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

[Percy McCarthy]

Sailing in with a war chest, would indicate it's too heavy to fly.

Honestly though, I don't think we need to spend too big this summer,except on maybe enhancing the contracts of those that have stood up for us this season. I'd prefer to see money spent on buying out the contracts of the dead wood - we all know who they are.

Plus one or two quality signings to strengthen our weakest positions and I reckon we'll be set fair to climb the table next season and challenge for a top 6 spot.

My view as well. It would be harsh to bring in direct replacements for Delph, Westwood and Sylla IMO. I also don't want to see too much trraffic in the way of Gardner, and I also think KEA is better than what he's showed so far. So that's midfield sorted.

The present front three will be persevered with and rightly so.

One  really good centre-half to partner and lead Vlaar as he gets more used to the league is the one signing I feel we really have to make, but I feel everything else he does will involve tinkering round the depth and edges of the squad.

[villa `cross the mersey]

My opinion has changed twice this season; firstly from a wait and see approach, to being completely disillusioned and then back again.

Post Wigan, I found a little bit of solace in Swansea away, a game where we could easily have been 5 or 6 down before Andi equalised and in the end we through it away at the death. But the results in January were, Swansea and Albion away apart, awful. I was giving the players dogs abuse down at the Den after the final whistle and I genuinely though we were down; everything was just compounding, with one humiliation after another.

What changed for me was the second 45 against Newcastle and it was then that I began to believe in the side and Lambert again. I wrote down on my sticky note at work where we would get points from; I predicted 41 in total and I expect to be wrong on that, with us picking up at least another 4.

I was very confident after Newcastle and think we have gone from an unsure and meandering side, to a bloody awful one, to the one we see now; full of defensive naivety, but absolutely lethal going forwards.

Cough...splutter.....I`m about to choke on my words here.........I kind of agree with you on this Ads
I was pleased with the appointment and was willing to be patient, however the results in December put paid to that - add in the cup defeats and lack of recruitment before the transfer deadline I was doubting my earlier enthuisiasm. The spate of decent results have been an improvement however we are still not safe - although it would take a massive turn of fortune for Wigan to save themselves - although they have done it previously.
I was not going to renew next season (I said that last season but Mrs VCTM renewed whilst I was lying in a hospital bed recovering from an operation - just to cheer me up !! yeh right !!) but I sense that we can be a relatively strong force if we buy wisely pre-season  - so maybe come July I will pick up the phone to the ticket office.
A result tomorrow would be a massive boost followed by a free flowing attacking performance at Wigan to finish the season with a flourish.
Hopefully - We go again.

[SoccerHQ]

Just think Clive, you can utter repeatedly "we go again" to all your Evertonian mates next season when they have a similar season to what we've had this season.

[ozzjim]

Just think Clive, you can utter repeatedly "we go again" to all your Evertonian mates next season when they have a similar season to what we've had this season.

Everton will take a bit of time to get to what we have had this season, they will still have some excellent pros that will carry them to top 10 next couple of years I think.

As for Lambert, I am glad he is admitting this season has been a huge learning curve. I am also glad he had the guts, when most would not to have decided on a course with Karsa and Culverhouse and stuck to it without bailing out half way through, taking that pain and those hits was entirely needed to get the ship right.

[villan from luton]

But you still think we are going down dont you ozzyJim?

[ozzjim]

But you still think we are going down dont you ozzyJim?

No, as I said many, many times when getting stick for saying before wigan were beaten, if Wigan lost to Swansea we are sorted. Which we are, and had we gone, as I have also said many times, I would have wanted Lambert to stay and continue to re shape the club!

[villan from luton]

Fair enough but to say we were still favourites last weekend to go down was puzzling. Never mind, I think things are looking up for our club. I agree even if we went down I would keep Lambert as he has brought a bit of hope for the future IMHO

[Yossarian]

Not sure if this is the right place but...Molde managed by OGS, who was widely tipped for us last season and had a lot of popular support on here, are bottom of their table having taken five points from the last eight games.

[ozzjim]

Fair enough but to say we were still favourites last weekend to go down was puzzling. Never mind, I think things are looking up for our club. I agree even if we went down I would keep Lambert as he has brought a bit of hope for the future IMHO

I did not say we were favourites either. I said I thought we were most likely given the fixtures and the likelihood of Wigan to beat Swansea. Thankfully I was wrong!

