Why Paul Lambert should get the sack

[Risso]

 

 

Other managers have shown what their footballing philosophy is without any money.  Look at Martinez, kept Wigan up for years with not much money and crowds of 18,000, but always tried to play good football in doing so.  Has now moved on to Everton where he is replicating that playing style with better players and Everton are doing well as a result.

 

Whether you think £43m is enough on new players or not, the fact is that Lambert's footballing style is atrocious, and his footballing philosophy non-existent.  There's no discernible shape, tactics or plan to what we're trying to do, and even if he was given more money to spend in January, I think he'd be just as shambolic but with better players.  Give me a manager who wants his team to play football any day of the week.

 

Right up until he didn't keep them up

 

 

 

I personally think Martinez did very well keeping them up for as long as he did, and winning the FA Cup last season.

 

 

Indeed.  Martinez is still rightly revered by Latics fans, and what Villa fan wouldn't give their right bollock for an FA Cup win?

[Oaks]

One thing that has pissed me off this week is Lamberts "we always knew it would be a struggle for the first season" has changed to "we always knew it would it would be a struggle for the first 2 seasons". Oh and my expectations of professional footballers being able to string 2 passes together is to high.

[Morpheus]

 

I was disheartened by his 606 interview after the game last night, He said something along the lines of "Villa are a massive club, but this is built on what happened in the past."

 

He also responded to a question about the 27% possession by asking the interviewer what the score was and stating that it's the number of goals that count.

 

I'm concerned that he is trying to manage everyone's expectations to "as long we finish 17th at worst things will be fine". His tactical ability has really been shown up this season.

 

What I don't understand is why a midfield with Westwood and KEA in it struggles to pass. When we signed KEA didn't he have one of the best pass completion rates in the Eredivisie? Slower league I know but we are struggling with the basics. I get the impression that Lambert just wants our defenders to lump it to the strikers, bypassing the midfield and putting us straight back under pressure.

 

After the end of last season there is no justification for the terrible football we are playing at the moment. It's like we aren't even trying to play the game.

 

Pass completion is not "the basics" - in the dutch league you will look like your good because you will have time, in the Premiership you will get no time.

 

Posters keep saying we just need "stick to the basics"and "pass and move" - like it's the easiest thing in the world.  If it were, you'd think that most managers would have worked that out by now

 

You play if you are allowed to or if you are better than your opponent - £10k a week players are unlikely to be better than £50k a week players

 

Personally, that we are competitive at all on the budget we have is an acheivement (please don't quote the £40m figure again - we have lost players that cost £80m and are working with a circa £60m squad against £120-£350m squads. In any case it's be clearly proven that performance correlates to wages not to fees)

 

10k a week players eh?

 

How much is Benteke, Gabby, Weimann, Vlaar and Guzan earning?

 

At the other end of the spectrum how much has Hughes had to spend at Stoke for example while at the same time changing their style of play? Would you say that the players at Palace are earning more than our players Bannan included? Would you say the players at Hull are earning more than those at Fulham or indeed our players?

 

The difference is in the way they are being organised and coached and that comes down to the manager!

[Electric Avenue]

He's definitely lost the plot on the field and his interviews are becoming more and more bizarre. Dead man walking IMHO.

[Morpheus]

 

 

I really wanted Lambert to do well here. I really thought Lambert would do well here. I bought into the "young and hungry" philosophy,  and at time have been quite proud of it. But it doesn't work. The players aren't learning quick enough, they're not developing quick enough, and quite frankly, buying "young and hungry" players just doesn't work. Every club would be doing it if it did.

 

I was all for getting rid of Ireland, Dunne, Collins, Bent, Warnock, Hutton etc.... but with the hope that the players brought in would be better than them. But they're not. Benteke aside, none of the players Lambert has bought in are better than the players they have replaced. The sooner both Lambert and Lerner piss off the better. I can accept not winning games if we were entertaining to watch. Afterall, football is supposed to be entertainment... isn't it? There's nothing entertaining about going to Villa Park. It's a lot of money to spend to watch complete and utter shite. I'm really not bothered about going to Villa Park now. I'd rather just stay in the pub. Watching this "football" is just awful. Seriously cant put 3 passes together, it's depressing. 4 years on the bounce now we've been absolutely awful to watch, I wonder why I bother paying the £500 for a season ticket just to be bored.

