Villa fan/Paul Lambert rant - Beware you may be offended

[WhatAboutTheFinish]

Does anyone have experience of going to other Premier League grounds as a home fan? I know it's probably something that is present at all clubs to an extent but there does seem to be an awful lot of moaning at VP.

In all fairness what else is there to do at VP other than moan? Sit back and enjoy the quality of play on offer? Marvel at how the opposition have regained their form? Sit in silence and resentment?

 

I'm not one of those vocal in my discontent or frustration but I can understand the people who are.

[Adbo9]

shittest rant ever !!

 

Why not just say all villa fans are words removed and you feel like smacking the bloke behind you in the nose for being a clearing in the woods

[drat01]

Villa fans frustrate and annoy me more than ANY other fanbase in the world, which is quite a problem considering Aston Villa Football Club has been my only true love in my 20 years on this planet. I usually keep quiet about my love/hate for my fellow supporters usually, but the recent wave of 'Lambert out' cries following yesterday's defeat (to the reigning and 20-time Premier League champions) has forced me to comment.

 

Aston Villa fans (especially at home games) tend to disassociate themselves from the club from the minute we go a goal down. Of course this is born from a love of the club and a desire to see the Villa do well. Having said this, I still think part of the reason we're so bad at home is the crowd, as soon as we go a goal down "they're (surely that should be "we're"?) all shit" and they get booed, compare that to teams abroad who's fans still sing even if they're 3-0 down.

 

The fans should be lifting the team when we're behind, but instead of the players responding to the crowd, the crowd responds to the players and what's happening on the pitch. Our young players are scared to death to play in front of 35,000 moaners who, for the most part, only want to know when we're winning.

 

As for Paul Lambert, we're to square one if we sack him, this is a slow progression project, seemingly everyone apart from Villa supporters can see this, we will finish a lot higher than last year, game-for-game, we have taken more points from the games so far this season than we did in the same matches last season, that's what progression is! It's like some Villa fans expect us to be challenging for the top four, the only way we will ever get anywhere close to that again is by sticking with a manager than has a long-term plan and stability in his job. It's not going to happen overnight. Rant well and truly over. UTV.

I think I have heard everything now

 

So basically it's the fans fault? - You may have been a fan for 20 years but in the spirit of "top trumps" I have been one for over 40 years. You talk as though the fans have an obligation to squeal shout and roar only approvingly, which is total bunkum (great word!). I love how you seemingly absolve any of the blame from the management for the issues on the pitch, interestingly I seem to think that the whole idea of the management team was to formulate a plan how to play and have the good skills to adapt things if (as we often do) concede a goal or we need to do something different - you know a plan B.

 

I watch a load of football all over the place, it keeps me out of bars when I am working away from home etc and saves my liver, and the one thing that is constant is that fans react to good performances typically and descend into lethargy etc when teams are doing crap. This is not a trait unique to Villa at all, it happens all over the place. In fact its the fans with the blind loyalty - you could argue at times Newcastle etc - that add to the setting of false expectations and ultimate disappointment.

 

What is happening at the club at the moment is not particularly good and there are slight similarities to the debacle and ultimate demise that we suffered post 1982 which led to relegation and luckily GT coming on board to shake things up. Before anyone makes the wrong assumption that typically follows in a thread that mentions Lambert, that is not to say we are going to get relegated so let's just stop that one for the time being. But with so many negative things as a fan it's sometimes very difficult to get that blind delusional fanaticism  that you seem to be talking about. Maybe rather than one thing it's a whole series of things from Lerner's way of running the club, to Lamberts abilities, through to general dissatisfaction with things like the Premier League and factors outside of football like the economy etc

 

p.s. your's was not a rant, more of a general grumble

[TRO]

On the contrary, I think the fans have been really patient and the guy sitting next to me on Sunday said exactly the same.

 

This game we watch is all about emotion, its about passion and endeavour and about devilment and arrogance, its about cockiness and about sulkiness, its about confidence and doubt....that's what we all get wrapped up in on matchday.

 

as a record of all that, we have a league table, which gives an indication of where we are on average we are throughout the season.

 

sometimes fans get the 2 mixed up.

