I’m writing this having just got in the door from Villa Park. Losing 1-0 against Leyton Orient isn’t the end of the world, but it was a prime example of exactly what is going to be the major issue for the club this season – winning games.

That Aston Villa started a game with just one striker, considering the opposition were League One standard, says a lot. That it was a home game made things worse – surely you try and go for it when you’re at home, playing a team who are two divisions below you?

Whilst some of the selections were understandable – Joe Cole’s debut was almost guaranteed – the fact that Villa’s 4-2-3-1 relied on Leandro Bacuna as a winger, young Jack Grealish and Cole to supply Darren Bent seemed very much like a patchwork team.

In a sense, league cup games lend themselves to patchwork teams but, as I’ve stated before, there’s a certain level of expectation to be had when playing lower league teams – don’t underestimate them and go for it.

Perhaps going for it was too much of a wildly optimistic plan given the nature of how football is played at Villa Park in recent years – based strongly on counter attacking – but if a Premier League club can’t have the ambition to go for it against a League One team, people do start to wonder.

Yes, Villa have an arguably more important game on Sunday and, yes, that will mean three games played in eight days, but surely there could have been more attacking intent? Surely Bacuna could have been playing in the middle – if he was to play at all – allowing any one of Charlie N’Zogbia, Gabby Agbonlahor or Andreas Weimann to play on the right?

Ultimately, and speaking purely as a fan, the overriding sense I feel is one of disappointment. Not so much about the ticket price – £15 is nothing in comparison to my season ticket – but that the drive to win the game wasn’t there.

In that sense, there are going to be fans showing their frustration. For me, a fan who has a comparatively meagre 30-40 mile round trip to get to games, it was bad enough traipsing up the A4040 back to the car. For those who have come from further afield, there’s going to be far more anger, especially considering who the opposition was.

So, as we reflect on a 1-0 loss against League One opposition, the questions will likely outnumber the answers. Can the team move forwards on Sunday? Hopefully, but if there’s one thing regular Villa fans are sure to avoid it is getting carried away with any kind of optimism.

Comments 142

  1. never felt as low with august not even out,don t care about lerner,lambert has lost 4 out 5 cup competitions along with losing to spurs last year with white flag up in that one before ko,bar benteke lambert is a complete shambles,how can lerner think he can sell the club when that clown is the first person the media meets, think on here earlier somebody named all his signings 23 of them and how many are still left,zog was out for a year with similar injury benteke going to be back in 6 months,kosack breaks leg out for 8 months going in to 9,okore has disappeared ..first thing thursday morning fox needs to call lambert in tell pack his bags take keane with him ring moyes get him in.also read earlier think was mark about mon spendig 120 m fair enough but had 3 6 places cup final semi final took in at least 60/70 m on barry young milner downing spent probarly 90 m since with massive wages what get back.

  2. Evening James

    We have been here before so may times in the last 4 years.Yet another lacl lustre performane,a beating by a so called lesser team.We play 1 striker at home to LO,a Matt has already covered.Pitiful,shameful.OK 1 striker away to Bayern,Valencia or Chelsea,but why can`t we take the game to Orient?????????.
    Yet another disappointment.Lambert loves to make a difficult jobeven harder it seems to me.The man must be a masocist-spelling(?).

  3. Lambert has never, and will never try to attack or go to win a game.

    Matt- you really would have started Wiemann on the right? He’s useless there, but Bacuna was as well. He was last season at crossing. Can see why we only payed 750 thousand for him now

    It’s no surprise. Bradford, Millwall, Shefield now Orient
    . Record breaker for home defeats

    Worst manager is our history bar none.

