SeanO Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 He's done well on a very tight budget and if we can play like the 1st half against Hull then he has a chance of turning it around. If the home form continues like the Newcastle game then I fear the attendances we plummet further which I really don't want to see happen. Villa Park is a great stadium when it's full but due to the dire football played under him it now looks empty. The fans base is still there though and I'm sure they will come back once they know they will be entertained while getting some value for money. Also worth a mention is Roy Keane who seems to have taken some of the pressure off his shoulders, he must be feeling better not having to deal with 2 coaches creating headaches for him to deal with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villaglint Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 I thought he was dead and buried after the last game of season. It looked like he and players thought that too. So I'm happy to hold my hands up and say congrats to him on what has been a positive summer in very difficult circumstances. No doubt it is still going to be a long tough season and I am sure at a few points we will still be looking over our shoulder. But right now I am optimistic that this season will be better than the last and bearing in mind the context of our chairman I would very happily take that right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Richard Posted September 3, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted September 3, 2014 (edited) Never stopped supporting him. Top bloke Been given jack all money again this summer, a club going in complete turmoil behind the scenes, lost his backroom staff at the end of the season, lost his link to the board and player negotiations part way through the summer, the chairman put the club up for sale and there is no buyer or one near (or yet to be announced ) key player contract negotiations nowhere near completion and the best player at the club out through long term injury and a section of the fanbase calling for his head. WHAT A MESS. Based on all that was expected to build a squad good enough to compete in this division and retain its status. Well look at the squad now, strength in depth, first team regulars for the last two seasons (so a wealth of first team experience ) now not guaranteed a starting place and will be rotated giving REAL strength in depth. Quality improvements in some key areas of the team that needed strenthening Spent jack all when you see the rest of the division spunked 850M Picked up 7 points from first three games and confidence in the team is high Superb job Paul well done and well appreciated. Edited September 3, 2014 by Richard 27 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgyknees Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 He hasn't had it easy, you only have to look at what other managers have spent to see. BUT he has made a lot of mistakes, we have played some really really bad football, had terrible results - yes the lack of spending hasn't helped, but he hasn't made the job easy for himself. I backed him for most of last year, it was only the run at the end of the season that made me question him. We really need to see a lot more from the team over the next few months. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyblade Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 He lost me last season mainly down to boring tactics and zero plan B. he has got a lot to make up for, even if we improve this season will it be down to Keane kicking some ass or Lambert improving I really don't know. When we have benteke and/or Kozak back and fully fit, with the team we have now and how we have started there should be no excuses to be down the bottom fighting relegation end of season. If we still are it'll defo be bye bye Lambert for me!! If we manage to not improve this season, will you be putting it down to Keane or will you put the blame on Lambert? I wonder. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pelle Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 He hasn't had it easy, you only have to look at what other managers have spent to see. BUT he has made a lot of mistakes, we have played some really really bad football, had terrible results - yes the lack of spending hasn't helped, but he hasn't made the job easy for himself. I backed him for most of last year, it was only the run at the end of the season that made me question him. We really need to see a lot more from the team over the next few months. He's definitely made mistakes, no doubt about it. And he's had some awfully bad runs and the football we played last season was too many times really bad. And I too had my doubts about him from time to time last season. But under the circumstances I think he's done a decent job to keep us up and he's still learning in many ways. Not to forget that he seemingly had two guys beside him who worked against him in Karsa and Culverhouse. I hope he's the kind of manager who learns from his mistakes and that the partnership with Keane will improve him and us. If so we might have a little gem here. I know some won't be even close to agree with this, but I don't care. If I'm right it means success for Villa. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PieFacE Posted September 3, 2014 VT Supporter Share Posted September 3, 2014 (edited) I think it's impossible to deny he's done a good job given the circumstances and looking at the facts. I guess some fans (myself included) sometimes forget the facts and want to be entertained, and I guess this is where the group of fans calling for his are coming from. I have no problems with Lambert at all other than the style of football we play. If we can improve that this season then it could be a fantastic year for him really. But that remains to be seen. I don't want us to play like Barcelona, but Iwould defintely like to see an improvement in possesion based football. I've also in the past criticised Lambert for not addressing the gaping holes in our squad with not having players who can play between the lines (DM, AMC). He's brought in Sanchez and part of me is hoping Lambert is eyeing up Cleverley to play in a more advanced role, as this would really benefit us. So if that's the case, then I'm relatively happy. Edited September 3, 2014 by PieFacE 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgyknees Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 He hasn't had it easy, you only have to look at what other managers have spent to see. BUT he has made a lot of mistakes, we have played some really really bad football, had terrible results - yes the lack of spending hasn't helped, but he hasn't made the job easy for himself. I backed him for most of last year, it was only the run at the end of the season that made me question him. We really need to see a lot more from the team over the next few months. He's definitely made mistakes, no doubt about it. And he's had some awfully bad runs and the football we played last