Eames Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 I accept it is slightly counterfactual....but that is my opinion. I'm not clear where I've mentioned Mourinho. Plenty of managers COULD have done better...but that is annequally counterfactual arguement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isa Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 I accept it is slightly counterfactual....but that is my opinion. I'm not clear where I've mentioned Mourinho. Plenty of managers COULD have done better...but that is annequally counterfactual arguement. You said "I don't think fans are saying..." which means you were talking for others not just your own personal opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Steve Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 (edited) Imagine if Everton lost Lukaku for a majority of the season. Or Liverpool lost Suarez. We've had to compete without a fully-fit Benteke for most of the season. A serious injury to Okore meant a rotation of lesser centre backs so the defence was bound to be less settled. That was compounded when Vlaar was injured. A lot of teams would struggle in these areas if they had the injury problems we did. Had our first-choice X1 been fully fit all season, we'd be in a healthier league position I'm sure. Edited April 8, 2014 by The_Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isa Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 We didn't lose Benteke for the majority of the season though so it is a moot point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eames Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 Still not clear why that therefore means I agree with the ridiculous Mourinho comment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big_John_10 Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 Lambert needs and deserves the chance to get a bit more quality into the team - he hasn't really had the opportunity to do that yet. Needs, yes. Deserves? Not a chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big_John_10 Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 Imagine if Everton lost Lukaku for a majority of the season. Or Liverpool lost Suarez. We've had to compete without a fully-fit Benteke for most of the season. A serious injury to Okore meant a rotation of lesser centre backs so the defence was bound to be less settled. That was compounded when Vlaar was injured. A lot of teams would struggle in these areas if they had the injury problems we did. Had our first-choice X1 been fully fit all season, we'd be in a healthier league position I'm sure. I'm sure there will always be an excuse. If its not finances its injuries, if its not injuries its McLeish, if its not McLeish its players on high wages with bad attitudes, if its not that its all MONs fault. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isa Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 Still not clear why that therefore means I agree with the ridiculous Mourinho comment. Well because you made the unequivocal claim that fans aren't saying that Lambart is the best man for the job. The Mourinho one was a particular example but it ultimately derives from the openly stated sentiment of nearly all of the manager's apologists on here that no other manager could have managed better than Lambert. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juanpabloangel18 Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 --Guzan-- --Lowton--Vlaar--Okore--Bertrand --Bacuna--Westwood--Delph --Gabby--Benteke--Weimann I think that first XI is actually OK (with a couple of obviously weaker areas). It's a real shame we've not seen it at all this season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaForever1970 Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 Interesting article about sacking managers during the season.Basically only Pulis has improved the team, all the rest have stayed where they are essentially. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eames Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 Still not clear why that therefore means I agree with the ridiculous Mourinho comment. Well because you made the unequivocal claim that fans aren't saying that Lambart is the best man for the job. The Mourinho one was a particular example but it ultimately derives from the openly stated sentiment of nearly all of the manager's apologists on here that no other manager could have managed better than Lambert. Thats because they're not. I'm not sure any sane rational Villa fan can say hand on heart Lambert is the BEST man for the job. What he is, is the current man WITH the job and given sacking him will mean 4 managers in 4 years I am yet to be convinced sacking him is the correct course of action. I believe he has done as well as fortune and finance have allowed him to do. I also believe the players have let him down. ..not through lack of ability but lack of concentration and experience, only one of those Lambert has any direct influence over. I think you have misunderstood my original comment or failing that o have been insufficiently clear...which I hope I have now remedied. Its also massively unhelpful labelling other fans as "apologists" again I've not seen anyone apologising on Lambert's behalf for the situation more that they can see that not all the fault lies with him, that 2 years given the financial constraints is not enough time for him to build the squad he wants and that what the club needs is the fans support, a packed VP with an atmosphere to encourage the players and to abandon this rotten sense of entitlement that is a blight on this football club. I won't have changed your mind, I don't expect to...you won't change mine....but at least maybe this can be discussed without the cheap insults, I'm a better fan than you point scoring and the pathetic abused dished out to manager and players alike via the internet. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sne Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 Don't think there is a single team where the fans aren't saying that if only they avoided injuries to key players they'd be better off. We might think we've been hit the hardest by injuries, but no doubt so does the fans of Arsenal, Swansea,Man U and ... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villalad21 Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 (edited) I actually think Dunne, Collins, Bent etc.. would have done better than what we got, at least Dunne and Collins knows how to defend. Bent could be a nice impact sub to have. And NZogbia should be a regular first choice, miles better than Weimann, MILES better We've been through this before, Lambert finished higher with the worst Villa squad ever (if you believe certain posters) than McLeish managed with a squad of experienced players. The club are better off now we've gotten rid of the negative influences and overpayed players. Hopefully, in the summer, we'll be rid of CNZ, Bent, Hutton and Given. I'm not saying we should use all of our older players, but I do firmly believe that a good mix of experienced and young players is the best way to go. A too old side won't work "fulham" is a prime example, and a too young side wont work either "us". It's also a real shame we lost Petrov, our club is screaming for a leader in the midfield like that. And also. People saying Weimann is a better player than the zog.. Haha give me a **** break, Weimann can't even do the basics with a football. Edited April 8, 2014 by villalad21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudevillaisnice Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 Don't think he would get the sack even if we don't reach the 40 point mark. The board are just comfortable with the club in the premier league. It will be interesting to see what will happen with this new contract he is supposedly offered though, I presume he will sign it.. the club will put out some PR; players will be told to back the manager etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantis Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 Don't think there is a single team where the fans aren't saying that if only they avoided injuries to key players they'd be better off. We might think we've been hit the hardest by injuries, but no doubt so does the fans of Arsenal, Swansea,Man U and ... It's pretty hard to deny that we've been hit particularly hard this season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villalad21 Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 Anyways. I might get some stick for this, but I'm not totally Lambert out yet, but it's close, really close. However, next season should be his last chance to show some improvement, these next transfer windows will be crucial for him and the team. If he fails to sign what we are screaming out for, a creative midfielder and a real leader in midfield, and add that to Okore's comeback, NZogbia back in form and matchfit, while Benteke hopefully is back in october. If Lambert still can't get this team to play some decent football next season, he should be gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa89 Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 I presume he will sign it.. To be honest if I was him I wouldn't sign it unless I knew for certain that there would be money to spend. Right now he is perceived to have done a decent job keeping us in the league and signing Benteke. If he stays at the club and has to keep buying cheap players then he's just making a rod for his own back. People will look at him and say that he hasn't progressed the team and that we are stagnant and he'll have no chance of getting a big job in management. (I don't count Celtic as a big job because it's not). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 We didn't lose Benteke for the majority of the season though so it is a moot point. will be nearly a 3rd of it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regular_john Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 Yup, and you can add on the games where he wasn't fully fit and carrying knocks, which was another 5 or so Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big_John_10 Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 And add the games when his confidence was low. Then add in the games when he was feeling a little under the weather. Miracle we've survived really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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