Ok, so I didn’t get to see the game on Saturday and yes, by all accounts, we were very poor.
That said, I’ve been shocked by the response to the game.
I’m minded to say that this is just a kneejerk reaction after a bad home defeat, but I’ve just re-read the previous article again and it seems there is no-one who has a decent word to say about AVFC at the moment, which I find a little bit sad.
The worrying thing though, is that the very downbeat theme is continued throughout all the Villa sites that I’ve had chance to read; even the ones that are normally extremely positive. So it’s not just us.
While I wanted to post something a bit more up-beat, as it’s still very early days in the season and in my opinion, way too early to make a judgement, there isn’t really much to say.
Hence, while I personally disagree with the following article submitted by Terry Jones, I’m putting it up in line with our policy of all views getting aired, whether we like it or not.
If you don’t like it, feel free to submit your own more favourable post (PLEASE!).
The fact is we simply aren’t getting any at the moment;
Who in their right mind now thinks that Lambert is the right man to manage a big club and are we fans going to put up with his vision of how football should be played or will the worms turn and see what he is doing to out great club?
Yes he has bought young players who may or may not make it and by the looks of things only the odd one or two will. Lambert is about as much good as a manager as a blind man in a fog.
His pathetic excuses of “we will get up and go again” have now wore thin with some of us.
So where are we going from here?
We certainly will not be challenging the so-called Sky four and it’ll be more like fighting for our survival as a premier league team and as a club.
Now that would be a tragic not only for Villa and loyal fans but IMO for midlands football as we have been the underdogs for far too long.
So who is to blame? Randy Lerner, Paul Lambert or the fans who wanted Lambert as manager?
I could blame all three; Randy for wanting to do things on the cheap, the fans who chanted Lambert’s name and last but not least Lambert for selling Randy on the idea of his vision for the club.
I think now however, most of us older fans have come to realise all three are partly responsible but Lambert has got to take most of the blame as he is the one who bought in these players. He is responsible for how the team plays and the tactics employed in each game.
If things do not change soon then there is not much hope left. VP will become a desert void of fans.
No more excuses Lambert change or the club and midlands football will die.
This club as been around for over 100 yrs and in that time have proved to be one of the greatest. Yes, we have had our highs and lows but us football fans need and so does the City of Birmingham, a football club for the next 100 yrs. I won’t be around then but for god’s sake stop killing our club just to satisfy your own ego.
Why that’s come up as Adam’s article, god only knows.
For the record, it’s mine.
Terry, it’s way too early for this, imo.
Give it at least a bit of time.
We looked ok against Arse and Chelsea and Pool didn’t exactly murder us mate.
He’s had time Badger this is his second season, his team, his players and his tactics. OK against Liverpool in the first half? I think not. Arse and Chelsea, Arse was a fluke (imo) and Chelsea we were the plucky losers (again) but we can counter away wheras at home the onus is on Villa at home to take games to teams and Lambert don’t have a plan B in the locker.
Correct Bill, if you’ve read what I’ve said in previous posts Badger i stood by the change since he came to Villa, but every thing looks like last season, we all know that team is missing old heads but he’s stubborn in his ideas, he’s gone abroad to find players to beat that wage bill, the savings up till now makes him Learners best thing since sliced bread, and all this is at our expenditure. He made matters worse with his stupid comments after the game, we need a defending coaching and quick, there no restrictions on bringing them in, that alone would say he’s trying up till now he’s lost.
BP, Lambert could have got Barry (MOTM on Saturday and by all accounts and run the show) but no, didn’t fit in with lerners wage structure or lamberts ego, no he’s gone abroad or to the lower divisions and brought young and unproven which is fair enough if you mix it up with a bit of experience but that on Saturday was as bad as anything I saw under McCleish, Houllier, McDonald or going back to Mcneill.
