Paul Lambert

[bobzy]

 

 

Who is in charge of discipline at the club?

We've taken points off in form teams but what about the points we've dropped to the out of form teams! (QPR, Everton, Tottenham, West Brom and arguably more!)

The goal scoring thing is the major frustration for me. We have a solid defence, a good defensive midfielder in Sanchez with the attacking players beyond them being set up correctly and the right players being picked IMO we could be causing teams quite a few more problems.

Let's hope this is rectified vs. Palace.

lol.

r.e: out of form teams, individual errors against Q.P.R., crap against Everton, better than both Spurs and West Brom up until silly red cards. I genuinely think there have been mitigating circumstances in a few games this season BUT...

...yes, the goal scoring is a huge problem. Likewise, Lambert's stubbornness to keep playing N'Zogbia who is absolute garbage!

Individual errors have helped us out too, such as Forster at Southampton.

 

 

Oh definitely, I'm not saying it's a one-way thing.

[AshVilla]

There is always a "mitigating factor" when it comes to our results and the manager

 

When are we all going to accept that Lambert is not the man to take us forward he's had us for nearly 3 seasons now and were no better off than when he first took over

[markavfc40]

 

 

We've taken points off in form teams but what about the points we've dropped to the out of form teams! (QPR, Everton, Tottenham, West Brom and arguably more!)

 

 

 

This is an excellent point. If your going to acknowledge that we have played teams whilst they have been in form then you also have to acknowledge that we have played sides when they have been on poor runs. When we played QPR they were bottom of the league - we lost, when we played West Brom they were on a poor run of form and have continued that run since - we lost, when we played Everton they were having a poor season and that has continued since - we lost.

You can come up with all the ifs, buts and maybes you want but bottom line is that over the course of the season you will play teams out of sorts and on good runs and you will get the run of the green in some games and in others it will go against you but when you get through as many games of the season as we are now the stats don't tend to lie and will paint a true picture. They tell us we have 21 points from 19 games, 12 points from our last 15 and have scored 11 goals all season. It isn't good enough especially as we now have a squad of players who for me are capable of much better.

Edited December 28, 2014 by markavfc40

[Villanun]

A quick question for those wanting to give him till January; are we talking about the beginning of January or the end?

[terrytini]

The manager isn't an idiot.

He will have seen the same pros and cons of zog v grealish as the rest of us.he sees these players every day. Whilst I also struggle to see zogs better qualities we should assume there is good reason.

Could be to protect the youngster, could be he doesn't fancy his discipline or stamina for a full game.

Likewise bacuna.....players often look better out the team.....he does look like he could play good role in this system but again is lambo being cautious justifiably or unjustifiably ?

For me, for now, I will take the style change as progressive and give it some while to see what results it brings...we haven't done so bad since he brought it in.

I'm not as convinced as others that we won't score....I am far more confident we will playing this way, albeit he is still cautious as regards pushing the midfield on.

It isn't the case that it is totally unproductive either. Whilst not gripping we created chances in both halves, and for example, if weiman had controlled the ball better on one occasion in each half .......

I've also read that the red card is down to him ! Rubbish. Each of the recent reds could have been yellows and there would be nothing to see here !

Also I think it is a sign of the spirit he has instilled in the side that with only ten men we got a draw again.

So for me I don't see there is anything in the last few weeks to fuel the calls for him to go. He is clearly seeking to move things on and alter what wasn't working.

It isn't his fault that his supporters claimed we would do better with benteke back !

The style needed changing, and it will take time to bring about results, but we are never going to create ten chances per game....nobody does !

[rjw63]

There is always a "mitigating factor" when it comes to our results and the manager

When are we all going to accept that Lambert is not the man to take us forward he's had us for nearly 3 seasons now and were no better off than when he first took over

Some people never will

[AshVilla]

WBA played nice football under Mowbray but didn't score enough goals

 

Our style of football may have improved over the last couple of fixtures but unless Benteke has a good game we still look toothless in front of goal and devoid of ideas in the final third.

