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

[Monty]

I'm still not saying 'sack him', but f**k me something needs to change, and fast.

For me, there have been a few real failings. Lambert I'm sure will be a real success somewhere, if not us. But he has gone about many things the wrong way. For a start, I feel his major strength as a manager is tactical flexibility - changing between formations and strategies throughout a game depending on what he sees. However, to do that you really do need experienced players, players who have been around and know how to play different systems and what that means for every position on the pitch. We have none of those in any position, and in central defence it's particularly noticeable, especially since Vlaar's injury.

The other problem for me has been that he appears to have appealed to these young players' emotions' - telling them to go after every ball, go all-out in attack, all that. That's great if you're one-up at Anfield, the young guys will be feeling as happy as Larry - but one down to Chelsea after two minutes and it's a different story, and picking them up after the ensuing eight-goal mauling is pretty much impossible to do emotionally. The players need calm, rationality, a Bjorn Borg-style play-every-point mentality, and that's not emotional - and again, best achieved with a bit of experience in the side to help the younger guys.

Like I've said, he needs to change things, and fast. This is turning from transition to derision - we're the laughing stock of football. We need to stop this, it's absolutely unbearable, and Lambert has to realise his strategy is not working.

[neo_Villan]

What really bugs me is that the team so readily resort to hoofball. Especially when Benteke is on the field. Against Bradford we looked threatening when we passed it around quickly, yet the players seem to always resort to a default of just lumping it. Why doesn't Lambert do anything about this? He just strikes me as tactically inept TBH. Rarely looks like he has a clue what to do when things aren't going well. Against Wigan, he pushed Ireland up at half-time which left Bannan by himself to shield the defence. Even if Bannan is one his game, he can't protect the defence single-handed. It was simply gung-ho tactics when we were only 1-0 down with a half to play. Understandable if it was the last ten minutes maybe. This ineptness has been visable since the Everton game. Playing Herd on the wing and leaving Bannan to deal with Fellaini! Surely it should have been the other way around if anything. Against Norwich in the league, he took of Benteke when we had ten men and brought on Bent! Took of the only person who could hold the ball up when we were under relentless pressure by them. There are countless other examples too, but can't be bothered to list them all!

[adrenachrome]

I have come to the conclusion that PL has bent the stick too far away from pragmatism and short termism and is planning too much for the future. Yes, under MoN we lacked the flexibility to break defensive teams down at VP and yes, to be successful in the Prem, you have to be able to play several different formations and be tactically flexible. 

But all the flexibility in the world is of fuck all use if you can't defend a corner and the entire defence is banjaxed by some elementary movement such as a run to the near post. Back to basics is needed at this stage.

Also, I like a bit of cultured passing and that class of thing, but I get very irritated when a player is left in acres of space, and instead of pressing it before making the pass, does it straight away, usually sideways. It is as though they have been programmed to pass it quickly whatever the circumstances. In the recent Wigan fiasco, their number 2 gave a demonstration on what can be achieved when this situation arises, which was frequently in that game.

 

[David_Nab]

The warnings have been there since Everton his teams can not defend his Norwich team were the same its why they have improved under Houghton he has coached the defence better and brought in experiance.

The league cup was the one bright point to hang onto after recent league results now we dont even have that.We are a laughing stock.

The Liverpool result and even Norwich looked good but even in those games we should of conceded more.I fear we will go down even if we invest as quite obviously the man can not organise a defence.Add that to our hoof ball to Benteke it is a one way trip down.

We needed experiance in the team he went his own way and it has failed miserably.

The kids also lost in the youth cup 4 nil to Peterborough...bright future ....doesnt feel like it right now.

[VicMackey]

I think for now it’s got to be Lambert ‘in’ but he’s fast running out of time, support and opportunities to get things right.  This is a crucial month and he needs to get some experienced bodies in fast.  Getting rid of him now would serve no purpose as we would need to identify a replacement, get them in and, if there’s any money available, let them bring in some players – all in 3 weeks.  We may as well stick with him and roll the dice…

Lambert needs to be backed by the owner this month and allowed to strengthen an extremely weak squad.  As it is, I think we’re going down.  Personally, I don’t care who is brought in whether they’re young, old, world-beaters, loans or Nigel Reo-Coker.  One thing we lack is that there is nobody ‘nasty’ in the team that’s going to take the game by the scruff of the neck and for the rest of the team to look up to (or fear).  The manager hardly fills me with enthusiasm with his demeanour so I wonder if that rubs off on the players.  Whoever is responsible for defensive coaching at the club needs to take a bloody good hard look at themselves too – I can almost forgive the team for the Chelsea result as ‘one of those things’ but the utter shambles that has followed needs addressing pronto.

Once January is out of the way I think Lambert has another month or so (and I’ve no idea who we’re playing in that time) but if there is no improvement, or if he hasn’t been able to bring in any players, then a further re-assessment of his position will be required.  If there’s no improvement and results continue to be so catastrophic I would hope that he would decide that enough is enough and fall on his sword.  I’d rather it not come to that and we see an upswing in our fortunes and a trip to Wembley but we need to fight to get out of this mess and, so far, I see very little stomach for that fight.

If we survive the season in this division then the owner can make a decision on whether Lambert gets an opportunity to continue.  And whether he wishes to continue to be the owner - but that's a discussion for another thread I'm sure...

