How can Lambert get it right?

[dave.woodhall]

Pack it in, please. It is still, just about, Winterval.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

No arguing please, life is bad enough with the Council ordering me to take my St George flag down off my roof.

[danlanza]

Ok. Done. But no parrots, please.

[villan from luton]

Lambert has somehow got to instill some confidence back into these young lads. He has little options to turn to due to injuries and we really need to get a result at the weekend. I dont lie the negative attitude from last night and just think it added to the pressure on the youngsters. I agree we need to get some experience on board and am sure the manager knows that as well.

[ozzjim]

Paul Lambert is no mug, he has played in top, top teams, and has managed Norwich to 2 promotions followed by a very creditable 12th in the league last season. He needs to be backed in the January window for certain, we need both bodies and some experience, everyone can see that.

We need to be able to stretch sides going forward which without Gabby or Weimann working the channels we can't so a forward option in that ilk, a midfield player in the big hard destructive mould and a centre half that can hold the hand and lead from the back with Vlaar, Clark and Baker would be great. The better players need to be rotated and it not affect the side too much too, so we are fresher and can track and tackle late into games.

There is a lot of work, but I am much more convinced that he is the man for the job than anyone else right now, and I don't buy into Lerner not being interested. His actions last summer, which as his latest are what I will judge him on into this window, were positive. As such lets see how he backs Lambert this winter. If he doesn't, then obviously we will be in trouble.

[SamTheMouse]

Having all these youngsters is great, and I applaud the long term thinking. Signing 'em young and building them up is the only way to get Villa back to the top table without risking the club's financial health. But if you sign a load of kids for tomorrow, and have to play them all straight away, then your team isn't going to be good enough to stay up today.

All we need is some experience - particularly in the middle, where Lambert has made his only bad signing in KEA, who isn't up to it. A couple of older heads in the middle of the park and maybe a full back, hardened Premier League battlers preferably, would shore us up no end, and if PL can get Villa to boring midtable security for a few seasons, it'll give the kids time to blossom.

[OCD]

I wouldn't write KEA off just yet. Stan had an awesome debut but then did very little for 2 seasons before again re-emerging as a Premier League quality player. KEA could still come good, it's just that in these circumstances we don't have the luxury of players having time to settle.

[bertlambshank]

I wouldn't write KEA off just yet. Stan had an awesome debut but then did very little for 2 seasons before again re-emerging as a Premier League quality player. KEA could still come good, it's just that in these circumstances we don't have the luxury of players having time to settle.

KEA needs to put some weight on.He tackles with his arms.Watch him it's funny.

[Dave Clark Five]

I wouldn't write KEA off just yet. Stan had an awesome debut but then did very little for 2 seasons before again re-emerging as a Premier League quality player. KEA could still come good, it's just that in these circumstances we don't have the luxury of players having time to settle.

KEA needs to put some weight on.He tackles with his arms.Watch him it's funny.

Hence Brian Green's post likening him to 'the arse end of a pantomime horse'.

[tomd2103]

There is a lot of work, but I am much more convinced that he is the man for the job than anyone else right now, and I don't buy into Lerner not being interested. His actions last summer, which as his latest are what I will judge him on into this window, were positive. As such lets see how he backs Lambert this winter. If he doesn't, then obviously we will be in trouble.

Agree with that.  I shudder to think who would be next through the door if we were back in the market for a manager.

[Des Little]

I wouldn't write KEA off just yet. Stan had an awesome debut but then did very little for 2 seasons before again re-emerging as a Premier League quality player. KEA could still come good, it's just that in these circumstances we don't have the luxury of players having time to settle.

KEA needs to put some weight on.He tackles with

He definitely needs a bowl of soup. There's nothing to him.
Hence Brian Green's post likening him to 'the arse end of a pantomime horse'.

[Dante Lavelli]

1.  Sign a player, or two in January
2.  Survive this season
3.  Decide which of our youngsters are good enough
4.  Shed the dead wood.
5.  Buy youngsters

...Repeat.

[boozey182]

I think a comparison between KEA and Stan is very accurate; when they get a chance to sit as a holding man, breaking up possession and keeping the ball  they are excellent. Stan was under-appreciated for years at Villa and I fear that KEA might suffer the same fate. He's a great footballer and he will come good. Our problems lie elsewhere if you ask me.....

[boozey182]

I think a comparison between KEA and Stan is very accurate; when they get a chance to sit as a holding man, breaking up possession and keeping the ball  they are excellent. Stan was under-appreciated for years at Villa and I fear that KEA might suffer the same fate. He's a great footballer and he will come good. Our problems lie elsewhere if you ask me.....

Just checked and nobody asked me. Apologies for the intrusion.

[N'Zimidy]

In response to the thread title I hope that Lambert does the complete opposite of what some people in this thread have suggested to bring in the motherboard of crap old players like Parker, Lampard, Arshavin or even worse; Yakubu.

All we need is an attacking midfielder, a central midfielder and if the right player is available, a left back. We should definitely keep with the ethos and get in players no older than twenty five and certainly not from the Premier League. I'd much rather finish 16th with our group of young players who will improve rather than a bunch of expensive ageing players finishing 15th.

If you think Parker and lampard are crap I'd hate to know what you think of our players!

But what exactly do we get out of these ancient relics of players? We could bring in 3/4 quality youngsters for the wages we'd be paying someone like Super Scott or Fat Frank. At the end of the day, they're a massive money sink and they'll be clogging up the bench along with Dunne, Warnock, Hutton and Given when they hit the 2nd and 3rd year of their inevitably long contract. They'll also be taking game time ahead of promising player and for what? We'll probably finish a place or two higher on the league table but at the end of the day, we're finishing bottom half and we're not getting relegated. We might as well continue to build for the future by bringing in players under the age of 25 in January rather than MON's style of buying 30+ year old British players.