On-going progress..

[Monty]

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

[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.

[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?

[Monty]

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.

[supertom]

A few clubs in and around our sort of level, in the bottom 12 spent around about the same, and more as us. I'm thinking Norwich, Cardiff, West Ham, Southampton, Sunderland (though obviously that was spent by a barking mad bastard). Everton didn't spend a huge amount but got 3 very good signings on deadline day.

For me 20 million spent on 7 players (going by the mail) is a bit of a gamble. Had we spent another 10 million on a really standout midfielder we'd be in much better shape. A solid loan or two might have helped us too. I think Barry will prove excellent business for Everton this season.

We're in this situation right now where we can add 2-3 decent players to our squad and then we're not far off Liverpools standard. Lose 2-3 of our better players to transfer or injury, and we're about on a par with the promoted sides. That's a problem at the moment.

I'm all for progress but it's got to happen a bit quicker. If you flirt too often with relegation you'll end up waking up the next morning next to it and its not a pretty sight.

[paul_e]

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.

What 'quick fix' do you have in mind?

Money. Pay peanuts and you get monkeys. That's why we're in such a mess.

What evidence do you have that no one else does that Lerner isn't willing to spend money?  Is there a big list of expensive talent that Lambert wanted but wasn't given the funds for?

Do we just keep spending big money until we win the league?  If so where does that money come from?  Is spending vastly beyond your means a viable business strategy for anyone?

There has to be a better way than just throwing money at it every time things are less than perfect because we can't compete with the likes of the manc clubs, 1 being a global brand and the other bankrolled by the mega-rich who want a plaything to give their ego a boost.  We will never be successful if we try to go toe-to-toe with those clubs financially, all that would happen is Villa would become a note in history which serves as a warning to clubs about overspending, much like Leeds.  Building a squad like we're doing is our 'shot' at finding another way, it's not easy (if it was everyone would do it) but it is sustainable and if we get it right we'll be in a good place.

[danlanza]

8 first team players out with injury. What is the fucking panic ?
We will be fine come the end of the season. Lambert cannot just wave a magic bloody wand.
Didn't think it would take long for the doom merchants to raise their heads, again.
League is far more important than any cup.
Home form is an issue and one that needs serious work, don't start panicking just cause we got tonked in a cup game, with more than half of the first team out with injury.
Get real.

[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?

[Monty]

Tom, I agree it's a gamble and I still think a fair chunk of that money was misspent, but we're actually a year or so behind Southampton, Swansea and certainly Everton in squad terms. Even Norwich have basically Lambert's squad in place - we've spent years trying to shift our expensive waste, and still haven't totally done so.

[saunders_heroes]

Tom, I agree it's a gamble and I still think a fair chunk of that money was misspent, but we're actually a year or so behind Southampton, Swansea and certainly Everton in squad terms. Even Norwich have basically Lambert's squad in place - we've spent years trying to shift our expensive waste, and still haven't totally done so.

It's the selling of our better players and replacing them with inferior ones that has got us into the mess we're in now.
I think the main reason we're in a mess is because we simply won't pay decent wages anymore. That's why we seem to be perennial relegation battlers these days.

[Monty]

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.

[Monty]

Tom, I agree it's a gamble and I still think a fair chunk of that money was misspent, but we're actually a year or so behind Southampton, Swansea and certainly Everton in squad terms. Even Norwich have basically Lambert's squad in place - we've spent years trying to shift our expensive waste, and still haven't totally done so.

It's the selling of our better players and replacing them with inferior ones that has got us into the mess we're in now.
I think the main reason we're in a mess is because we simply won't pay decent wages anymore. That's why we seem to be perennial relegation battlers these days.

See above.

[supertom]

8 first team players out with injury. What is the fucking panic ?
We will be fine come the end of the season. Lambert cannot just wave a magic bloody wand.
Didn't think it would take long for the doom merchants to raise their heads, again.
League is far more important than any cup.
Home form is an issue and one that needs serious work, don't start panicking just cause we got tonked in a cup game, with more than half of the first team out with injury.
Get real.

The situation right now isn't what's concerning me so much. I didn't expect much but a solid beating at Spurs given our injuries. My worry is, what everyone keeps referring to as "the plan." For it prove effective Lambert has to change some of the things he's doing. My worry is whether or not he will. He's had 15 months to sort certain problems out and it never seems like we do. Defence is horrific. Lack of invention in midfield is chronic, and that's where most of our home problems come from.

If I can see a bit of light at the end of the tunnel I don't mind wading through some shit. It's had to see that when you lose 3 home games on the spin pretty comfortably and it seems like many of the problems from the last 3 seasons (or narrowly avoiding relegation) aren't being addressed.

[dave.woodhall]

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.

[Concrete John]

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.