Spot on BWS arse was a fluke but remember even in that game we could if been a few goals before we got the first one like Liverpool away last year when we won 3.1 then got hammered at Chelsea and every other team after. Agree re Chelsea I’m sick of this plucky losers tag that everyone else seems to think is good. I’d rather be a plucky winner for once! That is what you say to teams from the lower leagues that lose 4.0 at old Trafford etc and fergie would come out patronising them saying Huw his team were really tested and they were unlucky to lose 4.0. Defensively we are still shit no clean sheet for 26 games is humiliation as far as I’m concerned who else in the prem has gone even half as long as that without keeping clean sheet. Nobody that’s who. It’s a fuckin disgrace and if this was mcleish wed be screaming for his head!
There is a ton of the season left. We all want Villa to be a big club, but they aren’t. At least not yet. If this young group grows up together there is potential for something substantial. But it will take time. No team is built overnight. The wage bill was a mess, there were several players that were worthless that needed to be moved. Things are getting better. Yesterday was a bad day, they happen. We have had enough of a managerial turnover in recent years. Show a little patience.
This is the same as last year people saying (give Lambert time it’s still early wait to see where we finish)
Wellwe gave Lambert his time last year and look where we finished,
2games away from disaster. And yet fans are saying the same this year
(Give him time)
Time to do what ????????????
FINISH VILLA FOREVER?????????????
Last year BENT one of the best finishers in the prem and Lambert did not bring him to the club so
DROP HIM UNTILL WE HAVE NO CHOICE TO PLAY HIM,
IRELAND ONE OF THE BEST PLAYERS IN THE PREM WHEN HE IS ON FORM,
Lambert did not bring him to the club so
DROP HIM TILL WE PUT HIM OUT ON LONE,
STEVENS a class left back who played 3games for villa against the top sides and he got villas man of the match for two of them games but Lambert did not bring him to the club so
DROP HIM TILL WE PUT HIM OUT ON LONE, REMEMBER VILLA HAD NO LEFT BACK LAST YEAR WITHOUT STEVENS.
Any of them players would walk into MOST TEAMS IN THE PREM OUTSIDE THE TOP SIX
THE ONLY PLAYER LAMBERT WILL PLAY THAT HE DID NOT BRING TO THE CLUB IS GABBY BECAUSE HE KNOWS THE FANS WOULD HAVE WAR IF HE DID NOT PLAY GABBY.
AND THEN THIS YEAR WHEN BARRY WAS BEEN LEFT GO FROM MANCITY LAMBERT DIDNOT EVEN THINK ABOUT BRING BARRY IN EVEN JUST TO TEACH THE KIDS WE HAVE IN MIDFEILD HOW NOT TO PANIC AND HOLD UP THE BALL AND TO PASS THE BALL TO A VILLA STRICKERS FEET.
MARK MY WORDS LAMBERT WILL BRING VILLA DOWN FOR THE SAKE OF HIS EGO, HE WILL GET ANOTHER JOB BUT US VILLA FANS CAN’T GET ANOTHER CLUB BECAUSE VILLA IS OUR CLUB TILL WE DIE.
RANT OVER
What absolute dross. some people just can’t wait can they, Mr Jones and others must rub their hands with glee and head straight for the keyboard when we loose, it has clearly been the highlight of his season so far.
yes we played very poorly on Saturday but we are 4 games into the season, yes we have issues but this negative shite is just bollocks.
You know what? I cant even be parsed to write anymore. glad you enjoyed your weekend terry.
UTV & FUCKU
appologies for the ‘FUCKU’ it was uncalled for I just get really pissed off with it all sometimes.
I suspect that this article has been sat in terrys draft pile since before the season began but the arsenal performance delayed it, followed by the Chelsea performance meant it was put back again, it was almost submitted with the Liverpool game but those pesky villans ruined it with a good 2nd half which meant hoping for a bradfordesk performance against Rotherham but villa ruined that too by going a winning comfortably.
then joy of joys, finally a shit showing! at last, let slip the dogs of negativity.
Ha ha, good response NM.
And I say again to both of you, where was your ‘Positivity’ at 5 o’clock on Saturday?????? Can’t remember seeing a post from any of the ‘everything is rosy in the garden’ brigade until the flak had died down on Sunday.