 

The sad thing is, the way Lerner is now running the club i really don't believe we could find a better manager then Lambert.

 

They cost less than 50% of the players they replaced, they earn 25% of the players they replaced and yet they have delivered better points total and a better league position.

good points cas , statistics that aren't often used but equally relevant

 

Yes I seem to remember those statistics being used several games ago and they were rightly quashed for not being a constant. We are now better off by what, one point with our 'easy run' of fixtures coming to an end.

 

Interesting to see how that statistic fairs over the next set of fixtures?

[CarewsEyebrowDesigner]

I think he'll walk if he loses the fans.

[DamsonwoodVillan]

The calls for him to go I feel at this minute do not fully take into account the implications of such a decision. If we changed the manager with this current squad and financial situation we would likely have to step back again before we see an improvement.

I'm not happy with how things have gone this season but this is Lambert's squad and Lambert's situation, I have faith he is the one to see it through at present.

When MON left I was gutted to be honest as I knew our hopeful big club mentality era was coming to an end.

1. But I bought into the Houllier vision - that we could be powerful in the transfer market, become a good passing team, and get back to the top six gradually.

2. I even bought into the McLeish project - we still had decent players, I believed he could deliver decent enough league finishes etc based on being tough to beat.

3. And I certainly bought into the Lambert approach... I've believed from day one it was going to be a slow and arduous journey with him back to the top half, and I'm not ready to give up on him just yet.

For one reason or another we've been stuck in a cycle for a few years now of starting ok, becoming disgruntled, and then changing the manager every 12-18 months. And it hasn't worked. I see no reason why it would work out this time. This time especially as we would have an ultra difficult set of circumstances for any new man to take on. Names like Bruce and Clark are flavour of the month names at the moment for whatever reason, but I for one certainly wouldn't ditch PL to chase one of them.

Stick with Lambert for 3 years is my shout, if I'm wrong then I'm wrong. Fine. This bad run we're on after we started the season solid enough has brought out far too many OTT comments.

[Hanky]

There are plenty of managers who have had to work on a tight budget. Look at Hull City, they play much better football than us (and I'm not advocating that we should appoint Bruce as manager here). With some clever business and some decent tactics, you can make a side competitive in this league and playing some decent football. Unfortunately Lambert has been, by and large, terrible in the transfer market.

The two games I have seen at Villa Park have probably been the worse performances that we have given since I've been going. What worries me is Lambert is changing the story about his 'project' from last year. If all those players we have really are on less than 10k a week, we might as well give up now.

[foreveryoung]

Just watching match of the day. A little worrying most of the players ignored Lambert after Gabby's goal.

I don't think the players like playing this way, they certainly not learning anything.

[Cliffy Biro]

Yep it was lambert that made an effort to touch the players, none of them seemed interested in him at all.

[VillaCas]

 

 

I was disheartened by his 606 interview after the game last night, He said something along the lines of "Villa are a massive club, but this is built on what happened in the past."

 

He also responded to a question about the 27% possession by asking the interviewer what the score was and stating that it's the number of goals that count.

 

I'm concerned that he is trying to manage everyone's expectations to "as long we finish 17th at worst things will be fine". His tactical ability has really been shown up this season.

 

What I don't understand is why a midfield with Westwood and KEA in it struggles to pass. When we signed KEA didn't he have one of the best pass completion rates in the Eredivisie? Slower league I know but we are struggling with the basics. I get the impression that Lambert just wants our defenders to lump it to the strikers, bypassing the midfield and putting us straight back under pressure.

 

After the end of last season there is no justification for the terrible football we are playing at the moment. It's like we aren't even trying to play the game.

 

Pass completion is not "the basics" - in the dutch league you will look like your good because you will have time, in the Premiership you will get no time.

