Manager Paul Lambert

[Morpheus]

 

 

 

Congratulations. You've just been appointed Aston Villa manager. You're given a mandate to cut £25 million a year off the wage bill, a transfer budget of £20 million a season.

Useful info: you've had a couple of torrid seasons and most established players don't want to join you right now. The likes of QPR are offering experienced premier league players outrageous wages, inflating the market beyond belief. the fans are angry, losing faith in the club and want rid of this bunch of underachieving overpaid so called senior players.

How do you proceed? What is your strategy to get Villa back into Europe, where the fans demand you to be?

This is the question I would like to ask all of you that doubt Lambert's strategy or the direction the club is going. So far nobody has been able to give me a viable alternative.

I'd spend it all on Charlie Adam, Dimitar Berbatov and compensation to buy out Harry Redknapp's contract and replace myself with him.

 

Job done. 

 

Champions League here we come!

 

Don't see why not . We've already spent millions on compensation to other managers as it is and currently have a midfield who couldn't trap a bag of cement plus strikers who can't score so any help would be welcome.

 

The worrying thing is, you're serious.

 

Reference to above post.

[TJVillan]

Ease up a little mate. I was answering sarcasm with sarcasm and our losses haven't been exactly crippling.

I would consider £54 million a season, losses to the extent that we had to sell an entire squad and cut the wage bill by half pretty crippling.

I understand you were being sarcastic but I was being serious. I see so much moaning about Lambert and the clubs plan but nobody can offer a viable alternative.

[briny_ear]

 

You talk a good game-Pity you don't seem able to or prepared to attempt to grasp what is involved in competing in a competitive league. It doesn't matter what level you play at, be it the Premier League or the Brinny Ear under 15's, there will always be a marked difference in the quality of football played by the top 2 or 3 sides than that played at mid table level.

 

The notion of the "Brinny Ear under 15s" made me chuckle a bit, I must say.

[Morpheus]

The reason for that is that there are few alternatives inside the forum of football and no alternative with the budget made available to the manager.

 

It isn't what he's trying to do that's being criticised its how he's doing it and for me it's the allocation of that limited funding whereby it should have been a more gradual process of eliminating what was here and introducing youth and inexperience. Consequently last season may not have been such a close flirtation with relegation but I can't prove that with any degree of certainty.

Edited December 3, 2013 by Morpheus

[PieFacE]

 

Ease up a little mate. I was answering sarcasm with sarcasm and our losses haven't been exactly crippling.

I would consider £54 million a season, losses to the extent that we had to sell an entire squad and cut the wage bill by half pretty crippling.

I understand you were being sarcastic but I was being serious. I see so much moaning about Lambert and the clubs plan but nobody can offer a viable alternative.

 

Why don't we just get an oil-rich owner? Seems an easy solution.

[DelboyVilla]

 

Ease up a little mate. I was answering sarcasm with sarcasm and our losses haven't been exactly crippling.

I would consider £54 million a season, losses to the extent that we had to sell an entire squad and cut the wage bill by half pretty crippling.

I understand you were being sarcastic but I was being serious. I see so much moaning about Lambert and the clubs plan but nobody can offer a viable alternative.

 

 

Here's a viable alternative, Lerner to sell the club to someone who knows his arse from his elbow?

Edited December 3, 2013 by DelboyVilla

[TJVillan]

Neither of the above offer any kind of viable strategy the manager should use. There are bo oil barrens throwing their money at Villa. Villa are run by Randy Lerner and until that changes the manager has to work within our current financial circumstances. Anyone else have any bright ideas?

[DelboyVilla]

Neither of the above offer any kind of viable strategy the manager should use. There are bo oil barrens throwing their money at Villa. Villa are run by Randy Lerner and until that changes the manager has to work within our current financial circumstances. Anyone else have any bright ideas?

 

Here's another idea! we could just stop moaning and take on board that this is our lot and complaining about it changes nothing?

[Ghost_of_Pongo_Waring]

The reason for that is that there are few alternatives inside the forum of football and no alternative with the budget made available to the manager.

