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

[VillaAlways]

Paul Lambert on the way forward.



Paul Lambert insists now is definitely not the time to panic, with a "long, long way" still to go.

Villa dropped into the bottom three following their home defeat to Southampton.

But Lambert is still extremely confident that Villa will climb the table and get away from the danger zone in the coming weeks ahead.

The boss says there will be plenty of "twists and turns" from now until the end of the season.

He said: "You can't panic. You keep going.

"There's a long, long way to go. There will be loads of twists and turns in this whole thing."

Asked why he believes Villa will push up, he continued: "I just do. I said that from day one. I just do.

"If you look at the middle of that table, there is not much in it. There are about eight or nine teams.

"The lads are extremely disappointed because we didn't deserve that.

"But like I said, you will win games when you don't deserve to and lose when you don't deserve to."

Asked whether he was worried about losing to teams in and around Villa like Wigan and Southampton, with "so-called" tougher fixtures on the horizon, he added: "I think every game is tough.

"It doesn't matter if it's Southampton, Wigan, Liverpool or Manchester United.

"I think every game is hard. I never take any game lightly. I think every game in this division is tough."

Lambert is eager to turn things around on behalf of the fantastic fans who come and cheer the team week-in and week-out.

He added: "The crowd were excellent. Oh my god. I don't know what to say to them because they have been brilliant with me and the team.

"The noise levels here at Villa Park are incredible. You just want to give them something back because they certainly need it."

Make sure you pick up tickets for Newcastle.

[Risso]

Man's a deluded fool.  "It doesn't matter if it's Southampton, Wigan, Liverpool or Manchester United."  Of course it bloody does.

"But like I said, you will win games when you don't deserve to"

Any chance of that happening any time soon Paul?

[VillaAlways]

This is my favourite line:-

Asked why he believes Villa will push up, he continued: "I just do. I said that from day one. I just do.

Phew !!

[levico]

He also said something along the lines of 'we'll give it a good go but we go with what we've got'.

We're done for. We'll be down, he'll be long gone with a big pay off and we will be left with lower league football for the foreseeable future.

[eastie]

Let's see who he brings in during the next fortnight - he needs to bring proven  quality in - personally I would have changed manager but whether we like it or not we must get behind lambert  and hope he can get us out of this mess now.

I'm far from convinced that he can but he is our only hope now that randy has chosen to back him.

[MarkM]

Just posted this on another thread, but it is sort of a response to some of PL's comments:

I hate to point this out to MR Lambert but we have only won 6 league games in the last 12 months, how we are now supposed to go on a run that will carry us into the safety zone when we are already 6 points behind Sunderland in 14th is beyond me.

We may just survive to finish 17th but that is going to take a reliance on the teams around us have a worse run of it than us until the end of the season.

I don't think that just adding a couple of players will be enough, I hope that is is and that we survive but I think that this season is the season that we go down, we have been around the drop zone for three seasons now and sooner or later the trap door will open and we will fall through it.

Sad.

[Phil from the upper holte]

West Brom, Bradford, Millwall, Newcastle are next 4 games, if now's not the time to panic..WHEN?

[django]

What's he supposed to say? We're shit and we're going down?

[Clampy]

I would imagine that after seeing us lose to Wigan, Bradford and Southampton, shipping 7 goals in the process and only scoring 1, that things are going on behind the scenes to bring players in because we have to. I really can't imagine them not doing anything.

The problem with changing manager is that apart from the lack of continuity, they'll have needed to sound somebody out to definatley come in and apart from Di Matteo, there's not a great deal out there so it's a case of get behind him.

[Risso]

Make sure you pick up tickets for Newcastle.

Good luck with that.

[VillaAlways]

What's he supposed to say? We're shit and we're going down?

Mentioning that he's looking to be proactive in the transfer window,might be a bit more reassuring Rather than the usual " we go again" shit

[levico]

What's he supposed to say? We're shit and we're going down?

No but that would be an honest and accurate assessment of the situation.

[villajk]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2261891/Aston-Villa-transfer-latest-Randy-Lerner-ready-invest.html

Sport Home Headlines Football F1 Cricket Boxing Rugby U Rugby L Tennis Golf Racing Other Blogs Fantasy Football Chat Login Find a Job M&S Wine Our Papers Feedback Monday, Jan 14 2013 9AM  1°C 12PM 3°C 5-Day Forecast
Villa need Lerner lifeline: Billionaire owner will foot the bill to ensure Premier League safety
By NEIL MOXLEY

PUBLISHED: 22:52, 13 January 2013 | UPDATED: 22:52, 13 January 2013

Comments (3)
Share
 
Randy Lerner viewed the latest episode in Aston Villa's descent with growing worry, reluctantly admitting to himself that he will again be called upon to safeguard his club's Premier League status.

The American billionaire has a live feed of every Villa match beamed to him via satellite link and, within minutes of the final whistle, he swaps his thoughts with chief executive Paul Faulkner.

His verdict after watching yet another defeat was that 'doing nothing is not an option' after Rickie Lambert's penalty divided the teams during this desperate relegation dogfight.


Help: Lerner (right) is willing to spend to save Aston Villa from relegation

The message from across the Pond on Saturday night was that Lerner is ready and willing to foot the bill, should Villa boss Paul Lambert find the experienced centre-half and midfielder he desperately needs to add know-how to a side that is lacking direction and organisation.

There have to be limits. But there is now a realisation that the purse-strings will have to be relaxed a little more to avert a third brush with relegation.

