Manager Paul Lambert

[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.!

 

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.

 

So quote " the skill is finding the right replacements "

So, is this bieng a feeder club or not ?

Are we forever going to be training younger players for the bigger teams ?

[turnbull]

In general, you have to spend a shed load of cash in the PL to stand still these days, so to put the brakes on and begin to take the club in a complete new direction for only 20 mill isn't bad going.

[sharkyvilla]

Probably Kitty.  I've never had a problem with us being a selling club, as long as you do it well, which we haven't up until now.

[PussEKatt]

Probably Kitty.  I've never had a problem with us being a selling club, as long as you do it well, which we haven't up until now.

I agree with all of that, especially the last bit.

[ender4]

Probably Kitty.  I've never had a problem with us being a selling club, as long as you do it well, which we haven't up until now.

 

yeah i agree. 

 

Spurs or Everton are an example of how to be good at being a selling club.

[BOF]

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.

There's no point wanting a manager to do something when the chairman won't pay the wages that would make it happen. The job of bringing in the odd established player is a lot easier to do now from an integration point of view, now that we have a good base and now that we know what we have. Ignoring the wages, from a playing point of view it could have been equally as dangerous to bring in a shed load of established players on big wages (see QPR). But as I say, the key point in all of this is that he didn't have the money to go down that route so the point is moot.

[Zatman]

Lambert reminds me of Gordon Bombay from Mighty Ducks. Started off with a ragtag bunch of kids and has them defying the odds and playing good stuff

[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.

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.

 

What you just said, sounds to me quite different from what you said in the post I quoted. At least how I interpret it.

Maybe it's me who's lost in translation.

Good day to you Elton.

 

[Folski]

 

Probably Kitty.  I've never had a problem with us being a selling club, as long as you do it well, which we haven't up until now.

 

yeah i agree. 

 

Spurs or Everton are an example of how to be good at being a selling club.

 

 

Surely that's where the wheels feel off last time. At the end of the day it all comes down to money, it's the same reason United, Chelsea & City are the only ones to win the league the last few years, and the main reason Arsenal haven't done anything. As some one said on the previous page Lamert has pretty much signed the bulk of this team bar Agbonlahor, and the ones he hasn't have been youth players or players on the fringes who he has given a chance to ala Andy, Baker & Delph. He needs to keep all the pieces in tact if we are to grow where we should be.

[Morpheus]

Probably Kitty.  I've never had a problem with us being a selling club, as long as you do it well, which we haven't up until now.

I guess most clubs are selling clubs if the right offer comes in but as i've stated many times if you continually rebuild without success then those players who have proven successful will just leave anyway and you will continue to construct your very own vicious circle.

[HeyAnty]

Probably Kitty. I've never had a problem with us being a selling club, as long as you do it well, which we haven't up until now.

I guess most clubs are selling clubs if the right offer comes in but as i've stated many times if you continually rebuild without success then those players who have proven successful will just leave anyway and you will continue to construct your very own vicious circle.

From what i read from Lambert, i dont think he would stay about to long if what he continues to build is broken up. And who would blame him.

[VillaCas]

 

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). 

 

 

He wanted to bring in three or four of decent quality , but there was no money made available (well apart from the small amount for Sylla)

 

 

[VillaCas]

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.....

 

Well not really.....no Collins, Dunne, Warnock, Hutton, Ireland, Given, Fonz, Heskey, Albrighton, Gardner, Bent(?), Petrov(?), Keane(?), Jenas(?).....missing 14 players (some only had bit parts but none the less!)

[VillaCas]

I've been more impressed with Lambert recently and more hopeful for the future. I'm starting to go back to how I felt about him at the start of the season.

But for me a remarkable season doesn't include worst ever premiership start, most amount of goals conceded for around 27 years, losing to Bradford over 2 legs and having 3 games that had a combined score line of 15-0.

Sunderland showed what potentially this club can do under Lambert.

I'm now a little more confident that next season may well be classed as remarkable.

 

I can post a chart to show how much better we are getting if you like?

 

[The Fun Factory]

Best case scenario is for Villa now to be a top 10 club. Anything better would be a massive bonus. Lambert must have realised this, so even more respect for him to leave Norwich for us.  We cannot afford to aim for top 4. I am afraid that's the current situation. People might not like it but the club needs to play it straight. The O'neill years was based on a false promise and people are still fed up that we failed to get top 4.  If they say we are realistic, but ambitious, will try to buy the right players and use our youth set up, I think most fans  will accept it. It may change in the future, but don't hold your breath as clubs dont want to get off the champions league gravy train.

[sonic_bouma]

Fans of other clubs really like him and seem to think he has the chance to build something here as he plays football in the right way....

 

after the defeats to Wigan, Spurs, Chelsea, Southampton etc I really doubted his philosophy but he was never going to be an overnight fix and recently the signs have been good...

 

i just hope to God we can stay up coz im now intrigued as to where he can take us

 

first thing though Paul is to sort our defence out!

[HeyAnty]

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.....

Well not really.....no Collins, Dunne, Warnock, Hutton, Ireland, Given, Fonz, Heskey, Albrighton, Gardner, Bent(?), Petrov(?), Keane(?), Jenas(?).....missing 14 players (some only had bit parts but none the less!)

100% nothing like the team last year. Makes you wonder sometimes

[smetrov]

 

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.

There's no point wanting a manager to do something when the chairman won't pay the wages that would make it happen. The job of bringing in the odd established player is a lot easier to do now from an integration point of view, now that we have a good base and now that we know what we have. Ignoring the wages, from a playing point of view it could have been equally as dangerous to bring in a shed load of established players on big wages (see QPR). But as I say, the key point in all of this is that he didn't have the money to go down that route so the point is moot.

 

 

That maybe so. Thats why I have often questioned where 'getting rid of the high earners' ends ? - I fear it will be ongoing - regardless of what happens on the pitch. The size of the wage bill is of more interest to Lerner than our position in the league.

 

Depends what you mean by High earners ? - I don't mean we have to pay Samba £100k a week or anything daft. But at the other extreme, A league 1 player on 10k a week, tossed in with a academy kids on even less - well its not going to cut it much above where we are now.

 

Olson from WBA is the sort of CB we should be looking at - and able to afford. However I see nothing to suggest we are going to be looking at players of that caliber.  Supplement the current squad with a few more league 1 players and academy kids - isn't going to produce a surge up the table 

[Oaks]

I had a conversation with a Liverpool supporting friend of mine a few weeks ago. He reminded me that I thought Lambert was the best young manager around when we got him. He was trying to argue Rodgers was doing a better job at Liverpool.

I said their remit was different. Where Rodgers had a good solid base to improve Lambert has essentially started from scratch. Not to mention Liverpools solid base + £50 million and our practically new team has cost under £20 million.

Yes Rodgers team have improved in recent months, but next year will be the test just like Lambert and Villa.

[PaulC]

Yes Rogers's remit next season is to challenge the top 4, Lambert's if we stay up is mid-table?