avfc1982am

Except we're not consistently shit - if we were we would've been down ages ago. I think your wrong Mantis. We HAVE been consistantly shit. And you can keep going on about bad luck etc, but the fact remains, we have also had a fair share of good fortune throughout the season, Man City, Southampton, I could go on........ Bottom line is Lambert didn't have massive funds however hasn't done enough with what he has been given and should go. The football we play is too one dimensional with no real shape and none of the players appear to be progressing individually or collectively either.Tactically he has been outthought on a regular basis by other managers, or not reacted quick enough- Something I and friends have witnessed on many occasions this season. If I am completely honest what concerns me most at the moment is this time last year the team started to turn the corner and pull together some good results and performances to escape from the drop zone. This season we are turning the corner in the opposite direction whilst those around us are starting to fight. In the next couple of weeks we could be right in the mix and I don't know if we have the fight this year for the run in. Lambert needs to go at the end of the season, and anyone suggesting that even if we go down he should remain needs their head looking at.

I remember Paul Davis scoring an overhead kick for Arsenal against us back in 83. Last game of the season. We won 2-1 but the whole ground stood to clap what was a quality goal.

Is anyone really a fan of hoofball? The ones who call pass and move football...."tippy tappy" How do you know what I'm a fan of?? Where did I say I liked hoofball?

I totally disagree, Martinez would not have taken us down. He wouldnt have signed anywhere near as much crap as Lambert has signed Oh right, so you think he would have had Baker, Delph, Albrighton, Agbonlahor etc etc playing a short sharp posession game do you? Or do you think he would have magic'd up £50M to completely replace the squad? Either way it's pure fantasy Was not it not great football that ended up keeping us safe last year. Our final 10 games saw a huge improvement in the football and the results. Could a better manager not have had us playing that way ealier? But our style did not change, it just became more effective toward the end of the season, as it may again this year. Under Martinez you'd be looking at a wholly different approach and one that with the squad the way it was 24 months ago would have been beyond us, no matter how well you coach them you're not going to get Baker, Clark, Agbonlahor, Albrighton etc playing tippy tappy posession football Not many teams do play tippy tappy football as you put it especially not in the premiership. The two exceptions are probably Arsenal and Swansea neither managed by Martinez so whats your point? It seems to me that your picking on another managers style of play to try and justify how great Lambert has done?! What nonsense!! First of all Martinez has done very little at Everton yet with one or two decent signing's has got them playing much better football than us and probably his predecessor(Moyes)- and without so called tippy tappy footballers!! Plus how many times have we beat everton this season?! What Martinez may have actually done at villa would be for a start actually play Albrighton instead of Wiemann who has been shit. Had the players more organised and introduced patterns of play that are actually more exciting than the dross we've been watching all season. We will never know though will we because it's all if's, but's and maybes?! So your statement in itself is pure fantasy!!

Under Graham Taylor in 88/89 we avoided relegation in our last game of the season. The following season we finished runners up. Can't see us finishing runners up for a while can you? Plus Paul lambert is most definitely not SGT!

I love your optimism however what you haven't thought about or not mentioned is, all the players mentioned who are in their second premier season, which one has actually improved on their first season? Bennett, Westwood, Benteke, Lowton, Vlaar, KEA? IMO probably taking Vlaar out the mix the rest have been shitter second time round. So if Helanius, Luna, Kozak, Tonev, Bacuna, Sylla, Okore take after the formers we are possibley in for a crap year 3 also - progression eh! Look, without doubt the players should get better however you need good technical and tactical information and coaching as a basis to improve. Something Lambert and his staff appear to be lacking in. He hasn't improved individuals, our organisation, balance and in my opinion still isn't picking the strongest team. We have had far more options in the squad than last season yet incredibly still see the same bullshit like for like changes and mistakes week after week. I want any Villa manager to succeed however I will not follow the blind, or a manager that has shown me nothing in 2 years(apart from a couple of games) to suggest my club/ team is in good hands under his leadership. Up to now all I have seen is that Lambert can manage a budget and bore the sh*t out of the supporters - That makes him more of an accountant than a manager imo.

