Paul Lambert

[Dodgyknees]

 

 

 

 

 

 

One thing I don't understand, apparently we were unlucky last night, yet when people suggest were were lucky against Southampton/Man City they are told it is nothing to do with luck.

How does that work?

And you could say the exact opposite about the opposite opinion.

It's like looking in a mirror!

It's true though.

You'll have people saying we weren't lucky against Southampton/Citeh but were unlucky last night.

Equally you'll have people saying we were lucky against Southampton/Citeh but last night luck had nothing to do with it.

Both opinions are as shit as each other.

True, I hate suggesting we were lucky. Last night was due to a lack of skill, maybe a lack of effort. Marshall and Turner were good, but our players were hesitent and gave chances away. Guzan has saved our neck plenty of times, Marshall did the same last night for Cardiff. We weren't unlucky, we just weren't good enough.

 

Doesn't matter.

Luck is bullshit. If you believe in luck then we WERE unlucky last night and we WERE lucky against Man City and Southampton.

 

If you don't believe in luck then we weren't good enough last night and we were good enough against Southampton and man city. 

 

You can't call luck in one scenario and not in the other, imo, regardless of if your glass is half empty or half full.

 

i dont believe in luck and because of that i would say last night we were wasteful of the chances we had

 

against city, arse, saints we were simply more clinical that they were - we were not the better team in those games by a long shot.  We made the most of the chances that came our way whilst our opponents did not.  That doesnt make us the better team nor does it make us lucky.

 

 

And a lot of people put last night down to being unlucky - when we could have had a penalty awarded against us first half - which rules against the unlucky tag. The reason we are where we are, is because the players are not doing enough. If they made more passes, less mistakes, put themselves about a bit more, we would be winning more draws, drawing more losses and losing less. The fact is, we are not unlucky or lucky to be where we are, we are struggling because our team has too many faults working against us. Is the manager one of those? I'm certainly finding it hard to back him as I was.

[Houlston]

Well done Paul you managed to improve us in the second half against a newly promoted side, who have gone through a managerial change and are incorporating more new players than us and who have the second worst defence in the league.

 

It's almost like that rally in the second half ignores Guzans saves and them hitting the woodwork, twice. A game is over 90 minutes and we didnt do enough in that 90 minutes to win or warrant winning that game.

 

442 worked in a second half against a team already 2 0 up, who knew this formation wouldnt work away from home with a player providing the width on the one side that isnt that good a player or indeed a winger or at least has not been in the past.

 

We are marginally in a better position, points wise, than last year but this time last year we did not have a March like we do this year. Will we be on 33 points come the end of March? I hope so but I'm not so sure.

 

Also this 'progress' we have seen is compared on a very like for like basis in terms of league position and I understand that. But we can also compare performances from the end of last season and in that respect we haven't moved forward at all only gone backwards. I don't see that form repeated either and at the moment we are struggling to even match last years 41 points tally.

Edited February 12, 2014 by Houlston

[Morpheus]

What makes you think he will backed on his targets in the summer when he wasn't over the past three windows?

Lambert's achievements to date have been clearing out what he deemed the deadwood thereby cutting wage expenditure and Benteke.

Would other managers have spotted Benteke's potential? Well he wasn't exactly a unknown quantity having played for Belgium.

Would any other manager coming in have emulated the Lambert clear out. Of course they would especially if under instruction to do so.

Does Lambert's current record of results warrant a new contract when other managers have been sacked for less?

[Risso]

 

The job of a football manager is just to try to win each match he plays, motivating and utilising the abilities of his squad to maximum effect.

 

 

I agree, it also applies to every manager in this league. Unfortunately Aston Villa do not have the divine right to win every match in a highly competitively league. 

All this guff about "job not finished" is just an excuse for the fact that Lambert isn't doing his job very well in the here and now.

 

It is not at excuse at all, it is a harsh reality. Where do you expect us to be in the league? I can understand people being upset about our decline over the last four years but there needs to be some more patience shown by the fans and backing by the board.

 

Lambert has improved us since taking over and can take us even further.

 

 

No he hasn't.  We're on almost exactly the same points as we were under McLeish at the same point of the season, and Lambert's had a season and a half at it.  If anything, the squad is worse, and the football is worse.  None of the young players we've bought who we hoped would kick on this season have done so.  The only players who have improved are Vlaar and Delph, just about everybody else has taken a step backwards, and a big one in some cases.

[TJVilla]

Just on Lambert's transfers, I don't think you're being entirely fair.

WBA might have got Mulumbu for peanuts, but how many of their other players have been dreadful for similar or more money?

