Manager Paul Lambert

[Big_John_10]

In my post I mentioned lack of speed. In the same post I also said he has no other attributes to make up for that lack of speed, so pretty pointless pointing out players who quite clearly had other attributes that made up for their lack of speed.

[Big_John_10]

I wouldn't normally write a player off but i just don't think someone as slow as kozak can be a good premiership striker.

Teddy Sheringham

Peter Crouch

Berbatov

Carew

have all had decent careers in top flight for example and am sure their is plenty more

You should have quoted my whole post because all those you mention had other attributes to make up for any lack of pace.

What does kozak have to make up for it?

Your first point was to say he was too slow, then listed players who weren't the quickest and now your asking what he does have? I think his movement is decent, he can hold the ball up, he can finish. But unlike you I won't write him off just based purely on 3 games.

He hasn't shown much ability to hold the ball up or finish so far.

Yes only 3 games in but like I said pace is so important at prem level and if you haven't got it you need to be very good at something else. He's not got that something else.

[avfc1982]

On Kozak, I have been very disappointed so far. Doesn't have the strength, aerial ability or power I expected for someone bought to potentially replace Benteke long term.

However, lets not forget Lambert scouts players thoroughly before signing then by all accounts so he must have seen performances and attributes that convinced him that Kozak could be effective at this level or he wouldn't have risked 7m on him which is a hell of a lot of money for a club only spending 10-20m a year currently.

Yes but remember that this is the man who brought the likes of Bennett, Lowton, KEA, Westwood, Bowery etc to the club. Players who, in my opinion, aren't fit to wear the claret and blue.

Benteke aside, there's not many successes for Lambert when it comes to signings.

[VillaCas]

 

 

The season so far has been a mixed bag - some good perfromances and some poor ones. I was particularly disappointed by our performance against Newcastle and feel like Spurs and Everton were there for the taking if we had a little more confidence and cutting edge. We've been unlucky with injuries to Okore and Benteke which hasn't helped.

 

In terms of our style of play I would like to see us taking more possession and being more positive, especially at home

 

I'm still happy with Lambert and I still believe we are progressing and I think it's too early to judge progress this season, especially given our tough run of fixtures. We are four points better off than the same fixtures last season.

 

The next five games will be tell me a lot more - I'm looking for at least 7 points and hopefully more. It will also tell us a bit more about the new signings, some are finding their feet but some like Kozak have yet to make an impact - the next few games will be important for them

 

I am concerned that even if Lambert is wildly successful, 8th place is about the best we could contemplate given the level of investment available

 

 

Not a lot to disagree with there other than i do feel the quality of football we're playing at the moment is not representative of the final third of last season and certainly isn't any better but that could be due to any number of things and we'll be in a better place to judge come Christmas.

 

 

Hard one to judge.....we do not seem to be playing as well as last season, however we do look to be stronger and even in games where we have not shone we have been in the game throughout. Saturday was a prime example, on another day we could have been home and hosed by halftime. Playing in an attractive manner is not as important as playing in a way which wins points and so far we are 4 points better off than in the same fixtures last year

 

I understand the points about gaps in the team but my opinion is that for the money that we can afford (and particularly the wages we can pay) we wouldn't attract anything any better than we already have (Delph). Given time I could easily see Tonev and Bacuna becoming the AM we keep talking about. Zog may also fill that gap when he returns? Gary Gardner needs to make the step up soon too.

 

Kozak and Helenius have not yet shown why they were signed but hopefully they will grow and improve - certainly the first 9 fixtures which included last years 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th place teams can't be the ideal run of fixtures to ease yourself into the team

 

I'm glad Bent has gone and haven't seen anything from him at Fulham which makes me regret that decision

 

I think many came into this year with too high expectations - I will be happy with 10th-12th this year and top ten the year after that but without serious investment I can't see Lambert (or any other manager) getting us any higher

 

I'm hoping that after the next 5 games we will be sitting on 18 points - 8 points better than last year. That would represent real progress for me

 

 

 

[Isa]

Downing was certainly written off during his first season.

By everyone? I don't think so!

He was injured till late November anyway.

Obviously not by everyone but there was certainly a vocal minority.

Yes, a minority. Downing was a good player and we knew that when we signed him. Same with Milner and a lesser extent, Young (not as well know back then). Informed Villa fans knew these players had talent and would come good eventually. Kozac is different as few if any know anything about him. His early performances have been close to useless. I don't see why fans shouldn't be allowed to mention this. He may well turn into a good player but at the moment he's dreadful. That's not "writing him off", it's just honestly.

