The Paul Lambert thread - poll reset after our capitulation to Hull

[paul_e]

Rudy - http://www.transferleague.co.uk/league-tables/transfer-league-table-last-five-seasons.html

That should do you.

[not3bad]

We'll never do anything with Lerner in charge, but people can and do punch above their weight, think Liverpool in the league this season and Newcastle a couple of years ago. Others such as Stoke, Fulham and Swansea in recent years and even the Olbiyun last season have proved that you can surprise a few.

Don't forget Everton.

[FranzBiberkopf]

He's got to go in the summer, no question about it. I admit that i wanted him, but it's been pretty much disasterous.

We'll never do anything with Lerner in charge

So what is the point of sacking him then?

Sorry, not picking on you - there's a fair few Villa fans that need to own up and admit that we made a bad call in begging for Lambert. All that stuff at Norwich two seasons ago looks faintly embarrassing now doesn't it?

Thing that gets me about Lambert is his negativity. Or more correctly the negativity he instills into the team. All the more senseless since we haven't got a strong backline or dominant midfield to base that policy upon.

My guess, and it is a guess, is that he'll still be here come August. The season ticket renewals will pick up off the back of a couple of £7M signings and some filler. Just remember how excited we were last summer, just because we were buying unknowns from abroad.

[Concrete John]

a fair few Villa fans that need to own up and admit that we made a bad call in begging for Lambert. All that stuff at Norwich two seasons ago looks faintly embarrassing now doesn't it?

That's not the way I see it.

No one has a crystal ball, so all you can do it make the right decisions for the right reasons, based on what you know at the time.  Appointments like TSM and Houllier were clearly either wrong or at least raised an eyebrow at the time, but with Lambert he seemed to fit the bill quite nicely in summer 2012 and we were on balance fairly happy with him after the first season.  However, thinking he was the right man is no reason to back him now, if you think he's made a pigs ear of it.

And I say that as someone who wanted him then and doesn't want him sacked now.

[Clampy]

a fair few Villa fans that need to own up and admit that we made a bad call in begging for Lambert. All that stuff at Norwich two seasons ago looks faintly embarrassing now doesn't it?

That's not the way I see it.

No one has a crystal ball, so all you can do it make the right decisions for the right reasons, based on what you know at the time.  Appointments like TSM and Houllier were clearly either wrong or at least raised an eyebrow at the time, but with Lambert he seemed to fit the bill quite nicely in summer 2012 and we were on balance fairly happy with him after the first season.  However, thinking he was the right man is no reason to back him now, if you think he's made a pigs ear of it.

And I say that as someone who wanted him then and doesn't want him sacked now.

I was going to reply with something similar. I wanted him here as well. All I've done is give him more time than others have.

[pauliewalnuts]

Well it was "today's Telegraph" when "today" was February 3rd.

Easy mistake to make. That date is somewhat lower down the page.

I can't see any other date than Feb 3rd on the one I am looking at.

Refers to having beaten Albion "last week", too.

Anyway, doesn't matter, we can all start breathing normally again now we've established it's not new

[sirlordbaltimore]

With good coaching, a football ethos and a decent players (we have one out of three) you don't need to be spending millions to finish mid table.

On the flipside you can have world class players playing under a bad coach with no tactical awareness and you'd struggle.

The manager and his staff are the key. We've had two seasons now and none of us can claim we have a style of play or plan. It's just a shambes

[pauliewalnuts]

"Right now everyone connected with Villa is hurting badly.
"A win was in sight last night against Bolton after a strong start and the tenacity the team displayed, although ultimately we weren't able to hold on for the points.
"We very openly acknowledge the frustrations of Villa fans and share in them completely.
"What matters to us and the Board at this moment is how we, as a Club, handle adversity and the pressure it brings.
"Our horizon is the next three games and we continue to be in control of our own destiny.
"Young players side-by-side with more senior players are fighting hard for the Club.
"They are now preparing for West Brom followed by Spurs and Norwich.
"We will continue to support and rely on our manager and the squad and therefore give them our full support.
"We are totally conscious, as is everyone at the Club, that this is a very trying time for those who love Aston Villa.
"We know that the team will continue to fight through every minute of the remaining games and we hope Villa fans will continue to show their great support."

That's the statement from the same person two years ago.

It reads very similarly.

So you're saying that they will sack him.

No, just that it reads similarly.

FWIW I think a major factor in them not sacking Lambert will be that we've already (ie two seasons ago almost) sacked McLeish and paid off his 3 year contract. Lambert being one further along the line has an impact financially.

Plus, most scariest, I genuinely think they really actually believe the things they say. Which is, frankly, terrifying.

[aj2k77]

If N'Zogbia were fit, does anyone really think he wouldn't be in the bomb squad like all the other high earners?

The club is a mismanaged mess from top to bottom.

The bomb squad. What a ridiculous concept.

[brian green]

With every respect to those loyal to him I think he has wasted the time he has been given, taken for granted the stick ability of the fans and used up all his capital.

