Manager Paul Lambert

[Isa]

Couldn't have summed it up better TJVillan.

[Zatman]

 

More than a year now since any club outside the Big 4 beat us away from home. Some record that is.

 

Interesting, how many of them are draws?

 

Good stat though.

 

 

that team would have been Fulham. so since then we have beaten Sunderland, Reading, Stoke, Liverpool, NOrwich x2,  plus beating Arsenal so winning 7 away games in a year is pretty impressive

[TJVillan]

 

 

More than a year now since any club outside the Big 4 beat us away from home. Some record that is.

 

Interesting, how many of them are draws?

 

Good stat though.

 

 

that team would have been Fulham. so since then we have beaten Sunderland, Reading, Stoke, Liverpool, NOrwich x2,  plus beating Arsenal so winning 7 away games in a year is pretty impressive

 

 

 

As someone mentioned above only Man United (when they won the title and RVP turned up big time), Chelsea (where we were robbed blind by the ref) and Arsenal (we got revenge in August) have beaten us on our travels this year.

 

In fact, our away record since January 1st 2013 is better than Man City's and matches Chelsea's at joint 5th best in the league. Played 15, won 5, drawn 7, lost 3. Extremely impressive.

[Mantis]

 

 

It's taken awhile but Lambert has restored one of the qualities I liked under MON and it's something houllier destroyed straight away.

I like the fact we don't roll over and due when we go behind. I like knowing we can get back into games. It's a quality I like to see in my team.

I wouldnt disagree but to be fair the never say die all in it together attitude was there in the team from the back end of last season.

 

 

I think the last time we came back from 2 down was this bizarre match:

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/16714062

 

That was such a weird game. I was actually at that game and I barely cheered when we got the equaliser. McLeish really sucked all the life out of supporting Villa.

[VillaCas]

Not Lambert's finest hour last night. But we pretty much saw everything bad and everything good he brings.

 

Bizarre tactics. I looked at that team and went "2 big men up front away from home with no width - that is never going to work, we won't create anything and we'll be overrun in midfield". And to nobody's surprise exactly that happened. We won against Cardiff starting the game like that, but did he forget we were awful in that one until he brought on Lowton and changed the formation?! Strange that he thought it would achieve success, there was nothing at all to suggest it would.

 

Inexperienced players. You don't really need me to run through this one, but it was clear all over the pitch. Defensive mistakes, inability to keep the ball, poor decision making in attack and generally panicking.

 

Hoofball. Play 2 big men up front with no midfield outlet and that is what you are going to get. McAuley and Olsson absolutely loved it.

 

Starting slowly. We've conceded the first goal most of any premier league team this season. It makes it so difficult.

 

Character. We were shocking, we went 2-0 down, but we did not give up when we could have crumbled. We fought back and stole a point we didn't deserve.

 

Work rate and pace up front. We can frighten any defence when we get it right. Though Kozak and Benteke worked pretty hard, they didn't cause them many problems. Weimann and Gabby came on and though they weren't great technically or beating several players, having them sprinting at the West Brom backline made things happen. They lifted the team, we piled players forward, the balls were raining into their box and we got the goals.

 

Picking up points when playing badly. A very nice thing we've started this season. Norwich - not great, won. Man City - awful for most of the game, won. Hull - not great, got a point. West Ham - pathetic, got a point. Cardiff - poor, won. West Brom - woeful for an hour, got a point. If we can start winning the games we play well, we'll be challenging for the title! 

 

A LOT to work on in the coming weeks. Lambert's tactics have to improve as well. But after all that we are level with 10th -  we play the bottom team at home this weekend whilst West Brom and Newcastle play each other, Swansea go to Man City and Southampton go to Chelsea. A real chance to make some ground in the mid table battle. 

