Whose to blame for Comical Lambert ?

[rob_bridge]

The main problem is that we have brought into Lerner's downgrading of our ambitions, while also being bombarded by the fact that it is the Sky 4,5 or 6, this week 2 Chavski, Abu City , who are the only ones in the league that have a chance of success.
We now class staying in the league as the be all and end all, even accepting someone like Tony Penis regardless of the style, as long as he keeps us up. The disconnect that Lerner has been a major factor in happening, is nearly fully accepted.

Arranging a press conference for a player that cost £3 million quid in an attempt to appease the fans sums up where the club is at the moment. Pathetic!

There were lots of Press Conferences in Graham Turner's days to announce new signings. Most of them didn't work out all that well.

[cdbearsfan]

I think teams always have press conferences to announce new signings. That's a bizarre stick to attempt to beat the club with.

[rob_bridge]

We are not to blame for Lambert being recruited - that is a decision for the board of directors who IIRC would have preferred OGS and Roberto Martinez.

The fact that most of us were happy / relieved when he was appointed following 2 years of footballing calamity is irrelevant as the appointment has not worked out.

Lambert has had a very easy ride from fans so he should be very careful in talking us in O'Learyesque terms.

Managers who leave the Villa do not go on to manage anything or anyone bigger or better. That is a fact.

[Dave]

The main problem is that we have brought into Lerner's downgrading of our ambitions, while also being bombarded by the fact that it is the Sky 4,5 or 6, this week 2 Chavski, Abu City , who are the only ones in the league that have a chance of success.
We now class staying in the league as the be all and end all, even accepting someone like Tony Penis regardless of the style, as long as he keeps us up. The disconnect that Lerner has been a major factor in happening, is nearly fully accepted.

Arranging a press conference for a player that cost £3 million quid in an attempt to appease the fans sums up where the club is at the moment. Pathetic!

Why is a press conference an 'attempt to appease the fans'?

Is anybody going to 'appeased' by a couple of blokes from the Mail asking him the usual questions rather than Jack Woodward doing it and the quotes just appearing on the OS as normal?

[TheMalandro]

I thought Lambert was a great appointment at the time, but after his second season I wanted him gone. I still do but I guess its an easy decision when its not your money.

[Clampy]

The main problem is that we have brought into Lerner's downgrading of our ambitions, while also being bombarded by the fact that it is the Sky 4,5 or 6, this week 2 Chavski, Abu City , who are the only ones in the league that have a chance of success.
We now class staying in the league as the be all and end all, even accepting someone like Tony Penis regardless of the style, as long as he keeps us up. The disconnect that Lerner has been a major factor in happening, is nearly fully accepted.

Arranging a press conference for a player that cost £3 million quid in an attempt to appease the fans sums up where the club is at the moment. Pathetic!

Why is a press conference an 'attempt to appease the fans'?

Is anybody going to 'appeased' by a couple of blokes from the Mail asking him the usual questions rather than Jack Woodward doing it and the quotes just appearing on the OS as normal?

Perhaps 'appease the fans' is the wrong wording. Maybe having a press conference (which lets be honest is a little unusual for a new signing) is designed to deflect attention from what's going on with people calling for Lambert's head. Maybe the idea of seeing him sat there with a brand new Spanish winger next to him might be be done with the intention of giving fans renewed hope. It's just a thought, I might be wrong.

[not3bad]

I thought Lambert was a great appointment at the time, but after his second season I wanted him gone. I still do but I guess its an easy decision when its not your money.

I think most people thought he was going to go after Spurs last season. "Lambert's Last Stand" they called it.

[Ads]

The last game certainly had the feel that he would be gone. He was getting a load of stick and the songs were very much gallows humour.

"You're nothing special, we lose every week" and "how shit must you be? You've only scored three!" were quite apt songs belted out by the vast majority.