Well, I wasn’t booing at the end of the match, I wasn’t terribly happy but I wasn’t suicidally depressed and calling for heads to roll. Notwithstanding the fact we’re still improving (look at the second half of last season and the start to this, bar the Liverpool first half), sometimes teams have bad matches. Having reflected on it, and the £100 and whole day wasted on Saturday, I’m going to keep supporting the Villa and see where this all goes. If Lambert doesn’t change his lineup, tactics and formation and we get stuffed even more than last year then I’m pretty certain Lerner will act. McLeish didn’t last long did he, and that was straight after paying off Houlier and MON.
Foxy how can we be improving, when the results are getting worse !!!
We cant keep putting up with the ‘transition’ lies as sooner or later we will be relegated, you cannot run a Premiership football club on the cheap which is what is happening at the Villa.
Saturday was about as bad as anything I witnessed under either Houllier or Mcleish but there again so was last seasons debacle against Bradford.
Who to blame? I’d have to say Lerner, 5 managers after MON left and we are still in transition? Come on behave.
How do you rebuild a football club then? Was anyone happy with the overpaid and under producing rubbish going on under McLeish? MON did a great job with the open wallet approach didn’t he? Which would you rather we go back to if you don’t want to give this method a try? Why not give it until Christmas, give the manager and team half a season to show what he can (or can’t) do? Sure, we were crap on Saturday, it only took a few players to under perform and the whole team fell apart. Benteke scored from about the only decent cross in the whole match, and that was a corner. If the whole season was decided on four matches then fine, let’s call for everyone’s heads, run riot and wreck Villa Park (before slitting our wrists). It’s not, pull your heads out of your arses and come up with answers instead of incessant criticism. What are the answers? Sack the manager and replace him with who? Have the gods of whatever it takes to make an owner sell his club get rid of Lerner to be bought by which specific rich sheik? Alternatively what? What are the answers?
Yep sack lambert he’s clueless but like I said earlier Lerner will just get another patsy!
I’m not paid to run a football club, I pay to watch a game and if that game is shite then I’m going to say so. You don’t go for a meal, say it was crap then go into the kitchens and show the chef how to cook it do you? Well you might by certainly don’t. You don’t go on tripadvisor review an hotel and then tell them how to run it, you are a customer and if the product doesn’t reach the required standard then that’s down to the management running that establishment to deal with, that’s what they are paid to do.
And Lerner bought a EPL football club, did he think he was going to make money out of it? That’s like buying a Ferrari and then moaning the insurance is too dear and it’s a bit heavy on the juice.
I think this article is somewhat over the top!! I am pissed off with Lamberts tactics and team selection over the last 2 home games, plus the bizarre signing of another big centre forward. However, I have also not forgotten our performances at Arse and Chelski. I fully expect us to get a point away at Norwich (who are no mugs) maybe even 3.
However…i do expect a much better next home performance and a rethink of how we approach home games. Also KEA not to be anywhere near the starting XI…oh and Lambert to realise that 4-2-4 is not a formation used in the Premier League!
This team and these players just are’nt good enough. Lerner sees Villa as a developement club buy young cheap players and if they become in time good players sell them thats what our future is going to be. Do fans think that Lambert is the man dictating club policy ? We have been shite for years and nothing has been done to change it. Fans have been fooled into thinking there is a bright new future around the corner but its just bullshit. The only hope is that the clown who owns the club sells up soon.
I agree with Benno. We are playing the same formation and the same tactics. Oppositions now know to crowd out Benteke and watch him lose the ball so they can get back on with attacking us. Guzan only kicks the ball long to Benteke, but it seems most of our possession comes from the defenders kicking the ball around and if a midfielder comes back to say hello they’ll join in with the sideways and backward passes until Guzan gets the ball under pressure and kicks it in Benteke’s general direction.
I think the problem on Saturday was a general lack of confidence and crap days for a lot of players. I actually thought the three CBs played well and Guzan made some good saves, Delph and Gabby were excellent, Wiemann ran his socks off as usual but was getting no service (when Guzan kicks to Benteke he’s more often than not on the left, is that because Guzan is more accurate there or because we’re stronger on the left side?) and made silly mistakes when he had chances. Benteke did what he was supposed to do. Westwood had a tough day and made a lot of mistakes, Lowton and Luna failed to be in two places at once and KEA was crap.
