Randy Lerner exclusive on the OS

[Dante Lavelli]

Not specifically you Eastie, but people often seem to identify Faulkner as being useless, even implying that he has been a catalyst for our demise.    On what basis has everyone, well many people, reached this conclusion?  I'm not saying they're wrong but I just wonder why he has been isolated in this fashion when so many other things have changed as well? 

[eastie]

I think many are to blame, mon, randy, Faulkner , houllier and now mcleish can all look at their roles and none are blame free, I think the appointments have been poor , Faulkner had no football experience and although prepared to fully give mcleish a chance I must say having seen the drab style of football under him it looks as if randy is happy to just be around midtable- sadly I'm not sure we will be and fear a relegation battle lies ahead- we have a very poor defence and midfield and create little in the way of chances-a recipe for disaster.

[Merv]

The pisser for me is that yes, even though we have lost two of our better players this year, we still have the likes of Bannan, Ireland, Albrighton, Delph and N Zog - players that a decent manager might actually get something out of.

That's my frustration, too. We do have some talented players at the club and they naturally fit into a flexible and effective formation. But they're not being picked. Which goes right back again to my concerns over AM when he was appointed - the type of players he likes to sign, the type of team he likes to build.

[Risso]

We've gone from having Downing and Young on the wing, with Albrighton as a willing and able young deputy, to Albrighton and N'Zogbia as the first choice wingers, to a sort of concoction of Gabby some of the time and Alan Hutton.  If that doesn't sum up how far we've slumped, I don't know what does.

[VillaAlways]

The pisser for me is that yes, even though we have lost two of our better players this year, we still have the likes of Bannan, Ireland, Albrighton, Delph and N Zog - players that a decent manager might actually get something out of.

That's my frustration, too. We do have some talented players at the club and they naturally fit into a flexible and effective formation. But they're not being picked. Which goes right back again to my concerns over AM when he was appointed - the type of players he likes to sign, the type of team he likes to build.

Cast your mind back to the Blues last season.Hleb and Bentley, talented players bought in on loan and rarely got off the bench.Also Blues fans used to moan about how he never played the kids,so why Randy felt he fulfilled that criteria I'll never know.He played the same cloggers week in week out

[Concrete John]

We've gone from having Downing and Young on the wing, with Albrighton as a willing and able young deputy, to Albrighton and N'Zogbia as the first choice wingers, to a sort of concoction of Gabby some of the time and Alan Hutton.  If that doesn't sum up how far we've slumped, I don't know what does.

Mostly this season we've had Gabby and N'Zogbia wide, a position which Gabby has thrived in.  The irony of last night was that N'Zog seemed to be playing himself into some form, but then lost his place to what could be best described as a 'tactical error'.   

[garyshawsknee]

The pisser for me is that yes, even though we have lost two of our better players this year, we still have the likes of Bannan, Ireland, Albrighton, Delph and N Zog - players that a decent manager might actually get something out of.

That's my frustration, too. We do have some talented players at the club and they naturally fit into a flexible and effective formation. But they're not being picked. Which goes right back again to my concerns over AM when he was appointed - the type of players he likes to sign, the type of team he likes to build.

My thoughts as well,yes the squad has been depleted,but theres enough there to get far better performances than we've been getting. Playing players out if position don't help,as does having a very limited coach.

[PaulWinch again]

I hope to be proved wrong, but after last night it looks utterly hopeless at the moment. I wonder if there is another club in the Premier League where the feeling around the club is so low? maybe Blackburn.

[Lee]

I work with a Nose who I get on really well with. He is for his sins a ST holder at the Temple of Doom.

All the issues that are being discussed about the setting up of the team under AMc, are just a repeat of what he has done previously there.

[Risso]

I hope to be proved wrong, but after last night it looks utterly hopeless at the moment. I wonder if there is another club in the Premier League where the feeling around the club is so low? maybe Blackburn.

I agree I'm afraid.  I just can't see that Lerner has the ability, cash or desire to get us back competing with the best in England or Europe.

[pauliewalnuts]

Coming here when he did, and under the circumstances he did, the absolute worst thing McLeish could choose to do would be to start playing the way he had Blues play.

I know plenty of noses, and they all said the same thing throughout his time there - that the football was unbelievably sterile and negative.

We've seen a few hints of it this season so far, but last night was the best (or worst) example of it yet. I genuinely can not think of another thing he could do which would lose the support of the fans faster than having us play like he had Blues play.

I don't give a flying one he used to manage them, but I do get very concerned about his previous brand of football, and I suspect there are an awful lot of people who are in that boat.

Much more of last night's approach and he's going to be hitting DOLian levels of popularity.

And as for Lerner - he's supposed to be managing the general direction of the club. Pretty much everything he's done for well over a year now has been utterly cackhanded or misguided, or both.

It's nice to work with people you find affable and get on with, but he's followed up the duff (if unfortunate) appointment of Houllier with one which looks custom made to create alienation and discord.

If we're settling for mid table, I'd rather we'd taken a punt on the likes of Poyet from the lower divisions and had some enjoyable football in the meantime than get exposed to some of the mind numbing guff we've had to put up with this season.

[PeterWithe]

Coming here when he did, and under the circumstances he did, the absolute worst thing McLeish could choose to do would be to start playing the way he had Blues play.

But why would you think he wouldn't? You don't buy a cat and expect it to start barking.

[Lee]

Coming here when he did, and under the circumstances he did, the absolute worst thing McLeish could choose to do would be to start playing the way he had Blues play.

But why would you think he wouldn't? You don't buy a cat and expect it to start barking.

Which makes it all more puzzling. Perhaps we need to get Cesar Millan on the case.

[pauliewalnuts]

Coming here when he did, and under the circumstances he did, the absolute worst thing McLeish could choose to do would be to start playing the way he had Blues play.

But why would you think he wouldn't? You don't buy a cat and expect it to start barking.

He made some encouraging noises about the way he wanted us to play when he joined.

I guess he's reverted to type, but it's depressing, nonetheless.

[Lee]

Coming here when he did, and under the circumstances he did, the absolute worst thing McLeish could choose to do would be to start playing the way he had Blues play.

But why would you think he wouldn't? You don't buy a cat and expect it to start barking.

He made some encouraging noises about the way he wanted us to play when he joined.

I guess he's reverted to type, but it's depressing, nonetheless.

As the General used to ram down our throats, "talk is cheap"