Ratings and Reactions: Villa - Fulham

[CrackpotForeigner]

 

I applaud your positivity but to suggest that Lambert deserves a medal for his transfer dealings really only serves to discredit your wider point. Lamberts signings have been largely appalling and I am seriously worried that we will see more Tonevs and Bennets than Bentekes and Guzans in the next window. I am a Lambert fan but i worry about him in the transfer market. SYLLA FFS!!  

 

 

 

Could you be more specific about what you actually disagree with?

 

You can't hang Lambert for three signings when he's signed 18. For a supposed 40 million. That isn't enough money per player for a Premier League side, although we needed numbers as well as quality. Lambert has had to gamble. In some cases he's gambled and lost, as any manager does.

[butler50]

The injury list again: Benteke; Okore; Delph; Gabby; Kozak; KEA; N'Zogbia.

 

Every single one arguably a starter. Get a grip everyone.

I agree with you here but there is also the consistent bad home form no matter what team we play and our lack of ability to defend.  Squad and home form needs to be adressed in a massive way if we stay up.

[Electric Avenue]

Lambert is such a shit manager . Worst I can recall , worse than Mcleish Venglos and McNeill

He just has to go and take his ridiculous hoof ball tactics with him

[butler50]

 

 

I applaud your positivity but to suggest that Lambert deserves a medal for his transfer dealings really only serves to discredit your wider point. Lamberts signings have been largely appalling and I am seriously worried that we will see more Tonevs and Bennets than Bentekes and Guzans in the next window. I am a Lambert fan but i worry about him in the transfer market. SYLLA FFS!!  

 

 

 

Could you be more specific about what you actually disagree with?

 

You can't hang Lambert for three signings when he's signed 18. For a supposed 40 million. That isn't enough money per player for a Premier League side, although we needed numbers as well as quality. Lambert has had to gamble. In some cases he's gambled and lost, as any manager does.

 

Yes he has lost but he does not learn from these gambles sometimes.  Bennett was terrible last year and Luna came in and was ahead of him, yet hes playing bennett again now!!!!!  Were lacking in senoir players with premier league experience and some serious creativity too.

[One For The Road]

 

 

I applaud your positivity but to suggest that Lambert deserves a medal for his transfer dealings really only serves to discredit your wider point. Lamberts signings have been largely appalling and I am seriously worried that we will see more Tonevs and Bennets than Bentekes and Guzans in the next window. I am a Lambert fan but i worry about him in the transfer market. SYLLA FFS!!  

 

 

 

Could you be more specific about what you actually disagree with?

 

You can't hang Lambert for three signings when he's signed 18. For a supposed 40 million. That isn't enough money per player for a Premier League side, although we needed numbers as well as quality. Lambert has had to gamble. In some cases he's gambled and lost, as any manager does.

 

Yes I can. I disagree that Lambert has been a success in the transfer market. I have backed him from day one and I am still not totally against him carrying on in the job but I wonder why we signed so many players in the first place. All those players that we have on our books earning money in wages and yet either:

A, not playing much, B, not playing at all or C, just bloody dreadful.

 

Would we not have been better off had we have not bought, say, Tonev, Bowery and Helenius and instead used that money to fund a proper, experienced first team player? We are seriously lacking Premier League quality and even if we had 1,000 shit and inexperienced lower league kids on our books it would not collectively equate to one solid Premier League player.

Edited April 5, 2014 by One For The Road

[srsmithusa]

Frustration should be fierce. Blaming gains us nothing.

Positives....

Grant Holt looked dangerous and gave them lots of worries.

Weimann's runs hassled and worried the defenders

Holt and weimann seemed to be on the same page more often than not.

Bacuna and Bertrand both looked capable (not brilliant) pushed up into midfield.

I think we saw Leandro in his best position.

Lowton deserves some huge credit for his clearance off the line

Tonev only hit one shot outside the box (that I remember) and it was on frame, excellent save required... Row z was safe.

That's it. That's all I can think of.

[JoeParker91]

I'm not sure our squad really is developing, with only Delph and Vlaar having significant improvement over last season. To various degrees, Lowton, Westwood, Sylla, Agbonlahor, Wiemann, Benteke have all performed worse than last season (Baker, Clark and Bennett have been slightly better but are awful) and this is why I personally feel Lambert has a problem motivating/developing the squad. 

