Manager Paul Lambert

[Big_John_10]

Its an option though.

It could put you into a strong position to try and hold onto rather then a weak position that you have to try and get back from.

I'm not saying it was the better option, just pointing out it was one.

It's not a viable option though. If it was, I'm pretty sure Lambert would've gone for it.

Were just going to go round in circles and I don't even disagree with what Lambert did so I'll say goodnight.

[Dodgyknees]

I believe in Paul.

His problem is a lack of quality ready made replacements, which is not his fault.

Give him a few more £££ and he will have more to play with.

Pay peanuts...

[TRO]

If tonight taught some posters on here something then surely it was NOT to post something that will make them look like a complete and utter clearing in the woods shortly afterwards! I know football is an emotional game, especially when it is a derby match, but some of the comments on here earlier are nothing short of embarrassing!!

 

The 90 minutes tonight confirmed a lot.

 

Firstly, we aren't good enough to be without three of our very best players.

 

On that subject, for the people shouting that we should have started the three of them we didn't even manage to get 35 minutes out of them. They were dead on their feet at the end. That's why they didn't start.

 

Does anyone in their right mind honestly think the manager wouldn't want them in his starting line-up and doesn't realise the team's chances of winning a game are far higher with them in it? Is that how ridiculous things have got on here?

 

Why can't the first-half just be down to a bad performance? Why do some need to come on here and pin the blame on the manager? We lost a poor first goal but in fairness to the lad Long it was a terrific goal. The second came from a shocking pass from Bacuna and Baker didn't manage to hold Long up well enough for Vlaar to try and get across and help out.

 

And when you lose two early goals the confidence drains. Every player looks worse as a result. Benteke was frustrated and dropped deeper, thefast enough in realising the  two full-backs weren't ball and the midfield three were second to almost every ball. Tonev and Kozak were poor but what player wasn't.

 

And yes, the subs changed the game. Hardly surprising is it?? Hardly rocket science? But the same way the manager didn't deserve the stick he got on here at half-time he doesn't need praised for the comeback. The bottom line is he got almost his best team on the park for the final 35 minutes and it was enough to pull two goals back and turn a certain draw into a fantastic draw.

 

Maybe time for one or two on here to pull their neck in!

 

 

 

HH  a really good post, but there is a danger of pulling 2 goals back and getting a respectable draw and masking over some of that woeful performance, talking about the first half.

There was a period in that first half if i could have pulled the transmission cable out in the studio I would have...our work on the ball was amateur at best....off the ball we look clueless.

 Its all very well describing all the mitigating circumstances of which most are acceptable, but when we play well, we play well, when we have a bad day we go down to a level at times that I didn't              know we could.

 Pundits and industry commentators are all in the " club" so they try not to be critical , but Jamie carragher  said the full backs look like they can't play.

 

 The substitutions was central to the recovery and I fully understand where the manager was with this....it was a RISK in terms of their fitness, but it worked.

 

I believe we have made some real progress in terms of results since Feb this year.....at times in games I am as equally unsure we have made any progress in terms of certain individual performances.It is still 

so extremely brittle.

  

Progress can be measured in many ways, the main thing is obviously results.....But I believe it is also a good barometer of how far you have come, when your bad performances or off days,  as a team become that 

much better.....I ain't so sure we have.

       

When we are bad we are turgid.

Edited November 26, 2013 by TRO

[ciggiesnbeer]

6 points and 5 places better off than at the same stage last season if I'm not mistaken?

 

Keep on truckin' Lambo.

 

With a harder start an all.

[Kwan]

It would help if we had fullbacks playing fullback.

But maybe that's just me.

[Cliffy Biro]

Plenty of people here are well aware of the job he's doing, problem is you cant criticise decisions, teams, tactics without people getting on their high horse absolutely outraged that not everyone shares their opinion.

[TRO]

I hear all the arguments, about the lack of funds, and the resulting lack of quality,but sometimes its the basics we are talking about.

 

2 critical actions by Shane Long and Ashley Westwood tonight ....their first touch for both their goals, sublime.

 

both are modest buys.

 

we need to be more mindful when signing players of their ball craft, and ability to hold the ball with comfort.

[Isa]

It would help if we had fullbacks playing fullback.

But maybe that's just me.

Even more helpful if we don't play a diamond which leaves the full-backs utterly exposed.

[Kwan]

I hope we go back to the 433 when everyone is healthy. It's our most balanced formation.

