Paul Lambert

[sexbelowsound]

 

 

but I think that just staying up whilst playing entertaining football would be sufficient for "most" fans.

Repeating myself a bit but I don't think a lot of fans know what they want with regards to entertaining football.

At a match, if we are playing with a bit of confidence, they're spreading it around nicely, building up and keeping possession, there inevitably comes a time where you have to turn and go backwards. At that exact point half of the stadium starts jeering about 'getting it forward' and '**** hell' because from a promising position we've been forced all the way back to the keeper.

So when a defender has the option of either playing a slightly risky pass back into midfield while under pressure, or going 'safe' by just hoofing it up, they're always going to choose the latter when most fans applaud them for doing so.

So fans say they want good quality possession, but actually want long ball kick and rush. Or least they reward the players for playing that way.

How come the odd few who keep defending Lambert act like they understand football better than the rest of us?

 

 

Tarring people with the same brush much?

[CrackpotForeigner]

How come the odd few who keep defending Lambert act like they understand football better than the rest of us?

 

I think mainly because most of the people attacking him can't come up with much more than to say how "unacceptable" it all is.

[avfc1982am]

I'll reply to the polite requests above asking for clarification on my post a bit later when I have time, but just to answer Crackpot's post above:

 

I think Lambert's major fault is playing under O'Neill and seeing his way of managing work. Letting simplicity rule and letting the players express themselves in their own way, rather than overcomplicating things, worked wonders when he had top players at Celtic, players who could drag a game out on their own (Ashley Young, John Carew on their day), or having absolutely no pressure or expectation on them (Leicester, newly promoted Norwich).

 

In our position we have pressure on the players playing for a club which is always being told it's below par for its heritage, and they're not world beaters. So no matter how many times Lambert can reassure himself that he's only doing the same stuff that O'Neill and Hitzfeld did, and that eventually it'll come good, he has to hand hold the players a bit more.

 

Do you honestly believe this to be the case? Most of the players now in our squad have played probably the at least 150+ top flight games each! I haven't looked at the stats so correct me if I'm wrong, however I do not for one minute think that the reason we are where we are is because our expectancy levels are too much for the players, or Lambert has to hold the hands of the players because they can't hack the pressure?! That's crazy, they aren't babies! Lamberts problem is either he isn't giving the players the right information. ie; Tactics, formation, line-up, positioning etc, or the players are not buying into it. Either way it is clear however he sets us up it's not working.

 

Someone else mentioned that we were never going to get anything from the Man City or Chelsea games. I agree in part, not because we couldn't, but currently we don't play to win the majority of the time. We play to contain. This is the thing though, Stoke done City in their own backyard, even QPR nearly beat City. Why can't we expect similar belief from our club or indeed demand it! It's about time we did if you ask me, and maybe by demanding more we will get more, instead of this defeatest mentality which looms over the Villa. The acceptance of failure!

 

I want a manager that can adapt his own ideas/philosophy to get the best out of the players at his disposal. Not a manager that continually does the same thing over and over expecting everyone to follow foolishly while his master plan keeps failing followed by excuse after excuse. It's getting ridiculous. Lambert has had more than enough time to have showed even slight improvements in our playing style yet here we are still.

[DCJonah]

 

 

 

but I think that just staying up whilst playing entertaining football would be sufficient for "most" fans.

Repeating myself a bit but I don't think a lot of fans know what they want with regards to entertaining football.

At a match, if we are playing with a bit of confidence, they're spreading it around nicely, building up and keeping possession, there inevitably comes a time where you have to turn and go backwards. At that exact point half of the stadium starts jeering about 'getting it forward' and '**** hell' because from a promising position we've been forced all the way back to the keeper.

So when a defender has the option of either playing a slightly risky pass back into midfield while under pressure, or going 'safe' by just hoofing it up, they're always going to choose the latter when most fans applaud them for doing so.

So fans say they want good quality possession, but actually want long ball kick and rush. Or least they reward the players for playing that way.

How come the odd few who keep defending Lambert act like they understand football better than the rest of us?

 

 

Tarring people with the same brush much?

 

I said the odd few, not everyone who defends lambert.

[DCJonah]

 

How come the odd few who keep defending Lambert act like they understand football better than the rest of us?

 

I think mainly because most of the people attacking him can't come up with much more than to say how "unacceptable" it all is.

 

Then you've obviously dismissed and ignored most of the concerns and criticisms that people have had during his time here.  And even if you were correct and that's all that people are saying, is it any different than you saying "it's not his fault."?

