Manager Paul Lambert

[VillaCas]

With the way we're playing that six point gap between us and the relegation zone might not last long...

 

or alternativly we might win the next two games and find ourselves in 8th....crazy isnt it!

 

[VillaCas]

 

 

 

 

 

Complete writing players off after how many games in a new country/new league?

 

Ha don't change the goalposts now. You CLEARLY state, 'Lambert has got us to being a bottom half team' when he hasn't. We were there before. You're wrong.

 

So you think Lambert is 100% to blame? Because you clearly think a new manager would be able to come in and instantly change the situation. I wish I could view life that simply. Would make things far easier.

 

OK Luna is going to turn into Carlos next season and suddenly get past strolling pace and learn the basics of defensive positioning!

 

Lambert has got us to being a bottom half team - the same achievement as our last sacked manager McLeish.

 

I think Lambert is a big part of the problem.  No width, no supply, poor mix of players, poor tactics and playing too many people out of position.

 

Funny as when he managed Norwich they played open attacking football with plenty of width! The fact is you play in a style which best suits the players at your disposal! We are playing without natural wingers with Weimann and Gabby wide, so playing Narrow plays to their strengths! It squeezes the space in the middle of the pitch, making it difficult for teams to play through the middle (but also makes keeping possession difficult unless you have very technically adept players comfortable playing under pressure). We sit deep and look to hit teas on the break with Gabby's pace and Benteke's height and strength. The fact is Lambert's tactics are spot on, they're perfect for our preferred 11. We don't have lots of creative, skillful and technically adept midfielders and attackers so its pointless the play as if we do. 

 

 

Brilliant post...........absolutely spot on

 

[VillaCas]

 

 

 

 

Again, you're creating a hyperbolic argument that nobody has stated so you can have a moan. Nobody has even partway suggested that they will turn into world class players; rather that it's logical that you should give a player at least a season before writing them off as dross. New signings will have good games and bad games. It's the nature of the beast.

 

Are you seriously this dense? He 'got us to being a bottom half team'? What on Earth are you on about? We were already a bottom half team. Lambert hasn't dragged us down there.

 

You haven't answered my question in the slightest. We are playing narrower to stifle the middle of the park and from the increased amount of clean sheets, I'd say it's working. Tactically is an area where he still seems to be naive and frustrating, but he gets it right just as often as he gets it wrong IMO. He doesn't seem to have a middle ground. Too many people playing out of position? Who?

 

And I ask again. If Lambert goes, who could realistically come in and work under the same restrictions while fulfilling the expectations of our fans?

 

It's possible to get a good idea about the quality of the signings from the almost half a season already played. It's clear that some of the fundamental skills of decent footballers are missing in a number of the recent signings.

 

Lambert has got us to being a bottom half team as did Mcleish. You seem to be struggling with that! He hasn't got us to being a top half team as he?

Right, so we're playing narrower to stifle the middle of the park. OK so spoiling tactics - remind me who's net the last 5 goals have gone in? So not only are we playing anti football it's not working. Thanks for that!

As for people playing out of position: Baker at left back, Bacuna at right back to name a few...

As for a replacement please see previous answer.

 

 

Do you realise how half-baked that sounds??

[Zatman]

last 10 pages in this thread I have learned that 

 

the team is shit

the manager is shit

Derby and Burnley are better than us 

that apparently 11th place in Premier League coming to half way mark is shit as well

[Wainy316]

Lerner is the problem not Lambert.  Although he should have done something about the left side of our defence the other day.

[Shillzz]

There is some room for improvement, no doubt about that, but I can't see many top managers wanting the Villa job at the moment. We have no right to be anything other than relegation fodder with our current team, so i'm reasonably pleased to see us sat in mid table. People were (justifiably) left disappointed with the defeat to Fulhum last week, but even their squad has been furnished with a substantial level of investment compared to our own.

 

I'm not sure where the light at the end of the tunnel is, but our current failings are far more owing to Lerner than they are to Lambert.

[DelboyVilla]

Lerner is definitely the problem due to his hair brained business ideas. He has no idea of how to run a 'soccer' team because I doubt he even truly understands the game. He has made huge errors which have been hamstrung the club into having to employ a strategy which IMO will relegate us in the next two seasons. If only he had realised that he needed to employ a CEO with a background in the game then most of these mistakes would not have been made.

