markavfc40 Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 (edited) Just how much worse does it have to get ? The media are now pointing fingers at Lambert for the sake of his own career he should walk away. I have some sympathy for Lambert as his career if he left us now would be pretty much in tatters and a Premier League club would not touch him with a barge pole. From his point of view I guess that is more reason for him to hang around here for as long as he can in the hope he can turn it around. I had high hopes for him but given the financial situation at the club never expected him to produce miracles and turn water into wine. I did though at the very least expect him to keep the water drinkable. Recruitment wise he has done very well. Whether or not he is the main person on that side of things I don't know but I am happy to give him the benefit of the doubt and say he is. What I do 100% know is that he is responsible for is bringing in the coaching staff and alongside them coaching the players, picking the team, choosing formations, setting out the tactics and making personnel and tactical changes during the games. On all these things he is failing badly. Not just every now and again but pretty much week in week out for the best part of three years. You could forgive him when he first arrived perhaps for being a little wet behind the ears at this level but to not have shown one iota of improvement in the amount of time he has been here, and to have arguably taken us backwards, shows that he simply is not up to the job. At best he is half a manger in that he can pick a player but can do sod all with them in terms of getting the best out of those players individually or more importantly as a part of a team. If he was simply employed as a chief scout or even director of football the fact he can pick a player would be of some use but as manger it is rendered useless by the fact he can get nothing from them. He has been given more than a fair crack of the whip, and way more grace than many of his predecessors and what he would have been shown at most clubs. It is now though time for him to go. Edited February 2, 2015 by markavfc40 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevpants Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 He needs to pick up the phone and thank Pete Carroll for upstaging him with even more tactical ineptitude than playing a high line away to Arsenal. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coda Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Pete who? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacbuddies Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Pete who? Apparently he is something to do with American egg chasers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Pangloss Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 His recruitment has invariably been good, especially given the money he has had to spend. In many ways, Lambert would make a pretty decent director of football, but as a coach, tactician and motivator he has proven to be poor. Must go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa89 Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 He really doesn't inspire any confidence. If you look at his tenure as a whole it's been a disaster and the lack of progress is striking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacketspuds Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 He really doesn't inspire any confidence. If you look at his tenure as a whole it's been a disaster and the lack of progress is striking. This. Even a Norwich fan rang up talkSPORT last night to say how different we are playing vs. what Lambert was doing at Norwich. I was expecting lots of exciting football with some gung-ho attacking and defending resulting in winning and losing lots of high scoring close games. Instead we have lacklustre displays and mistimed substitutions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Villarocker Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 It just seems that no matter how bad this all gets Lerner will stick by Lambert. I am convinced that if we had 10 games to go and we were bottom of the league and 5 points adrift of safety Lerner would still not act and leave Lambert in the position to take us down. Pure blind faith. I think Benteke's head has gone and that it may be something going on behind the scenes. He tried and tried when he first came here and now he seems not to be bothered. All can see that and surely Lambert does too. If so, he needs to sit the big fella down and get to the core of the problem because Benteke is the one player we have that can really make a difference to our season. If Lambert has been speaking with him to find out what's wrong, he clearly hasn't made an impression on him to make a difference in his performance. That first season was good from an attacking sense with Benteke, Gabby and Weimann bagging 40+ goals between them. In that 6-1 drubbing of Sunderland those three players scored 5 goals between them and played as the front three in a 4-3-3 formation. The three midfielders that day were Delph, Westwood and Sylla - hardly creative are they? Gil is a cracking little player but he is not defensive minded - confirmed with his covering of Ozil's run for the Arsenal second on Sunday. But, I don't want him playing out wide and tracking players back. I would like to see him playing in the attacking midfield role behind Benteke. Play Delph and Sanchez (I know he can give the ball away but he's probably best at providing cover for the centre backs) as the two other centre midfielders. that gives us an attacking four with the two wide men tracking back. They would be any two out of gabby, Weimann and Sinclair. I really think we can get back to winning ways but we need to be using players the right way and have enough attacking players on the pitch to ensure we have a chance of scoring goals. The Arsenal and Chelsea games were always going to be tough but we should be beating those teams around us and to do that we need to have our best attacking players on the pitch together and in the right places. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post briny_ear Posted February 2, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted February 2, 2015 It's an exaggeration to say he's built a really good squad of players. He has assembled a decent enough squad given the resources he has had, although you could argue that he has wasted a lot of time pursuing a "young and hungry" policy when he should have been mixing a few more experienced players into the squad, as he has now started to do. For me, the really puzzling feature of his performance as a manager is his apparent tactical ineptitude. When he first came to the club, I was excited because I thought his tactical ability was one of his real strengths, but so many times we have seen puzzling selections, formations and styles of play. Yesterday was a good example. Defending so high up the pitch was a recipe for disaster against a side like Arsenal - how bizarre to let them score 5 times, all essentially from counterattacks! Also, although we had a good share of possession, the midfield spent a lot of time passing rather miserably to each other, with very little idea of how to get forward or run into space, as was rather well shown by the MOTD2 analysis last night. Then there is a question about his understanding of what is going on, For him to say yesterday that "for 60 minutes or so we were in the game", and it "wasn't a 5-0 game" is worrying. We weren't ever really in the game, Paul, and it was a 5-0 game, indeed, we were lucky not to concede 6, 7, or even 8 as might have quite realistically happened. And the scale of the defeat had much to do with your selections and tactics. 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nabby Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Just how much worse does it have to get ? The media are now pointing fingers at Lambert for the sake of his own career he should walk away. I have some sympathy for Lambert as his career if he left us now would be pretty much in tatters and a Premier League club would not touch him with a barge pole. From his point of view I guess that is more reason for him to hang around here for as long as he can in the hope he can turn it around. I had high hopes for him but given the financial situation at the club never expected him to produce miracles and turn water into wine. I did though at the very least expect him to keep the water drinkable. Recruitment wise he has done very well. Whether or not he is the main person on that side of things I don't know but I am happy to give him the benefit of the doubt and say he is. What I do 100% know is that he is responsible for is bringing in the coaching staff and alongside them coaching the players, picking the team, choosing formations, setting out the tactics and making personnel and tactical changes during the games. On all these things he is failing badly. Not just every now and again but pretty much week in week out for the best part of three years. You could forgive him when he first arrived perhaps for being a little wet behind the ears at this level but to not have shown one iota of improvement in the amount of time he has been here, and to have arguably taken us backwards, shows that he simply is not up to the job.At best he is half a manger in that he can pick a player but can do sod all with them in terms of getting the best out of those players individually or more importantly as a part of a team. If he was simply employed as a chief scout or even director of football the fact he can pick a player would be of some use but as manger it is rendered useless by the fact he can get nothing from them. He has been given more than a fair crack of the whip, and way more grace than many of his predecessors and what he would have been shown at most clubs. It is now though time for him to go. The problem is he stayed too long if he had gone end of last season people would say he didn't perform at Villa but had restrictions on players.Them excuses are long gone he has enough good players but time and time again as perfectly demonstrated against lower league teams he is out done not by just the Arsenals of the world but the Millwalls. His grand plan against a 3 man defence at Liverpool was to play 4 cms followed a week later by playing a high line against a team with pace of Walcott.As bad as those 2 defeats where they are nothing to the utter shambles against bottom of the league Leicester. Him staying is damaging the club and himself yet neither side has the balls to say it's not working. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post markavfc40 Posted February 2, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted February 2, 2015 (edited) The questions I would genuinely love answered by those that back him are these. Do you think he has assembled a decent squad of players? if you do then do you believe that he is getting anything like the best out of them? You see I don't think you can answer yes to both the above. I believe he has assembled a good squad of players and deserves praise for that. I can't though on the one hand say that without then seeing that he isn't getting anything out of them. Our results over the last 19 games haven't just been poor they have been absolutely diabolical. Mark I have no problems with you or the opinion you hold mate you back it up each and every time fairly and do not post on poster at all. Sorry for quoting this bit of your post only but it has the question that I have seen a lot on here recently and it is one that I guess does need answering. But you see for me it isnt that black and white. Yes I believe he has assembled a really good squad given the money made available to him. BUT when did he assemble it? 3 years ago? two years ago or just recently? Only in the last few weeks has he been able to recruit or afford to recruit some creativity in areas we have been crying out for but which he has had to overlook for a while while he sorted out other parts of the team. He came into this season with key players injured or in contractual dispute and even now injuries still exist and , arguably, his best player is out of form having had a stop start season. He does not have the luxury of being able to drop that player (hopefully that changes today) and Benteke is expected to play through it when the lad himself could probably want the break. I know this looks like a cop out and yes in football nothing is perfect, all squads have to contend with injuries etc. I would just say for us it is worse given the lack of resources we have to strengthen and the fact that our players have to be at their best all the time. So yes he has built a really good squad but I dont think he has had the chance to use that yet in the way it should and I would just like