Paul Lambert

[ClaretVilla]

What about being happy with a point away from home? A clean sheet against a team with Alex Song in midfield. Alex Song. From Barcelona. People on here are just hung up on the West Ham thing, thinking West Ham are a league 2 team. Depressing forum, uplifting result. UTV

Happy with one point from the last seven games? The manager needs sacking along with his assistant.

[ThunderPower_14]

A point away to West Ham is passable if you look at the 0-0 score in a vacuum, but football isn't played in a vacuum and 0-0 doesn't exactly fill everyone with confidence when we've now scored once in 7 games and seemingly have no avenue to goal.

[Richard]

Lol some of the comments. Look at the pre match thread the number of people predicting a defeat (and some predicting huge defeats) you would have thought a point and clean sheet would have been viewed as a decent result. Perhaps not. Oh and before anyone looks I said we would win, pity we didn't

[DCJonah]

Lol some of the comments. Look at the pre match thread the number of people predicting a defeat (and some predicting huge defeats) you would have thought a point and clean sheet would have been viewed as a decent result. Perhaps not. Oh and before anyone looks I said we would win, pity we didn't

I think it's a decent result. But I'm passed the point of being happy at the odd individual result.

It was again a poor performance and 1 point was mainly down to our keeper having one of his world class games and west ham missing a few good chances.

We offered little threat going forward, again was sloppy in possession but our cbs performed better than they have in recent games.

[thunderball]

0-0 was luck. We are dire.

We shouldn't react against the prediction (we are terrible but not as terrible as predicted so it's a result) but the performance - terrible. Again.

All change please.

[Kingman]

I said in the pre match thread we wouldn't lose, However I won't be doing any cartwheels down the road on the way to the paper shop this morning.

Having to be pleased and find positives in that we stopped the mighty West Ham from scoring a goal, just shows how small time we have become of acceptance.

[CrackpotForeigner]

 

The spending has been disappointing.

The injuries have been disappointing.

The performances from the uninjured bargain basement players we have have been disappointing (although surprisingly good for the money paid).

And surprise, surprise, the results have been disappointing.

Why is it the only thing most people can think of to fix this is to sack the man whose shoestring budget transfer dealings have been the one bit of good news over three years?

I assume it's because they put far, far too much value on a manager's ability to polish a turd using things called tactics and coaching - things 90% of people know absolutely nothing about.

So what's your plan? Stick with the guy who is making no progress and driving fans away with his awful style of football.

Love the way you dismiss tactics and coaching. You don't think they are important to a team like us?

Can I ask why you defend him? You're obsession with the budget shows you don't think he will do better so why do you want to keep him? Why do you want to continue watching your team perform so poorly?

 

 

I do think he will do better, once the spectacularly bad luck with injures changes and allows him to play a team something like the one he's tried to build.

 

A new manager will have the same budget limits, so I think the budget is pretty relevant. Overall I think even most of his critics agree that his signings have been decent value for the pennies paid, so in that department I think he's a very good manager for us to have.

 

I don't totally dismiss tactics and coaching, but I do dismiss the idea that armchair managers are going to know more about them than a former career football player with a Champions' League winner's medal. By the same measure I don't really think us armchair managers are properly equipped to evaluate his performance in this area.

 

So my plan, if I were Randy Lerner (and my mum was still telling me not to spend money on my football team), would be to see how things go until January at least. If the situation was desperate, it might be worth bringing in a new manager mainly for the short-term boost. But really I'm interested in seeing what Aston Villa could be like if, for once, they managed to hold their nerve and give a not untalented manager a chance to build a team according to his vision over more than just a couple of seasons.

 

If you zoom out and look at our season so far we've done better-than-expected in five or six of the games, as expected in four of them, and worse-than-expected in two of them. All this more or less without our best player and only real goalscorer.

Edited November 9, 2014 by CrackpotForeigner

[sexbelowsound]

 

Top Post Crackpot.

Edited November 9, 2014 by sexbelowsound

[DCJonah]

Some fair points in there.

I do think he will do better, once the spectacularly bad luck with injures changes and allows him to play a team something like the one he's tried to build.

