On-going progress..

[saunders_heroes]

So you know we can't compete, but you want us to be competitive? Who with? What does that mean?

How about speculating to accumulate. Surely a rich man like Lerner has done that in the past?

I think you have an unrealistic view on how much we can spend on speculation. Football is a business, but it's a pretty wild one. Buying players to hopefully sell at a profit isn't like investing in steel - the risks involved are greater than any stock market commodity.

Unrealistic to want a team a Villa that can compete in the Premier League and not bow down to the likes of Tottenham when they come to town?

Unrealistic in thinking that we can currently spend as much as them. You think that the answer to everything is to spend more? Well, there's no way we can spend as much as Spurs right now, let alone as much as the teams who finished top four last season. So, we have to find another way to build ourselves up in the meantime. How much do you think Spurs are paying Lewis Holtby, who came into the side yesterday and scooped that ball to Defoe for their first in a way no Villa player could? He's their second string. We're miles behind them financially, so we need to find another way.

Any ideas? Ideas which don't just imagine that Lerner has more money than he does.

Again, who said we should be spending as much a Spurs do? I want us to be competitive in the PL. That doesn't mean I'm demanding CL football over night, but it damn well means we should be the perennial relegation battlers that we have become. I think Lerner has lost any kind of ambition at Villa and is now running us on a relative shoe string. Are you happy with Villa under Lerner?

[German James]

I'm not deluded enough to think we can compete with the Man Citys of this world, I just want to see us competitive but we're not even doing that. Are you happy with the Villa at the moment?
As for the players you've listed only Benteke can be classed as a good signing. Okore may well turn out to be decent in the long run. Weimann can class himself very lucky to be still in the team. He's done barely nothing this calendar year. In another era at. Villa he'd find himself back in the reserves.

I'm happier with the Villa's situation than I was last Christmas and that's progress - allbeit slight progress - as far as I'm concerned.

When that shit O'neill walked out, I'd have been happier to have seen our next appointment be an improvement on him. In fact, given where we were, I'd have expected it. The next two managers were obviously nowhere near, and it's that (or rather those) terrible managerial descisions we're trying to rectify, not a lack of funding by Lerner.

I believe (and fervently hope) that the "provide a bottomless moneypit" stategy of some of the PL's richlist proves unsustainable. So I'm actually pleased Villa's not as crass and vulgar as Citeh and Chelsea, even if that means a few years of plodding.

[saunders_heroes]

I think we just need to chill a little. 

Looking at the squad realistically, its midtable. Thats what has been budgeted for. Thats in line with what we all pay as individuals at the gate and for our season tickets.

Two quality additions and it could (with a tail wind and a spot of good luck) be top 7/6.

I don't think Lambert is blinkered or reluctant to pay for the quality, or even so much that Lerner won't fund it. Its just that there's only a finite pool of quality, all being chased by a group of clubs across Europe, of which we are but one.

I like they way we're developing. I'm prepared to build slowly. Consolidation this season (14th - 10th place). Kick on again next season (10th - 7th). Then see where we can go and what the appetite for risk is at that point.

No easy quick fixes available any longer I'm afraid.

There could be a quick fix, if only Lerner would invest some real money, but he won't do it. We spend a relative pittance these days and we're seeing the consequence of it. It's quite humiliating seeing us getting beat at home so often. There doesn't seem much pride at the Villa these days.

Last night you said Lerner doesn't spend enough. You were asked how many managers had spent more than Lambert and didn't answer. This morning you're saying Lerner doesn't spend enough.

And the one thing you'll never do is question Randy Lerner. You seem his biggest fan for some reason.

He pays me. Didn't you know?

If you could be bothered to read everything rather than selectively, you'll see that I criticise when due and ignore most of the time. However, when something is apparently wrong then I'll disagree with it, and your claim that he hasn't given enough money is blatantly at odds with the facts.

