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

[Boz]

It's not just that he's not Mcleish. He clearly has a plan to try and build an Aston Villa side with young and talented players who want to play for the club, which is admirable. Look at who Mcleish saddled Villa with, Given who was old when we signed him on a long deal and is in decline, Hutton and N'Zogbia. So I'd say that the majority of Lambert's signings have been vastly better.

I'm not saying he hasn't made some errors, but hopefully he realises he needs to blend experienced with youth(his comment that age isn't a factor as long as they're hungry suggests he does realise). Also if we're going to use the first half of the season as a snap shot then fair enough it's not great, although at least we've tried to play football at times. However it's virtually impossible for Lambert to have as bad a second half of a season as Mcleish, so it'll interesting to see how we finish up.

This is a fair view of the present situation.

I hope the optimism for the second half of the season holds up 

[MarkM]

So really, what it all boils down to, is that he isn't McLeish.  Great. 

That is fair. As a snapshot 20 game comparison, the truth is we are statistically no better.

The truth is we are statistically worse

[MarkM]

but it's one that around 92.6% of people on this site seem to share.

If there was a 'Not Sure' option I would bet that the 92.6% would be allot lower

Yes, but a 'not sure' is surely an indication that the voter is happy, for a short time at least, to see if Lambert can turn it around?
Or they are just a fence-sitting, Nick Clegg lover.

A not sure would be simply that, not sure. Thats a far cry from being happy.

I bet if you asked the question "Are you happy with how things have gone this season?" the result be a massive NO!

[Chico Hamilton III]

Given the choice of starting strong or finishing strong I'd take the latter every time and I believe Lambert will provide that.  My belief isn't based on stats so I can't give you documented evidence to indicate why we should expect a change, it's just a feeling, but it's one that around 92.6% of people on this site seem to share.

6 months ago over 80% of this site wanted Ole Gunner Solskjaer as manager. The mentalists.

[olaftab]

I'll ask for the umpteenth time, what exactly is this "method and plan"? 

You devize a plan and than use a method to deliver your plan...(sorry!)

[Chris Smith]

but it's one that around 92.6% of people on this site seem to share.

If there was a 'Not Sure' option I would bet that the 92.6% would be allot lower

Yes, but a 'not sure' is surely an indication that the voter is happy, for a short time at least, to see if Lambert can turn it around?
Or they are just a fence-sitting, Nick Clegg lover.

A not sure would be simply that, not sure. Thats a far cry from being happy.

I bet if you asked the question "Are you happy with how things have gone this season?" the result be a massive NO!

But it's an entirely different question. You can be unhappy with results without it meaning you want Lambert sacked. I think most can see that these things aren't sorted in 5 minutes, that we've been badly hit by injuries and yet despite that we're in with a great chance of a trip to Wembley.

This poll says that the vast majority of us don't think that the manager should be given the boot, it's a flat choice and all but for a few perpetual malcontents we've backed him.

[paul_e]

Given the choice of starting strong or finishing strong I'd take the latter every time and I believe Lambert will provide that.  My belief isn't based on stats so I can't give you documented evidence to indicate why we should expect a change, it's just a feeling, but it's one that around 92.6% of people on this site seem to share.

6 months ago over 80% of this site wanted Ole Gunner Solskjær as manager. The mentalists.

I still think we've missed out there if I'm honest, having moved to Norway I've seen a few local game son TV and Molde are a great side, play at a good tempo, pass well, all look confident and happy to back their ability, I think he'll prove to be a top manager in a few years.  That said I'm happy with Lambert and I like the idea of what he wants us to be but he was never my first choice of the names we were being linked with.

[MarkM]

but it's one that around 92.6% of people on this site seem to share.

If there was a 'Not Sure' option I would bet that the 92.6% would be allot lower

Yes, but a 'not sure' is surely an indication that the voter is happy, for a short time at least, to see if Lambert can turn it around?
Or they are just a fence-sitting, Nick Clegg lover.

A not sure would be simply that, not sure. Thats a far cry from being happy.

I bet if you asked the question "Are you happy with how things have gone this season?" the result be a massive NO!