 

It isn't what he's trying to do that's being criticised its how he's doing it and for me the allocation of that limited funding and it should have been a more gradual process of eliminating what was here and introducing youth and inexperience hence last season may not have been such a close flirtation with relegation but I can't prove that with any degree of certainty.

 

It's easy to say he should have taken a more gradual approach but we were closer to relegation the season before, with all the expensive experienced players, and we had to reduce the wage bill. That meant experienced, under performing players HAD to be removed.

 

The fact is we weren't relegated and that is the most important fact of all.

 

In some ways you remind me of a boss I once had. Every day I'd get in at two minutes to six and he'd say disapprovingly "you're nearly late". I was not late, I was due to start work at six and I started at six.

Lambert had to reduce the wage bill and keep us up. He succeded. Whether you think it was a risky way of doing it, he succeded. You may feel there were better ways of achieving it but that cannot be proved one way or the other so it's a pointless argument.

 

If he had taken a more gradual approach then that would logically mean we'd have more of the high earning, under performing players still on the books. So we'd be not as far down the road to turning things around as we are now. I don't see how that would be better.

[Con]

 

The reason for that is that there are few alternatives inside the forum of football and no alternative with the budget made available to the manager.

 

It isn't what he's trying to do that's being criticised its how he's doing it and for me the allocation of that limited funding and it should have been a more gradual process of eliminating what was here and introducing youth and inexperience hence last season may not have been such a close flirtation with relegation but I can't prove that with any degree of certainty.

 

It's easy to say he should have taken a more gradual approach but we were closer to relegation the season before, with all the expensive experienced players, and we had to reduce the wage bill. That meant experienced, under performing players HAD to be removed.

 

The fact is we weren't relegated and that is the most important fact of all.

 

In some ways you remind me of a boss I once had. Every day I'd get in at two minutes to six and he'd say disapprovingly "you're nearly late". I was not late, I was due to start work at six and I started at six.

Lambert had to reduce the wage bill and keep us up. He succeded. Whether you think it was a risky way of doing it, he succeded. You may feel there were better ways of achieving it but that cannot be proved one way or the other so it's a pointless argument.

 

If he had taken a more gradual approach then that would logically mean we'd have more of the high earning, under performing players still on the books. So we'd be not as far down the road to turning things around as we are now. I don't see how that would be better.

 

 

You should have told him you were early!  

 

Fact is the best thing about Lambert's era so far is the scouting. It's a really fundamental part of a manager's duties. That is something MON could never do.

[Shaw_nuff]

 

 

 

 

"West Brom should have been out of sight and Sunderland missed the sitter of the decade. We've been luckier than this time last year."

 

 

So West Broms missed chances should have been goals and our missed chances shouldn't?

 

I know it's barely allowed for one to go against this myth of 'progress', but we are luckier than this time last year IMO, and for me that accounts for our slightly better position. We are playing some of the worst football I have ever seen and at Villa Park and that's up against some pretty stiff competition.

 

If it improves and is all part of a big plan of Lamberts then I'll be as happy as anyone and I'll eat, but I don't see how anyone can argue that the football is anything other than one dimensional and dire.

 

Any chance of giving us some stats on how "lucky" the rest of the other clubs have been in comparison to last season?  some detailed examples and analysis would be appreciated. How on earth can you say progress is a myth when we are doing far better in the table?  I fear you really don't understand football, my friend - unlucky you.

 

Wind your neck in you arrogant knob. I haven't called for Lambert's head, nor have i been rude to you or anyone else on this forum so I don't warrant your condescending keyboard-warior BS.

 

The fortune is to do with what I have seen (hence the IMO). It is also a comparison between Villa last season and this at the same juncture- it has nothing to do with other clubs. But feel free to do some of the detailed analysis yourself. Maybe some possession or hoofing stats compared to this time last season, or other teams not putting away the plethora of 'certs'. I'm all ears, because I don't understand football apparently, which is understandable 'cos I haven't seen much of what I call football lately.

