Don't blame the manager

[Irish villain]

That was my point. Stephen Ireland of all people is now our best midfielder (unless KEA comes good). Bannan, Delph, Herd, have an awful lot to prove yet while N'Zogbia, Albrighton need to start delivering for villa. We have been in free-fall because our midfield was dismantled and never replaced.

Just shows you how important midfield is.

[Clampy]

Bannan would be in my midfield most games. He adds energy to the side, always goes looking the ball and he even runs to take a corner instead of the gentle stroll most foootballers do nowadays.

[Ads]

We are paying the price for two seasons of neglect. The manager had to thinly spread 18 million to shore up a squad that was weak everywhere.

In January he might get some money to focus on one area with one or two payers that will boost us and add genuine quality.

Its a long job. We all knew this in the summer and we all knew how we would be at least for the first half of this season, why feign surprise and blame Lambert? Yes he will make tactical errors, but ultimately he has an awfully big job of cutting the cancerous decay from the club, re-building the healthy tissue and all without the most expensive equipment.

Time is what he needs and its what he will get.

[Monty]

Bannan would be in my midfield most games. He adds energy to the side, always goes looking the ball and he even runs to take a corner instead of the gentle stroll most foootballers do nowadays.

I agree. That eagerness does sometimes become over-eagerness with those long, over-ambitious passes when he would be better off picking his moments more sparingly. That said, all Delph brings, as someone said, is a yellow card a game. Bannan needs to play.

[greenwichvilla]

Three years ago our midfield was Young, Milner, Petrov and Downing. Today none of our midfielders sand out as automatic premier league quality. Stephen Ireland is probably our best midfielder now.

Stephen Ireland isn't fit to wear a Villa shirt. He hasn't contributed a single thing of note since joining us. In fact I'd say he's pound for pound one of the worst signings this club has ever made.

His performance at Stamford Bridge last year was decent. Perhaps he was inspired by the hashish and is actually the Lance Armstrong of the Premier League?

[Legion]

We've made far worse signings than Ireland over the years.

[PeterWithesShin]

Not many though for that fee and wages. Frustrating as there is potentially a player in there but we rarely see it.

[curiousorange]

The manager has played his part in this situation (apologies for stating the obvious), mainly because I think tactically he can be very flaky. Against Southampton and Fulham our full-backs were exposed time and again and he did nothing to remedy that. It's no surprise that eventually they got ripped to shreds. But the midfield has been sub-par in almost every game and that's not because we don't have good players, so logically it must be how they're being deployed.

I do think Lambert is potentially a great manager and I think when it starts clicking, we're in for a treat. We had a glimpse of that against Swansea and Tranmere. But right now his Plan A isn't working, so it's time for his Plan B, whatever it is.

[ciggiesnbeer]

I do think Lambert is potentially a great manager and I think when it starts clicking, we're in for a treat. We had a glimpse of that against Swansea and Tranmere. But right now his Plan A isn't working, so it's time for his Plan B, whatever it is.

Plan A: Play a possession based game using a midfield diamond supported by tw attackers to break down defences with fullbacks providing the width.

Plan B: Kick it long to the big man 

[JD]

I'm not panicking just yet. I feel that PL is trying out different combinations and is working on finding his best side (although he's not been helped by some injuries). Yeah, it's been ugly so far, but we have signed a lot of new (and young players), so let's keep our fingers crossed that PL is still the man.
If results don't pick up in the next month then I will be concerened but until then, I will give him time to bed the new players in properly and find the best combinations (although a couple of very classy midfielders wouldn't go amiss in Jan). 
 

[Holte L2]

Three years ago our midfield was Young, Milner, Petrov and Downing. Today none of our midfielders sand out as automatic premier league quality. Stephen Ireland is probably our best midfielder now.

Stephen Ireland isn't fit to wear a Villa shirt. He hasn't contributed a single thing of note since joining us. In fact I'd say he's pound for pound one of the worst signings this club has ever made.

Agree 100%.  His lack of commitment is appalling. Apart from the Chelsea game I can't recall anything of note to justify his inclusion. He was a one season wonder 4 years ago. Get rid. N'zogbia looked promising when coming on. My changes for Sat would be Bannan,N'zogbia and Benteke for Delph,Ireland and Agbonlahor.

[badluckeric(gates)]

Sometimes you need to get worse to get better. I'm with this guy 100% and believe things will get better.

[willywombat]

We are paying the price for two seasons of neglect. The manager had to thinly spread 18 million to shore up a squad that was weak everywhere.

In January he might get some money to focus on one area with one or two payers that will boost us and add genuine quality.

Its a long job. We all knew this in the summer and we all knew how we would be at least for the first half of this season, why feign surprise and blame Lambert? Yes he will make tactical errors, but ultimately he has an awfully big job of cutting the cancerous decay from the club, re-building the healthy tissue and all without the most expensive equipment.

Time is what he needs and its what he will get.

Hear hear!

[Risso]

Sometimes you need to get worse to get better.

I don't agree with that.  Sometimes clubs/companies luckily get better after a period of being shite, but it's not as a result of being shite.  Newcastle are the footballing example often given, but they could have stayed in the Premier League and still prospered.  There are lots of medium sized and biggish clubs who have gone down, and stayed down, eg Sheffield Wednesday, Forest, Coventry and Leeds, and there are those for whom a quick return doesn't look likely, eg Blues, Middlesbrough and Bolton.  Going down could ruin us, it certainly shouldn't be seen as anything positive, or a chance to clear the decks, and start again.  We've been doing that for the las two years anyway.

[Eugene Fraxby]

as I see it we have a poor squad (with a pretty awful midfield) but a good manager.

It's a long-term job turning this club around and if he can keep us up this year I'm sure we'll go from strength to strength.

I find it pretty incredible that the manager is getting grief already. Not that I'm not worried, but we were always going to be crap this season. Anyone expecting anything else form this seasons was setting themselves up for disappointment in my opinion.