Houlston Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 Certainly more positive over Lambert than a few months back but to say we've turned a corner might be a bit too early. I like most of his signings though and I like his passion and the togetherness of the team and the fight we have shown over the last two games. But I still cant get the lengthy persistence with the obviously poor 3/5 at the back out of my head. The game against Liverpool will be a good indicator of how we've improved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 good win yesterday against a decent QPR side. long way to go for us yet in terms of being away from relegation positions. think we will be in a similiar situation next year without quality in key positions. we allow teams back in to the game at an alarming rate and despite winning QPR could have been out of sight before our fight back. The crowd was amazing and had a great bearing on the outcome. With the front 3 and Guzan....Vlarr ( was a steadying influence too) we have a chance of surviving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Condimentalist Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 I expected us to be in a relegation battle at around Christmas and then start picking up results as the team grew, both together and individually, finishing 11-14th. I would say it's taken longer than I expected for us to get better - largely I think because of the Chelsea result and the horror run that followed. We may yet finish 11-14th but overall I would say this year has been worse than I anticipated. PL has certainly shown a degree of naivity at points - with his formations and substitutions in particular - and perhaps in hindsight he could have done more to address the experience issue within the squad. However I was delighted when we appointed Lambert and I'm still pleased to have him as our manager. In fact (so long as we can stay up) I'm optimistic for the future, although much will be determined by Randy of course. Overall, though, I think there's definitely been more good than bad. He's certainly shown he's got an eye for a player and I like the way he has us playing (although not defending!). I like his passion and get the impression that the players are right behind him. It's not only the team that's young and inexperienced, actually he is as well, and I think both will improve over time. And I think he has a long term perspective on what we need to do to get back in and among that top 6-8, and in a sustainable fashion. I think he's appreciated the support that the fans have given him this season and I expect him to be at the club for a number of years - and we'll be all the better for that. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingfisher Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 We're not a million miles from being a decent side, but we just need to hang on this season because the inexperience at the back is killing us. Next season if we add two or three experienced defensive players it should settle us down and we can move forward with some confidence. I think we are blessed with some excellent young players with potential and it's exciting, it would be a shame to if they got relegated because it's a good base to build from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharkyvilla Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 On the point some people made about it being the players at half-time suddenly putting upon themselves to change the way the team played in the second half, who on earth in the changing room is a big enough leader to pull something like that off? Possibly Vlaar and that's it, and he was a Lambert signing. I just can't believe people would rather think that way than give the manager some credit. For the disappointments the season has included I can't help but feel that we should be positive from the summer onwards (assuming we finish the job off and stay up). His signings have mainly worked, a couple of them spectacularly well, and he's somehow managed to get Gabby and N'Zogbia to deliver at a crucial time of the season, plus he's at least tried lots of different ways of playing to try and get every ounce out of the squad. The biggest negative for me was how long he perservered with the 3-5-2 formation and the humiliations that led to, so I'm not saying he's perfect at all but I think the signs are there that when he moulds the rest of the squad in the way he wants we will be back on track as a club. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big_John_10 Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 When Lambert joined I thought there was no chance of a relegation battle this year. As the transfer window ended it was pretty obvious we would be involved in one. However I never thought we'd be this bad. I never thought the season would have the lows that its had. I don't understand your post, honestly. You expected us to be involved in a relegation fight, what exactly did you think that would entail? I wasn't expecting to have our worst start to a premiership season. I wasn't expecting to lose 8-0 to any team. I wasn't expecting a 3 game period where we let in 15 goals and scored 0. I wasn't expecting to have the worst goal difference in the league. I wasn't expecting at points to be the worst goal scoring team in the league and the worst defensive team in the league. Like i said, which I thought was pretty clear, I expected a relegation battle but didn't expect the lows we've had. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regular_john Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 IMO if we stay up this season, Lambert will have earned the right to continue this project for the foreseeable future. Staying in the PL with a team full of lower league and inexperienced players will be one hell of an achievement and will give me faith that Lambo is taking us in the right direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 I expected us to be in a relegation battle at around Christmas and then start picking up results as the team grew, both together and individually, finishing 11-14th. I would say it's taken longer than I expected for us to get better - largely I think because of the Chelsea result and the horror run that followed. We may yet finish 11-14th but overall I would say this year has been worse than I anticipated. PL has certainly shown a degree of naivity at points - with his formations and substitutions in particular - and perhaps in hindsight he could have done more to address the experience issue within the squad. However I was delighted when we appointed Lambert and I'm still pleased to have him as our manager. In fact (so long as we can stay up) I'm optimistic for the future, although much will be determined by Randy of course. Overall, though, I think there's definitely been more good than bad. He's certainly shown he's got an eye for a player and I like the way he has us playing (although not defending!). I like his passion and get the impression that the players are right behind him. It's not only the team that's young and inexperienced, actually he is as well, and I think both will improve over time. And I think he has a long term perspective on what we need to do to get back in and among that top 6-8, and in a sustainable fashion. I think he's appreciated the support that the fans have given him this season and I expect him to be at the club for a number of years - and we'll be all the better for that.top top post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LondonLax Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 When Lambert joined I thought there was no chance of a relegation battle this year. As the transfer window ended it was pretty obvious we would be involved in one. However I never thought we'd be this bad. I never thought the season would have the lows that its had. I don't understand your post, honestly. You expected us to be involved in a relegation fight, what exactly did you think that would entail? I wasn't expecting to have our worst