Lambert: I want to build a top team

[LeeB]

I support the long term plan and it's been a lot more entertaining than last year.

I think some of the problems with our defending comes from the ethos of attacking to win games, but fuck it, I never want to see a Villa side go into games with the fear of god we played with last season.

I suspect the same goes for the majority of Villa fans, which is why the manager and players have had inordinate support this season.

[LeeB]

This is a results business - fans will not start flocking to Villa Park because we have young lads playing tippy tappy across the back line - they will come in droves if we start winning games irrespective of the manner in which they come

We were (mostly) winning under O'Neill with two good cup runs in his final season thrown in and still people (on here at least)moaned like fuck so I'm not sure that argument holds much water.

We're unlikely to ever win much again given the loaded nature of league football, so if I'm going to shell out £30+ to attend a match I want a bit of style and entertainment.

[Risso]

I support the long term plan and it's been a lot more entertaining than last year.

I think some of the problems with our defending comes from the ethos of attacking to win games, but fuck it, I never want to see a Villa side go into games with the fear of god we played with last season.

I suspect the same goes for the majority of Villa fans, which is why the manager and players have had inordinate support this season.

The problems come from the fact that we haven't got any decent defenders.  All the goals we've conceded from corners haven't come as a result of us trying to attack.  The central defence especially is a joke.  Vlaar, Clark and Baker are all rubbish.

[PaulWinch again]

I support the long term plan and it's been a lot more entertaining than last year.

I think some of the problems with our defending comes from the ethos of attacking to win games, but fuck it, I never want to see a Villa side go into games with the fear of god we played with last season.

I suspect the same goes for the majority of Villa fans, which is why the manager and players have had inordinate support this season.

Well that's it, after last year going into games trying to just keep down the margin of defeat that was impossible to stomach. At least this year we've given it a go, and yes it hasn't come off a lot but if we make it through there's so much more potential for growth. Under Mcleish it would have just continued to spiral down into misery.

[Clampy]

I support the long term plan and it's been a lot more entertaining than last year.

I think some of the problems with our defending comes from the ethos of attacking to win games, but fuck it, I never want to see a Villa side go into games with the fear of god we played with last season.

I suspect the same goes for the majority of Villa fans, which is why the manager and players have had inordinate support this season.

Vlaar, Clark and Baker are all rubbish.

I'd take any of those over the lumbering oaf that is Samba.

[Risso]

The very same people who were criticising MON for short term thinking and leaving us with unproductive players draining the wage bill are now advocating that Lambert does the very same thing. If players do not fit in with the way he wants us to play AND with the clubs strategic direction in terms of costs then signing them then it leaves us in 12 months time with them acting as a drain on the wage bill and us back to the position we were under Houllier and Mcleish, and all the pain of the last few years has been for nothing.

Talk of short term contracts etc is just pie in the sky, any signings we make are not going to do it on that basis unless they have no other options and if they have no other options then you'd have to ask yourself why.

Spot on Chris.

Whatever the opposite of spot on is, that's actually what it is.  People moaned about O'Neill because he was spending Champions League level money without serving up the style of play and results the outlay merited.  The answer to that isn't to cut everything to the bone and rely on a load of lower league kids.  This idiotic thinking that the only way to run a football club is to lurch from one extreme to the other is what that pair of retards Lerner and Faulkner are guilty of. 

[Clampy]

The very same people who were criticising MON for short term thinking and leaving us with unproductive players draining the wage bill are now advocating that Lambert does the very same thing. If players do not fit in with the way he wants us to play AND with the clubs strategic direction in terms of costs then signing them then it leaves us in 12 months time with them acting as a drain on the wage bill and us back to the position we were under Houllier and Mcleish, and all the pain of the last few years has been for nothing.

Talk of short term contracts etc is just pie in the sky, any signings we make are not going to do it on that basis unless they have no other options and if they have no other options then you'd have to ask yourself why.

Spot on Chris.

Whatever the opposite of spot on is, that's actually what it is.  People moaned about O'Neill because he was spending Champions League level money without serving up the style of play and results the outlay merited.  The answer to that isn't to cut everything to the bone and rely on a load of lower league kids.  This idiotic thinking that the only way to run a football club is to lurch from one extreme to the other is what that pair of retards Lerner and Faulkner are guilty of. 

Is 'retards' really a necessary word to use when having a football debate?