[Boz]

The main problem is that we have brought into Lerner's downgrading of our ambitions, while also being bombarded by the fact that it is the Sky 4,5 or 6, this week 2 Chavski, Abu City , who are the only ones in the league that have a chance of success.
We now class staying in the league as the be all and end all, even accepting someone like Tony Penis regardless of the style, as long as he keeps us up. The disconnect that Lerner has been a major factor in happening, is nearly fully accepted.

Arranging a press conference for a player that cost £3 million quid in an attempt to appease the fans sums up where the club is at the moment. Pathetic!

They've managed to cock that up as well it seems

[remy]

I was pleased too when Lambert was appointed. I genuinely wanted him to succeed with the young and hungry plan.

The pastings we took in that first season was a "learning curve" for the players I took it as. Lowton, Westwood, Weimann all showed tremendous promise after that first year for us to kick on in the second. All 3 thought they have "made it" and havent reached nowhere near the heights of that year.

2nd season my patience was running out with some appalling performances before a look-thru-my-fingers at a close call relegation survival.

3rd season he's still here despite record after record of atrocious football and attitude from the players.

Here we are - January and everybody wants us to go down because of how shit we are.

I want Lambert and Lerner gone - and my club back.

[dave.woodhall]

I was pleased too when Lambert was appointed. I genuinely wanted him to succeed with the young and hungry plan.

The pastings we took in that first season was a "learning curve" for the players I took it as. Lowton, Westwood, Weimann all showed tremendous promise after that first year for us to kick on in the second. All 3 thought they have "made it" and havent reached nowhere near the heights of that year.

2nd season my patience was running out with some appalling performances before a look-thru-my-fingers at a close call relegation survival.

3rd season he's still here despite record after record of atrocious football and attitude from the players.

Here we are - January and everybody wants us to go down because of how shit we are.

I want Lambert and Lerner gone - and my club back.

We hear a lot about this "wanting our club back". What does it mean and how do you think it's going to happen?

[simon ward 50]

I think teams always have press conferences to announce new signings. That's a bizarre stick to attempt to beat the club with.

Agreed.

[Chico Hamilton III]

Any idea when we actually last got a quote from Lerner regarding Villa? Never mind a full interview.

[mr underhill]

no, but he isn't alone in being guarded and protecting his privacy - I  half caught a piece on the TV this morning about the Glazers and their MO is identical according to American journalists in Florida who were speaking about the family's interest in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

[ktvillan]

I think we, the fans must take some share of the blame that he is still here.   I do not expect anybody to agree with me but I have always felt that the termination of TSM was such an outpouring of anger by us that there is a great reluctance to do the same to his replacement.   It's like having two kids who have both been as naughty as each other and you smack the first one's bum but you feel guilty so the second one only gets a good telling off.   Witness the fact that there are still a tenth of the fans who still want to give him more time.   We the fans, collectively never gave Vic Crowe or Tommy Cummings, or Josef Venglos or Graham Turner or Billy McNeill or David O'Leary anything like the degree of latitude which has been extended to Paul Lambert who I personally rate as worse in most key aspects of team management and coaching than any of them.   We must take our share of the blame because, as I have said on here many times, you get what you are prepared to put up with.

Well said Brian.  I honestly think some of our fans have become affected by the 'F' word since that idiot O'Leary first (incorrectly) accused us of it, and are afraid to protest for fear of once again being given that label.  Then there are fans who think it is detrimental to the team to protest at games.  This view fails to consider the bigger picture, that sometimes a bit of pain is required for longer term gain.  Then there are those that  espouse the view that you support your team no matter what.  Again misguided in my view and again failing to see the bigger picture wherein sometimes you need to remove elements from the club that are damaging it.  That does not make you a bad, disloyal supporter, it marks you out as someone who is willing to say enough is enough and something has to change.  It is noticeable that the fans of quite a few other clubs are nowhere near as shy about venting their feelings as Villa's seem to be.  Despite claims to the contrary, it does seem that Lerner responded to both the negative response to McLaren, and the outpouring of anger against McLeish.  He hasn't really responded to much else.