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

[Dribbler]

I wonder what proportion of Norwich's supporters will be clamouring for Hughton to be sacked as they tumble relentlessly down the league and exit the FA Cup at the hands of a Conference team - at home. After all, he inherited a team that were comfortably mid table last season (as opposed to one that was nearly relegated for the second season running).

Where there are no credible alternatives that will help our current plight, public demands for a change of manager will hinder not help any chance we have of avoiding relegation. Lambert's increasing desparation (and the errors that come with this) have been caused by the situation he is in, trying to manage a club that has no direction. Most human beings would be influenced by this and any successor (who?) would be too.

I don't care about Norwich, I care about Aston Villa. Your position rests upon 3 assumptions which I think are wrong, 1) that there are no credible alternatives, 2) the club has no direction and 3) that no manager could do a better job than Lambert given the resources he's had.

Lambert's record at our club speaks for itself, it is horrendous and if the man had any shame he would have walked by now. He knew the challenge he was accepting and he's had a full pre-season and £20 million plus to spend on players after assessing the squad he inherited. Unfortunately the decisions he has made haven't paid off, and this has led to the complete and utter continued embarrassment of our club.

His quote about experience still rankles me, he said experience doesn't guarantee anything, well yes and no, it doesn't guarantee performances or results, though it's usually a good indicator, but what experience does guarantee, is experience, and that in itself can be a massively valuable asset. Maybe if he had a little more experience himself, he wouldn't have said such a stupid thing and made some of the numerous stupid mistakes he has.

[Yossarian]

I am beginning to believe that with so many unknowns at the club that Paul Lambert was aping Barry Fry's time at Small Heath.

[Drummond]

I bet the QPR fans are demanding Redknapp out after today...

[eastie]

I bet the QPR fans are demanding Redknapp out after today...

Played his reserves side near enough- wise move .

[danno]

I bet the QPR fans are demanding Redknapp out after today...

Played his reserves side near enough- wise move .

I can think of at least two occasions in our recent history where our manager has done something similar
and it has backfired. Whose to say it can't happen to our old mucka arry?

[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.

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.

There's a difference between a conspiracy theory and being complicit.

I don't anyone with an ounce of sense believes that Lerner and his stooges are actively trying to get us relegated.  But absolutely think Lerner, Faulkener and Lambert are complicit in being signed up to the same plan and party line. 

One definition of being complicit is being aware of a crime and failing to report it.   It was a crime to enter the premier league season with such a weak squad - which was highlighted by the inept opening game against Everton.  Lambert's signings went some way to remedy the situation but it simply been proven to be not enough.

So here we are in the transfer window on the verge of squandering the opportunity to maximise our chances of survival.  If we don't strengthen then it will be another crime and none of them will act on it.

If the money is there, then Lerner won't sack Lambert for not strengthening.  If the money isn't there then Lambert won't resign in protest of his position being untenable.  If these aren't clear examples of being complicit then I don't know what is.
 

[aj2k77]

It wouldn't hurt if the boring drone came out with a bit of honesty.

As much as I dislike Redknapp and Brendan Rodgers, they suffer an embaressing defeat and come out with both barrells firing saying how it's not acceptable and slamming the players. After every defeat we get some soft arse shit from Lambert how they gave there all etc etc, bollocks did they. Bradford should not be capable of beating us over 2 games. We should not be conceding from nearly every corner or cross thrown into the box. Theres a real lack of commitment from the defenders, i'm talking about last ditch tackles, throwing your head in where it hurts, busting your bollocks to stop a winger getting a cross in. I don't see any of this from this set of players. They're on easy street and not killing themselves for the club.

The sooner Lambert starts telling a few of these ****** some how truths the better.

[pauliewalnuts]

I am convinced that Lambert will come good for us.

I'll be honest, my belief took a big knock after Milwall, but having thought about it a bit more, I remain convinced that we've got a good manager, who is currently having the struggle of his life. Partly, it is his fault, partly it is the dross he's still got in his squad, and partly it is our hermit of our owner.

That's not pretending things aren't bad - they are - and I do think we'll go down without reinforcements, but even if that were to happen, what kind of manager would we be looking for to get us back up? The sort with a proven record of getting teams promoted - ie the manager we have at the moment.

I totally appreciate why some people want him out now (although a more than decent proportion of us don't), but I still believe sticking with him and supporting him is the thing to do, and represents our best chance of hanging on to our status.