 

Hindsight is wonderful - it's always easy to second guess after the event

 

Far from being "Not Lambert's finest hour" I thought he did a terrific job last night. A couple of mistakes and a fine take and finish put us two down - it happens. PL did a brilliant job at halftime and with the subs. The comeback shows what spirit he has built

 

Eight points ahead on like for like fixtures. Six points ahead on last season after 12 games. Fantastic progress

 

I remember how some posters were lauding Houghton last year - just goes to show our rise and Norwich equivalent fall shows the difference a good manager makes

[drat01]

To use the words fantastic and excellent re last night is a real eye opener

[StefanAVFC]

We showed fantastic spirit to come back from 2 goals down and Westwood's goal was excellent.

 

It's becoming a cliche on here, but not everything is so bloody black and white.

[Richard]

We showed fantastic spirit to come back from 2 goals down and Westwood's goal was excellent.

 

It's becoming a cliche on here, but not everything is so bloody black and white.

just to add what an outstanding point to earn after being 2 down. In the match thread I saw lots of people pre match predicting a defeat, some a heavy 3 nil or 3 - 1 and at 2 it could easily have been that and no doubt we would have seen lots of opinions based on that saying how shit we are. Last season at 2 down after 11 minutes we would have gone on to conceded 4 or 5 in a game, to get a point from that is truly magnificent and an absolutely outstanding performance. If I were being critical I'd say we were actually in the ascendancy then so a pity we didn't get the three points!

[terrytini]

 

Not Lambert's finest hour last night. But we pretty much saw everything bad and everything good he brings.

 

Bizarre tactics. I looked at that team and went "2 big men up front away from home with no width - that is never going to work, we won't create anything and we'll be overrun in midfield". And to nobody's surprise exactly that happened. We won against Cardiff starting the game like that, but did he forget we were awful in that one until he brought on Lowton and changed the formation?! Strange that he thought it would achieve success, there was nothing at all to suggest it would.

 

Inexperienced players. You don't really need me to run through this one, but it was clear all over the pitch. Defensive mistakes, inability to keep the ball, poor decision making in attack and generally panicking.

 

Hoofball. Play 2 big men up front with no midfield outlet and that is what you are going to get. McAuley and Olsson absolutely loved it.

 

Starting slowly. We've conceded the first goal most of any premier league team this season. It makes it so difficult.

 

Character. We were shocking, we went 2-0 down, but we did not give up when we could have crumbled. We fought back and stole a point we didn't deserve.

 

Work rate and pace up front. We can frighten any defence when we get it right. Though Kozak and Benteke worked pretty hard, they didn't cause them many problems. Weimann and Gabby came on and though they weren't great technically or beating several players, having them sprinting at the West Brom backline made things happen. They lifted the team, we piled players forward, the balls were raining into their box and we got the goals.

 

Picking up points when playing badly. A very nice thing we've started this season. Norwich - not great, won. Man City - awful for most of the game, won. Hull - not great, got a point. West Ham - pathetic, got a point. Cardiff - poor, won. West Brom - woeful for an hour, got a point. If we can start winning the games we play well, we'll be challenging for the title! 

 

A LOT to work on in the coming weeks. Lambert's tactics have to improve as well. But after all that we are level with 10th -  we play the bottom team at home this weekend whilst West Brom and Newcastle play each other, Swansea go to Man City and Southampton go to Chelsea. A real chance to make some ground in the mid table battle. 

 

Hindsight is wonderful - it's always easy to second guess after the event

 

Far from being "Not Lambert's finest hour" I thought he did a terrific job last night. A couple of mistakes and a fine take and finish put us two down - it happens. PL did a brilliant job at halftime and with the subs. The comeback shows what spirit he has built

 

Eight points ahead on like for like fixtures. Six points ahead on last season after 12 games. Fantastic progress

 

I remember how some posters were lauding Houghton last year - just goes to show our rise and Norwich equivalent fall shows the difference a good manager makes

 

Odd how for the purposes of knocking our Manager Benteke suddenly became just 'a big man' up front when he is obviously so much more.  Just because it ended up not working didn't mean it was destined so.

 

And it is/was clear that the 3 who came on were very much not match fit so he couldn't have started them anyway.

 

When they came on, it wasn't just their arrival, but the change in tactics, that got us back in the game, putting Delph at Left Wing back of a 5 , 3 centre backs, pushing KEA forward, Weimann floating - there was a lot to all that that I doubt most of us would have done.

