dn1982

Neither was offering Lambert a new four-year deal. Lerner is quite simply a moron.

 

Lets put that in the context of the time it was done, shall we?

 

- Lambert is in his 3rd season

- He has dropped the high earners and has a squad made up entirely of his own players

- He has had a stella start to the season

- The club is up for sale and needs to convey the idea of stability to be attractive to prospective buyers

- He has nobody at the club to tell him otherwise (post Faulkner, pre Fox)

 

Suddenly that decision doesn't seem so daft - especially when we don't know the full details of the deal (including possible clauses for being bloody awful). In hindsight, he was bloody awful and it was a poor decision to make...

 

.. but everything is easy in hindsight.

 

Taking your points in order:

 

Agreed

Not completely true, he still had the likes of Hutton, Given and Bent.

It was FOUR games.  Not nearly long to see if that was enough.

If you're trying to sell something, it could actually be argued that NOT giving the manager a new contract was the correct thing to do, as it ties a potential new owner into a manager they may not want.

Not true, the new contract was signed after Fox had started.  Fox said this at the time  "We have a long-term vision for Villa.  Paul is completely integrated into our plan to manage the club carefully and ambitiously back to a position in the Premier League appropriate to our history and collective expectations."

 

It was a terrible idea, and one that does not need the power of hind sight to see just what a terrible idea it was.

Lambert was offered the contract when he kept us up the season before. Whether it was a good or bad decision or liked or not liked having a manager on a long term contract gives the sense of stability. Ultimately the only difference it made was to Lamberts pocket as I don't think it affected the decision to sack him as Lerner is probably too loyal. Thankfully Fox seems to have that ruthless streak.

There has been rumours and nothing else! No one has made a bid all you've got is mainly made up by the press. Sturridge is injured and Liverpool need a striker who's playing well at the minute? Benteke. One thing under Lerner we haven't sold anyone unless it's been to our benefit. If we are going to speculate about Liverpool then you can speculate about all

The other clubs that have been mentioned and then add in virtually every other club as he's good enough IMO to play for anyone. I prefer to think that we'll be bought out and have enough money to compete so why would he leave some where he loves if we can match his ambition!

Paul Scholes never spoke when he was playing now he's getting paid he won't shut up!! Cleverley is playing the best football of his career but yet Scholes says he'd suit Everton. He obviously suits playing under Sherwood!!

They might relax UEFA FFP, but I doubt they'll do the same with PL FFP considering it was implemented following a majority vote.

I think the UEFA FFP was voted in aswell. QPR are challenging the Football League version so it'll follow that once one changes the others will aswell. It is a restriction on trade and was always gong to get challenged.

Guzan Lowton Vlaar Senderos Hutton

Sanchez Delph Gil Sinclair Gabby Robinson

Some need fitness others just need game time. I'd take Delph off at about 60 min. I don't think Gardner can play as not in the 25 otherwise I'd rest Delph altogether. It'd be nice to have another couple of youth players on the bench for the last 20 aswell

Some sites are carrying reports from Belgium that he won't push for a move to Liverpool but I doubt our press would find that news worthy. Why would a striker who scores one in two push for a move to a team that isn't in the champions league and won't be challenging for the title any time soon. Liverpool are in turmoil with Sterling and that after losing Suarez last year and Gerrard this one.

A winger not getting picked in a formation that isn't using wingers and people jump to conclusions that he doesn't like him.

Liverpool are the most arrogant club going. Sterling should stay as it's the best club to develop his football yet he's had a crap season because of Rodgers not buying a decent CF and playing him out of position. He then wants to leave because he wants to win things yet Benteke should go there to win stuff! Benteke is too good for Liverpool they had one very good season last year when Suarez carried them with an unreal level of performance they then went and wasted his fee. The only thing Liverpool have over Villa at the minute is they have more reporters willing to peddle their transfer stories!!

Benteke is loving his football at the minute and unless a top top team comes in for him I don't think he'll go. Liverpool aren't good enough for him and there's not many that are. He would need to go to a title challenging team and I can't see one coming in for him this year. If he did go and we got new owners we could have a massive war chest because of the way amortisation works. I think he'll stay and hopefully sign a new deal with the understanding we will listen to offers next year if he wants to leave. He's happy here and with the euros next year he might not want to be unsettled going into them.

Grealish never asked for Spurs to do us a favour that to me would've been bad but tweeting after towards doesn't mean anything especially as its exactly what every fan thought. He is a fan aswell as a player and most people moan about players being too removed from the fans. It seems there's no pleasing some people!!

Keep Benteke and keep attacking

FFP will have to change. QPR will contest the football league one and as soon as one gets thrown out they will all collapse unless it's refined. Owners should be banned from saddling clubs with debt but should be allowed to spend their money as they see fit. Hopefully it might be getting changed just at the right time for us.

No benteke? I certainly want to see him for what will probably be the last time

It's just that he is our MVP and the one we cannot afford to lose for the final. I'd rather not risk it.

You can also catch him the week after at Wembley!

Why do we need a scapegoat? It seems Vlaar is being singled out in an awful team performance. The key word being TEAM. Today was Vlaars first bad game in ages and that goes for the rest of the team. Ideally I'd have liked to rest a load of players next week but our defence needs to play again just to get it out the system.

Have to say I'm not really sure what Guzan has done wrong to be honest.

Guzan doesn't instil confidence in his defence and has erratic distribution. Look at the difference between him and Given and its astonishing. Guzan is hyperactive if he can learn to calm down and improve his decision making and distribution he can still be a top goalkeeper but either way we need a new keeper to push for number 1 seeing as Given is getting on and is on massive money.