 

Posters keep saying we just need "stick to the basics"and "pass and move" - like it's the easiest thing in the world.  If it were, you'd think that most managers would have worked that out by now

 

You play if you are allowed to or if you are better than your opponent - £10k a week players are unlikely to be better than £50k a week players

 

Personally, that we are competitive at all on the budget we have is an acheivement (please don't quote the £40m figure again - we have lost players that cost £80m and are working with a circa £60m squad against £120-£350m squads. In any case it's be clearly proven that performance correlates to wages not to fees)

 

 

I didn't think I did quote the £40m figure in the first place?

 

 

No sorry I didnt mean you I meant in general - apologies

[VillaCas]

 

 

I was disheartened by his 606 interview after the game last night, He said something along the lines of "Villa are a massive club, but this is built on what happened in the past."

 

He also responded to a question about the 27% possession by asking the interviewer what the score was and stating that it's the number of goals that count.

 

I'm concerned that he is trying to manage everyone's expectations to "as long we finish 17th at worst things will be fine". His tactical ability has really been shown up this season.

 

What I don't understand is why a midfield with Westwood and KEA in it struggles to pass. When we signed KEA didn't he have one of the best pass completion rates in the Eredivisie? Slower league I know but we are struggling with the basics. I get the impression that Lambert just wants our defenders to lump it to the strikers, bypassing the midfield and putting us straight back under pressure.

 

After the end of last season there is no justification for the terrible football we are playing at the moment. It's like we aren't even trying to play the game.

 

Pass completion is not "the basics" - in the dutch league you will look like your good because you will have time, in the Premiership you will get no time.

 

Posters keep saying we just need "stick to the basics"and "pass and move" - like it's the easiest thing in the world.  If it were, you'd think that most managers would have worked that out by now

 

You play if you are allowed to or if you are better than your opponent - £10k a week players are unlikely to be better than £50k a week players

 

Personally, that we are competitive at all on the budget we have is an acheivement (please don't quote the £40m figure again - we have lost players that cost £80m and are working with a circa £60m squad against £120-£350m squads. In any case it's be clearly proven that performance correlates to wages not to fees)

 

10k a week players eh?

 

How much is Benteke, Gabby, Weimann, Vlaar and Guzan earning?

 

At the other end of the spectrum how much has Hughes had to spend at Stoke for example while at the same time changing their style of play? Would you say that the players at Palace are earning more than our players Bannan included? Would you say the players at Hull are earning more than those at Fulham or indeed our players?

 

The difference is in the way they are being organised and coached and that comes down to the manager!

 

 

Bacuna, Tonev, Westwood, Lowton, Luna, Clark and Baker

 

If you don't want to understand that wages = performance that's up to you

[PaulMcgrathsknees]

Can't believe this thread has so many pages....

 

Stick with him. Don't want any old no mark to take us down. Hopefully scrape our way out of trouble this year and slowly rebuild.

[VillaCas]

 

 

 

I really wanted Lambert to do well here. I really thought Lambert would do well here. I bought into the "young and hungry" philosophy,  and at time have been quite proud of it. But it doesn't work. The players aren't learning quick enough, they're not developing quick enough, and quite frankly, buying "young and hungry" players just doesn't work. Every club would be doing it if it did.

 

I was all for getting rid of Ireland, Dunne, Collins, Bent, Warnock, Hutton etc.... but with the hope that the players brought in would be better than them. But they're not. Benteke aside, none of the players Lambert has bought in are better than the players they have replaced. The sooner both Lambert and Lerner piss off the better. I can accept not winning games if we were entertaining to watch. Afterall, football is supposed to be entertainment... isn't it? There's nothing entertaining about going to Villa Park. It's a lot of money to spend to watch complete and utter shite. I'm really not bothered about going to Villa Park now. I'd rather just stay in the pub. Watching this "football" is just awful. Seriously cant put 3 passes together, it's depressing. 4 years on the bounce now we've been absolutely awful to watch, I wonder why I bother paying the £500 for a season ticket just to be bored.

 

The sad thing is, the way Lerner is now running the club i really don't believe we could find a better manager then Lambert.

