Manager Paul Lambert

[Kwan]

 

1 year and 6 games is not long enough.

 

Not nearly long enough. Not even close to long enough.

 

This is a long term project, not something solveable in 3 transfer windows and 50 games.

One year is enough to start seeing some tangible progress though. If we are engulfed in another relegation battle come Christmas, then it basically shows Lambert hasn't advanced the team at all in the past 12 months which is completely unacceptable.

 

 

Come December, if it is so, I agree.

 

There are a run of easily winnable games in November that will be a more present test of what is to come.

[smetrov]

 

 

 

1 year and 6 games is not long enough.

 

Not nearly long enough. Not even close to long enough.

 

This is a long term project, not something solveable in 3 transfer windows and 50 games.

totally we need to stick with this, we still haven't shifted the last of the big earners out for good. once they are all gone, and Lamberts project changes from save our arses with no money to let's see how high we can finish up the table with a bit of cash then maybe a few of the moaners will shut up.

Source?

 

pure conjecture on my part but he was brought in to build a young team and get rid of the high earners, we're on the way with the first part but the second part isn't sorted yet is it?

 

 

You will never totally get rid of high earning players who do not perform - there will always be some 'deadwood' - to me villa fans have been sold a lie that we must get rid of every high earning player - before the club can begin to move forward. Not going to happen, players drift in and out of form - some signings just plain don't work out. If we are never going to buy a quality player because he may not work out, it really is a poor strategy - your sort of building  failure into a strategy. The strategy should focus on positives, what works well, not treading on eggs, skimming over the best players, because there is a chance they don't work out...

 

As for the wage bill - yes it has come down - but we also came within a whisker of reducing our revenue by £50m of TV money.

[Folski]

Didn't see last night, but I'd imagine it would have been a different game had the penalty been given. That was far from a weak Spurs team as well.

[Mantis]

 

Yeah let's just sack Lambert and hire McLeish shall we? I can't wait to watch us put 11 men behind the ball and try and grind out 0-0 every game again. So exciting!

 

The Mcleish season was dire - but is that the yardstick by which we are measured ? -

 

 

Nope and I never said it was, but according to some there has been no improvement on the field since his term as manager.

 

[Electric Avenue]

I see little improvement in results since mcleish left. In fact we've been humiliated more times under lambert than any other manager I can remember in 35 years.

[Big_John_10]

Lambert is not some sort of genius that is going to be able to build a top team on the cheap. He's a decent manager who like some of his players has a lot of potential.

I was annoyed with him last year because for me our terrible performances were down to mistakes he was making. He's made the odd mistake so far this season but really you have to question the quality he has to work with.

I see little point in sacking him because really no one is going to do much with the backing of our current owner, which is just one reason I'm so surprised he has such an easy ride from fans.

I don't think lambert is blameless but I just think any anger for another shit season needs to be directed at the main cause of it.

Edited September 25, 2013 by Big_John_10

[Big_John_10]

Yeah let's just sack Lambert and hire McLeish shall we? I can't wait to watch us put 11 men behind the ball and try and grind out 0-0 every game again. So exciting!

The Mcleish season was dire - but is that the yardstick by which we are measured ? -

Nope and I never said it was, but according to some there has been no improvement on the field since his term as manager.

But really there hasn't been a massive improvement.

We finished in the same position with slightly more points.

We won more but lost more.

We scored more but let in more.

The football is at times entertaining but nothing to get too excited about.

We've cut the wage bill and stayed roughly the same.

[Folski]

People are insane if they think Lambert has not improved us.

• He's cut the wage bill, while some are still on it, he is pretty much cutting all ties and doing everything he can to get rid of them.
• He's brought in young hungry players who aren't on huge money, all of whom have potential.
• Guzan has been immense under him, as Lambert gave him a chance.
• Gabby is back to his best or better than ever under him, after two woeful years.
• Delph finally looks a player under him.
• We have assets again under him, Benteke must be worth an absolute fortune.
• We have a scouting network.
• He doesn't play 3 right backs or 8 defenders.

I by no means think the man is perfect but he is as much as work in progress as his teams. I dislike the reliance on giving the ball back to Guzan, I also think we do not pass the ball well enough, the defence is too deep, and he seems reluctant to change the AW CB GA front 3. I'd much rather see Weimann dropped and someone else given a chance. 

[Butterfingers]

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Let's just enjoy the ride"

You're enjoying this?

 

Enjoying what?

 

Winning at Arsenal? Giving Chelsea a real fright?

 

Yes I enjoyed those games immensely.