[SoccerHQ]

Any idea why he didn't bring anyone on yesterday.

Surely after the second goal? Everyone knew with the Terry injury they would be 6 minutes minimum and we got 7 so there was practically 10 minutes left from the moment Lampard scored. Hazard also went off injured soon after so Chelsea played the whole of injury time with 8 outfield players.

Don't understand why N'zogbia and Bent didn't make appearences especially as many of our players were out on their feet for the last 15 minutes.

[Greg N'Ash]

If he keeps us up then he's probably earned the right to start next season. However if we're round the bottom come Christmas and he hasn't learnt from the myriad mistakes he's made this season then i think its goodbye. Yes he's bought some good players,but another season like this one and they'll be off and as we've seen before big transfer fee's may make Lerner happy, but they've done precious little for our league position. The team may be promising at times but you don't get to the last week of the season in danger of relegation if things are going well.

[Oscar Arce]

Lambert has made many mistakes this season but the one that has cost us at least ten points is the lack of experience on the pitch at vital stages of the game.
This is balanced out by the enthusiasm and positivity of youth, which will always buy a manager time.
But quality, experience right down the middle of the pitch is badly needed, as I said before on here, imagine being able to bring a Petrov off the bench for example yesterday before Chelsea got back in the game, or a Withe to hold the ball and get free kicks to take the pressure off without harming the development of some of these young players.
Will Lambert buy this sort of player? I'm not so sure, but I think this holds the key to whether he should stay, if Lerner looses the purse strings and allows him to purchase these players who will command higher fees we could have a squad (if we survive) capable of progress next season.

[Greg N'Ash]

Good point. Experience is a must this summer. He's been unlucky with Petrov and i presume he thought Dunne would be available to the defence as well at some point, but a few older heads would have been useful if only to take some of the kids out of the firing line during the disasterous spell.  You could argue that some of the kids finding their feet as the season has progressed is entirely because there was no-one else to turn to, but i'd still like a few more in the 25-28 bracket coming in possibly from abroad. I suppose Lambert could point to the likes of Ireland and say experience is useless without motivation.

[claretandbeer]

Lambert has made many mistakes this season but the one that has cost us at least ten points is the lack of experience on the pitch at vital stages of the game.
This is balanced out by the enthusiasm and positivity of youth, which will always buy a manager time.
But quality, experience right down the middle of the pitch is badly needed, as I said before on here, imagine being able to bring a Petrov off the bench for example yesterday before Chelsea got back in the game, or a Withe to hold the ball and get free kicks to take the pressure off without harming the development of some of these young players.
Will Lambert buy this sort of player? I'm not so sure, but I think this holds the key to whether he should stay, if Lerner looses the purse strings and allows him to purchase these players who will command higher fees we could have a squad (if we survive) capable of progress next season.

Lambert has made mistakes but I back him because of his track record in management and his present transfer  policy which offers Villa a chance of sustainable progress.
We already have a squad that is not just capable of progress next season but will progress.
The young midfield of Delph,Sylla and Westwood more than competed against a world class Chelsea midfield and there are goals in the front 3. Lowton and Bennett are improving and Guzan,another Lambert signing,has been solid.
A Withe style player ?    Grant Holt,Crouch ,Kevin Davies or a very expensive Carroll ? Or why not sign a young Belgian from Genk who can hold the ball up but also has skills and pace that Withe could only dream of ?
An experienced equivalent of Petrov is there one who is or was available if so Man U and other leading clubs would be in the hunt.

[Oscar Arce]

I back Lambert too, I didn't say I didn't its just sometimes in a football match you have to do the 'ugly' things to win... slow a game down by enticing a foul, standing over the ball at a free kick, or even kicking the ball into the corner.
I'm a big fan and admirer of Lambert's reliance on youth, but it's experienced players that will normally do those 'ugly' things and the difference in the Premier League is such fine margins, these are the things that matter a lot in the end.
I've seen Villa managers like Tommy Doc, Graham Turner etc., rely totally on youth before and as I said it works for a short time then you need to augment with quality experience...a balance.