Data supplied by the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. Select and manage your own team of stars at http://fantasy.premierleague.com/ or with FIFA Ultimate Team for FIFA 15.
Hull looked on course for a shock victory at the Etihad at the weekend after David Meyler put Steve Bruce’s side ahead after reacting first to a rebounded shot in the first half. Hull couldn’t hang on to their lead though as a sublime free kick from James Milner at the death ensured the spoils were halved.
David Meyler was not content with putting his side ahead at the weekend, but also in keeping them there with a monumental performance. He not only covered more distance (7.9 miles), he also recorded more sprints (82) and a higher average speed (4.8mph) than any other player on the pitch at the Etihad according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.
Such work ethic should come as no surprise though, as this Hull side is full of hard workers. Jake Livermore in particular has distinguished himself this season for the lengths he has been willing to go to for his side, covering the fifth highest total distance of any player in the league this term with 265.5km to his name. That hard work may well translate into a goal against Villa and Livermore is an industry best 17/2 with 888sport.com to score at any time.
Curtis Davies will once again be the main man in defence for Steve Bruce’s side, responsible for marshaling what is a pacy Aston Villa attack. He currently ranks third in the Barclays Premier League for total defensive contributions (blocks, interceptions, tackles won and clearances) with 338, meaning he has now recorded one on average every 5.3 minutes he’s been on the pitch this season.
Despite managing to draw level through Jores Okore after Eden Hazard’s early opener, Paul Lambert’s side were not able to contain the league leaders for the full 90 minutes and eventually fell to a 1-2 defeat after Branislav Ivanovic’s winner.
Carles Gil has been impressing with his technique and vision since arriving from Valencia last month. However it is his willingness to work hard for his side that has also caught the eye, and was on show again last weekend against Chelsea. Only Ashley Westwood covered more ground for Villa than the Spaniard, who racked up 7.3km, as well as 34 dribbles. Gil is an industry best 6/1 with 888sport.com to score at any time.
Midfielder Carlos Sanchez has also brought a sense of renewed energy to the Villa midfield, quickly adapting to life in the Barclays Premier League. He’s so far recorded a completed pass in the opponent’s half on average once every 3.4 minutes that he’s been on the pitch so far for Villa, an impressive return.
Alan Hutton continues to quietly go about establishing some exceptional stats this season according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. So far he’s won 81.1% of his 53 attempted challenges this season, as well as a solid 79 clearances and 31 interceptions.
The Author
Matt Turvey
Matt is the owner of, and chief writer for, Aston Villa Life. He is also a columnist for the Wolverhampton Express & Star, appearing in the Kick Off pullout on Saturdays and the Final Whistle pullout the Monday after Aston Villa play, as well as every Thursday as a blogger on their website. He has previously been featured as a writer on Football365 and Life's A Pitch, and was a regular pundit for Sports Tonight TV on Sky.Comments 286
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I’d sooner have a fool who cared in charge than an opportunist who didn’t give a monkeys like Lerner. He must be really embarrassed to have ruined Villa after his destruction of the Browns, i bet he denies any connection to the club when he’s with his high roller pals, “oh, it must be another Randy Lerner, what a knob,”
Why didn’t he listen at the outset ? Is he so flawed that he didn’t realise that uou have to have some knowledge of a business to make it a success ?
JL,
Heard Fox is on 500,000, twice what Chubby took out of the club.
An Honour is John. Is that what It is It’s more like a chore that for some reason i can’t stop my self from doing.
We ain’t going to get 12 points from 6 games John. I can’t see us getting 3 points against 18th placed Hull tonight really. We need to, but Lambert will play for a 0-0 I’m pretty sure.
I hope the players get them selfs up for it and show they give a s**t about this club.
JL
Is Fox based here or the states?
Darren
Relegation won’t see the removal of Lambert, the loss of revenue will mean they won’t be able to afford his pay off, or to fund all the new managers transfer requests, in order to achieve promotion. Of course we know Lerner’s philosophy has been false economy, having p*ssed a fair wedge up the wall on his own incompetent leadership ideology, having to give pay offs for Mon/Houllier/Mcleish there back room staff/court pay offs etc etc
Relegation will be a disaster, if you think Lerner is tight now, imagine how tight he will be in the championship, when his revenue streams are decimated.
And For the love of God please change formation Lambert. 433 has failed for 3 seasons now so stop fecking playing it. Most predictable manager in world football
Go 442. It suits our players so much better.
Big man little man partnership. Gil and Sinclair on the wings. Delph and Sanchez the two in centre mid. I hope Cleverley has a stinker just because what Lambert has said but I hope everyone else plays a blinder
I’m expecting Vlaar and Okore to partner each other. Looking forward to that.
‘ve got my positive pants on…. I’ve no other choice. Its that or I’ll be sitting under my table rocking back and forth singing puff the magic dragon.
No matter how insane the Benteke benching was, especially considering the fact we where actually firing balls in to the box from the wings for a change, I’m hoping that he now comes back with a point to prove. You want to be involved against the big sides and Benteke would have been hurt by that. Whether CB comes back with fire in his belly or a huge chip on his should and side order of apathy will remain to be seen.
It was interesting reading Lambert sing the praises of Cleverly for always showing for the ball, always fighting… and that’s why he gets picked apparently. It’s just that he’s trying too hard! Trying too hard to do what? Get us relegated? Pass the ball backwards at every opportunity? Stifle any attacks we might attempt to make?
I love gritty player who loves a fight and never says die…. but they can’t only have that.
Benteke has been dropped because a lack of form…. and lack of form in part due to the virtually non-existent supply from our midfield. A midfield that was supposed to have added guile and incision with the inclusion of Cleverly.
So will Cleverly get dropped for lack of form? Ummm nope, although the club deny it, several insiders say there is a clause that when fit Cleverly must play. My suggestion is to put Delph in the opposing team in practice matches… the rest will take care of its self.
On to Hull, the best way to beat this team is pressurize their defence, it’s terrible this season, no shape, barely any pace and a nice little habit of mistakes.
We need to keep to the same game plan, but this time with Benteke up top, give him the servie and sooner rather than later the Beast will be back… if he scores one I can see him going on to score many more this season. Confidence and a bit of luck that’s all he needs.
Personally I’d like to see Lambert go in with a 442 formation. Sinclair and Gill have the legs to get up and down the pitch, Sanchez and Delph can win the scrap in midfield. It’ll also means Benteke is not constantly up against 3 men, he might just get a bit of space.
Gone to Hull and Back…. will the be headline tomorrow if we lose… but I’m not so sure we will…
Come on you mighty Villa boys….
Steamer,
500k? And we used to complain about Deadly…!
B62,
Fox is here I believe. RL’s rep in the country to take all the flak for him.
Frem
I agree let’s try something different, let’s go 442 or a variation, let’s get some width and try and win for a change.
Hull have the worst home record in the league, only gaining 9 pts at the KC. Villa haven’t scored away in 7hrs and NONE of their 63 subs have provided an assist or SCORED a goal this season.
Should be a fucking thriller 😉
Matt,
You mention Sanchez, but he was dropped vs Chelsea.
How does he get back in the team if Cleverley has to start each match?
Graham- Good point on Playing someone alongside the Beast. Won’t happen though, Lamberk has to always always have 3 centre mids who do Ning for some reason.
B62- 7 hours of football without an away goal. His 63 subs have done fuck all. Why don’t the media question the wanker on these things ?
John- I’m still convinced Clev has a clause despite what the fraud said. Never believe a word that comes out of his mouth. Th fact he was asked about about should make him realise know one can see why he’s playing him unless the clause
I wouldn’t pick Benteke tonight. He has done absolutely nothing this side of Xmas other than a very good goal against Blackpool. Anyone that goes to the stadium to watch will see how lazy he has become. No movement, urgency, pace or interest. Lack of confidence is one thing, lack of work rate is inexcusable.
I’d play Gabby on his own up front tonight and I’d get Vlaar back in the team. It won’t be a pretty game but I am very hopeful that we can win it. A 1-0 scoreline either way or a draw would seem the most likely outcome.
Guzan
Okore
Vlaar
Clark
Hutton
Sanchez
Westwood
Delph
Richardson
Gill
Agbonlahor
Guzan
Hutton..Clark..Okore..Cissoko..
Gill..Sanchez..Delph..Sinclair..
Benteke..Gabby..
4-4-2..
At a push Westy instead of Sincalir cus we know Lambert will have a heart attack if he doesn’t play at least one of Westy or Cleverely..
Will he play the above team… HELL NO…!!
feeling positive about this game, it may be because i’m on a half day from work but i don’t see us losing, for all of Hull’s effort, they lack ideas and given our relative solidity at the back, we should be ok.
another positive is i can continue to learn glaswegian via post match interviews, i can now lie and exaggerate in glaswegian like a trooper, ready for a weekend away in the gorbals
Droid
I agree on Tekkers recent form, and how lazy he become, but in a must win match I feel we have to have our best players on the pitch, and we have very few of those so I’d go
Guzan
Hutton Vlaar, Okores, Cisshoko
Gil Sanchez Delph Sinclair
Weimann
Tekkers
Subs Given, Westwood, Gabby, Bacuna Lowton Clark
It’s not great and I know he won’t set up with a positive mindset but it’s a must win. AW or GA not both to start, some width to get some balls in to Tekkers, and solidity in front of the back 4, which can be changed to either Westwood or Bacuna depending on how it pans out. It’s not a night for Grealish as I feel Gil is ahead of him and so is an in form Sinclair but he is close.
So Benteke gets stick for not doing anything but yet Gabby hasn’t done anything for five years but still gets picked in line ups ? Mmm
Let’s not forget without the Beast we would be in the drop zone. H scored two wonderful goals all down to him self against Palace and United. Not one Villa player, not one assisted him in either of those goals. He’s got us 4 points on his own which is a lot of Points with the state we are in
Lamberk will park the bus tonight and he thinks fans should be happy for weeks to come just because we scored a goal. Let’s not forget this is a man who said we expect to much
agree with all the comments today and generally
if i could choose tonights team it would be
Guzan
Hutton..Clark..Okore..Cissoko..
grealish sanchez delph sinclair
gil
tekkers
442 or 4411 and i would tell the fullback to concentrate on defending and leave the attacking to the wingers (what are they 🙂 ) delph and the front 2 — i would also instruct delph and gil to get forward everytime we have possession and would threaten to take off any player not looking for forward runs and passes — give us a job
Benteke has to start if you have any dreams of winning the match.
I would be staggered if he does’nt in what is a cup final for both teams.
Id take a draw with all other relegation teams losing.
What i hate about villa is if we went a goal down early thats the match ruined as you know we would only get a point at best.
Dreading it tonight….will have to get either blind drunk….go for a run or try and sleep through the game.
As GOG said, its strange now we have a potential supply from wide positions that CB is dropped. If Lambert is thinking that the Pieman can supply the goals then its confirmation that he’s nearly completed his job of relegating us.
Lambert was only a scuffler like TC, thats why he likes him and Westwood, they just sit a pick up the odd loose ball, play it back or square and repeat.
