How Come Lambert ...

[Mantis]

People are always bemoaning "tippy tappy" and keeping possession but you have to start with the basics. The days where you don't need to be a good technical side to have success are gone. It's embarrassing how many teams use the ball better than we do. Lambert is trying to rectify that. It'll take time and there'll be some bas results and performances along the way but it has to be done.

[KHV]

Lambert has always played quick direct football that involves getting the ball out wide and getting it in the box. All this **** about with little passing triangles between given and the centre halves is a complete waste of time.

Norwich's most common formation last season was:

------GK

RB-CB-CB-LB

------DM

----CM-CM

------AM

----ST-ST

It's not very wide, admittedly alot of their attacking play was from down the sides (around 37% for Right and 34% Left). However on average Norwich's passes per game last season were:

Short Passes: 77%

Long Passes: 17%

Crosses: 5%

So it is fairly direct with almost 20% long balls but not booting it outwide to cross it in (as their wide players were the fullbacks).

Norwich attempted more long balls than any other premier league team last season amd i dont remember them **** about like we did. the thing that struck me was that norwich always played with a high tempo. we looked like it was a pre season friendly. to be honest i was staggered. also lambert was known for changing formation and style of play during matches. we were still pissing about in the 90th minute. the lack of odeas and passion really pissed me off

[Mantis]

That's because Norwich were newly promoted with a squad of basically Championship managers. Lambert's a pragmatic manager and did what he thought was best to achieve their goal, which was to stay in the division. Villa are a bigger club though who should in the long term be aiming for more than just survival. He wants us to be successful and to be successful you have to be good on the ball. Can't believe people are moaning about Lambert not having the same style of play with us as he did with Norwich. That was probably the main reason why I was cool on him at first, as were a lot of other people. However, he's come in and proved everybody wrong by trying to get us to play passing football (along with scouting abroad for a change).

I just really hope Lambert gets a chance to implement his vision and isn't hounded out by those people you always see at games who groan every time the ball isn't being lumped forward.

[P3te]

Tactically it was a shambles. Nobody seemed to know what to do and as for this tippy tappy style well thats a complete suicide mission. We have about 3 players in the squad capable of playing that brand of football

so the options are

a) buy an entire squad of players capable of playing that style in one go, and then have people moaning that it's taking time for them to play well together

start the mentality now, with what we've got, so that new signings suited to that style are better able to slot in gradually, instead of going the route of a

c) do what you've seemingly done, throw the hands up and say "**** it, we dont have the players for it" and never try to change the way the club plays football

you've gone for c, i think most reasonable people will go for b

[P3te]

I just really hope Lambert gets a chance to implement his vision and isn't hounded out by those people you always see at games who groan every time the ball isn't being lumped forward.

he'll be hounded out just like houllier, who was doing the same thing and making the same changes, was

we should just skip to the chase, hire allardyce and play long ball shite for the rest of time - seems like it's the only thing that'll appease some people who can't see beyond their nose when it comes to having an actual long term plan

[beasley14]

That's because Norwich were newly promoted with a squad of basically Championship managers. Lambert's a pragmatic manager and did what he thought was best to achieve their goal, which was to stay in the division. Villa are a bigger club though who should in the long term be aiming for more than just survival. He wants us to be successful and to be successful you have to be good on the ball. Can't believe people are moaning about Lambert not having the same style of play with us as he did with Norwich. That was probably the main reason why I was cool on him at first, as were a lot of other people. However, he's come in and proved everybody wrong by trying to get us to play passing football (along with scouting abroad for a change).

I just really hope Lambert gets a chance to implement his vision and isn't hounded out by those people you always see at games who groan every time the ball isn't being lumped forward.

I genuinely didn't think people would be so negative, it's pretty embarrassing tbh.

