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

[PeterWithesShin]

The original point was it was a decent squad, I don't think it was when you look at it in depth. Some decent players on paper yes, but too many were either woefully out of form or heading towards the tail end of their careers.

See, to me, decent means just that.   

Not great. Not even good, necessarily.

But when measured against most of the sides outside of the top 4/5, equally as good as (and in many cases better) than the rest.   

Or were we inferior to Wigan, Southampton, Reading, Norwich, Swansea, WBA, West Ham, Stoke and Sunderland?   

Yes, or not much better when based on form. The only thing we had going for us was the promise of some of the youngsters, and as Albrighton has proved, promise in a couple of dozen appearances means nothing.

As far as I know, this was the squad that Lambert inherited, not that good is it?

Petrov is excluded obviously.

Shay Given
Bret Holman
Alan Hutton
Stephen Warnock
Richard Dunne
James Collins
Stephen Ireland
Darren Bent
Charles N'Zogbia
Gabriel Agbonlahor
Marc Albrighton
Nathan Delfouneso
Fabian Delph
Jean Makoun
Ciaran Clark
Barry Bannan
Andreas Weimann
Enda Stevens
Eric Lichaj
Chris Herd
Nathan Baker
Andy Marshall
Daniel Johnson
Graham Burke
Derrick Williams
Gary Gardner
Samir Carruthers
Jack Grealish

[KevinGage]

When measured against what, Arsenal or Manchester City's squad? 

No. 

When measured aganst 12-14 other sides who we compete with in the league, it's on a par, not a million miles off or better.

We clearly see the gaps more than fans of other clubs do, as it's personal to us.   Look beyond the first XI of Olbiyun, Norwich, Swansea and the rest and you won't see much there either  (Look beyond 4/5 Olbiyun players and you won't see much, truth be told).

[PeterWithesShin]

No, imo when measured against any other premier league squad. It's pretty dire. Given, injury and form worries. Dunne same. Hutton and Warnock, nothing needs to be said. Zog, poor 12 months. Gabby overall poor 2 years. Ireland, poor 3 years. Makoun, unsettled. Holman, an unkown. Bent, injured for months. It surprises me anyone can look at that squad and not see what a mess we were in.

[KevinGage]

Given: Arguably our most important player last season. Dunne and Warnock - part of a solid Villa rearguard just over two years prior.  N'Zog: Highly coveted at the time we signed him.  Lack of funds prevented Everton and Sunderland following up their interest. Ireland: Player of the Year at two seperate clubs by the age of 24. Gabby: scored goals against all the top sides and always provides a threat with his pace, even when the goals dry up. Bent: £24 million One in two England forward.

It surprises me that anyone would suggest that the squad Lambert inherited was inferior to Wigan, Southampton, Reading, Norwich, Swansea, WBA, West Ham, Stoke and Sunderland: unless they wanted to make him out to be some sort of modern day miracle worker.

After all, if we weren't that much of a step up from Norwich and the squad was so 'dire,'  why make the move?

[PeterWithesShin]

So you had no injury and form concerns over Given after the Euro's?
What Warnock and Dunne did 2 years previously is irrelevant. You had no concerns about Hutton and Warnock as fullbacks?
Zog being highly rated when we signed him is irrelevant, what he did in the 12 months he was at the club is, no conerns?
Ireland we've already covered. But i'll ask, you had no concerns?
Gabby, 8 goals in 60 games, and 6 months without a goal. Any concerns there?
Bent, injured for months, what he cost is also irrelevant. You weren't concerned how his injury may affect him?

I've never said he was a miracle worker, if he was we'd be top 8. The squad was poor with numerous question marks over it.

You'd have to ask him, i'm not Paul Lambert so don't know why he made the move. I could guess if you like?

