Manager Paul Lambert

[praisedmambo]

But from what I remember that was all put on Mcleish and his poor performance. I don't remember many arguing on here that the squad was one that should have been in that position. 

 

As I said above and speak for yourself though (I think most people realised we had a shit team—it wasn't all put on Mcleish, you do say some tripe sometimes, imo)—last year we had a shit team AND a shit manager, this year we have a young promising team and a young progressive manager with a good track record that warrants him the benefit of time. 

Edited May 1, 2013 by praisedmambo

[Zatman]

 

Lets be honest it's the same team Mcleish had + 20 million spends so if we do stay up it's hardly a massive achievement, people are just kidding themselves there.....

 

You are kidding yourself mate if you think that's true. In fact it's a load of tosh.

 

Heskey

Petrov

Carlos

Collins

Hutton

Warnock

 

Have they all featured this yr?

 

 

Dunne

Given 

Bent 

Ireland

 

were also regulars in that team

[praisedmambo]

 

 

Lets be honest it's the same team Mcleish had + 20 million spends so if we do stay up it's hardly a massive achievement, people are just kidding themselves there.....

 

You are kidding yourself mate if you think that's true. In fact it's a load of tosh.

 

Heskey

Petrov

Carlos

Collins

Hutton

Warnock

 

Have they all featured this yr?

 

 

Dunne

Given 

Bent 

Ireland

 

were also regulars in that team

 

That is an incredibly inaccurate statement by supernova. 

[BOF]

Lets be honest it's the same team Mcleish had + 20 million spends so if we do stay up it's hardly a massive achievement, people are just kidding themselves there.....

 

You are kidding yourself mate if you think that's true. In fact it's a load of tosh.

 

Heskey

Petrov

Carlos

Collins

Hutton

Warnock

 

Have they all featured this yr?

 

Dunne

Given 

Bent 

Ireland

 

were also regulars in that team

007 is right with his players. Yours were still technically available to Lambert which does not invalidate supernova's original point about it being the existing squad + additions. Which it clearly wasn't.

[samjp26]

In reality, Gabby is the only starting 11 regular from last season that has been consistently in the starting 11 this season. Our team against Sunderland was probably our strongest (bar maybe Clark in place of Baker) and based on that we have Guzan, Bennett, Baker, Vlaar, Lowton, Westwood, Sylla, Delph, Weimann, Benteke - all of whom were either not at the club or weren't in McLeish's regular starting 11 plans. Even Clark who has featured for the majority of this season was behind Collins and Dunne.

 

To say our team was given a makeover would be an understatement, it is a completely different team and a completely different philosophy to that of last season (thank God). For that alone, albeit leaving us in a relegation battle, I think Lambert has done a good job. I'm sure we would all agree that our team looks a lot better of a prospect than the one that played under McLeish and although we find ourself fighting at the bottom again, I do feel that we can stay up and in turn we have a great deal to look forward to next season.

[Zatman]

 

 

 

Lets be honest it's the same team Mcleish had + 20 million spends so if we do stay up it's hardly a massive achievement, people are just kidding themselves there.....

 

You are kidding yourself mate if you think that's true. In fact it's a load of tosh.

 

Heskey

Petrov

Carlos

Collins

Hutton

Warnock

 

Have they all featured this yr?

 

 

Dunne

Given 

Bent 

Ireland

 

were also regulars in that team

 

007 is right with his players. Yours were still technically available to Lambert which does not invalidate supernova's original point about it being the existing squad + additions. Which it clearly wasn't.

 

 

supernova said it was the same team McLeish had, Dunne is injured all season but other 3 are in squad not in the team

[Skruff]

You mention rewriting history and point out that we nearly got relegated last year. But from what I remember that was all put on Mcleish and his poor performance. I don't remember many arguing on here that the squad was one that should have been in that position. Also in terms of rewriting history I don't remember this same attitude at the end of the summer transfer window.

There was plenty of people who spoke of rotten eggs in the basket and troublemakers. "Is this all McLeish fault?" was mentioned more the once.

