Manager Paul Lambert

[Stevo985]

Barney Ronay's verdict

Onward Christian as Paul Lambert's young soldiers reward high principles

Paul Lambert took a huge gamble here, fielding an Aston Villa team that on paper looked alarmingly youthful and on the Villa Park pitch almost touchingly puppyish. He was rewarded in scarcely believable style, with a thrillingly unbound and penetrative second-half performance as Villa overran a Sunderland team who are once again menaced distantly by relegation.

Christian Benteke's hat-trick will rightly take the headlines. The Belgian was uncontainable here: physically immense – on several occasions defenders simply bounced off him – and deft with his feet. But a 6-1 victory was also a wonderful moment of vindication for a manager who, for all the occasional oddities of team selection, has stuck to what must perhaps – as Villa Park remained on its feet throughout a boisterous second half – now be called his principles.

It might even seem poignant that in a week when football again sets its face towards the righteous dawn of Bundesliga Euroball a manager whose formative influences are distinctly German-accented, should produce such a resounding victory at such a vital moment. For Wigan Athletic the surge of confidence in Lambert's coherent and mobile young team is as ominous as the result here.

For context, though, this was the first time this season that Villa have scored more than three goals in the league. They remain in real danger of relegation. But this was a seasonal high at precisely the right moment, a performance that seemed at times in that second half to jiggle the pieces of this Lambert-era team into something resembling a coherent plan. And from a certain angle this is indeed an oddly progressive struggling Villa team.

Squint a little, ignore the league table and Villa seem to have the outline of precisely the kind of virtues the top flight is so often accused of lacking: a youthful core of home-grown players and a high-energy counterattacking style. Perhaps this season there might even have been a temptation to blame the Premier League itself for the meekness of this claret and blue Borussia Dortmund of the imagination, a suggestion it is the Premier League's own disorienting impatience – the sense that relegation is, rather than a setback, a career-defining disaster – that makes such experiments in team-building unusually difficult.

And yet in practice the details have been very different. Villa will be hugely cheered by this result but they are where they because of clear, if not irremediable, failings in the mechanics of Lambert-era Villa. This team in particular was almost laughably callow. Of the starting XI Matthew Lowton, who was outstanding here, had the most league starts for the club (34 of them).

Take away Ron Vlaar and Gabriel Agbonlahor and every outfield player was aged between 21 and 23. It was in effect the starting XI of a zealot: Lambert's Lambs, sent out to sink or swim with Premier League survival edging ever closer to the last ditch. For some it might have been further confirmation Lambert finds Premier League juniors a lot more appetising than strong-willed old hands. But football has always been a reverse-intuitive sport: sweeping conclusions tend to flow solely from results – even a result such as this that was still, oddly enough, entirely in the balance at half-time.

Villa started well enough, though the gulf in warrior-class outfield players was evident in those early moments as Fabian Delph and Ashley Westwood yapped around the vast expanse of Alfred N'Diaye like a pair of puppies gamely chasing a dustcart. Sunderland have looked a more conventional relegation escapee act of late, a muscular team well-staffed with hard-headed old lags and energised by the adrenal late-season appointment of Paolo Di Canio.

By contrast Lambert's Lambs set about attempting to win this game in more mercurial style, breaking with speed through Agbonlahor and Benteke, most notably in the move that led to Vlaar's spectacular drive for the opening goal. Sunderland's equaliser was a brilliant piece of football, Danny Graham and Adam Johnson combining expertly with Danny Rose, though a less uniformly greenhorn opposition might have tracked Rose's run. Often this season it has been this kind of detail, a collective slackness rather than more obvious displays of ineptitude that has let Villa down.

In Villa's second goal there was evidence only of the virtues of this team. Lowton controlled a cross-field pass and ran effortlessly with the ball before selecting a pass of Coutinho-ish precision to allow Andreas Weimann to roll in a silky finish. And throughout an almost bizarrely one-sided second half, as Villa's coltish midfield out-passed and out-ran heftier opponents, Villa really did look like that Villa of the imagination, with Benteke dropping deep and Weimann and Agbonlahor menacingly purposeful in their forward thrusts .

