Paul Lambert

[DCJonah]

I don't agree with a lot of the criticism on here about Lambert's tactics. Fairly short sighted and based on the last few games it seems, especially when it comes to tactical choices.

Perhaps a quick reminder of the stats against Hull (our last game not against the top 4 from last year) is required? I could link it, but it shows 45-55% of the ball (AVFC-HCFC) more shots, and shots on target for us than Hull.

Seems to me that we have defensive plans for the 'better' teams, or teams that play the ball well - but when we are playing against teams that don't carry so much of a threat, this year (so far), we have come out and played football further up the field and not sat back. I have watched this happen on a few occasions this year, and I think it will happen more.

I'm not sure how you can claim it be short sighted when a lot of the criticism is down to the last 2 years.

[ozvillafan]

Why is it when some fundamentals in our game are missing and some posters resort to quoting a lack of quality/ millions on transfers as the reason.

We all know that the more you spend the more likely it is to secure the necessary skills.....but there has been plenty of pigs in pokes over the years, just like there has been some fantastic bargains.

You still have to aspire to the philosophy that will take you places.

The more we try to sign players that are comfortable on the ball....the more likely it is for those kind of players will want to come.

We still have some of our players that do represent low capability with the ball....this puts so much pressure on the other players and also encourages poor decision making, just to get rid of the ball.

 

Ever seen our throw-ins?

 

I feel sorry for Cissokho. Every time he takes a throw he has to look for who to throw to - but nobody shapes for him and we usually end up handing possession straight back. It's almost as if nobody actually want's the football and, if they do, they don't appear to possess the skill to control and pass in a tight situation.

 

Or the amount of times a loose ball makes it to one of our unmarked players and they head/kick it straight back instead of taking a touch and passing - especially our backs.

 

Or when Wiemann pushes forward to press, only to find the opposition has easily passed to an unmarked player since nobody else in a Villa shirt thought pressing would be a good idea.

 

It's these fundamentals I want to see improve. Ball retention. Pass and move. Pressure as a group/team. Bring to feet when you have time. I'm not expecting miracles and I know we will make mistakes - but I don't see improvement in how we go about these things over the last 2 and a bit years. This is my greatest concern with Lambert and something you put perfectly in your post:

 

"You still have to aspire to the philosophy that will take you places."

[AshVillain]

 

I don't agree with a lot of the criticism on here about Lambert's tactics. Fairly short sighted and based on the last few games it seems, especially when it comes to tactical choices.

Almost as short-sighted as forgetting that last season ever happened and that the football has improved because we had one good half against Hull.

 

I thought we looked fairly good until Tekkers and Kozak got injured to be honest.

[AshVillain]

 

I don't agree with a lot of the criticism on here about Lambert's tactics. Fairly short sighted and based on the last few games it seems, especially when it comes to tactical choices.

Perhaps a quick reminder of the stats against Hull (our last game not against the top 4 from last year) is required? I could link it, but it shows 45-55% of the ball (AVFC-HCFC) more shots, and shots on target for us than Hull.

Seems to me that we have defensive plans for the 'better' teams, or teams that play the ball well - but when we are playing against teams that don't carry so much of a threat, this year (so far), we have come out and played football further up the field and not sat back. I have watched this happen on a few occasions this year, and I think it will happen more.

I'm not sure how you can claim it be short sighted when a lot of the criticism is down to the last 2 years.

 

Some is, most is about lack of shots on target etc this season though.

[BG_Villa_Fan]

 

 

I don't agree with a lot of the criticism on here about Lambert's tactics. Fairly short sighted and based on the last few games it seems, especially when it comes to tactical choices.

Perhaps a quick reminder of the stats against Hull (our last game not against the top 4 from last year) is required? I could link it, but it shows 45-55% of the ball (AVFC-HCFC) more shots, and shots on target for us than Hull.

Seems to me that we have defensive plans for the 'better' teams, or teams that play the ball well - but when we are playing against teams that don't carry so much of a threat, this year (so far), we have come out and played football further up the field and not sat back. I have watched this happen on a few occasions this year, and I think it will happen more.

I'm not sure how you can claim it be short sighted when a lot of the criticism is down to the last 2 years.

 

Some is, most is about lack of shots on target etc this season though.

 

 

Not at all, we've been bottom or close to bottom in possession, chances created and goals scored ever since Lambert has become our manager. This season is just another one with the same style and results. 

[Isa]

I don't agree with a lot of the criticism on here about Lambert's tactics. Fairly short sighted and based on the last few games it seems, especially when it comes to tactical choices.

Almost as short-sighted as forgetting that last season ever happened and that the football has improved because we had one good half against Hull.

I thought we looked fairly good until Tekkers and Kozak got injured to be honest.

Most of our worst bouts of hoofball come with Benteke in the team as he offers the easy option for that. After the first couple of games, the football played last season was in general very retrograde and some of the worst I've ever seen a Villa team serve up.

[DelboyVilla]

 

He didn't say joyful, expansive, attacking football, he said good attacking football, but the point I think he was trying to make is that we need to improve in the possession and chance creating departments.

 

There are degrees in between the way we play now and the way Chelsea play. There are teams with arguably worse squad than ours that have more possession and create more chances every game than we do. We have a more solid back line this season than the last few years but they can't be expected to keep clean sheets week in week out and even if they did we'd still draw most games.

 

Having more attacking threat isn't a pipe dream that only the top clubs can afford to do, we just need the right players and, more importantly, the right manager and coaches that can implement that play-style. Lambert isn't that man for me, he's had enough chances now and it just doesn't look like it's going to happen under him.

 

 

I wasn't putting words in andym's mouth r.e: joyful, expansive football - just highlighting that that's a dream.  We should definitely create more chances and that's probably our biggest failing right now.  Possession really doesn't worry we; we have a fairly pacy attacking outlet so breaking/attacking quickly (and hopefully creating) is likely to mean a sacrifice on possession because we don't build up play slowly.  Our biggest concern of the last 2 seasons (arguably?) has been having a leaky defence - it wouldn't be the greatest shock in the world if this is the area we've looked to improve on the most.

 

An attacking play style is more a subjective 'want' than a necessity in matches.  Plenty of teams build on a solid defence and counter attacking - perhaps we lack the quality to do this, perhaps we've missed having a main focal point up top with Benteke injured.  Lambert has reportedly "gone in" for attacking midfielders recently (certainly with Hoolahan) but, likely due to stringent financial controls, we haven't purchased this kind of player.  This may well be the reason we signed Joe Cole on a free?

 

I don't accept that it's simply something we overlook or something that Lambert doesn't want.  His Norwich side scored the most goals in League One when they won the league (89), the most goals in the Championship when they came 2nd (83) and the most goals of any side outside the top 6 in the Premier League (52) in their first season.  But apparently he doesn't have the capability to achieve this?  Bollocks, to be quite frank.

 

 

 

I couldn't give a shit what he did at Norwich when to be honest there was never any pressure on him to get results because when a small club like them get's to the top league they expect to go straight back down. His record here is dire and the performances on the pitch have been as poor as anything I can remember down VP.

 

Lambert has made it clear during his time here all the football decisions were his and to quote Hoolahan is silly as it was Norwich refusing to sell to Lambert because they hate him and it was not down to money. As usual Lambert had plan B a bit like his on field tactics.

 

He has obviously risen above his limited capabilities and I am sure he can't beleive how big an idiot Lerner is for keeping him employed for so long without spotting his major failings. Though a Yank with limited knowledge doesn't seem to spot much from thousands of miles away. He should make the most of this situation as when he does loose his job here he can go back to managing at his level, i.e. League 1!

[AntrimBlack]

 

Why is it when some fundamentals in our game are missing and some posters resort to quoting a lack of quality/ millions on transfers as the reason.

We all know that the more you spend the more likely it is to secure the necessary skills.....but there has been plenty of pigs in pokes over the years, just like there has been some fantastic bargains.

You still have to aspire to the philosophy that will take you places.

The more we try to sign players that are comfortable on the ball....the more likely it is for those kind of players will want to come.

We still have some of our players that do represent low capability with the ball....this puts so much pressure on the other players and also encourages poor decision making, just to get rid of the ball.

 

Ever seen our throw-ins?

 

I feel sorry for Cissokho. Every time he takes a throw he has to look for who to throw to - but nobody shapes for him and we usually end up handing possession straight back. It's almost as if nobody actually want's the football and, if they do, they don't appear to possess the skill to control and pass in a tight situation.

 

Or the amount of times a loose ball makes it to one of our unmarked players and they head/kick it straight back instead of taking a touch and passing - especially our backs.

 

Or when Wiemann pushes forward to press, only to find the opposition has easily passed to an unmarked player since nobody else in a Villa shirt thought pressing would be a good idea.

 

It's these fundamentals I want to see improve. Ball retention. Pass and move. Pressure as a group/team. Bring to feet when you have time. I'm not expecting miracles and I know we will make mistakes - but I don't see improvement in how we go about these things over the last 2 and a bit years. This is my greatest concern with Lambert and something you put perfectly in your post:

 

"You still have to aspire to the philosophy that will take you places."