I think he’ll pick exactly the same team as Saturday. A 0-0 for me.
Id have to go 4231 with only full back cissoho getting forward. Delph, sanchez holding and the front 4 free to attack and move.
Hutton Okore Vaar Cissoko
Sanchez Delph
Gabby Gill Sinclar
Tekkers
Well, here’s my 4-3-2-1 starting team – and I only include Cleverley ’cause he has to be played according to contract, i.m.o.
Guzan
Hutton..Clark..Okore..Cissoko..
Cleverley Sanchez Delph
Gil Gabby
Tekkers
Hello everyone – Match day – something to look forward to on a Tuesday night! Don’t tell me it is on BT not SKy !
As Brian Moore has just said on TS – Villa put 40 crosses into the box on Saturday yet they left the guy who can head the ball on the bench. Nonsense. He has to start tonight and Frem is right, two goals he made himself. Like him or not, he is the most likely to score. On the same point – Lukaku went through a bad patch but Martinez said that he would keep playing him regardless – as you don’t recover or start scoring from the bench. Let’s hope he has done his time on the naughty step and as Graham says proves a point with a hat trick.
I like the look of Runtingz team – we have the players to beat Hull so I am going for a win tonight.
John – Lambert denied that he had to be played because of his contract – he was quoted in Daily Mirror. Who on earth would have agreed terms like that if that is the case. I just can’t believe anyone would be that stupid.
Jenny, A Benteke Hat Trick tonight is 100-1 with Bet365… I’ve just put a £1 on it i’m that confident!!!
Interesting comment from Lambert re Cleverley – that he admired him because he was always wanting the ball and didn’t hide. What does that say about the rest of the team – it says they hide and we have all seen them. Shouldn’t we be getting them up for it not relying on an enthusiastic but poor performer.
Graham – I am so tempted I think I will do the same !!!!
What are we going spend out £101 on Jenny…. hmmm I wonder….
I am amazed so many are selecting Benteke in their line up, he was dropped on Saturday because of loss of form Lamberts words not mine, so do you really believe Lambert will put him back in the side three days later, in that time has he recovered his form.
He has also defended picking Cleverley on merit so those of you who think he will not play tonight are fooling yourselves.
At least Lambert has not got the problem of changing a winning team.
AVFC RIP
Jenny,
I’m aware of what Lambert said re: Cleverley – but there appears to be ITK innuendo that it’s not the case. I don’t know – I’m just erring on the basis of not believing what PL says really.
The last two away games I went to ended up with Lambert out chants. Can see it happening again tonight
Anyway, I’m off to Villa Park in a min the get the coach.
Let’s hope we get the three huge points and actually see an exciting line up.
SWV,
Yes, you have a point about Tekkers and that maybe it’s premature to start him again.
But I don’t think we have anyone else with true scoring potential!!
Do you think it was a drop as a loss of form or a bit of a kick up the backside for Benteke… yes he’s not working as hard as he should… but he also is not getting the service or support he deserves… I have little doubt that with a goal under his belt and a supply chain from the wings we can start to win games. I don’t want to return to hoofball, nor am I a lover of the tika taka that seems to be the new vogue, lets just start to play football, create space, used the pace we now have down the wings and give Benteke a sniff of a chance… put the ball in the right areas and I’m positive the Beast we once loved will return.
It’s important to realise also that it’s only easy to pass the ball forward if there is good movement ahead of you to enable the pass… I think Gill and Sinclair can provide this, also with Delph in the team we have a player who will drive forward with the ball at his feet from the centre of the park, something that Westy and Cleverly don’t have in their lockers it would seem.
If we are to survive something needs to click, Gil has already done enough to make me think we have a proper little player there but the team must give him the movements and options around him if he’s going to be effective…. I think the a result is on the cards tonight… perhaps I’ve come out of apathy and in to delusion…
For me we will set up along the lines of.
Hutton Okore Vlaar Cissoko
Sanchez Cleverly
Gil Delph Sinclair
Benteke
Mornng fellow Lifers
I have lost the last tiny crumb of respect I had for Lambert.He singles out Benteke and drops him-deservedly IMO,yet The Flabmeister,Weimann and Craberly amongst others have been atrocious for months,yet the are constantly selected and praised.
Good luck Frem,I wish you and all the fans well.I can`t find it in my heart to say the same about the players and staff though,they have no shame.That said,I hope we win.
Tekkers was benched sat with 1 eye on tonights game….writing off the chelsea game.
If tekkers does not start lambert should be shot
Graham – went on the Bet 375 web site – did all the up loading driving license etc – took me ages – finally got accepted and then couldn’t find how to bet on Benteke hat trick. So I have second for the inferior Benteke to score first at 7s so knowing my luck he will be on the bench !!!
I am now convinced he will get a hat trick and I will be kicking bet 365 !
Enjoy the game Frem
settled not second
May go back and put a quid on Gil scoring – I am feeling lucky 🙂
Wonder what price for Villa to score 5 ?!
I thought it was on sky tonight 🙁
Jenny click on the game to open up the in game bets… find “Multi Scorers” there you will find a columns saying 2 or more and 3 or more. You will find Benteke on 100-1 for a hat trick. You will also see Gil is 40-1 to score 2.
Treble them up Jen lol… Benteke scores hat trick, Gil scores 2 and Villa score 5….. What a win that would be… 100-1, 40-1 and 200-1.. ouch!
Have just been back on Graham and put £2 on Benteke hat trick. Gil to score anytime is rubbish odds at 5.5 . I will be happy with the £209 . He had better play now !
tut tut Graham leading our fair maiden Jen down the gambling path – i wouldnt be supprised if teks is on the bench again – always expect the rediculous with mr lambert
“I am particularly looking forward to working with a senior management team that understands the opportunity that the Premier League’s global television reach offers clubs today.
“Aston Villa is one of England’s great football clubs and I am keen to make my contribution to developing the club’s commercial revenues while respecting its heritage and values.”
Charlie ???????????? New Commercial bloke, obviously a knob.
obviously now been shown the football team he has to try and sell Steamer!!! lol
Wonder if he’s any good with the global facet of the Championship.
Runts…. Moi, I’d never lead a fair maiden astray… 😉
Just got a feeling that tonight might be the night for a few goals…. It’s like Buses, you wait ages for one… and then 5 turn up at once…
Mr Lerner doesn’t quite grasp the concept that he needs something attractive to sell to these major corporations we’re looking at to increase our revenue stream…. no one wants to be associated with the strugglers, the impotent, the boring.
I think the main reason Benteke has lost his way is due to the change in playing style. I think he is genuinely bored of having his back to goal, watching sideways or backwards passing. He’s not on his toes when the ball eventually gets to him. No excuse but this current style does not suit him.
If we are going to persist in this neat and tidy but no impetus football then I don’t think Lambert is the right guy for the job and Benteke isn’t the right centre forward for the job. I have a horrible feeling that coming from Arsenal, Tom Fox may have said “OK Paul, here’s your 4 year deal but we are going to have to play a possession based game to get anywhere long term”. Understandable but not with Paul Lambert and the players he has.
Lambert needs to do what he was successful with at Norwich. Big centre forward, direct football. You can’t make someone that specialises in excellent fish and chips become a Michelin Starred Chef.
This is all pure conjecture and just a suspicion but I think Lerner put Lambert under extreme pressure the last couple of seasons by insisting on massive wage cuts and at the same time expecting survival in The Premiership. I suspect that he offered him the new deal on the basis of Premiership survival. Job done under almost impossible circumstances as Lerner admitted to on the official website.
Now that this has been achieved, Lambert has a new deal and enough money for us to be challenging for mid table. I think we would be around mid table had he not changed his principles and style in favour of tippy tappy football. Miles more possession but with worse results and is actually worse to watch. The style change co-incided with Christmas. Our fixtures after then were massive. We had to get a lot of points from Sunderland, Palace and Leicester away. 6-7 points plus. We got 2. That was the disaster. Not losing to Arsenal and Chelsea but by not dispatching those 3 weak teams.
If Aston Villa were happy to give Lambert the 4 year deal, then they should let him do the job the way he sees fit. Maybe they are. I have no idea being just a mere fan. I just wonder whether he is being told to change the way he goes about his business? That would be extremely flawed but would explain why we are where we are.
Round pegs, square holes.
Steamer,
Charlie Wijeratna sacked by Spurs a couple of years back:
He paid the price for failing to bring in any relevant sponsorship, although he was granted little more than a year at White Hart Lane.
Wijeratna had made a commercial update presentation to the Spurs directors the day before the Wolves match.
But it so failed to impress them that he was called to a meeting 24 hours later with Levy and Mills and told he had lost the confidence of the board.
It will be an expensive parting for Spurs with Wijeratna understood to be on an annual salary of around £350,000 on a three-year contract.
He said he was ‘proud’ of his work at Spurs in overhauling the brand and expanding in Asia.
But there have been no headline deals brought in by Wijeratna, with Investec’s shirt sponsorship for cup matches expiring at the end of the season and the ultra-demanding Levy somehow looking for an unrealistic £20m-a-year new stadium naming rights partner.
AVFC RIP
I agree Droyd
I said something similar weeks ago. A player like tekkers needs to be hit with the ball early.
It happend with Drogba at chelsea when jose left.
Indeed. Benteke is still a very young player with a lot to learn but I have to say this new style won’t work with him in the team.
Would rather we went back to 35% of possession but looking dangerous when we have the ball.
Benteke is a massive asset and not making the most of his talent is criminal. We are neutralising ourselves.
evening folks,
two things from Saturdays match, gabby no matter how fat and useless did one thing right , he put himself about. the most alarming side to tekkers lack of form is his physicality, where is it? he’s slow to react, stationary a lot and seems to have lost his leap when heading and gets generally owned by the defence. Imo gabbys movement helped us get at Chelsea, when tekkers came on he posed no threat and Chelsea found it easy to stop us playing and shut up shop.
the second thing was Westwood played and moved the ball from the back very quickly, something we have missed in recent weeks while he has mostly been out, nobody has him in their teams?
oh and a second second point 🙂 the only player we had on Saturday supplying decent crosses was Gil, huttons crosses are flat and generally aimless, sissys non existent, I’m hoping sinclair when not faced by the leagues best full back will deliver something better. while there were a substantial number of crosses the quality was low and unless the forwards develop the leap of a Masai warrior coupled with a giraffes neck even benteke on stilts will struggle.
so lets hope if tekkers starts, which he should all day long if breathing, its the real one and not the cardboard cut out version.
Interesting that the last two goals he scored against palace and manure showed him to be much more mobile and aggressive and were scored with his feet, which a lot of his goals are. would the real Mr Benteke stand up the Villa
need you.
I’m feeling a 2-1 to villa night.
I have Westwood in my team Mark.
I agree. I think we will win and have backed us.
Mark,
I agree there’s a place for Westwood, but it is a squad game and I’d see him as someone to freshen up the midfield after 45 to 60 minutes.
