At home but where is the comfort?

[andyh]

Of course it's not the fans. Another 35k at the ground yesterday is testimony to the fact that Villa fans are pretty bloody loyal and pretty bloody patient considering the shite that has been served up for years.

What is becoming painful now, to coin a phrase, is that yesterday was another 'routine home defeat'.
And we keep losing in the same way.
In the vast majority of games, we have a bit of possession, we have a lot of energy and endeavor, a lot of huff and puff and then the opposistion invariably show a little bit of quality, and we concede.
Once behind, well generally, that's game over.
The games coming up are absolutely critical to prevent us getting sucked into another relegation scrap, but these will be no means easier games.
That said, we look a more composed team than last year, we don't look like rabbits in the headlights anymore, but the lack of quality is still the concern, and the single biggest factor for me is nouse. We have no nouse in the team, someone who can change a game when it needs changing, someone who can see how a game is panning out and make things happen to try and change it.
That goes for the manager as also.

[RossLeach]

We're not a physical side ( no fear from the opposition)

We've had one, maybe two seasons  where we were any good at set pieces ( so we can't build pressure up and we don't get excited and make noise when we get corners because we expect nothing)

We don't have a midfield that is about either
- running at the opposition (we had it with Milner driving from central midfield)
- being camped in the opposition half, building pressure (like when Barry was around or like Manure at their best)
- playmaking. Of any sort.

For 30mins at the start of yesterday, most of my criticisms above weren't true. We did a lot of the good things above. Mostly driven by Delph and Gabby and Tonev running at them.

[Irish villain]

Before reading the thread I would have said it was a combination of things.
Having read the thread and some of the negative comments about Lambert, maybe it is the fans ?

It's the fans fault we're so poor at home? How does that work then?

I don't think it's the fans fault but I do sometimes think players are scared to make a mistake

I think the fans have very fair and unbelievably patient with Villa under Lambert considering the shit they've put us through (especially at home). Blaming the fans sounds like a convenient excuse to me.

And under McLeish, Houllier and MON. Awful home form is not a new thing.

[Clampy]

If results don't go our way in November it may be time for Randy to consider the managers position, whilst there's time to do something about it and prepare a new man for Jan. 

To give us our fifth manager in 3 1/2 years. There's a recipe for success.

Quite agree. My mate who I sit next to is not a Lambert fan but even he realises that you can't keep chopping and changing managers every other season.

[danlanza]

We were very patient with the situation last season, lets try and be a bit patient this season.
How different this forum will be after three wins back to back. We hope.

[eastie]

If results don't go our way in November it may be time for Randy to consider the managers position, whilst there's time to do something about it and prepare a new man for Jan. 

To give us our fifth manager in 3 1/2 years. There's a recipe for success.

Quite agree. My mate who I sit next to is not a Lambert fan but even he realises that you can't keep chopping and changing managers every other season.

No you can't clampy but if you have the wrong man then you must change.

I'm not saying lambert should go , but we need to results in the next couple of months - we cannot just stick with him because changing manager causes instability - we need to stick with him because he is the right man for the job - if randy does at any point decide he isn't then he should make a decision .

I'm disappointed because I thought we had turned the corner last season but for some reason the midfield solidity that was provided by sylla has been changed by leaving him on the bench - we look weaker for it .
The 4-3-3 does not work at home - we need to change it .

As for lambert , I would stick with him and see how the next few months develop - but if we do find ourselves around the bottom 3 in the new year then serious questions should be asked.

[olaftab]

I do hate seeing away supporters celebrate almost the inevitable and than rub it in our faces with "you are shit you know you are" week in week out.
I hate the look on young supporters faces as we leave the ground.
I hate football for the rest of the week.
OH I DO HATE LOSING AT HOME.

[Ads]

In our first game we played a good Liverpool side; hey they must be great if they can swat the "Pride of the Midlands".

In that game, they passed it better than us for forty minutes, created one opening and scored it. For the remaining 50 minutes, we managed to get on the front foot and passed it better than them. We too though only managed one opening, but it was well saved and the game was lost.

We didn't fashion enough chances that our possession and dominance merrited. We we lacked variety and an incisiveness in our passing in the final third, much like the better team we were playing did in their forty minutes.

Next up was Newcastle. The worst performance of the season. Six or so players had stinkers. We were disjointed in the way we passed it, we were static and too narrow. We got what we deserved against a side who are mid-table.

Man City will more than likely win the league. Descriptions of this as a fluke based on the balance of the game are products of a negative dogma. We deserved the win. We created more than they and two set pieces aside, defended (unusually for us) very well. The first half was too easy for them, the second saw our wing backs push right on and it caused them problems. We also took our chances when we had them. One Toure run aside, Man City, for all their billions, had no response.

Spurs. A tight game, defined by a soft goal and one moment of quality from three players who cost in excess of £60 million. There are fine margins in this league, but then there are some thick ones too; clubs in the top six spending a lot of money on a few very good players is one of them. Much like the Liverpool game, we were too obvious in our attacking play, which against a good side like Liverpool and a better one like Spurs is going to see us suffer. At one nil we had a great chance; Benteke should have burried a header unmarked from six yards.

Everton. Consistency in personel serves Martinez well. Not too many managers will be relegated and then handed the keys to a top six/seven team. This game was different from the rest, as we created a number of golden opportunities. We should have been three goals to the good before Guzan made his first save. Goals change games and you have to take chances like we had. Gabby at one nil down was an appalling miss. Leon Osman coming on for Englands ineffectual great hope changed things, as kept and used the ball far better than Berkley managed.