Agbonlahor's brilliant run and finish for the sixth goal was a fitting end to a surging period of mobile, confident, perhaps even state-of-the-art attacking football, to which Sunderland simply had no answer. Villa remain in trouble. But squint a little, dim the lights and moments like these suggest the future for the Premier League's most forward-looking back-markers may yet be a little brighter.

[BOF]

I read that earlier. A good read. It's nice to see some on the outside (and even on the inside) finally really 'getting' what we're trying to achieve here.

[bickster]

I see your point, and I thought it was unfortunate as there was no malice from Sessognon. However, he planted 6 studs into Sylla's foot which could have been damaging.

Exactly. Since when has an incidental stamp on a foot been a red card? Anyway, people rarely agree on here so we'll move on.

One foot stamping could be incidental but if my recollection is correct he followed up with his other foot, so did him twice.

Correct decision, one of only a few he made all night

[Oaks]

It was always gonna take time for practically a new team to bed in. The end of December was hard I'm not gonna lie and say that was acceptable is wasn't.

I thought we needed to spend in January but we didn't, whether that was because Lambert didn't want to or he had no money to spend I don't know, but somebody somewhere has effectively gambled with our Premier League future...it looks like it could pay off.

Since the start of Febuary we've played 11, won 5, drew 2 and lost 4 scoring 22 and conceeding 18. Take the top 4 teams out of that we've effectively gone DWWWLWDW and we should have beat Fulham and Everton.

Lambert said at the start of the season there would be ups and downs and he was't lying, but the promise shown in the last couple of months, this could be the most exciting Villa team in over 20 years. Not maybe in terms of winning things, but just pure football.

[praisedmambo]

I thought we needed to spend in January but we didn't, whether that was because Lambert didn't want to or he had no money to spend I don't know, but somebody somewhere has effectively gambled with our Premier League future...it looks like it could pay off.

 

 

Or maybe it was option three: It's difficult to buy players in January, and if you do you end up paying ridiculous prices—an activity that has pretty much led to this financial mess, which has ultimately gambled with out Premier League future. Lambert is here in part to sort that out and seems quite comfortable sticking to his guns. 

 

IMO, some posts make it sound like finances and football teams, the January transfer window, are more simplistic than they all are in reality, where you're throwing long term contracts out (like with Ireland) on stupid wages (like with Ireland), which, if one panics and it goes wrong can cost the club TENS OF MILLIONS and lead to a dud player hanging around the squad for five years (like with Ireland). 

Edited April 30, 2013 by praisedmambo

[pacbuddies]

If we went down this season but finished with more points than under McLeish, would you say Lambert has taken us backwards?

Of course.

 

Is it not the same as getting more points than you did the previous season but finishing second instead of Champions?

 

Points affect position but position is final.

[PaulC]

If we went down this season but finished with more points than under McLeish, would you say Lambert has taken us backwards?

Backwards in terms of league status yes but in every other aspect no!

[turnbull]

 

I thought we needed to spend in January but we didn't, whether that was because Lambert didn't want to or he had no money to spend I don't know, but somebody somewhere has effectively gambled with our Premier League future...it looks like it could pay off.

 

 

Or maybe it was option three: It's difficult to buy players in January, and if you do you end up paying ridiculous prices—an activity that has pretty much led to this financial mess, which has ultimately gambled with out Premier League future. Lambert is here in part to sort that out and seems quite comfortable sticking to his guns. 

 

IMO, some posts make it sound like finances and football teams, the January transfer window, are more simplistic than they all are in reality, where you're throwing long term contracts out (like with Ireland) on stupid wages (like with Ireland), which, if one panics and it goes wrong can cost the club TENS OF MILLIONS and lead to a dud player hanging around the squad for five years (like with Ireland). 

 

Had a cracking "discussion" with a Chelsea fan at work last week who claimed that if Villa go down, Lambert should go as he's spent money and failed if that happens. I then explained to him what you say in the latter part of your post, but being a Chelsea fan, he didn't understand, I then used the c-word (continuity) and totally confused him.