 

The Emirates game and the game on Sunday was worlds apart for many reasons ...injuries, form, selection ,all sorts.

 

The crowd responded to what they saw, not the league table, as they did against Fulham and Sunderland.

 

I am not an advocate of BOOING,but who the hell am I to tell another fan how to control his/her emotions? providing it is within the law he/she has every right to do what they like.

 

It is not a god given right to get behind the team it is usually a natural reaction to your players trying their best to win a game or stop the opposition from buggering you.

 

To criticise the fans/crowd is very tricky territory when trying to get your point across, because there are c 42,000 different opinions...its is hard to mobilise that in to one common opinion....The team just about manage to get close to doing that on Sunday.

 

In general I totally disagree with the criticism of the fans, I was at Forest when HDE decided to dismantle the Euro side under Graham Turner, we was losing 6-0 ...Brian Clough remarked that he had never seen any thing like it in all his years in the game a constant chant for Villa.

 

The fans in those days did at least had something to cheer,( prior to that game of course) albeit just coming off winning the Euro cup, would have been forgiven for being sulky.

 

This current crowd have been starved of anything that resembles progressive football, Have witnessed very little hope before a game, have been denied any cohesive method on a consistent basis, they have just been fed scrapes of entertainment mainly from a centre forward whose form has reached depths that I have never seen from that kind of player in 50 odd years of watching them.

 

No guys, you have it arse about face, we have magnificent fans, we just need a team to go with it.

[TRO]

Just for the record wedge....I do not share your optimism for progress.

 

we are slightly better off right now in terms of points, so in those terms yes, we are progressing...but there is a big difference with now and what we was doing at the start of the season, what we did then is propping us up for what we are doing now.....create a league table of form over the last 6 games...see what you get.

 

In terms of form both team wise or many individuals we have regressed from the start of this season and the end of last....its quite depressing to see what we are dishing up...low grade football.

 

I have seen other managers in transition and have identified the progress.... right now I don't see it...a few exceptions in Delph, Guzan, Vlaar  and maybe Albrighton on his last display( but he needs to keep that up) that about it.

 

How the manager can say he can't fault the effort....when all and sundry could see we made futile attempts to close them down, is beyond me.

[wedge]

shittest rant ever !!

 

Why not just say all villa fans are words removed and you feel like smacking the bloke behind you in the nose for being a clearing in the woods

If that's what I felt then I would have said that...

 

Football players are only human beings, do you really think some of the young lads want to try an adventurous pass, or have a shot from outside the box when there are 20,000 groans if it doesn't come off? It makes me laugh when some Villa fans complain that we're 'hoofing' it, yet when we try a more patient passing approach there are a large proportion of the VP crowd screaming "get it forward".

[wedge]

On the contrary, I think the fans have been really patient and the guy sitting next to me on Sunday said exactly the same.

 

This game we watch is all about emotion, its about passion and endeavour and about devilment and arrogance, its about cockiness and about sulkiness, its about confidence and doubt....that's what we all get wrapped up in on matchday.

 

as a record of all that, we have a league table, which gives an indication of where we are on average we are throughout the season.

 

sometimes fans get the 2 mixed up.

 

The Emirates game and the game on Sunday was worlds apart for many reasons ...injuries, form, selection ,all sorts.

 

The crowd responded to what they saw, not the league table, as they did against Fulham and Sunderland.

 

I am not an advocate of BOOING,but who the hell am I to tell another fan how to control his/her emotions? providing it is within the law he/she has every right to do what they like.

 

It is not a god given right to get behind the team it is usually a natural reaction to your players trying their best to win a game or stop the opposition from buggering you.

 

To criticise the fans/crowd is very tricky territory when trying to get your point across, because there are c 42,000 different opinions...its is hard to mobilise that in to one common opinion....The team just about manage to get close to doing that on Sunday.

 

In general I totally disagree with the criticism of the fans, I was at Forest when HDE decided to dismantle the Euro side under Graham Turner, we was losing 6-0 ...Brian Clough remarked that he had never seen any thing like it in all his years in the game a constant chant for Villa.

 

The fans in those days did at least had something to cheer,( prior to that game of course) albeit just coming off winning the Euro cup, would have been forgiven for being sulky.