 

They cost less than 50% of the players they replaced, they earn 25% of the players they replaced and yet they have delivered better points total and a better league position.

good points cas , statistics that aren't often used but equally relevant

 

Yes I seem to remember those statistics being used several games ago and they were rightly quashed for not being a constant. We are now better off by what, one point with our 'easy run' of fixtures coming to an end.

 

Interesting to see how that statistic fairs over the next set of fixtures?

 

 

What on earth are you on about this time? It's in the record books, so yes it is a "constant"

 

Lambert's first season delivered a better league postion and more points than McLeish, utilising a squad that cost 50% of McL's and earn 25%

[VillaCas]

Yep it was lambert that made an effort to touch the players, none of them seemed interested in him at all.

 

LOL

[Big_John_10]

Cant be arsed with the debate - (again) - but wouldn't like the thread to be unrepresentative ! For me it is simple. In order to get off the stupid Manager merry go round (suddenly Bruce and Jol are going to be in favour...who will it be next month) that so many teams fall for and ultimately fail because of, we have to name our man and stick with him for 3 years. As it happens I think Pl will get it right and we are just currently in a downward part of an overall upward curve...but even if I didn't think so I still think the guy we have has to have 3 years. Otherwise we will definitely ALWAYS be bobbing around 18th-9th. The only possible way out is to be brave and bold and stick with a guy to let his plans come to fruititon.yes I know at the moment anyone could level any number of negatives, but thats the only way as I see it.

brilliant post terry

We gave DOL 3 years and he got worse every season. Just giving someone time doesn't mean it will work out.

[Cliffy Biro]

 

Yep it was lambert that made an effort to touch the players, none of them seemed interested in him at all.

 

LOL

 

Haw haw haw.

[VillakevBromsgrove]

In a way I feel sorry for PL. Things have gone against him and it will take a hell of alot to put it right. I think the biggest problem was loosing Okore. we are so slow at the back that we have to defend deep and as a team cutting off the attack. With Okore being quick and able to mop up we could defend further up the pitch bringing the midfield into play and supporting the front men. It is no coincidence we play better and have better results with Ron in the side as he pushes them up and organises them better. Confidence is shot and energy levels low as forwards are alienated and double marked. the midfield run round like headless chickens, passes are pretty much played behind the player instead of in front, the defence is full of players so nobody knows who is picking who up leaving people free. players are pulled out of position easily leaving acres of space for the opposition.

God knows how or even if PL can put it right but one thing for certain is we need new players to swing the fortunes.

[WooJung]

In a way I feel sorry for PL. Things have gone against him and it will take a hell of alot to put it right. I think the biggest problem was loosing Okore. we are so slow at the back that we have to defend deep and as a team cutting off the attack. With Okore being quick and able to mop up we could defend further up the pitch bringing the midfield into play and supporting the front men. It is no coincidence we play better and have better results with Ron in the side as he pushes them up and organises them better. Confidence is shot and energy levels low as forwards are alienated and double marked. the midfield run round like headless chickens, passes are pretty much played behind the player instead of in front, the defence is full of players so nobody knows who is picking who up leaving people free. players are pulled out of position easily leaving acres of space for the opposition.

God knows how or even if PL can put it right but one thing for certain is we need new players to swing the fortunes.

Shouldn't Lambert be then held responsible for building his tactics around ONE player (who still has to prove he is good enough for the PL, as encouraging as he looks).

If this is the case, then Lambert is a fool.

 

The only excuse I can give Lambert is that players which were doing well last season have not lived up to the expectations (Lowton, Westwood, Sylla, Benteke, Weimann). It is also true, however, that other players have improved on last season (Clark, Vlaar, Delph, Albrighton) so that's only a half-excuse.

[ROTTERDAM1982]

 Bacunas quick Kev, he dropped him, Bennetts quick enough hes dropped.

 

 Hes cut off his nose too often .You could argue Ireland, Sidwell, Dunne, Collins, Bent, would walk into our team atm, and Cuellar Warnock and Hutton would'nt make us much worse either.

 

 PL has been here 18 months, hes bought how many players, if theres a problem, its a problem he has created.