start to a premiership season. I wasn't expecting to lose 8-0 to any team. I wasn't expecting a 3 game period where we let in 15 goals and scored 0. I wasn't expecting to have the worst goal difference in the league. I wasn't expecting at points to be the worst goal scoring team in the league and the worst defensive team in the league. Like i said, which I thought was pretty clear, I expected a relegation battle but didn't expect the lows we've had. Don't leave out the cup debacles against lower league teams. It has been a dreadful season all round. Easily the worst in my time supporting Aston Villa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fazilla Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 When Lambert joined I thought there was no chance of a relegation battle this year. As the transfer window ended it was pretty obvious we would be involved in one. However I never thought we'd be this bad. I never thought the season would have the lows that its had. I don't understand your post, honestly. You expected us to be involved in a relegation fight, what exactly did you think that would entail? I wasn't expecting to have our worst start to a premiership season. I wasn't expecting to lose 8-0 to any team. I wasn't expecting a 3 game period where we let in 15 goals and scored 0. I wasn't expecting to have the worst goal difference in the league. I wasn't expecting at points to be the worst goal scoring team in the league and the worst defensive team in the league. Like i said, which I thought was pretty clear, I expected a relegation battle but didn't expect the lows we've had. Don't leave out the cup debacles against lower league teams. It has been a dreadful season all round. Easily the worst in my time supporting Aston Villa. Were you out of the country last year and missed Bolton at home. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeyAnty Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 When Lambert joined I thought there was no chance of a relegation battle this year. As the transfer window ended it was pretty obvious we would be involved in one. However I never thought we'd be this bad. I never thought the season would have the lows that its had. I don't understand your post, honestly. You expected us to be involved in a relegation fight, what exactly did you think that would entail? I wasn't expecting to have our worst start to a premiership season. I wasn't expecting to lose 8-0 to any team. I wasn't expecting a 3 game period where we let in 15 goals and scored 0. I wasn't expecting to have the worst goal difference in the league. I wasn't expecting at points to be the worst goal scoring team in the league and the worst defensive team in the league. Like i said, which I thought was pretty clear, I expected a relegation battle but didn't expect the lows we've had. Don't leave out the cup debacles against lower league teams. It has been a dreadful season all round. Easily the worst in my time supporting Aston Villa. Last year was worse for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Condimentalist Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 Last year was so, so much worse. We had a clueless bluenose manager with no plan other than to sit back and hope for 0-0, we still had a bunch of mercenaries in the side who didn't give a ****, and not one of our players had a good season. Not one. It was a total embarrassment. Christmas and January this year were dark, but the rest of the campaign isn't even comparable IMO. Not even close. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amo69 Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 Anyone else noticed how much better we are defending from corners. Maybe the defeats to Bradford was a blessing in disguise as forced us to focus on improving this area. Credit to Lambert and the coaching staff for sorting this out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 This year has been far worse than last, all the wrong records broken for a start, not to mention the humiliating cup exit to a 4th division team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amo69 Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 Although this season has probably been the worst I can remember the key difference between this year and last is I can see improvements each game. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeyAnty Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 Although this season has probably been the worst I can remember the key difference between this year and last is I can see improvements each game. Yes, there appears to be a plan for the future and light at the end of the tunnel. Last year we had no direction and it was just one big black hole where nobody could see a way out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dont_do_it_doug. Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 When Lambert joined I thought there was no chance of a relegation battle this year. As the transfer window ended it was pretty obvious we would be involved in one. However I never thought we'd be this bad. I never thought the season would have the lows that its had. I don't understand your post, honestly. You expected us to be involved in a relegation fight, what exactly did you think that would entail? I wasn't expecting to have our worst start to a premiership season. I wasn't expecting to lose 8-0 to any team. I wasn't expecting a 3 game period where we let in 15 goals and scored 0. I wasn't expecting to have the worst goal difference in the league. I wasn't expecting at points to be the worst goal scoring team in the league and the worst defensive team in the league. Like i said, which I thought was pretty clear, I expected a relegation battle but didn't expect the lows we've had. That's the game. Records are there to be broken and for a club as big as ours, when you're in that fight from the start, you're going to smash a few. I'm sure McLeish broke a few himself, in fact I remember them falling. Nobody is excusing the Christmas period, me included. But just as players can improve their performance so can managers. He's relatively young no? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drat01 Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 So the basis for supporting lambert seems to be he ain't Mcleish and he is "only" 43? Also the dross that has been served up all year the woeful performances the records for poor performance rtc can all be disregarded? We cannot make any comments about him because it isn't the end of the season? Lets just hope that the dream ticket of mon and red knapp being relegated happens and we can then look at the team, lambert and the club in general and see some massive improvements . I hope that lambert shows that he actually is a good manager and that what has gone on before us was just a Dallas type shower dream Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted March 18, 2013 VT Supporter Share Posted March 18, 2013 Did I expect better from Lambert? Yes. I can honestly say I did expect better. But the truth is, I STILL expect better in the future. By the end of McLeish's season, that expectation of better things to come had vanished. I expected, if anything, worse. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexicon Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 So the basis for supporting lambert seems to be he ain't Mcleish and he is "only" 43? Also the dross that has been served up all year the woeful performances the records for poor performance rtc can all be disregarded? We cannot make any comments about him because it isn't the end of the season? Lets just hope that the dream ticket of mon and red knapp being relegated happens and we can then look at the team, lambert and the club in general and see some massive improvements . I hope that lambert shows that he actually is a good manager and that what has gone on before us was just a Dallas type shower dream Not being McLeish is a big plus, to be honest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts