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

[supertom]

We've certainly improved on our points tally compared to last season. The quality of footballs been largely abysmal though.
I still don't see how Lambert warrants a new contract before he's even finished his second season. Lets see just how much we improve on 41 points come May, and if the football at least seems like it's improving again. It just sends out the wrong message to start talking about a new deal for him now, considering the mediocrity he's delivering. The lack of ambition with the board is pretty frightening too.

I think we can afford to just play things out and re-evaluate in a years time because if we lose Benteke in the summer, I'd be expecting another relegation battle next season. The longer a contract/bigger wage we give Lambert, the more Randy has to pay him off if he has to turf him out.

[caster troy]

Then you went on to talk about league places and points gained as "just in isolation." They're the most important things in football.

They might be the most important things in football in the grand scheme of things, but in my opinion the home form of a team will influence season ticket sales beyond just those things. Putting it in extremely simplistic terms, if we won every away game but lost every home game, we'd have more points than last season but you'd have a hard job asking some fans to put their hands in their pockets again after having gone a whole season without seeing a win.

That's why i said you shouldn't look at those things in isolation. I don't think people get the renewal forms and look at just the points on the board, I think they look back over the season and think 'did I enjoy that?' 'how many times did I see us win?' and recall the highs that made the expense, time and energy worth it. If there aren't many of those highs I think it affects people. Not everyone of course but I'm sure 6 out of 10 home games without scoring must affect some people surely?

[dave.woodhall]

Then you went on to talk about league places and points gained as "just in isolation." They're the most important things in football.

They might be the most important things in football in the grand scheme of things, but in my opinion the home form of a team will influence season ticket sales beyond just those things. Putting it in extremely simplistic terms, if we won every away game but lost every home game, we'd have more points than last season but you'd have a hard job asking some fans to put their hands in their pockets again after having gone a whole season without seeing a win.

That's why i said you shouldn't look at those things in isolation. I don't think people get the renewal forms and look at just the points on the board, I think they look back over the season and think 'did I enjoy that?' 'how many times did I see us win?' and recall the highs that made the expense, time and energy worth it. If there aren't many of those highs I think it affects people. Not everyone of course but I'm sure 6 out of 10 home games without scoring must affect some people surely?

More people will look at the league table.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Then you went on to talk about league places and points gained as "just in isolation." They're the most important things in football.

They might be the most important things in football in the grand scheme of things, but in my opinion the home form of a team will influence season ticket sales beyond just those things. Putting it in extremely simplistic terms, if we won every away game but lost every home game, we'd have more points than last season but you'd have a hard job asking some fans to put their hands in their pockets again after having gone a whole season without seeing a win.

That's why i said you shouldn't look at those things in isolation. I don't think people get the renewal forms and look at just the points on the board, I think they look back over the season and think 'did I enjoy that?' 'how many times did I see us win?' and recall the highs that made the expense, time and energy worth it. If there aren't many of those highs I think it affects people. Not everyone of course but I'm sure 6 out of 10 home games without scoring must affect some people surely?

More people will look at the league table.

Providing they don't have to watch it. Saying that, most were happy under MON despite the shite football. Maybe you're right, at least concerning Villa fans.

[Ads]

When they start handing out Tony Mowbary points for moral victories, then I will more concerned about style of victories, rather than the three points the and the warm glow it brings.

They of courses don't have to be mutually exclusive, but as long as we win and win regularly, I am getting value for money.

[Monty]

You're probably more likely to get good results if you play better football. There's a reason all the best players and best teams play that way.

In any case, the league table is obviously important in the sense of 'not getting relegated', but if I had to pick between 50 points and 10th with 38 scored and 39 conceded, or 45 points and 12th with 60 scored and 70 conceded I know which I'd pick - and I'd pick it absolutely every time. Just kicking around, merely existing as a club, not only not challenging for honours but boring everyone and everything (most importantly, our own fans) to distraction in the process - that's pretty pointless.

[Ads]

Why is being catastrophically bad at defending something to be exalted?

[Monty]

Why is being catastrophically bad at defending something to be exalted?

I'm saying I'd rather us be good at attacking and bad at defending than good at defending and bad at attacking. You're more likely to win games if you're more likely to score goals, and while the rule is three points for a win and one for a draw then that balance and risk will always be worth it. In any case, it's obviously more exciting to go into every game hopeful of seeing good attacking.

[PaulWinch again]

In order to get to the top and be genuinely successful you need to play good football and that's what we should aspire to do.

[JUAN PABLO]

Then you went on to talk about league places and points gained as "just in isolation." They're the most important things in football.

They might be the most important things in football in the grand scheme of things, but in my opinion the home form of a team will influence season ticket sales beyond just those things. Putting it in extremely simplistic terms, if we won every away game but lost every home game, we'd have more points than last season but you'd have a hard job asking some fans to put their hands in their pockets again after having gone a whole season without seeing a win.