[Mantis]

I just really hope Lambert gets a chance to implement his vision and isn't hounded out by those people you always see at games who groan every time the ball isn't being lumped forward.

he'll be hounded out just like houllier, who was doing the same thing and making the same changes, was

we should just skip to the chase, hire allardyce and play long ball shite for the rest of time - seems like it's the only thing that'll appease some people who can't see beyond their nose when it comes to having an actual long term plan

It's been two seasons since then. I'm hoping that the season under McLeish will give people a little more patience when it comes to Lambert trying to implement his style. That and the fact that it's becoming more and more obvious every season how outdated our familiar style of play is. Don't know about anybody else but I've always hated the fact that Villa are known as the "direct, counter-attacking team with lots of pace". I guess after McLeish we're just boring now but I'm very glad Lambert hasn't gone down the route of implementing that old kick and rush style.

[Pilchard]

I must admit when Lambert joined I was happy as I liked the direct, wide play that Lambert has installed at Norwich.

Hence this odd 4-5-1 tippy tappy stuff is a little disappointing. It is, however, one game into the season. Any manager worth his salt will change and evolve through the season and I'd expect Lamber to do similar.

[Mantis]

I must admit when Lambert joined I was happy as I liked the direct, wide play that Lambert has installed at Norwich.

Hence this odd 4-5-1 tippy tappy stuff is a little disappointing. It is, however, one game into the season. Any manager worth his salt will change and evolve through the season and I'd expect Lamber to do similar.

Any manager worth his salt will strive to eventually build a side based around possession as opposed to pace and hoofing it long. As much as people deride "tippy tappy" it's by far more successful than direct wide play.

[onje_villa]

As many have said, I'm fed up going to games watching all the other teams have the ball. Yes we need to learn to be more incisive (but hey, so do Arsenal) that will come but only if the system is given time.

A bit of pragmatism will be needed now and then, we do have to pick up points but I am fully behind a manager who wants us to be comfortable on the ball and try and control games. With time we will get better used to it.

[AshVilla]

Lambert is not to blame tbh

You can't build a wall if you don't have any bricks

Lambert needs to be given the tools to get us playing the way he wants us to i.e players

If Lambert is a failure it will not be down to him it will be down to the lack of investment from Lerner and Co

The clock is ticking and i think were at least 4 new players short of being a decent side

[Morpheus]

You only have to look at what Rodgers is trying to do at Liverpool.

I remember watching the great Liverpool teams and how they played. Ball to feet mostly but still having the option to go long when needed. Remember the Keegan, Tossack partnership?

This is why Rodgers has been given the job at Liverpool to try and emulate the passing philosophy of old which has now been brought back into vogue by Barca and to a lesser extent, yet admired, in our own Premiership through Swansea and Martinez's Wigan.

I can certainly remember before Lambert was appointed, both Rodgers and Martinez were regarded as our 'Holy Grail' of applicants for the manager's job at our club due to their footballing philosophy, so i find it hypocritical that some VT's are criticizing Lambert for trying to instill the same style at our club!

I have been continually reminded on VT that we have a better squad than Norwich and while i have debated that point to death, just maybe, Lambert realized that the players at Norwich weren't of a quality to play in the way he wished, i.e, expansive technical football, so when given the opportunity at our club and hopefully with better financial conditions, more conjusive to purchasing the better player, Lambert is now starting to structure our team in the way he has always wanted his teams to play.

If this is the case and the way in which we have tried to play in both pre-season and in our first Premiership game of the season would suggest so, then he must be given the time to change the footballing philosophy at our club. It will be a bumpy ride. You have only got to look at Liverpool's result on Saturday to see that even someone like Rodgers who has spent several years learning how to play a more expansive game through watching foreign coaching and then instilling that philosophy at Swansea, having then to start from scratch again at a club like Liverpool where past glories were achieved with the same footballing philosophy he is trying to coach, while suffering the indignity of poor results to ultimately achieve his goal.

Lambert is possibly trying to do the same here so give him a chance and the time needed. Lets all try not to be hypocrites in complaining about the very thing we alluded to in the first place!

