“I hope there’s patience, especially if you’re trying to rectify in six weeks something that’s been happening for two years,” Paul Lambert has said.
And naturally, that’s the crux of the matter. I saw several good points raised by a number of readers over the last couple of days regarding, well, everything.
Villa obviously dominated the passing stats against West Ham, which is a rarity welcomed by all. And, as we saw, passing in and of itself doesn’t necessarily win you anything. Villa seem to be on the right track, and most, if not all of us, seem to believe Lambert will get it right. Even if Robbie Savage disagrees.
Which isn’t to say that Villa aren’t still a work in progress. Because obviously we are.
Unfortunately, due to family commitments, I wasn’t able to “watch” the game. God knows I tried, but a good streaming connection was just not to be had at 9000 feet up in the Rocky Mountains while my parents were visiting. The AVTV highlights didn’t really shed much additional light to the stop-start bits I was able to see.
They did show, however, that Villa had precious few quality chances, and even if there was a touch of confusion that might have abetted West Ham’s goal, it would be hard to argue that Villa were hard done in not getting a result despite a bright start. And Matt, of course, did an excellent job taking the post-game reins while I was out of pocket. There were a lot of arrows.
From all the commentary and analysis, what went right and what went wrong weren’t necessarily that surprising, were they? Not quite as big and athletic as West Ham. Plenty of possession without a cutting edge in the final third. An isolated Darren Bent starved of service and unable to impose himself otherwise. A tad bereft of ideas and initiative against a team sitting back. Charles N’Zogbia and Brett Holman didn’t seem to have much to offer. (For CNZ, this is getting to be a bit of a problem.) The deep-lying Delph and El Ahmadi, which sort of reminds me of a McLeish tactic, aka the 4-2-3-1.
Sound familiar? Apart from the possession and passing stats, that is? (I wonder how much James Collins contributed to the game planning for Big Sam.)
This is why I do think we need another striker. I know it was done to death yesterday, but part of the reason Bent can cut such an isolated figure is because he doesn’t really do a whole lot to make things happen. If Lambert is publicly ruing Gabby’s absence, you know we might have a bit of a problem up front.
Which isn’t to say that Darren Bent can’t score. But he does rather prefer to have it served up on a platter. And the rest of the time, we’re playing with 10 men.
Like most everyone else, I’m not panicked by any means. But the things we’ve been talking about, like a big, dominating DM, a second strike option, the narrowness of the formation and the lack of chances in preseason, did make themselves evident and only go to show the balanced sense that we here on AVL are calm, rational heads. For the most part. (Insert your McGinger riposte here.)
Which Brings Us To Speculation
Andre Villas-Boas is talking about Jermaine Defoe’s “killer instinct.” I would agree. I’m not saying he’s world class, but I can’t help but wonder if we could do with a bit of what he offers. Which is making something happen, often as not.
Likewise, Andy Carroll. I don’t agree with the notion that bringing him in equals the inevitability of aimlessly lumping it up. That’s a choice, and it’s not one that Lambert is going to have any part of. If we really are still interested and trying to do some sort of deal, a big, physical forward isn’t the worst idea. It certainly adds a different dimension at both ends of the pitch.
Steven Fletcher…we’ve gone over it. At the purported price, it seems a bit over the top. But again, we seem to need a different dimension. This is one of those MON versus Lambert contrasts. O’Neill would likely get the maths wrong on this. Lambert, I think, will likely get it right.
Martin Olsson? If we’re going to be playing Nathan Baker instead of Enda Stevens or Eric Lichaj at left back (which I must confess I found a bit odd, but I assume was an effort to counter the Hammers’ size and physicality), then we might as well. Especially if it includes finally getting Warnock off the books. Which makes me think this particular package deal won’t happen. Which, of course, means it probably will.
John Guidetti? It might be a masterstroke. Or he might never be the same. Certainly worth a punt at the right price.
Jones? Probably not.
Lerner Or Lambert?
Is the lull in activity due to Lerner’s unwillingness to spend? Or is it due to Paul Lambert’s trying to assess what he needs and find the right players? Is it a bit of both? I vote “C”: the right players at the right price.
As you know, I’m hesitant to criticize Randy Lerner because making the right moves as an owner is always a bit of a crapshoot, and I’ve yet to see him act in bad faith.
Where some like to lay Martin O’Neill’s profligacy at Lerner’s doorstep, I tend to take the view that the so-called “football man” in the organization made his wants known, and Lerner backed him, thinking the “football man” was making the right demands out of rational self-interest. If Lerner made an error, it was trusting that O’Neill knew what he was doing, not in signing the checks O’Neill told him needed to be signed. And a whole lot of people trusted Martin O’Neill—at least initially.
Maybe that’s splitting hairs. But right now, what do you want? Randy telling Lambert that he knows better, or Randy signing the checks Lambert tells him he needs? The answer to that question tells you who was to blame for all the mediocre, overpaid players we’re still dealing with.
“I hope there’s patience, especially if you’re trying to rectify in six weeks something that’s been happening for two years.”
Patience, indeed, and Lambert’s being kind to MON, because it’s been more than two years in the making. If Lambert does have some players he’d like in, then yes, Randy, go ahead and back him to the extent it doesn’t put us in the hole. I, for one, hope there are a couple more signings, because I think we need them. We’ll be okay until January, but if we can add more now, and Lambert knows what he wants, then what the hell…do it now.
Paul Lambert’s been given a lot to fix, and to my mind, the moves he’s made so far warrant further trust.
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