It was clear at half time that we weren’t getting anywhere and we should have changed formation and brought on a couple of players. Yes, I know Okore had already been substituted but we were being slaughtered in midfield while producing nothing ourselves.
We can’t thrown in the towel now and start calling for change of manager but the tactics, team and formation need to be changed around or everyone will walk right through us.
Sir Oohah my good friend what are your thoughts on this post of mine it;s turned up a can of worms so far.Have you noticed the ha ha Lemmings are now sticking their heads above the bed sheets now they think the thunderstorm is over to defend their GOD of Football.Can they not see what is happening the club under LAMBERT is like a whale floundering on a beach with it;s lifeblood gradualy draining from it.Change must come sooner rather than later or we will not have a club to support.
TJ, please answer me 2 questions, and I value your opinion.
1. Who should be the owner of our Club?
2. Who should be the Manager?
Now before you reply, you have to remember what has happened to other great clubs like Leeds, Wolves, Blackburn, I could go on but you understand.
I am not for Lambert, but I’m not anti Lambert either.
Answer these questions, and then when the clubs sold on you may get your wish like all the other Villa supporters did when they asked for Lambert.
That’s a good question vtid and also a huge problem. If lambert went then what? Lerner will just get another patsy who is just as bad. Plus no one half decent will come to us at the moment. If Lerner sold who knows we could get a Carson yeung type or we might be lucky and get an ambromovich. No one knows for sure.
Lerner and his relationship with the Villa fans is like listening to a victim of domestic abuse, they kick the fuck out of and publicly humiliate them, take all their money from them but when you ask why they stay and put up with it with they reply “well he loves me”.
Terry, if supporting my club, team and manager makes me a Lemming then so be it, please continue to pour down your scorn on me for my stupidity in not joining you condemning anyone showing a shred of positivity. You thrive on the team not doing well, you gloat at anyone not sharing your complete and utter negativity.
Shall we all sit around in a circle singing kume bah ah my lord and having positive thoughts?
Shall we all slag off each other and then slit our wrists because four matches into the season (three against teams we know will finish in the top six) we’ve had a shit match?
5 home wins in over 20 games, no clean sheets for 26 games, one shot on target at home well tell me just how you can find something positive in that?
Thought Clarke did well for us other than that I’m struggling tbh. I read a report somewhere on web yesterday that kae gave the worst performance ever seen in the premiership yet lamberk bought him out for the second half even though he was a broken man out there. He is nowhere near good enough.
Haven’t you slit your wrists yet? Sorry I don’t share your complete and utter negativity.
Foxy, what’s all this slitting wrist thing you keep saying, remember a court case on people with sarcastic words to others, pack it in foxy about slitting wrist.
You’re right Bill, sorry BWS. I’m just fed up with all the doom and gloom for the sake of it.
Thanks for that Foxy, I was only concerned that some person might be daft enough and do it.
Agree with everything u say sir terry. I think people are finally waking up and smelling the coffee about Lerner and lambert
I think as fans, we have a tendency to react in an extreme manner.
When we beat Arsenal a lot of people (including pundits) were saying they couldn’t see us being in the bottom half of the table and taking bets on how far up the table we could finish. A lot of people were also raving about what Lambert has done, the young players full of potential he has brought in, and the attacking brand of football we had started playing.
Now we’ve lost a few games, all the positivity seems to have evaporated and suddenly Lambert is a buffoon, all his signings are dross, and Villa are worse than Wimbledon.
I think the truth lies somewhere in between these two extremes. Some of Lambert’s young signings have a lot of potential and I definitely prefer the brand of football he’s tried to bring in compared to what we saw under McLeish. However, some of his tactical decisions and some of the ways he’s treated players like Bent I don’t agree with.
One thing I think we’ll all agree on is that we don’t want a repeat of last season’s relegation scrap! I know my heart can’t take it! Let’s hope Lambert mixes things up for the next game and doesn’t let pride get in the way.
Far comments there Bency83, I think Sat was the worst I have ever seen us play.