Being able to negate your opponents strengths and expose their weaknesses can be the difference between winning and losing. Many occassions this season Lambert has been undone by not responding to tactical formation/changes. Off the top of my head, If I look back over games such as West Ham, Spurs, Newcastle, I watched us continually get ripped open down the flanks with Lambert not lifting a finger to stop the problem. Everton away we defended to deep. I could go on.... Villa have been far too narrow the majority of this season - especially at home on a wide pitch. Yet week after week Lambert does nothing to resolve this issue. We don't create spaces, we play far too congested football, hence the lack of possession and clear chances during games. Last season our fortunes(you could argue) changed against Newcastle at half time at home. The crowd gave the team stick, Lambert changed the formation and in the end we were unlucky to not get anything out the game. More importantly though the team played as if the shackles were finally off and we started to hurt teams by using the whole pitch not part of it . We seem to have regressed this season to pre Newcastle last year which is my biggest concern, especially for the run in. I know it's easy to talk about problems and solutions in hindsight, however I would bet that a good 80-90% of Villa fans attending the games or watching on TV, see on the whole, the same problems even tactically, before, during and after the games. The thing I ask myself is why the hell doesn't Lambert? If I'm honest the only time I have felt this season that Lambert got it tactically right mid game was against the baggies away with his subs. For me many of the players are sht and not worthy of touching the shirt never mind wearing it, however I do believe with the right formations, tactical decisions and knowing the players limitations and strengths we should still be more comfortable points wise than we are- and playing better football.

I thought we lost the game because The formation was wrong, There was no width, little movement off the ball and newcastle wanted it more! I think too many of our players started believing the hype and underestimated the opposition saturday. Ultimately though Lambert has to come up with a plan B. Against newcastle last season we were shite playing 4-3-3 at home. The formation was changed at half time after a round of boos. We came out 4-4-2 and low and behold, started to play football. Dont know why Lambert hadnt learnt from that game?! Also I think Wiemann and Lowton need a couple of games out. Both have been shit up to now. El Hamidi isn't good enough, Delph's trying to much at times, although our best midfielder. Westwood ok but still learning and not pulling up trees also plays deep like delph. And whatever people say we do need a little experience, a leader someone who will kick nuts when things are shit. And Vlaar is no leader he struggles with his own job at times. By the way you are right though the atmosphere was shocking from the faithful. It took the goal to get the crowd going for the first time which was well into the second half. At least you can banter the away fans in the lower north. The rest of the ground including the upper holte is terrible. As someone who grew up getting squashed in the early eighties in the Holte it breaks my heart now, its like a morgue!That 12th man banner needs to come down!!

Excellent news if true.

We could but then we lose his defensive qualities. What's wrong with playing Sylla in the defensive role along side westwood? Delph if played further forward would still have to track back and do the dirty bit also but if he's doing it in and around Benteke he will pick up on the second balls the big man fails to control and frees up Wiemenn and Gabby to push into the spaces out wide. It's all about options and imo the more the merrier.

My thoughts excactly. Will give us much more flexibility at home playing this sort of formation- not saying it's the way forward but will allow us to be less of a counter side at home with him and benteke both up front. It's another option at least.

Can see him becoming a legend at VP if he keeps improving. Him and Gabby are looking formidable down the left. So different from last year.

This might sound a little crackers but apart from cover at RB. CM is where we need to strengthen and if there are no further signings I wouldn't mind seeing delph floating behind Benteke when going forward. The energy and eagerness he is showing to get on the ball and make things happen at the moment, plus he's always looking to get a shot off. I'm full aware that playing the left side of the midfield 3 he gives balance but I think we could get a shit load more out of him in a more AM role.

I agree. He doesn't look like he's at the races yet. In the second half he lost the ball in a terrible position trying to cut inside and dribble through the scousers defence when he should laid the ball off instead completely exposing the defence. Needs to be challenged for the RB position IMO.

Thought he looked poor in the first half but who didn't? much better in the second half though and as with tonev and hilarious(Helenius) just think he will need time to adjust. Luna and Okore appear the 2 players most ready for the first team right now.

Plus whenever we gets possession his desire to get forward is great to see. His energy levels are top notch. He also a bit of a pretty boy, not that I'm gay or anything. You sure?

Yep - I had overlooked him. But from what I hear - he either plays as a central striker - or in the hole. Same as weimann .. we should try him wide .. The chance of seeing any player who stands 6.5+ playing out wide is pretty remote.

Personally I think Okore had to press the initial ball for the goal. If you look at the second ball in Okores back in position when Vlaar mis-times his interception to allow sturridge in for the goal. If I'm honest I think Vlaar is the weaker of the two on the ground yet better in the air. Vlaar's passing out from the back is bloody attrocious at times and he has this tendency to follow the ball into midfield leaving gaps behind himself. Although early days weve not looked to bad through the middle or down the left. The right side with Lowton and Wiemenn however has not been great and these two need to pick up their game as our right side is slowly turning into last seasons left.