All of our other formations are incredibly inconsistent and have players in the wrong positions

[Ulver]

Lambert is still very much on the fence for me. Not convinced at all

[TRO]

I think in that first half if you wasn't annoyed with that I would question your passion as an Aston Villa Fan.

 

Its all very well having the list of mitigating circumstances and in the main most of them are sensible.... but we have been saying some of them for over a decade...its like an echo going around the Himalayas.

 

no disrespect to anyone and not to get in to the blame debate.... but it does where a bit thin after a while....and those fans that are blessed with Rhinoceros skin, good luck to you.

[Dodgyknees]

I hear all the arguments, about the lack of funds, and the resulting lack of quality,but sometimes its the basics we are talking about.

2 critical actions by Shane Long and Ashley Westwood tonight ....their first touch for both their goals, sublime.

both are modest buys.

we need to be more mindful when signing players of their ball craft, and ability to hold the ball with comfort.

£6m isnt modest and equals four Westwood's.

We didn't have enough quality to replace Gab, Weimann or Delph. If these were easily replaced we would not have such hitvand miss form and results.

[TRO]

Lambert is still very much on the fence for me. Not convinced at all

 

I have certain things I'm happy with, and certain things I'm not so happy with.

I see certain players whose consistency has not improved and the ability to have howlers as opposed to slightly off days has not improved.... so I kinda know where you are coming from.

I have a moment at times, when the " good bunch of lads"  culture seems still there. It makes me feel a bit uneasy when looking for progress.

He still deserves more time, but isn't there/that a case for them all.

[TRO]

 

I hear all the arguments, about the lack of funds, and the resulting lack of quality,but sometimes its the basics we are talking about.

2 critical actions by Shane Long and Ashley Westwood tonight ....their first touch for both their goals, sublime.

both are modest buys.

we need to be more mindful when signing players of their ball craft, and ability to hold the ball with comfort.

£6m isnt modest and equals four Westwood's.

We didn't have enough quality to replace Gab, Weimann or Delph. If these were easily replaced we would not have such hitvand miss form and results.

 

 

don't you think we talk too much about money and not enough about talent and development....Cantona cost 1 mill

Kiyotake cost his club Nuremburg 1 mill....I'm not saying it is easy when you havn't got funds.. what I am saying is ability first- its hard not impossible.

[Cliffy Biro]

West broms midfield was 250k wasnt it? Its never always about the money its about having the eye for a player/deal and lambert has been fairly hit and miss int hat department. Mostly miss i would suggest.

[Mantis]

West broms midfield was 250k wasnt it? Its never always about the money its about having the eye for a player/deal and lambert has been fairly hit and miss int hat department. Mostly miss i would suggest.

Seriously? The only proper miss he's had is Bennett, whereas Vlaar, Lowton, Westwood, Benteke have all been definite hits (with Bacuna and Lowton looking like they could be going that way too).

[samjp26]

Mostly miss?

 

[rodigan]

i think lambert would rather not have played any of the three subs tonight if he could have gotten away with it... he put out a team that had beaten cardiff before the break, who are not dissimilar in quality to the baggies.... if we'd been ahead or the game was tight, we would have seen less of those three almost certainly, as he would have had the luxury of giving them another week to build up match fitness....

 

as it was we were in dire straits and he had the balls to put it all on the line and bring all three in with more than half an hour to go... if any of them had broken down, we would have been playing with ten men....

 

as far as it making the difference if we had started those three, i don't actually think any of them being on the pitch would have prevented either of the two goals, and at that point, we'd have been bringing on tonev, bowery and kozak to try and get us back in the game after an hour....

 

i have no issues at all with his decision making last night.... good point and bring on sunderland...

[mikeyp102]

Haven't read the match thread but I can imagine what people were saying and too be honest couldn't blame them. Football is an emotive sport and after a shocking first half performance people's emotions will be high.

For me PL got the tactics wrong first half. Nothing to do with gabby, Delph or andi as wasn't expecting them to play. The team were far far too narrow, when you have two strikers who are competitive at heading at goal you need to deliver the ball into them. Albion are also weak defensively at full back (especially at lb) and this needed to be exploited. Yes bacuna had a poor display, but we still could've done with a rm there.

Credit where it's due for pl making 3 subs and changing impetus of game to get a result.

[jacketspuds]

Credit to Lambert for bringing on the subs and changing our formation. My major concern though is how so many of our players struggled with the basics, like passing, throw-ins and the offside rule.