They say the bookies are usually right and so it proved today.
With 20-20 hindsight, we didn’t even deserve that 13-1 that was quoted, in my opinion.
So what went wrong?
I don’t know where to start, but I guess the lineup is as good a place as any.
Cleverley and Richardson started and as per usual I asked myself why?
Gabby, who’s been reasonably prolific against Arsenal was not started. I know I’ve called for him to be dropped myself, but this is one of the only games of the season where I’d actually want him to play.
I just don’t understand Lambert’s thinking at all, as we’ve had decent results against the top clubs by sitting deep and countering. Yet what has previously worked was abandoned by Lambert today and we tried to play far too high up, resulting in Arsenal getting in behind us to score after only eight minutes.
The deft flick on from Ozil didn’t help matters and the sickening thing here is that I was thinking about him and how he was bound to score, just before the kickoff.
To think we were linked with him not that long ago. That’s how far we’ve fallen.
We were very lucky to go in only one down at half time, as it could easily have been three, after they had chances and hit the post.
Our defence just after the goal was a complete shambles and we weren’t picking their players up at all.
Do we man mark or zone defend?
I don’t have a clue.
Then we came out for the second half, where things just got worse.
We looked aimless and I’m struggling to see what there is to discuss here.
A couple of points though;
Sanchez, while he was incredibly frustrating in the way he gave the ball away today, was for me, the only one (Gil apart) that was looking to actually go forward and look for something. I remember him at least twice running straight down the middle, only for him to reach a position where you could practically see him thinking “now what am I supposed to do?”, because there wasn’t an option around him, apart from Benteke, who was isolated up front.
I feel really sorry for him and he surely must be wondering what’s going on in the way we play the game.
Gil looked good again and he too was actually looking to achieve something.
The rest of the midfield were totally anonymous and I just kept thinking to myself it’s either the players are utter rubbish or it’s the way they’re being played.
I came to the conclusion that it’s probably a bit of both.
Lambert changed it up, but it was already too late and the game was already lost when we went two down by a goal from Ozil.
At the end of the day, we had two chances on target and yet again, that just isn’t enough.
So, we’ve now gone six games or ten hours and twelve minutes without scoring in the league.
Apparently, that’s another record low, although I’m not sure if that’s in the prem or overall.
They’ve just shown a table of the lowest scorers in the English league, on the telly.
West brom are 91st with 20 goals scored.
We’re 92nd with 11 scored.
While I expected a loss today, Lambert should be sacked for that alone.
He should also be sacked for the way we came out against Arsenal too, as that was tactical naivety at it’s best.
But we all know it isn’t going to happen.
To think it’s Chelsea up next.
What’s the solution there Lambert?
Will you be mug enough to try the same again?
It really wouldn’t surprise me if he does, as it seems he’s untouchable.
And that’s a bigger joke than what happened today.
Comments
278 responses to “Arsenal 5 – 0 Villa; A gulf in class and an utter shambles”
At least Sanchez touched the ball a few times, as opposed to the rest of the mids, who were all noticable by their absence in my opinion.
Even though he was poor by his standards, he STILL anchored our game and was head and shoulders better than those around him.
If getting involved and at least trying is a crime, Sanchez would get 5 years and the rest would be shot on sight, as they did nothing. Delph included, who I really like on the whole.
The fact that Gil looked very decent shows how poor we were today, imo.
He’s another one who must be thinking “what the hell have I got into here?”
What now though? … Is josef Venglos up to anything these days? 🙁
Hmm, there’s a thought.
Even he never broke records the way Lambert has.
As you are keen on posting – who else – well any f**ker as long as it’s a man/woman/ hermaphrodite with a plan and not this stumbling from one disaster to another!
LOL how about OOHA???? BWS does he fit into one of your qualities mate.
At least she’d tell them they’re a useless bunch of ***nts that couldn’t defend for shite ( I hear he’s, she’s a hermaphrodite.
(only joking Oohah)
I watched the game on sky with the Mrs even she said that we were really shit.Plus something she said was that’s not who Aston Villa are the should be better than that.This is so true.We are in serious trouble and deserve the relegation.
I’ve only just realised that Arse had two 19 yo’s in the side, in Bellerin and Akpom.
I feel even worse now 🙁
Football is a simple game based on the giving and taking of passes, of controlling the ball and of making yourself available to receive a pass. It is terribly simple.