One thing you see a lot on here is "Manager X would do better than Lambert", but that is not the point. Manager X, Y or Z would have to do significantly better than Lambert if we are to stay up under these circumstances. A bit better won't be enough.

[Risso]

I am convinced that Lambert will come good for us.

I'll be honest, my belief took a big knock after Milwall, but having thought about it a bit more, I remain convinced that we've got a good manager, who is currently having the struggle of his life. Partly, it is his fault, partly it is the dross he's still got in his squad, and partly it is our hermit of our owner.

That's not pretending things aren't bad - they are - and I do think we'll go down without reinforcements, but even if that were to happen, what kind of manager would we be looking for to get us back up? The sort with a proven record of getting teams promoted - ie the manager we have at the moment.

I totally appreciate why some people want him out now (although a more than decent proportion of us don't), but I still believe sticking with him and supporting him is the thing to do, and represents our best chance of hanging on to our status.

One thing you see a lot on here is "Manager X would do better than Lambert", but that is not the point. Manager X, Y or Z would have to do significantly better than Lambert if we are to stay up under these circumstances. A bit better won't be enough.

It's entirely possible that one point will be the difference between going down and staying up, it's been that way for 6 of the last seven years, so a bit better might well be enough seeing how tight it is at the moment.

[Drummond]

None of us are happy right now and we've all got differing views on the way forward and the merits of the manager.

I'd much rather people focused on our owner and the way he's 'running' our club.

Judging by other results this weekend, Tottenham, Norwich and Liverpool have all been beaten by teams lower than us in the lague ladder. The current European Champions were held to a draw by Brentford from League One. It can and does happen to everyone at some point, we've just had two shit results in Cup competitions in close succession. Our league frm is also diabolical.

However, we are still not in the relegation places, we aren't down, though we're on very thin ice indeed and appear to be walking further out to the thinner bit.

Lambert isn't a bad manager overnight, however, he's being hung out to dry by our owner and board. It's not pretty at all. We're much like the Cleveland Browns under Lerner, except for one big difference; we can be relegated from the league.

Of course Lerner might just be chucking his toys out because the fans were rude to his mate the General.

[olaftab]

It wouldn't hurt if the boring drone came out with a bit of honesty.

As much as I dislike Redknapp and Brendan Rodgers, they suffer an embaressing defeat and come out with both barrells firing saying how it's not acceptable and slamming the players.

Yes great Arry the master of self preservation. Nothing great about managers having a go at players after an embarrassment and making themselves look good with sound bites.

[olaftab]

Also, don't slag the banks off because they pay all our bills and match tickets.

And without them we wouldn't get paid.

[silhillvilla]

Lose to Newcastle and I'd say he's gone

[Risso]

Of course Lerner might just be chucking his toys out because the fans were rude to his mate the General.

That's a potentially extremely expensive strop!

[pauliewalnuts]

I am convinced that Lambert will come good for us.

I'll be honest, my belief took a big knock after Milwall, but having thought about it a bit more, I remain convinced that we've got a good manager, who is currently having the struggle of his life. Partly, it is his fault, partly it is the dross he's still got in his squad, and partly it is our hermit of our owner.

That's not pretending things aren't bad - they are - and I do think we'll go down without reinforcements, but even if that were to happen, what kind of manager would we be looking for to get us back up? The sort with a proven record of getting teams promoted - ie the manager we have at the moment.

I totally appreciate why some people want him out now (although a more than decent proportion of us don't), but I still believe sticking with him and supporting him is the thing to do, and represents our best chance of hanging on to our status.

One thing you see a lot on here is "Manager X would do better than Lambert", but that is not the point. Manager X, Y or Z would have to do significantly better than Lambert if we are to stay up under these circumstances. A bit better won't be enough.

It's entirely possible that one point will be the difference between going down and staying up, it's been that way for 6 of the last seven years, so a bit better might well be enough seeing how tight it is at the moment.

I genuinely don't think there's really much likelihood of finding someone now, parachuting them in, and even achieving much via the usual new manager lift thing.

I know you're going to tell me i was saying that four weeks ago, and I was, but that doesn't change the fact it is January 27th, and we're almost entirely out of time to do anything to improve the squad.

I genuinely believe that if we don't get squad additions in, we are done for, in any case.

Lambert will have played a massive part in that, but so will Lerner with his misguided "sell all the good players, replace them with crud or children" policy.