Paul Lambert

[sheepyvillian]

One thing that bothers me is that our football is just really haphazard and I don't know, formless? It's the one thing that really bothers me about Lambert's tenure here, as much as I support him. Under McLeish we were very defensive with almost no attacking intent, at least he had a definable style however bad it was. Under Houllier we tried to play passing football to unlock defences, again a distinguishable style even though it didn't work out with the players we had at the time. Under Lambert, we don't really have a style. When we have the ball we just kind of pass it around a bit, but don't know what to do with it. Or we try to hit it up to the striker and hope for the best. There's just no footballing philosophy (which is something that is overrated on here, but still), positive or negative. You could argue we're a counter-attacking team, but we've seem to have forgot how to do that too. It's a bit disconcerting that after 2 and a bit years, we still don't have an identity under Lambert which is my main gripe with him.

The proverbial nail on the head .

[PieFacE]

We should do this against QPR....

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8eBABCBaP8

[Eastie]

Three years of this football under Lambert has been very depressing in the main - when he came he promised entertaining football but the negative style and lack of chances and goals is hugely annoying - I am losing my passion for football after over 35 yrs of watching - the sooner he goes the better .

[Brumstopdogs]

We seem to set up in a similar way for most games which makes it easier for an opposition team to plan (if they need to!) how to approach the game against us.

 

Lambert - just try something different FFS. Different players, a different formation or a different approach to games. Can it really get that much worse than it us now? We can't defend, we hardly shoot - we're hopeless and boring.

 

For me it's the way we approach games in exactly the same way that is one of the most frustrating things and then regardless of whether we go behind (which we normally do) we continue to play the same way.

 

We don't even get the basics right. Lack of movement on throw ins, opposition corners we're not alert, opposition free kicks we're half asleep.

 

Lambert out.

[Eastie]

Can't see any way that lerner would sack Lambert while he is owner - having just given him a long extension I feel we are stuck in the abyss until the club is sold and sadly that could be a long way off

[TrentVilla]

Yesterday was disappointing both in terms of result and performance, lots of aspects of the performance weren't good enough not least the defending with individual errors for each of the goals.

 

We need to improve in terms of possession and you would hope that if we do that our ability to create chances will also improve. It needs to.

 

But and here is the rub for me, Everton like the 4 teams before them are simple better than us much much better than us. Both individually and collectively they are better than us irrespective of the league positions going into the game yesterday.

 

We remain miles behind the top 7 and having spent £10m this summer anyone who thought that wouldn't be the case was kidding themselves.

 

We've been unfortunate with the fixtures, that isn't an excuse its simply a fact. But the way we are playing and the lack of creativity is a valid criticism and a concern, as are the defensive errors that have crept back into our game.

 

I'm a long long way from calling for Lambert's head and even further from thinking there is even a remote possibility of him going any time soon.

So for now I'm just looking to the next set of fixtures and hoping for some signs of improvement, more possession and more shots and hopefully a few points.

 

I'm also comforted by the fact that despite the last 4 games we are still 3 points better off than last season for the corresponding fixtures.

 

A win against QPR and we will still have had a decent start to the season, points wise anyway.

[TRO]

We've had so many excuses, lack of quality, lack of depth, lack of experience, injuries and so on.

 

At what point do we just say 'someone else could do better?'

 

I think lack of depth, lack of experience and lack of overall quality could have been leveled at us over the last couple of years but for me not this season. We now have a decent squad of players with a fair amount of experience.

Injuries are unfortunately part and parcel of the game. You look at our starting line up today and we had two players who had they been fit would have started in Senderos and Delph.

For me the squad is good enough to achieve a 10th - 12th place finish but I am now becoming worried that we could be looking at another relegation battle. Given the level of opposition I guess having conceded 10 goals in the last 4 games was not unexpected but we have created very little in those four games and once going behind have looked nothing better than lambs waiting to be slaughtered.

We need to get back to looking more solid at the back and to start creating chances and putting a few away something we haven't done at all this season. If both of those happen we will be fine. If one happens we will at least have a fighting chance. If both fail to materialize we will be in deep, deep shit again.