 

This current crowd have been starved of anything that resembles progressive football, Have witnessed very little hope before a game, have been denied any cohesive method on a consistent basis, they have just been fed scrapes of entertainment mainly from a centre forward whose form has reached depths that I have never seen from that kind of player in 50 odd years of watching them.

 

No guys, you have it arse about face, we have magnificent fans, we just need a team to go with it.

For such great fans we're awfully quiet when we're behind, we should be lifting the team instead of turning on them...

[briny_ear]

I went out and bought a bullet-proof vest before reading this. I was misled under the Trades Description Act and I demand compensation.

Oh, BTW, Lambert out!

[P3te]

 

Does anyone have experience of going to other Premier League grounds as a home fan? I know it's probably something that is present at all clubs to an extent but there does seem to be an awful lot of moaning at VP.

In all fairness what else is there to do at VP other than moan? Sit back and enjoy the quality of play on offer? Marvel at how the opposition have regained their form? Sit in silence and resentment?

 

you could try supporting the team?

[Shaw_nuff]

Rather than having to read this insipid holier-than-thou, patronising tripe, why didn't the OP just list this plethora of discontented fans asking for 'Lambert out'? 

 

The majority bringing up this subject are claiming to be his biggest fans. Very few of us disgruntled fans are calling for his head.

[wazzap24]

I'm not really sure where I stand on our fan base really.

As a lasped ST holder, I can totally appreciate the frustration of the fans who have forked out for basically shite results for the past 3 and a half seasons.

On the other hand, as a set of fans we are particularly good at moaning and not that great at creating an atmosphere at VP. Our away fans are completely different , the support shown and atmosphere generated by them is amongst the best in the land.

I would argue against those saying it doesn't make a difference and the fans are 'not to blame'.

Surely, the more fans create a positive, supportive atmosphere, the more chance we have of winning at home?

Equally, if fans create a negative, critical atmosphere it aids the opposition.

Any normal individual in all walks of life will generally perform better if praised and encouraged, rather than criticised and put down.

It's by no means the main reason we are not doing as well as we could at home, but its certainly a contributing factor.

[villalad21]

My worry with Mr Lambert is after 1.5 years in the club, he still has no clue in what formation, or what players to use.

[Morpheus]

Would those who criticise the fans feel the same way if they'd been at the game against Sunderland last season?

 

While no-one expects us to be hammering teams like that on a weekly basis the point is that the fans had something to cheer and therein lies the problem.

 

You cannot expect the fans to cheer a poor performance especially performances such has been served up by our team over the past three seasons and before I get the usual you should support your team vocally regardless, anyone been at Old Trafford recently?

 

Put the right product on the pitch and what I mean by that is having players doing something on the pitch that ordinary mortals cannot do. Bits of skill, flare, something that, if your still young enough, you'll want to try at home by yourself, with mates or indeed with your son or daughter.

 

The present atmosphere at Villa Park hasn't been caused by the fans. It has been caused by the absolute dross on the pitch and even some, if not all armchair fans no longer shout at the TV anymore because, well, there just seems to be an inevitability that we are going to be poor again due to a lack of quality and by and large, we don't disappoint.

[Vincenzo]

On the contrary, I think the fans have been really patient and the guy sitting next to me on Sunday said exactly the same.

 

This game we watch is all about emotion, its about passion and endeavour and about devilment and arrogance, its about cockiness and about sulkiness, its about confidence and doubt....that's what we all get wrapped up in on matchday.

 

as a record of all that, we have a league table, which gives an indication of where we are on average we are throughout the season.

 

sometimes fans get the 2 mixed up.

 

The Emirates game and the game on Sunday was worlds apart for many reasons ...injuries, form, selection ,all sorts.

 

The crowd responded to what they saw, not the league table, as they did against Fulham and Sunderland.

 

I am not an advocate of BOOING,but who the hell am I to tell another fan how to control his/her emotions? providing it is within the law he/she has every right to do what they like.

 

It is not a god given right to get behind the team it is usually a natural reaction to your players trying their best to win a game or stop the opposition from buggering you.

