Zatman Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 by the sounds of it I think you might have fun supporting another club Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 (edited) How I read this post: Morning all, thought it might be time to take a wee general look at where the team/club are. I don't want to go on again about finances but last night we beat a team that spend crazy money in the summer. Look at the table and we are ahead of a lot of sides who spend much much more than us in the summer and the last couple of years. They also pay more wages so without going on about that we are punching above our weight as such in terms of where we are and what we are spending. But would like to look at things from a football perspective. Signings: Have I performed well in the transfer market for what I have spent? I think you have to say yes. Benteke was a inspired signing and how good has Vlaar turned out to be. It's early days for some but Bacuna looks decent, Luna is an improvement on what was already there and Kozak has performed well enough and scored a goal or two. KEA has been decent enough. Lowton will come good. Westwood has been great. Yes, there are some who haven't been great but at least they've not crippled the club financially. Making players better: Guzan has been terrific under me since he was given a chance. Baker and Clarke have improved a great deal this season from last. Delph is now playing his best football under me. I'd also say Gabby has been great under me and better than he was in previous years. Maybe worth giving me credit for that. Style of football: Not what everyone would like/hope. But I am 18 months into what I envisaged to be a 5 year project. Right now I simply have to pick up points and play to the strengths of the players I have at my disposal. That will change. Norwich weren't too bad on the eye under me. My teams try to score. Better players will allow the style of football to improve. But that is for further down the line. I don't want to go on and on but thought it would be worth taking a general look at what I have achieved in a short space of time. Not everyone is going to be delighted and you could pick faults with every manager. But improvements have been made and continue to do so. As I always point out, there will be ups and downs but that's Villa right now. I think there will be more ups though - and they've been a few already this season :P :P Edited December 5, 2013 by Ghost Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaCas Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Hitting on the break is a tactic, having 20% possession is a result of being inept on the ball. We won despite the tactics, not because of them. We got lucky. I found it hilarious and am not going to complain about the 3 points. But to try to say this was some kind of tactical masterstroke is plain bollocks. S'ton could have had 99% possession but still their only chances came from crosses lumped into the box Lambert set-up the team to nullify S'ton in the final third and then to break quickly to exploit the space behind the full-backs and it worked perfectly. When you can spend £12 and £15m on players like Southampton can, you can buy players who are comfortable on the ball - when you spend £1 and £2m on players you are looking at different attributes. Lambert used his tactical abiltity to get the best out of the atributes our players possess Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 yeah im sure when Celtic beat Barcelona they only had 17% possession all night. possession doesnt win games and not that important unless your a Barcelona player, goals do Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zhan_Zhuang Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 I like Lambert as a man and he's getting results. Yes it is early days but he does need time especially considering how much other teams have spent. On the subject of player acquisition the players have a great spirit and I like that and hope this is something we can build upon. Lambert does not seem afraid of ego and this is great because ultimately AVFC is and always will be more important. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaCas Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 You just can't complain about results or league position right now. I think its fair to be concerned with the style of play for the long term but right now it's all about results and they are good. BJ, I really believe that Lambert will gradually improve the style of football as he improves the calibre of players he recruits Lambert had £1m or £2m to spend on a player so he bought young, hungry, energetic players and set-up a pressing, counter-attacking system in which they could hopefully succeed - as we can see this is more effective away or against the big teams where we can absorb pressure and fast break. Where we have more of the ball and have to break teams down we are at the moment much less effective I hope that PL will be backed and allowed to spend a little more in coming windows and will bring in the Kiyotake and Sissoko-type signings that he looked at over the summer. Once we have two or three of this type of player on board I think the style of play will change - personally I think Lambert will always like a high-energy, pressing, 'Dortmund-style' approach but with better player he can do that with a bit more quality In the last 15 months he has bought it 16 players and shifted 20 out, probably three seasons worth of change in a single season - thats incredible really In the medium to long term I sincerely beleive that Lambert will establish himself as an outstanding manager - I hope that is with us 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrenm Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Fully deserved nomination for manager of the month. Should win it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomaszk Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Pardew is nailed on, and deserves it over Lambo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost_of_Pongo_Waring Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Fully deserved nomination for manager of the month. Should win it. No, hope he never wins manager of the month. That things the kiss of death. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost_of_Pongo_Waring Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Pardew is nailed on, and deserves it over Lambo. Pardew definitely deserves it more and I think you're right about him being nailed on for it ........... he's already started losing games in anticipation 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tayls Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Hitting on the break is a tactic, having 20% possession is a result of being inept on the ball. We won despite the tactics, not because of them. We got lucky. I found it hilarious and am not going to complain about the 3 points. But to try to say this was some kind of tactical masterstroke is plain bollocks. S'ton could have had 99% possession but still their only chances came from crosses lumped into the box Lambert set-up the team to nullify S'ton in the final third and then to break quickly to exploit the space behind the full-backs and it worked perfectly. When you can spend £12 and £15m on players like Southampton can, you can buy players who are comfortable on the ball - when you spend £1 and £2m on players you are looking at different attributes. Lambert used his tactical abiltity to get the best out of the atributes our players possess The perfect response. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