West Ham didn't find Diame or take a gamble, everyone knew he was decent, but his wages are huge. Saying that they got him for free is not telling the whole story.

For the prices paid, I'd say Lambert has done better than he has worse.

Benteke, Vlaar and Okore (from the little we have seen of him) seem like quality signings, despite injury concerns.

Lowton, Westwood, Bacuna & Kozak look decent for the money paid for them (Lowton's form of last year, Kozak pre-injury, Bacuna is showing potential). I'd even put Helenius in that category. Even though Lambert hasn't shown much faith in him to date, he's looked decent when he's played, and will definitely be a player we can use in the coming years. Perhaps Lambert thought he would be ready for the Prem sooner than he's actually showing in training.

Sylla and Bowery are somewhere in between 'decent for the money' and 'poor purchase'. Both were dirt cheap and both have had varying degrees of success when played. Sylla was quality last year and looked like a real gem. This year he has fallen away. Bowery has shown good movement and workrate when played, but as of yet, he hasn't shown much more.

El Ahmadi, Bennett, Luna & Tonev have been poor buys, in my opinion, and look to be below-average players. However, El Ahmadi has shown (on rare occasions) that he can do a job. Unfortunately, I think the main job he's done, was to be a cheap midfield addition on low wages, with a view to filling up the squad. (I actually don't mind Luna, but his positioning let's him down too often).

You may completely disagree with the above assessment, but I think Lambert has done well, considering the money paid for the players.

I also think it's clear that this summer will see different spending. We might see a few 'cheap gambles' like Helenius and Sylla, but I think the majority of the funds will go on 2 or 3 'Okore' or 'Benteke' level signings, as Lambert now has a squad.

Rob I get where you're coming from, and yes Diame was an example that didn't highlight the wages West Ham paid him.

I'm undecided on Bacuna. I love the fact we've got someone who can take a free kick, but he's a midfielder being asked to play at fullback. Unfortunately none of our players are particularly good enough to play numerous positions. That's partly Lowtons fault for his off the field issues, and partly Lamberts. It's not Bacunas.

Kozak has looked like a decent acquisition, yes without his goals, imagine the mess we'd be in now. It's clear he was brought in as Lambert expected Benteke to go in the summer. When he didn't, a lot of posters on here then felt that we'd spent money on a position we didn't need. I fully understand the reason for bringing him in, so I'm not joining in on that bandwagon.

I also understand that Lambert had to buy a new squad with very little money. A directive from Randy, which, to his credit, he has achieved. As we all know, in football, as with most things in life, you get what you pay for. Randy gave him little money so we get little quality. Players like Bowery, Tonev, KEA, Sylla, have been brought in to flesh out the squad (similar to Sutton and Agathe during MONs tenure). We know they're not good enough, but they also have no sell on value.

My point about Lamberts progress was not that I expected us any higher than we currently are. I did, however, expect us to be further from the relegation battle than we are.

I also expected the football to be better. Remember the first game he played against West Ham and the chants of 'we're passing the ball'? We don't do that any more. We're such a schizophrenic team to watch. We never know whether we're gonna be a team that plays brilliantly, or appallingly, and I think that's where the frustration comes in. That, and the apparent lack of ability to change the game or react to other managers.

I know this is a long term plan, and I don't know who else would a. consider working under these constraints, and b. could do any better, so I'm not calling for Lamberts head. I'm just thinking we should be playing better than we currently are, and by going on record saying we're opening contract talks sends out a message that this is acceptable.

Also, Gentleman, just to be slightly philosophical on your reply, is any managers job ever fully complete?

[The_Lions_Roar]

Joe Bennett should never have started that game. He's out of the picture for ages and then comes back to play left midfield. The kid is useless and below the level we play at. We were again lucky not to go in losing at half time.

Our forwards let Lambert down tonight.Gabby and Weimann should have both scored. But, Guzan had to make a couple of useful stops too!

Bennett has been injured all season, I actually thought he did OK and provided Bertrand with defensive cover which he doesn't normally get.

[The_Lions_Roar]

What makes you think he will backed on his targets in the summer when he wasn't over the past three windows?

Lambert's achievements to date have been clearing out what he deemed the deadwood thereby cutting wage expenditure and Benteke.

Would other managers have spotted Benteke's potential? Well he wasn't exactly a unknown quantity having played for Belgium.

Would any other manager coming in have emulated the Lambert clear out. Of course they would especially if under instruction to do so.

Does Lambert's current record of results warrant a new contract when other managers have been sacked for less?

I think you're under estimating hugely the task of replacing a whole squad on a fraction of the wages in 18 months.