 

To criticise the fans/crowd is very tricky territory when trying to get your point across, because there are c 42,000 different opinions...its is hard to mobilise that in to one common opinion....The team just about manage to get close to doing that on Sunday.

 

In general I totally disagree with the criticism of the fans, I was at Forest when HDE decided to dismantle the Euro side under Graham Turner, we was losing 6-0 ...Brian Clough remarked that he had never seen any thing like it in all his years in the game a constant chant for Villa.

 

The fans in those days did at least had something to cheer,( prior to that game of course) albeit just coming off winning the Euro cup, would have been forgiven for being sulky.

 

This current crowd have been starved of anything that resembles progressive football, Have witnessed very little hope before a game, have been denied any cohesive method on a consistent basis, they have just been fed scrapes of entertainment mainly from a centre forward whose form has reached depths that I have never seen from that kind of player in 50 odd years of watching them.

 

No guys, you have it arse about face, we have magnificent fans, we just need a team to go with it.

I was at that game also and we were absolutely s**t, so bad if you didn't laugh you'd have cried

We just took the piss, I think quite a few Villa fans even celebrated their 5 or 6 goal :-)

[AndyM3000]

I dont want Lambert sacked at the moment even though the football is dire.

 

One thing I will never do is boo at the stadium or boo our own players off or ironic cheers when someone who has had a bad game finally gets subbed. It just isn't going to help. On the other side im not going to stand up and blindly cheer them on when we are 2-0 down and we have been awful.

 

There was a guy in the Upper Holte a few weeks ago, v Cardiff and just before half time he started shouting out on his own 'They are all shit, Tonev, shit, Baker, shit, KEA, shit! Lambert, SHIT!' a few fans had a go at him and he kept on saying how he paid his money and it was his right to say what he wanted. Id never seen him before and haven't seen him since so not a season ticket holder but these fans amaze me, I dont know why they turn up. I thought it was going to kick off at one point as one fan was really pissed off with him.

 

I go to our games and I will support the team and if im unhappy I leave the stadium at the end of the match, make my way home and log onto Villatalk and moan on here instead 

[TezzRexx]

Villa fans frustrate and annoy me more than ANY other fanbase in the world, which is quite a problem considering Aston Villa Football Club has been my only true love in my 20 years on this planet. I usually keep quiet about my love/hate for my fellow supporters usually, but the recent wave of 'Lambert out' cries following yesterday's defeat (to the reigning and 20-time Premier League champions) has forced me to comment.

 

Aston Villa fans (especially at home games) tend to disassociate themselves from the club from the minute we go a goal down. Of course this is born from a love of the club and a desire to see the Villa do well. Having said this, I still think part of the reason we're so bad at home is the crowd, as soon as we go a goal down "they're (surely that should be "we're"?) all shit" and they get booed, compare that to teams abroad who's fans still sing even if they're 3-0 down.

 

The fans should be lifting the team when we're behind, but instead of the players responding to the crowd, the crowd responds to the players and what's happening on the pitch. Our young players are scared to death to play in front of 35,000 moaners who, for the most part, only want to know when we're winning.

 

As for Paul Lambert, we're to square one if we sack him, this is a slow progression project, seemingly everyone apart from Villa supporters can see this, we will finish a lot higher than last year, game-for-game, we have taken more points from the games so far this season than we did in the same matches last season, that's what progression is! It's like some Villa fans expect us to be challenging for the top four, the only way we will ever get anywhere close to that again is by sticking with a manager than has a long-term plan and stability in his job. It's not going to happen overnight. Rant well and truly over. UTV.

 

This is 100% the truth and the reason why we struggle at home.

 

Nothing gets on my nerves more than when people start to groan at a misplaced pass, or start boo-ing at HT. Football is all about trying something different, it won't always come off but you have to keep trying. If you get slated by half the crowd for making a mistake or luck not going your way whilst trying, why would you want to try again?

 

I can't blame Lambert playing for points this season to get comfortable in the league and my personal opinion is that the football itself will improve (especially once our more important player(s) regain form) later in the season but to me, it just seems like most of the crowd at VP have never played football before, and literally have no idea what the reality is.

[srsmithusa]

Chicken and Egg

Quality and Support

[TRO]

 

On the contrary, I think the fans have been really patient and the guy sitting next to me on Sunday said exactly the same.

