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

[KevinGage]

Clark is not a central defender.

That's one thing I'll never agree with Lambert on.

I can only think that Lambert has a clear idea as to his 'type' of midfielder, and Clark doesn't fit that particular template.

We play a sort of low rent Barcelona lite system, that is technically sound (ish) midfielders with plenty of energy pressing high up the pitch, and snapping at the heels of the opposition when we don't have the ball. Doesn't always work, of course. 

Clark isn't really mobile enough to fulfill that role, but - as he illustrated in 2011/12- he can sit deep in midfield and help to break up the play. His technique is OK, rather than great, he's OK in the air and can weigh in with goals, if given the chance.

Perhaps Lambert tried him there in training during the summer and just didn't like the look of him.  "He's not a midfielder,"  being the quote. Roughly translated as he's not my kind of midfielder.

[pauliewalnuts]

I'm with you on that.  Persevering with him there has put Clark back in his development.  He hasn't the make up or ability to be a commanding central defender.  Try him in midfield, or better still, impress enough to get a starting position there.

I have mentioned this before, but I saw the forum thing he did with WM at the start of the season and he was really dismissive of the idea of Clark in midfield - laughing it off, "he's no midfielder" - so I doubt we'll see him there, which is a shame.

[manic-road]

Collins is an average CB at best and wanted to go back to West Ham. Revsionism aside he made a balls up of things with us on numerous occasions. Now would he have been better than Clark or Baker in terms of experience and stability, I'd say yes, but he's no better than Vlaar, and certainly not the leader Vlaar is.

He also thinks he is Paul Scholes when it comes to long balls. Our Possession game starts from the back and he wouldn't have been able to play it.

The only thing he has in common with Paul Scholes is the ginger hair.

[PeterWithesShin]

They both have the same tackling ability as well.

[villan from luton]

Vlaar shouldnt have played v Bradford, he was not fit enough. While I agree he has not had a great start to his Villa career, I dont think he has been that bad. It does take time for some people to settle, someone mentioned Ken Mcnaught a little earlier and in his first season he got pelters (partly cos he had taken over from Chris Nicholl). I think he has a positive effect on the team and hope he gets some more assistance in the centre next time out.

[Steve67]

I vote Lambert IN. I am keen to see where this is all going.  Agree with others on here in reference to Clark.  He is not a central defender.  The debate about Vlaar, I am very unimpressed.  I hope, like Petrov, he gets better with time.

[SoccerHQ]

I think with Vlaar we all expected a much better player than we got due to his reputation. To be honest, maybe we were foolish to expect to get a top Dutch international to Villa Park, for what we paid for him (£3million?) and to expect some kind of McGrath-esque defensive colossus following his Euros performances. He's not a bad player, there's just a short fall between expectations and what we got. He's certainly at least twice as a good as Richard Fucking Dunne or James Sodding Collins. Like Percy I think we'll see a better player next season. 

Dunne and Collins on the whole were a decent partnership at Villa. How on earth anyone can claim the hapless Vlaar is "at least twice as good as that pair" after the season he's just given us is beyond me.

Collins lived off 09/10 so much, he was poor afterwards imo plus you had the off the field issues.

[villan from luton]

I agree Collins was useless after the initial season, Dunne, while he did not reach the same heights, was more than a reasonable defender IMHO.

[not3bad]

Lambert's "to do" list for the new season.  Sums things up quite well:

http://espnfc.com/blog/_/name/astonvilla/id/770?&cc=5739

[Diablo]

Lambert's "to do" list for the new season.  Sums things up quite well:

http://espnfc.com/blog/_/name/astonvilla/id/770?&cc=5739

Yep a pretty damn good assessment.

[OCD]

I agree with the points but would add another - add more depth to the offensive side of the team. For a large part of the season we struggled for goals and had there been any injuries to the front 3 in the run-in we would have been in trouble. More depth is needed to 1) make the squad more competitive, 2) give us an option if we're not so lucky with injuries this time 3) have a contingency plan in case anyone thinks the grass is greener on the other side.

The rest of the team need to contribute more goals too. We were too reliant on the front 3.

[LeeB]

My biggest priority would be to find another central midfielder, preferably a big horrible bully with a good touch.

I still believe that much of our defensive problems have because of the problems in midfield. We spent the first two thirds of the season trying to fill that third spot in midfield, none of El Amadi, Holman, Ireland or Bannan had any consistency. As a result we were repeatedly exposed and put under long spells of pressure.

That changed when Sylla found his feet, and as a result we looked a lot more robust defensively and as a bonus he was also handy at keeping the ball, so we had made more chances. We can't afford to lose anyone of Sylla, Delph and Westwood as it stands as the whole thing falls apart so adding to and more so improving that group would be top of the list, for me.

There's still work to be done with the defenders, but I wouldn't give up on any of them, they'll all be better players for having played together for a season and having gone through the wringer and come out intact. Add to them by all means, but not some experienced lump. Lets just get a couple more hungry, adaptable, talented young players who we can blood into our style over the season.

Keep the three up top together, bring in Benteke's replacement now in readiness for next summer, and with the turmoil that the rest of the division seems to be in, we'll sail into the top six with some cracking football, some new heroes, and the FA Cup in the bag.

[rob_bridge]

In order we need Central Midfielder - big strong bully who can play and good in both boxes. Central Defender - again more of the thuggish stopper as opposed to footballing - the 3 we have are not strong enough but could be. Left Back as competition for Bennett (he was nailed on due to Warnock' all round shiteness). Then Goalkeeping and Right Back and Forward cover.
That is 6 as a minimum + realistically 2-3 to step up from the yoofs this year. We get rid of the dead wood - can't agrue with any of those who need to be moved on. Maybe give KEA and Holman another 6 months. The rest can go - starting with the useless twunt Ireland.

[Concrete John]

My to do list would be very similar to that:-

1.  Sign up Weimann and Benteke.
2.  If they're costing a lot and not contributing, get rid!
3.  Get more goals from midfield.
4.  An experienced CB to go straight into the side.
5.  Keep up the excellent scouting of young and hungry players.

[Toronto Villa]

The thing I am most comfortable about going into next season is that Lambert now knows the best system for this team. It took him over half a season to figure that out last year. Now, it needs some additional quality in key areas and we should be in much better shape to hit the ground running. There's plenty of uncertainty for other clubs in the division with managerial changes that it's just reassuring that it's not us for once.