[andyjsg]

 

What makes you think he will backed on his targets in the summer when he wasn't over the past three windows?

Lambert's achievements to date have been clearing out what he deemed the deadwood thereby cutting wage expenditure and Benteke.

Would other managers have spotted Benteke's potential? Well he wasn't exactly a unknown quantity having played for Belgium.

Would any other manager coming in have emulated the Lambert clear out. Of course they would especially if under instruction to do so.

Does Lambert's current record of results warrant a new contract when other managers have been sacked for less?

I think you're under estimating hugely the task of replacing a whole squad on a fraction of the wages in 18 months.

 

 

This 100%

 

It seems others above believe we have the Barcelona B team as our reserve squad when the fact is you cant just throw them in and hope for the best. The players bought in had at least played first team football in leagues with grown men rather against other 'boys'. It amazes me the Football Manager, I know how football works mentality on here, just because Gary Gardner gets bought for Barcelona on Football Manager doesnt mean he will make it. He certainly looked a good player at one point against unfit teams in a pre-season but has since had a major injury which means he very well may not make it at the top level. I appreciate he needs to be tried, but keeping our prem status is the first task and then we can try and blood some more players in. Throwing youth with no first team experience into what was McLeash's team would not have had good results I can assure you.I guess you would of seen us winning lots of games at home in the championship.....

[Morpheus]

No mate I'm not and it could have been a more gradual process.

Since this seems to be the last bastion of defence for Lambert what do think is more important.

The fact that he has reduced wage outlay or results?

[Zatman]

 

 

Well done Paul you managed to improve us in the second half against a newly promoted side, who have gone through a managerial change and are incorporating more new players than us and who have the second worst defence in the league.

 

in fairness Cardiff is tough enough place to go. Everton, City and United all failed to win there

[TJVilla]

You are not convinced Lambert is doing a good job because the job is not finished yet. It will be better to judge him (properly) at the end of next season.

I agree that the job isn't finished, but how many managers actually get the chance to fully finish their job?

Ultimately football is a results business, and at present, they're not good enough. I agree that in the long term they may improve.

I'd love to believe that Lambert will be able to spend a little more on fewer players in the summer, and we can then judge him in January and at the end of next summer. Whether that investment comes, I don't know.

I just feel we're maybe being a little hasty offering him a new contract, but then again, I don't know who else would do better or be interested in attempting.

[The_Lions_Roar]

The job of a football manager is just to try to win each match he plays, motivating and utilising the abilities of his squad to maximum effect.

I agree, it also applies to every manager in this league. Unfortunately Aston Villa do not have the divine right to win every match in a highly competitively league.

All this guff about "job not finished" is just an excuse for the fact that Lambert isn't doing his job very well in the here and now.

It is not at excuse at all, it is a harsh reality. Where do you expect us to be in the league? I can understand people being upset about our decline over the last four years but there needs to be some more patience shown by the fans and backing by the board.

Lambert has improved us since taking over and can take us even further.

No he hasn't. We're on almost exactly the same points as we were under McLeish at the same point of the season, and Lambert's had a season and a half at it. If anything, the squad is worse, and the football is worse. None of the young players we've bought who we hoped would kick on this season have done so. The only players who have improved are Vlaar and Delph, just about everybody else has taken a step backwards, and a big one in some cases.

Again it depends which way you look at it.

Has Lambert improved us from what McLeish had, no he hasn't.

Has Lambert improved us from what McLeish had considering the circumstances he's had to do it, yes he has.

[Morpheus]

What makes you think he will backed on his targets in the summer when he wasn't over the past three windows?

Lambert's achievements to date have been clearing out what he deemed the deadwood thereby cutting wage expenditure and Benteke.

Would other managers have spotted Benteke's potential? Well he wasn't exactly a unknown quantity having played for Belgium.

Would any other manager coming in have emulated the Lambert clear out. Of course they would especially if under instruction to do so.

Does Lambert's current record of results warrant a new contract when other managers have been sacked for less?

I think you're under estimating hugely the task of replacing a whole squad on a fraction of the wages in 18 months.

 

This 100%

 

It seems others above believe we have the Barcelona B team as our reserve squad when the fact is you cant just throw them in and hope for the best. The players bought in had at least played first team football in leagues with grown men rather against other 'boys'. It amazes me the Football Manager, I know how football works mentality on here, just because Gary Gardner gets bought for Barcelona on Football Manager doesnt mean he will make it. He certainly looked a good player at one point against unfit teams in a pre-season but has since had a major injury which means he very well may not make it at the top level. I appreciate he needs to be tried, but keeping our prem status is the first task and then we can try and blood some more players in. Throwing youth with no first team experience into what was McLeash's team would not have had good results I can assure you.I guess you would of seen us winning lots of games at home in the championship.....