Bill Shankly
I couldn’t agree more with the last comment about sniffing out rebounds. It frustrates me so much that we’re slower than any team we play to second balls. There seems to be a lack of anticipation or willingness to gamble, not every goal needs to be perfectly crafted and a scrappy one would do. How we could do with a player like David Platt who had the art of timing and arriving in the box at the right time. I don’t really see anyone who stands out off the ball.
Benteke’s movement was atrocious and you have to feel for players like Gil and Sanchez who are trying to force the play and be positive. Even though the latter gave the ball away far too much.
We had the lions share of possession after conceding first and were slowly but surely feeling our way back in the game. Heads definitely dropped with the second from Ozil. At that point the subs should have come on, but instead came on at 3 down. Sinclair had a good cameo and out paced the right back on a few occasions.
Tactically got it wrong with the defensive high line. If we play that way again Oscar, Hazard and Willian will have a field day threading balls through to Remy.
Another manager sacked this evening after a poor run of results.
We have had nearly 3-years of poor results yet Lamberts position seems to get stronger with each passing day!!!
Fickle is as fickle does…
Your right.
We should act quickly and get Stuart Pearce in…
… as left back
I am sorry to say but my optimism I felt on Friday has now melted away into the distance….That was one of the worst Villa displays I have ever witnessed… Lambert has to go !
Saddened welcome back mate,that’s more like it.
Get Lowton on at right wing, at least he knows how to cross to Benteke. I seriously would play him on the right, Sinclair on the left, benteke and weimann up top. Sanchez the holding mid. Same defenders really except Richardson can fuck off and get sissokho back in. I would just say get it wide, overlap and get the crosses in to the box.
Gil the playmaker/att mid.
I see Karen Brady is applauding Villa’s backing of Lambert. Hardly surprising coming from an ex-Bluenose. She must be pissing herself laughing. Can she send over Alan Sugar to do his ‘You’re Fired’ thing…
Any manager who can accept some of the performances out there today without dropping players for the next game has lost the respect of the team. And Delph is Captain – F*** me captains are supposed to inspire the others.
Next week Benteke, Cleverley, Delph and Richardson all benched, Hutton warned to defend as if his place depended on it. Cowans in the dug out Lambert in the bin or in the stand. Give Robinson a go.
2 wins and only SEVEN goals scored since the Anfield game in early September. That form is a total embarrassment to our club. Our players can’t be that bad so it all comes back to Lambert. You got lucky with Norwich and now you have been found out to be an absolute joke. We should sack him now and give the job to a lower league manager (Bradford Manager springs to mind) Probably turn us down though. Nobody in their right mind can defend this clown now. I seen the line ups for Saints v Swansea game and actually thought on paper we should be at least competing with them teams.
Watched Soton/swans and it was like villa ….passes all over the place….sideways passing….crosses straight at goalie……as you say we should be better than them.
Villa shirt on at work tomorrow…ARSEnal bloke in work….oh joy……
Looking again at Lambert’s interview after the game and he looks an absolute wreck.
Never mind what Fox says he shouldn’t wait to get sacked, he should resign and get a life. Have a Saturday without having to face the cameras and give even more pathetic excuses for another total disaster.
As for who might replace him I don’t really care. I’ve got the feeling now that anyone could do better and what’s the worst that could happen? Relegation?
Already well on our way there.
Oh my god, I’ve just read Lambert’s comments.
I very rarely comment on anything the manager says, but this time, I think he’s totally deluded.
He has to go, else we’re in serious danger of going down.
I believe that team was trying today, which is what makes it all the more worrying.
They’re simply not good enough as it stands and my belief is that it’s down to the way they’re being played.
Wave goodbye to your half investment Randy, imo.
And it serves you right, even though you’re pulling back a minimum £30 mill a season, you utter scumbag.
OTT?
Not at all, when this is the attitude the fans are up against, where everything is supposedly all sunny and bright if you listen to the shite that comes out of the club.
Where’s the “we’re not happy and we’re looking to turn it around” type comments?
As in signings?
I’m seriously worried.
