Ratings and Reactions: Wolves v Villa

[Harry]

2 hours ago, romavillan said:

Lambert is a decent manager, the club was total poison when he came in and fell totally to pieces when he left. 

The club was falling to pieces when he was our manager, he totally failed to to deliver on the expectation of his appointment.

I do blame the players more than the manager TBH, it looked today like our players had only met each other in the tunnel just before kick off. I would just like to see them do the basics right.

 

Edited January 14, 2017 by Harry

[Mantis]

39 minutes ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

I was gutted not to be able to watch the game due to late work, blessing. anyway once again, i see players like McCormack being called a "horrendous footballer". I must ask again how common sense can't allow Villa fans to question how these top players come here and all of a sudden become "horrendous"? Are we signing clones? Obviously not, you would be better off saying "horrendous, poisonous club". Villa Park has become a graveyard for good managers and players alike yet some of you are on a constant witchhunt for a scapegoat.

If they are ALL playing horrendously it is obviously something deeper.

Exactly. Obviously the manager and the players (although more the latter in this case IMO) are to blame but a lot of people are underestimating the psychological aspect. When a club's been as consistently poor as we have it becomes expected and that will transmit to the players subconsciously.

[romavillan]

5 minutes ago, Harry said:

So why could he not get the players doing the basics right when he was our manager? I seem to recall VT was pretty much to a man against Lambert towards the end of his reign.

How long have you got? The playing squad were probably well aware once Tom had come in that Lambert wasn't flavour of the month, the club had been for sale with no interest for a couple of years, with no prospect of investment. It was clear his remit was survive with no funds and he was getting near the end of his wick and had already offered to go once. Lambert at the end of the first year when we played attacking football to get us out of the bottom three, had he been backed properly that summer and thereafter would have had us easily a comfortable mid table side at least. 

 

As it was nobody, let alone Tim Sherwood (who will not have the kind of career Lambert will have in the game) could have dug us out of the whole RL put us in. The fact Lambert managed a stay of execution before then was close to a miracle IMO. The mere fact Lerner had been trying unsuccessfully to get rid for so long does not attract players who want ot do something on the field and acheive things, it attracts mercenaries who just want a paycheck. Fill the club with that on top of no direction from the top and no investment and you get some way to the massive **** up that was aston villa. 

Lambert fought quite hard against all those forces IMO, I too thought it was time for him to go when he did, but that's because things had got so sour by then it wouldn't have been in anyone's interest for him to stay. 

Had Lambert not had his stint int he PRem with us he'd have been a good appointment in our current situation. As it is we have Bruce and he's certainly saying the right things and he's done a good job so far if you ask me. He needs backing this window to create a balanced side, we have good players but we don't have a team. If he can do the right business this Jan and manage to create the start of a team we might still salvage something from this season. The team today though, the performance and the tactics were not going to do that. We need more change to the playing staff but we need stability from somewhere, if that's Bruce and Xia then so be it, the aim now should be to try and win this league next year, from now until the summer should be laying the foundations to do that.

[avfc456]

55 minutes ago, PaulC said:

That really isn't the case though is it. McCormack 66 goals in his last three seasons, Elphick and Jedinak both key players in their teams promotion campaigns.

Do you not think it would be fairer to judge Bruce after a transfer window? 

 

[Harry]

4 minutes ago, romavillan said:

How long have you got? The playing squad were probably well aware once Tom had come in that Lambert wasn't flavour of the month, the club had been for sale with no interest for a couple of years, with no prospect of investment. It was clear his remit was survive with no funds and he was getting near the end of his wick and had already offered to go once. Lambert at the end of the first year when we played attacking football to get us out of the bottom three, had he been backed properly that summer and thereafter would have had us easily a comfortable mid table side at least. 

 

As it was nobody, let alone Tim Sherwood (who will not have the kind of career Lambert will have in the game) could have dug us out of the whole RL put us in. The fact Lambert managed a stay of execution before then was close to a miracle IMO. The mere fact Lerner had been trying unsuccessfully to get rid for so long does not attract players who want ot do something on the field and acheive things, it attracts mercenaries who just want a paycheck. Fill the club with that on top of no direction from the top and no investment and you get some way to the massive **** up that was aston villa. 

Lambert fought quite hard against all those forces IMO, I too thought it was time for him to go when he did, but that's because things had got so sour by then it wouldn't have been in anyone's interest for him to stay. 

Had Lambert not had his stint int he PRem with us he'd have been a good appointment in our current situation. As it is we have Bruce and he's certainly saying the right things and he's done a good job so far if you ask me. He needs backing this window to create a balanced side, we have good players but we don't have a team. If he can do the right business this Jan and manage to create the start of a team we might still salvage something from this season. The team today though, the performance and the tactics were not going to do that. We need more change to the playing staff but we need stability from somewhere, if that's Bruce and Xia then so be it, the aim now should be to try and win this league next year, from now until the summer should be laying the foundations to do that.