[sexbelowsound]

 

 

 

 

but I think that just staying up whilst playing entertaining football would be sufficient for "most" fans.

Repeating myself a bit but I don't think a lot of fans know what they want with regards to entertaining football.

At a match, if we are playing with a bit of confidence, they're spreading it around nicely, building up and keeping possession, there inevitably comes a time where you have to turn and go backwards. At that exact point half of the stadium starts jeering about 'getting it forward' and '**** hell' because from a promising position we've been forced all the way back to the keeper.

So when a defender has the option of either playing a slightly risky pass back into midfield while under pressure, or going 'safe' by just hoofing it up, they're always going to choose the latter when most fans applaud them for doing so.

So fans say they want good quality possession, but actually want long ball kick and rush. Or least they reward the players for playing that way.

How come the odd few who keep defending Lambert act like they understand football better than the rest of us?

 

 

Tarring people with the same brush much?

 

I said the odd few, not everyone who defends lambert.

 

 

You said the odd few who keep defending Lambert. That to me reads like you are saying everyone who defends Lambert. We are considered a minority on here by yourself and others and the words odd and few imply small in number to me. Or are you saying we are just odd? 

 

Either way, I'd agree with what Crackpot said on the matter. 

[DCJonah]

 

 

 

 

 

but I think that just staying up whilst playing entertaining football would be sufficient for "most" fans.

Repeating myself a bit but I don't think a lot of fans know what they want with regards to entertaining football.

At a match, if we are playing with a bit of confidence, they're spreading it around nicely, building up and keeping possession, there inevitably comes a time where you have to turn and go backwards. At that exact point half of the stadium starts jeering about 'getting it forward' and '**** hell' because from a promising position we've been forced all the way back to the keeper.

So when a defender has the option of either playing a slightly risky pass back into midfield while under pressure, or going 'safe' by just hoofing it up, they're always going to choose the latter when most fans applaud them for doing so.

So fans say they want good quality possession, but actually want long ball kick and rush. Or least they reward the players for playing that way.

How come the odd few who keep defending Lambert act like they understand football better than the rest of us?

 

 

Tarring people with the same brush much?

 

I said the odd few, not everyone who defends lambert.

 

 

You said the odd few who keep defending Lambert. That to me reads like you are saying everyone who defends Lambert. We are considered a minority on here by yourself and others and the words odd and few imply small in number to me. Or are you saying we are just odd? 

 

Either way, I'd agree with what Crackpot said on the matter. 

 

I think it is a minority but not all of you talk down to us football idiots when telling us why it's not lambert's fault.  And if you agree with him then i'd also suggest you've ignored and dismissed concerns and criticisms that fans have had over the last few years.

[avfc1982am]

 

 

but I think that just staying up whilst playing entertaining football would be sufficient for "most" fans.

 

 

Repeating myself a bit but I don't think a lot of fans know what they want with regards to entertaining football.

 

At a match, if we are playing with a bit of confidence, they're spreading it around nicely, building up and keeping possession, there inevitably comes a time where you have to turn and go backwards. At that exact point half of the stadium starts jeering about 'getting it forward' and '**** hell' because from a promising position we've been forced all the way back to the keeper.

 

So when a defender has the option of either playing a slightly risky pass back into midfield while under pressure, or going 'safe' by just hoofing it up, they're always going to choose the latter when most fans applaud them for doing so.

 

So fans say they want good quality possession, but actually want long ball kick and rush. Or least they reward the players for playing that way.

 

 

With regards to your point. I understand what your trying to get at but the truth is the fans don't jeer because the ball goes backwards they jeer because we are predictable! We play sideways, sideways some more, pass it back to guzan.. and hoof! No one in all the time I've been going down VP has ever applauded Villa for continually hoofing the ball. That's just nonsense.

[sexbelowsound]

 

 

 

 

 

 

but I think that just staying up whilst playing entertaining football would be sufficient for "most" fans.

Repeating myself a bit but I don't think a lot of fans know what they want with regards to entertaining football.

At a match, if we are playing with a bit of confidence, they're spreading it around nicely, building up and keeping possession, there inevitably comes a time where you have to turn and go backwards. At that exact point half of the stadium starts jeering about 'getting it forward' and '**** hell' because from a promising position we've been forced all the way back to the keeper.

So when a defender has the option of either playing a slightly risky pass back into midfield while under pressure, or going 'safe' by just hoofing it up, they're always going to choose the latter when most fans applaud them for doing so.