Kepping the front 3 fit is key this year I feel especially Gabby and I think it was no coincedence that when he came back from injury at the end of last season we started scoring goals again. Both him and Weimenn make so much room for Benteke when they burst forward at pace. Hopefully the signings of Tonev and Bacuna take some of the pressure of them both though and allow more rotation keeping them fresher. Still slightly concerned however about the CM position and when we come up against a physically stronger midfield

I agree but largely, you defend as a TEAM and attack as a TEAM. We are undoubtedly improving and that result against Arsenal and Malaga was testimony to the improvement. We still need to improve our control of the football, to help keep control of the game. Arsenal, despite their singular goal was still dangerous mainly due to their quality play on the ball. Arsene Venger was right in his defence of the lack of transfer market activity when he said "that team was good enough to beat villa"...It was, but it didn't. what some people forget is other attributes like doggedness, team spirit, youthful energy, effervescence, intensity, passion, will to win....was all in Villa's favour..in short Villa wanted it more than Arsenal. some want to learn to give a bit of credit where its due.....on our doorstep. I agree with this. One thing that was very noticeable yesterday day was for the first 20mins we were defending more a little more zonally and hence slower to close the ball down. We seemed to get a bit more of a grip with the pace of the game then which was pretty frantic.We started to close the ball down quicker and became more physical which I think really rattled Arsenal. Vlaar and Lowton both got pulled out of position on numerous occassions especially Lowton who I thought was our poorest player yesterday. Luna although positionally poor early just seemed to get better and better and keeping Walcott quiet is no easy task. Guzan was shaky early but a beast as usual as the game wore on. If we continue with the high energy closing the ball down with good movement I think we wont do too badly this season Although it will be interesting to se how we deal with crosses and set-pieces.

Alex Mcleish very closely followed by Jermaine Jenas - £45,000 a week, season long loan, 3 appearances! Argue with that??

How do you work out that Bannan is more attacking than Delph? Sure delph has more energy defensively but in all honesty he is far more attack-minded than Bannan who either goes sideways or backwards 99% of the time. Delph and Sylla offer more than Bannan both defensively and offensively IMO. The trouble is with bannan as was yesterday, he picks the short passes up out of defence then forgets to turn and play forward and if I'm correct he was the attacking midfielder on the pitch yesterday with Sylla and Westwood holding. NZog came on and did more in 15 min than Bannan did all game. Bannan offered nothing going forward so to say he's more attacking is just utter bollocks.

First of all, what is it Lambert has done for you to have nothing but admiration for him? Did you believe that at the beginning of the season Villa were destined to go down anyway and therefore Lambert has punched above his own weight with the results he has achieved, has the team been playing above themselves and is he doing a fantastic job? As for the "top coach you mention", What is it has he done to deserve this wonderful accolade you have bestowed on him. Is it the confusing team selections and tactics week after week? The way he has been unable to coach the defensive errors from set pieces out of the team? The fact that the players appear to be as confused as the fan's during games as to what they are supposed to be doing? I understand Lambert hasn't come into the club at the best time with the reduction of wages investment etc. However you go on like he's god! He has been shit at best and you have this idea that he is the best manager out there that Villa could get! He has had decent money and arguably has only spent 10-12m wisely, failed to strengthen in the right areas with quality instead opting for youth, especially on the flanks, and then also choosing a formation that exposes them. Absolute genius! Lerner is most to blame for our current situation due to his typical yank gung ho attitude and inability to hire the right staff. Lambert however has done exactly the same thing with the team, gets paid a shit load of money in the process yet has an expectancy level of zero?! And to claim he has put up with a load of shit is nonsense. He has had massive backing from everyone at the club, especially the fan's. He is very much to blame for our plight and the words admiration or top coach would be the last in the english dictionary I would use to describe him.

You crackers. Don't you think Lambert has done enough this season to damage his own career or is Randy also picking the team and tactics? Not many manager's have had approximately 25m to spend this season. It's ok to chant on about the owner should keep throwing money at the manager to sort this and that but Lambert IMO has still had more than enough money to keep Villa up and our current position is very much of his doing . Randy is proving to be a useless rocket polisher especially at hiring but you people still hugging Lambert like nothing's his fault make me laugh. He might turn out to be a fantastic manager in a few years but right now he's proving no more useful than a chocolate fireguard.

I do think P3te is right though regarding the signings. I would expect this young lad sylla to add more strength to the centre in a 442 which I think Lambert has to switch to now. If he plays 532/352 again and we get shafted like Tuesday night I think the fans will turn instantly. I just wouldn't expect too much too soon from sylla, and if he comes in and lights up the place all the better. I think he is one for the future personally but you never know. Either way the signings are not a statement of intent that the Villa board or management are willing to pull out all the stops to increase the chances of staying in the prem.