 

I've been looking forward to your view on this, once again I agree with what you say. Not that I enjoy this - I **

** hate it, I wish you/I/others were wrong. This is not enjoyable, I was not brought up on Aston Villa being this.

None of us like writing negative stuff dodg.....we are all fans and we want to win every game with pomp.

But we can only write what we see and express our interpretation of what's on display....right or wrong.

[squirdle]

Another 4 years of this? That can't be right, surely?

[KSV]

I really think we need to mix up our midfielder 'three'. They are all too similar and he keeps picking a midfield three. I noticed he switched to a 442 with little effect in the Everton match. I think a midfield three is the way to go but he needs to play an attacking player there. Cole came on and was bright with the ball. Can he last 90 min? Probably not. Worth playing young Jack there to give Cole a break?

 

 

 

---------Westwood-------Cleverley--------

Wiemann---------------------------Gabby

---------------------Cole--------------------

------------------Benteke-----------------

[KJT123]

The one thing that bugged me yesterday was the game plan. At the Liverpool match, you could tell there was a definite gameplan, grab a goal, albeit being lucky, and then park the bus and hold on to that lead for all its worth.

Yesterday, in my opinion it didn't look like we had a gameplan at all. We weren't attacking but we weren't actually sitting as deep as we used to to against L'pool and City. That allowed them to open us up at will and score easily. We are a counter attacking side and that's what Lambert prides ourself on. I didn't see any quick counter attacks yesterday, it was all too slow. I remember a point in the game when Richardson was on the edge of their area with the ball and just stopped, losing all the momentum and eventually lobbing it towards the keeper for an easy catch. It's just basic stuff and we really should have scored yesterday against an Everton defence that has been awful this year, and they were even playing Alcaraz for the first time! Why didn't we exploit this?

[pacbuddies]

Another 4 years of this? That can't be right, surely?

Who knows? It might get better. Lambert has had some poor fortune since he started.

[ozvillafan]

But and here is the rub for me, Everton like the 4 teams before them are simple better than us much much better than us. Both individually and collectively they are better than us irrespective of the league positions going into the game yesterday.

 

 

- Everton have not won at home in 6

- Everton have averaged over 2 goals against them at home this year (and not just to "big" clubs - Leicester scored 2, Crystal Palace 3).

- It's been 10 years since Villa went 4 games without scoring

 

I'm sure people will point at the quality in our squad compared to the opposition (they always do) and it's true that individual errors cost us goals....

 

... but it's also true that our tactics and ability on the ball cost us any chance of being a goal threat and invited Everton forward. And don't get me started on our throw ins.

 

The best indication of how bad we are was our away support. They usually never stop singing and it comes through during the match. However, it was quiet after their first and stayed that way.

 

The usual excuses are wearing thin. Our football is as bad as ever. It needs to change - and quickly.

[TRO]

The model is so,so brittle.

[Vive_La_Villa]

I guess this will get divided opinion but, would anyone prefer us to take a chance on Moyes right now, before some other Premier League club wields the axe and gets him in?

I been saying for a while I would love us take Moyes. Or even Pulis. Or even bloody Sam Alladici. Change is needed.

[Dodgyknees]

The one thing that bugged me yesterday was the game plan. At the Liverpool match, you could tell there was a definite gameplan, grab a goal, albeit being lucky, and then park the bus and hold on to that lead for all its worth.

Yesterday, in my opinion it didn't look like we had a gameplan at all. We weren't attacking but we weren't actually sitting as deep as we used to to against L'pool and City. That allowed them to open us up at will and score easily. We are a counter attacking side and that's what Lambert prides ourself on. I didn't see any quick counter attacks yesterday, it was all too slow. I remember a point in the game when Richardson was on the edge of their area with the ball and just stopped, losing all the momentum and eventually lobbing it towards the keeper for an easy catch. It's just basic stuff and we really should have scored yesterday against an Everton defence that has been awful this year, and they were even playing Alcaraz for the first time! Why didn't we exploit this?

Exactly as I saw it too.

[smetrov]

Yesterday was disappointing both in terms of result and performance, lots of aspects of the performance weren't good enough not least the defending with individual errors for each of the goals.

 

We need to improve in terms of possession and you would hope that if we do that our ability to create chances will also improve. It needs to.

 

But and here is the rub for me, Everton like the 4 teams before them are simple better than us much much better than us. Both individually and collectively they are better than us irrespective of the league positions going into the game yesterday.

 

We remain miles behind the top 7 and having spent £10m this summer anyone who thought that wouldn't be the case was kidding themselves.

 

We've been unfortunate with the fixtures, that isn't an excuse its simply a fact. But the way we are playing and the lack of creativity is a valid criticism and a concern, as are the defensive errors that have crept back into our game.

 

I'm a long long way from calling for Lambert's head and even further from thinking there is even a remote possibility of him going any time soon.

So for now I'm just looking to the next set of fixtures and hoping for some signs of improvement, more possession and more shots and hopefully a few points.

 

I'm also comforted by the fact that despite the last 4 games we are still 3 points better off than last season for the corresponding fixtures.

 

A win against QPR and we will still have had a decent start to the season, points wise anyway.

 

I actually think we are approaching a new low under Lambert though - Yes weve have a tough run of fixtures - but we haven't made a decent fist in any of those games - weve rarely looked like getting point, rarely looked like scoring, and rarely have a shot on goal. On the staff side, that defence baker aside is full of international calibre players.

 

The current run of form reminds me of post chelsea last season, we later learnt of trouble behind the scenes - I wonder if the current results coupled with keanes comments [ireland over Villa] indicate similar troubles again.

 

I really don't see where we go from here - sure we might get something v QPR - but spurs at home a week later ?.

 

My own feeling is the 4 year contract set the bar way to low, beat the real shite, the odd freak result and keep us in the division - that seems enough for Lambert to keep his job. - - Although its going to get mightily uncomfortable for Lambert in those home matches IMO.

[Keyblade]

Losing to these better teams is one thing, and in itself is not a problem, but not troubling any of them...not even Everton who have the worst defence in the league and have been in very bad form is worrying. Many so called smaller teams play the bigger ones and manage to create chances (hell, we used to as well). Ultimately, they might not do enough to avoid defeat sometimes, but at least it's encouraging. We've barely carried any threat going forward, and an aggregate score of 11-0 over the past 4 games says it all unfortunately. It's not as black and white as saying well they're better than us so we should expect to lose. That may be so, but we shouldn't expect toothless performances either, which will eventually translate when we face teams that aren't so good.

[Woodytom]

We are definitely not a counter attacking side.

Our transition play has been appalling at large for quite some time now.

Man utd under fergie were an outstanding counter attacking team when they set up like that. Borussia Dortmund do it brilliantly as well.

We have zero indication that we are a counter attacking team IMO, in fact I think it's just a bit of a myth we've been given/give ourselves to cover up the fact we are absolutely woeful with the ball.

More kick and rush, not too dissimilar to my old Sunday league side. Hopeless.

[ROTTERDAM1982]

 They played some reasonable football at times yday, but when we had the ball just outside the box, there is no movement from Gabby or Nzog, and no late runs from midfield.We have no midfielder, whos game is to make late runs into the box, or even get on the edge of the box, nobody to take a shot.

 

 The balance and quality in the final 1/3rd is not good enough.We need a Sanchez kind of player in the midfield, a Delph or Cleverley player alongside him, and a Platt/Taylor kind of midfielder alongside them, up front we need 2 new players to play off CB/Kozak, Nzogs and Gabbys movement is woeful.

 

 PL needs to step up and improve the movement off the ball,the lack of his seeming understanding of the game, and how to change games, worries me tbh

[Jimzk5]

Were on tv next Monday against qpr, who if expected lose to Liverpool today will go into the game with 1 win, 1 draw and 6 defeats

Anything less than a win in that game will be unacceptable.