Confidence In The Manager

[Navin R Johnson]

I like Paul Lambert.   I think he will make a top manager and I hope he achieves it with us.   His position is secure and must remain secure.

However, I struggle to have confidence in him.

With other great managers we have had like Ron Saunders or SGT of BFR when things went as ugly as last night or the Newcastle game, I would reassure myself that the Gaffer wwould sort it out.

Paul Lambert can see that we have terrible defensive problems but seems unwilling or unable to address them.   He must also see that we are unable to assert ourselves in midfield but seems unable or unwilling to address the problem.   He must see the growing anger and frustration felt by the fans with our terrible home record but seems unable or unwilling to address the problem.

After Newcastle and again last night (with all allowances for the player resting) we were murdered by a team we used to be on a par with and I would have loved to be able to cling to the comfort of believing that "the Gaffer will sort it out".

[dekko]

I'm not confident about the game this weekend.

That said, I am confident that given time, Lambert will get things right.  I'm sick of relegation battles and poor home form, but I'm even more sick of employing a new manager with a new style of football, then sacking him a season later, and having to start all over again.  Inconsistency is what has kept us back since MON left.  Consistency and time are what is going to get us back up again.

I'm willing to wait.  I can understand people being angry and frustrated, and not wanting to have to wait any longer, but unless someone with serious oil money comes in, there are no quick fixes.

[villa `cross the mersey]

Good points - I am sick to the stomach though feeling all the pre season optimism seeping away so rapidly.
I was lucky enough to see us reach our pinnacle back in 1981/82. We have seen glimpses of a resurgence however we really are a mediocre club with little or no chance of winning anything in the foreseeable future. I dread us becoming like Wigan, slogging it out each seaon to avoid the drop but eventually going through the trap door.
I am not impressed by Lambert but agree that we need a long term strategy but watching the dreadful home performances season on season drains the energy - I used to be a blind devotee of my club but quite frankly the current team /squad and management is turning me off to such an extent that I now find myself leaving before the end of each game, missing some games despite having a season ticket. There just is no fun watching the Villa at home. Will Lambert change all that? - it doesn`t look that way but I guess we need to give him time -

[Ads]

Why refer to last night and Newcastle, but omit the better performances? We have been better in defence this season compared with the last, be that either on a game to game comparison or a games played comparison.

[PeterWithe]

He's the best we might hope to get, I'm still right behind him and think he'll avoid relegation.

[villa `cross the mersey]

Why refer to last night and Newcastle, but omit the better performances? We have been in defence this season either on a game to game comparison or a games played comparison.

We go again 

[dekko]

He's the best we might hope to get, I'm still right behind him and think he'll avoid relegation.

We'll finish comfortably mid-table this season.  I'd put my house on it.

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

If everyone had been fit I'm sure PL would have played them all last night and we'd have performed much better and we wouldn't be feeling so down as we are.
He's our manager, let's back him for as long as he is. He wants to win, perhaps lacks a bit of nous in the short term, but in the longer term he wants Aston Villa to be successful.
I have faith, and confidence, in him.
UTV!

[Ads]

I was responding to the OP who mentions last night and Newcastle.

I am not sure I can be bothered to read the rest of you post when you say the only reason we beat Arsenal was down to luck. When we're shit, we're shit. When we're excellent, we're actually still shit, just lucky.

Turn it in.

[PeterWithe]

He's the best we might hope to get, I'm still right behind him and think he'll avoid relegation.

We'll finish comfortably mid-table this season.  I'd put my house on it.

I reckon, and have all summer, think much the same as last year, bottom six all year. Have the problems of last year really been addressed, I think not.

[villa `cross the mersey]

I was responding to the OP who mentions last night and Newcastle.

I am not sure I can be bothered to read the rest of you post when you say the only reason we beat Arsenal was down to luck. When we're shit, we're shit. When we're excellent, we're actually still shit, just lucky.

Turn it in.

Fuck me pal didn`t take you long to get on my case this season - we were not excellent at Arsenal and yes we have been crap in two recent home games - thats how I see it - if you dont then tough .

[Ads]

You must be delighted with the way we have started and our current overachievement then.

Can somebody explain how conceding nine fewer goals this season than in corresponding fixtures last season, scoring one more goal and being three points better off, after the hardest start to the camapign of all the clubs means we've not improved?

[Mister E]

It's far too early to cast judgement on things. I do think the new additions to the squad need more time to settle in.
I have two immediate concerns:
1. as a ST holder, the home form has to be sorted.
2. our inability to press the ball and close down opponents - illustrated last night and against Barcodes - is worrying and easy to fix.

We will do better than last season, even if several of our P'ship rivals have substantially strengthened since.

[eamonn]

Our home form hasn't though. And the club's lifeblood is season-ticket holders. There can't be many other teams in the football league that have got a rawer deal in terms of results and performances from home games in the past two or three years.

[ciggiesnbeer]

Totally confident. I disagree with some of his philosophy , he builds teams from the front, I prefer to see teams built on a midfield. He likes the counter and pace, I like possession and slowing a game down. But regardless, he plays to win and I find his signings exciting.