This is very interesting.

No-one believes we have the Barcelona B as our reserve squad and I think you are missing the point people are trying to make which is are those players in our reserve team any worse that those currently in the first team squad and why sign and play Holt when you have Bowery and Helenius who couldn't contribute any less.

[Zatman]

btw im all for criticism but I dont get this Man City was a fluke bollocks. Guzan hardly had a save to make and while 1 goal was offside, we had a similar unlucky decision last season at Etihad when still 1-0

[The_Lions_Roar]

No mate I'm not and it could have been a more gradual process.

Since this seems to be the last bastion of defence for Lambert what do think is more important.

The fact that he has reduced wage outlay or results?

It might be the last defence but its a pretty important one.

I couldn't care much about the wages and no I wouldn't jump for joy knowing we've reduced our wage bill.

Obviously results are more important to a football fan.

But you can't just ignore what he's had to do. It could of been more gradual but you don't get time in football, this thread proves that.

[Rob182]

TJVilla, I completely agree with you, with all the points you just made! I too think Lambert should go back to the passing, quick moving game that we succeeded with at the end of last year. I just disagreed with your original post about transfers

[AntrimBlack]

Like every other team in the Premiership, we have been lucky in some games, unlucky in others. It is how the world works.

And last night we were lucky to go in at the interval still level, however, we cannot say we were unlucky not to win it at the end, that was purely down to poor finishing.

[TRO]

 

Personally, I don't really know whether it's better for Lambert to stay or go.

Long term, yes it makes sense for us to have stability at the club (my god, we need some). However. His transfer dealings aren't great (to put it lightly). We know some of this comes from Randy's remit due to the cost cutting, but it's Lamberts job to unearth little gems. He tried, and bar Benteke, possibly Okore, and Westwood, it's failed miserably. Vlaar is great, but is so injury prone it's unreal. This should've been picked up at the stage of under going a medical.

We can say 'yes he hasn't spent much so that's why the players aren't great', but WBA paid £300k for Mulumbu. West Ham got Diame on a free. We got Sylla and KEA. Someone scouted those players. Those clubs took a gamble, and it worked. Our gambles haven't paid off.

We've bought a stack of fullbacks who are all terrible, resulting in us having to loan one this winter. We've bought strikers who will never step foot on the pitch as a first team option which has resulted in us not being able to afford a midfield. We spent the entirety of January chasing Wes Hoolihan rather than moving onto other targets or letting Dale Stephens out of JulieBs basement. Do I need to continue?

Just on Lambert's transfers, I don't think you're being entirely fair.

WBA might have got Mulumbu for peanuts, but how many of their other players have been dreadful for similar or more money?

West Ham didn't find Diame or take a gamble, everyone knew he was decent, but his wages are huge. Saying that they got him for free is not telling the whole story.

For the prices paid, I'd say Lambert has done better than he has worse.

Benteke, Vlaar and Okore (from the little we have seen of him) seem like quality signings, despite injury concerns.

Lowton, Westwood, Bacuna & Kozak look decent for the money paid for them (Lowton's form of last year, Kozak pre-injury, Bacuna is showing potential). I'd even put Helenius in that category. Even though Lambert hasn't shown much faith in him to date, he's looked decent when he's played, and will definitely be a player we can use in the coming years. Perhaps Lambert thought he would be ready for the Prem sooner than he's actually showing in training.

Sylla and Bowery are somewhere in between 'decent for the money' and 'poor purchase'. Both were dirt cheap and both have had varying degrees of success when played. Sylla was quality last year and looked like a real gem. This year he has fallen away. Bowery has shown good movement and workrate when played, but as of yet, he hasn't shown much more.

El Ahmadi, Bennett, Luna & Tonev have been poor buys, in my opinion, and look to be below-average players. However, El Ahmadi has shown (on rare occasions) that he can do a job. Unfortunately, I think the main job he's done, was to be a cheap midfield addition on low wages, with a view to filling up the squad. (I actually don't mind Luna, but his positioning let's him down too often).

You may completely disagree with the above assessment, but I think Lambert has done well, considering the money paid for the players.

I also think it's clear that this summer will see different spending. We might see a few 'cheap gambles' like Helenius and Sylla, but I think the majority of the funds will go on 2 or 3 'Okore' or 'Benteke' level signings, as Lambert now has a squad.

 

 

 

Personally, I don't really know whether it's better for Lambert to stay or go.