I believe Lerner is trying to do a Moneyball down at VP with the basic philosophy being- with Villa’s smaller revenues to find players undervalued by the market (a system for finding value in undervalued players).
This system was developed for the American baseball league where teams are franchised so have no threat of relegation/promotion so you can afford to take the chance but to try and replicate this in the Premier League with spectre of relegation hanging over you is one fucking huge gamble.
dont worry fans this is just another season in transition, buying players on the cheap and trying to avoid relegation… Lerner does not give a shit and is an arrogant owner, he employed Maclown and showed his true colours.
I have been part of the Pro Villa and Pro Lambert Brigade, BUT, as spoke about all pre-season by alot of us, we need a quality Att C/M / playmaker. Ok maybe not a 40m Ozil, but somebody to feed the beast or drive at defences.
Im going to get real now….the players in my opinion who started Saturday who are worthy of playing for a top half side are… Guzan, Okore, Delph, (Gabby when he’s on it) & Benteke. 5 players in an XI that are of good quality isnt going to get us up anywhere near where we want/expect to be.
It looks like our pitch is too big for us too, we cant get ‘Up em’ like we do away and leave such big gaps for decent players to exploit.
Anyway, we are The Villa, and whatevers going on, ill be cheering from the stands.Norwich next, ill be there, hope to see you all there too. UTV
Away and home set should not be the same but Lambert has us counter attacking at home…
Spot on helenius though I still think weimann on his day as well. Other than those players mentioned the rest are just awful
We lost and played badly. That happened an awful lot last year but we finished really well. I think the squad is stronger (ignoring all those in the previous season who were not being played), so in theory we shouldn’t be in the mess we were last season. What seems to me as the most important thing is that Lambert does have to galvanise the squad/team, mix things up, change tactics (particularly at home). Our season needn’t be defined by the last couple of games any more than it was going to be defined by the first two.
Just a bit soon to throwing in the towel.
In Hindsight i can’t see the logic of Kojak unless he becomes the new Benteke.. which will be hard because the real Benteke won’t be getting dropped any time soon..
The midfield is lacking.. doesn’t matter which way you dress it up.. between them they won’t get FIVE prem league goals.. shocking!! Assist wise they won’t get more then FIVE between them two.. another shocking stat..
We need an Nzonzi Diame Barry type player.. all three we passed up on..
I know this isn’t all PL’s fault.. the remit of looking for players for 20K was basically saying to any new manager we are taking a risk on the future of our proud premier league status.. it is why OGS flew in on a provate jet and promptly flew out..
Cut your cloth but don’t shrink it totally RL.. we needed a Diame/Barry in the middle.. a Dawson ( when he was up for sale ) at the back.. some players are worth the 60K a week.. we are giving it to Benteke now aren’t we so why couldn’t we give it to Dawson who now is leading the line for a top defence..
Mistakes have been made and yes we still have potential but these worries could have been easily eradicated..
It is entirely PL’s fault thou that he has spent 4M and probably 25K on two LB’s who offer potential but not solidity.. would have been easier to get someone in with a bit of experience instead..
I think some fans have been entirely ‘brainwashed’ into this ‘ideology’ that we shouldn’t have a 29 year old on the books on 50K who doesn’t have a sell on value……………….
Lads a simple question..
Pick Any three of K EA Westy Delph Sylla and then compare that to any three of Cissoko Cabaye Tiote Anita..
There simply isn’t a comparison in my eyes.. so the mere fact we got carried away ( inc myself ) in thinking we will beat Newcastle at home was us fans looking thru rose tinted glasses..
Our middle three are simply not good enough and no team achieves anything without a solid midfield.. simples.
You put someone like Diame and Kiyotake.. or dare i say it a Cabaye and Cissoko ( both we were heavily linked with ) and we would suddenly be a different team..
Small margins as they say…………
Dawson 9M.. Diame FREE..
We would’ve been sorted!!
You’re right about this ‘brainwashed’ thing, unbelievably some have really bought into this ideology hook line and sinker. What was it Oscar Wilde said – “Nowadays people know the price of everything and the value of nothing.”