[terrytini]

We have changed styles. We've gone from hoofball with barely any shots on target to passing it backwards and sideways with barely any shots on target.

Low n behold, neither result in goals/wins.

That is utter rubbish.

Is it? What was the style today then?

Do you simply look at the shots on target stats? There has been a big improvement in our style in the last few games, and there is definitely a case to be argued that we deserve to have more points based on performances.

Not sure I can agree with that statement, I saw nothing today that supports the assertion that there has been a 'big improvement in our style'. We still have no end product, we just look slightly prettier passing it sideways and backwards. I blame Lambert as the manager, the responsibility sits with him.

We keep the ball more, and better, we put ourselves under less pressure, we try and bring the fullbacks more into the game.

Whilst you can argue it isn't enough I find it hard to believe that there are any fans who can't see a marked change ?

[terrytini]

WBA played nice football under Mowbray but didn't score enough goals

 

Our style of football may have improved over the last couple of fixtures but unless Benteke has a good game we still look toothless in front of goal and devoid of ideas in the final third.

They got relegated because they conceded 67 goals !!!

Their goals scored was higher than Wigan who fineshed 11th.....

I want more goals but don't have a problem with defensive solidity allied to a passing game.....we are on course for a pretty good season defensively so would not need as big an upsurge in goals as people think.

[briny_ear]

 

WBA played nice football under Mowbray but didn't score enough goals

 

Our style of football may have improved over the last couple of fixtures but unless Benteke has a good game we still look toothless in front of goal and devoid of ideas in the final third.

They got relegated because they conceded 67 goals !!!

Their goals scored was higher than Wigan who fineshed 11th.....

I want more goals but don't have a problem with defensive solidity allied to a passing game.....we are on course for a pretty good season defensively so would not need as big an upsurge in goals as people think.

 

Not sure I understand what the uncertainty is here. It is very clear and unarguable that, for example, to equalise our goal difference, we would need to score 11 goals without reply. To get a positive goal difference of, say, plus 5, we would need to score 16 without reply.

 

I can't see where you think the the uncertainty about how many goals we need to score might creep in.

[VillanousOne]

We still play a safety first mentality which the amount of games we lose you can understand.

 

whilst I couldn't tell you that a new manager couldn't do better, I acknowledge that Lambert has been trying to do things differently and most of his recent gambles some of us probably agree with.

 

Part of me honestly feels that our very best eleven doesn't seem to be capable of scoring goals anymore. Benteke, Weimann, Zog and Gabby are totally unreliable. Benteke performs well 1 in 4 games the rest 1 in 20 - that is why were our form is veering towards relegation.

Edited December 29, 2014 by VillanousOne

[The Fun Factory]

There is always a "mitigating factor" when it comes to our results and the manager

 

When are we all going to accept that Lambert is not the man to take us forward he's had us for nearly 3 seasons now and were no better off than when he first took over

But are we worse? His basic target is to keep Villa up and that has been achieved, and probably will this year. Unless he gets much greater backing from the owner, or we get taken over, could any other manager do much better?

Edited December 29, 2014 by The Fun Factory

[terrytini]

WBA played nice football under Mowbray but didn't score enough goals

 

Our style of football may have improved over the last couple of fixtures but unless Benteke has a good game we still look toothless in front of goal and devoid of ideas in the final third.

They got relegated because they conceded 67 goals !!!

Their goals scored was higher than Wigan who fineshed 11th.....

I want more goals but don't have a problem with defensive solidity allied to a passing game.....we are on course for a pretty good season defensively so would not need as big an upsurge in goals as people think.

Not sure I understand what the uncertainty is here. It is very clear and unarguable that, for example, to equalise our goal difference, we would need to score 11 goals without reply. To get a positive goal difference of, say, plus 5, we would need to score 16 without reply.