[Risso]

You wanted Samba FFS Risso! You cannot want a guy, then argue using him being woeful, which he has been, means we should have bought better. He was 12m and 120k a week. And has been useless. There is no value in Jan at all, you have to pay mad money. QPR did, and it has not worked, who is to say it would for us.

Ahem:


"QPR losing Nelson is a bonus. Hope they don't sign Samba"
"Samba is made for us. Shame we can't afford him. "
"Samba would be a good signing"
"Chris Samba would be awesome, what is he up to now"


I'll leave you to guess who wrote all that this January, but a big clue was that it wasn't me.

[villa `cross the mersey]

This is a results business - fans will not start flocking to Villa Park because we have young lads playing tippy tappy across the back line - they will come in droves if we start winning games irrespective of the manner in which they come

We were (mostly) winning under O'Neill with two good cup runs in his final season thrown in and still people (on here at least)moaned like fuck so I'm not sure that argument holds much water.

OK the fall out following the MON period has been painful, certainly in terms of the club`s coffers but when I reflect upon "the days out " whilst MON was in charge compared to what we have recently endured under successive managers I know which I prefer.
VCTM jnr still talks about the two Wembley trips, and some of the away games where as a collective the travelling fans had a belief and the pride of being a Villa fan was evident.

Now we just shrug our shoulders at a record defeat, losing to lower league teams and rely on teams around us rather than us being in control over our destiny.Many of us (myself included) coming on here wishing for a Spurs victory - how far have we sunk?

As I stated I would love to see Lambert suceed but the way things are developing it will be from a lower base and  potentially a financially damaging one. 

In respect of our support - I am sure that sustained success over a prolonged period - 3 or 4 seasons and not just one would tempt local kids to support the Villa rather than Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal etc, In terms of success that would include a Wembley visit or at least striving for the holy grail that is the 4th placed spot !

Finally us Villa fans love a good old moan - even when we are winning - perhaps its the Brummie inside us !!!

[LeeB]

I support the long term plan and it's been a lot more entertaining than last year.

I think some of the problems with our defending comes from the ethos of attacking to win games, but fuck it, I never want to see a Villa side go into games with the fear of god we played with last season.

I suspect the same goes for the majority of Villa fans, which is why the manager and players have had inordinate support this season.

Vlaar, Clark and Baker are all rubbish.

I'd take any of those over the lumbering oaf that is Samba.

Likewise.

The thing I remembered most about Samba at Blackburn is how intimidated he was by John Carew.

[walsall villain]

It was very high risk in January, especially in the bottom of our rut, but we have finally seen something; we pass the ball, we create chances and we do need more defensive quality, but at least we can see a future, whereas last season it was hard to imagine.

Agree. Our points tally hasn't improved compared to this time last year but I think we are seeing improvements. Of course it's desperately tight but I think we will survive, just. We can't keep changing managers and we can't or won't spend big so what he is doing seems right to me. A least he has looked at and seemingly discarded players who I think aren't up to this level, Ireland and Bannan.
If we do go down and he gets sacked, I would be disappointed.

[walsall villain]

.............Finally us Villa fans love a good old moan - even when we are winning - perhaps its the Brummie inside us !!!

An old Les Ross joke (ex localRadio presenter).....
We all know what the definition of a true cockney is. Born within the sound of Bow bells.
Well the definition of a true Brummie is someone born within the sound of somebody else moaning.

True or not!

[JUAN PABLO]

Frankly Mr Lambert I couldn`t give a toss about the Ajax or Dortmund model I care passionately about my club - your "project" has seen me witnessing record 0-8 defeats at Chelsea, 0-3 at home to Wigan and most embarassingly, defeats in the Cup competitions to lower league "giants".

Damn , thats just woke me up quick ;(

[JUAN PABLO]

I still can not believe he did not get a defender in January . Dawkins , whats the point , people say because he didnt cost a lot , sorry I do not get that , we have better players in the reserves .

I want PL to succeed and generally think if we stay up , we will be alright in the future , but not signing a defender , my mind boggles.

Letting in stupid goals from awful defending is costing us.

[Risso]

I still can not believe he did not get a defender in January . Dawkins , whats the point , people say because he didnt cost a lot , sorry I do not get that , we have better players in the reserves .

I want PL to succeed and generally think if we stay up , we will be alright in the future , but not signing a defender , my mind boggles.

Letting in stupid goals from awful defending is costing us.

Spot on.  I have no problem with Lambert's approach to football, or our attacking intent which is good.  But the defensive side of our game is atrocious, and if we go down that'll be the main reason.  Doing nothing about it in January was just negligent.