How would you feel....

[Lastfootstamper]

I'd wait and see who the replacement was before expressing a view on whether getting rid of Lambert now was a good idea. However if you're not going to spend, then what do we want/expect from the next man. 8 home wins a season would do me......

(PS - if Lambert went now that might imply that Randy wanted a new man in place for the January transfer window. Just saying....)

Same here, pretty much. Who could we get? What sort of job are we? We like to think of ourselves as a massive club, and can proudly point to our history to back this up. But do outsiders looking on see us in the same light? I find it hard to imagine that many do. It would take one with a deep and passionate love of the history of the game for us to attract an established top-level manager, or even one of the AVB-esque, much-vaunted, up-and-coming ilk. My worry is that this sticks us firmly on the 'arry/potatohead/Hughes-et-al roundabout, whereupon mediocrity and uninspiring Cup exits await. If we are adopting the
"young and hungry" approach, then surely the man overseeing it should be cut the same. I really thought Lambert was that man. I find myself still hoping that he is. I pray that he's got something up his sleeve for January, because I hate being proven wrong.

[Meanwood Villa]

No worry Eric, just doing a bit of leg pulling. What options do people want?

"Disappointed", "Delighted" and "Meh" should just about cover it I would have thought.

That's much better given the OP's question

[dave shelley]

I have this nagging recurring thought running through my mind that I keep pushing away that, the club are showing signs of regressing back to the sixties.  We purchased other clubs' cast-offs or reserves to try and stave off what was the inevitable relegation.  I hope by voicing this thought that I can be proven wrong.  I'd be interested in the views of the other elder posters that lived through those times to see if they may think the same.

I really want Paul Lambert to succeed, I really do; because I think he gets the club and all it stands for in the fashion of a true Villa man.  Booting him out now will serve no real purpose, imo but, if he does nothing to rectify this in January or continues buying second-rate footballers then perhaps it will be time for a re-think.  The way the majority of this current group are playing they would struggle in the Championship. 

We talk a lot about confidence but, look at our best results this season, Arsenal, Citeh and a relatively decent away record and if they can't take confidence from that what can they take it from?   The togetherness and unity from last season has disappeared, what, if anything has gone wrong?  Answers on a postcard...

[PeterWithesShin]

I've done the same options as last time. Hopefully covers things.

*Votes cost more if made from a mobile*

[PeterWithesShin]

I've gone for the shake option. I like him, but he needs to pull his finger out.

[royvilla949]

Absolutely delighted.
Presided over our worst defeat in years. We can't score. We can't defend. Set pieces are awful. There's no plan b. Six goals at home so far. Awful home form.
Tactically inept.  Poor inexperienced signings.  Admittedly benteke was a decent signing. (Or was he a one season wonder)
Need I go on.

spot on manager & players not good enough for the prem

[Rigadon]

It's a tough one to call isn't it?  The who-is-better-but-would-come-to-Villa argument makes it difficult to say 'out' with conviction.  Disappointingly I think this will be another season scrapping down the bottom but with all our players fit we'll stay up.  The question for me then is whether this is acceptable and the answer is no.  Out, with regret. 

[aj2k77]

Out for the obvious reasons.

Has anyone come up with a reason yet for keeping him other than who else is there and theres no money anyway?

[Jon Crofts]

Out for the obvious reasons.

Has anyone come up with a reason yet for keeping him other than who else is there and theres no money anyway?

I asked that question on Page 2, so far nobody.

[kippaxvilla2]

I don't want him to be, but it's hard not to look at his record and think that maybe he should be - or at least that it's the sort of record that gets managers sacked, in any case.

I really would like him to succeed but I am beginning to think he is a bit like MO'N in the sense that when you hear him after the games, he says the same old things and then we see the same dross a week later.  I actually do not think him or his coaching staff genuinely have a clue about how they sort the quality of play out or the tactical ineptitude at times.  I guess what I am trying to say is that there is definitely no plan b once the counter attacking, hoofball options have been exhausted with no success.

[eastie]

It's a tough one to call isn't it?  The who-is-better-but-would-come-to-Villa argument makes it difficult to say 'out' with conviction.  Disappointingly I think this will be another season scrapping down the bottom but with all our players fit we'll stay up.  The question for me then is whether this is acceptable and the answer is no.  Out, with regret. 

I'd be inclined to give him until new year to see how things go but if you are going to make a change then no later than that - I am of the opinion that even if we lose all 4 games until New Year's Day that I doubt randy would sack him - but  if pushed for a decision here and now today  I would  say out rather than in .

[London Villan]

Out for the obvious reasons.

Has anyone come up with a reason yet for keeping him other than who else is there and theres no money anyway?

I asked that question on Page 2, so far nobody.

There aren't any and that is the reason he isn't getting a lot of grief from the stands.

[SoccerHQ]

The reality is we're one point off top 10.

O.K I'm not suggested open top bus parades around Aston but finish 10th and like it or not that is a solid progressive season compared to the previous three.

Now the other angle is the manner of how we play getting to top 10. Because that quite frankly is worrying me a lot.

The only period we have played in the manner of what Lambert moulded Norwich into on  a consistant basis was from February-May. That was in an horrendous relegation battle (believe me give me mid table over that anytime) but we were fun to watch, had exciting games and scored some memorable goals.

This season the stats are grim. 5 defeats from the opening 8 games at Villa Park is a terrible record and any villa manager should be under pressure with that. We have also now failed to score in the last 7 of 10 premier league games which again is just not good enough.

I still don't want him out. I want to see him sign some better quality players in the 6-7m bracket (y'know like that Benteke bloke, well until his twin turned up from October) as I'm sure he wants to and hopefully the board will allow him to.

I want to see what the football is like on a consistant basis when we finally have a worthy number 10 in the team, hopefully from January.

I think this time next year is a fair time to judge, well for me anyway.

I did think of typing maybe we're doomed for this sort of mediocrity for a while due to the way football is whoever is the manager but nah if Pardew can manage a team to be challenging for top 5 for two of the last three seasons it can't be that difficult surely? Is Pardew really that much more of an outstanding manager than Lambert?

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Out for the obvious reasons.

Has anyone come up with a reason yet for keeping him other than who else is there and theres no money anyway?

Even if there was money, would you want to give it to him?

I think if things don't dramatically change for the better, he'll be gone at the end of the season. I just hope the board have already made the necessary preparations should we need a new manager. It can't be too difficult finding a manager less tactically clueless.

[Meanwood Villa]

Out for the obvious reasons.

Has anyone come up with a reason yet for keeping him other than who else is there and theres no money anyway?

I asked that question on Page 2, so far nobody.

He successfully turned it around last season. He respects the club and clearly wants to be here. Benteke looked bargain of the century last season and might yet get back to that level.