I think there’s a place for Bacuna and Sinclair too (neither in my starting 11).
so you do droyd good man 🙂
JL- I thought he was our best midfielder on sat, some of his passing was excellent. and as I said he moves the ball forward quickly which cleverly tries to counter by passing it back to him or the goalie 😉
SWV,
Oh, that Charlie Wijeratna.
So thats Mark, Droyd and probably Lambert who have Westwood in their team, mmmm methinks thats fucked it.
we will get beat tonight no matter who the complete lunatic picks but because we are at least 30% less fit than Hull and are the same against every team we play these are facts and if you where to open your eyes you would see it out team cannot run for 90 mins and that is a team that does no running off the ball no players creating space we are not fit and that is just doing the basics we all know scabby aint fit but the rest aint far behind and this is all down to being trained and run by complete armatures and fools most midland com team are fitter than our pampered lot it is a disgrace can only see defeat tonight but we will have been great and we will have controlled the game again and how great we played it is just the norm and the happy clappers will do nothing yet again Lambert out
Was thinking of going tonight but decided to clear up the dog mess in me back garden instead. Talking of shite, we can’t let tater face send us down.
Curtis Davies on 90 min.
Droyd – it’s not only Benteke struggling with the new passing style , they all are – and most of all Lambert is.
Yes Graham – when I have to sell my house to pay off my gambling debts I will remember that Benteke 100-1 you enticed me with 🙂
Feeling delighted with the ‘fair maiden’ description Runtingz 🙂
Just heard that Tony Fenandez has tweeted “lined up my dream manager and the press have got it wrong “. hahaha – Knowing Fernandez is be worried if I was a QPR fan .
Hello people. Maybe it’s the sea air but I think we’ll win tonight. I’m so confident I’m going to empty my Sky Bet account on the away win. We’re not great but neither are Hull, as anyone who saw them at Villa earlier this season will agree. In fact they were as bad as anything I’ve seen in the Prem. 2-0 to the mighty Villa.
would play grelish from the start as in 14 minuets at villa park he had 3 hull players booked for diving in but Lambert would not rember that as he only has a brain that rember up to 7 days that’s why he just forgets all the bad results trouble is all our brains work propley
Off for a gargle, spose the toerag nose gaffer will have the game on just to send the beer sour for us, still, lose, lose or lose we’ll have chuckle.
For those picking a team tonight ,
Christhevillan on TVB posted this ,
And if anybody would like to know the team for tonight, Imagine your an idiot then pick the team, It should match Lamberts .)) class !!
will be interesting to see who has picked the same team as lamberk on here , ))
he also posted ,
Blackpool is like a travelers site without caravans , lol
well fuck the score tonight those have put me in a good mood , hurry up steamer , got some barmaids to upset , and dont mention , Miserable Fat fuckers !!!!
poor Frem , l went with one of them coaches from villa park once , bored on the coach , bored in the pub , thank fuck l was able to jump on another coach home , all they talked about was prawn sandwiches with 1000 isle sauce , and what the gravy was like with their pre-match meal , Frem lv texted you Perksy’s number mate , just hope he has some earphones for his phone ,
Jenny , have a good night xxxxxx
Cleverley is on the bench so there goes the idea he has to start…
The Flabmeister and Weimann both start,yawn……I give up I really do.
Guzan, Hutton, Okore, Clark, Cissokho, Westwood, Delph, Gil, Sinclair, Agbonlahor, Weimann.
Subs :Given, Vlaar, Bacuna, Cleverley, Benteke, Sanchez, Cole.
Looks like 442
Ho, ho, Matt … that’s fooled everyone, eh!! 🙂
… and Sinclair starts. Well, well…
Brasil
Ditto mate ,
steamer l know its only tuesday but l think the jaeggerbombs need to be drunk
… but they will need Sanchez, I feel.
steamer what pub you going to
sanshez id our best midfield player at tekkers is far better than 2 ton scabby get on hull still 6/4 on betfair
steamer 75
think of an idiots team it will match lamberts priceless
st75- I think I got closest, I should do I emailed to me old mate Lambert as he couldn’t get his arms out of the straight jacket to write it down on the phone.
certainly looks like 442 Matt, plenty of pace there just no goal scorers. please someone tie hutton to a 25 yard rope and stake in our corner
Well we are on ESPN Brasil,I am going to watch it,they normally show anyone but Villa,here goes.
OOOOPS,straight down the middle from a gk,tut,tut,schoolboy error
game over you arsehole lambert gabby you fat slow cnut
This manager is just downright diabolical. How do you not play your best player when you’re in a relegation battle. Now we’re down one and we can’t buy a goal throw Benteke on! Lambert is on a mission to take us down and for the first time I believe this could be the season we’re relegated folks! Dark days…
You deserve all you get when you play arseholes like Hutton, Okore and Weimann. Hutton is the worst right back I have ever seen …Gil is superb, will be on his way in the summer.
Did I day that Hutton is sh!t?
Is it not possible for AVFC to take a corner that beats the 1st man?This frustrates the nuts off me.
How can Weimann be on the books of a pro football club?
But Paul,”he does great every week” ha ,ha.
Delph…useless nob for a long while
How can you trail to Hull? They’re f-ing cr@p
Sinclair is a passenger
We don’t have someone better at freekicks than Westwood?!?!?! He doesn’t even look close to scoring or even troubling the keeper. A far cry from Bacuna’s screamers that probably saved our season a couple of years ago…
What is the purpose of Flabby’s heading the ball backwards to nobody in particular
Now that`s what I call a tackle Clark,yessss.
The Flabmeister is carrying so much timber,it looks as if he is wearing 3 shirts and 4 vests.How did the staff and gaffer allow this to happen?
The Flabmeister snd Weimann static,never work the channels.
Turning it over to watch Pool Spurs,and I hate pool.I can`t believe I`m doing this.
lerner still does not get in he might not need fans now with 100 million a season coming but he sure needs teams in premier league and under this cnut plus gabby wiemen westwood and subing benteke bacuna grealish
We are completely devoid of attacking ideas and look destined to go down at this rate, where are the goals going to come from. Benteke has to be reinstated, he’s the only one now who can save our season and premier league status. What is Lambert thinking?!?!?!?
And you too St75 xxx
I don’t know about shits on target – have we had one ten yards of the target .
Benteke to come on second half as Pat Herd said “there’s been no running, no desire to get forward from our forwards” so he couldn’t be any worse !
Hull are very poor too – a very winnable game .
If Burnley get a point tomorrow then we go into bottom 2; no problem for Lambert as he’ll just keep working hard with the players
As I said, 14-15 points needed will not be achieved because they cannot score
am happy now cannot lose backed hull at 6/4 villa now 16 to one and the draw 5 to one cannot lose what a great game this is 6/4 hull against a wan ker like lambert hope we come back but can you see it happening still the great cleverly can come on now how he plays 2 ton scabby over tekers and gob shi te westwood over sanshez is only what a fool can work out
Leaving Benteke on the bench in favour of Weiman and Gabby has to be the heads gone decision of the season / a relegation six pointer is not the time to teach anyone a lesson IMO,
No surprise with one up top against 3 centre halfs. We seem incapable of giving gil and sinclair the ball in dangerous areas , delphs strolling gabbys hungry and weiman is mr angry
Faith Jenny is belef without evidence.The Flabmeister and Weimann are preferable over CB?Insane,they have been carp for years,but NEVER dropped,CB carp for a few weeks and he is dropped.Insane behaviour from a man that has never known what he is doing.But……we have “played great,the front 2 were fantastic blah,blah,blah”
shows how low our standards when hutton is one of our bettr players yet whenyou watch highlights all oppisition chances come down his side
Be a minor miracle if Villa avoid relegation. We’re relying on 3 other teams that might be worse to keep losing.
Good on Hull for showing some fight these last couple of weeks.
Only Clark has played with pride so far,but hey I`m not watching 2nd half,too frustrating.
Benteke is as static as the rest, he’s frankly pathetic
Jenny
It’s stupid if CB is being benched to be taught a lesson.
have we ever had as many crap inept pricks playing at one time
hull can sit back villa will never get 2
Great, Joe Cole is coming on; we’re ok now…
James
Just to think Hutton was one of the “unflushables” a year ago.
Bent should have been given more chances because, however, one looks at it, he scores goals, a striker’s raison d’etre.
If we survive the season, it won’t be because of Lambert.
Yes James we have virtually every week,sometimes twice a week.
James, not in my lifetime have I seen so many pricks in claret and blue
Quite right paul excactly why hes been dropped , unfortunately we have only got bill and fucking ben to put up there. My gran has more regular movement
12 goals in 25 games! What other club would keep their manager after that?
Flip that coin Fox.
I have never seen such clueless patterns of play from a team anywhere oh except at villa park
Gil has been poor 2nd half. We have no threat whatsoever; but Lerner must think that’s all ok.
70 mins not one shot on target
not one set piece on target
get to fuck out of my club lambert you cnut
Flip the coin fox? Load a fucking blunderbuss with them and blow the useless cunt away
Joe Cole ran…surely that’s a 6-week lay off now
Well Mark,the fella who coaches our patterns of play,will assure you that we are “doing great”,so I don`t see your point mate?
Ha,ha,.
Neither keeper has made a save!
Sack the clown NOW,I just switched over.Poor old Frem
Surely now this Khunt must be sacked tomorrow?
goodbye aston villa never to return
if delph is an english midfielder the rest should hang there heads in shame
Yep, “poor old Frem” and the faithful “who come in their thousands”.
Hope Frem finds a decent chippie in Hull.
Trinity he will,great F&C there.
Watching this shit is torture, how the fcuk Lambert keep his job.
I hope the team bus crashes
Agree Steve, this has been coming for many months.Look at the evidence,not the bullshine,his results and win ratio equals releegation.
Gutted.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/15716030
That’s when Alex McLeish lost me. I held out longer than most. That performance against Spurs showed me the players don’t care for this manager and he had failed – no way to bounce back irrespective of how much it was his fault.
Today’s farce means I now want Lambert to go. It’s not all his fault but it’s the last throw of the dice. We’re finished in this league – he does not have the ability to arrest this slide.
Too many of you have gone over the top to talk about uselessness etc etc – I have no more patience left.
We’re on borrowed time, our players have been appalling but we can’t replace them in one go. It’s come to the gamble.
Time to go Paul – sorry mate – you did your best but you’re not good enough and the players didn’t cover you.
Most players probably have a relegation release clause, so relegation isn’t much of a threat, they will just move on with a % of the transfer fee. Not much effort from any of them…
Tony h. I agree how can so many players not know how to play football? Embarrising
Gutted,but not in the least bit suprised.
Well done,JD,betting with your head,quids in,enjoy mate.
Now get on Lester to dump us out of the cup.
It’s ago way back from Hull for those poor fans like Frem – freezing cold . The club should refund them their ticket prices as that was pathetic
To top it all Darren Bent scores the equaliser for Derby . His fourth goal in four appearances – a third of our total for the season in five weeks and he hasn’t even started every game . No he wasn’t given a chance by Lambdrt and I said at the time – that decision will come back to haunt him and it has .