[Salsa Party Animal]

There is no backbone in our team without that we got little chance.

[OzVilla]

I think for now it’s got to be Lambert ‘in’ but he’s fast running out of time, support and opportunities to get things right.  This is a crucial month and he needs to get some experienced bodies in fast.  Getting rid of him now would serve no purpose as we would need to identify a replacement, get them in and, if there’s any money available, let them bring in some players – all in 3 weeks.  We may as well stick with him and roll the dice…

Lambert needs to be backed by the owner this month and allowed to strengthen an extremely weak squad.  As it is, I think we’re going down.  Personally, I don’t care who is brought in whether they’re young, old, world-beaters, loans or Nigel Reo-Coker.  One thing we lack is that there is nobody ‘nasty’ in the team that’s going to take the game by the scruff of the neck and for the rest of the team to look up to (or fear).  The manager hardly fills me with enthusiasm with his demeanour so I wonder if that rubs off on the players.  Whoever is responsible for defensive coaching at the club needs to take a bloody good hard look at themselves too – I can almost forgive the team for the Chelsea result as ‘one of those things’ but the utter shambles that has followed needs addressing pronto.

Once January is out of the way I think Lambert has another month or so (and I’ve no idea who we’re playing in that time) but if there is no improvement, or if he hasn’t been able to bring in any players, then a further re-assessment of his position will be required.  If there’s no improvement and results continue to be so catastrophic I would hope that he would decide that enough is enough and fall on his sword.  I’d rather it not come to that and we see an upswing in our fortunes and a trip to Wembley but we need to fight to get out of this mess and, so far, I see very little stomach for that fight.

If we survive the season in this division then the owner can make a decision on whether Lambert gets an opportunity to continue.  And whether he wishes to continue to be the owner - but that's a discussion for another thread I'm sure...

Perfectly put, after last night a lot of things are now up in the air for me.  A devastating result.

[ozzjim]

The biggest problem we have got at the moment is, as Risso said last night in the match thread, central midfield. We have no ability to screen the back 4 at the moment, Bannan and Delph have no discipline to simply sit in and hold the opposition, so you are left with great holes that the central defence have to step out into at times. From corners Benteke lost his man a couple of times, and the second ball dropping, where the likes of Delph and Bannan due to being tiny need to be getting as they are no use marking, are getting nowhere near. Delph as post man - fine if the ball is coming on the floor, but in the air, he is 5" 6/7? And jumps 4" nothing.

There are too many positions in the spine of the side we need bodies. Without doubt Vlaar and Westwood are head an shoulders better than Clark and Delph. We have to get players that can protect that back 4. If we play 4-4-2, one of the things that MON did was have wingers that worked their  bollocks off to help the full back. Imagine Bennett had Young helping him out at the moment, he would not be getting hammered by any old average winger because we would be protecting.

Lambert is not at fault for the squad being so shit before he arrived but he has to address the jelly like middle 4 we have at the moment. 2 big, uncompromising bastards at the back, with 2 big, technically decent, uncompromising bastards in front of them. Tall, strong, athletic and with ability please. The rest of the side would suddenly look like a football team.

I like Lambert, and have defended him a lot, but he has to recognize where we are struggling and sort it out. ASAP.

[mr underhill]

i think that given the financial imperativeof staying in the diviision this season, we have reached a true nadir in the club's history.

[ozzjim]

One question remains with this debate though. Who replaces him. Curbishley seems to be the only viable out of work option. Di Matteo is an awful manager IMO, Roy Keane is the worst suggestion in history. Martin Laursen would at a minimum teach them passion and how to defend you would think!

[saunders_heroes]

One question remains with this debate though. Who replaces him. Curbishley seems to be the only viable out of work option. Di Matteo is an awful manager IMO, Roy Keane is the worst suggestion in history. Martin Laursen would at a minimum teach them passion and how to defend you would think!

What manager would take us on knowing the restrictions in the transfer market under the idiot Lerner? It would be like rearranging the deck chairs on the titanic.
Nothing will change while Lerner still thinks he can do it on the cheap.

[NeilH]

One question remains with this debate though. Who replaces him. Curbishley seems to be the only viable out of work option. Di Matteo is an awful manager IMO, Roy Keane is the worst suggestion in history. Martin Laursen would at a minimum teach them passion and how to defend you would think!

Laursen should, at the very minimum, be brought in as a defensive consultant, as the current defensive coach is as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike.

[David_Nab]

The lack of other options will help keep him in his job.It beggers belief that of the new managers in the league this season Houghton , Laudrup and Clark we someone got the worst option.

[saunders_heroes]

One question remains with this debate though. Who replaces him. Curbishley seems to be the only viable out of work option. Di Matteo is an awful manager IMO, Roy Keane is the worst suggestion in history. Martin Laursen would at a minimum teach them passion and how to defend you would think!

Laursen should, at the very minimum, be brought in as a defensive consultant, as the current defensive coach is as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike.

Is he a good coach? We shouldn't go down the route of getting ex players in as coach because they were popular as players.

[saunders_heroes]

The lack of other options will help keep him in his job.It beggers belief that of the new managers in the league this season Houghton , Laudrup and Clark we someone got the worst option.

It's the fact that we've got the worst chairman that is the square route of all our problems. All the above names would struggle at Villa Park.