 

This game we watch is all about emotion, its about passion and endeavour and about devilment and arrogance, its about cockiness and about sulkiness, its about confidence and doubt....that's what we all get wrapped up in on matchday.

 

as a record of all that, we have a league table, which gives an indication of where we are on average we are throughout the season.

 

sometimes fans get the 2 mixed up.

 

The Emirates game and the game on Sunday was worlds apart for many reasons ...injuries, form, selection ,all sorts.

 

The crowd responded to what they saw, not the league table, as they did against Fulham and Sunderland.

 

I am not an advocate of BOOING,but who the hell am I to tell another fan how to control his/her emotions? providing it is within the law he/she has every right to do what they like.

 

It is not a god given right to get behind the team it is usually a natural reaction to your players trying their best to win a game or stop the opposition from buggering you.

 

To criticise the fans/crowd is very tricky territory when trying to get your point across, because there are c 42,000 different opinions...its is hard to mobilise that in to one common opinion....The team just about manage to get close to doing that on Sunday.

 

In general I totally disagree with the criticism of the fans, I was at Forest when HDE decided to dismantle the Euro side under Graham Turner, we was losing 6-0 ...Brian Clough remarked that he had never seen any thing like it in all his years in the game a constant chant for Villa.

 

The fans in those days did at least had something to cheer,( prior to that game of course) albeit just coming off winning the Euro cup, would have been forgiven for being sulky.

 

This current crowd have been starved of anything that resembles progressive football, Have witnessed very little hope before a game, have been denied any cohesive method on a consistent basis, they have just been fed scrapes of entertainment mainly from a centre forward whose form has reached depths that I have never seen from that kind of player in 50 odd years of watching them.

 

No guys, you have it arse about face, we have magnificent fans, we just need a team to go with it.

For such great fans we're awfully quiet when we're behind, we should be lifting the team instead of turning on them...

 

 we have been doing just that ....but it wears a bit thin week in and week out....so Sunday was just a bad day at the office for the fans....but hey! we'll go again.

[TRO]

I dont want Lambert sacked at the moment even though the football is dire.

 

One thing I will never do is boo at the stadium or boo our own players off or ironic cheers when someone who has had a bad game finally gets subbed. It just isn't going to help. On the other side im not going to stand up and blindly cheer them on when we are 2-0 down and we have been awful.

 

There was a guy in the Upper Holte a few weeks ago, v Cardiff and just before half time he started shouting out on his own 'They are all shit, Tonev, shit, Baker, shit, KEA, shit! Lambert, SHIT!' a few fans had a go at him and he kept on saying how he paid his money and it was his right to say what he wanted. Id never seen him before and haven't seen him since so not a season ticket holder but these fans amaze me, I dont know why they turn up. I thought it was going to kick off at one point as one fan was really pissed off with him.

 

I go to our games and I will support the team and if im unhappy I leave the stadium at the end of the match, make my way home and log onto Villatalk and moan on here instead 

 Thats exactly what i do....I never make my feelings known to the team

[TRO]

I'm not really sure where I stand on our fan base really.

As a lasped ST holder, I can totally appreciate the frustration of the fans who have forked out for basically shite results for the past 3 and a half seasons.

On the other hand, as a set of fans we are particularly good at moaning and not that great at creating an atmosphere at VP. Our away fans are completely different , the support shown and atmosphere generated by them is amongst the best in the land.

I would argue against those saying it doesn't make a difference and the fans are 'not to blame'.

Surely, the more fans create a positive, supportive atmosphere, the more chance we have of winning at home?

Equally, if fans create a negative, critical atmosphere it aids the opposition.

Any normal individual in all walks of life will generally perform better if praised and encouraged, rather than criticised and put down.

It's by no means the main reason we are not doing as well as we could at home, but its certainly a contributing factor.

 

I think you will find by definition the away fans are more "hard core", ( not better) they have had more to cheer to be fair in the last 7/8 seasons and it is easier to motivate yourself when you are condensed and in the minority....its like you have a stronger point to prove.....probably have a few more bevvys too.

 

ps  QPR last season at home...anybody?

Edited December 18, 2013 by TRO