Benteke was benched by Lambert “to her a reaction out of him” according to press reports . He messed with bent’s head and now he us doing the same to Benteke. He has to go.
Jenny,
Yes, only in the last few minutes did Villa look as though they were something like trying – that double save from McGregor was great – in fact Westwood deserved a goal with that shot.
The whole thing was disjointed more than anything. A team that sometimes looks as though they are strangers.
But … where to from this…? Wrong starting line-up and this where we ended.
We’re now in the bottom-3.
Get not her !
hull got there goal sat back watched pass the ball one step forward second step sideways third step back fourth step start step one over
lambert has to go he has not got a clue and i am worried lerner has seriously not thought this out no window to sign anyone cue panic bid for lambert yet bent has got his 4 goal for derby more than we have got in12 away games big tv deal coming lerner going to shite himself when fox tells him we are in bottom 3 and going down ie missing all tv money no players to sell when you buy duds like lambert what do you expect
don t know who is the answer for stop gap maybe keane but team for next match
guzan vlar clark okore sanchez delph bacuna grealish lowton benteke wiemen 352
try get bent back
subs baker gil sinclair who cares about rest
John – so many times they only seem to try for last 5 mins !
Players get away with murder.
These guys have been so poor in their passing, even poorer in their movement and ever poorer still in their set pieces. All of these are controllable.
I don’t buy the “everything is the manager’s fault” and even now people are talking absolute shite about second guessing decisions they no almost nothing about – however – there are a limited number of levers to pull.
We’re already on the way down. We know the current strategy is un-saveable because we backed it for as long as it was possible to back it.
We’re about to be dumped out of the poker match so it’s time to go ‘all in’ even though it’s not a great hand. Too soon would have been stupid – too late wouldn’t have meant anything. Now is the time.
We’ll have to pay up yet another contract but at least this time we won’t have a massive backroom staff to compensate as well.
Lambert doesn’t deserve to be pissed on or hated or to be the object of all our frustration and disappointment. That’s cheap and wrong.
He isn’t up to it though. He can’t do this very difficult job. It’s all the more cutting as a conclusion as it comes having given him every benefit of the doubt and every opportunity to turn it around.
This isn’t angst or anger speaking – it’s low disappointment and I know it’s still such a massive gamble to replace him and whatever coaching set up there is there (having said that – what on earth is the coaching set up like when we can’t pass, take a corner or make runs into space!!!!).
It’s just that it’s a bigger gamble to keep him or keep things as they are.
The frustration is unbelievable, slowly watching your club die with 2 idiots in Lerner and Lambert going through the motions.
Wish I didn’t care, but…
tony h
lambert deserves everything he gets he is managerbuck stops with him
we can t hit a corner 101 league matches in 65 subs this season no goals
12 goals all season where was our striker in january
kozak out for 13 months what hte fuck are our medics at helnius last season
benteke dropped to teach him lesson what the fuck gabby delph westwood
i give up almost 40 supporting villa don t think can go on 3 children none support villa can t blame them
Agree to an extent Tony H
I have often written on here that the players appear bulletprooff,but,that said Lambert has no clue as to how to get the best from waht you`ve got.Never hated or abused Lambert,well,I have called him a clown.So,I am guilty to a degree.This,by this I mean our decline and relegation,has been on the cards for years now.The warning signs appeat to have been ignored.
As a counter to Tony H’s low disappointment, this is anger, Lamberk can fuck right off, the useless cunt was found out months ago and Lerner did nothing, even sacking him now is too late because it would take him ages to get Fergie to find another manager for him. We need top 6 form for the rest of the season to survive, no one could turn us around like that. Fuck off Lambert you prick, you and Lerner have destroyed my club
Tony
“Lambert doesn’t deserve to be p*ssed on or hated or to be the object of all our frustration and disappointment. That’s cheap and wrong”.
“He isn’t up to it though. He can’t do this very difficult job. It’s all the more cutting as a conclusion as it comes having given him every benefit of the doubt and every opportunity to turn it around”.
Well said! He’s not up to it, so we need a new manager. And yes, his players can’t/won’t “cover him”.
Whatever you think James but you’re absolving the players of responsibility if you put it all on Lambert – you’re forgiving these guys who can’t pass a ball 10 yards.
You’re forgiving Agbonlahor and Weimann for their lack of movement. You’re forgiving four corners where they didn’t beat the first man. You’re forgiving Benteke for not moving and blaming Lambert for dropping him for not scoring!
If Lambert carries all the blame – these guys get away with their share of the failure. That’s not fair.
I’m saying now that – even though players are mostly to blame, Lambert does not have the ability to turn them around having been given every chance.
We have one move left – replace Lambert.
That is far more damning than screeching for his head as most of the boys have been doing this past two years.
To change my mind – he’d have to get to the FA Cup final, win four in a row and finish on 44 points. We are NOT going to do any of those things.
I`m sick of being reasonable and balanced.Just go away Lambert,and spend your millions.Too late though,you`ve done the damage already.Thanks Randy the Clown no 1,Clown no 2 whom you empolyed,has relegated us.Eff off tp Billy Smarts Circus.You`ve appointed a commercial manger today ?/Whoooppppeeee dooo.So what?We are down.You have always looked to improve in the wrong areas,you should have recruited a new coach 18 months ago you Clown.Sorry,but that is as polite that I can be.
Well,
no more than I expected, Lambert remains, and villa get worse….He looks a broken man in interview.
He knows he cannot change things….Keane should have stayed, and Lambert walked..
He will now strive to beat Klopp and not only get Villa relegated, but will make sure they are the bottom side.
Leicester’s performance against Arsenal was outstanding, and Burnley will only get better. I am also sure that Pullis will make sure that the Baggies do not drop in the mire, so who is left to join us and be worse….
It is no good blaming the players….most of whom have not wanted to play for him for a long while….
B62Brasil
You are right. The warning signs have been there for a long time, guess many of us were deluded.
If you look at what has happened over the time since MON left, maybe the fans should have walked out behind him, and we would not be in this mess now…..the rot started with the sale of Milner, and has come back to haunt us…
Cheers Trinity. Sad – ain’t it? But there we are.
Fair enough B6 – I’ve seen it too but I hoped slow progression would speed up a bit.
Darren – I assure you, I’m angry. Very angry but I’ve tried not to reach for simple comforting answers such as “It’s one man’s fault – if he goes, our problems go.”
They don’t.
I’m angry but not throwing in the towel on these annoying shits yet.
My wife just joked – “I’d ask you why you bother but I know that you just do and that’s the way it is.”
I’m Villa ’til I die and when we do have our day in the sun – and we will in the roughly 60 years I hope to have left – I’m looking back to this shitty day and shouting inwardly – WE DESERVE THIS!!!!
Paul-“You’ve just sold my best player”.
Some of MONs last words at Villa.
Makes a mockery of the club motto PREPARED.
What! you mean for life in the Championship?
That club badge needs changing, too.
Some of MON`s last words Part 2.
“I`m off, have you a lorry outside to transport my ego?”
Spot on trinity…..
Villa had over 60% possession tonight, but did f**k all with it….and it takes a lot for me to swear….
My mate has stood by MON from day one of his leaving, and I have always, until a few months ago, tried to stay positive, and now I have to admit that he was right all along…..
I have, I hope always tried to have balanced views on here, and see both points of view, but at the end of the day, the boys like Steamer have stuck to their guns, and again been proved right.
Tonight will be put down as one of the saddest in Villa’s history, and I sincerely hope that Lambert is not there on Sunday, or Villa will be playing to an almost empty ground….
Agree B6 Lerner is a proper clown, we should of realized when we heard about the job he did at Cleveland Browns.
He calls himself a businessman, I can’t think of any success he has had following his inheritance, just one bad deal after another. He promised Villa a bright future and we are now heading for our darkest days in years.
paul p- if they don’t want to play for Lambert fine, play for the club, play for pride, play for each other, play for the huge amounts of wonga we put in the bank for them. I’ve seen some shite but this lot truly appear to not know the first thing about football, if its Lamberts fault where was he when they were learning at other clubs? yes he is a problem but how do you forget the basics as a professional? I dare you to go into work tomorrow and forget all you’ve learned everyone because you don’t like the boss;-)
tony h
i am not let players off remember lambert backed them when keane tore into them after qpr debacle keane was 100 percent right about them not scoring inn a brothel
as for benteke out injured rushed back playing lambert new style allways but forward every commentator comments on no movement gabby wiemencleverly delph well think statsshow they have played in all matches gabby one goal since first week september wiemen same delph 3 career league goals westwood not at 5 yet in villa shirt ,westwood deadballs are appalling ,cole as sub 5 years to late hutton starting every match but gives goals away his side every week bacuna 5 goals last year one start this season lambert makes all the decisions going with no fit strikers last sep only one in jan last min joke bid for lambert at pool if manager took the blame and really looked at his villa career he knows hell never work again
l said a couple of years ago this clown was’nt for us , shit shit shit sorry but any cunt still bigging this twat up deserves a kicking and the lads l was with tonight would be happy to kick the shit out of them , as would I .
were down ,
thing is we were looking at the championship games we may be in and what games we would have weekends away . nothing to do with the villa , cunt manager cunt owner
Tony H – I agree with you partially that the players have to take part of the blame , but it is the managers job to oversee the coaching by getting the right staff for training them. It was Paul Lambert’s decision to change the style of football (even if imposed on him by Fox /Lerner) . It’s clear that the players haven’t got a clue what to do and how to play in this new system. As Pat Herd said tonight , the football was “clueless” . It is the managers job to motivate and select the best team and Paul Lambert is unable to do this – chopping and changing – players are hiding from the ball incapable of moving forward . I repeat what I said for Arsenal – they can’t do the basics . Our set pieces were embarrassing tonight. So what are they doing in training? Lambert should have insisted on getting a no 2 as soon as Keane left – but he said he didnt need one ?
the players will hide behind the manager and get away with it. Whilst I am no Lambert fan, I thought the lack of fight they showed for him tonight was disgraceful .
Having just watched the post match interview , Paul Lambert looks a broken man . Randy Lerner has to put him out of his misery now – he is looking like Alex McLeish did and that is sad to see , regardless of whether you are pro or anti . An “amicable agreement to part company aka pay off” has to be the best outcome for Paul Lambert, Randy Lerner and the supporters .
No mark sorry they turn up for the pay cheque ,
play for the club , play for pride , really ???
Jenny
Rest asurred the word on the street, i.e. the bullshine from the club,is,that we shall have an AM in place by the end of the month,whoooppppeeeee dooo,an AM and a commercial manager in place for relegation!!!!!!!!!!I can not contain my enthusiasm for this news.How about a new manger in 2013.???????????
B62Brasil
They’re millionaires, so most of them have big egos. I don’t respect MON for leaving the club in the lurch, but even at that time things were rapidly going down hill.
