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

[silhillvilla]

Worrying times indeed .

[eric woolban woolban]

If the bomb squad weren't paying due to high wages,  I bet most of the current squad on top of their basic, have a big win bonus.

Hence no wins lately ;O)

It's madness not playing your high earners because they're umm high earners. Unless Lambert things it upsets the status quo of the team. He really needs to take a long walk out of B6.

[oldham_villa]

16/1 at paddy power if you fancy it

[eric woolban woolban]

Lamb chop or relegation?

[Monty]

Howard Hodgson's take on it - BEFORE the Palace game.

http://avillafan.com/site/12146/another-turbulent-week-at-aston-villa/

I'm especially interested in what he says about the tactics (because what he says is my opinion, so obviously HH is a good guy), but also about Brett Holman apparently talking slightly out of turn and Lambert turning him away as a result. I'm not so much of a Brett Holman fan, but given the Bomb Squad stuff and the constant fallings-out with players, it seems reasonable to conclude that Lambert appears to run things like a minor Eastern Bloc dictator down there.

[Dante Lavelli]

One of our biggest problems is that although being a Top 6 Net Spender over the last 5 years, we haven't been able to sell many for any decent value and reinvest the money. I can't find a site that gives the figures with seperate columns for Bought and Sold but I'd imagine our Sold total is near peanuts, we've basically had to give players away or they run down their contracts.
...

Well, apart from Barry, Milner, Young and Downing ...

Thats got to be 65m right there. Considering O'Neill's alleged net spend was 19m per season ...

In transfer fees though - the real kicker was the wages, which were huge and long-term for absolutely unsaleable players - Heskey, Dunne, Collins, Warnock, Sidwell, Habib Beye (Habib Beye!)...it was really extraordinary.

Compounded by Houllier buying Bent for 18m and the associated wages. 
Compounded squared by Mcleish with Given, Hutton and to an extent Nzogbia.

It's not as if we had many assets left to sell.  At least Lambert's signings are of the type that we're likely to get our money back as the wages will not scare off other teams.  Not always, but as a template he's tried to add value to the club.

[PeterWithe]

Who is Howard Hodgson then?

[Rudy Can't Fail]

One of our biggest problems is that although being a Top 6 Net Spender over the last 5 years, we haven't been able to sell many for any decent value and reinvest the money. I can't find a site that gives the figures with seperate columns for Bought and Sold but I'd imagine our Sold total is near peanuts, we've basically had to give players away or they run down their contracts.
...

Well, apart from Barry, Milner, Young and Downing ...

We received an absolute fortune for those players. How on earth can anyone forget about that?

These last five years have been like 10 years. Shit, it's been dull.

[Clampy]

Who is Howard Hodgson then?

Someone who's think's he's more important than he is.

[Holte L2]

Hate to break to too you all but Beisla has not been long appointed at Marseille.

[PeterWithe]

Who is Howard Hodgson then?

Someone who's think's he's more important than he is.

It does read that way doesn't it.

[Monty]

Doesn't mean his insights aren't interesting (pompous though he undoubtedly is).

[JUAN PABLO]

So rumours now spreading that Albrighton is in the bomb squad. Supposedly fell out with Lambert on Saturday and got the train home from London. Bizarre if true.

Lambert has never liked Albrighton  .

[saunders_heroes]

Who is Howard Hodgson then?

Someone who's think's he's more important than he is.

Pompous he maybe, but he talks sense about the Villa.

[Walmley_Villa]

Apparently the Albrighton story came from Ron Toss on the radio this evening...