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

[supertom]

I know that we are shit at the moment, but reading this thread I get the impression that it is March and we're ten points from safety, not that it's November and we're three points behind Man Utd, four behind Liverpool.

We've been shit for the whole of 2014 though and with no light at the end of the tunnel. The longer this goes on the harder it is to break out of and the result will only end one way. Liverpool and Utd have been poor but still, come May they'll both be a good 30 points clear of us.

[brian green]

Sort of place you would expect to appeal to him.   Big improvement on Manchester.   Big fish, warm little pool.

[Deano's Mullet]

The way we play doesn't guarantee regular decent results. We let the opposition have too much of the ball whether it be through our tactics or because we aren't that good at ball retention. We try and play quite defensively but our defending at set pieces isn't great, it  hasnt been for 3 years, and no matter how much effort the lads put in it always seems like we are going to concede - and often when we do we collapse.  Benteke may start scoring but defenders will start doubling their attentions on him as 90% of our through balls or crosses are all aimed at him meaning we need to come up with other options. The only time a ball was put into someone else we actually scored. But  what I don't understand is that we all know Lambert needs to change things ie his tactics and style because it doesn't work, hasn't worked and never will. If he could come up with another game plan or change of formation then who knows what might happen but he seems unwilling to do this and until the day comes that he does things are just going to stay as they are.

[LeeB]

I cannot even begin to imagine any reason why Moyes would come to Villa.   We have absolutely nothing to offer him, not even a thumping great wedge of a salary because he can demand that anywhere.   Time for us to face the realities of our situation.   We need a short term appointment to give us a bit of status and self respect back, then try for a top drawer long term manager.   It is never going to happen because it is too easy to muddle through and hope for the best.   Problem is if you hope for the best repeatedly, eventually you get the worst.

I agree.

I want change, but given everything surrounding the club as it stands I think  if the present board attempted to appoint some blue-sky thinking modern manager it would just end it utter disaster, in the Christian Gross/Alan Perrin/Stale Solbakken mould.

Fuck me, I really do think Pulis is our best option, and I honestly never, ever thought I'd think that, but the last 4 years have kicked the shit out of me as a Villa fan.

We're going one way trying to fight the good fight in the modern world, I'm sick of seeing us mugged time and time again, opposition fans having the time of their lives at Villa Park and all whilst we're just expected to fucking 'go again'.

Give it to Pulis, with a fucking mandate to win at any cost.

[brontebilly]

I realise we're heading for another schism here, but no, no and a thousand times no to Tony Pulis.

Same here. The Plus style and the Lambert style seem very similar to me.

Also it maybe bigoted on my part but no more UK/Irish managers please.

 I have had enough I want a modern manager and with very rare exceptions, managers from our country are just not good enough.

There is a reason no British managers have the lead job in the top flight of Germany,Spain & Italy.

A few have tried, El Tel and Bobby Robson at Barca, Hodgson at Inter.

If Southampton got a run on us early on at Villa Park, we cant be far off the orange bedsheet time.

Agreed on the ethnicity of the next manager. Lambert was flavour of the month not too long ago after back to back promotions at Norwich and a solid first season in the top flight. When the trap door is finally pulled on his reign I think he will struggle to get back to a club in the top division.

We have become a graveyard for manager's careers for 20 years plus so I think we would be too much for someone like Eddie Howe at this stage of his career like we were for Lambert. Lets be honest if you were advising the likes of Tuchel or Montella you would be telling them to stay well clear of a club like ours with zero leadership at board level. Lerner like Mike Ashley just wants to club to remain midtable ish so they can try and flog us to a white knight. With that ambition, Lerner would probably be happier with a safe pair of hands ala McLeish, Lambert or a Bruce, Pulis, Moyes or Mark Hughes.

[andyh]

I cannot even begin to imagine any reason why Moyes would come to Villa.   We have absolutely nothing to offer him, not even a thumping great wedge of a salary because he can demand that anywhere.   Time for us to face the realities of our situation.   We need a short term appointment to give us a bit of status and self respect back, then try for a top drawer long term manager.   It is never going to happen because it is too easy to muddle through and hope for the best.   Problem is if you hope for the best repeatedly, eventually you get the worst.

I agree.

I want change, but given everything surrounding the club as it stands I think  if the present board attempted to appoint some blue-sky thinking modern manager it would just end it utter disaster, in the Christian Gross/Alan Perrin/Stale Solbakken mould.

Fuck me, I really do think Pulis is our best option, and I honestly never, ever thought I'd think that, but the last 4 years have kicked the shit out of me as a Villa fan.

We're going one way trying to fight the good fight in the modern world, I'm sick of seeing us mugged time and time again, opposition fans having the time of their lives at Villa Park and all whilst we're just expected to fucking 'go again'.

Give it to Pulis, with a fucking mandate to win at any cost.

I don't want Pulis, I really don't want Pulis.

BUT..

I agree with this and the sentiment.
I am past the 'holier than the rest' attitude we too often show when discussing the villa.
Fuck it, let just start winning. Whether that's dirty or not, let's just have bloody change.

[Matt C]

Conversely I can see why we would be very appealing to a potential manager. They are all, to an extent, driven by ego - they must be to do this job and you come into Villa at the moment at a very low ebb and it wouldn't take much to deliver an improvement abd enhance your reputation.

Very similar as to when MON arrived.

[Walmley_Villa]

So the U21s were on the end of another tonking this evening....the club is a footballing shambles from top to bottom. We desperately need somebody to invigorate the whole footballing side of the club. We kid ourselves we have a great youth set-up - no we don't. The likes of Southampton, Everton do. Our scouting and coaching is abysmal.

I will admit I would take Tiny Penis and I never thought I would ever see the day I said that. Give him or Moyes the keys to shake the place up from top to bottom.   

[Chris Smith]

I remember contributors to this site calling for MON to be sacked for being too one-dimensional and now there are calls for Pullis to come in and deliver his non-dimensional style to save the day.

[OzVilla]

I agree Chris. I don't get this clamor for Pulis at all.

This squad is totally un-Pulis like and he'll struggle with it without funds, which we all know won't be forthcoming.

[pauliewalnuts]

I remember contributors to this site calling for MON to be sacked for being too one-dimensional and now there are calls for Pullis to come in and deliver his non-dimensional style to save the day.

Well, surely the relevance of that depends on if it is the same people saying it?

[Ads]

I liked O'Neill's football on balance, because we won more often than not. That isn't to lift the lid on that argument again, more a comment on I like us winning first and foremost.

[ChicagoLion]

Pulis is such a bad Idea that I think Randy will go for it.

That is the real problem.

[Malandro]

Another reason Lerner will stick with Lambert is Fulham. He will conclude that they sacked their manager, spent money and still got relegated.

We are stuck with him, probably until its too late.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I liked O'Neill's football on balance, because we won more often than not. That isn't to lift the lid on that argument again, more a comment on I like us winning first and foremost.

Sadly, you're not alone, Ads. There's far too much short termism at our club. One day, one day, we'll once again have team worth loving.