Manager Paul Lambert

[Jarpie]

I think everyone, including PL underestimated just how much was wrong with the team. We looked at AM as a big part of the shitness, but it ran deeper than just him. The squad is shockingly poor, was the worst of the teams that survived last year.

Now the teams that have come up seem to have more quality than the ones that went down, and more money to spend. Our squad was tiny and had some rotten eggs too, so however PL spent the £24m, there would be something that had to give.

Had he added 3 x £8 million players and got the same level of injuries, we'd be asking why he didn't buy more players that were better value. Damned no matter what.

What we need is part 2 of the budget to help complete this phase and push us out of the bottom 3. The combo of Randy and the previous managers have left us in this shit and we've been getting worse year on year whilst the opposition gets stronger. Changing PL won't help, backing him will.

This is pretty much spot on but Lambert should've seen how **** badly we lack leader and steel in midfield before the summer transfer window ended and he didnt deal with it.

Edited January 13, 2013 by Jarpie

[Keyblade]

I think it's somewhere Inbetween. The squad is awful but I don't believe for one second that what we're seeing is all we can expect no matter who was in charge.

While he wasn't fully backed, a different approach could have seen better results and our lack of organisation at the back is completely unacceptable. I truly believe other managers would not have us looking so pathetic at the back. Plenty of shit teams can still be organised at the back to at least put up a challenge. We haven't managed that and Lamber has to take the blame for it.

So you'd want him to take a more "McLeish" approach to the game? We've all seen how that works out last year. It's a no win situation for Lambert.

[Big_John_10]

So the only way to be organised at the back is the Mcleish approach? Ridiculous. Our defenders are all over the place, putting 10 men in the final 3rd is not the only way to sort it out.

[Amo69]

Why should he admit he was wrong when we have no way of knowing whether he was or not?

The biggest criticism of Lambert seems to be that he has kept Bent, Warnock and Hutton(!) out of the side. I think we shoul allow the possibility that this is the right thing to do if those players aren't buying into his ideas. Yes, results might suffer in the short term (They seem to be ), but if that means we are setting things up to be in a position of having a united, motivated squad who work for him and for each other I'd say it's a price worth paying.

Then again maybe the people saying Lambert should go are right. There are heaps of outstanding managers available who without doubt could instantly turn things around. Mark Hughes for example: a wonderful man with an impeccable record in management, or Mick McCarthy: I bet we could get him to buy into the owner's vision for the club. These managers would no doubt have 100% of us fans on board. If they happened to lose a few games at least they wouldn't be Paul Lambert, whom none of us wanted in the first place.

But I think he kept Warnock and Hutton out the squad just to keep fans happy. I could be wrong but the fact he said they were both training hard and had the right attitude in pre season suggests he was trying to score points with the villa faithful by totally isolating them.

Very weak.

[Mantis]

Thing is they're both shit. Getting rid of them was the right thing to do I'm just not sure on some of his replacements. Also, the midfield is probably one of the main reasons why our defending is so shit.

[foreveryoung]

What alot of us are not seeing here with our comments of making it better is. Lambert knows much much more about football management than any of us. We dont know how the players train, whats the best set up. Lambert should know all this but is failing to produce, The team is not shite, not full of youth (youth is 17,18,19) and not inexperienced. Its just Lambert does not now how to play or motivate his own team half way through the season, which to me is very very poor.

[Keyblade]

So the only way to be organised at the back is the Mcleish approach? Ridiculous. Our defenders are all over the place, putting 10 men in the final 3rd is not the only way to sort it out.

Hopefully we'll see how the defence fairs if Vlaar comes back next week. I think it's more a case of having an entire back 4 of panicked inexperienced defenders than PL not being able to sort it out. Surely you'd think after some of the defensive horror shows we've had to endure, PL would have realized the problems with our defence, and that he's been trying to rectify it. The fact that it's been mentioned that he is after a CB this January should also indicate as much.

[StanBalaban]

This is pretty much spot on but Lambert should've seen how **** badly we lack leader and steel in midfield before the summer transfer window ended and he didnt deal with it.

Agreed, but that could be down to a number of factors. Naivety, inability to land his targets, misplaced faith in the existing players after pre season, or an unwillingness to spend his budget on someone deemed not to be the right player. Whatever the reason, he needs to be able to put that right in this window.

[VillaCas]

how did we lose £40 mil worth of talent? collins, cuellar and heskey?

Heskey £3.5, Collins £5.0, Cuellar £7.8, Makoun £6.0, Petrov £6.5, Warnock £6, Hutton £4

Don't say it was his choice to lose Warnock and Hutton - it was part of RL/PF plan that PL signed up to

Talk about Delfounesco v Bowery is just nonsense - they are both worth about £500k FFS

[foreveryoung]

Vlaar should be made captain soon as he returns

[VillaCas]

and plenty of other teams have signed players on low fees and wages who are not inexperienced kids from the lower leagues. michu is the big one from the summer, reading have just signed the sporting lisbon captain for £600,000. yacob at the baggies was signed for nothing this summer and hes better than any of our midfielders. why is it only lambert who has to sign kids when funds are limited?

Have you heard of wages?

[Big_John_10]

Hopefully we'll see how the defence fairs if Vlaar comes back next week. I think it's more a case of having an entire back 4 of panicked inexperienced defenders than PL not being able to sort it out. Surely you'd think after some of the defensive horror shows we've had to endure, PL would have realized the problems with our defence, and that he's been trying to rectify it. The fact that it's been mentioned that he is after a CB this January should also indicate as much.

I think he's aware, he'd have to be an idiot if he didn't.

But the current 4 are all over the place. I think a different manager could have organised them better. That's all I'm saying.

[Amo69]

Thing is they're both shit. Getting rid of them was the right thing to do I'm just not sure on some of his replacements. Also, the midfield is probably one of the main reasons why our defending is so shit.

I agree they are both shit but they are better than what they have been replaced with. So unless we were sure we would be able to sell them what has Lambert achieved by banishing them to the reserves?

Although the midfield isn't helping the back 4 do not even know how to hold a bloody line. Basics of defending!

Edited January 13, 2013 by Amo69

[StanBalaban]

What alot of us are not seeing here with our comments of making it better is. Lambert knows much much more about football management than any of us. We dont know how the players train, whats the best set up. Lambert should know all this but is failing to produce, The team is not shite, not full of youth (youth is 17,18,19) and not inexperienced. Its just Lambert does not now how to play or motivate his own team half way through the season, which to me is very very poor.

We have fielded the youngest ever PL starting XI ever so, whilst they're not '17, 18, 19', there is blatantly no real leadership in the team.

Unfortunately, the team is shite so Lambert not knowing how to get the best out of them is akin to him not knowing how to polish a turd.

[Mantis]

I agree they are both shit but they are better than what they have been replaced with. So unless we were sure we would be able to sell them what has Lambert achieved by banishing them to the reserves?

Although the midfield isn't helping the back 4 do not even know how to hold a bloody line. Basics of defending!

There's no way Hutton is better than Lowton. Agree on Warnock though. Lambert should've bought someone better than Bennett.

As I said, he was right to freeze them out but should have bought better.

[Keyblade]

I think he's aware, he'd have to be an idiot if he didn't.

But the current 4 are all over the place. I think a different manager could have organised them better. That's all I'm saying.

I honestly can't think of anybody who'd make a significant improvement.

[Jimzk5]

I think he's aware, he'd have to be an idiot if he didn't.

But the current 4 are all over the place. I think a different manager could have organised them better. That's all I'm saying.

Agree. Last season defensively what cost us was individual errors and slack marking from set peices but generaly as a unit we were ok. This seasons defensive unit is collectively poor with too many individual errors and a complete lack of understanding and leadership. We try and play a high line to catch teams offside but clark constantly plays people on. Joe Bennett is an awful left back with no redeming features in his play, yes he gets forward but what's the point if you can't hit your Target with the cross.

[PieFacE]

Well Lambert is the man we all wanted so let's back him and back this young squad, and just pray that Lerner backs Lambert. I can understand why Lambert thought we'd do better with this young squad, I thought our "young" players were much better than they are. Hindsight is a wonderful thing and i'm sure if Lambert could go back to the summer and know that Vlaar was going to be injured for a considerable amount of time he'd have brought in another CB. Either way, we're in this mess, as supporters there's very little we can do other than support. If Lerner does nothing to get us out of this situation then he's gunna take a lot of shit from the fans, more so than ever before.

For the sake of going a little high on the wage structure we may aswell just do it. I know it's easy to say when it's not your money but Warnock and Hutton are going no where. There's no point waiting for them to go.

Edited January 13, 2013 by PieFacE

[VillaCas]

and plenty of other teams have signed players on low fees and wages who are not inexperienced kids from the lower leagues. michu is the big one from the summer, reading have just signed the sporting lisbon captain for £600,000. yacob at the baggies was signed for nothing this summer and hes better than any of our midfielders. why is it only lambert who has to sign kids when funds are limited?

When someone signs Sissoko for £3.5m you'll say why didn't we sign him for the same price as (fill in your least favourite PL signing)

Answer : because we won't pay £75k a week wages

Lambert can't win

Sign 8 players, he is criticised for not signing 3 more expereinced ones - Sign 3 experienced ones and he would be criticised for not having enough players when injuries hit

Maybe it would all be ok if he wore a suit instead of a tracksuit

3/4 of the posters here need to wise up to the real problem

[Amo69]

There's no way Hutton is better than Lowton. Agree on Warnock though. Lambert should've bought someone better than Bennett.

As I said, he was right to freeze them out but should have bought better.

How can he be right to freeze them out? They could have played now when our defence is a mess! Also don't think Lowton is better than Hutton. He has potential but he is too lightweight for me. The tackle he tried against Kone was embarrassing. I do think he is one for the future thought.

I guess it's a matter of opinion but we can't escape the facts.