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

[MoetVillan]

I disagree there Mark.  There has been a change in play noticably in that our team try far harder to "play" football through the middle.  That may not be a blessing with out midfield as it stands.  But the pass back to Given/Collins to the lump it to the oppositions backline has reduced.  The ricks and mistakes still happen, but by young lads that are really wanting to play for us.  You can see it as they come off. They are gutted.  Last year you felt a bit like some were just coming off "oh well".  The results have not improved.  But the effort has.  In fairness to TSM.... that result at Chelski was a bit of alright.

[ClaretAndBlueBlood]

when we have played well - we've been great.  And that is something I never saw even once last season under TSM.

Outside of a few games we have been poor for the most part this season.

I really have not seen any improvement over last season in fact allot of our play has been worse.

With the results we have had and the position we are in, in any other season Lambert would be toast

you haven't seen any improvement? Some of the football we have played this season has been fantastic, unfortunately only in patches in some games though.

This has been mixed in with games where we have looked very ordinary, a couple where we have looked terrible and some very inept defensive performances which have got worse as the season has gone on, not helped by injuries to key players and lack of confidence.

no-one can pretend that the season has been anywhere near good enough but there have been glimpses of what could be a decent future - if only we can survive this season and escape relegation

[PaulWinch again]

Inconsistency was always going to be part of this season.

We've won 4 league games out of 22. That's not inconsistent, it's terrible.

It is consistent, just consistently terrible.

[Risso]

no-one can pretend that the season has been anywhere near good enough but there have been glimpses of what could be a decent future - if only we can survive this season and escape relegation

I'm sure all teams who end up being relegated can point to the odd decent performance and result.  The point is that they don't do it very often, and therefore go down.  With us being the worst at goal scoring and defending, it's clear that for 90% of the season, we have been absolute shite.

[VillaAlways]

no-one can pretend that the season has been anywhere near good enough but there have been glimpses of what could be a decent future - if only we can survive this season and escape relegation

I'm sure all teams who end up being relegated can point to the odd decent performance and result.  The point is that they don't do it very often, and therefore go down.  With us being the worst at goal scoring and defending, it's clear that for 90% of the season, we have been absolute shite.

We're very much like West Ham when they went down.The odd shock performance here and there like when they beat ManU in the cup 4-0 and Liverpool 3-1 and got to the semis in the cup.They stuck with the same manager and went down

[not3bad]

no-one can pretend that the season has been anywhere near good enough but there have been glimpses of what could be a decent future - if only we can survive this season and escape relegation

I'm sure all teams who end up being relegated can point to the odd decent performance and result.  The point is that they don't do it very often, and therefore go down.  With us being the worst at goal scoring and defending, it's clear that for 90% of the season, we have been absolute shite.

We're very much like West Ham when they went down.The odd shock performance here and there like when they beat ManU in the cup 4-0 and Liverpool 3-1 and got to the semis in the cup.They stuck with the same manager and went down

Glenn Roeder.  Wasn't he seriously ill that year, and they kept the position open for him, and he came back and they fired him after 1 or 2 games the following season?  Classy behaviour.

[VillaAlways]

no-one can pretend that the season has been anywhere near good enough but there have been glimpses of what could be a decent future - if only we can survive this season and escape relegation

I'm sure all teams who end up being relegated can point to the odd decent performance and result.  The point is that they don't do it very often, and therefore go down.  With us being the worst at goal scoring and defending, it's clear that for 90% of the season, we have been absolute shite.

We're very much like West Ham when they went down.The odd shock performance here and there like when they beat ManU in the cup 4-0 and Liverpool 3-1 and got to the semis in the cup.They stuck with the same manager and went down

Glenn Roeder.  Wasn't he seriously ill that year, and they kept the position open for him, and he came back and they fired him after 1 or 2 games the following season?  Classy behaviour.

I was thinking more of the Avram Grant season a couple of years back and they had Scott Parker in their midfield who we would kill to have in ours

[Mister E]

The concern I have is that the other teams at the bottom have either got a manager with the experience of relegation battles (Wigan for example), money to spend (QPR) or a recent record of fighting the tide (Reading).
At the moment, we do not appear to be showing any of these characteristics.