I had the impression that most posters where under the opinion that "our players don't give a ****" at the end of the season. Steven Ireland VT player of the year

 

As for the attitude after the transfer window, you pretty much lead the charge of shooting down every signing that was made that summer.

Plenty of people expressed their surprise over the players signed but also excitement and belief in them. And you used that Robbie Savage article to back up your point over and over again.

Now, a lot of your critique of Lambert is justified, you were right in many of the points you were raising before and under the season.

But the things you're claiming in the quote above is just completely wrong.

Either you remember what suits you, or you have a very poor memory.

[BOF]

supernova said it was the same team McLeish had, Dunne is injured all season but other 3 are in squad not in the team

Given the context of the comment and the 20 million spend, it's pretty clear that what you call squad, he called team, as in whole team. Not sure why people get bogged down in minutae though when the overall point supernova was making was totally wrong in the first place.

[sharkyvilla]

I think Lambert and Lerner have made some MASSIVE decisions this season and hopefully look like ending up smelling of roses despite the humiliation we suffered at the start of the year.  Quite how we turned ourselves round after that is amazing.  I know the job isn't quite complete yet regarding staying up, but assuming we do it then I can feel some real excitement about the club for the first time in a long while.  I can't wait to see who Lambert unearths next as we finally get rid of the rest of the shite.

[abdulaziz1]

Lets be honest it's the same team Mcleish had + 20 million spends so if we do stay up it's hardly a massive achievement, people are just kidding themselves there.....

 

 

 

Look how that team had ended that season ?!

 

Actually it was the second old average players in the league if I'm not mistaken .. 

 

Any manager if he stocked with that team would struggle .. So Lambert took his path and changed the whole team .. Because it was going to struggle anyway .. 

 

Struggling with hope better than struggling with nothing !

[Big_John_10]

The ride wasn't always enjoyable but even though we sailed so close to the wind, we're going to be all the better for it from now on.

Agreed.

Ultimately I guess it doesn't matter if you view this season as a remarkable achievement or a poor one. All that matters is what happens in the future. Hopefully come Saturday evening we can really start discussing that instead of worrying about getting more points.

[Big_John_10]

But from what I remember that was all put on Mcleish and his poor performance. I don't remember many arguing on here that the squad was one that should have been in that position.

 

As I said above and speak for yourself though (I think most people realised we had a shit team—it wasn't all put on Mcleish, you do say some tripe sometimes, imo)—last year we had a shit team AND a shit manager, this year we have a young promising team and a young progressive manager with a good track record that warrants him the benefit of time.

Its tripe to suggest that a lot of fans blamed Mcleish for last year? I don't think it is at all.

[Big_John_10]

You mention rewriting history and point out that we nearly got relegated last year. But from what I remember that was all put on Mcleish and his poor performance. I don't remember many arguing on here that the squad was one that should have been in that position. Also in terms of rewriting history I don't remember this same attitude at the end of the summer transfer window.

There was plenty of people who spoke of rotten eggs in the basket and troublemakers. "Is this all McLeish fault?" was mentioned more the once.

I had the impression that most posters where under the opinion that "our players don't give a ****" at the end of the season. Steven Ireland VT player of the year

 

As for the attitude after the transfer window, you pretty much lead the charge of shooting down every signing that was made that summer.

Plenty of people expressed their surprise over the players signed but also excitement and belief in them. And you used that Robbie Savage article to back up your point over and over again.

Now, a lot of your critique of Lambert is justified, you were right in many of the points you were raising before and under the season.

But the things you're claiming in the quote above is just completely wrong.

Either you remember what suits you, or you have a very poor memory.

I've said a lot of people blamed Mcleish for last year and a lot of people didn't think we'd be in a relegation battle at the end of the summer.

I think that's a fair assessment.

[VillaGoMarching]

We needed a change if philosophy as the previous way wasn't sustainable. Players in the first team were creeping towards the end of they're careers or just didn't care about our club. Yes it was drastic but it's starting to prove worthy.

My main surprise is that we have managed to improve our style of play, despite those embarrassing thrashings at the turn if the year. It shows that Lambert's methods are working, the players believe in them and that the players are growing mentally tougher.

Mental toughness, a playing style and belief in the manager is something we've been devoid if since near the end of MON's time.