Fair enough. Can I ask what that's based on? Because apart from a short spell at the end of his first year I've seen nothing from him that makes me think this will happen.

A new manager will have the same budget limits, so I think the budget is pretty relevant. Overall I think even most of his critics agree that his signings have been decent value for the pennies paid, so in that department I think he's a very good manager for us to have.

I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree on this point. I think he's had a limited budget but I don't believe that excuses a complete lack of progress and his awful record. Because of that I think other managers could well perform better with the same restrictions.

I don't totally dismiss tactics and coaching, but I do dismiss the idea that armchair managers are going to know more about them than a former career football player with a Champions' League winner's medal. By the same measure I don't really think us armchair managers are properly equipped to evaluate his performance in this area.

Can I ask if you ever questioned McLeish on his formations and the way we played? I don't think you need qualifications to see that the way we approach games and the way we play most of the time isn't very good.

So my plan, if I were Randy Lerner (and my mum was still telling me not to spend money on my football team), would be to see how things go until January at least. If the situation was desperate, it might be worth bringing in a new manager mainly for the short-term boost. But really I'm interested in seeing what Aston Villa could be like if, for once, they managed to hold their nerve and give a not un-talented manager a chance to build a team according to his vision over more than just a couple of seasons.

Again it comes down to what you've seem that makes you think more time will result in us being a good team under lambert.

If you zoom out and look at our season so far we've done better-than-expected in five or six of the games, as expected in four of them, and worse-than-expected in two of them. All this more or less without our best player and only real goalscorer.

You could look at it that way but its still 1 point a game and 5 goals scored. And even if you did look it like that how do you justify the results over the last 35 games?

If you truly believe we can be good under Lambert then I can see why you want to stick with him. For me though I don't see it ever happening.

[snowychap]

...I do dismiss the idea that armchair managers are going to know more about them than a former career football player with a Champions' League winner's medal. By the same measure I don't really think us armchair managers are properly equipped to evaluate his performance in this area.

May as well close down the thread then and, probably, the on topic section of the site.  

If you zoom out and look at our season so far we've done better-than-expected in five or six of the games, as expected in four of them, and worse-than-expected in two of them. All this more or less without our best player and only real goalscorer.

I may be reading this wrongly (apologies if I am) but, according to your expectations, we've had a good season so far (ignoring the relative runs but above in five, level in four and below in two) having got 11 points from the first 11 games and scored five goals?

I think my biggest worry about Lambert is when he says, "We'll be fine this year, that's for sure." (Interview on Beeb page)

[Uncle Albert]

We got away with it yesterday as it could have easily been 2-0 in the first half. It really bugs me as to what is going on in training on a daily basis. And how there not at least trying to rectify our problems. It would be acceptable if you could see a change in the pattern of our play and that the results just aren't going for us. But it's the same dross being served up game after game. The finger has to point to lambert and his management team I don't believe they have got it in them to organise a p*ss up in a brewery let alone a premier league side. We're just a club stumbling from game to game hoping to pick up the odd points hear and there to keep us in the league. It's utterly disgraceful.

[CrackpotForeigner]

May as well close down the thread then and, probably, the on topic section of the site.  

 

I may be reading this wrongly (apologies if I am) but, according to your expectations, we've had a good season so far (ignoring the relative runs but above in five, level in four and below in two) having got 11 points from the first 11 games and scored five goals?

I think my biggest worry about Lambert is when he says, "We'll be fine this year, that's for sure." (Interview on Beeb page)

 

 

Why close it down? It's fun to argue over which of the manager's decisions haven't been so good, and what could be done better. But it is silly carry on as though we know better. Even if we somehow do there is never going to be a way of establishing this for a fact. It's like substitutions: A manager can't win against criticism unless the result goes his way. If he makes a sub and the team win, fine. If he makes a sub and the team lose, it was a stupid thing to do. Same with not making subs.

 

You most certainly are reading it wrong if you think I said we've had a good season so far. What we have had, though, is miles away from being the train wreck that so many are describing.