 

Liverpool & Newcastle were disappointing but the win on Saturday was welcome.

 

Not bothered about tonight.This time last year, we were hitting 4 at Man City in the same competition. It produces results like this.

 

As I said,its a ride. If you want a bit more consistency, you better pray theres some oil rich arab out there waiting in the wings, if not, wake up & smell the coffee. We're Aston Villa. We've finished in the top 4 about 4 times in 50 years.

 

 

Im not sure that is true - we finished 4th in 77, 1st in 81, 2nd in 1992 just from memory.

 

We don't have the funds to finish top 4 - I agree - but I can't accept that makes us confined to relegation battles. It doesn't help when the manager fails to get his priorities right in the transfer market - only buying one CB - One midfielder, loaning a free scoring centre forward - bringing in 2 big CF'S - which would struggle to accommodate even if they were playing well.

 

It hurts - But Lambert dropped some serious clangers this summer. 

 

 

Teams a lot richer than us can ill afford a 60K per week striker getting splinters on his arse every week. There was no alternative but to bomb Bent out & for such a free scoring striker as you put it, why wasn't he snapped up?

 

I think Helenius may provide cover for Weiman & Gabby as well as being a CF. It was all about strengthening the squad within a very limited budget. I think if another player came in, it would have been a CB but they don't grow on trees & obviously with Bent going, a replacement for him was priority (given we have 4 CB's)

 

 

He got splinters in his arse - because he wasn't picked. If transfer funds are tight - I personally wouldn't be loaning out a player with Bents goalscoring record to one of our rivals - If you would that's your shout.

 

But if we had £3.5m for Tonev & £7m for Kozak - then our budgets not that limited.

 

Yes we have 4 CB'S - Clarke struggled last season, whilst I like Baker he clearly has problems staying fit, The Vlaar Injury hit us so hard last season -I wouldn't have taken that chance again. Again - if you would thats your call

 

Helenuis looks some way off being to cover for Weiman\Gabby IMO  - Again your entitled to say you think can step in adequatley for those players  (I don't) 

 

 

I don't think it was financially viable to improve Bentekes contract & pay Bents wages to be a squad player. Bent himself may well have wanted to leave in order to play games. In the situation we are in, keeping Bent on that money was not really an option. Ideally I would have kept him but that said, Kozac may prove to be the better option.

 

OK we've spent some money. We are really shopping in bargain basement & cannot offer the kind of money that Habib Beye was on. Part of the argument before was that we had so many players like him who were taking massive amounts from the club each week & not giving a dam about the club. Now we have young hungry players who would run through a brick wall for AVFC, and people are still moaning.

 

I agree Helenius looks some way off been cover at present. He's played how many minutes of Premiership football? My point was that he wasn't an out & out CF as you were claiming,so we haven't actually bought 2, we've just bought 1.

 

Things are tight here. 5 CB's would be better than 4 but it didn't happen. I'm not a Clark fan myself but cannot criticise his performances this year. Maybe last seasons experience has done him good & he's now maturing a little. Again, lets see how Baker does this season before deciding on how injury prone he is.

 

 

So ideally:-

 

You would have kept Bent - and purchased another CB

 

You agree that at this point in time Helenuis isn't ready.  [i think if he makes it in the prem it will be as CF] 

 

Thats pretty close to what I was saying a couple of posts back.

 

 

Its not close to what you were saying-You were trying to say PL F###ed up by letting Bent go where the reality is that there was no other option.

 

You are saying PL f###ed up by not signing a CB. We signed Helenius for less than £2 million. What kind of CB would hit the ground running & be a ready made Premiership player at that price? Helenius was bought on the back of a prolific scoring record for a very small sum. There is something there to work with & he's one for the future. He may well end up as CF but as a bonus, he's also cover for the wide forwards.

 

There is no point blaming the manager-The money available & more importantly the wages that we now offer means we have to buy like this. It would be the same whoever the manager is as that is his remit.

 

We won at Norwich & our squad players got spanked by a team who just spent almost £100 million on players & who are one of the top 5 sides in the country. The general consensus is that we are a mid table side at present. Mid table sides win some & they loose some. Maybe at some point in the future, investment will be made again but for now, we have to cut our cloth accordingly.

[Zatman]

 

 

 

 

IMO the players recruited over the summer look sub standard - and we have over recruited forwards - whilst neglecting defence (CB) and Midfield.

 

Okore

Luna

Tonev

Bacuna

Steer

 

thats majority of transfer business

 

 

 

Not sure of your point. Of those you list above only Okore looks ready to hold his own at prem level. - The others look to have a lot of work to do.