 

Add to that missing first choice centre and left backs, and having to come back from giving 2 very sloppy goals away, I think the night overall was an example of many of the good things about PL.

[lmarsha_926]

Lambert's Villa record

 

Home

 

Played: 25

Won: 7

Drew: 5

Lost: 13

Points: 26

 

Away

Played: 25

Won: 7

Drew: 8

Lost: 9

Points: 29

[markavfc40]

 

Last season at 2 down after 11 minutes we would have gone on to conceded 4 or 5 in a game, to get a point from that is truly magnificent and an absolutely outstanding performance.

 

Richard as you know I am a big fan of Lambert but lets not kid ourselves regarding last night. It wasn't down to us that we didn't concede another couple of goals. West Brom certainly had the chances to score more. It was down to very poor finishing from Sessegnon that we didn't go 3 or 4 goals down. Had he have taken the two great chances he had then who knows what the score could have gone on to be.

 

We were therefore extremely fortunate that before the substitutions the game wasn't completely beyond us. As it was we took advantage of that good fortune and I can't fault us for the way we applied ourselves in the last 30 minutes.

 

In terms of us going forward from here I personally don't want to see us play Benteke and Kozak together again unless we are going to play with two wingers. Playing them two together with zero service coming from crosses is a complete waste of time. I also think its time Lowton came back in at right back and Bacuna is pushed into midfield. The sooner Luna is back the better as Clark or Baker are simply not fullbacks. Presuming Luna is not back then for now  I'd go with Bacuna at left back with Lowton on the right.

[drat01]

The desperation to try and show PL is a "one of the best of his generation" type managers is actually quite illuminating to the way that fans will not see the reality of the situation.

 

There is no way in the world that Lambert can be shown to be "excellent, fantastic" etc etc following last night night. In isolation to come back from a woeful first 60 minutes (Note: I am assuming Lambert has nothing whatsoever to do with that?) and then get back into a game while still being very close to losing was great because we did not lose to our only derby match of the season but the reality is we were very close to humiliation.

 

Last year I saw something I hoped and prayed I would never see from a Villa side, total and utter annihilation at Chelsea and the way we lost to Fourth division Bradford. These, along with many many other bad performances and records were on Lamberts (and before anyone get's too much on the high horse, Randy too) watch. 

 

This season I was told by so many people it would be different but really is it?  I keep hearing "better than last year" and all this bunkum. But when you look so low anything above is better.

 

I appreciate that many, IMO following the "emperors nee clothes" mentality - but happy to admit that that is just my view - re Lambert and its all about opinions. But when I see OTT reactions and no real realisation of the facts re Lambert with "fantastic" "excellent" etc I do start to wonder where our expectations have now been set

 

Good luck to PL, I am sure he is a nice man and all that but as yet he has so much to show to a Villa fan of over 40 odd years that he is up to the job that faces him. the next few matches are apparently all easy and winnable so great lets go and do it and forget the shit we have seen before and relegation battles, humiliations and lets hope the the performances become something to be really proud of as Villa fans

[LondonLax]

The desperation to try and show PL is a "one of the best of his generation" type managers is actually quite illuminating to the way that fans will not see the reality of the situation.

 

There is no way in the world that Lambert can be shown to be "excellent, fantastic" etc etc following last night night. In isolation to come back from a woeful first 60 minutes (Note: I am assuming Lambert has nothing whatsoever to do with that?) and then get back into a game while still being very close to losing was great because we did not lose to our only derby match of the season but the reality is we were very close to humiliation.

 

Last year I saw something I hoped and prayed I would never see from a Villa side, total and utter annihilation at Chelsea and the way we lost to Fourth division Bradford. These, along with many many other bad performances and records were on Lamberts (and before anyone get's too much on the high horse, Randy too) watch. 

 

This season I was told by so many people it would be different but really is it?  I keep hearing "better than last year" and all this bunkum. But when you look so low anything above is better.

