sign experienced players on good money with a proven track record instead of buying younger players for lower leagues? It doesn't make sense! Therefore, it comes down to the financial restrictions. I'll say again the combined wage of all Lambert's summer signings would be far less than signing 3/4 players on £40,000 a week.

 

But every supporter has a right to be unhappy. I just thought the guy in question was being critical of something that wasn't Lambert's fault. If he wanted to have a pop at formations or systems of whatever then fine but to have a go at him for not signing specific players that he simply couldn't afford or wasn't allow to sign is ridiculous. And the point I will disagree with you the most on is Bent, Ireland and Nzogbia aren't good players - they are huge reasons why Villa are/and have struggled for several years now!

Fair enough. Just thought it was a little harsh on him though. You don't have to keep banging the drum though if somebody's not listening or your head 

Oh and the Bent, Zog and Ireland not being good players. Was that before they came to Villa to work with average at best managers or before?

How did you feel about anyone who questioned mcleish as a manager?

That was okay I suppose. Lambert though appears to dispense candy from his arse! Both have been abysmal managers for Villa for very similar reasons. Lerner can't distinguish a good scot manager from a shit one.

Basically coping what Ashley did at Newcastle then 

It does very much appear to be heading this way. What pisses me personally is he has in essence thrown every season ticket holders money down the drain this year if this is the case though. Also there is nothing concrete to suggest Lambert will get us back up either and I wouldn't personally reward the prick for failure!

If we're going to go back to basics I would be in favour of Lambert announcing once the team sheets are out which Villa players are responsible for marking each Millwall players at set pieces!

 

Which ever Villa player bottles his header should then have to face the crowd after the game and should have their wages taken away for that week!

That will reduce the wage bill to zero in weeks!!

Fans have every right to express their opinion but it makes me laugh that they feel they have the knowledge to question a mangers "tactical intelligence"

 

Lambert is now getting the blame for being unable to get the best out of serial disappointers Ireland and N'Zogbia I see

 

I understand you're disappointed, we all are, but some of the criticisms are really scraping the barrell

What criticisms are scraping the barrell? Villa being shit! Or are you saying nothings his fault and it's all down to Randy. And I have every right to question his tactical intelligence after the performances and decision making we've witnessed this season. And I'm sorry but to claim that a manager isn't responsible for his players on the pitch is a little blind. I'm not saying Lambert is to blame for all of them but none of them? So he's only responsible for the players he brought in, is that what your saying the rest don't matter?

Hairyhands is ITK don't you know!

He knows what? What pant's Lambert wears? What Randy had for Lunch?! 

Try to sound less angry when you are posting. I can sense you are battering hell out of the keys whn replying. I find it difficult communicating with people like you because you come out with a statement whcih isn't true, we go through it and I provide you with examples and then when that happens we simply jump on to another rant and find ourselves back at square one. I'm not saying every signing he has made has been good. Never once have I suggested so. When I replied to you I was stating the problem in regard to wages.

 

Why did he leave Norwich. Think you will find it was a number of reasons. But one, I would imagine, would be he thought if he could steady the ship he'd find himself at a big club with great potential for moving forward I think that is a sensible and measured way to look at it. So didn't Villa struggle badly last season with Warnock and Hutton in the team? But because they aren't playing now they same players who made mistakes weekly and were constantly at fault for goals are now better? Not really a strong case that is it.

 

You say we shouldn't have the same budget as Wigan as we are a big club but Villa are a big club that has been toiling since MON **** off and left a huge wage bill. Who is to blame for players such as Bent, Ireland, Nzogbia and such all earning in excess of £60,000 a week. or Hutton and Warnock earning what they do? Is that Lambert's fault? But since he is now manager is does impact on what he has to play with. You say built his team around Bent - a guy who is constantly injured and when he has played offered nothing (forgetting the amount of sitters he has missed this season - Norwich away in the cup for one. Bradford away in the cup for two). If he isn't 100 per cent up for the battle then why use him?

 

Finally, a decent team before this? Really? I thought it was bottom end of the table stuff last season? Somehow I think now. Proof is in the pudding - no other clubs are interested in coming in to try and sign any of them even although it is pretty well known Villa would no doubt agree to offloading one or two. So how come must Premier League managers or chairman have a different view from you?? I'd suggest you don't really have a clue. So you can't blame Lambert for not spending money he doesn't have.

 

I will say I agree not every singing has worked out but I also say some of his signings have been the best players this season.

Ok so we are moving on again. This is good. Very interesting. I take it you have either accepted my arguement in regard to the wages other clubs pay and other managers at this moment in time have to offer players and the fact Lambert doesn't. Lets just say the overall amount of money he had available to play with in the summer in regard to weekly wages was £100,000-a-week. (just a round figure to make life easy but actually not a million miles away from the true figure). So you would have rather he signed two players on £40,000-a-week (you pretty much agreed that is the going rate in the Premier League) and one at £20,000-a-week. So there actually wouldn't be any kind of squad in that case would there?