 

 

Very much this.

Our throw-ins are awful. The players do not show for them, because they have neither the confidence or ball control. Our throw-ins regularly give the advantage to the opposition rather than us.

And corners and free kicks, I cannot understand why professional footballers, whose job this is, cannot, from a dead ball situation, without pressure from the opposition, get the ball into the approximate area they want to get it into, and at the approximate height required.

Guzan often, though not always, does not have the option to start the play from the back because no one shows for him.

But I think he often hoofs it unnecessarily and brings pressure back on himself when we just need to hold it. Then, of course, it is the same old problem, players not having the ability to hold the ball.

I sometimes feel, watching it, that we are still playing to an Oneill format, but without the players that were bought to play that way.

In order to progress in this league, I think, unfortunately, we are still at the beginning of a very long road.

[KSV]

Someone's got to be last with the stats. Guess which stat I like. The ladder. we're not last there!

[DelboyVilla]

We have Westwood, Delph, Cleverley, Richardson and N'Zogbia who have shown they can all control and pass the ball but under the current manager we can't even manage to equal Hull at home in terms of keeping the ball and on Saturday looked like rabbits in the headlights.

 

Blimey, even Weimann and Gabby have a ggod enough touch and control.

 

People say it will get better with Benteke back but I remember last when we were dire with him in the team because we just kept on hoofing it up for him to knock on/down which didn't work as Benteke likes it to his feet, tigh or chest.

 

We need a new manager with tactics and someone who can motivate the team??

[Mantis]

We have Westwood, Delph, Cleverley, Richardson and N'Zogbia who have shown they can all control and pass the ball but under the current manager we can't even manage to equal Hull at home in terms of keeping the ball and on Saturday looked like rabbits in the headlights.

 

Blimey, even Weimann and Gabby have a ggod enough touch and control.

 

People say it will get better with Benteke back but I remember last when we were dire with him in the team because we just kept on hoofing it up for him to knock on/down which didn't work as Benteke likes it to his feet, tigh or chest.

 

We need a new manager with tactics and someone who can motivate the team??

You do realise we actually won that game, right? Do you think Hull fans came away from the game celebrating because they had more possession?

[DelboyVilla]

 

We have Westwood, Delph, Cleverley, Richardson and N'Zogbia who have shown they can all control and pass the ball but under the current manager we can't even manage to equal Hull at home in terms of keeping the ball and on Saturday looked like rabbits in the headlights.

 

Blimey, even Weimann and Gabby have a ggod enough touch and control.

 

People say it will get better with Benteke back but I remember last when we were dire with him in the team because we just kept on hoofing it up for him to knock on/down which didn't work as Benteke likes it to his feet, tigh or chest.

 

We need a new manager with tactics and someone who can motivate the team??

You do realise we actually won that game, right? Do you think Hull fans came away from the game celebrating because they had more possession?

 

 

But we sat back and let them come on to us and they could have taken something from the game? I know we won. I never disputed that but we should have killed the game by keeping the ball. We need to control games better at home when we have worked hard to build a lead IMO.

[Mantis]

 

 

We have Westwood, Delph, Cleverley, Richardson and N'Zogbia who have shown they can all control and pass the ball but under the current manager we can't even manage to equal Hull at home in terms of keeping the ball and on Saturday looked like rabbits in the headlights.

 

Blimey, even Weimann and Gabby have a ggod enough touch and control.

 

People say it will get better with Benteke back but I remember last when we were dire with him in the team because we just kept on hoofing it up for him to knock on/down which didn't work as Benteke likes it to his feet, tigh or chest.

 

We need a new manager with tactics and someone who can motivate the team??

You do realise we actually won that game, right? Do you think Hull fans came away from the game celebrating because they had more possession?

 

 

But we sat back and let them come on to us and they could have taken something from the game? I know we won. I never disputed that but we should have killed the game by keeping the ball. We need to control games better at home when we have worked hard to build a lead IMO.

 

We were still relatively comfortable until they got that first goal. You often see that in games where a team is 2-0 up, the other team scores a goal and it changes the game completely. It's certainly not something which is exclusive to us.

[Chewie]

A little bit of a change of pace from the last few pages of posts, but apparently Lambert and Tom Fox are flying to New York to speak with Randy.

 

Hopefully we can get the remaining contracts wrapped up relatively quickly, and get some sort of idea what kind of money we will have to spend in January.

[SikhInTrinity]

 

 

We have Westwood, Delph, Cleverley, Richardson and N'Zogbia who have shown they can all control and pass the ball but under the current manager we can't even manage to equal Hull at home in terms of keeping the ball and on Saturday looked like rabbits in the headlights.