season was too many times really bad. And I too had my doubts about him from time to time last season. But under the circumstances I think he's done a decent job to keep us up and he's still learning in many ways. Not to forget that he seemingly had two guys beside him who worked against him in Karsa and Culverhouse. I hope he's the kind of manager who learns from his mistakes and that the partnership with Keane will improve him and us. If so we might have a little gem here. I know some won't be even close to agree with this, but I don't care. If I'm right it means success for Villa. I certainly hope so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudevillaisnice Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 Still not happy with the cup results under him if i'm honest but still we have made a good start in the PL so i'll give him credit for that. Providing we completely avoid relegation or flirting with relegation, it would be a decent season for me after the previous few seasons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tayls Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 (edited) When will he be given a new contract? Would just like a bit if stability confirmed now...cannot be assed with another manager change and I think he deserves another contract based on this summer and start to the current season alone. Definite signs of progress. Edited September 3, 2014 by Tayls 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilS Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 When will he be given a new contract? Would just like a bit if stability confirmed now...cannot be assed with another manager change and I think he deserves another contract based on this summer and start to the current season alone. Definite signs of progress. I reckon it will be looked at in the early new year depending on whether the club is looking like being sold, and how well the club are doing. If we are looking fairly solid still and not flirting around the relegation zone, and no sign of buyers then I think he will get a new 2 year deal. Whether he would sign it is another matter? He may have had enough of the stress by then, and if doing well may have other offers coming in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCJonah Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 Think he's done an excellent job this summer. With really poor backing from the owner he has built a squad that should see us improve on the last couple of years.Was it though? If we had £8M to spend on Cleverly then I see no other way to interpret this than the fact that there was money there, don't know how much but at least another £8M, but it just wasn't spent. Even with that money, we were still outspent by the majority of teams. I think lamberts done well this summer, shipping out poor players and adding some quality. We're much better off then we've been for a long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozvillafan Posted September 3, 2014 VT Supporter Share Posted September 3, 2014 When will he be given a new contract? Would just like a bit if stability confirmed now...cannot be assed with another manager change and I think he deserves another contract based on this summer and start to the current season alone. Definite signs of progress. We started last season very well too. I'll wait to see how we fare a bit further into the season before I'll sing his praises. And as for replacing Lambert - I don't see why not as long as it was a better manager. It would be like refusing Messi because we wanted stability with Bannan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArteSuave Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 And as for replacing Lambert - I don't see why not as long as it was a better manager. It would be like refusing Messi because we wanted stability with Bannan. Only the managerial equivalent of Messi wouldn't touch us with a barge pole and the managerial equivalent of Bannan would have had us relegated. We've been outspent by Burnley in this last window and could be sold to an owner with his own preferences for staff at any point without warning. I really have no idea why anyone would think we'd have a chance of attracting a non-desperate new manager at this point. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyp102 Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 Started the season well, but far too early to say his summer transfers have been successful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozvillafan Posted September 3, 2014 VT Supporter Share Posted September 3, 2014 Only the managerial equivalent of Messi wouldn't touch us with a barge pole and the managerial equivalent of Bannan would have had us relegated. We've been outspent by Burnley in this last window and could be sold to an owner with his own preferences for staff at any point without warning. I really have no idea why anyone would think we'd have a chance of attracting a non-desperate new manager at this point. Because I'm not only talking about "this point". If we get taken over by a mega-rich new owner who could afford the very best managers in the world ...... ....would you still keep Lambert? I realise it's a big if - hence the reason I qualified the conditions on replacing Lambert in the first place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArteSuave Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 Because I'm not only talking about "this point". If we get taken over by a mega-rich new owner who could afford the very best managers in the world ... ...would you still keep Lambert? Well you were responding to a guy asking about Lambert getting an extension so I assumed you were against that idea at "this point". If we get taken over by a mega-rich new owner who could afford the very best managers in the world then paying off Lambert's contract would be no problem, surely. I don't think it would be prudent to let our manager's contract expire because we wouldn't want him here with near unlimited resources. Most of our squad would be surplus to requirements as well if a mega-rich new owner who could afford the very best players bought Villa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonno_2004 Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 He's got his squad of experienced players now - good start, let's see if we can maintain it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgyknees Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 Nope, no excuses. Yes it has taken us three years to build a squad most would do in 18 months, but now we have that squad, the excuses stop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Lions_Roar Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 Nope, no excuses. Yes it has taken us three years to build a squad most would do in 18 months, but now we have that squad, the excuses stop. Who's ever built a squad in 18 months? He always needed to be given 3 years when he arrived. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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