But it's an entirely different question. You can be unhappy with results without it meaning you want Lambert sacked. I think most can see that these things aren't sorted in 5 minutes, that we've been badly hit by injuries and yet despite that we're in with a great chance of a trip to Wembley.

This poll says that the vast majority of us don't think that the manager should be given the boot, it's a flat choice and all but for a few perpetual malcontents we've backed him.

That was part of my point, simply asking the question to sack or not sack will give only one side of the issue.

I think we could agree that the feeling accross the supported base is that we are not happy with how things have gone, but the majority want to see if Lambert can fix it.

[paul_e]

I think we could agree that the feeling accross the supported base is that we are not happy with how things have gone, but the majority want to see if Lambert can fix it.

The logical progression of that final thought being that the vast majority therefore believe that he can fix it.  We had similar issues last year and the vast majority didn't want TSM to have the chance to fix it as the belief was that he would only make things worse.

The not sure option is a red herring, the reality is 92.6% of this board feel that Lambert is capable of delivering more than he has currently.

[Dave Cooper please]

That was part of my point, simply asking the question to sack or not sack will give only one side of the issue.

I think we could agree that the feeling accross the supported base is that we are not happy with how things have gone, but the majority want to see if Lambert can fix it.

Which is pretty much what I said and you disagreed with!

A 'not sure' is just that, the voter saying that they are not sure he should be sacked right now, therefore it can be extrapolated that said voter thinks that he should be given some sort of further opportunity to convince them he should stay, be that one more game, the transfer window or the rest of the season.
Can't see how it could be seen any other way really unless the voter has absolutely no opinion in which case I'm not sure they would actually be a Villa fan given the circumstances!

[Drummond]

I'll ask for the umpteenth time, what exactly is this "method and plan"?  And how exactly does he have a positive attitude yet has delivered just about the least amount of goals scored in the league?  He's been playing five at the back as well, AND still been getting us spanked.

Oh, didn't you know? It's Roberto di Matteo apparently. Maybe Roy Keane as a number two (yes he's shit).

[Tom_Mc9?]

I'll ask for the umpteenth time, what exactly is this "method and plan"?  And how exactly does he have a positive attitude yet has delivered just about the least amount of goals scored in the league?  He's been playing five at the back as well, AND still been getting us spanked.

Even if you don't think the plan is working, surely you can see what it is. We are trying to play attractive football, lower the wage bill and get a younger squad who care about playing for the club. The latter part of the team being younger sometimes hinders the first part (playing attractive football), but as they are all inexperienced at this level, this is something that should improve. Like him or not (and some people who support football clubs rarely like anything about it, which I find odd), I don't think Lambert's plans are too hard to see. It's not exactly like cracking the Enigma code.

[sonlyme]

Just a quick comparison between this season and last [at 20 games played]

                  PL   W  D   L      F    A    G/D    Pts     Position
2011/12    20    5   8   7    22  26   -4       23        13th
2012/13    20    4   6  10   15  39   -24     18        17th

In terms of have we improved this season vs. last season, the stats say no on every level, lost more, drawn less, won less, scored less, conceded more, worse goal difference, worse points and lower league place.

Not saying it wont improve but it does show that in terms of measurable facts we are atr 20 games worse than the TSM side last season.

Well - FFS - if you put it like that - lets get Big F'eck back.  I was blind - but now I see.

But then again - with 18 games to go - would I take TSM's Villa - or Paul Lambert's Villa?

You know the answer. 

[pestria]

Just a quick comparison between this season and last [at 20 games played]

                  PL   W  D   L      F    A    G/D    Pts     Position
2011/12    20    5   8   7    22  26   -4       23        13th
2012/13    20    4   6  10   15  39   -24     18        17th

In terms of have we improved this season vs. last season, the stats say no on every level, lost more, drawn less, won less, scored less, conceded more, worse goal difference, worse points and lower league place.

Not saying it wont improve but it does show that in terms of measurable facts we are atr 20 games worse than the TSM side last season.

This is a comparison between the best of last season and (hopefully) the worst of this season.

TSM's side under performed in the 20 games you cite.  When injuries kicked in then results were shocking.  I'd like to see a goals and pts per match comparison for the last 10 games of last season vs. the 10 most recent games of this season.

[villan1975]

Quote misdeeed