Just watching the match on Sky now, and at half-time the same old problem since Lambert has been there, when someone is taking a throw in or looking to move the ball on, no-one is coming for it, or looking to help out, and the commentators, are saying the front men are lazy, waiting for the ball, and not getting to a position to receive it one coming to help out. Grrrrrr..!!”!
Defiant – and some might say deluded – Lambert insisted: “I still believe 100 per cent that the football club will be fine and we will stay up.
Just back home at 2am. Thanks Villa for that display.
Erm, i don’t really know what to say. I’m fed up of giving Lambert stick. The lambert out banners and chants says it all. Pray he’s gone today. His interview afterwards was the usual. Lies. The tactics tonight, the usual. Clueless
The players then. Only good thing from tonight was Clev doesn’t have a clause saying he must play.
Gabby and Wiemann continue to disgrace the shirt
Hutton and Sissy aren’t good enough at this level going forwards. Not an ounce of quality between them.
You can tell Lambert has had his hands on Gil. He was crap. Delph was crap. Guzan still refuses to save anything. Westwood, pointless. Clark and Okore were bullied.
It was a shameless display from every single onez. Only four players came over at the end. Thanks guys. You might be on 40 grand a week, off home to your mansions and get a day of work tomoz, but those fans, who get less in a year what you get in a week, they don’t get a day of work. They should all be sacked as well
You must be able to tell how I feel. I’m can’t even be bothered to swear or give anyone stick.
Just hope he goes because we are going down if not
The best bit of the night
” We couldn’t even score in a brothel “
It’s been awhile–again. I’ve just been sitting in the background ATM. What really can anyone say? Roll on May, let’s just get this over with.
I get irritated when people come down on our police officers,
saying that
they don’t care about or respect others.
Well, here is a story that clearly shows not all cops are in that category.
This story involves the police in Toronto, who reported finding a man’s body
last Saturday in the early evening in the Don River near the Queen Street
bridge.
The dead man’s name would not be released until his family had been
notified. The victim apparently drowned due to excessive beer consumption
while visiting “someone” in the Jarvis Street area.
He was wearing black fishnet stockings, 4 inch spiked heels, a red garter
belt, a pink G-string, purple Lipstick, dazzle dust on his eyelids, 1/2 inch
false eyelashes, and an Aston Villa jersey
The Police removed the Aston Villa jersey to spare his family any
unnecessary embarrassment.
See there, the Police do care.
Might as well go with more humour——–
What do Walruses and Tupperware have in common?
Both like a tight seal.
Been looking at all,the other sites on what has been said on the lastest soul destroying display that this club has put us though.
One comment that did stick out was (Lambert leave before you ruin this once great club)
Sorry to have to tell you, this club has already been ruined and destroyed by PL and RL.
RIP
AVFC
Tony H,
You are being very fair in your assessments and I agree that players have something to do with the demise.
*However*, the way things gave been managed at VP this past 2 years – particularly since the Culverhouse affair – has been diabolical. It would not be difficult to list all the issues, but they have already often been stated – with the proof that it looks as though Keane was in the right and the wrong man walked.
To take just the Hull match. It was a huge mistake to have just one man up front trying to feed on long gambits. Under the circumstances I thought Gabby did well. In the second half he could have done more about putting himself in dangerous places, but at least he showed some real commitment – putting CB through nicely on one occasion and also chasing back to cover Delph’s ludicrous mistake.
Starting Weimann was a waste of time and space. And it was clear by 20 minutes that none of it was working properly, so why didn’t he bring Tekkers on as soon as Hull scored? Body-language wise Tekkers looked as though he was feeling sharp and at least he had two good-ish shots on goal. He could – might – still be Villa’s saviour.
What did Sinclair do?
Sanchez would also have given Villa more solidity in midfield. An on-form Sanchez would have been very welcome last night. I like Westwood but his dead balls are usually rubbish and he doesn’t influence the match enough. Delph now looks over-rated. Gil got lost in the second half.
Guzan I could not fault – I don’t know why he’s criticised so much – he makes the odd gaff, but nearly all keepers do.
The back four are OK but cover from Sanchez was missing.
This must surely be Villa’s best starting team if they are to save anything from this awful season…
Guzan, Hutton, Okore, Clark, Cissy, Bacuna, Gil, Sanchez, Delph, Gabby, Tekkers.
Unfortunately the decision has to be made but this is where the major problem lies, that decision to get rid of Lambert is a football decision not a commercial one, now we know full well the people who are in the seats of power at VP have plied their trade in commercial / business circles not one of them have a clue how a football club should be run, hence the awarding of a four year contract to the worst manager in Aston Villas long history, yes worse than McLeish.
Lerner and Fox unknowingly have backed themselves into a corner by backing Lambert to the hilt, Fox”s latest comments about tossing the coin tells you all you need to know about the imbeciles running this club, the delay in appointing an AM again tells you these people are living in a completely different world.
Us the fans will just have to watch this horror show unfold until the day when we are relegated and the pain is finally over, I liken it to watching a terminally ill patient live their last days I apologise if it sounds melodramatic or to anyone who have been in that terrible position, but honestly that is how it feels.
There is a chant that comes from the terraces that goes ” You don”t know what you”re doing “, if anything summed up the situation at Aston Villa Football Club then that is it.
AVFC RIP
Today has to be the day he finally leaves this club. We can go 19th tonight
The statistics are frightening
Lost the last 5 games in a row.
Lost the last 5 away games
Gone 10 games without a win in the league, equaling the club record. We all know what’s comes next. Record breaker.
Since sept the 20th, played 21. Won 2. Lost 13. Scored 8. Conceded 33
John,
No disrespect to you or anyone on this site but I do have a little chuckle when I see you all post what you think your starting elevens should or how you think the team should set up, I chuckle because I struggle to believe that it does not matter what combination of players you select in whichever formation that takes your fancy, 433, 451, 352, 55 you pick one because it does not matter because it will not work while Lambert is at the helm.
We can all agree now make it a defining day if you so wish, but Lambert has been out of his depth at VP since he arrived and the time to sack him has long gone, yes I would get rid of him and put anyone in there that might give us a chance of staying up, but it will not happen and Lambert will be given the task of bringing us straight back up.
AVFC RIP
SWV,
I am only stating what I believe would be Villa’s best starting 11 while I agree with your reservations.
The point I am making is simply that the best line up was not put out last night and that the team I am showing would have the most commitment in my view. Whether it will do the job under Lambert is a moot point.
In doing this I am assuming that Lambert is staying – I don’t at present believe that the top brass will move from their stated gambit. So we don’t in reality have a lot to talk about except the team itself … and go on complaining about Lambert.
Are there any acceptable managers available that would take this job on?
That was yet another pathetic, inept display. If I was Lerner it would pain me to pay up 4 years of Lambert’s contract and I would do everything to avoid it as he has.
Surely he must now be tempted. I would be but I wouldn’t do it unless I was convinced about another manager keeping us up.
Last night was a new low. We got comfortably beaten by a really poor team. The manager is failing to get the best out of these players. Change is now needed. Whether that be Lambert going or a new Assistant Manager, I don’t know.
What I do know is that we can’t go on like this. If Lambert is going nowhere (the most likely scenario) then he has to go back to counter attacking football. This possession based game has been an absolute disaster and should be abandoned immediately.
Droyd,
But we weren’t scoring before the playing style was changed, where we? 😉
I think that we mainly missed Sanchez last night. Westwood does not have enough impact in my view.
To be honest i couldn’t believe how bad Hull were yet they controlled the game easily, this is a team that had lost 6 out of its previous 7 home games.
Lambert looked smug at the end, he knows he’s got a job for life.
The imposters applauded the team off again at the end while a measly 4 applauded the fans.
Delph is never a captain in fact he’s lucky to be in the team and i’m speaking as a fan.
Sorry John, i thought Pieman was pathetic, no movement, no talent, no effort.
Although he was probably our best player i thought Gil showed signs of frustration, gutsy lad though. He won’t stay long.
Sinclair, as expected, showed F-all, another waste of space.
Is there anything in the Mental Health Act that would help us get rid of Lambert ?
Guzan – 5, Hutton – 4, Okore – 4 – Clark – 5 – Cissy – 3, – Gil – 5 – Westwood – 2 – Delph – 2 – Sinclair – 0 – Pieman – 0 – Wieman – 0.( all out of 10 ).
Flip that coin Fox.
Droyd,
Its not a case of who we get in, more of who we get out.
Steamer,
Well, I know you don’t like “Pieman” and I agree that he’s got shortcomings. But I didn’t think he was that bad last night apart from not putting himself in threatening positions. In the first half he was forced to perform a lone role and at least got one attempt on goal. On the other hand we didn’t create much to “threaten” – the dead-balls were pathetic apart from the last one by Cole, and effective centres totalled about 2.
Lambert on Cleveley :-
Tom Cleveley gets picked on merit, I like him he never hides from the ball he always wants it.
Three days later TC gets dropped, the lunatics are running our asylum, fact.
AVFC RIP
Steamer,
Flip that coin I would not trust him to flip burgers, can you remember us being this bad game after game, at least we are consistent.
AVFC RIP
I have to agree with Steamer – Weimann is an absolutely dreadful footballer that has no place being in The Premiership. He will be a decent striker for us if we get relegated.
Also agree that the whole team was shocking. I thought Benteke looked a little bit more up for it last night and Gill played with spirit.
As a unit we are currently shambolic.
John – We weren’t scoring many goals with counter attacking football, true. But we certainly weren’t anywhere near the relegation zone either.
Cracks have begun to appear in the highly promising Okore/Clark partnership too. Vlaar must come back in but as I said prior to yesterdays game, I would go with a back 3 with the width coming from Hutton and Richardson.
Personnel and tactics aside, the coaching staff must be freshened up. It is simply crazy not to have an assistant manager. Hull have brought in Mike Phelan (why didn’t we) and look how they have improved the last couple of games.
The clubs full of Yanks, Jocks and Laandeners, all three groups are ‘effin useless, hence our decline.
Fox really pees me off, a patronising slimeball who’d sell his own granny for a newspaper headline.
The happy clappers were in denial at the pub last night, when i told them that they should take some of the blame for being spineless they just gazed down and five minutes later they were all gone.
Jenny,
There’s a good goalscorer at Derby we could sign, Darrell, Dazza, Deano Bent or similar, although some would say he can only do it in the Champ, thats exactly where were going.
This Charlie who’s just arrived will be pushing up ticket prices, i reckon we’ll be lucky to sell 10,000 ST’s next season, strange though that he mentioned the global financial value of the Premier Lge, has no-one told him. He & Fox should realise that we can’t afford Laanden prices.
If I were made AVFC manager today this is what I would do!
Go for it…
Guzan
Our best three available centrebacks.
Sanchez and Delph shielding them and picking up any runners they miss.
That leaves 5 players with which to Attack! Hutton and Cissokho are not creating so they’re dropped.
We’ve brought two wingers/creators in so let them do their thing.
Westwood at centre mid flanked by Sinclair and Gil.
Two strikers working in tandem, Benteke and Gabby with Benteke as the target man and Gabby running onto his flicks.
