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

[brontebilly]

My opinion, he'll do Ok score around 7 a season and eventually be sold for a couple of million.

Same here. He's never gonna be a first choice here, bar injuries. Somewhere between 7-12 goals would be good. Because of his movement he strikes me as a player who could be useful as an impact player off the bench. Finding space against tired defenses.

His movement is terrible as he is slow as a wet week. Tired defenders arent going to be forced to defend deeper if Kozak plays. Also his movement is not going to improve after a leg break.

He does seem to get in good positions in the box but that is dependent on us having good crossers of the ball in the team. To be honest even in the games he scored for us, I recall him being dreadful to be honest. Soton away where he was lined up to be taken off before he scored a particular example.

Other reasons why I believe he wont succeed at Villa Park

1. I dont believe we have a single player in the squad currently of getting behind a full back and providing the type of cross that gets the best of his penalty box finishing.
2. I cant see him playing well with Benteke, Benteke would prefer wide forwards or a Keane/Merson type player
3. If the likes of Guzan, Vlaar, Baker et al see a front duo of Benteke and Kozak ahead of them, they will take it as a free pass to test out their long kick practice.
4. He doesnt have the technique, skill or pace to make chances for himself, hard to survive as a forward in a side as poor as ours unless you can - also the same for Darren Bent.

Reasons he may succeed
1. He seems to be a good character with a top attitude, the bare minimum imo to be a top player but we have a number of them that are sadly lacking in this department - Weimann, Nzogbia come to mind particularly.

7m for him seems bonkers considering that defence and/or midfield could have been strengthened with that money

[peter w]

Also Kozak got a touch from Guzan's launch for Weimann to score v Man City.

I don't think he did - if he had, it would have been offside. Or I at least remember the discussion re that at the time.

He did. If I can find it I'll post it.

[adrenachrome]

Brom Mail

Paul Lambert: Loyal fans will still back Villa regardless of takeover

Villa boss emphasises role of supporters and believes they will continue to buy season tickets and merchandise regardless of progress towards sale of the club

May 20, 2014 22:30
By Mat Kendrick


Paul Lambert is convinced the Villa Park faithful will still renew season tickets and buy merchandise in their droves, despite no imminent prospect of the club being sold.

Aston Villa are braced for a summer of uncertainty after Randy Lerner announced his intention to sell, but Lambert believes fans will continue to show their support and loyalty.

There are concerns that some supporters will wait and see what develops with any potential takeover before deciding whether or not to buy season tickets for the new campaign.

But Lambert reckons the claret and blue brigade will put their frustrations to one side and snap up tickets and merchandise regardless of who is in charge come mid-August.

“It’s Aston Villa supporters who are really, really vital to this whole thing,” said Lambert.

“I’ve got no doubt they’ll buy season books or buy merchandise. I’ve got no doubt that will happen and they’ll come out there in their numbers again and they’ll support the team.

“I understand people’s frustration, but you either quit or you meet it head on.

“The main focus is this club and the supporters, forget the manager and everything else, the main crux is the supporters and the football club.

“One, the football club is in the league, two, it’s got a massive fanbase which will always be there, that’s for sure.”

Despite rumours to the contrary, Lambert insists Lerner only put the club on the market last week when he made an announcement revealing his intentions.

And the 44-year-old Glaswegian admits there is no prospect of an imminent sale, nor is there a timeframe on how long it will take to find a buyer.

“Now people understand the situation,” said Lambert.

“There’s nothing imminent there. If there was something imminent there then it’s a bit different, but there’s nothing there.

“How long it takes to sell a football club, I don’t know.

“It’s only been up for sale a week or so since the statement came out.

“It’s not as if you’re selling a car or a house. You’re selling something that’s incredible really.

“I don’t know how quick these things happen. My job is to make this club the best it can be while I’m here in a division where you need to spend one hell of a lot of money to stand still.”

Jack Grealish is part of the ten-man Villa youth squad which will take part in the Hong Kong Football Club International Soccer Sevens tournament this week.

Grealish and Co jetted off to the Far East yesterday as academy director Bryan Jones and youth coach Ben Petty try to guide Villa to a sixth Hong Kong title.

Villa’s involvement in the tournament kicks off at 9.34am local time (2.34am UK time) with a Group D clash against Hong Kong Football Association U21s.

They then play against Hong Kong side Yau Yee League Select at 11.16am (4.16am UK time), before taking on defending champions Leicester at 1.32pm (8.32am) as they bid to qualify for Sunday’s knockout stages.