    Can’t last much longer can he ? Even talk sport took the piss out of him tonight

    We don’t stand a chance in hell on beating Hull unless we buy wingers before then, and a top striker and sell gabby and Bent

    It’s going to be another miserable season at VP, and a season in general

  4. I thought KR was dire getting forwards Matt. Him on the left, Bacuna on the right was painful. We don’t put one good cross in all game. If Wiemann is in Lamberks plans to play RM all season then we are screwed. He better do something before Monday

    Grealish was the only one who can hold is head high. Was excellent I though. Has to start on the wing on Sunday if we stand any chance of breaking Hull down. 1 shot in two games on target

    What did you think of Sanchez ? Wasn’t overly impressed by him. His passing looks a bit off but might be solid in front of the back four. Worried why Vlaar wasn’t in the squad. Van Gaal probably phoned him after there display

    Only 11 more home defeats to match last season. Think we might do it you know.

    Came to the conclusion Keane might only be good at shouting at refs and our players. He’s changed nothing tactically. We still can’t pass and look clueless going forwards. Still park the bus in the Prem subs that were and weren’t made tell me Lambert and Keane are both clueless

  5. Might have done yes

    Another positive was KEA wasn’t in the squad. Hide fully of to Holland and we can have room to get At least one attacking player in

  6. On the whole it would have been a good performance, with Hutton, once again MOM. The biggest problem is tactics…How many times did Baker pass the ball across, when he could have easily taken the ball forward, and when the crowd shouted at him on a couple of occasions he did,

    The biggest problem was when we went on the attack, there were no direct low crosses into the box, and Bent hardly had a a ball put to him. All the time it was the same putting the ball out wide and then lobbing it back in, and their defense said carry on, we can deal with that all day.

    There were virtually no balls into the box, which are the ones which always cause the problems. It is basic attacking football. Grealish was ok and with more time will improve. Cole showed some intelligence, but was way off the level once he got a slight knock. I cannot see him making a full game.

    Like Frem says, we need a winger and a good mid fielder….Ashley Young and James Milner will do…..otherwise we might as well give up with these poor tactics. I cannot blame the players…they are only doing what they are told… Leyton Orient should do well this year. Good solid unit.

    Well £50 lighter and a little wiser…after another 200 mile round trip. Was a pleasant change to sit pitchside in the Trinity, but would have been nice to see a win….Don’t see with Lambert’s tactics…

  7. A very good summary PP,spot on it`s the tactics,tactics,tactics.Not the only problem,of course ,but,we should be battering Orient.No,not beating them necessarily,but they should be under the cosh for 90mins,with their GK MOM.
    Blimey,1 shot on target last night,one at Stoke,one,I think at Spurs,none at Man City.I think 3 shots on yarget in the last 5 games,or something that bad.Apaliing simply a disgrace.Lambert has a shitstoem to face managing an under funded club,but………….as I wrote earlier,he loves to make it harder for himself than he needs to.If,-I know ifs,buts,and maybes win you naff all in football-if we had smashed Orient hit the woodwork 6 times,had 2 cleared off the line,and their GK had the game of his life,then,fairs fair.Lambert could have received some goodwill and empathy.But 1 shot on target,I can not and will not defend that.Hull up next 11 men behind the ball treating them as if they were AC Milan of the 1990s.

  8. Matt

    Good for you bothering to write a report on the match given the result.

    It’s disappointing to hear the team didn’t seem to go for a win. Like you said, the questions will likely outnumber the answers. One that springs to mind is, Did our team lack confidence?

    It is lacking in depth of quality. What worries me most about Villa is there isn’t a culture of winning. Perhaps, our club is too used to losing or being mediocre now. I believe it’ll survive, but it must improve soon.

  9. It’s almost no surprise that Aston Villa under the management of Paul Lambert have yet again slumped out of a cup against a lower league team. Leyton Orient fans join the growing ranks of Bradford City, Sheffield United and Millwall fans who can take the mickey out of Villans when they see them. Thanks Lambert!

    The way the latest debacle happened is worrying. Aston Villa managed just one solitary shot on target during the game. In Darren Bent and Joe Cole, Villa had two ex-England internationals in their forward line. Actually, make that three, since Kieran Richardson made eight appearances for England. They should have done better. Much better.