 

So how as a football manager could he have changed it? Do you not think he'd rather have signed players with a proven track record in the Premier League. Do you not think he might actually have fancied bringing in one or two from Norwich who he liked working with and would have fancied having involved with him at Villa? Do you ever ask yourself such questions? Or do you think Lambert came in and thought, I tell you what, I'll be ultra clever here and sign as many young players from the lower leagues as I can and show everyone I'm the best manager in world football??? Honestly, I do wonder!!

 

Now you say his hands were tied somewhat so expand. In what way in your opinion were they tied? Were they tied to the stage where he couldn't bring in three or four experienced players in the summer because the overall wages required to do so simply wasn't there? Or indeed why weren't they handcuffed? So no-one is coming in for these players now because of the league position but what about the summer? Why didn't anyone come in for them then? What was the excuse then other than clubs either a) don't want them or aren't prepared to match their ridiculous wages.

 

I'd like to read your answers - seeing as you know so much (err, right!) Look forward to your replay AndyM (is the M stand for moonman?)

Your a very patronising person hairyhands! AndyM has only from what I can see in his previous posts questioned the situation at the club he supports. Questioned the managers logic as most of us have recently and the transfer situation. Maybe he has had a little rant but don't we all. Then you talk down to Andy like he's an angry fool after questioning his intelligence(are you thick??, try to sound less angry, are you moonman  etc). I'm questioning whether or not you are PL, a mate of PL or PL's  PA because you appear to be into PL more than AV.

Fan's have every right to question all that goes on down the Villa especially under present circumstances. Most people would agree not all of Lamberts signings have been poor however I think the majority of people have issues with both Lerner and Lambert. The former for being a voiceless  prick and the latter for being tactically unintelligent, his inability to get the best out of what he's got, organise the team or improve on mistakes, same shit excuses - take your pick I could go on?! Personally I might question it but I don't judge any manager on the players they buy, only what they do with them. And although I agree that some of his signings are decent with the likes of Benteke, Vlaar and Lowton,in my opinion he's done **** all with decent players in Bent,Ireland and NZog(until recently) and nothing with the rest of the squad!

I'm not entirely sure how big the job is, but I do tend to agree with you, a decent manager would'nt let things go this low and incompetent.

I just don't see any improvement at all in the areas we commit the most errors. Set pieces, Midfield play, tactically. It's like nobody is improving on weaknesses. Now I honestly believe the time spent training would improve us on the mistakes we keep making, yet either the players are completely retarded or the blind(Lambert) is leading the blind(players). And I think it's plainly obvious things point to the later.

Why the hell would you hire or employ so called professionals to continually make the same errors which are to all who see bloody obvious? Lambert is tactically inept and unable to teach, improve or organise a team he manages. It's unacceptable IMO.

Should've been sacked after the wigan game. I think the fact that fans have tried to show complete patience and back the team whatever, however this is seriously backfiring now as time is running out. I honestly think a more tactically clever manager would have had us more organised than this prat. He needs to go asap!

"Proud History, The end is nigh"

This just appeared in the Guardian gallery

Awesome!! Shame though that what ever he's holding on to isn't wrapped around his neck like saddam.

A lot of Villa fan's need to start showing some nut's before it becomes to late and start voicing frustrations and anger towards the club. Lambert needs to **** off, tactically he ain't got a danny la rue, the players don't have a **** clue what their doing, they definitely don't play for him and all we get are the same bullshit tedious excuses, game after game. Lerner is just a clearing in the woods with a hooby that he has obviously become bored of and Faulkner is just a little chubby botty boy they FA use for tea making.

If the club is run in a shitty fashion by retarded people whether it's the owner, manager etc it's the fan's duty to let the world know that they expect better. The fan's are the heart and soul of the club, not players or staff and I cannot believe that anyone who claims to love Villa can continually back any of the management at the moment as they are all fuckwits. Lambert included because it appears Villa as massive a club as we are seem to be possibly one of the only clubs in the whole of the English league that would except this shit and still say "Lambo's the man". Anyone would think he's the pied piper. He should be executed by fan's blasting the ball in his face in front of the Holte End IMO.

Sorry peeps very childlike but needed the rant.

After 23 matches of this Premier League season there is a correlation between shorter passing and higher position in the league table.

Pass it shorter and it's easier because the guy you are passing to is closer.

He takes the free kicks and corners. It's 34 meters to the penalty spot. This bumps up his figure compared to Westwood and Delph. The same thing occurs for Gerrard vs Lucas. Gerrard takes a lot of the set pieces, Lucas doesn't take any.

