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

[paul_e]

I don't think he wants to sell or has given up, I just don't think there's any money available to the manager now. I don't think it means we haven't got any, just that there's none available now. You've had your 23m (or whatever it was) now do your job. If you do a half decent one, you'll get some more in the summer. If we go down, you'll have to sell a lot of players and will get a lot less than if we stay up. So keep us up, I think is the message from randy.

Fifth highest spenders in the league last summer and he chose not to replace Petrov. Can't blame Lerner for that.

We did replace petrov, we brought in KEA to be the experienced head in the middle.  That's he's not turned out as well as we'd hoped doesn't make him free or invisible.

[robbo1874]

And nick I think that is exactly what has fucked us. We don't have a proper leader on the pitch. The players have shown they have a decent performance in them a few times this season. But there's no leader. We've had some average captains and some great ones down the years. Even the average ones like McCann or Stuart Grey would do a better job in this side and get some confidence, organisation and shape.

[django]

Exactly and for KEAs fee, and the league he cme from, he was always going to be a gamble.

He could have spent more money on one midfielder but that would have left us even more light in other areas.

[midnite]

How can there be no money when Deloitte have us in the top 30 clubs in the world with an annual revenue of 96 million a year? I don't understand it

[pauliewalnuts]

I don't think he wants to sell or has given up, I just don't think there's any money available to the manager now. I don't think it means we haven't got any, just that there's none available now. You've had your 23m (or whatever it was) now do your job. If you do a half decent one, you'll get some more in the summer. If we go down, you'll have to sell a lot of players and will get a lot less than if we stay up. So keep us up, I think is the message from randy.

Fifth highest spenders in the league last summer and he chose not to replace Petrov. Can't blame Lerner for that.

We did replace petrov, we brought in KEA to be the experienced head in the middle.  That's he's not turned out as well as we'd hoped doesn't make him free or invisible.

Bad luck for Lambert, in that what was probably his most important signing of the summer, the one we had to get right, has turned out to look more than a little bit shonky.

I don't really have a problem with Lambert's purchases if you look at them all.

Benteke looks like an inspired buy.
Vlaar I think is decent, and will improve
Westwood looks super promising, as does Lowton
Guzan re-signing has been excellent for us, too. Let's not forget, he'd actually already left the club, yet another contract expiry allowed to happen.

KEA looked decent in patches, then really started to struggle.
Bennett i find totally unconvincing, but I suspect he needs time to adapt, rather than getting slaughtered week after week.

The problem is that we've found ourselves with way, way too many young inexperienced players starting at the same time. Think about all the statistics we have heard re our average starting age this season.

Lambert's problem transfer-wise was in the players he didn't buy, not the ones he did. Right now, the addition of two of those players (a DM and a CB) would make all the difference, and wouldn't need to cost that much. Just a bit of experience and nous would make an enormous difference.

The problem is, the club aren't going to give him that, as they're either too blind or too stupid to see what is right in front of their faces.

[eastie]

He's operating within a shit budget, yes the players could be better but we miss the influence of Vlaar and I don't think realistically he wanted to play all the kids at once but we ain't got much bloody choice, sounds like there is no money in January either?? Who's going to sort it out? We've been shit under GH, Mccunt and now Lambert, who's to blame? Managers or chairman?

We were in the bottom 6 with vlaar in the team and he is not fit to lace the boots of mellberg, laursen etc - he will  not be our saviour .

[nick harper]

The point I was trying to make was more about the personality and leadership of Petrov. I can't believe Lambert had done his homework if he thought KEA was the answer.

I honestly believe it was his most fundamental mistake, even after two or three games it was obvious. In hindight another centre half would be helpful but he must have thought Dunne would have been back in the Autumn, but that midfield leader is a yawning chasm now.

[pestria]

Hang on Nev, are you saying you think Lambert is trying to get us relegated on purpose? Do you really believe that, or have you still not got over Tuesday?

No I think the owner is and Lambert is complicit. Anyone can see that without additions we will go down. Not big name, big money players but some short term experienced level heads, thats all the team needs to have a fighting chance. If we try and still go down than so be it, but we must try. I believe the manager has known this for some time such is his body language and attitiude.
He appears to be accepting of our plight and I don't want anyone at Villa to have that outlook. The owner has obviously made his mind up but the manager could show a little principle and side with the real heart of the club. The fans.

Spot on about Lambert and Lerner appearing to be complicit.

You can almost imagine how the recent heart-to-heart went.