Mind you he also claimed that Manure are consistently top dogs because they can afford the best players and wages. The fact that Chelsea have paid the highest wages in the PL for the past 7 or 8 years had obviously escaped him.

[Woodytom]

LIke many of his signings (my one major criticism of him all year) - a man who seems to be growing into his role at the club over recent weeks.

 

Although we are not out of it yet by any stretch of the imagination, I hope like me, he is looking for a top ten finish. Massive uphill task but one we should be aiming for (not least because of my bet with Miss Woodytom   )

 

He wasnt my first choice but as he signed I always thought he was capable of some thrashings. Going into last night, Id completely lost faith that they were possible with this team. I was wrong.

 

Slowly but surely he is starting to offer more reasons to me, (than just a lack of suitable replacements) to stick with him should the unthinkable happen. Yesterday was massive. Not just a random smash n grab victory like Anfield, but a totally dominant footballing display against a rejuvenated side who were not as bad as the scoreline suggested. They were just simply outclassed.

 

His bravery and passion for the team are also positives imo.

 

Long way to go but a massive step in the right direction!

Edited April 30, 2013 by Woodytom

[abdomlahor]

At the risk of rustling a few feathers, credit has to be given to Randy for sticking with him. I'm not Randy's biggest fan by any means, but whether through fiscal constraints or personal discretion, at the moment it looks as if he has made the right call.

[vandaq]

Been feeling more and more positive about Lambert lately, and I think he is someone we will look fondly on if he gets some good players in the next window. There has been numerous downs but a lot of positives lately, and I like the way this team is looking. The only problem is that we are to easy to score goals on, we need some better defenders back there. If we can get that, and maybe a new midfielder we could actually be a really solid team, imo top 10 easily. Yes I said it.

[praisedmambo]

At the risk of rustling a few feathers, credit has to be given to Randy for sticking with him. I'm not Randy's biggest fan by any means, but whether through fiscal constraints or personal discretion, at the moment it looks as if he has made the right call.

Randy would have been stupid to have sacked him IMO. I don't think there was a call to make. The mess began before Lambert. Lambert has a good record with Norwich but he was given time. I think when you're handing out millions of pounds you're wise to be patient. 

 

He did appoint McLeish however. But never mind that. 

[dont_do_it_doug.]

Same stats as posted in the relegation thread as they seem relevant to both discussions.

Since Newcastle we're 7th in the form table. W5 D2 L4. Goals F22 A18.

Since Jan 1st we're 9th.

He sure has turned it around. Massive credit. Lets just hope we've not left it too late eh.

[markavfc40]

I have been criticized by some on here for saying this before but I still believe Lambert will have done a remarkable job if he keeps us up this season. In terms of the players he bought in at the start of the season and in January I am not sure if he was dealt that hand or he would have chosen the same hand had he have had more money to spend. Perhaps a little of both. What is certain though is that he has signed some very good young players, combined them with the best of our own academy players,who all have great potential and who seem to have an excellent attitude. Under him we have also seen the rebirth of Gabby and seen Delph develop into the player we thought we had signed. Together they have been dragged through the dirt at times and had to learn the hard way.  Lambert though as stuck by them through some very, very tough times and with the faith he has shown in them, combined with their own eagerness to learn and succeed and keep battling it seems we will now retain our Premier League status.

Despite the lows in a strange way I've enjoyed this season, loved seeing the young lads learn, develop and show a willingness to knuckle down and work their bollocks off for this great club and Lambert has to take credit for much of that. He has molded a team and built a real spirit amongst them that had been lacking for too long at this club. He has also made a number of mistakes. Much like the players though he is learning but I just feel he has that something about him that will see him ultimately succeed.

Beyond this season I think we have some very good times to look forward to under Lambert. The likes of Lowton, Baker, Bennett, Westwood, Weimann, Delph, Sylla and Benteke if he stays will be even stronger next season for the experience they have gained this season.With  those players alongside the likes of Gabby, Vlaar and Guzan and another 3 or 4 astute signings over the summer then I fully expect us to hit the ground running next season.