 

I appreciate that many, IMO following the "emperors nee clothes" mentality - but happy to admit that that is just my view - re Lambert and its all about opinions. But when I see OTT reactions and no real realisation of the facts re Lambert with "fantastic" "excellent" etc I do start to wonder where our expectations have now been set

 

Good luck to PL, I am sure he is a nice man and all that but as yet he has so much to show to a Villa fan of over 40 odd years that he is up to the job that faces him. the next few matches are apparently all easy and winnable so great lets go and do it and forget the shit we have seen before and relegation battles, humiliations and lets hope the the performances become something to be really proud of as Villa fans

 

What would you be expecting from a new manager given the transfer budget and wage restrictions available?

 

Would you keep sacking managers, season after season, in the hope that we could somehow stumble onto one who could get Europa League football from the current level of financial investment?

[Mantis]

There are very few on here who think Lambert is the "best of his generation". Just because people are praising Lambert and defending him doesn't mean they think he's the best of his generation.

[drat01]

 

 

What would you be expecting from a new manager given the transfer budget and wage restrictions available?

 

Would you keep sacking managers, season after season, in the hope that we could somehow stumble onto one who could get Europa League football from the current level of financial investment?

 

Different argument completely. what you are saying, and apologies if its not, is that we remain with PL because you are not convinced anyone else could and would do better? Basically you are giving PL a get out of jail card free and no questioning because of the circumstances etc. Sorry but I just don't buy that, but happy for you mate and anyone else to do that, but not without fair comment. I suspect my disappointment with PL will  provoke some of the silly and abusive comments as seen of late, so happy to leave it there - happy to chat via DM etc etc if you want to chew the fat (except if you want to discuss the Ashes !! :- ) )

[drat01]

 

 

What would you be expecting from a new manager given the transfer budget and wage restrictions available?

 

Would you keep sacking managers, season after season, in the hope that we could somehow stumble onto one who could get Europa League football from the current level of financial investment?

 

Different argument completely. what you are saying, and apologies if its not, is that we remain with PL because you are not convinced anyone else could and would do better? Basically you are giving PL a get out of jail card free and no questioning because of the circumstances etc. Sorry but I just don't buy that, but happy for you mate and anyone else to do that, but not without fair comment. I suspect my disappointment with PL will  provoke some of the silly and abusive comments as seen of late, so happy to leave it there - happy to chat via DM etc etc if you want to chew the fat (except if you want to discuss the Ashes !! :- ) )

[samjp26]

We've shown progression in our results over last season and as long as things don't go tits up in the next month we should be around mid-table pushing for the top half come January.

 

For me, that means Lambert is doing a good job.

Edited November 26, 2013 by samjp26

[HeyAnty]

Look through my posts and u will see i was Lamberts no1 fan all last season and never wavered.

Tactically this season i think we have been very poor and picked up a number of points were we have got fortune or lucky and didn't deserve them. Last season we weren't so lucky and everything seemed to go against us.

IMO we tried to play football last season and we weren't quite good enough due to our naivety and youth but i though it will improve them for this season if we stay up.

This season we have moved to the long ball and probably one of the reasons why we dont concede as much is because the ball is up always been booted back up the pitch.

We are in danger of turning into the new stoke.

[terrytini]

 

This season I was told by so many people it would be different but really is it?  I keep hearing "better than last year" and all this bunkum. But when you look so low anything above is better.

 

 

Statistically Yes.  So thats Yes.  So yes it really really is.  Unless you dont want it to be.  I know these pesky facts can really get in the way.

[Morpheus]

 

Not Lambert's finest hour last night. But we pretty much saw everything bad and everything good he brings.

 

Bizarre tactics. I looked at that team and went "2 big men up front away from home with no width - that is never going to work, we won't create anything and we'll be overrun in midfield". And to nobody's surprise exactly that happened. We won against Cardiff starting the game like that, but did he forget we were awful in that one until he brought on Lowton and changed the formation?! Strange that he thought it would achieve success, there was nothing at all to suggest it would.