So fans say they want good quality possession, but actually want long ball kick and rush. Or least they reward the players for playing that way.

How come the odd few who keep defending Lambert act like they understand football better than the rest of us?

 

 

Tarring people with the same brush much?

 

I said the odd few, not everyone who defends lambert.

 

 

You said the odd few who keep defending Lambert. That to me reads like you are saying everyone who defends Lambert. We are considered a minority on here by yourself and others and the words odd and few imply small in number to me. Or are you saying we are just odd? 

 

Either way, I'd agree with what Crackpot said on the matter. 

 

I think it is a minority but not all of you talk down to us football idiots when telling us why it's not lambert's fault.  And if you agree with him then i'd also suggest you've ignored and dismissed concerns and criticisms that fans have had over the last few years.

 

 

I haven't to be honest with you. The reality to me is this. As far as i'm concerned, Lambert's remit has been to keep us the Premier League and spend the bare minimum to do so. Yes, the football hasn't been the best at times and thats putting it mildly but I refuse to aim my anger and frustration at the poor state this club is in at Lambert because I don't think he deserves it. 

Edited November 11, 2014 by sexbelowsound

[DCJonah]

but I think that just staying up whilst playing entertaining football would be sufficient for "most" fans.

Repeating myself a bit but I don't think a lot of fans know what they want with regards to entertaining football.

At a match, if we are playing with a bit of confidence, they're spreading it around nicely, building up and keeping possession, there inevitably comes a time where you have to turn and go backwards. At that exact point half of the stadium starts jeering about 'getting it forward' and '**** hell' because from a promising position we've been forced all the way back to the keeper.

So when a defender has the option of either playing a slightly risky pass back into midfield while under pressure, or going 'safe' by just hoofing it up, they're always going to choose the latter when most fans applaud them for doing so.

So fans say they want good quality possession, but actually want long ball kick and rush. Or least they reward the players for playing that way.

How come the odd few who keep defending Lambert act like they understand football better than the rest of us?

Tarring people with the same brush much?

I said the odd few, not everyone who defends lambert.

You said the odd few who keep defending Lambert. That to me reads like you are saying everyone who defends Lambert. We are considered a minority on here by yourself and others and the words odd and few imply small in number to me. Or are you saying we are just odd?

Either way, I'd agree with what Crackpot said on the matter.

I think it is a minority but not all of you talk down to us football idiots when telling us why it's not lambert's fault. And if you agree with him then i'd also suggest you've ignored and dismissed concerns and criticisms that fans have had over the last few years.

I haven't to be honest with you. The reality to me is this. As far as i'm concerned, Lambert's remit has been to keep us the Premier League and spend the bare minimum to do so. Yes, the football hasn't been the best at times and thats putting it mildly but I refuse to aim my anger and frustration at the poor state this club is in at Lambert because I don't think he deserves it.

And you're entitled to think that. But can you not see why some do? To claim that all anyone says is 'its unacceptable' is, like I said, very dismissive of the concerns fans have had and continue to still have. I think a lot of people have put forward very valid reasons as to why they feel Lambert has not done a very good job. If you can't take that into consideration then I stand by what I originally said. Edited November 11, 2014 by DCJonah

[sexbelowsound]

 

And you're entitled to think that. But can you not see why some do? To claim that all anyone says is 'its unacceptable' is, like I said, very dismissive of the concerns fans have had and continue to still have. I think a lot of people have put forward very valid reasons as to why they feel Lambert has not done a very good job. If you can't take that into consideration then I stand by what I originally said.

 

 

The thing is, he didn't say "all anyone says" he said "mainly because most" It's different. I read it as saying "Most people on here say" and that is what I agree with. I prefer to read VIllatalk rather than post because I think there is often great debates that don't need additional input from the likes of myself but when I see something I agree with I will reply. 

 

Maybe i'm wrong, you'll have to check with Crackpot, but I don't think he was referring to everyone who doesn't support Lambert.

Edited November 11, 2014 by sexbelowsound

[DCJonah]

I don't think he said everyone but I do think it was very dismissive.

[foreveryoung]

 

 

 

Are performances good enough? Don't care. What's a performance?

Do we look like scoring enough goals? Sometimes

Are we at least entertaining? Don't care. What's entertaining?

Do our tactics point at a long term game plan with improvement likely? Yes

 

Re the what's a performance and what's entertaining - if you're a football fan and you genuinely don't know the answer to those questions, I don't know what to tell you

 

Re: looking like scoring enough goals sometimes... when exactly?