I wasn't intending to link it to the Kozak argument. I was just affirming that there were quite a few people who slated Downing early into his Villa career.

[StefanAVFC]

 

On Kozak, I have been very disappointed so far. Doesn't have the strength, aerial ability or power I expected for someone bought to potentially replace Benteke long term.

However, lets not forget Lambert scouts players thoroughly before signing then by all accounts so he must have seen performances and attributes that convinced him that Kozak could be effective at this level or he wouldn't have risked 7m on him which is a hell of a lot of money for a club only spending 10-20m a year currently.

Yes but remember that this is the man who brought the likes of Bennett, Lowton, KEA, Westwood, Bowery etc to the club. Players who, in my opinion, aren't fit to wear the claret and blue.

Benteke aside, there's not many successes for Lambert when it comes to signings.

 

 

Grouping Westwood and Lowton with Bennett, KEA and Bowery is grossly unfair as both were in our top 5/6 players last year. Yes they haven't started as well this year but that doesn't make them bad players. Shallow viewpoint.

 

Fickle fans with short memories it seems.

Edited October 29, 2013 by StefanAVFC

[avfc1982]

Downing was certainly written off during his first season.

By everyone? I don't think so!

He was injured till late November anyway.

Obviously not by everyone but there was certainly a vocal minority.

Yes, a minority. Downing was a good player and we knew that when we signed him. Same with Milner and a lesser extent, Young (not as well know back then). Informed Villa fans knew these players had talent and would come good eventually. Kozac is different as few if any know anything about him. His early performances have been close to useless. I don't see why fans shouldn't be allowed to mention this. He may well turn into a good player but at the moment he's dreadful. That's not "writing him off", it's just honestly.

I wasn't intending to link it to the Kozak argument. I was just affirming that there were quite a few people who slated Downing early into his Villa career.

I know. What I'm saying is that if people have an opinion on a player then for god's sake share it with us, even if they think he's garbage.

[avfc1982]

On Kozak, I have been very disappointed so far. Doesn't have the strength, aerial ability or power I expected for someone bought to potentially replace Benteke long term.

However, lets not forget Lambert scouts players thoroughly before signing then by all accounts so he must have seen performances and attributes that convinced him that Kozak could be effective at this level or he wouldn't have risked 7m on him which is a hell of a lot of money for a club only spending 10-20m a year currently.

Yes but remember that this is the man who brought the likes of Bennett, Lowton, KEA, Westwood, Bowery etc to the club. Players who, in my opinion, aren't fit to wear the claret and blue.

Benteke aside, there's not many successes for Lambert when it comes to signings.

 

Grouping Westwood and Lowton with Bennett, KEA and Bowery is grossly unfair as both were in our top 5/6 players last year. Yes they haven't started as well this year but that doesn't make them bad players. Shallow viewpoint.

 

Fickle fans with short memories it seems.

Let me break this to you gently..... All football fans are fickle. It goes with the territory, so stop using it as an insult to throw around. When you've spent more than one season as a fan you may realise it.

Oh and by the way, not every Villa fan out there fell for the Lowton and Westwood hype last season. Some of us could see through it from day one. They are lower league players who aren't fit to wear the claret and blue and I've said it from day one.

[StefanAVFC]

I'm sorry, you are obviously the expert on football and players and I'm unsure why you're not manager of Villa, and Lambert is. Any idea?

[Kwan]

Let it go, Stefan.

 

He's a rotten old chap that isn't going to find any hapiness or enjoyment out of the season no matter what happens.

Edited October 29, 2013 by Kwan

[Mantis]

Seems some people have a massively inflated sense of entitlement.

Edited October 29, 2013 by Mantis

[Butterfingers]

Heres an idea, support another team mate.

I do hate it when people post stuff like this. The whole basis of this site is that people support Villa, otherwise, they would be wasting their time posting here.

However irritating or bonkers you find their ideas, everyone is expressing their views as a fan, so comments like this are quite out of place and offensive.

Offensive in what way? Every post of his is a pop at Lambert but he half heartedly backs him but he hasn't got the backbone to actually come out and say he wants him gone which I'd actually give him more credit for.