That's why i said you shouldn't look at those things in isolation. I don't think people get the renewal forms and look at just the points on the board, I think they look back over the season and think 'did I enjoy that?' 'how many times did I see us win?' and recall the highs that made the expense, time and energy worth it. If there aren't many of those highs I think it affects people. Not everyone of course but I'm sure 6 out of 10 home games without scoring must affect some people surely?

It looks like we are becoming  Tony Pullis's Stoke .  As long as we stay in the prem , does not matter If the football is poor and awful to watch most of the time.    Is this what Aston Villa has become ?

[Concrete John]

You're probably more likely to get good results if you play better football. There's a reason all the best players and best teams play that way.

In any case, the league table is obviously important in the sense of 'not getting relegated', but if I had to pick between 50 points and 10th with 38 scored and 39 conceded, or 45 points and 12th with 60 scored and 70 conceded I know which I'd pick - and I'd pick it absolutely every time. Just kicking around, merely existing as a club, not only not challenging for honours but boring everyone and everything (most importantly, our own fans) to distraction in the process - that's pretty pointless.

It's because they have better players who do more damage with the ball at their feet.

I've always thought you need a variation in tactics, so I want us to be able to play in a variety of ways, but I wouldn't label any one of those the 'right' way.

[Ads]

Why is being catastrophically bad at defending something to be exalted?

I'm saying I'd rather us be good at attacking and bad at defending than good at defending and bad at attacking. You're more likely to win games if you're more likely to score goals, and while the rule is three points for a win and one for a draw then that balance and risk will always be worth it. In any case, it's obviously more exciting to go into every game hopeful of seeing good attacking.

If you're more likely to win games of football scoring more goals, why in your hypothetical scenario is the attacking team two places lower and at least £4 million poorer in prize money?

I want us to win games, as many as possible and by any means first and foremost.

[dave.woodhall]

Then you went on to talk about league places and points gained as "just in isolation." They're the most important things in football.

They might be the most important things in football in the grand scheme of things, but in my opinion the home form of a team will influence season ticket sales beyond just those things. Putting it in extremely simplistic terms, if we won every away game but lost every home game, we'd have more points than last season but you'd have a hard job asking some fans to put their hands in their pockets again after having gone a whole season without seeing a win.

That's why i said you shouldn't look at those things in isolation. I don't think people get the renewal forms and look at just the points on the board, I think they look back over the season and think 'did I enjoy that?' 'how many times did I see us win?' and recall the highs that made the expense, time and energy worth it. If there aren't many of those highs I think it affects people. Not everyone of course but I'm sure 6 out of 10 home games without scoring must affect some people surely?

It looks like we are becoming  Tony Pullis's Stoke .  As long as we stay in the prem , does not matter If the football is poor and awful to watch most of the time.    Is this what Aston Villa has become ?

It's like a Victorian melodrama on here sometimes. Oh woe is us! How low have we sunk? However did it come to this?

[Monty]

You're probably more likely to get good results if you play better football. There's a reason all the best players and best teams play that way.

In any case, the league table is obviously important in the sense of 'not getting relegated', but if I had to pick between 50 points and 10th with 38 scored and 39 conceded, or 45 points and 12th with 60 scored and 70 conceded I know which I'd pick - and I'd pick it absolutely every time. Just kicking around, merely existing as a club, not only not challenging for honours but boring everyone and everything (most importantly, our own fans) to distraction in the process - that's pretty pointless.

It's because they have better players who do more damage with the ball at their feet.

I've always thought you need a variation in tactics, so I want us to be able to play in a variety of ways, but I wouldn't label any one of those the 'right' way.

Actually the better players thing only works to a certain extent. City, for instance, play whatever they like against most opponents, but they tried it against Chelsea and got tactically undone. Of course you need tactical variation, but you need a basis and basic tactical level otherwise you risk descending into muddling along. Just look at Man United - overperformed last year but still better players than Everton, Spurs and probably Liverpool, but look how their awful, retrograde 'tactics' have rendered them a 'cross-and-hope' upper midtable side.

Ads, fair enough, but if the end results are negligible in difference I want to enjoy myself along the way. I'm saying that although I feel that we'd be likely to win more games playing the better way, I'd accept a marginally worse off position if it's more fun as we go. You feel differently, that's fine, but if we're not going to go down or challenge at the top end I'll vote for entertainment, thanks.

[pauliewalnuts]

I don't think I'd ever put points about everything else.

Above all, because it puts you very close indeed to the sort of thing Stoke City fans would have said when Pulis put that horrible team together, and played even more horrible football. Or Allardyce justifying his brand of gamesmanship mixed with awful, prehistoric hoofing.

I want Villa to win every match we play, too, but ultimately, it is a hobby, it's meant to be fun, and there are plenty of ways of playing football which are nothing like fun to watch, especially when you pay 40 plus quid for the pleasure.