    This was a team that also boasted an ex-Irish international regular in Shay Given and also the current international trio of Sanchez, Hutton and Senderos. So this was no weak line-up.

    Players have off days and shocks happen, but that single shot is the latest stat in a very, VERY worrying trend.

    In the last game against Newcastle, Villa actually failed to manage a single shot on target at all. So that’s one shot on target in the last 180 minutes at Villa Park.

    Despite Villa’s away win at Stoke being the first away win in 10 games away from home, Villa’s counter-attacking ability is still praised. Wrongly so though. Against Stoke, Villa scored their only shot on target.

    So, for the season so far, Villa have had two shots on target in the last 270 minutes.

    In the last game of last season in the 3-0 defeat against Spurs, Villa again managed only one shot on target during the game. A few days before that, in the 4-0 loss against Manchester City, Villa failed to hit the target at all. So that’s three shots on target in the last five games. Three shots on target in the space of over 450 minutes.

    It’s a disgrace.

    With little spark going forward Lambert is certainly under pressure to bring someone in to hopefully provide invention for when Villa’s potential savior Christian Benteke returns, hopefully sooner rather than later. UTV

    Taken from MOMS.

  10. james
    lambert has spent £41.5M + this seasons no idea on money in but there is some and then you have benteke and vlaar maybe guzan and westwood to sell.
    mons
    30 players in, Total £120.8million
    29 players out, Total £38.95million
    NET SPEND: £81.85million I’m presuming that this is without money from downing and young sold under another manager but still mons players (or Robinsons that probably goes for milner too seeing as they were all wingers then.)

    well that just underlines what we already suspected, the team or at least our so called attacking options lack in game time together and ability to score. everyone can see we set up defensively from front to back this is why.
    I did think Lambert would change maybe 4 but 7? we have a 2 week rest after the hull game for most of them and 31/2 days until the hull game no excuse. Orient have a strong defenceLambert played to their strengths by the sound of it the knob but cant say without seeing the game

    hope grealish gets game time sunday and vlaar and cissy are back but the problem until benteke or kosak recover is who going to get us goals, we have to buy a forward and a creative mid as a minimum, with tuppence halfpenny to spend should be easy.

  11. Morning,
    Who in their right mind can defend Lambert ? Look at his record, look at his football, the man is a disaster, even if a takeover is in place Lambert shouldn’t be anywhere near VP. Personally i think he’s trying to hang on to see if any new owner will keep him on, problem being that by December we’ll be bottom by a distance which will put any proposed takeover at risk. Our bright future is a myth, we’re run by lunatics but at least we’re ‘a happy club.’
    PS
    18,000, fantastic crowd.

  12. on talksport last night they talked about how overweight and slow darren bent is and that he missed the best chance of the night at 0-0 we also clipped the post a few times I believe what is wrong don’t we practice with goals anymore?

    SWV
    all those games featured bowery, gabby and weiman who all had shocking seasons in front of goal its a trend alright one of lack of ability

  13. question of the morning: who right now would you take as manager presuming they’d come? and Ian beale off eatenders don’t count although he does manage a chippy

  14. Mark KIng.. i am a FAN not the OWNER.. it is his JOB to find the right man..

    FFS wake up and smell the coffee.. people like you have the old ‘what’s the alternative’ as an answer.. life is about being progressive not stuck in a rut..

    Could Roy Keane do worse the PL.. could Pulis do worse the PL.. could Steve Clarke do a worse job.. there are ALWAYS options..

    Let me ask you.. WHY should we keep PL??

  15. Mark KIng.. think the budget was free transfers.. but when no owner was found it went upto 10M..

    Having said that.. it would be criminal if we do not bring in a AM and winger before the window shuts..