 

And re: tactics making it look likely that we'll improve, what are you seeing there exactly? I'm curious about that one, because I'm just seeing the same panicky stuff from the manager over and over. There was a period, a while ago, where we got the ball on the floor for a good bit of every game, but the old reliable lack of movement pretty much killed any usefulness there time and again sadly

 

 

Hmm, please afford me the benefit of the doubt with the bit about performance and entertaining. You're assuming I don't know what other people _think_ it is, but I don't think anyone actually knows. Think past common knowledge and into what actually makes entertaining football. I'd say the most entertaining stuff is when we're 2-1 down trying to get a goal in the last 10 mins. Or if we're trying to hang on to a win. That's entertainment. Most people seem to trot out some tired rhetoric about lots of passing thinking that just because Barcelona do it and win lots of games, it makes it entertaining football. It doesn't. It makes boring football.

 

As for a performance, again, I'd say most football fans without really thinking would say that absolutely thrashing some team 5-0 is a great performance. I'd say it's no better than beating that same team 1-0 when they're playing better. The 3-2 win over Southampton last season was a fantastic performance. It was effective and it won us the game but it produced 35% possession for us. So effective football != a performance. Stoke punched above their weight for years by using long throws and long balls. Ask anyone if most of their games were good performances for Stoke, but obviously if they won or drew against similar or lower opposition then it has to be a good performance surely?

 

Looking like scoring enough goals - we created plenty of chances against QPR and Spurs. In fact we absolutely dominated the game against QPR and were just very wasteful. That's the bit that galls me the most, we waste so many opportunities that other teams are clinical with.

 

 

 

My answers to those questions

 

 

 

 

Can you expand a bit on the bolded please?

 

Can you explain how our tactics work in relation to long term planning and where improvement is coming from?

 

Performance is quite simply how competitive we are. If you watched our games but didn't see the score and left the room for each goal, what would your guess be as to the result? I know ultimately goals are goals and points are points and it doesn't really matter how you get them, but playing good football is ultimately more likely to get us points and goals. Sticking your fingers in your ears and ignoring that is fine I guess if we've got a longball anti-football manager who's only job is to keep us up, but that's not where we are as a club and that's not the sort of manager Lambert is supposed to be.

 

 

I think Lambert's tactics are to improve cheap players with potential to the point where they're good enough for us at that particular time and then we can upgrade on them or they get better with us, until we end up with a team of decent players. That's long term improvement. If you mean in game tactics, I honestly think far more is made out of tactics than is actually there. It's a game of chess exploiting your opposition's weaknesses and enhancing your strengths. I don't know enough about premier league level tactics to know anything more than we're not horribly exposed in certain areas so I know he's got the shape right each week. Anything more than that I believe is almost all down to the abilities of the players, and their potential for mistakes, which seems to be a particular forte of ours.

 

Fair point about the performances but see my point of view above. Perhaps if the longball anti-football is more effective, then he's not the manager we want, but the manager we need?

 

 

I'll reply to the polite requests above asking for clarification on my post a bit later when I have time, but just to answer Crackpot's post above:

 

I think Lambert's major fault is playing under O'Neill and seeing his way of managing work. Letting simplicity rule and letting the players express themselves in their own way, rather than overcomplicating things, worked wonders when he had top players at Celtic, players who could drag a game out on their own (Ashley Young, John Carew on their day), or having absolutely no pressure or expectation on them (Leicester, newly promoted Norwich).

 

In our position we have pressure on the players playing for a club which is always being told it's below par for its heritage, and they're not world beaters. So no matter how many times Lambert can reassure himself that he's only doing the same stuff that O'Neill and Hitzfeld did, and that eventually it'll come good, he has to hand hold the players a bit more.

 

 

 

This is psycological babble??? The basics are, we want a 'performance' as in, for example an attacking threat, where every player knows there role/job. To know there job, they need define and clear 'tactics' from Lambert, something without a doubt he is finding very very difficult coaching into the players. Get at least these 3 right and you will see 'entertaining' football. Get them wrong and you see what Lambert turns out week in week out!!!

Edited November 11, 2014 by foreveryoung

[AVFCAM]

When people keep saying "but look at who we've played..." Are forgetting the fact that before we played these teams, we only scored 5 and the performances were ok, but not that great overall (defensively we were excellent).

The problem of not scoring enough has been evident since August. It was the same last year AND the year before.

Yes, we've had some tough games, but we were hardly convincing beforehand...which is why so many of us fear for the rest of the season.