to see the rest of the season with his best squad. Assembled it yes but results for me dont just then suddenly happen. Some will see that as a cop out or not a valid reason, fine but it's my reason! Richard I have tried over the last few months to not focus too much on what happened pre this season as I think valid reasons can be made for the overall poor results and performances during that time. I came into this season hoping for better and a realistic hope that we could finish around 10-13th with no fear of relegation. Not based on blind optimism but based on the fact that we had finally got in some experienced proven quality in Cissokho, Senderos, Sanchez, Cole and Cleverly, plus the reintroduction of Hutton. This I felt combined with what we already had meant for me we at last had a decent squad of players under Lambert in terms of quality, depth and experience. There is little doubt that it would always take some time for any manager to get he best out of a squad containing a number of new players and you could therefore expect and forgive a bumpy road and for results to not instantly be as good as you would hope. However you don't expect a run of 19 games, 13 points, 7 goals for and 29 against. Bedding in of new players does not excuse that. Injuries and suspension do not excuse that. Loss of form to individual players does not excuse that.The lack of a midfield play maker for much of the season does not excuse it either. This hasn't just been a poor run it has been absolutely terrible. I am all for mitigating circumstances but this has now gone beyond that. This is now at the stage of taking basic managerial responsibility away from the manager to excuse his failings. A part of managers job is to deal with injuries and suspensions, a part of managers job is to deal with losses in individual players form and turning that around quickly to get the best out of them, a part of managers job is to accommodate for the lack of players in certain positions, such as a play maker by ensuring he either brings that player into the squad or sets the team up in such a way that you can still get the best out of the players that you do have available as a team. Aside from player recruitment on every other thing a manager is tasked with doing Lambert is failing. I said yesterday in the transfer thread that Lambert could bring in another 11 players today but what is the point if he is still the man responsible for getting he best out of them individually and collectively as part of a team. Unfortunately, and it genuinely grieves me to say this, but at this level Lambert is out of his depth. Edited February 2, 2015 by markavfc40 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgyknees Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 This season in my eyes was never supposed to be a relegation battle. The squad he has assembled is too good to be anywhere near being relegated. To be 3 points off the drop at this stage of the season is unacceptable. He has completely failed in his job as Aston Villa manager. We're going backwards under him, in a season which was supposed to be about progression. I didn't expect us to finish in the top 10. But a comfortable 15-12th kinda season without the fear of being relegated is what I expected. He's had 2 and a half years to get this team organised and playing how he wants them to play, but we're looking more and more clueless by the game. We have no identity, the players don't look like they know what they're supposed to be doing and his tactical knowledge is just woeful. The guy has got to go. My thoughts exactly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momo Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 It's gonna be alright Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted February 2, 2015 VT Supporter Share Posted February 2, 2015 It's gonna be alright It'll have to turn around soon if we're going to meet your top 4 expectations! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrytini Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 What is especially worrying for me is the players are getting stick for poor performances and an inability to 'play possession football'.....when in reality it is clearly organisation and tactics causing the problems. I heard keown say last night that they are good players. They are internationals. We were a shambles yesterday...I have watched the whole game, freeze framing and slowing down. It is dreadful to watch. Compare, for example,the terrific organisation and performances from a host of lower league clubs in the cup recently...and every other year. People who say there is nobody else.....I fail to see how, at least in the short term, any could be worse. Yes stability would be great but you can only go for stability when you have the right guy. If the one you have doesn't work then change it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrytini Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 I see he has told BBC "we have enough quality to stay up". Yup. In fact, enough quality to be 10th. So why aren't we Paul ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momo Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 It'll have to turn around soon if we're going to meet your top 4 expectations! Top 4 in the Championship might be achievable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrytini Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 And saying "well, you have to"... doesn't count as an answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCJonah Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Some will see that as a cop out or not a valid reason, Because it is and you'll always find something it seems. You told me if this season was a struggle you'd be changing your opinion. But all you're doing is trying to find more reasons why its not Lambert's fault. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
useless Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 We haven't got a 'very good squad' though, It's average. Paul's done miraculously to bring in some of the players that he has and I'd say they make an half decent starting eleven, but they have to be fit all at the same time for a run of games, otherwise we're struggling. This notion that the players we have are too good for a relegation battle doesn't sit with me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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