Lerner, who purchased the club in 2005 for £65m, has pumped at least another £150m into Villa and most notably used his wealth to positive effect when signing Darren Bent in a £24m package two years ago.

That move paid off and the other key message from the hierarchy on Saturday evening was that the club would not panic over the managerial situation.


Danger: Villa lost at home to Southampton on Saturday to fall into the bottom three

The decision-makers would be well within their rights to do so - Villa are now in desperate straits.

In the short-term, the statistics are damning. As are performances. And results.

In the medium-term they paint a picture of steady decline. It is little wonder to 30,000 regular visitors they are in such a mess.

In the last 38 games - a Premier League season - Villa have collected just 30 points.

They stayed up by the skin of their teeth last term. Alex McLeish was relegated with Birmingham City in 2010-11 having garnered one point more than Villa used to survive.


Thumped: Villa were smashed 8-0 by Chelsea just before Christmas



Current boss Lambert's grand plan is sensible in conception but is proving disastrous in execution.

The Scot keeps beating the drum, maintaining his belief that his club are close to mid-table safety. The fact is, Villa are closer to the bottom of the table. And QPR and Reading are picking up results.

Eight goals conceded without reply in three home defeats to Spurs, Wigan and Southampton have caused Lerner's worry.

And Lambert's repeated platitudes smack of the orchestra playing while the Titanic sinks.


Worried: Lambert's side have lost four of their last five league games

While the youth in Villa's ranks has been trumpeted - the average age of the back four was 22 - it has taken a few words from striker Gabby Agbonlahor to put it into perspective

'It's not like they are 16 or 17,' he said, 'people say they are young but that doesn't matter.'

It is the quality that counts. To this eye, Southampton defender Luke Shaw, 17, looks an England prospect already. Villa are coming up short.

As Southampton striker Rickie Lambert said: 'When we got promoted, we knew we didn't have much Premier League experience in the squad, only a couple who had played Premier League.

'We knew it was going to take us a while to get used to it. Now I feel we are getting used to it and improving every game.'

Villa aren't. They are stuck in reverse. And, once more, the club needs to call upon its' well-heeled American patron to shift them into gear. And quickly.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2261891/Aston-Villa-transfer-latest-Randy-Lerner-ready-invest.html#ixzz2HwlV4Z2v
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

[MarkM]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2261891/Aston-Villa-transfer-latest-Randy-Lerner-ready-invest.html


 
Randy Lerner viewed the latest episode in Aston Villa's descent with growing worry, reluctantly admitting to himself that he will again be called upon to safeguard his club's Premier League status.

The American billionaire has a live feed of every Villa match beamed to him via satellite link and, within minutes of the final whistle, he swaps his thoughts with chief executive Paul Faulkner.

His verdict after watching yet another defeat was that 'doing nothing is not an option' after Rickie Lambert's penalty divided the teams during this desperate relegation dogfight.

The message from across the Pond on Saturday night was that Lerner is ready and willing to foot the bill, should Villa boss Paul Lambert find the experienced centre-half and midfielder he desperately needs to add know-how to a side that is lacking direction and organisation.

There have to be limits. But there is now a realisation that the purse-strings will have to be relaxed a little more to avert a third brush with relegation.

Lerner, who purchased the club in 2005 for £65m, has pumped at least another £150m into Villa and most notably used his wealth to positive effect when signing Darren Bent in a £24m package two years ago.

That move paid off and the other key message from the hierarchy on Saturday evening was that the club would not panic over the managerial situation.


Danger: Villa lost at home to Southampton on Saturday to fall into the bottom three

The decision-makers would be well within their rights to do so - Villa are now in desperate straits.

In the short-term, the statistics are damning. As are performances. And results.

In the medium-term they paint a picture of steady decline. It is little wonder to 30,000 regular visitors they are in such a mess.

In the last 38 games - a Premier League season - Villa have collected just 30 points.

They stayed up by the skin of their teeth last term. Alex McLeish was relegated with Birmingham City in 2010-11 having garnered one point more than Villa used to survive.


Thumped: Villa were smashed 8-0 by Chelsea just before Christmas



Current boss Lambert's grand plan is sensible in conception but is proving disastrous in execution.

The Scot keeps beating the drum, maintaining his belief that his club are close to mid-table safety. The fact is, Villa are closer to the bottom of the table. And QPR and Reading are picking up results.

Eight goals conceded without reply in three home defeats to Spurs, Wigan and Southampton have caused Lerner's worry.

And Lambert's repeated platitudes smack of the orchestra playing while the Titanic sinks.


Worried: Lambert's side have lost four of their last five league games

While the youth in Villa's ranks has been trumpeted - the average age of the back four was 22 - it has taken a few words from striker Gabby Agbonlahor to put it into perspective

'It's not like they are 16 or 17,' he said, 'people say they are young but that doesn't matter.'

It is the quality that counts. To this eye, Southampton defender Luke Shaw, 17, looks an England prospect already. Villa are coming up short.

As Southampton striker Rickie Lambert said: 'When we got promoted, we knew we didn't have much Premier League experience in the squad, only a couple who had played Premier League.

'We knew it was going to take us a while to get used to it. Now I feel we are getting used to it and improving every game.'

Villa aren't. They are stuck in reverse. And, once more, the club needs to call upon its' well-heeled American patron to shift them into gear. And quickly.

"The Scot keeps beating the drum, maintaining his belief that his club are close to mid-table safety. The fact is, Villa are closer to the bottom of the table. And QPR and Reading are picking up results."

Does Lambert not see this!!!

[JUAN PABLO]

Lescott and Sossoko please