 

Blimey, even Weimann and Gabby have a ggod enough touch and control.

 

People say it will get better with Benteke back but I remember last when we were dire with him in the team because we just kept on hoofing it up for him to knock on/down which didn't work as Benteke likes it to his feet, tigh or chest.

 

We need a new manager with tactics and someone who can motivate the team??

You do realise we actually won that game, right? Do you think Hull fans came away from the game celebrating because they had more possession?

 

 

But we sat back and let them come on to us and they could have taken something from the game? I know we won. I never disputed that but we should have killed the game by keeping the ball. We need to control games better at home when we have worked hard to build a lead IMO.

 

 

I don't know why people are still going on about the Hull game, we won.

[Keyblade]

And fairly comfortably at that, but for a late scare (even that is too strong a word).

[TRO]

To be honest, I scanned through the last number of posts on statistics, as it was not really getting anywhere. 

I think that statistics can often be interpreted to prove the particular point someone wants to make, and are sometimes even misleading .

There are no nuances with statistics, and when you watch the match your own opinion as to the style of play and its' effectiveness, I think, is often a better yardstick than the statistics, which, though useful, often do not really reflect what you have seen.

 

...Couldn't agree with you more.

[TRO]

 

We have Westwood, Delph, Cleverley, Richardson and N'Zogbia who have shown they can all control and pass the ball but under the current manager we can't even manage to equal Hull at home in terms of keeping the ball and on Saturday looked like rabbits in the headlights.

 

Blimey, even Weimann and Gabby have a ggod enough touch and control.

 

People say it will get better with Benteke back but I remember last when we were dire with him in the team because we just kept on hoofing it up for him to knock on/down which didn't work as Benteke likes it to his feet, tigh or chest.

 

We need a new manager with tactics and someone who can motivate the team??

You do realise we actually won that game, right? Do you think Hull fans came away from the game celebrating because they had more possession?

 

 

winning is the first objective, granted.....but if you want to progress and make sure those wins don't slip in to draws or losses, ignoring the business of ball control and passing and moving, when you need to, will keep you trapped in a peaks and troughs merry go round.

[DelboyVilla]

 

 

 

We have Westwood, Delph, Cleverley, Richardson and N'Zogbia who have shown they can all control and pass the ball but under the current manager we can't even manage to equal Hull at home in terms of keeping the ball and on Saturday looked like rabbits in the headlights.

 

Blimey, even Weimann and Gabby have a ggod enough touch and control.

 

People say it will get better with Benteke back but I remember last when we were dire with him in the team because we just kept on hoofing it up for him to knock on/down which didn't work as Benteke likes it to his feet, tigh or chest.

 

We need a new manager with tactics and someone who can motivate the team??

You do realise we actually won that game, right? Do you think Hull fans came away from the game celebrating because they had more possession?

 

 

But we sat back and let them come on to us and they could have taken something from the game? I know we won. I never disputed that but we should have killed the game by keeping the ball. We need to control games better at home when we have worked hard to build a lead IMO.

 

 

I don't know why people are still going on about the Hull game, we won.

 

 

 

I don't know why when possession is discussed the only thing people can say is we won the Hull game. Yes we all know that! It seems almost as though if we won a game we are unable to discuss the match in any kind of other than it was the prefect performance or people agruing that stats are meaningless and what consitutes a shot on goal?

 

It is becoming impossible to discuss any perceived issues with our play on here without people making silly comments that don't add to the debate but just try to wind up people?

[Mantis]

 

 

We have Westwood, Delph, Cleverley, Richardson and N'Zogbia who have shown they can all control and pass the ball but under the current manager we can't even manage to equal Hull at home in terms of keeping the ball and on Saturday looked like rabbits in the headlights.

 

Blimey, even Weimann and Gabby have a ggod enough touch and control.

 

People say it will get better with Benteke back but I remember last when we were dire with him in the team because we just kept on hoofing it up for him to knock on/down which didn't work as Benteke likes it to his feet, tigh or chest.

 

We need a new manager with tactics and someone who can motivate the team??

You do realise we actually won that game, right? Do you think Hull fans came away from the game celebrating because they had more possession?

 

 

winning is the first objective, granted.....but if you want to progress and make sure those wins don't slip in to draws or losses, ignoring the business of ball control and passing and moving, when you need to, will keep you trapped in a peaks and troughs merry go round.

 

 

We didn't ignore them - it was just a typical case of a game completely changing after the team that went 2-0 up comfortably suddenly conceded a goal and made it 2-1 - it happens all the time. As it was Hull's goal was pretty lucky.

Edited October 10, 2014 by Mantis