[Brumstopdogs]

How the hell as he stayed here for so long. If we had a decent owner he would have sacked him ages ago.

Edited November 11, 2014 by Brumstopdogs

[Brumstopdogs]

When people keep saying "but look at who we've played..." Are forgetting the fact that before we played these teams, we only scored 5 and the performances were ok, but not that great overall (defensively we were excellent).

The problem of not scoring enough has been evident since August. It was the same last year AND the year before.

Yes, we've had some tough games, but we were hardly convincing beforehand...which is why so many of us fear for the rest of the season.

That would suggest that Lambert hasn't learnt from previous mistakes.

 

A bit like one game not scoring, then the second game not scoring, then the third game not scoring, then the fourth game not and then the fifth game not scoring.

 

We've scored 1 goal in about 12 hours of football because Lambert has not been able to set the team up in the correct fashion to create enough chances and score goals.

 

Rather than learning from previous mistakes he chooses to repeat them again (We go again).

 

Get out of our club Lambert.

Edited November 11, 2014 by Brumstopdogs

[markavfc40]

 

 Yes, the football hasn't been the best at times and thats putting it mildly but I refuse to aim my anger and frustration at the poor state this club is in at Lambert because I don't think he deserves it. 

 

 

Criticizing or wanting rid of Lambert doesn't excuse or ignore the failings of Lerner. Just as if a defender makes a mistake and allows an attacker in on goal that doesn't excuse the keeper if he then fails to save a poor shot.

I actually think that despite some relatively poor backing from Lerner that Lambert has managed to assemble a half decent squad. The problem is that he continually fails to get the best out of  the players. He has failed to instill any style or pattern to our play and despite having some good players we can't seem to even consistently get the basic things right.

Lambert's first season here I thought was okay overall. He stripped out some of the older players on big wages, purchased some younger ones with plenty of promise and by the end of the 2012/13 season we had some momentum and things were looking okay. We also played some half decent stuff and I appreciated the fact that despite who we were up against we were happy to have a go and look to attack.  I actually thought going into the 2013/14 season with the younger inexperienced lads he had purchased and those that had come through the ranks being a year older and with a years top flight experience under their belts that we would be better for it and really kick on. Where Lambert perhaps failed in the summer of 2013 was in not bringing in another one or two expereinced players instead again going all in for younger players with promise but a lack of experience.

Last season though, despite a promising start in terms of performances, was absolutely terrible overall and that last third of the season especially we played some of the most gutless dire football I have witnessed in my 30+ years following us.During that period we desperately needed points but lost against Fulham, Stoke, Palace and Swansea not due to a lack of quality but due to being out battled and them wanting it more and that to me is unforgivable and the point where Lambert lost my support.

We then move on to where we are now. We had a good summer in terms of transfers for me. Again Lambert wasn't heavily backed but he signed players that had plenty of experience something the squad was lacking. I thought, and still do think, that along with the reintroduction of Hutton , NZogbia, Bent and the fact that the likes of Lowton, Baker, Clark, Westwood, Weimann, Bacuna can no longer be considered rookies means we now have a decent squad capable of dealing with the rigors of the Premier League.

With a decent summer behind us we then had a good start to the season but just as we failed to build on the positive momentum gained from a good end to 2012/13 and start to 2013/14 we have again failed to feed off it and kick on and are now again on a terrible run. We have had some tough games but lets not kid ourselves that they were games we had no chance of getting anything from. Everton before and since we played them have been out of sorts, the same goes for Spurs, QPR were rock bottom when we played them.

I think Lambert has done a good job in assembling the squad he has on the budget he was given but it will be wasted as he has shown he cannot consistently get anything like the best out of the players he has at his disposal or organize them in a way that ensures he gets the best out of them as a team. There comes a point where you have to say enough is enough and whilst acknowledging the good he has done and the huge failings of our owner overall Lambert's own performance as manager has been poor and where it really matters, on the pitch, results and performances have shown zero improvement since he took over from McLeish. His predecessor was sacked after one season for producing the same as what Lambert has served up for the last 2 and half seasons. I think we have given Lambert a fair crack of the whip and now enough is enough.

Edited November 11, 2014 by markavfc40

[CrackpotForeigner]

Good post again Mark, and I agree with nearly all of it fwiw,

 

BUT I think:

 

- You're just about ten games too early in your judgement.

- You haven't made enough allowance for the miserable luck we've been having with injuries.