Your criticisms of Lerner must be very well hidden because I don't see many of them. One things for sure though if anyone dares criticises him on here you're the first to jump to his defence.

[supertom]

Around this time last year we won away to Man City's reserves.  Last night we lost at home to Spurs' reserves.  If one isn't a reason to get carried away, then the other isn't reason to be too despondent, especailly as league results are better so far this season.

It's a bump in the road.
 

The problem though John, is that we've all seen what can happen to us after one thorough tonking. The last thing we need is a repeat of last December. We now have the delight of hosting Man City and I'm not expecting us to fare much better than last night. I honestly don't see who'll score the goals for us at the moment. I'll stop now before I make mention of Darren Bent...

I'm hoping for an instant reaction, and honestly, if we're gonna get buggered royally it may as well be in the league cup, but get pancaked by City and Hull will really be fancying themselves against us. And then...fucking Spurs again.

[dave.woodhall]

Your criticisms of Lerner must be very well hidden because I don't see many of them. One things for sure though if anyone dares criticises him on here you're the first to jump to his defence.

Which again isn't true, but if it makes you happy keep saying it.

[Monty]

I'm not happy with Villa under Lerner, no, but that's mostly because of decisions. He didn't really know anything about football when he arrived - still could know more - and gave the bulk of his money to the wrong man. Yes, most of us supported that man as well, but as chairman his job is to know better than fans and frankly he knew worse than many, especially towards the end. The two managers who followed? One was a noble-ish error, one might be the worst single decision the club has made in decades. In appointing Lambert he's gone some way to getting it right.

But why are you focusing so much on Lerner? Did Lerner tell Lambert to buy Kozak? Does Lerner come down to the training pitch and disrupt ball-retention exercises? Perhaps you could relax your apparently monomaniacal obsession with Lerner, and think about Lambert, think about what football is now in the Premier League, and maybe cut them some slack? Not everything is a 'disgrace' or a 'scandal' or an 'outrage' you know.

[saunders_heroes]

Your criticisms of Lerner must be very well hidden because I don't see many of them. One things for sure though if anyone dares criticises him on here you're the first to jump to his defence.

Which again isn't true, but if it makes you happy keep saying it.

I look forward to your next criticism of Lerner then.

[supertom]

We never seem to get the balance right these days sadly. If we could strike a balance between buying the quality young prospects Lambert does, with the sort of big money successes O Neill had, like Miln, Young etc. Then we could be building a quality side. The trouble is O Neill also spunked ridiculous amounts on mediocrity, whilst in the present day Lamberts still fighting the restraints that's led to but also seems to have a problem with buying players with any sort of reputation.
The sad fact of the matter is, if you spend 1 million on a player, you'll be extremely lucky if that player is Premiership quality. If you spend 10 million, you'd be quite unfortunate if he isn't.

As someone mentioned earlier though, maybe now Lamberts signed pretty much a new squad in 3 windows, now we can go into the next couple of windows trying to supplement with 3-4 higher quality additions. 1-2 who have been there and done the business wouldn't go amiss. There is still a place in football for players over 28.

[saunders_heroes]

I'm not happy with Villa under Lerner, no, but that's mostly because of decisions. He didn't really know anything about football when he arrived - still could know more - and gave the bulk of his money to the wrong man. Yes, most of us supported that man as well, but as chairman his job is to know better than fans and frankly he knew worse than many, especially towards the end. The two managers who followed? One was a noble-ish error, one might be the worst single decision the club has made in decades. In appointing Lambert he's gone some way to getting it right.

But why are you focusing so much on Lerner? Did Lerner tell Lambert to buy Kozak? Does Lerner come down to the training pitch and disrupt ball-retention exercises? Perhaps you could relax your apparently monomaniacal obsession with Lerner, and think about Lambert, think about what football is now in the Premier League, and maybe cut them some slack? Not everything is a 'disgrace' or a 'scandal' or an 'outrage' you know.