I was over the moon when Lambert came last summer and I still feel the same now having him as the manager of the club I love. This club could well be about to take off again. There is a real unity being built amongst the supporters to get right behind these players and this manager and a real desire to see them succeed and long may that continue.

Edited April 30, 2013 by markavfc40

[smetrov]

I have been criticized by some on here for saying this before but I still believe Lambert will have done a remarkable job if he keeps us up this season. In terms of the players he bought in at the start of the season and in January I am not sure if he was dealt that hand or he would have chosen the same hand had he have had more money to spend. Perhaps a little of both. What is certain though is that he has signed some very good young players, combined them with the best of our own academy players,who all have great potential and who seem to have an excellent attitude. Under him we have also seen the rebirth of Gabby and seen Delph develop into the player we thought we had signed. Together they have been dragged through the dirt at times and had to learn the hard way.  Lambert though as stuck by them through some very, very tough times and with the faith he has shown in them, combined with their own eagerness to learn and succeed and keep battling it seems we will now retain our Premier League status.

Despite the lows in a strange way I've enjoyed this season, loved seeing the young lads learn, develop and show a willingness to knuckle down and work their bollocks off for this great club and Lambert has to take credit for much of that. He has molded a team and built a real spirit amongst them that had been lacking for too long at this club. He has also made a number of mistakes. Much like the players though he is learning but I just feel he has that something about him that will see him ultimately succeed.

Beyond this season I think we have some very good times to look forward to under Lambert. The likes of Lowton, Baker, Bennett, Westwood, Weimann, Delph, Sylla and Benteke if he stays will be even stronger next season for the experience they have gained this season.With  those players alongside the likes of Gabby, Vlaar and Guzan and another 3 or 4 astute signings over the summer then I fully expect us to hit the ground running next season.

I was over the moon when Lambert came last summer and I still feel the same now having him as the manager of the club I love. This club could well be about to take off again. There is a real unity being built amongst the supporters to get right behind these players and this manager and a real desire to see them succeed and long may that continue.

 

 

Good post. I like Lambert - I have 2 hopes for the future under him:-

 

1.I hope the drastic work has been done. Never again should we field such inexperienced teams - or go into a season with so few senior pro's. Lamberts clearout started of drastic - then got even more so when his early faith in Ireland and Nzogbia wasn't repaid. By all means bring raw and hungry to the club - but not as the mainstay.

 

 

2.I hope he can get to grips with the defence . The defensc still needs loads of work - Guzan I like, Lowton is good going forward, but a lot to learn defensively  Vlaar adequate , Baker adequate. Bennett\Clark not for me next season . At least 1 top notch CB & FB needed 

[Oaks]

I think the way we play football will mean we will always concede goals. Our full backs are regularly isolated, but a Lescott type centre half wouldn't go amiss.

[PaulC]

I have been criticized by some on here for saying this before but I still believe Lambert will have done a remarkable job if he keeps us up this season. In terms of the players he bought in at the start of the season and in January I am not sure if he was dealt that hand or he would have chosen the same hand had he have had more money to spend. Perhaps a little of both. What is certain though is that he has signed some very good young players, combined them with the best of our own academy players,who all have great potential and who seem to have an excellent attitude. Under him we have also seen the rebirth of Gabby and seen Delph develop into the player we thought we had signed. Together they have been dragged through the dirt at times and had to learn the hard way.  Lambert though as stuck by them through some very, very tough times and with the faith he has shown in them, combined with their own eagerness to learn and succeed and keep battling it seems we will now retain our Premier League status.

Despite the lows in a strange way I've enjoyed this season, loved seeing the young lads learn, develop and show a willingness to knuckle down and work their bollocks off for this great club and Lambert has to take credit for much of that. He has molded a team and built a real spirit amongst them that had been lacking for too long at this club. He has also made a number of mistakes. Much like the players though he is learning but I just feel he has that something about him that will see him ultimately succeed.

Beyond this season I think we have some very good times to look forward to under Lambert. The likes of Lowton, Baker, Bennett, Westwood, Weimann, Delph, Sylla and Benteke if he stays will be even stronger next season for the experience they have gained this season.With  those players alongside the likes of Gabby, Vlaar and Guzan and another 3 or 4 astute signings over the summer then I fully expect us to hit the ground running next season.