romavillan Posted December 5, 2013 VT Supporter Share Posted December 5, 2013 Just to add something about the style if play. Last season Lambert managed to get some really good attacking football played, and we lost a lot of games playing well secodn half of last season. I think it was really sh*t or bust at that point though, the defence were leaking goals left, right and center every game so the only way to stay up was to go 100% full out with 3 forwards and never say die, hoping to score one more than the opponents. This year he's tried to avoid ever getting into that situation where we are in such deep trouble. He's done it by tempering the attacking style of the back end of last season, taking fewer risks and getting clean sheets. If you can't win it don't lose it etc. It's also true to say we have had trouble with injuries and been out of form on top of that. I don't think it's so mental to suggest that once we get a few players back on song, are safely in mid table, then he'll loosen the reins a bit and we'll start playing a bit more attractive football. He said it himself yesterday that last season he got lots of pats on the back for playing nice football and comign home with no points, he said he was more interested in the three points and that's how this season has panned out so far. More power to him I say, if by March/April we're already looking pretty safe then we'll probably see some faces from the academy promoted to the first team and be playing more possession football. He has already shown that this group can play that way in terms of style, we didn't get many points though doing it so you can understand why he's focussing on being effective rather than expansive in terms of style of play. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kwan Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 (edited) And it is true, lots of pundits went on about how they liked how Villa played and very forward thinking. All of us remember when we started CNZ, Gabby, Weimann, and Benteke against United on the day they clinched the title. It's all well and good to have that "take it to them" mentality but at the end of the day, it's a lot of fun for no points. Now the pundits snicker and point and jizz over Soton's" great, great" players and how Villa only has 23% possession, but at the end of the day, we're 3 points behind them and United. That being said, I'm not going to like our defense's chances with Vlaar out Edited December 5, 2013 by Kwan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyM3000 Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Hitting on the break is a tactic, having 20% possession is a result of being inept on the ball. We won despite the tactics, not because of them. We got lucky. I found it hilarious and am not going to complain about the 3 points. But to try to say this was some kind of tactical masterstroke is plain bollocks. S'ton could have had 99% possession but still their only chances came from crosses lumped into the box Lambert set-up the team to nullify S'ton in the final third and then to break quickly to exploit the space behind the full-backs and it worked perfectly. When you can spend £12 and £15m on players like Southampton can, you can buy players who are comfortable on the ball - when you spend £1 and £2m on players you are looking at different attributes. Lambert used his tactical abiltity to get the best out of the atributes our players possess The perfect response. You can still buy players who are comfortable on the ball for cheap. Pretty sure that Swansea team didn't cost too much to put together when they came up. I think we have had two pretty fortunate results so far this season, yesterdays and at home to Man City. Without these wins we would be very close to the bottom 3 and everyone would be moaning the same as we were last season. Midfielders chipping in have made a big difference along with a bit more luck than last season. Iv heard a few people say Lambert got it spot on tactically, I watched the game and we had 5 at the back and they were still able to drop a load of crosses into our box. I would like to know how long we are going to be on this budget for though because its being used as excuse for this style of football, which is pretty awful to watch. I dont mind a season of it to sort out everything and just avoid relegation a bit easier than last year but in 2-3 season time will we still be playing this style? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted December 5, 2013 VT Supporter Share Posted December 5, 2013 17th with 13 points at this point last year. It's nice to be a bit more comfortable going into xmas! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted December 5, 2013 Moderator Share Posted December 5, 2013 17th with 13 points at this point last year. It's nice to be a bit more comfortable going into xmas! And 10pts instead of 19pts from the corresponding fixtures. Nearly double Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 i think pound for pound we are up there with the best away teams in europe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Risso Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 It's hard to post without sounding like a complete misery arse, but while scoring three goals away and beating a team like Southampton is exceedingly welcome, 23% possession is a bit of a joke, and is not an approach that will lead to long term success. Still, two great goals from Gabby and Delph, who both deserve it massively. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 It's hard to post without sounding like a complete misery arse, but while scoring three goals away and beating a team like Southampton is exceedingly welcome, 23% possession is a bit of a joke, and is not an approach that will lead to long term success. Still, two great goals from Gabby and Delph, who both deserve it massively. Misery arse ;-) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DelboyVilla Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 (edited) It's hard to post without sounding like a complete misery arse, but while scoring three goals away and beating a team like Southampton is exceedingly welcome, 23% possession is a bit of a joke, and is not an approach that will lead to long term success. Still, two great goals from Gabby and Delph, who both deserve it massively. And without sounding like a clearing in the woods this is not helping our home form either. Edited December 5, 2013 by DelboyVilla 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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