Paul Lambert

[PieFacE]

Rogers is completely over-achieving at Liverpool, and whilst he's a very good manager he's gone into a club with players like Suarez and Gerrard there. So, to use Rogers as any kind of baseline for how any other manager should perform just isn't fair.

 

Lambert however is not over achieving, but he's not under achieving either. I'm sure most Villa fans would have been pretty happy with being in 12th position at this stage of this season when predicting where we would finish last August.

 

The football is disappointing, but maybe it needs to be that way til better players are brought in. 

Edited March 30, 2014 by PieFacE

[TRO]

I honestly thought I would see more tangible improvement than I am seeing from Lambert.

I am trying hard to value the austerity task he has had, but it is more to do with the attitude of the players, that I am concerned with and their mental application.

All managers have injuries and set backs, but an attitude from the players is usually a direct reflection of the management team.

I was not expecting to see world class football played with aplomb, I knew we hadn't got players to emulate Merson and Solano, but I did not expect to see a regular trait, more akin to Albion than us, of capitulation football, where a lead is almost as valuable as a throw in.

I really thought I would see an air of resilience and a mean outfit that was Scrooge like after going ahead, I'm not so sure the huge sums of money we keep whinging about not having is SO necessary for that to be fixed.

[pacbuddies]

Lambert has hit his glass ceiling just like MON did. His ability to organise and manage a football team has a limit and he has reached it. He has not shown any evidence in nearly 2 seasons that he is capable of taking this team onwards and upwards.

[samjp26]

Lambert has hit his glass ceiling just like MON did. His ability to organise and manage a football team has a limit and he has reached it. He has not shown any evidence in nearly 2 seasons that he is capable of taking this team onwards and upwards.

 

It's his 2nd season and we're currently higher than where we finished last season, how is that a glass ceiling?

[TRO]

Lambert has hit his glass ceiling just like MON did. His ability to organise and manage a football team has a limit and he has reached it. He has not shown any evidence in nearly 2 seasons that he is capable of taking this team onwards and upwards.

I sincerely hope you are wrong, but your comments cannot be ignored....there will a time soon, when the talking will have to stop...I think in all honesty, he had one more season...I hope he is supported, but like I say, some things don't always require money....like discipline.

[pacbuddies]

 

Lambert has hit his glass ceiling just like MON did. His ability to organise and manage a football team has a limit and he has reached it. He has not shown any evidence in nearly 2 seasons that he is capable of taking this team onwards and upwards.

 

It's his 2nd season and we're currently higher than where we finished last season, how is that a glass ceiling?

 

If you measure the 'glass ceiling' as merely a place in the division without taking into account the results, the performances and the style of football I can see why you are confused.

[samjp26]

So we've reached the glass ceiling in terms of our performances and style of football, yet we're actually improving? Okay, makes sense.

[GENTLEMAN]

I too fully support the principle of continuity and longevity in football managers.

Having said that time is not an unconditional commodity, because time alone will fix nothing.

Managers who are given time are still usually monitored by gradual progress to ensure that the time the owners are investing in a manager is being progressively utilised.

Paul Lambert has been given a huge task of clearing up other managers mess particularly from the transfer market and the owners I'm sure will take that in to consideration when appraising him at the end of the season.

...However there are some still important issues that have not improved one iota....like the home form, the poor defending at times, the lack of leadership and the total inconsistency of the team.

I am not advocating the removal of the manager right now, but I think the progress that we should be looking for to indicate we have the right man are a little nebulous.

I agree with most of what you are saying. Lambert is not infallible but he cannot micromanage the whole team either, it is a balance.

[pacbuddies]

So we've reached the glass ceiling in terms of our performances and style of football, yet we're actually improving? Okay, makes sense.

No 'we' haven't. Lambert has.

[darrenm]

#Lambertout

(cough)clearing in the woods(cough)

What? I didn't say anything.

Edited March 30, 2014 by darrenm

[samjp26]

 

So we've reached the glass ceiling in terms of our performances and style of football, yet we're actually improving? Okay, makes sense.

No 'we' haven't. Lambert has.

 

 

So the 'poor performances' are a sign of the glass ceiling hit by Lambert, but the improvement in every aspect of the league table is an indication of.. I dunno?

 

31 games played in 12/13

Position 18th: Won 7, Lost 15, Scored 32, Against 58

 

31 games played in 13/14

Position 12th: Won 9, Lost 15, Scored 34, Against 46 

[TRO]

Well it doesn't really matter who he would like because Lambert isn't going anywhere. In my opinion Lambert is a good manager, that is also the opinion of Faulkner and Lerner, our players and many of our fans, hence why he is getting a new contract.

He has made mistakes, he isn't the world's best manager, but so far he is doing okay. I will leave my judgment of this season till the end of it, as I have said all along, but constantly moaning and calling for his head is incredibly pointless because it is not going to happen.

I agree with you on almost all of this.

But if people are saying he should be replaced, I personally would like to hear who they would like him replaced with.

I think it's fair to say if there was a good shout, the pro lambert faction would say we will never get him and if it was a bad shout, it would be quickly ridiculed so it is unlikely that a head will be raised above the parapet.

But here goes because like to be challenged.....louis van Gaul or Gus hiddinck as my silly shout. And for the reason of having a deliberate man who would bring an end to the candy floss snatching oppositions.....Tony Pulis.

Edited March 30, 2014 by TRO

[samjp26]

 

 

Well it doesn't really matter who he would like because Lambert isn't going anywhere. In my opinion Lambert is a good manager, that is also the opinion of Faulkner and Lerner, our players and many of our fans, hence why he is getting a new contract.

He has made mistakes, he isn't the world's best manager, but so far he is doing okay. I will leave my judgment of this season till the end of it, as I have said all along, but constantly moaning and calling for his head is incredibly pointless because it is not going to happen.

I agree with you on almost all of this.

But if people are saying he should be replaced, I personally would like to hear who they would like him replaced with.

I think it's fair to say if there was a good shout, the pro lambert faction would say we will never get him and if it was a bad shout, it would be quickly ridiculed so it is unlikely that a head will be raised above the parapet.

But here goes because like to be challenged.....louis van Gaul or Gus hid finch as my silly shout. And for the reason of having a deliberate man who would bring an end to the candy floss snatching oppositions.....Tony Pulis.

 

 

The people that seemingly want Lambert out want him out because of the way we play apparently, I don't think Pulis would please them very much

[TRO]

Well it doesn't really matter who he would like because Lambert isn't going anywhere. In my opinion Lambert is a good manager, that is also the opinion of Faulkner and Lerner, our players and many of our fans, hence why he is getting a new contract.

He has made mistakes, he isn't the world's best manager, but so far he is doing okay. I will leave my judgment of this season till the end of it, as I have said all along, but constantly moaning and calling for his head is incredibly pointless because it is not going to happen.

I agree with you on almost all of this.

But if people are saying he should be replaced, I personally would like to hear who they would like him replaced with.

I think it's fair to say if there was a good shout, the pro lambert faction would say we will never get him and if it was a bad shout, it would be quickly ridiculed so it is unlikely that a head will be raised above the parapet.

But here goes because like to be challenged.....louis van Gaul or Gus hid finch as my silly shout. And for the reason of having a deliberate man who would bring an end to the candy floss snatching oppositions.....Tony Pulis.

The people that seemingly want Lambert out want him out because of the way we play apparently, I don't think Pulis would please them very much

Probably right, but for me personally I like to see a team that can see a lead out, within reasonable bounds....bubble gum or slap stick football of going 2up and losing by 4 like Albion don't do a lot for me.

Edited March 30, 2014 by TRO

[pacbuddies]

 

 

So we've reached the glass ceiling in terms of our performances and style of football, yet we're actually improving? Okay, makes sense.

No 'we' haven't. Lambert has.

 

 

So the 'poor performances' are a sign of the glass ceiling hit by Lambert, but the improvement in every aspect of the league table is an indication of.. I dunno?

 

31 games played in 12/13

Position 18th: Won 7, Lost 15, Scored 32, Against 58

 

31 games played in 13/14

Position 12th: Won 9, Lost 15, Scored 34, Against 46 

 

Wow, I didn't realise the improvement was so massive in 12 months.

 

We've won an extra 2 games (lost the same amount though) scored a whole 2 goals more but impressively have let in 12 less (not getting spanked 8-0 by Chelsea probably helped there). 

 

If every manager in every industry could show his CEO such magnificent improvement in a year then another contract and a pay rise would surely be beckoning for all.

[Isa]

The people that seemingly want Lambert out want him out because of the way we play apparently, I don't think Pulis would please them very much

Indeed and speaking of glass ceilings, Pulis' last couple of seasons at Stoke?