I was over the moon when Lambert came last summer and I still feel the same now having him as the manager of the club I love. This club could well be about to take off again. There is a real unity being built amongst the supporters to get right behind these players and this manager and a real desire to see them succeed and long may that continue.

Yes good post if we stay up he's done a great job and I have enjoyed this season also. Its good to see us playing attractive football and its a lot more exciting to be in a relegation dogfight than midtable obscurity. I wouldn't want it every season and if we stay up I don't think we'll be worrying about relegation next season.

[smetrov]

I think the way we play football will mean we will always concede goals. Our full backs are regularly isolated, but a Lescott type centre half wouldn't go amiss.

 

Hopefully we can stem the flow dramatically next season.

 

Thing is although our full backs get forward - I have known us with more attacking fullbacks, Chris Price, Tony Dorigo, Kenny Swain, Alan Wright - Full backs that got to the bye line. Where as Lowton crosses from deep. Overall they need to be better organised. 

[Con]

 

 

I have been criticized by some on here for saying this before but I still believe Lambert will have done a remarkable job if he keeps us up this season. In terms of the players he bought in at the start of the season and in January I am not sure if he was dealt that hand or he would have chosen the same hand had he have had more money to spend. Perhaps a little of both. What is certain though is that he has signed some very good young players, combined them with the best of our own academy players,who all have great potential and who seem to have an excellent attitude. Under him we have also seen the rebirth of Gabby and seen Delph develop into the player we thought we had signed. Together they have been dragged through the dirt at times and had to learn the hard way.  Lambert though as stuck by them through some very, very tough times and with the faith he has shown in them, combined with their own eagerness to learn and succeed and keep battling it seems we will now retain our Premier League status.

Despite the lows in a strange way I've enjoyed this season, loved seeing the young lads learn, develop and show a willingness to knuckle down and work their bollocks off for this great club and Lambert has to take credit for much of that. He has molded a team and built a real spirit amongst them that had been lacking for too long at this club. He has also made a number of mistakes. Much like the players though he is learning but I just feel he has that something about him that will see him ultimately succeed.

Beyond this season I think we have some very good times to look forward to under Lambert. The likes of Lowton, Baker, Bennett, Westwood, Weimann, Delph, Sylla and Benteke if he stays will be even stronger next season for the experience they have gained this season.With  those players alongside the likes of Gabby, Vlaar and Guzan and another 3 or 4 astute signings over the summer then I fully expect us to hit the ground running next season.

I was over the moon when Lambert came last summer and I still feel the same now having him as the manager of the club I love. This club could well be about to take off again. There is a real unity being built amongst the supporters to get right behind these players and this manager and a real desire to see them succeed and long may that continue.

 

 

Good post. I like Lambert - I have 2 hopes for the future under him:-

 

1.I hope the drastic work has been done. Never again should we field such inexperienced teams - or go into a season with so few senior pro's. Lamberts clearout started of drastic - then got even more so when his early faith in Ireland and Nzogbia wasn't repaid. By all means bring raw and hungry to the club - but not as the mainstay.

 

 

2.I hope he can get to grips with the defence . The defensc still needs loads of work - Guzan I like, Lowton is good going forward, but a lot to learn defensively  Vlaar adequate , Baker adequate. Bennett\Clark not for me next season . At least 1 top notch CB & FB needed 

 

 

 

I wouldn't sell Clark. He is a bit like Paolo Maldini in that he makes interceptions rather than tackles - which is an efficient way to defend, and risks fewer fouls in and around the penalty area. He can also carry the ball when he's not doing rainbow flicks.

 

Baker is only better defensively for as long as he doesn't make defensive errors, and he's made more than Clark this season. He's keeping his place at the moment on form. It could change back again.

 

Clark's suffered this season not being next to a senior pro, having to captain the young side himself. He has a great future with us. We do need another senior CB but I wouldn't sell Clark or Baker. 

Edited April 30, 2013 by Con

[turnbull]

 Lescott

Ideal I'd say, on decent (for us) wages.