 

Inexperienced players. You don't really need me to run through this one, but it was clear all over the pitch. Defensive mistakes, inability to keep the ball, poor decision making in attack and generally panicking.

 

Hoofball. Play 2 big men up front with no midfield outlet and that is what you are going to get. McAuley and Olsson absolutely loved it.

 

Starting slowly. We've conceded the first goal most of any premier league team this season. It makes it so difficult.

 

Character. We were shocking, we went 2-0 down, but we did not give up when we could have crumbled. We fought back and stole a point we didn't deserve.

 

Work rate and pace up front. We can frighten any defence when we get it right. Though Kozak and Benteke worked pretty hard, they didn't cause them many problems. Weimann and Gabby came on and though they weren't great technically or beating several players, having them sprinting at the West Brom backline made things happen. They lifted the team, we piled players forward, the balls were raining into their box and we got the goals.

 

Picking up points when playing badly. A very nice thing we've started this season. Norwich - not great, won. Man City - awful for most of the game, won. Hull - not great, got a point. West Ham - pathetic, got a point. Cardiff - poor, won. West Brom - woeful for an hour, got a point. If we can start winning the games we play well, we'll be challenging for the title! 

 

A LOT to work on in the coming weeks. Lambert's tactics have to improve as well. But after all that we are level with 10th -  we play the bottom team at home this weekend whilst West Brom and Newcastle play each other, Swansea go to Man City and Southampton go to Chelsea. A real chance to make some ground in the mid table battle. 

 

Hindsight is wonderful - it's always easy to second guess after the event

 

Far from being "Not Lambert's finest hour" I thought he did a terrific job last night. A couple of mistakes and a fine take and finish put us two down - it happens. PL did a brilliant job at halftime and with the subs. The comeback shows what spirit he has built

 

Eight points ahead on like for like fixtures. Six points ahead on last season after 12 games. Fantastic progress

 

I remember how some posters were lauding Houghton last year - just goes to show our rise and Norwich equivalent fall shows the difference a good manager makes

 

I read many articles by Steven Howard Chief Sports Writer from 'The Sun.' I read them because by and large he is honest and balanced. He did an article on Roy Hodgson recently and i'm going to apply one or two euphemisms from this article to describe the above post.

 

Sometimes i feel certain posters on here live in Cloud Cuckoo Land. They actually do believe their own excuses because it's easier to do that than actually face the truth.

 

Lambert did not do 'a terrific job last night.' He sent a team out last night that was set up completely the wrong way and although West Brom scored two they should have been out of sight by half time. The fact that they weren't was down to poor finishing by West Brom and nothing else.

 

Lambert's much lauded substitutions were actually obvious substitutions to make. If you have three of your best players on the bench and your team is getting hammered what do you do? I mean what is so terrific about a decision to bring those players on? Just a guess but if anyone on 'VillaTalk' was in the manager's chair last night would we have done anything differently?

 

However when those players came on and being quite obviously better quality than those that were hooked we played much better and it is a credit to those players and the rest of the team that we got a point when the game seemed lost.

 

That brings me to the 'fantastic progress' comment. Steven Howard mentioned a phrase called 'Blue Sky Thinking' which means only concentrating on the positives. That phrase must be applied to the opinion above because it doesn't take into consideration the overall performance level of the team last night or this season which with few exceptions has been dire. We seemingly cannot keep possession and our midfield is probably the worst set of midfield players we've had in many a year. No flare, very little technical ability and generally play with a total lack of confidence (rabbit in the headlight syndrome).

 

Yet we have accumulated more points than at the same stage last season so how can this be if we have been so poor?

 

Have we forgotten what particular record our present team broke last season? Haven't heard anyone mentioning that recently and i suppose with the law of averages we simply couldn't be as bad as that again. Well in my opinion our standard of football has been just as poor but so far this season we have got away with it due to two cracking goals and something we didn't have in our armoury at the start of last season, character and spirit. 

 

That shouldn't however disguise how poor we've actually been this season and maybe we should concentrate on the one question those with 'Blue Sky Thinking' don't want to answer.

 

Are we a good team?