[neo_Villan]

It's quite easy make judgements about a squad on paper. Look at QPR's squad who finished bottom. Then look at Swansea's squad that finished 9th (or even Smethwick). Let's face it, our so called 'good' and 'senior' players  have been dross ever since MON left (bar Petrov who actually stepped up) and as a team we have generally looked like a lower-half relegation threatened team ever since his exit. The one thing I will say is that this season has probably vindicated TSM to an extent as we can probably see now that the squad he inherited actually wasn't that good. However as I also said, he didn't help himself by just bringing in more of the same. N'Zogbia and Hutton for a combined 14m FFS! After that, you just never trusted him to be the man to be given more money to rebuild the squad. Not to mention the football (or lack of) on offer. Surely that was the first season in our history that we scored less goals then games played? The contrast speaks for itself and most importantly we have a direction and we can foresee some light at the end of the tunnel. 

[Matt C]

7.5 out of ten. For all the horrendous lows - and there has been a few - I think he's the right man at the right time. He's steadied the ship (albeit with some serious wobbles en route) and for the first time in years it feels like the good ship Aston Villa is heading in the right direction again. The key now is to keep it going - I reckon he's the man to do it.

[richardhubbard]

Work in progress, but since feb they have really improved. His signing have we great, repeat again and kick on

[eastie]

Could have little complaints if he had been fired in January but since then things have improved , it took a long time  to settle on a formation that suited the players and the 4-3-3 has been good for us - players have grown in confidence with results and he has done enough to deserve more time in the job to continue the rebuild.

His signings in the main have been very good with benteke, Lowton and Westwood superb and Bennett I'm sure will be an asset, Vlaar has been not as good as expected but may improve next year.

The players he inherited have let him down in the main but there are encouraging signs that we the nucleas of a team here that could finish top 10 at least next season.

My mark for lambert is 6.5/10 but with potential to improve things next year.

[Mister E]

7.5 out of ten. For all the horrendous lows - and there has been a few - I think he's the right man at the right time. He's steadied the ship (albeit with some serious wobbles en route) and for the first time in years it feels like the good ship Aston Villa is heading in the right direction again. The key now is to keep it going - I reckon he's the man to do it.

I think you have got it about right, Matt.
After the previous two seasons, Lambert inherited a dysfunctional and disjointed squad - a collection of mercenaries, saboteurs, planet-sized egos and callow youths.
We now have a squad of less callow and more talented youths who are united around a manager with a vision and purpose. A big difference from 12 months' previously.

There's still a big job to be done.

[Ads]

For the first time since the summer of 2009, we're going into through the summer and into a new season with the same manager as the previous term.

Stability is massive in football.

[Matt Collins]

I agree. That's why we really need to keep hold of Benteke and Weimann. Having to rebuild the front three as well as significantly improve the defence and improve the overall squad would be a daunting prospect.

[Eigentor]

Well, I guess that in terms of stature a squad consisting of players such as Given, Hutton, Warnock, Dunne, Bent, Gabby, Ireland, N'Zogbia, Collins (who Lambert sold) would look like solid Premiership quality (with a big gap in central midfield); one that should be floating around mid-table, and not one that should be fighting relegation. But if you look at the form of said players, there were reasons to be concerned. In some way it depends on how you see it I guess. Were the underperformance (with some temporary exceptions*) of said players due to their diminishing form or because of the underperformance of Houllier and McLeish?

*Like Bent under Houllier and Given (and to some extent Ireland) under McLeish.

[Concrete John]

When lambert came in there was a general acknowledgement that a bif re-building job was needed.  How many of us actually had any faith left in the Dunne/Collins/Warnock/Hutton defence?  The needed replacing, especially given how Lambert wanted to play, so judging it on paper is mis-leading when at the time both he and us were judging it on what we saw from them in 12/12.

[Hairbandinho]

All in al i think Lambert has done well with a young team to keep us up.

My major major concern is that if we do not spend on improving the defence, we will be in the same position again next season and let's be honest if you are fightling relegation for a 3rd season in a row, odds are you will eventually go down.

So in conclusion sort out the defence (CB, LB to push Bennet) and keep Benteke.