Lambert's replacement

[ChicagoLion]

The chance of us finding a long term replacement now is unlikely, we do however urgently need some one on a short term contract to turn this situation around. Sir Brian or GT would be my choice and then they could they on to help find a successor.

[PeterWithesShin]

The chance of us finding a long term replacement now is unlikely, we do however urgently need some one on a short term contract to turn this situation around. Sir Brian or GT would be my choice and then they could they on to help find a successor.

I love both but there is no way either of them is the answer, even short term.

[john e]

West Ham arnt playing better football, the long ball stats are the same as last year

They just spent money on better players to play that the same way with better results

West Ham are doing better because they've signed better players.  We're doing crap because we've signed rubbish players..

Its not rocket science

I would still like to be able to buy better players and have a better manager who played better football with those better players though

[Risso]

I genuinely have no idea why people moan on about Lambert and wanting him out because watching us is like having your face slowly pulled off the front of your head week after week, and then suggest they'd want the likes of Pulis or Allardyce.

Football is meant to be fun. Lambert has failed to make us fun to watch. Allardyce (despite the last few months) and Pulis are by-words for awful football.

Why would anyone want to sign up for more of that shite? If we got rid of Lambert, surely we'd be better off looking for a manager imbued in playing watchable football?

I largely agree with you, but I think most people suggested Pulis as a means of keeping us up, rather than for entertainment value.  In any case, compared to Lambert; Pulis, Allardyce and Mark Hughes are purveyors of entertaining football of the sort you'd get if you crossed the Brazil team of the 70s with the Harlem Globetrotters!  Lambert's football is the most witless drivel I've seen since McNeill stank the place out.

[Toronto Villa]

I don't need Aston Villa to become Barcelona. My best memories of Aston Villa are those that involve a dominant centre forward and wingers who can beat the full back and put in deadly crosses. I like a high pressing direct style of football where we create a lot of chances and our Number 9 is a bully and scores goals as well as creating them. I'd be happy to have this manager or a manager come in and commit to that tactic. Like I said about Allardyce, if there is better out there that we can get then great. However, he tries to play that type of football. Whether he always has or did is debatable and largely irrelevant. But if we are trying to be realistic then he would check that box of someone who would be attainable and would relatively quickly make us solid and competitive. He's not Pulis and Hughes is in between the two.

[AVH87]

Allardyce has turned West Ham into a top half team quicker than Lambert has with us (and looks like he never will), also Allardyce has finished in the top 7 of the Premier League on occasions with Bolton and Blackburn, something Lambert hasn't ever done in this league and looks unlikely to ever do.

Comparing Lambert to him as a manager is actually doing Big Sam a massive disservice.

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

It's easy to forget when touting these up and comers that Paul Lambert was exactly that manager 3 years ago. Along with Rodgers he was the rising star. There's nothing to say that Edie Howe or Dyche wouldn't come to Villa all full of piss and vinegar and the situation ends up being too big for them. When the board gets criticized for bad hires, getting Lambert was considered a good one.

Totally agree TV!
I think we all thought the Lambert appointment was the right one - based on what he had done/was doing at Norwich. We all saw that he had a team of players most of us had never heard of but had drilled into playing good, positive football, with no laying down to the "big" teams and giving it a good go.
I don't know what's happened but he seems to have changed his approach completely. I don't know why. And I wonder if HE does. It looks incredibly like crisis management to me! And the only way out is to change the management.
Replacement?
Anyone with a bit of tactical nous who can set a team up to give a good account of themselves as a team, with a clear plan and sense of purpose.
I have rarely seen that at VP, or beyond, for about two years.

[eric woolban woolban]

We need ABL - Anyone But Lambert

[Drummond]

Laudrup, Curbishley, Souness, all available to see the season through. Any one of them would be more preferable than Lambert.

Souness short-term would be a good move. He's an utterly lamentable character but he kicks arses.

So does Paolo di Canio!

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

Laudrup perhaps.
Curbushley and Souness - wouldn't touch with yours!

[steffo]

Totally agree TV!
I think we all thought the Lambert appointment was the right one - based on what he had done/was doing at Norwich. We all saw that he had a team of players most of us had never heard of but had drilled into playing good, positive football, with no laying down to the "big" teams and giving it a good go.
I don't know what's happened but he seems to have changed his approach completely. I don't know why. And I wonder if HE does. It looks incredibly like crisis management to me! And the only way out is to change the management.
Replacement?
Anyone with a bit of tactical nous who can set a team up to give a good account of themselves as a team, with a clear plan and sense of purpose.
I have rarely seen that at VP, or beyond, for about two years.

Lambert surprised teams with his tactics and it worked going through three divisions in three years.

Alas, HE decided to bomb experience for hungry players. He failed as his masterplan is to have two fullbacks who can provide width. Each leftback he has signed either cannot defend or attack. Same with a rightback. It smells of desperation when a player who does not figure in his plans is now is number one choice. (Hutton)

There us no plan B. Narrow football or else. The bollocks he states about more possession is the fact that we can pass it around to make him look good. We are set up to defend. We do not have one player other than Benteke who can beat his man. Yet each time he has two defenders to beat.

We are close to crossing the rubicon. Martinez the former Wigan manager (now Everton) was facing relegation (the season before the won the cup and were relegated). He changed his system to stay up. Lambert will not.

[villabear]

Anyone mentioned Slavan Bilic? Certainly got a bit of passion about him. Besiktas second in the league.
Sure I read he was looking to come to the Preemier League (c Doug) Isn't he a bit how shall we say 'unorthodox' though. Maybe get Paolo in as his number 2?

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

Leicester were up for it yesterday and whacked the ball into our box at every opportunity - a bit Stoke-like, a bit crude, perhaps - but they had a plan, and it worked! They could've been 3 up at half time and their goal came from us not being able to clear another pinpointed cross into our area, at pace, us on the back foot.
Palace did the same, esp at their place, as did Burnley in the last 15 minutes.

As TV says, I don't need Aston Villa to be Barcelona, but I want Aston Villa to create threats to the opposition goal, for their players to know they've been in a game and for their fans to think "f**k me, they know how to play a game don't they?" And I want us as Villa fans to have a sense of pride in what our team does and the way we do it. And if that is a long ball to Benteke that others can feed off, or playing counter attack using Gabby, Kozak and Weimann (like we did at Southampton last season) so be it. But I want us to be pro-active and reactive. Take the game to them and if they are getting the upper hand, do something to counteract it.
Steffo is right: there is no plan B!

We can't even keep possession from throw-ins ffs!

[Dante Lavelli]

Josep Gombau..... and yes he is a seriously good coach. His team plays attractive attacking football , think what he could do stepping up to the next level....pull this Villa dross out of the mire!!!

Can't say I know too much about this particular bloke but I hope we go with someone like this (howe, clement) rather than a Pulis where there is an obvious ceiling.  Regrettably we do not have a DoF in place to help a guy like this whilst he is growing into the role.

[Matt C]

Bilic is going to get a shot at the PL at some point, can't see him moving until the summer though. Seems to be a good manager though, smart and able to harbour a good team spirit and togetherness.