[Archbishop Herbert Cockthrottle]

"Right now everyone connected with Villa is hurting badly.
"A win was in sight last night against Bolton after a strong start and the tenacity the team displayed, although ultimately we weren't able to hold on for the points.
"We very openly acknowledge the frustrations of Villa fans and share in them completely.
"What matters to us and the Board at this moment is how we, as a Club, handle adversity and the pressure it brings.
"Our horizon is the next three games and we continue to be in control of our own destiny.
"Young players side-by-side with more senior players are fighting hard for the Club.
"They are now preparing for West Brom followed by Spurs and Norwich.
"We will continue to support and rely on our manager and the squad and therefore give them our full support.
"We are totally conscious, as is everyone at the Club, that this is a very trying time for those who love Aston Villa.
"We know that the team will continue to fight through every minute of the remaining games and we hope Villa fans will continue to show their great support."

That's the statement from the same person two years ago.

It reads very similarly.

So you're saying that they will sack him.

No, just that it reads similarly.

FWIW I think a major factor in them not sacking Lambert will be that we've already (ie two seasons ago almost) sacked McLeish and paid off his 3 year contract. Lambert being one further along the line has an impact financially.

Plus, most scariest, I genuinely think they really actually believe the things they say. Which is, frankly, terrifying.

So you're saying that although the statements are similar, the inference is different.

And the board want us to know that whilst they can't sack Lambert,  they don't necessarily want to keep him but feel as though they must because of the financial implications.

As I said before, I try and read between the lines and all I read is 'get behind the team'.

[KevinGage]

FWIW I don't think they will sack him, either. I think there's pretty much no chance of that happening.

Disagree.

Whether RL 'cares' or not is a different thing.   The amount of time he has spent away from the club certainly gives credence to the notion that he has lost interest. 

But they acted when season ticket renewals looked like they would be dismal under McLeish, and I'd be reasonably certain they'll do the same again should the take up be less than great this year.

I've seen it mentioned that as gate receipts don't make up so much of a clubs income in the top flight, it isn't a huge factor any more. 

But a failing business (which is what we are) cannot afford a dip in any form of revenue.   

[curiousorange]

FWIW I don't think they will sack him, either. I think there's pretty much no chance of that happening.

Disagree.

Whether RL 'cares' or not is a different thing.   The amount of time he has spent away from the club certainly gives credence to the notion that he has lost interest. 

But they acted when season ticket renewals looked like they would be dismal under McLeish, and I'd be reasonably certain they'll do the same again should the take up be less than great this year.

I've seen it mentioned that as gate receipts don't make up so much of a clubs income in the top flight, it isn't a huge factor any more. 

But a failing business (which is what we are) cannot afford a dip in any form of revenue.   

It does make you wonder what the point in the football team is if the most important thing in their minds is not how many people come and watch them.

[pauliewalnuts]

"Right now everyone connected with Villa is hurting badly.
"A win was in sight last night against Bolton after a strong start and the tenacity the team displayed, although ultimately we weren't able to hold on for the points.
"We very openly acknowledge the frustrations of Villa fans and share in them completely.
"What matters to us and the Board at this moment is how we, as a Club, handle adversity and the pressure it brings.
"Our horizon is the next three games and we continue to be in control of our own destiny.
"Young players side-by-side with more senior players are fighting hard for the Club.
"They are now preparing for West Brom followed by Spurs and Norwich.
"We will continue to support and rely on our manager and the squad and therefore give them our full support.
"We are totally conscious, as is everyone at the Club, that this is a very trying time for those who love Aston Villa.
"We know that the team will continue to fight through every minute of the remaining games and we hope Villa fans will continue to show their great support."

That's the statement from the same person two years ago.

It reads very similarly.

So you're saying that they will sack him.

No, just that it reads similarly.

FWIW I think a major factor in them not sacking Lambert will be that we've already (ie two seasons ago almost) sacked McLeish and paid off his 3 year contract. Lambert being one further along the line has an impact financially.

Plus, most scariest, I genuinely think they really actually believe the things they say. Which is, frankly, terrifying.

So you're saying that although the statements are similar, the inference is different.

And the board want us to know that whilst they can't sack Lambert,  they don't necessarily want to keep him but feel as though they must because of the financial implications.

As I said before, I try and read between the lines and all I read is 'get behind the team'.

That's all I see, too. There's no deeper message than get beyond the team, I totally agree with that.

What i meant re the old statement is that it is similar in many ways - yada yada we're really sad yada yada support the team blah blah blah.

It's as if next to nothing has changed in two years and we're having another "we're really sad we're so shit, please support the team" press release.

It makes you want to point out that yes, we were indeed shit two years ago when you last felt that you had to tell us how sad you are about it, but you never actually achieve the "stop making us shit" part of it.

[pauliewalnuts]

FWIW I don't think they will sack him, either. I think there's pretty much no chance of that happening.

Disagree.

Whether RL 'cares' or not is a different thing.   The amount of time he has spent away from the club certainly gives credence to the notion that he has lost interest.

I honestly think they believe in Lambert, whereas they didn't in McLeish, hence the difference.

I genuinely think that when they go on about young and hungry etc etc, they actually believe they're doing something innovative. I also believe they think that if they just want something to happen enough, then it will happen. They're really that naive.

I don't think, for example, that it has much occurred to them that there are actually plenty of teams that have tried to bob along cheaply, and they almost always go down eventually.

Really, I think they are that delusional, and that clueless. I think they are good intentioned, I think Randy is a good person who wants the best for the club, but I think they are utterly clueless in what they are doing.

And when I think back to how much I used to support Lerner and co, how pro-them I was on here, and look at the way my trust and confidence in them has totally collapsed, I find it more than a bit depressing.