 

I think Lambert is right when he says we'll be fine this year, and anyway, would you rather he replied to interview questions with a "We're SCREEEEEEEWED"? Backing your team is one of the first rules of being a manager.

[ozvillafan]

Too many things to list in your post, Crackpot. Let me try to summarize:

 

- Every manager has to deal with injuries, including long term injuries to their "best players".

- Buying decent players is great. Building a decent team out of them is another thing entirely.

- Winning a WC, a CL or a premiership is wonderful. Sadly, that does not make you a good manager.

- If stability is the overriding factor in keeping a manager and his "vision", then we should have kept McLeish. Certainly his football was no worse.

- Lowered expectations are great. Shame we can't meet those either.

[Neil]

I still maintain that there's little point in changing up the manager until we get a new owner, just not attractive enough to anyone who would have being successful with the villa at heart.  I also don't think he'll be going anywhere until the ownership changes.

[dont_do_it_doug.]

I still maintain that there's little point in changing up the manager until we get a new owner, just not attractive enough to anyone who would have being successful with the villa at heart. I also don't think he'll be going anywhere until the ownership changes.

Why would they need to have Villa "at heart". Sounds like at sentimental clap trap to me. We need somebody to come in and win us some games, light a fire under them. Simple as.

[snowychap]

Why close it down? It's fun to argue over which of the manager's decisions haven't been so good, and what could be done better. But it is silly carry on as though we know better. Even if we somehow do there is never going to be a way of establishing this for a fact.

It's not 'fun' to discuss points of view (or read discussions) if, once in a while, someone (normally someone trying to dismiss criticisms) plays the 'well none of us are properly equipped to evaluate his performance regarding tactics or coaching because none of us is a former career football player with a Champions' League winner's medal' card.

 

You most certainly are reading it wrong if you think I said we've had a good season so far. What we have had, though, is miles away from being the train wreck that so many are describing.

I said a good season so far according to your expectations (as you said that we have surpassed your expectations in five of the games, equalled them in four and not lived up to them in two) and not just a good season so far (without the rider). Edited November 9, 2014 by snowychap

[Neil]

 

I still maintain that there's little point in changing up the manager until we get a new owner, just not attractive enough to anyone who would have being successful with the villa at heart. I also don't think he'll be going anywhere until the ownership changes.

Why would they need to have Villa "at heart". Sounds like at sentimental clap trap to me. We need somebody to come in and win us some games, light a fire under them. Simple as.

 

 

Love how you completely changed my post, "success with the villa at heart" is very different to having "villa at heart"...

[momo]

 

What about being happy with a point away from home? A clean sheet against a team with Alex Song in midfield. Alex Song. From Barcelona. People on here are just hung up on the West Ham thing, thinking West Ham are a league 2 team. Depressing forum, uplifting result. UTV

Happy with one point from the last seven games? The manager needs sacking along with his assistant.

 

No. I am happy with a point from one game away against a very good team.

[dont_do_it_doug.]

I still maintain that there's little point in changing up the manager until we get a new owner, just not attractive enough to anyone who would have being successful with the villa at heart. I also don't think he'll be going anywhere until the ownership changes.

Why would they need to have Villa "at heart". Sounds like at sentimental clap trap to me. We need somebody to come in and win us some games, light a fire under them. Simple as.

Love how you completely changed my post, "success with the villa at heart" is very different to having "villa at heart"...

What difference would it make to the meaning?

[snowychap]

I think Lambert is right when he says we'll be fine this year, and anyway, would you rather he replied to interview questions with a "We're SCREEEEEEEWED"? Backing your team is one of the first rules of being a manager.

In response to the question asking about why only one point and one goal in seven games, to throw in that comment (after making the 'top six' observation) suggests, to me, a level of complacency which would, worryingly, support the criticism seen in this thread and match threads that his thinking is pretty one dimensional.

This comment (along with the 'there are guys there with goals in them and it will happen' comment of a couple of weeks ago) sounds like a man who is just going to do the same thing week in and week out whilst expecting, at some point, that all will be fine and dandy.

I hope it is - if it isn't, then the blame will lie heavily with him.

Edited November 9, 2014 by snowychap