Totally agree that we should not be getting rid of Bruce. if we did we will be even more of a laughing stock of club than we are already with our merry go round of managerial appointments.

My recollection of Lambert is that he is an honourable bloke who tried to do his best but he did fail just like subsequent managers to get us doing the simple basics properly. Maybe the situation at the club prevented that but I do struggle with concept that he failed to turning out a side who are at minimum difficult to beat. His tactics ended up being totally hit and hope. Maybe he was the right manager at the wrong time but either way he was a poor manager at the club and had to go. Other managers have managed in similar circumstances...Rowlett for example and been better.

Having said all that the players today must shoulder most of the blame. They are professional footballers and mindful of that I would expect, for example, Jedinak to be able to pass to his own player more than one pass in ten. The playing staff needs a complete overhaul. We need players who actually think the result matters. Bruce needs the chance to bring is own men in.

[Rugeley Villa]

We very rarely look like a team and we certainly don't fight like a team. The opposition on the other hand whether it was wolves today or whoever else this season show a lot more passion and fight. We are weak, slow and lazy . Good team on paper but it seems to me most of them can't be **** arsed. Something needs to change quick. Brucie is still the man for me but certain players need to buck their ideas up or **** off. Close the play off thread because we have no chance and that's not me being negative. I think reality is starting to slowly sink in to our fanbase. We are absolute dog shite.

[Razor]

We are the footballing tragedy that  just keeps getting more tragic. Firmly established as a mediocre Championship team. Great.

[PaulC]

15 minutes ago, avfc456 said:

Do you not think it would be fairer to judge Bruce after a transfer window? 

 

Yes but Its going to be the one in the summer not this one as the January window is never very good.

[briny_ear]

Hard to know what to say about that performance really. It was one of the worst I have seen in a long time.

It looks like the squad are losing faith in Bruce. Whatever he is telling them about how to play, they are not responding.

I suppose for me the key points are:

• The defence get NO support from midfield and seem to have no understanding with them. The number of times balls cleared from defence go straight to the opposition is frightening;

• The forward line get NO support from the midfield. There is no sense of contesting the midfield area, trying to get control and moving effectively to create openings for attacking play. "Attacks", such as they are, seem to consist mainly of hoofing the ball hopefully (but not very accurately) from defence.

Steve Bruce looked a worried man after the match. I know I would be if I was the manager of a team that had just produced that pile of shite. 

Our defence did well to restrict them to one goal and, if Mccormack had any clue at all about how to jump and head a ball, we might even have snuck an ill-deserved draw.

Signed, a distinctly unhappy briny_ear.

Edited January 14, 2017 by briny_ear

[roonst83]

We were destined to lose. Absolutely gutless performance and we cannot play as a collective. Midfield is painfully weak, absolutely nothing in attack and a very poor defence set this up for a game that is indicative of the Championship; poor on quality, low in substance. Former manager, on Sky and the fact we were due a loss at the custard bowl since 1978 was all too predictable for me. Fair play to Wolves. Best team won. Hugely dissatisfied with Villa. Again.

[The Fun Factory]

4 away defeats in the last 5 league games I believe. If our home form was not decent, we would be in bottom 3 by now.  

We deserve to be 13th, as in reality even with 50 odd million spent we are a bang average Championship side. Wait for that to sink in. 

We are a 1 player team but that bloke is sadly in Africa at the moment.

We go again? Too soon?

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

1 hour ago, romavillan said:

How long have you got? The playing squad were probably well aware once Tom had come in that Lambert wasn't flavour of the month, the club had been for sale with no interest for a couple of years, with no prospect of investment. It was clear his remit was survive with no funds and he was getting near the end of his wick and had already offered to go once. Lambert at the end of the first year when we played attacking football to get us out of the bottom three, had he been backed properly that summer and thereafter would have had us easily a comfortable mid table side at least. 

 

As it was nobody, let alone Tim Sherwood (who will not have the kind of career Lambert will have in the game) could have dug us out of the whole RL put us in. The fact Lambert managed a stay of execution before then was close to a miracle IMO. The mere fact Lerner had been trying unsuccessfully to get rid for so long does not attract players who want ot do something on the field and acheive things, it attracts mercenaries who just want a paycheck. Fill the club with that on top of no direction from the top and no investment and you get some way to the massive **** up that was aston villa. 

Lambert fought quite hard against all those forces IMO, I too thought it was time for him to go when he did, but that's because things had got so sour by then it wouldn't have been in anyone's interest for him to stay. 

Had Lambert not had his stint int he PRem with us he'd have been a good appointment in our current situation. As it is we have Bruce and he's certainly saying the right things and he's done a good job so far if you ask me. He needs backing this window to create a balanced side, we have good players but we don't have a team. If he can do the right business this Jan and manage to create the start of a team we might still salvage something from this season. The team today though, the performance and the tactics were not going to do that. We need more change to the playing staff but we need stability from somewhere, if that's Bruce and Xia then so be it, the aim now should be to try and win this league next year, from now until the summer should be laying the foundations to do that.