[Ghost_of_Pongo_Waring]

 

 

The reason for that is that there are few alternatives inside the forum of football and no alternative with the budget made available to the manager.

 

It isn't what he's trying to do that's being criticised its how he's doing it and for me the allocation of that limited funding and it should have been a more gradual process of eliminating what was here and introducing youth and inexperience hence last season may not have been such a close flirtation with relegation but I can't prove that with any degree of certainty.

 

It's easy to say he should have taken a more gradual approach but we were closer to relegation the season before, with all the expensive experienced players, and we had to reduce the wage bill. That meant experienced, under performing players HAD to be removed.

 

The fact is we weren't relegated and that is the most important fact of all.

 

In some ways you remind me of a boss I once had. Every day I'd get in at two minutes to six and he'd say disapprovingly "you're nearly late". I was not late, I was due to start work at six and I started at six.

Lambert had to reduce the wage bill and keep us up. He succeded. Whether you think it was a risky way of doing it, he succeded. You may feel there were better ways of achieving it but that cannot be proved one way or the other so it's a pointless argument.

 

If he had taken a more gradual approach then that would logically mean we'd have more of the high earning, under performing players still on the books. So we'd be not as far down the road to turning things around as we are now. I don't see how that would be better.

 

 

You should have told him you were early!  

 

Fact is the best thing about Lambert's era so far is the scouting. It's a really fundamental part of a manager's duties. That is something MON could never do.

 

 

The stupid thing is he wanted me to be like others who arrived 15/20 mins early but then they would have a coffee & a chat and actually start work after me.

 

I do like Lamberts transfer dealings. I hadn't heard of any of his signings before we were linked to them and it's very enjoyable, for me, to see them develop. Obviously they're not all going to work out but the losses from the failures should be minimal compared to the huge losses we suffered through the 'big name' failures.

Edited December 3, 2013 by Ghost_of_Pongo_Waring

[Keyblade]

 

Neither of the above offer any kind of viable strategy the manager should use. There are bo oil barrens throwing their money at Villa. Villa are run by Randy Lerner and until that changes the manager has to work within our current financial circumstances. Anyone else have any bright ideas?

 

Here's another idea! we could just stop moaning and take on board that this is our lot and complaining about it changes nothing?

 

 

Think that's the point he's trying to make.

[VillanousOne]

 

Last season in parts was an adrenalin fuelled ride of fast past attack, some great goals from our front line and comedy pub defending. Every game was a roller coaster ride and a 1:0 deficit after 10 mins was the norm.

 

Now the comedy pub defending has almost gone but so has the adrenalin ride of goals. Weimann, Gabby and Benteke were unplayable last season, this season it feels like teams know how to nullify their threat plus all three are off form or have been injured.

If we can't play on the break or hoof it - then we play possession football that goes nowhere.

Our limitations are so obvious it hurts. Our midfield is league one level, our attack when on form is top 8 prem class, our defence seems to now be catching up to Prem standard, but it's all a weird mix of differing abilities. But on the whole we aren't a good footballing team and it hurts me to say that.

Lambert tries to make us play to our strengths, he used three attackers because he recognised our midfield wasn't good enough, instead he substituted talent in that area for reliability and industry (and the hope Delph can become something special).

As tedious as it is to state, until we have some kind of creative technical ball players in there with an eye for a forward pass and good close control we will not improve beyond where we are now, which I might add is a good solid platform to go from. And yes we need players to make the runs to adapt to the passes that this type of player would offer.

Looking at the players we have I would only say that Bennett (honest, I know he can't defend but he is genuinely good on the ball), Helenius (judging by the preseason games) and supposedly Tonev - have these technical creative attributes, maybe Gardener and Albrighton at a push, and then Grealish and Graham (maybe Carruthers). All are currently fringe players or youth players who won't be blooded for some time as Lambert doesn't play anyone under the age of 23.

Lambert needs to take some risks and make some bold choices with the players we have. 

We are making progress though, just very dull and slow progress. And I think the players we have will and are getting better.

 

 

I agree with some of what you've posted but to say "as Lambert doesn't play anyone under the age of 23." ........... apart from Baker, Okore, Luna, Bacuna, Weimann, Benteke and Bowery.

 

yep i meant to put 21, major DOH!

 

i didn't actually realise Weimann is still 22 and yet we are pretty harsh on him

[BOF]

It's easy to say he should have taken a more gradual approach but we were closer to relegation the season before, with all the expensive experienced players, and we had to reduce the wage bill. That meant experienced, under performing players HAD to be removed.

 

The fact is we weren't relegated and that is the most important fact of all.

 

In some ways you remind me of a boss I once had. Every day I'd get in at two minutes to six and he'd say disapprovingly "you're nearly late". I was not late, I was due to start work at six and I started at six.

Lambert had to reduce the wage bill and keep us up. He succeded. Whether you think it was a risky way of doing it, he succeded. You may feel there were better ways of achieving it but that cannot be proved one way or the other so it's a pointless argument.

 

If he had taken a more gradual approach then that would logically mean we'd have more of the high earning, under performing players still on the books. So we'd be not as far down the road to turning things around as we are now. I don't see how that would be better.

Exactly. It has long been said by me and others that Lambert effectively made 3 seasons worth of changes in 1 season. Not an easy thing to do but he did it and it worked. He judged it to perfection IMO because he changed about as much as he could possibly change while maintaining our league status. Critics will call it luck rather than judgement. They usually do when it's something positive. Although it tends to be his judgement rather than luck if something goes wrong. Funny that. Anyway I digress.

He has gotten us on the right road much sooner than many others would have; and in doing so has hopefully prevented 2 more years worth of moaning on this and other forums. Critics of him used his results when the football was good and now use his style of football when the results are good. Hypothetical arguments for the future and 'what if' arguments for the past also come out, which is fine because if that's all you have ... At the end of the day you either lean towards the positive or the negative with him and you'll always look hard enough to find enough ammunition to re-inforce your stance.

[HeyAnty]

Agreed that Lambert is the man to lead us to the top 10. We arent going to get much further unless we invest more.

Much has been said about our football this season and i agree its been as poor as ive seen, even under Mcleish.

One thing did make me shudder though when i saw it in another post yest. We didn't score in October at all. Out of 15 games we only scored in 8 this season and one of them we did score was Rotherham. Seriously worrying we cant seem to score.

Aston villa 0 - 0 Sunderland

West Ham 0 - 0 Aston villa

Hull 0 - 0 Aston villa

Aston villa 0 - 2 Everton

Aston villa 0 - 2 spurs

[TJVillan]

Agreed that Lambert is the man to lead us to the top 10. We arent going to get much further unless we invest more.

Much has been said about our football this season and i agree its been as poor as ive seen, even under Mcleish.

One thing did make me shudder though when i saw it in another post yest. We didn't score in October at all. Out of 15 games we only scored in 8 this season and one of them we did score was Rotherham. Seriously worrying we cant seem to score.

Aston villa 0 - 0 Sunderland

West Ham 0 - 0 Aston villa

Hull 0 - 0 Aston villa

Aston villa 0 - 2 Everton

Aston villa 0 - 2 spurs

Then again, it is encouraging that our defensive record is the 6th best in the league. We've only conceded 4 more than Arsenal who have the best record.

None of our strikers are in form. We had no trouble scoring against the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea earlier in the season. At some point we will start firing again.

[BOF]

Yes and a big fit-again Belgian will have a lot to do with that you'd imagine.

[HeyAnty]

Yes and a big fit-again Belgian will have a lot to do with that you'd imagine.

What if his form doesnt return.... Just saying

[BOF]

Yes and a big fit-again Belgian will have a lot to do with that you'd imagine.

What if his form doesnt return.... Just saying

How do I answer that though. We beat Citeh without him, so maybe if he's still shit in a month we drop him. Let's assume he's on the mend though, given that he has recently been injured, until it becomes clear that he isn't.