Other teams taking part in the competition are Chelsea, Manchester City, Newcastle, Sunderland, Rangers and Asian Champions League winners, Guangzhou Evergrande.

[peter w]

Also Kozak got a touch from Guzan's launch for Weimann to score v Man City.

I don't think he did - if he had, it would have been offside. Or I at least remember the discussion re that at the time.

He did. If I can find it I'll post it.

You'll just have to take my word for it. Anyway, the same linesman missed the KEA offside so if he was offside I wouldn't read too much into that.

[pauliewalnuts]

Also Kozak got a touch from Guzan's launch for Weimann to score v Man City.

I don't think he did - if he had, it would have been offside. Or I at least remember the discussion re that at the time.

He did. If I can find it I'll post it.

You'll just have to take my word for it. Anyway, the same linesman missed the KEA offside so if he was offside I wouldn't read too much into that.

KEA was definitely offside, though. Weimann would have been had Kozak touched it, which he didn't.

It's on youtube.

But either way, it doesn't really matter. I rate Kozak, too, he's shown more than enough to suggest he is worth persisting with, easily.

[peter w]

Yeah, changed the flight of the ball with a little toe end.

Still no odds.

[brian green]

I think we are expecting too much from Okore and Kozak. Neither of them has had enough playing time in a Villa shirt for us to pin too many hopes on them. It is unfair on them but more importantly it is an unneeded distraction from the real task which is to add a lot of quality to the squad. To do that needs money and plenty of it. That is why the current vacuum is so potentially damaging to the club. It is not going to be papered over by Lambert being told or volunteering to go on a charm offensive with the fans. I can think of nobody less likely to succeed.

[OzVilla]

Agreed Brian, I don't subscribe to the view that injured players coming back and a few 5 mill signing we'll be mid table.  I really can't see that with the squad and management largely as it is.

We need a complete overhaul from top to bottom. 

The last thing we need is the very thing Lerner's statement provides - paralysis. 

[Rigadon]

If there is noticing imminent then we are in the worst possibly situation with the same manager, owner, less players and more restrictions on buying.  Barring relegation, I can't imagine a more ridiculously shite situation for the club to be on right now. 

Are season tickets really going to fly out the door?

[brian green]

You are right Rig. It is a truly ridiculous situation possibly worse than relegation in some ways. Relegation at least clears the decks and makes things happen. As every day of this fiasco passes without even a sign of resolution the club looks more like a patient on life support.

[Rigadon]

A good analogy, Brian.   I can't believe Lerner has just 'put the club up for sale'.  It's like that whole proper recruitment process thing they did for when Houllier turned up after asking for CV's and holding 'proper interviews'.  It is not how it all works in football but they don't seem to get it and the upshot is that they look like blundering idiots.   

I don't care it's only May.  It'll be only June and only July soon and if we still have the same situation, which now looks possible, or likely even, then it's beyond depressing (in football terms).  I honestly thought we'd be sold within a couple of weeks and a new manager would be lined up.

[walsall villain]

If there is noticing imminent then we are in the worst possibly situation with the same manager, owner, less players and more restrictions on buying.  Barring relegation, I can't imagine a more ridiculously shite situation for the club to be on right now. 

Are season tickets really going to fly out the door?

And today's news that the 'bomb squad' are back in the fold and to be considered for selection has depressed me even more. N'Zogbia could make a difference if fit and keen but the other two? Makes me think transfers in will be next to nothing.

[brian green]

I agree one hundred percent Rig. Like many on here I like seem devil-may-care but the Villa is a big part of my life and as the season limped to a merciful conclusion I took heart from personal contacts I have with posters that a deal behind the scenes was well advanced and that a sensible seamless transfer of ownership would occur once the old season was concluded. I started to realize that this was far from the case when the long awaited and vaunted statements from Randy and the General were so personal and sugar coated. They were Dear Johns. There may have been some preliminary discussions just about after the Chelsea win but that clearly came to nothing. As another poster put it very pithily  Randy Lerner bought the club on a whim and he is selling it on a whim.

[Matt Collins]

If we start the season with essentially the same squad as last year, minus benteke . .

You do struggle to see us staying up. And that's even with a fair wind in terms of confidence

I'm too young to remember the 86 relegation side. Was there a similar air of doom at the time? I've seen some shit villa sides, but I'm expecting to start out next season with less confidence than I've ever felt

Has someone got any dancing bananas?

[brian green]

Deep down in 86 there was Matt but us Villa fans are very special. At the Cinema of Dreams we deafened the glory hunters with match long high volume singing of Down With The Villa. They did not understand the song the meaning or the passion of course.