This a site where the only thing that unites all posters is the fact that they support Aston Villa. If you can't see how telling someone to support another club when they disagree with you is inappropriate and offensive, I'm not sure I can help any further.

But if you demand top notch football & top 6 finishes every year (& by the way you & your ilk continually moan, only this seems acceptable to you) then Aston Villa is clearly not the team for you.

Genuine Villa fans know that the above has been the rarity, not the norm & as you never provide benchmarks to justify your moans, you are either naive or are moaning for moanings sake.

I think someone skipped the posts with actual facts. Oh well. You keep cheering bottom half finishes and survival.

Nobody is cheering & the thread is full of facts & stats from both sides of the argument(most of them pointless)

Anybody with half a brain ought to be able to work out that you can't sell all your best players, slash your wage bill & give your manager a shoestring budget & still expect top half finishes.

[Big_John_10]

Seems some people have a massively inflated sense of entitlement.

I know, imagine telling people when they can judge a player

[avfc1982]

Let it go, Stefan.

 

He's a rotten old chap that isn't going to find any hapiness or enjoyment out of the season no matter what happens.

Ha! You find this season enjoyable? You some kind of a masochist?

[StefanAVFC]

 

Seems some people have a massively inflated sense of entitlement.

I know, imagine telling people when they can judge a player

 

 

He clearly meant this post.

 

They are lower league players who aren't fit to wear the claret and blue and I've said it from day one.

 

So don't try and cause more arguments.

[avfc1982]

Seems some people have a massively inflated sense of entitlement.

Christ, I see Lambert and Lerner have sucked the last bit of pride and ambition out of you.

Whatever happened to our pro-active support? So sad.

[VillaCas]

 

 

I wouldn't normally write a player off but i just don't think someone as slow as kozak can be a good premiership striker.

 

Teddy Sheringham

Peter Crouch

Berbatov 

Carew 

 

have all had decent careers in top flight for example and am sure their is plenty more

You should have quoted my whole post because all those you mention had other attributes to make up for any lack of pace.

What does kozak have to make up for it?

 

 

....at least you've given him a handful of games to demonstrate the full range of his abilities, whilst trying to settle in with a new team, in the most competitive league in the world,

 

 

 

This kind of criticism after such a short period really gets on my nerves

[VillaCas]

 

On Kozak, I have been very disappointed so far. Doesn't have the strength, aerial ability or power I expected for someone bought to potentially replace Benteke long term.

However, lets not forget Lambert scouts players thoroughly before signing then by all accounts so he must have seen performances and attributes that convinced him that Kozak could be effective at this level or he wouldn't have risked 7m on him which is a hell of a lot of money for a club only spending 10-20m a year currently.

Yes but remember that this is the man who brought the likes of Bennett, Lowton, KEA, Westwood, Bowery etc to the club. Players who, in my opinion, aren't fit to wear the claret and blue.

Benteke aside, there's not many successes for Lambert when it comes to signings.

 

 

What absolute rubbish

[avfc1982]

I wouldn't normally write a player off but i just don't think someone as slow as kozak can be a good premiership striker.

 

Teddy Sheringham

Peter Crouch

Berbatov 

Carew 

 

have all had decent careers in top flight for example and am sure their is plenty more

You should have quoted my whole post because all those you mention had other attributes to make up for any lack of pace.

What does kozak have to make up for it?

 

....at least you've given him a handful of games to demonstrate the full range of his abilities, whilst trying to settle in with a new team, in the most competitive league in the world,

 

 

 

This kind of criticism after such a short period really gets on my nerves

But if a player has been poor why not admit it? You won't get arrested.

[avfc1982]

On Kozak, I have been very disappointed so far. Doesn't have the strength, aerial ability or power I expected for someone bought to potentially replace Benteke long term.

However, lets not forget Lambert scouts players thoroughly before signing then by all accounts so he must have seen performances and attributes that convinced him that Kozak could be effective at this level or he wouldn't have risked 7m on him which is a hell of a lot of money for a club only spending 10-20m a year currently.

Yes but remember that this is the man who brought the likes of Bennett, Lowton, KEA, Westwood, Bowery etc to the club. Players who, in my opinion, aren't fit to wear the claret and blue.

Benteke aside, there's not many successes for Lambert when it comes to signings.

 

What absolute rubbish

The proof is in the pudding. Unless last season (and this so far) was just a bad dream of course

Our team is rubbish though, I'll give you that.