 

As for Lambert, OK we are currently 11th, great if the season ended tomorrow but it isn't. We are playing very poorly ATM and Lambert needs to address this quickly as I am sure he knows and the proof in the pudding will be where we are come May. I think an indicator of this will be after the Christmas matches. 

 

Unfortunately for him he is solely responsible for the performance and results on the pitch and he earns his money by picking the team, setting the tactics, taking out of form players and getting them back in form, changing tactics during the game and doing his best to get the results we need in every game. He can no longer say that this is not his team, he has brought in 16 new players to the squad we already had.

 

With regard to the money he has had to spend and the cost of players, personally I am more likely to believe the figures quoted in the published accounts as been accurate as this is a legal document which is provided to Companies House and sets out things like the amount of corporation tax due to HMRC. I would imagine any falsification given in a fully audited set of accounts could lead to some serious fines or even prison. Lambert blowing smoke up his own arse in a press conference will not lead to a spell behind bars for anyone.

 

Therefore it has been Lambert's choice to buy the players he has and the number of players he has. IMO he has gone for quantity in favour of quality and has used a scattergun approach hoping that a couple of his 'bargains' will turn out to be gems. However what if they are gems? Do we sell them for a huge profit to go out and buy more 'bargains' to get more gems? Trouble is then we get left with the dross all the time? Not really going to help long term is it?

 

Plus 4 dross players for £2.5M each on £10k per week = 1 decent player for £10m on £40k per week. Lambert just needs to make sure he doesn't buy a Heskey, Beye, Warnock, Hutton, Given or Ireland. There are plenty of £10m or less players out there who would accept £40k per week. Four of those and we would be in a better position IMO than the 16 we have brought.

[TRO]

There seems to be a groundswell of opinion blaming Lerner rather than Lambert.

 

I am genuinely not sure which side to come down on, except to say both are not blameless.

 

I look to Ron Saunders and consider that he had 2 of the worst Chairman you could imagine to work with and in light of competing against the great Liverpool & Ipswich teams not to mention Arsenal....He had a hell of  a task....Under Ron ,I could see the progress. It was there to witness in their play, never mind league tables, you could clearly see the improvement, despite him having to build several teams.

 

We had Eamonn deacy ( God rest his soul)who in terms of technique was as raw as a baboons arse, but he improved and had the heart of a lion.....attitude, you could touch it and feel it, it was that real. 

 

Its all very well, saying we need more money spent, not disagreeing with that at all....but can we spend it? have we really got the expertise to buy players that can make a difference in our team.

If we had the money, could we have spotted a Suarez.... would we look for a player that had the ability to score goals without the service provided like Suarez or Aguero ( we signed Bent)or even Brian Little or Dean Saunders.

are we looking for the right kind of players? are we aware that the dinosaur of the big battering ram has possibly moved on and that technique has taken its place. Our big players need the skills of Ibrahimovich to do damage at this level...even Carew was finding it difficult.

 

It is clear to me that the summer signings are simply not of merchantable quality or they are experiencing a collective form drop, because right now I can't see any improvement.

Edited December 17, 2013 by TRO

[GENTLEMAN]

 

Prob less than half. Who has lambert signed for £13m and on 40k a week. That gets you a wanyama. Look at what they spend. Did u read the Cardiff chief exec and what they spent? Villa are a big club historically but in terms of current spending power it is bottom 3 or 4 all day long.

 

Is it likely we may be able to get more than 1 player in January though? We've been linked with a left back now, so that is a few links to different types of players (although we know that they are often bollocks).

 

As for the cleverer/more clever debate, that should probably be left to off-topic section but my view is the same as HH, it may be in the dictionary but cleverer is certainly not a clever word to use - especially in reference to a person's lack of intelligence. Thanks for the trombone though Gentleman, tosser

 

Sorry.   

[Zatman]

 

Foreign manager for me, like that Southampton guy. Different style of football completely, instead of this Irish Scottish dull stuff we have been getting since O'Neil.

 

So, we are beginning to narrow it down.....a foreign manager, like that Southampton guy (you mean Mauricio Pochettino)........I wonder if he has a brother?

 

 

 

bring back Houllier

[VillaCas]

The team Lambert put out on Saturday cost £18m to assemble and around £10m pa in wages. Contrast that to McL's team who cost and earnt four times as much and performed worse.

 

We need a reality check on here if we think paying championship fees and wages entitles us to be a top half side

[DelboyVilla]

The team Lambert put out on Saturday cost £18m to assemble and around £10m pa in wages. Contrast that to McL's team who cost and earnt four times as much and performed worse.

