Why Paul Lambert should get the sack

[AstonMartin82]

Whilst the possession was low it should be noted most of their possession was in their own half and we let them get on with it. For all their possession there was probably only 3 or 4 clear chances to our 7 or 8. we looked like we had it under control hence their frustration.

 

Whilst I agree with this, the bigger problem as I see it is how hard the players have to work when they don't have the ball... not just physically, but also mentally ensuring they are concentrating enough to be in the right place and track their player.

 

If we had 70% possession each game our players would be a lot sharper towards the end of games and a hell of a lot more energized at the end of the season when 3 points will be invaluable.

 

Having 30% possession against Liverpool is one thing. Even Swansea is fine as they keep the ball so well. But against Southampton and Sunderland it really is unacceptable for us and I would expect much better next season.

[coda]

 

I don't think we were that much better today. Sunderland just went for it and we had a lot of space to run into. Most teams won't gift us a goal, so wont have the need to attack us the way Sunderland did. 

 

It's not these games which annoy me, it's when teams sit back and we have no way of breaking them down. 

 

I'm quite surprised that some seem to be changing their mind on Lambert based on beating bottom of the league away. 

Why not? People changed their mind based on us getting narrowly beat by Palace. Seems more than fair to change it back again based on Sunderland.

 

 

Yes, some quality flip-flopping.

[The Fun Factory]

35% possession against a truly terrible team is still way short of acceptable and any other team would have given us problems today.

 

However, I'm relieved to get the win and hopefully it will take some of the pressure off Lambert and the team because they need the fans behind them, and they need the stability that Lambert will bring. I'll judge Lambert by the end of next summer and see whether he has sorted our midfield out b then because this is the area which is by far our biggest problem.

Why isn't it acceptable? We won which is the stat I am 100% pleased with. Fed up with all this football hipster shite about possession.That worked out really well when we placed Palace. I was really pleased we had 65% of the ball that day.

[Oaks]

It's quite amazing that the 3 games we had less than 30% possession (Man City, Southampton and Swansea) we've won 2 and drew the other one.

[HeyAnty]

It's quite amazing that the 3 games we had less than 30% possession (Man City, Southampton and Swansea) we've won 2 and drew the other one.

Any one know what our possession stats were for the last few games of last season?

[cherchian]

Although the quality of football has been terrible for the most part this season, the points return is one awful result away from being very respectable.

 

Had we won against Palace at home we would be 10th on 26th points - as close to 5th as to 18th. Mid-table with minimal stress levels.

 

That defeat has created an anxious season where there should not have been one.

 

Most would have taken a mid table finish this season.

[Big_John_10]

I think everyone will take mid table this season.

The palace result came after 3 poor performances and losses and that was the game we thought we'd be able to win. I think that made it worse.

[Electric Avenue]

Winning ugly is absolutely fine with me .

[VillakevBromsgrove]

Agree about the concentration but I also feel confidence has alot to do with it. towards the last 15 I thought they knocked it around well and seemed happy in there selves almost as if they almost had that belief that we would win if you know what I mean. I feel alot happier after today and hope that we dont go to far backwards after the Arsenal and Liverpool.

[markavfc40]

 

I don't think we were that much better today. Sunderland just went for it and we had a lot of space to run into. Most teams won't gift us a goal, so wont have the need to attack us the way Sunderland did. 

 

It's not these games which annoy me, it's when teams sit back and we have no way of breaking them down. 

 

I'm quite surprised that some seem to be changing their mind on Lambert based on beating bottom of the league away. 

Why not? People changed their mind based on us getting narrowly beat by Palace. Seems more than fair to change it back again based on Sunderland.

 

 

I doubt very much anyone has changed their opinion based on today's result/performance. If you were for retaining Lambert then clearly you still will be, if you were for getting rid of him then I doubt a 1-0 win against a bottom of the table Sunderland and again struggling to retain possession is going to chance your mind.

 

I guess from where I, and from what I can gather on here most of us sit, is somewhere in the middle. Seeing something in Lambert that tells them he is the right man for the job but results/performances making them question their judgement. From that position then for me again little has changed from today's result. I thought we played OK and am pleased we secured a vital three points but once again frustrated that we struggle to keep possession. I live more in hope now than expectation that Lambert can get us consistently playing decent football and that I won't have to witness any time soon us again play for a draw against mid table opposition at home as we did against Swansea.

 

Looking at the immediate future I am now looking for us to have a good transfer window but that will be down to Lerner as much as Lambert. Many of us have long been stating that we need some proven quality/experience in the side and it seems Lambert is now of the same belief. It will be interesting to see the impact a couple of players of that ilk can have on the team.

Edited January 1, 2014 by markavfc40

[sharkyvilla]

It shouldn't be forgotten that pretty much every other team has had a poor run of form and the odd shocking loss, it's been that kind of season and why we are still 11th. I can't honestly believe this thread is nearly 80 pages long. It'll deserve a place in Internet history before too long it's that daft.

[Oaks]

It's quite amazing that the 3 games we had less than 30% possession (Man City, Southampton and Swansea) we've won 2 and drew the other one.

Any one know what our possession stats were for the last few games of last season?

43% at home to Chelsea and away at Norwich and 46% away to Wigan.

[AstonMartin82]

 

35% possession against a truly terrible team is still way short of acceptable and any other team would have given us problems today.

 

However, I'm relieved to get the win and hopefully it will take some of the pressure off Lambert and the team because they need the fans behind them, and they need the stability that Lambert will bring. I'll judge Lambert by the end of next summer and see whether he has sorted our midfield out b then because this is the area which is by far our biggest problem.

