FC Groningen vs Aston Villa

[PeterWithesShin]

Another concern for me is that with each friendly we look worse and less fit. I'm pretty sure that isn't meant to happen.

[silhillvilla]

This is all worryingly familiar on many levels.

[richard moore]

I know I keep banging on about it, but I honestly believe our immediate problem is lambert.
At ANY other club he would be long gone.
The thing is, he has absolutely no credit in the bank and so if we get off to a poor start, then the atmosphere at VP (and on the road) will be absolutely poisonous.
It will then be self perpetuatin, the crowd will be on the teams back, the pressure and nerves will build, and we will be in deep shit by christmas.

It's difficult to put into words how inept and clueless he is. We are odds on to go down this season in my view, having deserved to go in each of the last two seasons

[Malandro]

Bummer I thought this was an evening k.o!

[David_Nab]

I know I keep banging on about it, but I honestly believe our immediate problem is lambert.
At ANY other club he would be long gone.
The thing is, he has absolutely no credit in the bank and so if we get off to a poor start, then the atmosphere at VP (and on the road) will be absolutely poisonous.
It will then be self perpetuatin, the crowd will be on the teams back, the pressure and nerves will build, and we will be in deep shit by christmas.

Tend to agree

[garyshawsknee]

We didn't need a drum beater like Keane in as well. We needed someone who has some form of tactical ideas, that would have been a bonus. That 3/1 for us to get relegated doesn't look like a bad price now.

[olaftab]

More the performance. We looked disjointed, unfit and tactically quite poor. That's my concern anyway.

OK but other than that we were brilliant. Even the performance was a "winning" 4-1 defeat.

[Steve R]

Then we have to hope that we can overcome how absolutely, unquestionably, fucking useless Lambert is at picking and organising a side.

I stuck with Lambert through the first season and a chunk of the second, but I am increasingly starting to think he's an absolute chancer and genuinely doesn't know what he's doing.

Whatever his qualities there often comes a point where manager's become totally hapless and paralysed by Jonah syndrome. I suspect Lambert is well past that point now.

[john2710]

You can tell the football season is back, it's Saturday evening &'I'm in a foul mood.

Honestly, the fuck ups by Lerner since he took over will be pale in comparison to what we are about to see over the next few months.

[sirlordbaltimore]

I doubt anywhere near 90% of Villa fans want Lambert out, particularly now we know the environment he has been operating under.

Really? I haven't met one since last Christmas that doesn't

He's a trainwreck. How many clubs in turmoil would stick with a manager that's already lost the supporters before going into a new season ?

It'll kick off big style again come the first defeat because the anger/resentment towards him by a large section of our support is already there and wont have disappeared over the summer

I absolutely loathe the bloke as a manager (note as a manager, not as a person as i've never met or wanted to meet him) and that's not changed just because we've had a summer holiday. I don't forget that quick and it's all there, brewed up inside.

Keeping him on has just guaranteed the atmosphere will be highly charged and lit to pop from the off

[Joshua Fineman]

I cannot see why Paul Lambert would wish to stay at Villa Park. He has failed spectacularly to move Aston Villa forward in a positive way.

But he is not going to resign......why?

There must be a reason. God knows what it is though.

I know why - £££££

[silhillvilla]

We simply have to keep vlaar or it's curtains for sure.
We also need a striker very very urgently.

[sirlordbaltimore]

If we're going to sign a striker then we HAVE to get rid of some of the dead wood cluttering the place up. Step forward Gabby for starters

I'd be more concerned about the piss poor midfield and defence

[Matt Collins]

I agree. We cannot lose vlaar. If Richardson isn't going to play left back we have to get a left back. And I think we really need a proper target man, perhaps on loan, until the other two are back. I wondered about Sanogo but I see he scored four today. Anyway, these results will make you feel better

   Squawka Football (@Squawka)
02/08/2014 18:50
RESULTS:

Celtic 1-6 Spurs
Schalke 0-0 West Ham
Arsenal 5-1 Benfica
Malaga 3-1 Newcastle
Monaco 2-2 Valencia
Groningen 4-1 Aston Villa

[Steve67]

We simply have to keep vlaar or it's curtains for sure.
We also need a striker very very urgently.

er, and two midfielders, a proper centre half, two decent full backs. Any time you want the spending to start Mr Lerner.....