 

Also, the fact a make shift right back is our second highest goal scorer really worries me without Benteke. 

[butler50]

 

 

Guzan: A brilliant, vital signing

Bowery: A shockingly bad player who cost nothing.

Sylla: A defensive midfielder when we needed one. Speculative purchase, hasn't worked out, didn't cost much.

Westwood: A semi-speculative purchase, has worked out very well, didn't cost much.

Bacuna: Another speculative purchase, has been excellent at times, poor at other times, didn't cost much.

Luna: A speculative purchase when we needed a LB to cover for the developing Bennett, didn't cost much.

Bennett: A speculative purchase, young and promising LB, hasn't worked out so far, but didn't cost much.

Lowton: A RB when we needed one, can't defend too well, but otherwise excellent, didn't cost much.

Steer: A backup goalie when we needed one, cost nothing.

Benteke: Hang on, what's this??? More than 5 million to spend??? Okay, we'll get this guy. A reasonable success?

Vlaar: Wait! a bit more money to spend? Not a fortune. Yes let's get this one too. Success!

Okore: Four million for a defender who was very highly rated and performed brilliantly in pre-season and before his injury. A proper signing coup by Lambert.

Westwood: Hang on, haven't we seen you somewhere before?

El alhmadi: A successful signing for the money we paid, I don't think anyone can really argue with that.

Kozak: Backup striker, 1 in 3 record for us so far: Cost either 7 million (in which case it's a qualified success) or 4 million, (in which case it's a brilliant signing)

Holt: Loan: Success.

Tonev: A speculative purchase, young and promising winger, hasn't worked out so far, but didn't cost much.

Bertrand: Loan: Success

Helenius: A speculative purchase, young and promising striker, injured recently, hasn't worked out so far, but he's young and didn't cost much.

 

Edited with summary of players.

 

So about 8 million of the alleged 40 million has been badly spent. Any manager with an 80% success rate in the transfer market deserves a medal, especially when you consider that cheap players are likely to be more of a gamble than expensive ones.

 

I applaud your positivity but to suggest that Lambert deserves a medal for his transfer dealings really only serves to discredit your wider point. Lamberts signings have been largely appalling and I am seriously worried that we will see more Tonevs and Bennets than Bentekes and Guzans in the next window. I am a Lambert fan but i worry about him in the transfer market. SYLLA FFS!!  

 

I agree you positivity is great but even KEA isnt that good.  Benteke and bertrand for me are good, Westy who I know from school is getting there but even he isnt exactly amazing. Majority signings been made on shoe string budget and thats our problem.  Majority of signing poor. Tonev and Sylla FFS they are terrible.

[Amo69]

Is anybody really surprised we just lost at home against arguably one of the worst teams in the league?

That's what worries the hell out of me.

[AValon]

Sad times when a lot of people called it. We were chasing too many shadows for far too long and Fulham should have been out of sight way before the end.

[The Fun Factory]

Right I have to get this off my chest. That was awful yet again to the worst team in the league. 10 home defeats are not acceptable. My behaviour at watching Villa at home is like a 1990’s grunge band- quiet, quiet, rage. I’d rather have a vat of Eric Pickles week old diarrhoea over my head than watch Bennett or Baker ever play for Villa again. They are not good enough; please can they leave my club. Having got a lucky equaliser could we hang on to a point? Could we bollocks. Can this side learn to keep hold of the ball at all? Ever?

 

The formation was a shambles as I had no idea where Bacuna or Betrand were playing. Now losing Benteke and Delph was a blow but it just shows the flimsiness of our squad that we 2 first teamers out we barely look like a Championship side.  I have always given Lambert the benefit of the doubt but after today I am now officially a Lambert sceptic. I think we have been amazingly patient but after nearly 2 seasons under him we have gone nowhere. Bar the good run at the back end of last season, following the worst winter run under  living history, we have just been very good under him have we? 4 wins since the Southampton away win in December suggests so. Oh by the way for those who think we should be okay to pick up points away, its 1 win in 2014. We are not good away or at home. We are just not very good, and it is not going to get any better without a major (and expensive) overhaul of the entire side in the summer.

 

Thank you Villa for ruining my weekend yet again. Bah.