That’s 5 players tasked primarily with preventing goals and 5 primarily with producing them with some overlap of course.
Also there would be competition for places and players would be subbed at half time. Westwood gets replaced by either Cole or Cleverley. Gil and/or Sinclair gets replaced by Bacuna, Grealish, Nzgobia, Lowton.
Gabby and/or Benteke get replaced by Weimann (Robinson?, maybe Nzogbia is given a chance as a poacher as he sure isn’t a winger, would be nice to have Bent now wouldn’t it)
Whoever plays well stays on whoever doesn’t gets subbed at half time and somebody else gets a chance to keep their place in the side.
If Lambert gets out of this one he’s truly a magician because he’s dugs us into a very deep hole.
Hoping for a drastic and rapid turnaround…
UTV!!!
Steamer,
Nice to see you haven’t changed much taking on the whole pub.
All these knobs probably live in London and cannot stand being in the Midlands its full of working class hourly paid people, how crass and dirty those Brummies are, another reason we are up to our eyeballs in shit.
AVFC RIP
JL- I’d put senderos in when fit we have no leaders. clarke can play left back and attack better than sissy which would help sinclair. id be tempted to play bakuna out right and sinclair left with sanchez and westwood central. tekkers up top and Gil free role behind him.
Gil ran himself into the ground in areas where he couldn’t create chances last night hence second half dip, Westwood cannot make decent passes if there is no decent movement.
Delph not worthy of a place. Westwood would be asked to provide an outlet on the edge of the box to either shoot or keep the ball moving.
one thought people is drop Lambert get a another in and if we survive there are loads of players out on loan to bring back in , enough for 3 teams.
Steamer,
Just re-read … so “Pieman” = Weimann? Right? Yes I agree about him – I didn’t say not! 😉
It’s Gabby I was alluding to.
Droyd: But we certainly weren’t anywhere near the relegation zone either.
Ah, but wasn’t that because we started the season 5 games undefeated by playing boring stuff?
Mark,
Good point about Senders.
Can’t see what Sinclair can offer… Maybe it’s still up his sleeve.
Morning all
I was working last night so didn’t have to sit thru the debacle, I did keep an eye on the scores though, I have to admit I thought it would be closer than it was, then I saw the line up, Lambert is a complete Thundercunt , it is apparent we cannot rely on other teams to save us and we are the worst team in this league, and on current form will finish bottom below Leicester .
Howard Hodgson has posted a well worded letter he has sent to TF, follow yet another abject capitulation, in which Lambert thought “we were excellent”, gobbling off about having 13 cup finals, judging by that number he has no intention of trying to win the FA cup then.
I am amazed and the lack of action by the club, not because they are footballing dimwits, but because of the extremely serious financial implications this could have for AVFC, Lerner and the other thieving bastards. Relegation would cost around £80-100m for every season we are out of the league, in lost revenue. TV deals, premier league finishing prize money, sponsors, gate receipts inc ST sales, merchandise etc etc, we could go under, yet they won’t pay up the jock twats contract( which prob has a clause in it) but are willing to risk financial suicide and disaster!!! We have a right fucking brains trust running the show.
Jl- what if I put it like this, hutton has Gil to interact with sinclair has sissy? sissy is a worker but no genius. hutton isn’t either but has one to work with. Sinclair spent a lot of time waiting for the ball that never came. when he got it there were 2 players to beat, rarely did you see him one on one. sissy gives no overlap and doesn’t draw defenders away and play him in neither does delph, Clarke just might as he did against blackpool when at leftback. its just a thought because our fullbacks are ineffective.
Well, no change in the usual comments, and feelings regarding the players.
Having now seen the whole of the match, I have not changed my mind about how poor the midfield and forwards are, and totally incapable of putting any pressure on the opposition, as they will just not hunt the ball.
At the end Benteke was stood in acres of space when the rebound came out to him , and as a striker should have picked his spot with the whole goal screaming at him, instead he just blast it back at the keeper, and this is what our forwards have been doing all season, not one capable of picking spots, or putting it through the keepers legs and scoring.
Birmingham Mail Poll stands at 84% vote for Lambert to go…!! meanwhile the man I would love to see at VP has got Middlesboro to the top of the Championship…!!
I haven’t commented for a while because it felt like I’ve been continually repeating myself, probably since McLeish was appointed. The fact that we are still where we are with the management of this club beggars belief.
We may still go down if we sack Lambert. We may still have stayed up in previous seasons if we’d sacked Lambert. We don’t know but what we do know is that he is broken and has no clue how to turn this round. He has struggled since day one but people said “give him time.” The longer he stays the worse we’re getting. The stats are frightening – long term, short term, anyway you look at it.
Lerner is utterly clueless, an absolute buffoon of an owner incapable of seeing where his ‘investment’ is heading. Fox is a puppet ‘yes man’ and his “false narrative” drivel will be remembered and haunt him until he’s driven out of the club. That day needs to be soon.
The latest league performance seemed to have ‘relegation’ stamped all over it.
Whilst the debate of ‘why’ continues, I thought a comparison of what happened in the 60s might be useful – 4 seasons of virtually continuous lower-level performances resulting in relegation in the 5th season.
The primary reason then was poor management at board level, and their policies resulted in the inevitable.
Virtually a Deja vu?
Division 1, 22 teams 42 matches:
P W D L F A Pts
1966/67 21st 42 11 7 24 54 85 29
1965/66 16th 42 15 6 21 69 80 36
1964/65 16th 42 16 5 21 57 82 37
1963/64 19th 42 11 12 19 62 71 34
1962/63 15th 42 15 8 19 62 68 38
Premier League, 18 teams 38 matches, prior to 2014/15:
P W D L F A Pts
2013/14 15th 38 10 8 20 39 61 38
2012/13 15th 38 10 11 17 47 69 41
2011/12 16th 38 7 17 14 37 53 38
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/andy-gray-aston-villa-heading-8621552?
B62,
Lerner’s plan, since he cannot find a buyer, is to take as much cash as he can from TV rights, player sales, etc, in the summer and then flog the club off for around £70/80 million, and then he will almost have got his money back. He is not bothered about what happens about the club, or its future.
Well, when words fail me quote another blog http://7500toholte.sbnation.com/2015/2/11/8015339/villa-hull-relegation-aston-villa
At a time when the BAFTAs and other awards are given out….
Frem – I admire your fortitude for travelling up to Hull, and other outposts, to support a team you know full well will disappoint you
Ronnie Biggs – I admire your attitude to adversity – face it full on and give it all you’ve got
Jenny – I admire you full stop!! xx
Paul Lambert – I admire your belief in your profession – you continue to state that Villa had the most possession whilst failing to note that the ball seldom went forward.
Lerner – I cannot think of a single thing I admire about you so sod off, Fox off and take PL with you
Paul – I’ve paraphrased your comment on Twitter
Clive Evans @clifric
@GaryLineker Lerner’s plan, cash from TV rights, player sales, flog the club off for c£70/80m not bothered about the club, or its future.
i see Gabby tweeted ” I can’t take any more of this shhh”
even he with his limits is not being used to his strenghts
If Lambert is still in place for the next game we can all take it that he will not leave before randy even if we go down which of course we will — every stat you can find says bye bye villa
The most shocking thing is that i cant find a fan of another club that is not amazed that pl hasnt been sacked
Lerner should be ashamed but clearly he is not
respect to Frem and every villan that took the time and money to attend and support the team — the fans are worth there weight in gold,,, the fans are the best thing about this club by far
the best thing we can do is seek more rewarding interests , the owner of the club we support has shown a real lack of care to an unbelievable level
As for team selections and blaming the players — the manager is too blame – was fuming at the comments re the players but those critics need to realise that with the right leadership these guys are lost
you can even see the confidence being drained out of Gil with one game — no constructive game plan , no leadership , no togetherness , no direction , no chance
without the right leadership
Morning,I cme back from the beach,as I do every day and check out AVL,in the hope we are sold and or,Lambert is sacked.
No joy again.
What suprises me-this is said with the utmost respect-is that any of you are suprised by last night`s result and non performance.
If you buy and select Div 1 standard players ,then you will end up in Div 1.Ditto,the managers,although Div 1 is too high a standard for Lambert.
This has been coming for months,no,years.All the evidence has been before our eyes week in,week out.
Anyway chin up lads,let`s have some jokes,recepies and book/music recommendations please.Have a good day all.
b6b i don’t think that we have div 1 players but actually a top 10 side but they are being guided out of this lge by possibly the most shocking management i have every witnessed
ever
Agree Runtingz,a decent manager would mould the current rabble to between 8th and 12th IMO.
That said what I meant was we have signed and selected plenty of dross in the last 4 years,including staff,mangers and CEOs,all have contributed toward our current circumstances.
The Flabmeister,,Weimann,Bennett,Dawkins,Bowery,Luna,Cleverly.
Paul,
I should have added a copyright clause to my comment the other day stating exactly Lerners cunning plan, although it would have proved as useful as a return ticket to Dignitas.
Lambert states we have 13 cup finals, can I remind you Paulo of Bradford, Millwall, Orient, Sheff Utd.
AVFC RIP
Paul Pears – Karanka would be a good shout based on what he has done at Middlesborough. I’ve not heard him speak. What is his English like?
yes b6b the lambert tender has just got from bad too worse — another of his many failings is ruining players , stunting there development and then leave them hanging around or out on loan
helinius , grealish , bent the list goes on — this guy hates wingers which is odd as they will create more than any other position.
Gabby was being played wide when Pl came in and he continued this in the first season , gabs got a few vital goal and generally cause problems just through pace rather than skill and now he is our main striker with tekkers on the bench — totally nuts
Aston Villa are now the lowest scoring team after 25 games in premier league history, beating Derby County who were relegated. Six of the last seven lowest scoring teams at this stage of the season have been relegated, only Pompey escaped.
With Lambert in charge its nailed on we will drop, if we get rid we may just get over the line.
Droid/PP
The Boro gaffer is a good shout, his English is ok( I think), well it’s better than Lamberts anyway, I just don’t believe he would come to us, as it seems we could very well be switching leagues with the smoggies.
I see even a caretaker has got QPR winning, a fan rang up saying under Ramsey it is round pegs in round holes, nothing fancy , and a new togetherness. It looks as though the teams sticking rather than twisting with their managers will pay the ultimate price.
this is just my opinion but how is it 22 lads on a Sunday morning can get together and play something that resembles football with nothing more than a bloke on the sidelines who’s only there because he’s willing to organise enough people to up and get the kit washed?
we regularly put out 11 players who can barely do the basics for a measly £10,000 a week plus. Lambert and the malaise around villa could easily get you down and he is certainly got a lot answer for and should have gone at crimbo. but has he really mind fucked the team? or is it the general bullshittery at villa park thats causing the problem? I don’t honestly know but we have no leaders on the park, no organisers, no captains, call it what you like but we are a disjointed mess. Senderos was for the first few matches a god send in this respect. we looked organised and dangerous at set pieces that’s all gone. no disrespect to okore and clarke but I’d take a fit senderos and vlaar right now with Sanchez sat in front.