 

 

you say we over recruited forwards yet only signed 2 who have replaced Bent and Fonz in our squad

[omariqy]

As ever I will judge at the end of the season.  Nothing stops you praising or criticising in the interim.  Just think alot of the newer signings will begin to shine second half of the season.  Big blow with Okore though.  He was key for us this season imo.

[Pilchard]

 

 

 

 

 

IMO the players recruited over the summer look sub standard - and we have over recruited forwards - whilst neglecting defence (CB) and Midfield.

 

Okore

Luna

Tonev

Bacuna

Steer

 

thats majority of transfer business

 

 

 

Not sure of your point. Of those you list above only Okore looks ready to hold his own at prem level. - The others look to have a lot of work to do.

 

 

you say we over recruited forwards yet only signed 2 who have replaced Bent and Fonz in our squad

 

 

You can't exactly say Fonz needed a replacement as he didn't take part in anything significant last year. Even Bent struggled to make the bench at times.

[samjp26]

As ever I will judge at the end of the season.  Nothing stops you praising or criticising in the interim.  Just think alot of the newer signings will begin to shine second half of the season.  Big blow with Okore though.  He was key for us this season imo.

 

I agree mate but so far we've improved with a +3 points difference and +10 goal difference over the same fixtures last year so how people can say we're going backwards or not moving forwards is beyond me.

 

Just hope Lambert keeps it going for the next 5 fixtures in which we won just 1 of last year (swapping Hull for Reading).

 

Good read up here:

 

http://www.myoldmansaid.com/villa-fiver-aston-villa-results-compared-season/

[vandaq]

Not even close to giving up on Lambert.

[Pilchard]

Whilst Lerner is around, whoever we have as a manager has his hands tied firmly behind their back and can't really be expected to achieve anything noteworthy. Staying up will be like qualifying for Europe, staying away from the relegation zone all season like winning a cup.

 

Whilst we may debate the pros and cons of the manager, the situation he is working in has to hinder him somewhat. A summer transfer budget like the one we had after two seasons of utter shite shows on what kind of level the club is working on.

[Mantis]

 

 

 

Yeah let's just sack Lambert and hire McLeish shall we? I can't wait to watch us put 11 men behind the ball and try and grind out 0-0 every game again. So exciting!

The Mcleish season was dire - but is that the yardstick by which we are measured ? -

Nope and I never said it was, but according to some there has been no improvement on the field since his term as manager.

But really there hasn't been a massive improvement.

We finished in the same position with slightly more points.

We won more but lost more.

We scored more but let in more.

The football is at times entertaining but nothing to get too excited about.

We've cut the wage bill and stayed roughly the same.

 

 

Never said there has been "massive" improvement but there has been a noticeable improvement.

 

We still finished with more points so it's an improvement, and we actually finished one place higher

 

Exactly, we won more. You only get 1 point for a draw whereas you get 3 points for a win. If we had drawn against Newcastle and Norwich for example we would've got 2 points yet in losing to Newcastle and beating Norwich we got 3. Obviously we'd like to win all the time but I'd rather be winning some games and losing some than just drawing loads.

 

Don't know about you but I'd rather watch a team score more goals but let in more than score less and concede less. Not saying our leaky defence doesn't bother me but I'll take this over the ultra-negative tripe under McLeish.

 

I admit we're not entertaining all the time but we're still 10 times more entertaining than we were under McLeish. It's hard to overestimate just how boring we were.

 

We've cut the wage bill and progressed modestly in most areas, which is still improvement.

[Big_John_10]

I'm getting a bit bored of reading about how last night is ok because the spurs team cost a lot more than ours.

That logic didn't work in last years semi finals did it?

[Mantis]

I'm getting a bit bored of reading about how last night is ok because the spurs team cost a lot more than ours.

That logic didn't work in last years semi finals did it?

Not sure if that's a response to me but I never said last night was ok?

[Risso]

It seems to me that Lambert's main attraction still seems to be that he isn't McLeish.  There's surely got to be a happy medium between McLeish's dismal approach, and the complete inability to defend at all under Lambert.  It's not even as if we sacrifice defensive solidity in return for lots of goals, it's just that our are defenders are mostly a load of rubbish, who lack positional awareness and concentration.

[Big_John_10]

I'm getting a bit bored of reading about how last night is ok because the spurs team cost a lot more than ours.

That logic didn't work in last years semi finals did it?

Not sure if that's a response to me but I never said last night was ok?

Then it's probably not a response to you.