That was how I saw the games at home thus far. I am not trying to answer long term problems, as I no longer think it matters a great deal why we could only win 10 under O'Neill at home.

The common themes are that we have played a lot of very good teams, when we ourselves are mid-table in my opinion. What we have created, we have by and large fluffed. A point against Liverpool and three against Everton would have left the Merseysiders with no complaints.

Everton was different in that we were a lot more inventive and opened them up four or five times; the football prior to Gabbys miss was excellent. I think Tonev helped, as his passing was quicker and he was willing to hit the box with his runs.

I personally think the absence of Sylla is a factor. Delph is our best midfielder, he has pace and an ability to beat players, while Sylla offers all the physical defensive options and more that Delph does. Bring Sylla into sit by another, let Delph be the midfielder with more licence and push Tonev into Andi's position; the only player to put a few crosses (good ones too) into the box yesterday.

We have been punished for profligacy and punished by ruthlessness at both ends. Nobody has battered us, but if you miss the chances you create, small in most games, enough in the later, then you will get hurt. This will amplified more so against the quality we have played.

I don't think atmosphere or how whiny the Holte is means a great deal. Selection and a run of the worst fixtures I can remember at a time when the team is looking to put another 8-10 points on the board to go from bottom six to mid-table.

November, away from home too, will tell us a great deal. We all to a man expect us to beat both Cardiff and Sunderland, two sides who I think will struggle to stay in the league. To put them into the analysis above; they are far from top sides, they lack the quality to hurt you in an instant and they will give you more in front of goal. We have got to win both and we should win both, people expect us to win both, but we all lack the confidence to say that we will win both with 100% certainty.

[Clampy]

It goes without saying that if results and performances get chronically bad, then he'll be under pressure anyway. At the moment though we're just a team who struggle very badly at home and that needs to change.

[Salsa Party Animal]

sacking managers doesn't always work. I read an article about Pittsburgh Steelers and they had 3 head coaches since 1969. They haven't done too badly. Manchester United had Alex Ferguson for about 25 years or whatever. But again we need to learn to pass the ball and keep the ball. We played a lot of counter attacking football and it just don't work.

[supertom]

One of the major issues is not having the players at our disposal to play the way Lambert wants to either. There's also a total lack of a calming, composed influence in midfield. Someone like Barry or Petrov that we've had in the past. We play like blue ass flies. Sometimes a passing move will come off, look pretty good, but most times because the players haven't got very good technique it just ends in nothing.
There's something to be said for having a middle gear. We've just got first and fifth. Everton took their time, showed a bit of composure and consideration and scored two well taken goals. That was the difference. A bit of nous, and bit of thought.

Our players run on instinct. I don't think many have the footballing brain to slow a game down at all. I mean Gabby for example is one of the best examples of a player who's best when he's at full pelt and doesn't have to think. Get him through on a one on one when he has time and he's one of the last players you'd put your money on. Weimann I think is similar.

2-3 midfield signings wouldn't go amiss in Jan, and some experience. I think with Dunne out the way, Ireland and Bent soon to leave we'll have the wage space to get someone with a bit more experience. Some experience and some class. Then our ability to keep the ball will improve and our ability to pick a killer pass in the final third will too.

[Mazrim]

I'm not really sure what the answer is. I thought we might have turned a corner after beating Man City but then went and played out a dull affair with Hull, were insipid against Spurs and wasteful against Everton. I thought we'd turned a corner at the end of last season but we seem to be less inventive and composed on the ball this season for whatever reason. I also believe that we didn't get the two players we absolutely needed this summer: The playmaker and the experienced centre half.

I'm not ready to call for Lambert's head. I'm not even close to that, but I am very bored with Villa Park being more like a drive through than a fortress. A good November is essential.

[eastie]

I'm not really sure what the answer is. I thought we might have turned a corner after beating Man City but then went and played out a dull affair with Hull, were insipid against Spurs and wasteful against Everton. I thought we'd turned a corner at the end of last season but we seem to be less inventive and composed on the ball this season for whatever reason. I also believe that we didn't get the two players we absolutely needed this summer: The playmaker and the experienced centre half.

I'm not ready to call for Lambert's head. I'm not even close to that, but I am very bored with Villa Park being more like a drive through than a fortress. A good November is essential.

Spot on maz.

[Irish villain]

I'm not really sure what the answer is. I thought we might have turned a corner after beating Man City but then went and played out a dull affair with Hull, were insipid against Spurs and wasteful against Everton. I thought we'd turned a corner at the end of last season but we seem to be less inventive and composed on the ball this season for whatever reason. I also believe that we didn't get the two players we absolutely needed this summer: The playmaker and the experienced centre half.

I'm not ready to call for Lambert's head. I'm not even close to that, but I am very bored with Villa Park being more like a drive through than a fortress. A good November is essential.

Spot on maz.

X2. Well said.

[Ad@m]

I think tactics and VP being a pleasure to visit are the main things but the fans are increasingly becoming part of the problem rather than the solution.

Yesterday was a game we could and should have won. We were the better side for most of the game and could have been out of sight by half time but fora poor day at the office for the strikers and some brilliant goalkeeping by Tim Howard.  Yet come the end of the game the players got booed off, again.

We moan about glory hunters and how they expect their team to win but our fans seem to be no better/different these days. 

That can't help ease the pressure in the younger players.