 

I can't see where you think the the uncertainty about how many goals we need to score might creep in.

What I'm saying is simply that we can probably continue to score as infrequently if we continue to conceded as infrequently.

As you say we are currently minus 11. Over the season that would be minus 22 - same as last year and much better than the majority of relegated sides.

So whilst, for many reasons, it would be better to start scoring, the idea that a big upsurge (very unlikely) is needed is IMO not correct.

Indeed one could say that to go as far as wanting an actual positive figure is overreaching ourselves....only six or seven clubs get that in any given season.

[Keyblade]

We've only played about 4 games in this new passing style. As you can probably imagine it might take a bit of time transitioning from backs to the wall counterattacking to patient passing football. Not sure why it's already being written off after only 4 games. Yes we're not scoring much, but we also had a player sent off in 3 of those 4 games, 2 out of those 3 for 40 minutes or more. I say give it a bit of time.

Edited December 29, 2014 by Keyblade

[GENTLEMAN]

We've only played about 4 games in this new passing style. As you can probably imagine it might take a bit of time transitioning from backs to the wall counterattacking to patient passing football. Not sure why it's already being written off after only 4 games. Yes we're not scoring much, but we also had a player sent off in 3 of those 4 games, 2 out of those 3 for 40 minutes or more. I say give it a bit of time.

Absolutely. It terms of the change in style, it is important to remember we will be prone to errors and mistakes while we transition. I also think we need to see "real" investment in the offensive areas of the team.

[sne]

I really hope Lambert insisting on playing Gabby and Andi is not down to him fearing he'll lose the dressingroom if they are dropped.

 

Both offer nothing but workrate on the flanks but are still played out of position rather than players who are more natural wingers.

With the implementation of the new more passing oriented style they offer even less

Gabby seems to have fallen out with the last few assistants and Andi has done nothing since signing his new contract.

Without having any idea of what happens behind the scenes it's all speculation, but sadly i can see at them becoming a problem if they're not accomodated.

 

Really hope there is another reason why Gabby & Andi is always in the starting 11, but im really struggling to see why they are

[pooligan]

I read somewhere yesterday the game with Sunderland was the 20th time under the clueless one that we have failed to score at home .That is more than a season of home games.Just how bad has this man got to be before our dozy owner wakes up to the fact he is not up to the job of being manager of  Aston Villa?

[dudevillaisnice]

We've only played about 4 games in this new passing style. As you can probably imagine it might take a bit of time transitioning from backs to the wall counterattacking to patient passing football. Not sure why it's already being written off after only 4 games. Yes we're not scoring much, but we also had a player sent off in 3 of those 4 games, 2 out of those 3 for 40 minutes or more. I say give it a bit of time.

Again not sure anyone is dismissing the style of play but we hardly looked like scoring with the extra man on the field anyway. I would argue we looked more likely when down to 10 against Sunderland. The style of play is a funny one really; it is essentially passing and keeping the ball something a PL team should be comfortable with already, not sure why he has only has just started doing this almost like it's flavour of the month better late than never I suppose.

[ozvillafan]

We've only played about 4 games in this new passing style. As you can probably imagine it might take a bit of time transitioning from backs to the wall counterattacking to patient passing football. Not sure why it's already being written off after only 4 games. Yes we're not scoring much, but we also had a player sent off in 3 of those 4 games, 2 out of those 3 for 40 minutes or more. I say give it a bit of time.

 

Not a Lambert fan - but this is spot on.

 

There is no doubt our style has changed. We have now proved something we haven't seen from this side for most of Lambert's time here: We can retain possession and move the ball around. That's a start.

 

Next comes movement and tempo, as the players are still fairly static unless they are receiving the ball and the ball movement is mostly ponderous/telegraphed. That will take a little longer.

[DCJonah]

We keep saying give it time. And over the time that he keeps getting given we show no progress.

What ever we do the end result is pretty much the same.

What will more time really do?