[NorthEastVillan]

My biggest gripe yesterday was the lack of a plan b really. lambert did everything he could and i think his subs were fairly decent. we just seemed to play the ball back and forth 40 yards from goal between 5 players while a lone darren bent tried to lose 3 markers.

i like the posession football were playing but we need to do it further up the pitch to engage defenders and give bent et al an inch of space.

look at teams like barca and an on form arsenal. sometimes even with the greasest players in the world you cant break a team down by attacking down the middle. you need to get someone in the gap between defence and midfield. that way your lone striker gets more room to manovre. we just didnt do that on saturday. i dont know if that job was given to ireland, n'zogbia or no one.

The simple fact is that if ireland, n'zogbia, el ahmadi, delph and holman are holding a lkne up the pitch that leaves just bent alone v 4 defenders. only one outlet, one through ball. so easy to defent against.

[KHV]

I just really hope Lambert gets a chance to implement his vision and isn't hounded out by those people you always see at games who groan every time the ball isn't being lumped forward.

he'll be hounded out just like houllier, who was doing the same thing and making the same changes, was

we should just skip to the chase, hire allardyce and play long ball shite for the rest of time - seems like it's the only thing that'll appease some people who can't see beyond their nose when it comes to having an actual long term plan

Houllier was an experienced coach, he had played that type of football for years and he also had young and downing as wide players. Lambert has no wide players at all and is trying to implement a style he has never used before at any of his clubs. This is a massive gamble by Lambert and could prove costly unless he knows Lerner will open the cheque book otherwise we will be in big trouble playing this way with the poor quality squad we have.

his decision to play baker at LB was quite frankly ridiculous.

[Mantis]

his decision to play baker at LB was quite frankly ridiculous.

Baker is better at LB than Warnock to be honest.

[KHV]

his decision to play baker at LB was quite frankly ridiculous.

Baker is better at LB than Warnock to be honest.

Im pretty sure Lichaj has played LB. To be honest i would have preffered Warnock over Baker. I get really pissed off when managers play people in the wrong positions. There was no width on the left at all but thats what you get for playing mediocre centre back at left back.

[Mantis]

his decision to play baker at LB was quite frankly ridiculous.

Baker is better at LB than Warnock to be honest.

Im pretty sure Lichaj has played LB. To be honest i would have preffered Warnock over Baker. I get really pissed off when managers play people in the wrong positions. There was no width on the left at all but thats what you get for playing mediocre centre back at left back.

Agreed, would've preferred to see Lichaj there. But still, I'd rather baker than a terrible left-back (Warnock).

[KHV]

his decision to play baker at LB was quite frankly ridiculous.

Baker is better at LB than Warnock to be honest.

Im pretty sure Lichaj has played LB. To be honest i would have preffered Warnock over Baker. I get really pissed off when managers play people in the wrong positions. There was no width on the left at all but thats what you get for playing mediocre centre back at left back.

Agreed, would've preferred to see Lichaj there. But still, I'd rather baker than a terrible left-back (Warnock).

I dont understand the Lichaj thing. No manager seems keen on giving him a run. He has always looked pretty decent on the rare occasions he has started

[bickster]

his decision to play baker at LB was quite frankly ridiculous.

Baker is better at LB than Warnock to be honest.

Im pretty sure Lichaj has played LB. To be honest i would have preffered Warnock over Baker. I get really pissed off when managers play people in the wrong positions. There was no width on the left at all but thats what you get for playing mediocre centre back at left back.

Agreed, would've preferred to see Lichaj there. But still, I'd rather baker than a terrible left-back (Warnock).

I dont understand the Lichaj thing. No manager seems keen on giving him a run. He has always looked pretty decent on the rare occasions he has started

I think yesterday it was more a case of an extra tall bugger at the back because of the completely expected air raids

[Big_John_10]

Houllier was hounded out because he is a word removed, destroyed any confidence the squad had, is a word removed, destroyed any fight the team had, is a word removed, refused to address glaring weaknesses, is a word removed, treated the fans with zero respect, is a word removed, was a pr embarrassment, is a word removed, played pathetic football, is a word removed and was overall just a bit of a word removed.

I have no worries about Lambert being treated like houllier by the fans, mainly thanks to his lack of being a word removed