 

We need a reality check on here if we think paying championship fees and wages entitles us to be a top half side

 

Well who's choice was it to go for 16 players at low fees and low wages rather than 6 to 8 players on higher fees and higher wages? Lerner or Lambert?

 

For me replace Helenius, Tonev and Sylla and buy a 1 Cabeye or Ben Arfa? It's a no brainer for me? It's part of a manager job to get the information on these types of players.

 

PS to be fair to McL most of the team he played were inherited from MON and the Houllier.

[Delphinho123]

The team Lambert put out on Saturday cost £18m to assemble and around £10m pa in wages. Contrast that to McL's team who cost and earnt four times as much and performed worse.

 

We need a reality check on here if we think paying championship fees and wages entitles us to be a top half side

 

Pretty much, this.

 

Just look at our defence. Its a disgrace regardless of injuries. The back four at Fulham was this:

Baker---Clark---Herd---Bacuna

That is arguably the worst back 4 Villa have fielded since I was born.

The target this season for me has always been about getting to 40 points as quickly as possible because we're an awful side.

 

This team needs massive investment. I like Lambert, I always have done, but I must say I am massively underwhelmed by some of his more recent signings.

 

UptheVilla.

[villan_007]

 

The team Lambert put out on Saturday cost £18m to assemble and around £10m pa in wages. Contrast that to McL's team who cost and earnt four times as much and performed worse.

 

We need a reality check on here if we think paying championship fees and wages entitles us to be a top half side

 

Well who's choice was it to go for 16 players at low fees and low wages rather than 6 to 8 players on higher fees and higher wages? Lerner or Lambert?

 

For me replace Helenius, Tonev and Sylla and buy a 1 Cabeye or Ben Arfa? It's a no brainer for me? It's part of a manager job to get the information on these types of players.

 

PS to be fair to McL most of the team he played were inherited from MON and the Houllier.

 

 

When you don't have a squad at all - why would you buy 1 player? if your cabaye benarfa is injured suspended or not having a good game who are you going to replace them with??

Edited December 17, 2013 by villan_007

[Risso]

Because it is pigeon English. More clever. Much better. As well as not being a CLEVER writer u clearly know zero about football old sport.

 

 

It's 'pidgin' not pigeon, and 'you' not u. 

[mickjacobjr]

I think our next transfers next summer need to be just 2 or 3 quality signings that Paul brings in and these players are first team players and not squad ones

[Dodgyknees]

The team Lambert put out on Saturday cost £18m to assemble and around £10m pa in wages. Contrast that to McL's team who cost and earnt four times as much and performed worse.

We need a reality check on here if we think paying championship fees and wages entitles us to be a top half side

Well who's choice was it to go for 16 players at low fees and low wages rather than 6 to 8 players on higher fees and higher wages? Lerner or Lambert?

For me replace Helenius, Tonev and Sylla and buy a 1 Cabeye or Ben Arfa? It's a no brainer for me? It's part of a manager job to get the information on these types of players.

PS to be fair to McL most of the team he played were inherited from MON and the Houllier.

And we'd have a squad of about 16.

I think our next transfers next summer need to be just 2 or 3 quality signings that Paul brings in and these players are first team players and not squad ones

Agree.

[GENTLEMAN]

I like Paul Lambert being the manager of Aston Villa Football Club. But I think Lambert needs to take responsibility for performances and results regardless of what is being spent at other football clubs.  I just hope this current bad form is just a minor blip in a successful season for us.

[VillaCas]

Lerner is definitely the problem due to his hair brained business ideas. He has no idea of how to run a 'soccer' team because I doubt he even truly understands the game. He has made huge errors which have been hamstrung the club into having to employ a strategy which IMO will relegate us in the next two seasons. If only he had realised that he needed to employ a CEO with a background in the game then most of these mistakes would not have been made.

 

As for Lambert, OK we are currently 11th, great if the season ended tomorrow but it isn't. We are playing very poorly ATM and Lambert needs to address this quickly as I am sure he knows and the proof in the pudding will be where we are come May. I think an indicator of this will be after the Christmas matches. 

 

Unfortunately for him he is solely responsible for the performance and results on the pitch and he earns his money by picking the team, setting the tactics, taking out of form players and getting them back in form, changing tactics during the game and doing his best to get the results we need in every game. He can no longer say that this is not his team, he has brought in 16 new players to the squad we already had.