Blimey Badger have you only just realised how shit we are mate lol
i am speechless. that ranked as the worst display, i have ever seen by any team team and any level. well done to everybody associated with aston villa.
in changing the men behind the ball, countering with pace style. which opposition managers and our own fans hated. but we won and scored occasionally. to a style of pretty pointless passes. no shots on goal, no threat no movement and no idea style.
now i don’t have answers. but if i was the manager, i would never have changed things mid season to start with. its like the manager changed it to boost possession stats only. playing pretty doesn’t win games. or plaudits. winning doesn’t either but its start. over the years we played some worst stuff around. but we won games with 20% of the ball. being solid without the ball and breaking with pace, is all we have been and this new style takes this away.
new manager yeah great anything to give us a shot. but i doubt any manager would want this role. 24 hours of window and your working with a gutless bunch of talentless individuals. sanchez was totally the opposite to the guy from the WC. he never lost the ball and kept it moving around, was a man mountain without the ball sitting in front of the defense, yesterday he gave the ball to arsenal so many times, i started to believe he was a gunner.
players and fans have lost belief in the manager. whether the players are using the manager as a excuse or not. if we continue this way, we are doomed bottom 3 for sure come may with hull and QPR.
we can escape,but it means reverting back to the team that everybody hated even 90% of our own fans. but our team is built to play that ways, men behind the ball, draw the opposition deep into our halve and hit on the counter with fast quick breaks
When I now think about the Villa all I feel is empty and sad with no hope I was once positive now have the Lambert effect dead I say sack him
I’m speechless as well, how can a person call himself a manager with a record that Lambert has, anyone with that as your CV should be ashamed to show their face, I haven’t seen the interview after the game just read Badgers post on what that idiot said, they tried , I watched the game to me a disgusting show of football,if you can call it that, anyone that sticks with Lambert now must be bonkers, I would stand for anyone now to take over, even a parks team manager, Lambert is dire in knowledge of our nations game. Norwich must be laughing their fucking heads off.
Btw out good mate Falkner had resigned from Forest!
What can you say?
Lamberth the record breaker is going hell for leather after Sunderland’s 10 games without a goal record to go with his long list of unenviable records at VP.
Randy’s got his fingers in ears going la la la I’m not listening and the Fantastic Mr Fox is busy drawing up yet another 5 year plan…
Meantime back in the real world HMS Aston Villa is sinking slowly into oblivion as the band played on.
It’s been emotional.
If ever you wanted things to turn nasty then Chelsea would be the pick of the bunch,I don’t for one minute think we’ll fluke a point in this one possibly just what the doctor ordered.
Hey Giddy I don’t know if you seen this but have a look at the BBC interview with Fox, I love some his comments, Fox – “The Fabian comment yesterday, we’re so close” (Oh yea, to what, relegation?) and this gem “Able to deliver the style of play that Paul’s instituted” (f**king hysterical).
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/31015504
I thought we did OK in the first half, yes they had chances, but this is Arsenal away, they are always going to have chances.I thought we pressed them, and they looked nervy. 2 things wound me up the whole match. Okore’s positional play is awful, he kept coming out of the back line and going for balls, missing the tackle and then leaving them with 3 on 2 on our goal, crazy. I know he’s fast, and got back just in time a couple of times, but he shouldn’t be putting himself in that position in the first place. The other was Sanchez, holy shit that guys pass percentage must have been single figures, he was fucking awful, I was annoyed when he came out for the second half, and even more so when the first 2 subs weren’t for him. I’ve sung his praises in the past, but Lambert, surely you can see when someone’s having an off day and just replace the guy. FFS. Him giving the ball away wasn’t only breaking down our attacks, but actually starting their counter-attacks.
The problem was that once Arsenal went 2 up, they started to relax and therefore play better, and it was a foregone conclusion, but all the time it was 1-0 I thought we looked OK. Gill looked good but I thought Beneteke looked like the weight of expectation for goals is starting to effect him, he had a couple of half chances and wasn’t what you called ‘assured’.
Based on what we’ve seen here, Chelsea will be a whitewash, we’ll drop further down towards the bottom, and the Hull game will start to look more and more like a must-win
Totally agree – Okore and Sanchez were both a liability (and they are usually my favourite players!) Benteke might as well have stayed at home.
I don’t care if we get relegated
Jay Dee sad to say but I agree.
I belive we do have the players to stay up and do OK, not great but OK.
The club has to make a choice and get rid of the Muppet, and get a new manager in.
The annoying thing is we all know if relegated could this of been avoided???? Which I strongly feel under another manager quite possibly.at least we could be given a fighting chance,maybe if we had then we could say at least we gave it a go.as it stands we’re committing premier league suicide.