Think the new criteria is "attended" 6 games home or away this season which is different to booking history? Wonder if games yet to be played don't count?

Interesting ....but I'm sure it will still be done on booking history as otherwise how would the club know which games people had attended

Yes, they'll assume games played so far on booking history are ones you have attended! I'm questioning whether they'll count Burnley/ Southampton - I think the wording may be deliberate, but who knows!

Good luck to those wishing to get one tomorrow.

The criteria includes games to be played

Personally I think the way they've released the tickets is fine. I've bought 15 tickets at 5 different stages and haven't spent longer than 15 min getting them. ST holders seemed to have the better choice and the choice gradually narrowed but even up until yesterday you could get some very good seats. People moaning about what seat they've got need to remember it's the FA Cup final! 3 months ago you'd have bitten someone's hand off to be sat in the worst seat at Wembley for it!

And then other people moan about the criteria. Since the semi we will have played 6 games to the final so even if you only bought those you'd get a final ticket so if you haven't bothered going before or after that game frankly I don't think you deserve one. If you're going to get on the bandwagon do it properly.

Don't understand the hate with the Europa League.  Would love to be playing in it regularly.

I know it's hard on fixtures but you get CL for winning it and you can go far without playing to many difficult teams. If we can win the FA Cup we can go far in the Europa!

Well he's not getting in the 18 even though we've still got defenders injured...I suppose he's worth keeping as he can cover both full back positions but maybe loan him out start of next season if we sign another LB.

That's because the defenders injured are 2 CB and he's a RB of which we have 3. Sherwood will only play a FB on the wrong side if he has too so he won't get in in front of Richardson. It's a shame as he's a good player he's just a little slow compared to the others. He'd be a good signing for a top end championship team.

Yes of course it's the FA's fault that we have a reduced allocation. Personally, I think every fan who attended the semi final should be able to go to the final.

Having said that I find it baffling that anyone is willing to pay stupid money to a tout for a potentially dodgy ticket when there was the opportunity to purchase 4 more games that would have added to their booking history. West Ham, Everton, Southampton and Burnley cost me a total of £106 and allowed me to be eligible yesterday. Even if someone couldn't actually attend those games but were sitting on a 3 game booking history prior to the criteria being announced they could have booked them to be eligible today. Looking online, it seems there might even be a chance tomorrow for those on 6+.

Would I trust a tout to supply me a genuine ticket for £600? No way, boycott the touts, get the beers in and the BBQ going and put the money to better use.

Yes of course it's the FA's fault that we have a reduced allocation. Personally, I think every fan who attended the semi final should be able to go to the final.

Having said that I find it baffling that anyone is willing to pay stupid money to a tout for a potentially dodgy ticket when there was the opportunity to purchase 4 more games that would have added to their booking history. West Ham, Everton, Southampton and Burnley cost me a total of £106 and allowed me to be eligible yesterday. Even if someone couldn't actually attend those games but were sitting on a 3 game booking history prior to the criteria being announced they could have booked them to be eligible today. Looking online, it seems there might even be a chance tomorrow for those on 6+.

Would I trust a tout to supply me a genuine ticket for £600? No way, boycott the touts, get the beers in and the BBQ going and put the money to better use.

Saying every one who attended the semi should get a ticket doesn't work. I was on holiday so I gave my ST ref away how would I get a ticket? Even though the allocation is low it's always the same so there's no point moaning about it. Anybody who has attended regularly this season will have had the chance to get a ticket some will have done what you've done by buying the last 4 so basically if you really wanted one there was ways to get one. If I never had one I'd pay through the nose to get one as if we win I'd never forgive myself for not being there! And if you think we have it bad Arsenal have the same allocation and a load more ST holders!!

I think every one should just blank all talk of Benteke leaving. He is our star player and we all know the media hate good players being at any club other than a select few so we will get virtually daily links from now on. One thing we as a club never do is sell cheap so IF and I think it's a big if he goes we will have a lot of money to reinvest. Hopefully we win Saturday and then with safety assured the takeover gathers pace and we can show the ambition that'll make Benteke and others want to stay.

Liverpool last year showed what can happen f you have a couple of players on fire for the whole season. Suarez and Sturridge were worth an extra 20+ points last season. So if we kept Benteke and found someone to play alongside him who could score aswell you never know. Next year I think with our current squad and Sherwood we will be looking at 50 points if we added to it could we add another 10 or so?? For me the key will be getting towards 8-10 home wins and also keeping our decent away record and from what I've seen we will be very strong at home next year because we attack all the time.

Tweeted Nursey directly asking if there was any updates on Westwood/Sherwood. Got this.

 

James Nursey @JamesNursey · 38m38 minutes ago

@SAGW1991 it is not my opinion that counts, it is Sherwood's. I asked TS about Westwood & his future & form & will print response tomorrow

 

Hopefully it's positive!

 

Can't see how it wouldn't be.

Sherwood is on the official site stating that he loves Westwood! Nursery is a clown

Is it just minimum of 8 home games? No matter what competition?

8 competitive games home or away

Better options available for the money? He's a no brainer for 2m for me IMO

Indeed. He's a very good player for a fee that ridiculously small. Even Tonev cost more than that, and he can't actually play football.

There are free agents on the continent who aren't getting paid near what Sinclair is reported to be on at City

It doesn't matter what he's on at City it's what he'll be on here that matters. He's a proven 1 in 3 goal scorer I'd like to keep him as I think there's more to come.