[shaggy]

Yea no one has said anything about being happy about the last two games, some people however only really care about where the club is going and look forward over a season or two.

 

It's that simple.

 

We can win 2 games 1- 0 and lose the rest of them 4-1 and I will be pleased as we will be staying up, mid table and we will have the summer to spend our usual budget on 2-4 players rather than 7 or 8 i.e. first team quality players to improve the team.

 

Asked at the start of the season what I wanted...... That was it.

Assuming of course that lambert will be given his usual budget whatever that is?

[shaggy]

I don't get this lambert hasn't had enough time argument. Lets not forget that Brendan Rodgers has been in charge of Liverpool for nigh on the same time (give or took a week). Now of course he has far superior squad and budget to work within and the remits of the job are different. But he has managed to set the team up to perform consistently, he has managed to raise the performances of those players and he has established a good team identity who all know how to play together. I fail to see that with lambert.

 

Just a bit.

 

Rodgers has performed well above expectations.  He hasn't got the unlimited funds that City and Chelsea have, and he inherited a squad that was top 6 or 7 quality at best.  To get them into the top 4 would have been a brilliant achievement.  To get them top going into April, in the best form of the top 4 is amazing.

 

Never denied that he isn't performing above expectations. Just that it isn't exactly fair to compare the 2 situations.

Why not then compare the two managers. Who would you rather have managing our team?

[TRO]

I have never seen Lambert or previous managers of recent times.....hook a player( in theatre terminology) I am not telling the how to manage but I have seen Mourinho do it.....it must send a message out to all the others I am not not putting up with that.

Don't misconstrue what I am saying, I would not expect to see it regularly but in extreme cases only ,enemy action is required.

Standards of what is expected must be set and understood.

If a player is not subjected to that, it is fair to assume the manager is happy with their display, or simply chooses a more affable way to get his message across.

I would like to see a more determined approach to getting instructions followed.

Edited March 30, 2014 by TRO

[shaggy]

Lambert needs more time to develop the club. Having one manager in charge for a substantial amount of time is the ONLY way forward. We cannot afford to keep sacking managers every season because of poor form, we do not have the resources to be able to run the club in that fashion.

I'm a bit confused by this. Lambert's job is to develop the team, and, more importantly, try to set them up each game to compete as effectively as possible. He clearly isn't doing that very well at the moment - the variation in focus, morale and determination of our players from match to match is alarming in my view.

 

Whether staying in the job for a long time will make him any better at this is open to question, but I don't see any automatic relationship between staying in a job a long time and getting better at it.

 

I don't see it as Lambert's role to develop the club, Isn't that more for the board and the Chief Executive? This sort of reminds me of a comment that HairyHands made some time ago about how Lambert saw Villa as a sleeping giant and wanted to "awaken" us. This is a lofty ambition but I'd rather he concentrated in getting better as a manager and getting the team to put in a decent performance each game. Any talk about developing the club should be binned.

I reluctantly believe in the concept of managerial continuity. However, like you and others on this forum, I do not like the reality of it. Do you think any of us enjoy the heavy defeats and the years of painful underachievement? But this is the reality of building for the long term. It requires time to assemble a quality side capable of challenging without major investment.

 

In my opinion, the club has lacked real stability since Ron Saunders. It is no coincidence our most successful spell in recent times came when we had a manager for a substantial period of time.

 

Lambert is responsible for developing the club, it was no error when I wrote club. Essentially Aston Villa is about the footballing side, it is Lambert’s responsibility to develop and improve every aspect of that department. If it was not, we would have a technical director or director of football established at the club.

 

However, Lambert knows what is needed to improve the team but is restricted by finances and the board’s ambition. That is not to say Lambert has never made mistakes since becoming our manager, he has even admitted to mistakes in the past. Additionally, Lambert is not contented with the club’s current status and is actively trying to rectify the situation. I admire Lambert’s honesty and willingness to improve.

 

Furthermore, I am personally embracing the low times as part of the journey back to the top. It is going to be even sweeter when we are back competing with the big boys and achieving again, which this club is fully capable of doing. We will be back again, and Lambert will be responsible for our return.

 

It is time our supporters become a beacon of support and encouragement, it will only strengthen the club. In the end, everybody associated with the club wants Aston Villa to be successful.

Your point on it needs time assembling quality. He has made one quality signing in his time with us. At that rate we're going to have to wait a very long time before we get a quality team from him.