Oh, and I voted Lambert in; I just don't see an effective alternative.

[DrGonzo]

Well now Guardiola has tied his colours to the Bayern mast I'm expecting a massive leap in the support of Lambert, let's face it he was the only viable option.

[Rodders]

I can't believe some of the stuff in this thread.

So Paul Lambert has a secret plan to be shit - get relegated - sacked - paid off - and then blame Lerner?   Has H&V moved office?  Is the rent cheaper on Fantasy Island?

Lambert haters please understand this.  No one who works at the top of any field got there because they love money.  They got there because they love what they do and as a result put in the hard hours when money isn't even a consideration.  By that passion and hard work they find success - and money then follows.

To suggest that Lambert will be happy because he'll get paid off and 'never have to work again' is to completely misunderstand what motivates real talent. 

A poll on whether or not to sack the manager seems myopic to me but in the broad scope of the season I suppose it is fair enough - but to revive it on the back of some tonkings after the first poll didn't fit the agenda is pathetic.

Shortly after we beat Liverpool at Anfield and made the semis of the League Cup everyone was upbeat - now, after a string of bad results and some dodgy performances we are doomed.

Villa are playing kids - and they can be good kids - but they are learning the hard way.  Inconsistency was always going to be part of this season.

We were mugged at Bradford and it was unexpected and it hurt- but ffs - it's half-time in the League Cup and half-time in the Premier League.  Lambert and the players will be moving heaven and earth behind closed doors to put things right.  Villa will improve - of that I am sure - whether they will improve enough I cannot say.

But I look at the facts of the case and I know both owner and manager and squad all want the best for our club.  And I'm sorry - shit we have been yes - but we are not only shit -  when we have played well - we've been great.  And that is something I never saw even once last season under TSM.

We are not dead yet - nor ever will be.

sonlyme makes some excellent points. Good post.

Like Mr E, I only voted 'In' out of fear of Shtevie McLeren (/Curbs/Keegan/DiMatteo/whoever) arriving now Guardiola has committed to Bayern.

[Pete3206]

Pretty speech sonlyme, but where is Aston Villa's next win coming from?

Over reaction is always likely when results are bad, but it's the nature of the performances and the disturbing lack of confidence, leadership and quality in the side which is the worry and the club is currently in freefall.

[claret and blue blood]

We really do have to start showing some fight on and off the pitch. The players need to sweat blood for every second of the rest of the season, and the management ( Lambert ,Lerner,Faulkner) need to fight tooth and nail to get some very badly needed quality and experienced players in.I'm absolutely sick of watching our rivals piss all over us in every aspect while we plummet towards oblivion.Factory of sadness? Factory of madness more like!

[Dave Clark Five]

Villa are playing kids - and they can be good kids - but they are learning the hard way.  Inconsistency was always going to be part of this season.

Hardly kids. That's been done to death. Inconsistency has been ALL of this season.

But I look at the facts of the case and I know both owner and manager and squad all want the best for our club.  And I'm sorry - shit we have been yes - but we are not only shit -  when we have played well - we've been great.  And that is something I never saw even once last season under TSM.

What facts have you got that they all want the best for the club? We have been shit more often than not. There is no improvement from last season. The results are there to see. You can't just throw the McLeish card in to prove a point.

[Risso]

We played well on occasion last year, the games against Arsenal and Chelsea for example.

[KevinGage]

no-one can pretend that the season has been anywhere near good enough but there have been glimpses of what could be a decent future - if only we can survive this season and escape relegation

I'm sure all teams who end up being relegated can point to the odd decent performance and result.  The point is that they don't do it very often, and therefore go down.  With us being the worst at goal scoring and defending, it's clear that for 90% of the season, we have been absolute shite.

Aye. 

And some of the relegation fodder of recent years can probably point to 10-15 minute spells in matches where they haven't looked completely shite. It's not enough.