Christ don't start me on Lambert or I'll be at it all day. The pair of them are like Stan and Ollie, and they're in charge of our club

[JUAN PABLO]

Never had a problem with what we spent but would have liked a couple of experienced players in the squad instead of all cheap unknowns .

Still think Barry would have been great like Arsenal did with Flamini etc .  Even the Top 4 get experience .  We do need a general type at times .

[dave.woodhall]

Your criticisms of Lerner must be very well hidden because I don't see many of them. One things for sure though if anyone dares criticises him on here you're the first to jump to his defence.

Which again isn't true, but if it makes you happy keep saying it.

I look forward to your next criticism of Lerner then.

I look forward to your next praise of anything.

[Monty]

I'm not happy with Villa under Lerner, no, but that's mostly because of decisions. He didn't really know anything about football when he arrived - still could know more - and gave the bulk of his money to the wrong man. Yes, most of us supported that man as well, but as chairman his job is to know better than fans and frankly he knew worse than many, especially towards the end. The two managers who followed? One was a noble-ish error, one might be the worst single decision the club has made in decades. In appointing Lambert he's gone some way to getting it right.

But why are you focusing so much on Lerner? Did Lerner tell Lambert to buy Kozak? Does Lerner come down to the training pitch and disrupt ball-retention exercises? Perhaps you could relax your apparently monomaniacal obsession with Lerner, and think about Lambert, think about what football is now in the Premier League, and maybe cut them some slack? Not everything is a 'disgrace' or a 'scandal' or an 'outrage' you know.

Christ don't start me on Lambert or I'll be at it all day. The pair of them are like Stan and Ollie, and they're in charge of our club

You remind me of Republicans going on about how Obama is the worstest most really really bad President ever times infinity. Without burdening yourself with unnecessary perspective, you've just decided that what's happening is the worst thing that could possibly be happening, that the chairman is the worst, that the manager - who knows more about football than you know about anything - is the worst, that it's all a disgrace, an outrage and all sorts of hyperbolic nonsense. Seriously - are you okay? You sound like something's made you sad. And if you say that something is Villa then it's not new signings you need, it's a psychologist.

[German James]

I'm not happy with Villa under Lerner, no, but that's mostly because of decisions. He didn't really know anything about football when he arrived - still could know more - and gave the bulk of his money to the wrong man. Yes, most of us supported that man as well, but as chairman his job is to know better than fans and frankly he knew worse than many, especially towards the end. The two managers who followed? One was a noble-ish error, one might be the worst single decision the club has made in decades. In appointing Lambert he's gone some way to getting it right.

But why are you focusing so much on Lerner? Did Lerner tell Lambert to buy Kozak? Does Lerner come down to the training pitch and disrupt ball-retention exercises? Perhaps you could relax your apparently monomaniacal obsession with Lerner, and think about Lambert, think about what football is now in the Premier League, and maybe cut them some slack? Not everything is a 'disgrace' or a 'scandal' or an 'outrage' you know.

Christ don't start me on Lambert or I'll be at it all day. The pair of them are like Stan and Ollie, and they're in charge of our club

Do you think there are any clubs in the Premier League that are worse run or have a worse manager than the Villa?

[Malandro]

Chelsea away, Arsenal away, Norwich away, Liverpool and Newcastle. We are 1 point from Man Utd and four off Man City - heck two wins away from being joint top (maybe a bit much!)
I think we should reflect and realise that is not too bad a start.

We've got rid of a lot of deadwood and need to also give the new guys 15 odd games to really find their feet.

Lambert has a squad, but half of it is inexperienced. Need to get off their backs.

[saunders_heroes]

Your criticisms of Lerner must be very well hidden because I don't see many of them. One things for sure though if anyone dares criticises him on here you're the first to jump to his defence.

Which again isn't true, but if it makes you happy keep saying it.

I look forward to your next criticism of Lerner then.

I look forward to your next praise of anything.

Me too.