Lambert in or out? Poll reset with majority 'in', 7th May

[Rigadon]

The club is shit from top to bottom, sadly. Sacking Lambert would be pointless for two reasons. Firstly, he's trying to do the right things. Secondly, as everything else is so crap, it wouldn't make any difference whatsoever at the moment.

What is it that he's trying to do that's so special that sticking with him makes sense?  He's given us our worst ever start to a season, our record defeat and a current run that means just about every other footy fan in the world is laughing at us.  If his football was particularly brilliant, then fair enough I'd say stick with him, but he's hardly Pep Guardiola.  He's still just being given time because he isn't McLeish, pure and simple.  This idiot is taking us down, make no mistake.  15 goals scored and 39 goals conceded in 20 games is breathtakingly poor.  He's doing far, far worse than McLeish, but because he isn't McLeish, he's being given an easy ride.

So, once again, we sack him, and then what?

Two days before the window opens, what do we do?

It's all well and good moaning and screaming for the sack, but its not a guarantee things are going to get better.

You're right of course, no guarantee.  It comes down to whether sticking or twisting is the best gamble - and it is a gamble both ways.

In more than any other season, this is *the* worst season to go down.  So, Lambert is a good young manager but is he going to keep us up?  Is there a better bet?  That's what I'd be asking myself if I were Randy Lerner this evening.

Then, in an ideal world, I'd be asking myself what would be the lowest bid I'd accept for Aston Villa to cut my losses and let somebody else have a go. 

[hawkeye]

I am pretty sure that Lambert is as shocked as we are, i have thought that Lichaj Holman Kea Bannan are fine as squad players but as regulars playing together they are not up to it. Hopefully he has worked this out and that the replacements like Nzog and Ireland will not help.

 

[OzVilla]

Would love to be a fly on the wall at these so called showdown talks between lambert and Lerner tomorrow.

Quite

LAMBERT 'we need newsignings....mumble....mumble....braveheart....we go again......'

LERNER 'Huh huh huh, I need to stroke ma dicky now.'

Superb.

[Californian Villain]

Its a moronic point really when you think about it.

To sack him now, before the window opens, when we desperately need to reinforce?

It'd be utter, utter fucking madness.

It'd be like when Newcastle appointed Alan Shearer. I remember hearing that news and thinking "they're doomed", and they were.

Actually, if Lambert gets sacked at all, it has to be right now, so that his replacement has a transfer window to work with.

[Dave Clark Five]

Alex McLeish did not get the £30m he had, allegedly, been promised in January.
It is clear what needs to be done this time. Unfortunately, it now needs far more than £30m. Once the poison banners start going up it will be too late.

[claretandbeer]

If Lambert were Spurs manager, or Everton, or Newcastle, Liverpool....  Would he still be in a job? 

I hate putting the boot into managers so it's not nice to say, but after today he appears incapable of preparing a team fit for purpose (staying in this league).   I'd have to seriously question his decision of going with the same shape as the previous two defeats for todays game.

He hasn't taken over Spurs,Everton etc,he's inherited a team that's been involved in relegation battles the last 2 seasons.Last year he was renowned for changing systems.At the moment,with a horrific injury list,he hasn't got 2 wide men he can count on.Albrighton,surely not ? 3,5,2 makes sense.

[usav]

Hopefully some of you that were throwing such strong abuse at McLeish are now at least thinking twice before doing the same at Lambert.   There is no question that McLeish got as much abuse as he did because of his associations with them lot down the road.  Yes, I know the football was absolutely shit, but what other option did he have with the players at his disposal?   

Lambert has kept the younger players that were left behind after the cull and added more youth - a recipe for disaster.   The youngsters that we are had are good players, but all they have ever known is doom and gloom, so when the chips are down, there are no natural leaders on the pitch to pull them up by their boot straps and make a fight of it.

Unless we buy big and wisely in the transfer window, there is only one place we are heading, albeit via Wembley.

[Californian Villain]

Sounds like a manager trying to make excuses with the stuff about previous seasons struggles.  Really, this sounds eerily like McLeish last season with the massive club, not sorry I took the job, "Top sides" /  "Elite Clubs".

It's really quite depressing.   

Agree. Lambert's comments afterwards sounded like his first run through the excuses list. Just to recap:

3rd season of struggle so not his fault. And tons of injuries. Blah blah....

[pauliewalnuts]

Its a moronic point really when you think about it.

To sack him now, before the window opens, when we desperately need to reinforce?

It'd be utter, utter fucking madness.

It'd be like when Newcastle appointed Alan Shearer. I remember hearing that news and thinking "they're doomed", and they were.

Actually, if Lambert gets sacked at all, it has to be right now, so that his replacement has a transfer window to work with.

Not really.

For a start you have to find and appoint the new man. That could take two or three weeks, quite easily. He'd certainly have less of a window to work with than the incumbent manager.

[pauliewalnuts]

So, 11 pages in, we've so far had two suggestions for replacing Lambert.

One is approaching Roberto Di Matteo, the other one is Roy Keane.

Inspirational.

[Rigadon]

If Lambert were Spurs manager, or Everton, or Newcastle, Liverpool....  Would he still be in a job? 

I hate putting the boot into managers so it's not nice to say, but after today he appears incapable of preparing a team fit for purpose (staying in this league).   I'd have to seriously question his decision of going with the same shape as the previous two defeats for todays game.

He hasn't taken over Spurs,Everton etc,he's inherited a team that's been involved in relegation battles the last 2 seasons.Last year he was renowned for changing systems.At the moment,with a horrific injury list,he hasn't got 2 wide men he can count on.Albrighton,surely not ? 3,5,2 makes sense.

My point was about the club and it's peers.  But, in fact, take any team in the top flight, or any other division for that matter and ask;   15 goals against, none scored.  When does that ever happen?  If it did, what would be the likely outcome? 

Lambert has fielded a freakishly poor team 3 times on the bounce.  Yes, some of that is down to circumstance,  but some of it is down to naivety or ineptitude.  A successful team relies on confidence,  in the style of play and in it's leader.  That's why I'm doubting ours. 

[He wears a magic hat]

Do you think gordon ramsey would retain his michelin star status if he has to buy his ingredience from lidl

[Rigadon]

So, 11 pages in, we've so far had two suggestions for replacing Lambert.

One is approaching Roberto Di Matteo, the other one is Roy Keane.

Inspirational.

Granted, the 'list' would be thin as fuck.  The point is whether Lambert is a busted flush with the players he has. 

[pauliewalnuts]

Lambert has fielded a freakishly poor team 3 times on the bounce.  Yes, some of that is down to circumstance,  but some of it is down to naivety or ineptitude.  A successful team relies on confidence,  in the style of play and in it's leader.  That's why I'm doubting ours. 

Then again, who should he have fielded that he didn't?

I appreciate there were other options, but they were hardly stellar, were they?

[levico]

I think there's every possibility we'll go down whatever happens but if Lambert stays I think it's a certainty. He is as stubborn as MON without the same talent and experience. Keane is clearly a non stater but di Matteo might be worth a shot.