 

With regard to the money he has had to spend and the cost of players, personally I am more likely to believe the figures quoted in the published accounts as been accurate as this is a legal document which is provided to Companies House and sets out things like the amount of corporation tax due to HMRC. I would imagine any falsification given in a fully audited set of accounts could lead to some serious fines or even prison. Lambert blowing smoke up his own arse in a press conference will not lead to a spell behind bars for anyone.

 

Therefore it has been Lambert's choice to buy the players he has and the number of players he has. IMO he has gone for quantity in favour of quality and has used a scattergun approach hoping that a couple of his 'bargains' will turn out to be gems. However what if they are gems? Do we sell them for a huge profit to go out and buy more 'bargains' to get more gems? Trouble is then we get left with the dross all the time? Not really going to help long term is it?

 

Plus 4 dross players for £2.5M each on £10k per week = 1 decent player for £10m on £40k per week. Lambert just needs to make sure he doesn't buy a Heskey, Beye, Warnock, Hutton, Given or Ireland. There are plenty of £10m or less players out there who would accept £40k per week. Four of those and we would be in a better position IMO than the 16 we have brought.

 

Would that really work though?

 

From the McL-era we retained and used Delph, Albrighton, Herd, Clark, Baker, NZog, Bannan, Lichaj and Weimann

 

That leaves you to decide what to do with Collins, Cuellar, Given, Makoun, Warnock, Hutton, Dunne, Holman, Heskey, Bent, Stevens, Fonz, Ireland

 

I've got to assume that you would have let Makoun, Holman and Heskey go straight away (leaving Collins, Cuellar, Given, Warnock, Hutton, Dunne, Bent, Stevens, Fonz, Ireland)

 

The money saved by Collins and Cuellar's wages and from the Collins fee has gone someway towards the fee and wages of one of your new £10m players so they would have to go (leaving Given, Warnock, Hutton, Dunne, Bent, Stevens, Fonz, Ireland)

 

I think that keeping Warnock and Hutton around was a non-starter but let's leave them there for arguments sake

 

So in your first season we now have a squad of Delph, Albrighton, Herd, Clark, Baker, NZog, Bannan, Lichaj, Weimann, Given, Warnock, Hutton, Dunne, Bent, Stevens, Fonz, Ireland plus two of your four new £10m signings (as all the money was not available to Lambert straight away) - thats 19 players, 6 short of the 25 man squad you need and you're already short of cover in a number of areas

 

Your first team would be something like Given, Warnock, Clark, New CB(say). Stevens, Delph, Ireland, NZog, New MD(say), Bent, Gabby and subs of Herd, Baker, Albrighton, Bannan, Lichaj, Weimann, Fonz and Dunne out injured most of the season

 

During your second season to save wages and generate a little fee income you need to move a few player on or loan a few out - let's assume Lichaj and Bannan are sold and say Fonz, Dunne and Warnock are loaned out (Lambert has had to loan out more than this but let's be generous)

 

Your team is now something like Given, New LB(say), Clark, New CB. New RB(say), Delph, Ireland, New MD, Weimann, Bent, Gabby and subs of Herd, Baker, and Albrighton with NZog injured most of the season. A first team squad now of 15.

 

By the second season we could well have been in the championship and would struggle to retain let alone attract quality players

We've got no cover in many positions

We are ten players short of a regualr premiership squad

We've got to assume that Lambert can coax a performance out of Ireland

We've got to assume that we can find a formation that gets something out of Bent (who has proved no more effective at Fulham than he was here)

We can't afford a single one of our four new players not to hit the ground running

We need to ensure the supposed attitude problems of players like Hutton, Dunne and Warnock do not disrupt  the dressing room

 

Personally I think that the lack of numbers and depth in that approach would be suicide and if we had taken that approach i) we'd have been relegated and ii) the manager would have rightly been castigated for his foolhardy actions

 

You may argue that I've crafted the scenario to suit my argument but if so please point out what you would do differently taking into account that money spent in one area has to be raised in another

Edited December 17, 2013 by VillaCas

[Risso]

I can't believe I'm even typing this myself, but here goes.....

 

I wonder if Heskey would have been a useful foil for Benteke this season?

 

He wouldn't have scored any fewer goals than Weimann, but would have been better at keeping the ball up front.

 

No, you're right, shoot me now.