Top post, unfortunately I have silently accepted that we won't make it this year, and in fairness we don't deserve to. There is already so much work needed to do that if we managed to scrape winning the playoffs we could possibly end up beating our worst team in the Prem record. We need a totally new spine and ethos.

Fresh talent, impetus, balance and fight. Once settled, we can go up by at which point we should hopefully only need to spend ridiculous amounts of Chinese money on 3, 4, or 5 top, top players.

[Slanes73]

4 hours ago, USA_Villa said:

How on earth can you feel sorry for Bruce. Stop giving him the benefit of the doubt. When did we last play well? When did we last score from open play? Not good enough. He's had these players long enough to stamp his mark. For those of you that lauded Bruce, this is what you get. Poor, Boring Villa..

Yeah, let's change manager. It always works.

[Villan_of_oz]

20 minutes ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

Top post, unfortunately I have silently accepted that we won't make it this year, and in fairness we don't deserve to. There is already so much work needed to do that if we managed to scrape winning the playoffs we could possibly end up beating our worst team in the Prem record. We need a totally new spine and ethos.

Fresh talent, impetus, balance and fight. Once settled, we can go up by at which point we should hopefully only need to spend ridiculous amounts of Chinese money on 3, 4, or 5 top, top players.

I too have remained outwardly positive out of blind faith and love for AVFC but I have known deep down for a while that we aren't going up. Now is the time to admit it. Not lose our heads and plan for the best possible start to next season. 

Throwing millions at the team didn't work so I think now is the time to build a proper team. 

[Slanes73]

2 minutes ago, Villan_of_oz said:

I too have remained outwardly positive out of blind faith and love for AVFC but I have known deep down for a while that we aren't going up. Now is the time to admit it. Not lose our heads and plan for the best possible start to next season. 

Throwing millions at the team didn't work so I think now is the time to build a proper team. 

Well said and Bruce has said as much after the game about not throwing millions. John Motson said today that Graham Taylor built a club rather than a team when he was at Watford and he rebuilt us in the late 80s. Let's allow Bruce to rebuild our club and give him as long as he needs. 

[Villan_of_oz]

Just now, Slanes73 said:

Well said and Bruce has said as much after the game about not throwing millions. John Motson said today that Graham Taylor built a club rather than a team when he was at Watford and he rebuilt us in the late 80s. Let's allow Bruce to rebuild our club and give him as long as he needs. 

Spot on.

Let's stop with our mantra we are a big club

Let's stop with the entitlement of being in the Premier League

Let's stop demanding instant success

 

Let's start admitting who we are and where we are

Let's build our foundations before trying to put the roof on top

Let's get behind current manager/owner and give them a proper chance to do something

 

We need to learn to walk again before we can ever dream of running again

No one wants more pain but that it was we are in for if we are to get back to glory days

 

[The Fun Factory]

9 minutes ago, Villan_of_oz said:

Spot on.

Let's stop with our mantra we are a big club

Let's stop with the entitlement of being in the Premier League

Let's stop demanding instant success

 

Let's start admitting who we are and where we are

Let's build our foundations before trying to put the roof on top

Let's get behind current manager/owner and give them a proper chance to do something

 

We need to learn to walk again before we can ever dream of running again

No one wants more pain but that it was we are in for if we are to get back to glory days

 

Possibly- or the other way is that we have 2 and a half seasons remaining of parachute payments, and if we don't achieve promotion by then we will be screwed for years to come.

[striker]

After watching that this evening I feel it may be in Villa's best interests not to get promoted this season. Even with a few new additions just imagine the bulk of that squad in the Premiership next season. Sure fire relegation again and possibly the lowest points total ever. Not sure the club could recover from that in it's present condition?

Bruce needs to be given time to not only rebuild the squad into a competitive unit but to rid the club off the shower of shite that is currently there. It is certainly going to take more than one January window to do that and it may actually take two seasons in the Championship before Villa are ready to face the elite again and stabilise in the Premiership.

This is not easy for me to write because since I've joined this forum it is Villa's result I look for first now rather than Everton.

I was also very moved by the tribute to former manager Taylor from both Villa and Wolves fans. Both sets of fans did their clubs and indeed Taylor proud. Now we need the players to do the same.

 

 

Edited January 15, 2017 by striker

[Kingman]

5 hours ago, Godders said:

To be fair to him, I seem to remember seeing he did try to resign, but the club wouldn't accept it. 

Only lambert could **** up a resignation, Should've spoke with MON for some tips.

[Kingman]

5 hours ago, Harry said:

Nice to listen to Hendrie,  a player who flushed his career down the toilet, being a pundit.........not.

Did you say that in a Borat accent?..