Lambert: we need more players to be sure of surviving.
Lerner: we can't afford any
Lambert: I'm worried about my reputation and losing my job if we go down
Lerner: don't worry, I won't sack you.  We might have some room to manouvre in the summer and you'll get a shot at bringing us back up
Lambert: You're a great bloke Randy - see you in the summer.

[paul_e]

Hang on Nev, are you saying you think Lambert is trying to get us relegated on purpose? Do you really believe that, or have you still not got over Tuesday?

No I think the owner is and Lambert is complicit. Anyone can see that without additions we will go down. Not big name, big money players but some short term experienced level heads, thats all the team needs to have a fighting chance. If we try and still go down than so be it, but we must try. I believe the manager has known this for some time such is his body language and attitiude.
He appears to be accepting of our plight and I don't want anyone at Villa to have that outlook. The owner has obviously made his mind up but the manager could show a little principle and side with the real heart of the club. The fans.

Spot on about Lambert and Lerner appearing to be complicit.

You can almost imagine how the recent heart-to-heart went.

Lambert: we need more players to be sure of surviving.
Lerner: we can't afford any
Lambert: I'm worried about my reputation and losing my job if we go down
Lerner: don't worry, I won't sack you.  We might have some room to manouvre in the summer and you'll get a shot at bringing us back up
Lambert: You're a great bloke Randy - see you in the summer.

I can't believe how many people believe this to be the case.

The board and manager aren't preparing us for relegation, we're not even in the relegation zone as things stand.  They might be being stubborn in their belief that these kids are good enough to get us out of this and that the squad is big enough but they're not actively planning on being relegated.  The notion that it might even have occurred to them as an option is crazy.  Will they have discussed it and started forming a plan of how to handle the situation, of course, we're in the mix, it would be stupid not to.

I'd be fairly certain that Lambert has put together a list of targets and is thinking "if I can get any of these guys for a suitable price/wage I want to go for it (this wage/fee may have been set unrealistically low), but otherwise I'll back my squad to get out it, rather than spend money on players I don't want".

You can disagree with that all you like but it's the most likely scenario as things stand.  I'm suggest we've approached people and have the money to make the transfers but the players have asked for silly wages based on where we are in the league, along with all kinds of relegation clauses.

[jonzy85]

paul_e you are teetering dangerously close to speaking sense there.

I think the general mood of depression is bringing about this feeling that the powers that be are conspiring to have us relegated. Of course they aren't. The problem is that they are so inept that, whether they are conspiring to do it or not, the end result looks like being the same.

[rob_bridge]

How can there be no money when Deloitte have us in the top 30 clubs in the world with an annual revenue of 96 million a year? I don't understand it

Hate to piss on your chips but the other side of the equation is outgoings.

Wages for players who aren't delivering currently alone amounts to £25m per annum. We have spent £20m recruiting and firing managers in the last 2.5 years and made huge losses on many (not all) transfers with little sell on

[dave.woodhall]

How can there be no money when Deloitte have us in the top 30 clubs in the world with an annual revenue of 96 million a year? I don't understand it

Because Premier League clubs have the ability to spend £2 of every pound that comes in.

[midnite]

Exactly rob, it all seems to be pointing towards complete mismanagement from the board. We are one of the highest with our annual revenue. We have had £200 million pumped into the club by our owner yet we find ourselves without a pot to piss in. It just makes me cringe. It's a stupid amount of money with very little to show for it. £20 million spent on recruiting managers and compensation payouts in two and a half years is incredible.

[midnite]

How can there be no money when Deloitte have us in the top 30 clubs in the world with an annual revenue of 96 million a year? I don't understand it

Because Premier League clubs have the ability to spend £2 of every pound that comes in.

I don't get what you mean there? Do you mean with bank/owner loans etc we can spend more than we have coming in based on what we will get back in the future?

[dave.woodhall]

How can there be no money when Deloitte have us in the top 30 clubs in the world with an annual revenue of 96 million a year? I don't understand it

Because Premier League clubs have the ability to spend £2 of every pound that comes in.

I don't get what you mean there? Do you mean with bank/owner loans etc we can spend more than we have coming in based on what we will get back in the future?

No, I mean that whatever they have coming in, they'll still spend more and get into bigger debt. An example is the new TV deal, which I read somewhere means that every Premier League club could cut matchday ticket prices by £30 and still have as much income as this season. What do you think they'll do with the money - cut prices, pay off their overdrafts, invest in long-term projects such as community initiatives and overseas scouting networks, or pay ever-higher transfer fees and wages?