First of all Darren Bent . For all the ppl who says we didn’t need him (incl PL) eat your words . Appreciated by the Derby fans who were posting “laugh at Villa – Darren Bent four goals for us : of course they are scoring loads” . Not only did he score a beautifully executed goal – he also set up Ince’s first goal – the same standard of skill we haven’t seen all season at Villa.
Droyd – what RL would have to pay Lambert to leave is chicken feed compared to the 100 million plus he will lose through relegation . We know they can’t make football decisions but Lambert’s position based on statistics and commerce is untenable .
Fabian Delph – and the metro Goldwyn Meyer extravaganza the club put on for him signing a new contract . Well look how he’s played since – hardly going to lead us to victory .
Benteke. Look lost – doesn’t know whether to search for the ball , make his own chances , stay in the box / all part of the clueless system. Compare this performance with his debut – where he played effortlessly and instinctively . I was there – it was Swansea he scored a beautiful overhead goal – which was set up by that “not good enough ” player Darren Bent.
The commentator on First Row Sports said last night “the standard of football from the Villa side is disgraceful , every set piece is wasted …. I watched Bradford on Sunday and they were better. “. TBH I think he was unfair …..Bradford show spirit and fight – we only seen to manage to do that in injury time .
Finally Gabby .
Four players went over to the fans – Delph , Hutton , Cole Guzan. Gabby was on centre circle and when whistle blew trudged down the tunnel without looking up . I know this as my friend was one of the away fans who had a three hour journey and early start at work next day. As a Captain he should have gone over – regardless of how fed up he was .
Roy Keane. Sorry Lambert backed Gabby and Delph – he must be feeling pig sick at the way they have shown their gratitude . Those words “couldn’t score in a brothel if I gave you 10 grand” were trier than he ever imagined – and remember it was Keane who wanted to bring Bent back .
We have the players to stay up – we have twelve days to make the change that will give us a chance . Surely the tv money will get the villa board’s attention .
Mark – imo re your last post
it’s a proffessional game with great thinkers and tacticians – its also a very sycological game were confiedence matters
Money can’t buy these things and without a good manager in the pro games players will never achieve there potentail
Sorry to bang on but the Gabby point kinda sums things up to my mind
plays as a winger , causes problems for the opposition and opens up some attacking options – his only real attribute is his pace so playing gabs that way means you get the best from what he can bring too the team
stick him upfront as your stiker he does nothing much and seems lost — this is all to do with poor management rather than a player thats not bothered if we lose — pl even put him in centre mid for one game — shocking shocking management that is our only major problem
runtingz- I agree mate he’s shocking on all fronts and It could raise them enough if he went but the lack of leadership on the pitch or even know how is shocking too. I only say this as have experienced what a good organiser can do for a team first hand.
Jen- if you bring back bent you may need the rest of the derby team and their manager as I suspect putting benteke, gabby, robinson, weiman would have a similar effect on them, they look a good fit for him, lamberts villa, fulham and brighton were not unfortunately.
As has been said, Karanka’s english is good, and he has not only improved the team, but the youth policy and scouting and really pushing the ‘Boro on, and probably would want to finish the job, more is the pity.
This is the sort of manager we should be looking for, and not one of life’s failures.
Have to agree with all Jen’s comments, especially re Bent.
I am sure that there are plenty of candidates for the Villa job, given the right backing from the owner, but this has been the problem all along, which is why we have ended up with Lambert.
Mark,
On Bent you have it to a ‘t’. I don’t think it matters which player you bring to Villa (unless he’s really top notch – and expensive) they are not going to function properly under Lambert.
We now have the additional factor of ear – fear that they’re going to lose the next game and fear that they can’t score.
I see J Fear sent another impassioned plea to Lerner and posted the previous response, which effectively said that Lerner had placed all responsibility with Tom Fux and as an absentee landlord, he was absolving himself of responsibility to even take an action or direct Fux.
Fux is only in it for himself, who wouldn’t want to be CEO if you were previously a commercial director. We are fecked and the longer change doesn’t happen, the less chance we have of someone new having an opportunity to get us to survive.
As Lamberk isn’t good enough, there is no need for him to be around for the FA cup game, resignation or sacking I don’t care, just as long as he is gone by the next league game.
I’d give Keane the job so he can bench Gabby, Wiemann, Cleverly and put the fear of god into the players to make them play for their contracts, us and the club.
AVFC ALL (hoping to drop one L soon)
Jl- which is why we need leaders, people who thrive on adversity. Lamberts proving a poor leader and the majority of his team sheep, even a shepherd needs a dog or two in the field. Last night hull had Dawson and have dropped Davis their captain.
Stick a fork in us – we’re done.
Darren- you would think fox has sounded out someone but unfortunately I fear the truth is he hasn’t, we haven’t seen a AM yet. At the rate we do things you’d think fox was piloting an oil tanker not a tug boat
Churchill we are bordering on cinders
this is why they won’t sack lambert — if they did and brought in the likes of keane we are still done for – have you seen his managerial record or heard of the mess he left at his previous clubs ?
From vital villa
1. 25 wins in 101 (50 lost, 26 drawn)
2. 33 points from last 40 games
3. 2 wins in 21 games (12 points)
4. 0 wins in 10 games (3 points)
5. 12 goals scored in 25 league games
6. Recent games in this 10 game winless run includes versus direct relegation rivals, WBA, Sunderland, Palace, Leicester and Hull.. Just 2 points gained and zero goals scored.
7. Worst goals scored record at this stage of the season since Leicester City in 1978
8. 101 games, 101 points
9. Biggest ever league defeat (Chelsea 8-0)
10.Just 1 minute short of 11 hours of football with no goals, the 4th ever worst run in the Premiership
11. 1 goal in 13 hours of football
12. No goals at all this season in the last 20 minutes of games
13. No away goals in 5 matches
14. Worst ever start to a Premiership season (his 1st)
15. First Villa manager since the Premiership started to have two or more seasons outside the top 10
16. Worst home record in a single season
17. Most defeats in our Prem history (20)
18. First time ever in our history, five games, five defeats, no goals
19. First time we`ve lost in two legs to a lower tier side (old 4th div) in a semi final
20. Most goals let in during our Prem history
21. Most home losses in a season in our history
22. A whole host of records broken to individual clubs like Fulham etc
23. Lowest goals in all five levels of football across Europe
Worst manager we’ve ever had
Frem- you could of sneaked in responsible for the collapse of the Roman Empire and the dodo extinction 😉
And Hull hadn’t beat us since 1987 before yesterday
The brum mail have started a campaign to get lambert sacked
Frem,
25 wins in 101 games @ 25% win rate I would take now, this season we are 5 wins in 25 games @ 20% win rate, if that continues we are on course to win between 7-8 games out of 38, over the last ten premier league seasons that win ratio takes you down no questions asked.
All those records and nightmare stats and he still is the safest manager in the premier, if the idiots cannot even find a AM what chance of them actually finding a new manager.
AVFC RIP and soon please put us out of our misery.
Mark – I am pretty sure that DB would have put some of those chances away that our three strikers have had – they’re making Tonev look like Aguero ! 🙂
Just hearing on TS that Peter Withe and Stan Collymore have offered their services free of charge to AV . It’s a shame the media have got hold of it (though I guess impossible to keep it under wraps ) as I can’t imagine any manager being willing to admit he needs help from the ex players . It would undermines his standing with the team (whatever that may be ) The fact they’ve offered to help must signal to Fox et al that the proverbial coin needs flipping .
swv- my sentiments exactly what chance? I can seriously see Sid getting lumped with it if Fox panics.
jen- you may be right but there is no way of knowing and it didn’t happen before for him. I would play anyone who could get us out of this mess so I have no axe to grind about bent,
crap service is crap service. that said the only chances we create are rebounds so maybe
Mark,
I see no risk at all attached to changing managers I think we all see that Lambert is taking us down, when I say all I obviously omit Fox from that list, yes we would have to pay Lambert off but that would be nothing compared to the lost revenue for the coming seasons.
But with his statement just over a week ago Fox has put himself firmly between a rock and a hard place, open to criticism and ridicule for backing Lambert one week and sacking him the next.
Its an old saying but one that rings very true in this crisis, it goes ” It is better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than to open it and remove all doubt ” , there you go Tommy old boy you can have that one for free.
AVFC RIP
Droyd,
Very poor English but a lot better than Lamberts.
Fair point Steamer! 🙂
Any complaints ? send ’em to –
tom.fox@avfc.co.uk
But be polite or it weakens our case and gives the twat the wrong impression of us which no doubt has been sullied by working for five years in Laandaan..
Frem, send your list in.
At last the Birmingham Mail is doing something, I think Fox will fold under all the pressure and possibly resign leaving Lambert as top dog at VP.
Players
Guzan – USA International number one – Decent keeper who’s form has dropped recently
Given – ROI International – Bags of Premier league experience
Hutton – Scottish International – Bags of Premier league experience
Cissokho – French left back once described as best in the world (Not saying they right) big club experience
Okore – Danish International – Once chased by Mourinho (He don’t buy many duds)
Vlaar – Dutch International – One of best players at last World Cup
Delph – English International
Sanchez – Columbian International – The Rock who got to World Cup semi finals with his team
Sinclair – Good enough for Man City to take a punt on in their prime
Benteke – Belgian International – So much potential to be a world beater, now sinking on the Villa ship
Bent – England International, Bought for £18m before being pushed out
This is before players like
Gil – new signing brought up through Valencia’s ranks
N’Zogbia – £9m player
Senderos – Swiss International (Although injured for best part)
Kozack – Czech International (Same as above)
Cieran Clarke – ROI International
Kieran Richardson – English International (Some time ago but bags of Premier league experience)
Joe Cole – England International, Again injured most of time
BUT should this squad be in this position???
Or would a better manager get more out of them???
Doing it now Steamer. I will copy and paste my e-mail here when I have finished
steamer
would matt write out something nice for us all to post to fox email address and maybe pass round other blogs
Have just e-mailed Tom Fox…
Tom
I love Aston Villa. I have 2 seats in the Trinity Lounge and it is amongst the best hospitality in The Premiership. I sit about 10 rows in front of you and I could not have a better seat in the stadium. It is a wonderful facility and if the performances on the pitch were anywhere near as good, I would be one happy customer. Unfortunately they are not and haven’t been since long before you joined the club. We have underperformed for many years now. Mr Lerner has ploughed in a huge amount of money in the hope of us attaining a Champions League place. He gambled and only just lost. Quite reasonably he has decided there is no point in ploughing in that sort of money just to finish 6th. He may as well run the club prudently and try to get to mid-table and kick on from there. I have no issue with this as a plan. I also understand that Paul Lambert has had a ridiculously difficult job in trying to massively reduce the wage budget whilst inheriting a squad that only just avoided relegation in the first place. The quality he had at his disposal last season coupled with the horrendous injuries meant that it was a miracle that we stayed in the Premiership, let alone finish as high as 15th. Unlike many of my fellow supporters, I appreciate that fact.