Edited April 5, 2014 by The Fun Factory

[rjw63]

 

How in the **** hell Weimann is still starting the games?! Either our young players are so poor that they can't get a chance to show, or Weimann has somekind of pictures or something of Lambert.

 

He looks very low in confidence

 

Strange...the manager said they were all full of confidence after beating Chelsea.

[rjw63]

 

 

 

I'm sorry but I can't let that pass. As I keep on saying on this forum the minimum I would have expected from Lambert is a well organised side that is difficult to beat. We are neither and under him I see no prospect that we ever will be. I honestly don't think he has any idea what to do tactically in most games. If it comes off it comes off, otherwise there is just no Plan B. I have been to all the home league games this season and I am utterly pig sick of watching the utter **** shite that is Aston Villa playing football. Just occasionally it comes off but 11 home defeats this season is statistic that does not lie.

Having no money is a non argument. I have not done the maths but the generally accepted figure he has spent is £40m. Yes he has made some good signings but he has also bought some complete dross along with some very very average players. Personally I think that money could have been spent better.

 

If the owner was at all bothered or had any balls whatsoever he would have fired Lambert at Christmas and got someone /  anyone to replace the clown

 

 

Good post - only thing I disagree with is Lambert should have been shitcanned after the 0-3 home defeat to Wigan, following the 8-0 and 0-4 against Chelsea and Spuds

[andyh]

Double post

Edited April 5, 2014 by andyh

[Xela]

Utter dogshit yet again.

 

Injuries played a part today but we have been shit most of the season, even with most of the first team fit,

 

I think we have enough survive this year but the way the club is going down the shitter, its only a matter of time before we get relegated. 

[hogso]

Man of the match - John Carew

[The_Rev]

What was the combined cost of our starting XI today? It can't have been much more than £10m can it? 

[Xela]

 

Guzan: A brilliant, vital signing

Bowery: A shockingly bad player who cost nothing.

Sylla: A defensive midfielder when we needed one. Speculative purchase, hasn't worked out, didn't cost much.

Westwood: A semi-speculative purchase, has worked out very well, didn't cost much.

Bacuna: Another speculative purchase, has been excellent at times, poor at other times, didn't cost much.

Luna: A speculative purchase when we needed a LB to cover for the developing Bennett, didn't cost much.

Bennett: A speculative purchase, young and promising LB, hasn't worked out so far, but didn't cost much.

Lowton: A RB when we needed one, can't defend too well, but otherwise excellent, didn't cost much.

Steer: A backup goalie when we needed one, cost nothing.

Benteke: Hang on, what's this??? More than 5 million to spend??? Okay, we'll get this guy. A reasonable success?

Vlaar: Wait! a bit more money to spend? Not a fortune. Yes let's get this one too. Success!

Okore: Four million for a defender who was very highly rated and performed brilliantly in pre-season and before his injury. A proper signing coup by Lambert.

Westwood: Hang on, haven't we seen you somewhere before?

El alhmadi: A successful signing for the money we paid, I don't think anyone can really argue with that.

Kozak: Backup striker, 1 in 3 record for us so far: Cost either 7 million (in which case it's a qualified success) or 4 million, (in which case it's a brilliant signing)

Holt: Loan: Success.

Tonev: A speculative purchase, young and promising winger, hasn't worked out so far, but didn't cost much.

Bertrand: Loan: Success

Helenius: A speculative purchase, young and promising striker, injured recently, hasn't worked out so far, but he's young and didn't cost much.

 

Edited with summary of players.

 

So about 8 million of the alleged 40 million has been badly spent. Any manager with an 80% success rate in the transfer market deserves a medal, especially when you consider that cheap players are likely to be more of a gamble than expensive ones.

 

 

Sorry Crackpot, I admire your positively but you are clutching at straws with a few of them:

 

Praising Lowton then even acknowledging he can't defend very well. Call me old fashioned but I like my right backs to know how to defend. Okore - a coup? Lets see him play for than a couple of times first eh? We all hope he will be the answer to our problems but we can't judge yet can we? 

 

There are a few decent purchases but a lot of poor ones. Luna, Bennett, Bowery, Sylla and Tonev being the worse. 

 

Whatever his budget, he needs to have more of a success ratio than what he has at the moment. 

[mossy]

I'm a bit worried now! Not looking forward to palace next week :/

[Electric Avenue]

Glad palace sold out before I could get a ticket