Con, you still didn't come back with a real argument to my comment. As Woodytom said, "The teams are higher up the league because they are better players. If you tell our lads to go and pass it shorter it wont make a difference. Its not about shorter passing, its about creating space which we are awful at - hence why we tend to kick it long in hope". This is more of a factor as to why we are in our current position along with poor formations and tactics, not passing averages.

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I'd suggest that your hunch is correct.

I second that. We aren't exactly a very attractive proposition at the moment. Run by knob jockey's.

The problem with playing 2 up the top is that we haven't got the midfielders and wingers to play conventional 4-4-2. That leaves the option of the diamond midfield which we've tried and didn't really work or the 3-5-2 which has clear flaws too. I'd love to see someone like Robbie Keane up front with Benteke, I think he has the nouse to really get the best out of him but we would still need an entirely new midfield in order to make it worthwhile.

Totally agree with you sharky. Problem is though I also think the wing back system we adopt most of the time because of our weaknesses in midfield allows the opposition fullbacks to push on to much at times, then putting sustained pressure on the back line which in turn becomes too congested. Hence our inability to clear our lines or play the ball out from the back effectively enough allow forward momentum. The system works in a counter attacking situation but if you lose the connection between midfield and upfront as we did against albion, your ****. It's obvious we have massive midfield issues but I honestly think at the moment with the inexperience on the flanks we need to start playing higher up the pitch and attack more frequently. I would make the most out of the senior players now they are all generally fit. Revert to the 4-4-2 system, play Gabby and NZog out wide, Bent and Benteke upfront with Wiemann rotating with either. and get clark in the middle with ireland, Delp or Holman. Thoughts?

Average pass length

Arsenal: 18m

Swansea: 19m

Chelsea: 19m

Manchester City: 19m

Wigan: 19m

Liverpool: 19m

Manchester Utd: 19m

Southampton: 19m

Fulham: 20m

QPR: 20m

Tottenham: 20m

Aston Villa: 21m

Everton: 21m

Reading: 21m

Stoke: 21m

Sunderland: 21m

WBA: 21m

West Ham: 21m

Newcastle: 22m

Norwich: 22m

Comparison:

Barcelona 17m

17-18 m = Short passing team

19-20 = Mixed passing team

21-22 = Long passing team

We are passing longer than we should be by at least 2 meters, on average.

Con, Surely if we were passing the ball a further 2 metres than we should be as you put it the League table would be a reflection of the average pass length table you have provided? It provides absolutely no argument to suggest if we shortened our passing we would be a better team. If it did Wigan would be in contention for a european place and we should be mid table battling it out with spurs and everton. Makes no sense!

.

I would have taken a point before the game but that's only because Lambert's shit record has lowered my expectations so much. Shit subs were one thing that cost us, but it was also the fact that West Brom actually woke up and started playing, which exposed our formation for the stupidity it is - a counter-attacking setup for a team who can't defend. Lambert just looks more inept by the week. Not what we need when we're struggling for survival.

I agree with everything in your post apart from I don't necessarily think albion woke up I think we just made the wrong subs. Taking zog off so soon allowed albion to push on further and we became to static and lost the threat between the midfield and up front. We looked really good going forward today that's why I find it more bewildering why we continually take players off who carry an attacking threat and draw pressure on. Bannan was a poor replacement for delph today- was herd on the bench?, if so would've been a better option to screen the back line or even holman would've been more of a physical presence.

Tactics and lack of intelligent decision making are really costing us points we could be gaining as well as a shit CM. I am actually starting to wonder now though that if someone like Redknapp was charge instead of Lambert with the same players to choose from would we be better tactically and get more from the players, especially the likes of ireland, Bent etc. Just thought's, but I really believe a more tactical, man manager would get more from this team and I wonder if Lerner is thinking the same but is really looking for more fan pressure to act? Maybe that would explain the lack of support. Who knows either way it's a desperate situation and IMO albion were there for the taking today. 2 points lost.

He's been getting better since brought back into the team. Tthought he was quality today and can't understand why he was taken off so early. I think if he had stayed on we would've scored on the counter again.

Nobody can defend this lightweight clown anymore. My lad play's CM at academy level under 16's and I would put money on him bullying bannan all day. I'm truly suprised he made it through the youth system. He is shit end of!

Lambert gave the game away today with poor substitutions. Should never have brought on bannan and took Nzogbia off to early. Why do we try to defend when we can't. Should have carried on putting pressure on albion instead of conceding the lead like that. He really is a proper prat and will take us down make no mistake.

I would've taken a draw before the game yet after going 2 up and conceding the game with defensive subs putting us back under pressure Lambert has now proven beyond any doubt that he is tactically inept. What a utter turd!