[Stevo985]

 

 

Hopefully come Saturday evening we can really start discussing that instead of worrying about getting more points.

I hope so!

 

I'll be on my first proper night out in Majorca on Saturday. If we've beaten Norwich I'm going to get totally **** up!

[PussEKatt]

I would say that Lambert has done a great job with what he has been given to work with ( If we do`nt lose to Norwich ) because remember we beat Liverpool and everyone thought we had turned the corner, so let`s wait and see what our next result is before praising Lambert too much.

My main worry is what sort of club are we going to be ?

What sort of club is Lerner aiming for ?

To me it looks like we will be forever selling our best players and replacing them with inexperienced youngsters from the lower divisions.If this is true then we will always be in the lower half of the table, training players for the bigger clubs.If this is the case then Lambert should have said right from the start that this situation is not acceptable.!

[smetrov]

 

But I still can't agree that keeping this team up is classed as a remarkable job.

Which is sad in a way really. If you look at the ageing over-paid squad McLeish left behind and if we can agree that that squad was only really going in one direction. If you then accept the quantifiable fact that Lerner has tightened the purse strings and wanted further wage cuts in addition to those already asked of Houllier and McLeish then you come to a very difficult managerial scenario where someone has to come in and gut the existing squad while having his hands financially tied on the investments (particularly wages) that he can make going forward. And he has to do it in a manner that keeps the squad competitive in the Premier League in the meantime. Remember we only barely escaped relegation last season.

It would have been much easier for Lambert to come in and make it a quick fix. Bring in ready-made PL players who could have done a job for this season. Great. But then there's next season, and the season after that. Do you keep making quick fixes every season just for that season? Basically making it your ambition to stay in the league? Or do you try and build something that can last. What Lambert has undertaken here is very much the difficult option. I don't expect all Villa fans to get it but I'm sure they'll be there cheering the lads on in a few years after the enormity of what foundations were laid down for this club in the 12/13 season has dawned on them. No doubt they'll re-write history at that point too and claim they knew all along.

 

 

Thing is - I still think that job needs to be done. If we start next season with Bennett and Baker as first choice defenders - the failings will quickly become apparent - we need 2 more senior defenders. I think we may have 'got away with it' this season - but the foundations of the defence still need need to laid.

[Stevo985]

I would say that Lambert has done a great job with what he has been given to work with

You've changed your tune pretty quickly

 

Last year we hung around the 15th to 17th position for most of the season.

This year after Lambert has had 2 transfer windows and nearly a whole season we are around the 17th to 18 th position.

FFS after all this time he has managed to drop us 1 position ????

Edited May 1, 2013 by Stevo985

[sharkyvilla]

I would say that Lambert has done a great job with what he has been given to work with ( If we do`nt lose to Norwich ) because remember we beat Liverpool and everyone thought we had turned the corner, so let`s wait and see what our next result is before praising Lambert too much.

My main worry is what sort of club are we going to be ?

What sort of club is Lerner aiming for ?

To me it looks like we will be forever selling our best players and replacing them with inexperienced youngsters from the lower divisions.If this is true then we will always be in the lower half of the table, training players for the bigger clubs.If this is the case then Lambert should have said right from the start that this situation is not acceptable.!

 

Lerner will be delighted that Guzan has probably added at least £8m to his value, Benteke up to £20m, Westwood probably £5m, Lowton again probably £5m, Sylla seems to have been a bargain as well.  That's going to be £30-40m added to the value  and in complete contrast to what Randy has been used to in terms of writing money off.  That is the kind of club that he will want to aim for.  If bids come in that are too good to turn down like they were with Milner, Downing and Young, fine then we should sell them, the skill is finding the right replacements that will improve the team in the long run, and so far Lambert seems to be the right man.  This is the only way we were ever going to get back up the league as Randy hasn't the money or the appetite to spunk £30m a season up the wall any more.

[PussEKatt]

Going by our last result he has done a great job BUT as I also stated it depends on the Norwich result.And I still do not agree with us bieng a feeder club for every other team in the PL and I still say that he ( Lambert ) should not even try to be that ( a feeder club )