Paul Lambert’s record prior to joining Villa was exemplary. What he did with Norwich was miraculous and whilst his first two seasons at Villa yielded unspectacular results, we know there were mitigating circumstances. There is a good manager in him.
This season is a different kettle of fish. Mr Lerner has released enough funds to ensure that we shouldn’t be anywhere near the relegation zone. The business in the transfer market that has been done this summer and January has been excellent value for money when you look at the individual transfers. Fabian Delph signing for another 4 years was the best business of the lot. I don’t care what you had to pay him. You would be looking at a £20 million transfer fee alone to replace someone of that quality, so credit to all involved for that and all the transfer business this season.
How this has not meant we are not comfortably sitting in mid table is where there lies a serious problem. Far from the miraculous 15th place with a very poor team last year, we now have a much better squad languishing in 18th place. This is beyond unacceptable and a total disaster if we are in this position at the end of the season. I see where you are coming from when you state that it is a “false narrative” to just blame the manager for Villa’s demise. However, I have to ask some serious questions about how the team have gone about their business since Christmas. The team has undergone a complete change in style. We have gone overnight from a team that has 30-40% of possession, playing a counter attacking style to one that has 60% + of possession. Long term and with the right players, this is undoubtedly the way to go. However the timing of this style change has proven to be completely ridiculous.
We had crucial fixtures. Sunderland, Crystal Palace, Leicester and Hull last night. (I omit Arsenal and Chelsea as any points against these teams can only be considered a bonus). These are games we had to win or at least get many points from. To be experimenting with a change of style has proven to be attempted suicide. Fair enough if it is at the start of the season but at such a crucial stage, against such poor teams was silly. We need to get back to basics and abandon this futility. We simply don’t have the quality of players to execute this and it certainly doesn’t suit the style of manager Lambert or star player Benteke. This style of play has neutralised our best player. He needs to be hit with the ball early and is currently cutting a bored, isolated figure.
I’m not a hysterical fan that calls for the manager’s head as a solution to our many problems and I’m not doing so now but things have to change NOW. This style of play has to be put on hold for the rest of the season. Survival is all that matters. Appointing an assistant manager seems like a basic necessity. Look at the effect it has had on Hull by appointing ex Man United assistant manager Mike Phelan.
The players are in desperate need of a fresh approach. Their confidence is on the floor. Paul Lambert either needs help with this in the form of an assistant manager with a fresh approach or you need to bite the bullet and pay up the 4 years of his contract. Things have to change immediately one way or another. We now have quite a favourable fixture list coming up, so now is the time to act.
I beg you for a change of approach, not stubborn adherence to a plan. That current plan will get us relegated. Please consider a new way.
Best Regards
Covers most of it, at least you didn’t call him a knob.
Well, here’s my pennuth…
Dear Mr. Fox,
I know you have had letters from other quarters and therefore I do not need to re-iterate all the well-meant comments and suggestions made by those fans.
I would just like to point you to the record of Aston Villa between 1962 and 1967 for you to see how the club maintained a lowly position and then finally got relegated. It took Villa another 8 (eight) years before they re-appeared in the top tier of English football. The reason for the club’s poor record lay in the hands of the board of the time, but they did precious little to stop the rot.
I was around then (in fact I saw my first game at Villa Park in 1950) and I am more than concerned that this famous old club has recently been accumulating the kind of records it has. The situation now appears to be even more fragile than it was in the 1960s, a period I remember well.
The squad has a more than reasonable level of quality about it but having now become so unused to hitting the back of the net (and winning), their play shows a lack of confidence. In my view (and clearly in the view of many other erudite Villa fans) the only way of recovery now is either to appoint another team manager or another assistant to the existing manager – one who can re-inspire the players and get them to ‘play up’.
Mr. Fox, you and the chairman have the answer to the club’s future in your hands. Please act.
Kind regards,
John Lerwill
Well, he’s staying
Fox and Randy deserve to finish 20th with out us scoring again. That’s what will happen.
They are happy for us to go down
If we somehow stay up, they won’t sack him then if they won’t sack him now. I couldn’t stand another season it’s him so maybe relegation is for the best
my E-mail
Dear Mr Fox
Bollox bollox bollox bollox bollox bollox bollox bollox bollox bollox bollox bollox bollox bollox bollox bollox bollox bollox Double Bollox bollox bollox bollox bollox bollox bollox bollox bollox Double bollox bollox
hope you get the message ,
regards , Steamer 75
ps get the clown to explain what that word means
Just how good is this off TBAR, the blokes a comedy genius-
Let’s send that colonial twat back to the USA and his fucking witches familiar back to the gorse bedecked sodden glens whence he came. Let us rise up brothers and sisters and reclaim a part of Aston that has become neglected and weed-ridden, let us rage against the dying of the light and demand better things for ours and our children’s footballing future.
Evil prevails when good men do nothing.
I’m off to plot the downfall of the corrupt and despotic regime at Villa Park – are you with me brothers and sisters, ARE YOU WITH ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Frem
He won’t be sacked if we go down, the finances won’t allow it. Read an interesting article in which they believe, as long as Villa are self sufficient ie don’t cost Randy anything, he doesn’t care what division they are in, as it matters not to him, all he sees is a failed business venture, that he will offload as soon as he can, to anyone that will pay up. Don’t be fooled he doesn’t give two shits about us, and doesn’t give a fuck who he will eventually flog us to. The club surely can’t owe him much anymore, even though most of the debt was his fault.
We are going to be playing lower league football for some time, as the club have shown they aren’t getting rid of the clown, despite local and national media pressure, fan protests and ex and current players saying he can’t cut the mustard. Saw a tweet saying even Ched Evans is more popular the Lambert!!
S75,
Knew i could rely on you.
JL,
I fear the decision to keep him was made at least two years ago, everyones wrong except Fox, who’s been at the club five minutes and actually knows f-all about the sport anyway. I would suggest that fans stay away until Lerner and co have moved on to another organisation to destroy, at the moment they’re wasting a lot of money and getting a lot of grief in return. I don’t feel one iota of regret for those comments because the club died the day McCleish was hired.
As a historian of the club i should imagine that you would both relish and regret chronicling recent events in the history of AVFC.
Frem,
Don’t doubt it, his old man was scum and he follows suit, all Republicans are trash and he was the party’s biggest donor. I wouldn’t trust the word of these low life pricks under any circumstances, the world would be a far better place if they died tomorrow. So much for Bright Future, Custodian etc, unfortunately it could spell the end of AVFC the club that founded the worlds oldest league, what an asset they are to sporting institutions.
Steamer,
“The First Superclub” book seals the history as at 2012 and won’t be opened again (by me at least) until verdant green shoots start appearing again. If.
As things are I feel that what’s happened has made the club’s history totally unmeaningful to anyone except the most ardent fan. What the old ‘uns would say about the matter makes me blanche … they would be sickened. But the current management wouldn’t have a clue about that – this is the 21st century and today there’s a different rule book that reeks of money, money, money …
To think that in the 1890s, Villa’s board were concerned about the money issue creeping into the game!
B62,
Interesting bloke on TBAR ( De Kuip ), a DJ in Devon who plays Ska and Soul etc, Villan. Read his post on Match Day Chat page 9, it should interest you – 2nd and 4th Monday of the month 8-10pm on 106.8 fm in devon or http://www.phonic.fm on line.
JL,
Even the most mediocre player will be on astronomical wages under the new deal, i’ve had enough, the game does nothing but disappoint me and Villa actually disgust me, i see it dying withing twenty years.
Cheers Steamer I’ll have a look
The club’s now rotten to the core. I can’t remember the last time we had a decent youth setup; look at Saints…they recovered on the strength of what was always a superb academy. As for our scouting….
Steamer,
I was looking at how TV money has increased since 1992. It started as being a few hundred millions and we thought then that was a heck of a lot.
But it’s the fact that it has screwed the game at the lower levels … there are only so many fund-raising events you can hold without getting people fed up being asked.
Since there won’t be high numbers of rich talent coming through from base then the PL clubs (and others) will increasingly sign overseas players. That, of course, is already happening.
But for me there’s a message in all this – that the footie we knew is no more and that we shouldn’t expect it to be. There are more important challenges ahead that most of us prefer to ignore in favour of masochism over the Villa! 😉
John- Do you know Mr Fox email ?
JL,
Grass roots is dead, I played in the Festival League on a Sunday, probably 12-14 divisions, now down to 3, Birmingham Works Lge was the biggest in the country, went bump about 15 years ago, all the pitches are being built on and the kids are getting fatter, burgers and KFC where did they originate again ?
Frem,
tom.fox@avfc.co.uk
swv- while there is little risk that even fox could be a worse judge than Lerner, (see mcleish, houllier and Lambert) he will almost certainly be looking for someone with similar credentials, willing to put up with anything, develop lerners bank account, titanic orchestra experience and other serious footballing matters.
B62- with the inevitable clear out we will have around a £40-50 mil wage bill but without telly money we will have a £30-£40 mil income if fans turn up I estimate
Been reading about that film American Sniper and was thinking ……..
steamer- KFC where did they originate again? same place as xbox and extortion rackets
Steamer
I no longer have cable,the footy doesn`t intrest me,the CL in particular is a yawn fest Barca Bayern or Chavski versus PSG same fixtures repeated continually.Over hyped,overrated,mediocrity fed to us by bell ends who always have to try and make the product more exciting than it is.I only had ESPN because the company want to get me back on board,so they gave us a comp 2 months,but I`ll never have cable again,footy is dead now to me.
As for the club I love well,Lerner and Lambert are just urinating(metaphorically of course) all over the fans and the memory of the fans and players that have passed on.
Clown no 1 hides in America,and Clown no 2,just repeats the same guff that I don`t think even he believes anymore.Wow Sherlock,you realise we are in relegation trouble,how perceptive.
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
He’s gone
there is a god
He’s been sacked
I’m sure you tried your hardest Paul but you failed
Now let’s stay up and move on
Lambert gone, now let’s move on and get the right man in
Is it true?????????????
Yippppppeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.I`ll get a cold one.
Get in there! at last they have woke up. Let’s hope it’s not too late.
That`s Clown no 2 out.now let`s shift Clown No 1.
I say get Culverhouse in.
Only kidding.
can I predict Lamberts next 13 pressers? we have 13 cup finals, we have 12 cup finals, we have 11 cup finals down to 4 cup finals then it will be we have more than enough to get out of the championship we’ll go again
Frem,
Your Email did it.
fuck me I was just writing his pressers as well ungrateful fucker, thanks paul its for the best
Just appointed Norris out of Corrie.
Rejuvinated.
April 1st.
club will announce a new manager in due course? so they have no-one then
http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~4480131,00.html?
marshall in charge
No sympathy, he’ll be fine, he’ll go again,i think he did well.
new thread
Full house on Sunday and the atmosphere will be vintage, Wemberly, Wemberly.
Still want Lerner out though.
I’d say Sherwood is nailed on.
Well done, Frem! 😉