Why isn't it acceptable? We won which is the stat I am 100% pleased with. Fed up with all this football hipster shite about possession.That worked out really well when we placed Palace. I was really pleased we had 65% of the ball that day.

 

 

Because it isn't a blue print for a successful football team. If we have ambition we can't be accepting this and as my post implies if a similar thing happens next season then questions have to be raised. This season we can win ugly and it will do with the squad we have. Next season it won't.

[HeyAnty]

It's quite amazing that the 3 games we had less than 30% possession (Man City, Southampton and Swansea) we've won 2 and drew the other one.

Any one know what our possession stats were for the last few games of last season?

43% at home to Chelsea and away at Norwich and 46% away to Wigan.

Cheers, so we are down around 10-15%. That is a massive amount in terms of possession. When you take on average a ball is in play 65 mins per game, then that means we have the ball around 10 mins less a game. The other team obvs has it for that same period we don't. Considering our stats weren't great at the end of last season it's pretty clear that this years possession stats aren't sustainable. It also contradicts the fact that teams now sit back and wait for us to break them down this season. Surely our possession stats should be be higher than end of last season if that was the case. Edited January 1, 2014 by HeyAnty

[ciggiesnbeer]

It shouldn't be forgotten that pretty much every other team has had a poor run of form and the odd shocking loss, it's been that kind of season and why we are still 11th. I can't honestly believe this thread is nearly 80 pages long. It'll deserve a place in Internet history before too long it's that daft.

 

I think its become the default Paul Lambert thread since the old more neutral one got locked. Might be worth a punt trying to start a more positive one if you feel like it.

Edited January 1, 2014 by ciggiesnbeer

[Morpheus]

Any successful business succeeds on results VillaCas. 11 wins in 48, one relegation battle and Lambert looks likely to repeat that feat when the next five games are over. You argument would only stand if Lambert hadn't spent 40 plus million and made our squad worse. £40m worth of £10k players in and £80m worth of £50k players out would not normally indicate that you should be getting substantially stronger

 

The point i'm clearly making with the aforementioned players is that not all of our players are earning 5k-15k which you keep using as an excuse for Lambert's poor performance. Those players are first team regulars and are earning much more than 5k-15k. You remember your argument wages v performance. Doesn't really stack up does it. Yes it really does - McL's first XI must have been on three times what Lamberts first XI is on - you would expect McL misfits to do better but incredibly Lambert's team performed better - a higher finish and more points

 

I have never said that I support Steve Bruce taking over from Lambert and you would be more respected on here if you'd stop making things up to suit your debate. You 'liked' the suggestion, so from that I took it that you liked the suggestion - don't worry though Hull lost so Steve Bruce won't be the chosen one today, probably Mullenstein as Fulham won

 

To answer your last point no-one on site is suffering from over-expectation but you are living in denial concerning Lambert. Equal on points for 10th place - where exactly do you think we should be?????????? I predicted 24 points for the end of Jan and we are on 23 so well on track in my opinion

The difference being in your own opinion those players out were poor no matter what they cost.

Your wages v performance debate doesn't stack up because even with more than half our first team on higher wages we still are struggling.

Liking someone's post doesn't always mean you are in agreement with it. You can just like the method of retort which has nothing to do with the content.

We're eleventh after beating the bottom placed club. It's no surprise at all to me that your debate has fluctuated back again to placement. It was just as premature the first time and will equally have no bearing until the end of the season.

[Morpheus]

I think everyone would be behind the idea of giving a manager time. But risso is right, just giving someone time does not guarantee success. If you gave the wrong person time it could in fact really damage the club.

 

I agree that time does not equal success but I disagree with risso that last season was "an absolute disaster".........some peoples expectation is stuck in the MON era, given the budget employed it would be crazy to expect anything other than a struggle for a couple of seasons - even then our ability to get back in the upper reaches of the league will ulrimately be determined by finances

That is some post VillaCas.     Thanks

 

I remember there were those on site who absolutely ridiculed anyone suggesting that we would struggle with Lambert at the helm. We would struggle for a couple of seasons no matter who is at the helm - you don't rebuild a squad on peanuts and expect it to be a stroll in the park. As you will remember I wanted OGS or Poyet to replace McL but I predict that the decision to appoint Lambert will prove that I was mistaken.......Stability and expectations - two words to keep in mind during 2014 morf 

I seem to remember you saying that we wouldn't struggle last season VillaCas. I also seem to remember you pulling out charts trying to prove we weren't struggling by selecting just one part of the season when ultimately we only secured our Premiership status with one game to go.

Now trying to predict with hindsight isn't going to wash with anyone on here VillaCas and although I do admire your continued faith in our manager, that faith at the moment is very much misplaced.

[Oaks]

It's quite amazing that the 3 games we had less than 30% possession (Man City, Southampton and Swansea) we've won 2 and drew the other one.

Any one know what our possession stats were for the last few games of last season?

43% at home to Chelsea and away at Norwich and 46% away to Wigan.

Cheers, so we are down around 10-15%. That is a massive amount in terms of possession.

When you take on average a ball is in play 65 mins per game, then that means we have the ball around 10 mins less a game. The other team obvs has it for that same period we don't. Considering our stats weren't great at the end of last season it's pretty clear that this years possession stats aren't sustainable.

It also contradicts the fact that teams now sit back and wait for us to break them down this season. Surely our possession stats should be be higher than end of last season if that was the case.

Not really we've averaged 43% this season.

[Isa]

Yes, our average possession this season (42.3%) is only a drop of a few percent on last season's average (45.6%) which only serves to prove that we have never been a particularly good team in possession since Lambert has arrived other then the odd game here and there.

[omariqy]

We have never been a good possession side for a long time