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

[damon loves JT]

We have committed to his strategy now, and it is irreversible, for good or ill. Either we get the signings in January who will help the youngsters pick their heads up and play again, or we are trying to bounce back from a very tough division.

There is no retreat from here.

[JUAN PABLO]

I genuinely don't believe that Lambert is the problem, it's Lerner.

That's why i think we're probably going down tonight.

Lambert is the best we could have hoped for .

  There is a good manager in there who can keep us up and I would never sack him at the moment but at times his formations, tactics , player choosing and substitutions have been mind boggling

[JUAN PABLO]

Welcome back Greg

why only 100 posts ?     He use to spend 24 hours a day on here

[old man villa fan]

We really don't have any choice but to keep him (only because I couldn't face who our owners would dream up next) but I am really thinking he will take us down, absolutely clueless regarding tactics and formations!

I think that's a little unfair. We've been hammered the last few games but we're pretty much down to bare bones at the moment but prior to that we'd been on a decent run, including wins at Liverpool and Norwich and a draw with Arsenal. I don't think we're in any position to make an informed judgement.

A couple of signings and a few of the injured players available and I think we'll see us a lot more competitive.

Agree with everything you said.

We are down to bare bone.  Look at the midfield yesterday, Ireland, Bannan and Holman.  What were the alternatives with Delph suspended, KEA or Albrighton (I assume that PL has taken Westwood out of the firing line for the time being).  Where is the bite?  In the past we have been able to drop a defender into the centre but they are needed at the back.  Is Warnock an option to bring back to play in midfield.

Other than Baker, all of the rest of the injuries have been to the experienced players and add to that, injuries to 3 of your 4 central defenders.  Some people will say that injuries are just an excuse but then they are on a different agenda.

Give this manager real alternatives and he will take us forward.

[JUAN PABLO]

This talk of Roy Keane is insane.
Have you read his biography? Sociopathic at best.
What he would do to a dressing room of youngsters is terrifying.

I would definitely play him thou even at his age

[ktvillan]

I still have some belief in what I think he is trying to do.  I also had that with Houllier, but never with McLeish, nor for that matter O'Neill. 

I'd like to know for sure how much of his transfer policy is self-imposed and how much a result of Lerner's cutbacks and instructions.  If it's the former, he needs to realise that it isn't working and take the opportunity in January to put it right.  If it's the owner, there isn't much he or any other manager can do. 

He also needs to realise that the fullbacks he has signed are nowhere near good enough to provide the only width we have, nor to play in a 3-5-2 formation.  I really wish he didn't have this aversion to wingers, even if only as a plan B when through the middle isn't working.

[JUAN PABLO]

I think when Nzogbia is fit , maybe he should try him as a wing back. 

[pauliewalnuts]

Getting shot of Lambert would be idiocy of the highest order. We need to throw a few bob in his direction for players not start scratching around for yet another new manager with different ideas.

Spot on.

We've taken the plunge to go with his idea of how to get us playing, we now have to stick with it, and back him as much as we can.

This isn't going to be sorted in one season, it'll take much longer than that, we need to get used to the fact.

Personally, I wouldn't sack him even if we went down, I'd keep him and stick with his vision of how he does things.

This isn't a blinkered "can't see his problems / weaknesses" view, either, it's just my opinion that he has more progressive ways of wanting the team to play and that ultimately, it'll start to pay off at some point.

What this team needs more than anything is a bit of spine. When Wigan scored yesterday - with the worst possible timing, you could see the young heads dropping. We started to get into the game much more, and they scored again, and heads dropped once more.

He has made his mistakes - KEA isn't looking up to much, and I still think he relied way, way too much on inexperienced players (starting a match with Barry Bannan having the most PL appearances of the line up says it all) - but at the same time, I've easily seen enough to make me think he ultimately knows what he is doing.

This club needs to set out on a path which people will sign up to (and I believe they have) and to then back the manager with the time and resources necessary to achieve it.

I can't think of anything which would be more detrimental to this club now than to sack the manager, especially not given the timing. I've had enough of starting all over again repeatedly. It doesn't work.

[pauliewalnuts]

Incidentally, I note there still hasn't been a credible alternative suggested, if we were to sack him now.

That says it all.

[damon loves JT]

I am pretty sure one of the texts on BBC Sport last night calling for Lambert's head was from my Bluenose twat uncle.

[john e]

Incidentally, I note there still hasn't been a credible alternative suggested, if we were to sack him now.

That says it all.

I thought the Roy Keane thing had some legs   

[Simba]

Lambert is as good as we will get. He could be very good.

But you can't build a Cathedral with second hand bricks and green pine.

Randy made this managerial decision, so apparently has made his mind up on what kind of 'soccer' we play.

This isn't cheap journeymen TSM/Stoke hoofball so he better have also made his mind up to invest big money. For real players. Or it can't work.

You can't have it both ways Randy. Appeasing the fans with a manager who wants to play modern football is not enough, he needs the players. So invest big time or, for God's sake man, sincere thanks but - GO.

[Des Little]

I think when Nzogbia is fit , maybe he should try him as a wing back. 

Any idea when this might be?

[garyshawsknee]

Hopefully we can ride this season out and survive as i think he is a good manager,a bad blip doesn't make him a poor one,the youngsters will be a season older,we desperately need to add a couple of older,quality heads in January and things can take a big turn for the better.

[Oscar Arce]

There is no point sacking him ?
Depends on your viewpoint, if it's a short term fix to save us from relegation then an older, wiser head may be a good idea, but who ?
I think we have to stick with him and hope we can get the required wins between the tonkings, for there will be more of them, and hope he will bring some quality and experience in this window, but I have my doubts.
I thin what we need is a roven, experienced striker to tak the load off Benteke, someone like Darren.....
oh hang on