- You may or may not be right about Lambert "getting the best out of the players", but nobody can say for sure.

 

In the end it comes down to opinions, but it's refreshing to read a proper nuanced analysis of the situation from someone who wants him gone.

[markavfc40]

Good post again Mark, and I agree with nearly all of it fwiw,

 

BUT I think:

 

- You're just about ten games too early in your judgement.

- You haven't made enough allowance for the miserable luck we've been having with injuries.

- You may or may not be right about Lambert "getting the best out of the players", but nobody can say for sure.

 

In the end it comes down to opinions, but it's refreshing to read a proper nuanced analysis of the situation from someone who wants him gone.

 

With regard to injuries, and also suspensions,they are unfortunately a part of the game and all teams get them although some are of course better equipped to deal with them. I would acknowledge ours have at times been to key players but as I have stated previously even when we have had a full strength side out, or very close to it, we have more often than not had poor results and dire performances.

Bottom line is mate is that despite thinking you won't be, if Lambert stays, I do really hope you are right. I hope I am shown to have gone too early in my judgement and that in 10 games time we will be sitting comfortably in mid table having put a decent run of results together and will be half a dozen plus points above the relegation mire. The last thing any fan wants, whether they want to stick with or sack Lambert, is for this terrible run of form to continue.

Edited November 11, 2014 by markavfc40

[TRO]

 

 

 Yes, the football hasn't been the best at times and thats putting it mildly but I refuse to aim my anger and frustration at the poor state this club is in at Lambert because I don't think he deserves it. 

 

 

Criticizing or wanting rid of Lambert doesn't excuse or ignore the failings of Lerner. Just as if a defender makes a mistake and allows an attacker in on goal that doesn't excuse the keeper if he then fails to save a poor shot.

I actually think that despite some relatively poor backing from Lerner that Lambert has managed to assemble a half decent squad. The problem is that he continually fails to get the best out of  the players. He has failed to instill any style or pattern to our play and despite having some good players we can't seem to even consistently get the basic things right.

Lambert's first season here I thought was okay overall. He stripped out some of the older players on big wages, purchased some younger ones with plenty of promise and by the end of the 2012/13 season we had some momentum and things were looking okay. We also played some half decent stuff and I appreciated the fact that despite who we were up against we were happy to have a go and look to attack.  I actually thought going into the 2013/14 season with the younger inexperienced lads he had purchased and those that had come through the ranks being a year older and with a years top flight experience under their belts that we would be better for it and really kick on. Where Lambert perhaps failed in the summer of 2013 was in not bringing in another one or two expereinced players instead again going all in for younger players with promise but a lack of experience.

Last season though, despite a promising start in terms of performances, was absolutely terrible overall and that last third of the season especially we played some of the most gutless dire football I have witnessed in my 30+ years following us.During that period we desperately needed points but lost against Fulham, Stoke, Palace and Swansea not due to a lack of quality but due to being out battled and them wanting it more and that to me is unforgivable and the point where Lambert lost my support.

We then move on to where we are now. We had a good summer in terms of transfers for me. Again Lambert wasn't heavily backed but he signed players that had plenty of experience something the squad was lacking. I thought, and still do think, that along with the reintroduction of Hutton , NZogbia, Bent and the fact that the likes of Lowton, Baker, Clark, Westwood, Weimann, Bacuna can no longer be considered rookies means we now have a decent squad capable of dealing with the rigors of the Premier League.

With a decent summer behind us we then had a good start to the season but just as we failed to build on the positive momentum gained from a good end to 2012/13 and start to 2013/14 we have again failed to feed off it and kick on and are now again on a terrible run. We have had some tough games but lets not kid ourselves that they were games we had no chance of getting anything from. Everton before and since we played them have been out of sorts, the same goes for Spurs, QPR were rock bottom when we played them.

I think Lambert has done a good job in assembling the squad he has on the budget he was given but it will be wasted as he has shown he cannot consistently get anything like the best out of the players he has at his disposal or organize them in a way that ensures he gets the best out of them as a team. There comes a point where you have to say enough is enough and whilst acknowledging the good he has done and the huge failings of our owner overall Lambert's own performance as manager has been poor and where it really matters, on the pitch, results and performances have shown zero improvement since he took over from McLeish. His predecessor was sacked after one season for producing the same as what Lambert has served up for the last 2 and half seasons. I think we have given Lambert a fair crack of the whip and now enough is enough.

 

 

Mark, he has had 46 mill net spend?...and this is what we have.

Edited November 11, 2014 by TRO