Long term, yes it makes sense for us to have stability at the club (my god, we need some). However. His transfer dealings aren't great (to put it lightly). We know some of this comes from Randy's remit due to the cost cutting, but it's Lamberts job to unearth little gems. He tried, and bar Benteke, possibly Okore, and Westwood, it's failed miserably. Vlaar is great, but is so injury prone it's unreal. This should've been picked up at the stage of under going a medical.

We can say 'yes he hasn't spent much so that's why the players aren't great', but WBA paid £300k for Mulumbu. West Ham got Diame on a free. We got Sylla and KEA. Someone scouted those players. Those clubs took a gamble, and it worked. Our gambles haven't paid off.

We've bought a stack of fullbacks who are all terrible, resulting in us having to loan one this winter. We've bought strikers who will never step foot on the pitch as a first team option which has resulted in us not being able to afford a midfield. We spent the entirety of January chasing Wes Hoolihan rather than moving onto other targets or letting Dale Stephens out of JulieBs basement. Do I need to continue?

Just on Lambert's transfers, I don't think you're being entirely fair.

WBA might have got Mulumbu for peanuts, but how many of their other players have been dreadful for similar or more money?

West Ham didn't find Diame or take a gamble, everyone knew he was decent, but his wages are huge. Saying that they got him for free is not telling the whole story.

For the prices paid, I'd say Lambert has done better than he has worse.

Benteke, Vlaar and Okore (from the little we have seen of him) seem like quality signings, despite injury concerns.

Lowton, Westwood, Bacuna & Kozak look decent for the money paid for them (Lowton's form of last year, Kozak pre-injury, Bacuna is showing potential). I'd even put Helenius in that category. Even though Lambert hasn't shown much faith in him to date, he's looked decent when he's played, and will definitely be a player we can use in the coming years. Perhaps Lambert thought he would be ready for the Prem sooner than he's actually showing in training.

Sylla and Bowery are somewhere in between 'decent for the money' and 'poor purchase'. Both were dirt cheap and both have had varying degrees of success when played. Sylla was quality last year and looked like a real gem. This year he has fallen away. Bowery has shown good movement and workrate when played, but as of yet, he hasn't shown much more.

El Ahmadi, Bennett, Luna & Tonev have been poor buys, in my opinion, and look to be below-average players. However, El Ahmadi has shown (on rare occasions) that he can do a job. Unfortunately, I think the main job he's done, was to be a cheap midfield addition on low wages, with a view to filling up the squad. (I actually don't mind Luna, but his positioning let's him down too often).

You may completely disagree with the above assessment, but I think Lambert has done well, considering the money paid for the players.

I also think it's clear that this summer will see different spending. We might see a few 'cheap gambles' like Helenius and Sylla, but I think the majority of the funds will go on 2 or 3 'Okore' or 'Benteke' level signings, as Lambert now has a squad.

 

 

 

I think you are just lowering the bar. I also think the money thing could be a cop out....There is no guarantee or indication that with better funds Paul Lambert will sign better players. better valued players, yes, but not necessarily better that will improve our team.

 

We have been here before with Martin O'Neill he had decent money and signed about 5/6 good players out of about 35....not a good ratio in anyones book....and the other 2 was probably even worse.

 

Cardiff have signed Gary Medel and a few others for good money, look where they are.....Sunderland have spent money....to not much avail.

 

If you are pinning all your hopes on the summer with a decent windfall and the promise of a few big money signings to raise the bar, I think you might be disappointed.

 

depending on the manager and his scouting prowess a 2 mill player can be as good as an 8 mill player as has been proved in the past.

 

Until we get someone at the club with a "king midas" spotting ability......or a "King Midas " Net worth one or the other....both would be BINGO....I can't see much of a future.

 

I don't think Lambert is any better than O'Neill. ....O'Neill had more money to get 6-6-6 but in the main all much of a muchness for me.

 

I guess the only thing thats keeping Lambert in a job, is the promise of jam tomorrow, when he gets some money....I think it will end in tears for us and Randy.....once again.

Edited February 12, 2014 by TRO

[mikeyp102]

None of the young players we've bought who we hoped would kick on this season have done so. The only players who have improved are Vlaar and Delph, just about everybody else has taken a step backwards, and a big one in some cases.

If being supportive you could also add Bacuna to that list and Clark when besides Vlaar. But you could also argue (if being harsh) that Delph hasn't improved under Lambert's tuition and has just gained full match fitness after getting a consistent run in the side.

The likes of Westwood, Lowton Sylla etc definitely seem to have digressed

[Swerbs]

Lads holiday to Portugal, woo!