  16. mark dont know where you get money out figuresbut oneil sold philips ridgewell cahill knight l mooreplus barry milner gardner didnt buy ireland villa sold collins downing young after mon left vlar is worthless unless sold before monday guzan wassigned by mon dont knowwhy you are defending lambert not even best tv lawyer could defend him,we beat a poor stoke side with a fluke not a shot on target against newcastle and another 3 div come to villa park and play us off park

  17. lionheart

    what is the alternative is a question not an answer. I’ve got one or two for you, where is he? why hasn’t a new manager been brought in? is it because we are up shit street and up for sale with no budget and a crap squad and an owner who won’t cough up who is also clueless? your having a go at me and all I’m doing is posing the question. do you know if anyone else has been looked at or even asked? cause I’m fucked if I do.

    In any normal club under normal circumstances he’d have gone last season, there not, so he’s still here. you seem to presume I’m pro Lambert ? on performance alone I’m not, personality errr no, tactical genius no, but when eleven blokes put the villa shirt on I want them to win even if they are shite. If they put ken fucking dodd in charge villa would still be my team I’m stuck with the useless shites.

    in short look at the big picture its not good , I would love a genius to walk in and make our uninspiring team something to be proud of, do I think its going to happen any time soon not a chance. if it makes you feel better to label me and vent your anger carry on knock yourself out.

    on the money front I believe in june he was given an initial 10 and when Lerner flew in he released 10 more we better fucking hope so

  18. I still think Moyes would happily take the Villa job

    Anyway, what I want to know is when will the media start picking up and questioning Lamberk about his record as our manager ? He gets away with murder

    The most disappointing thing for me I thought Keane would bring something different tactically to us. I thought he’d be ashamed to still park the bus, not pass a ball and might have something about him to make the right substitutions. How wrong was I.

  19. Having seen both of our home games, the players we have now are capable of winning games. It is the tactics, as i said earlier. I cannot believe the number of times Villa have gone forward, and the attack has failed because of the number of times they have been in a good position and instead of that final telling pass, the ball has then been switched to the wing and lobbed in to a non existent Benteke…..We do not have a Benteke, or a Crouch to be on the end of these balls….!!! ….the attack then fizzles out, as it is easily dealt with by any average defense. Just watching all the successful league one sides in the cup, it has been cutting passes on the ground that get goals and win games..

    Bent and Cole also were no where near match fit. Carruthers, if we still had him with Grealish would have destroyed the O’s last night

  20. Found the video from the Mail where Keane gets a direct hit on Lambert….should be showing it to our forwards as an example….!!! It is now on my F/B page..!!

  21. Honestly any person who defends Lambert needs to give their head a wobble, you cannot defend the indefensible.
    His football is atrocious, tactics shocking, transfers poor, he is clueless. He has broke every negative record going, his win ratio is terrible, we are in a constant relegation battle. He has been a disaster from the very beginning.
    He has lost 4 cup games to lower league opposition, Bradford City( over 2 legs), millwall, Sheff Utd and now Leyton Orient( who rested 6 players!!). These bar Millwall are not just a league below us but way down the tree. Wage constraints and transfer budgets can’t be used as excuses against these teams, as they have far far less than we have.
    Lambert gets paid handsomely for what he does, far more than any of the punters through the door will earn in a lifetime, he has also spent around £48m on transfers, the only two that have been a success and will yield any sort of profit are Vlaar and Benteke, and I don’t believe he scouted either of them.
    Lambert should have gone many times over, this is the last straw, he is nowhere near good enough for the premier league, I want him gone today, absurdly classless individual.
    2 shots on target this season is pathetic, we will get rolled by Hull then face a terrible run after the international break, we really could be in the bottom 3 before Benteke returns, where all the pressure will be on him to save us on his own.
    Lerner is as much to blame, but today I can’t change or affect him, but the pressure should be ramped up on Lambert he is running the team and making stupid signings and tactical decisions. AVFC have been raped and pillaged by these wankers, we are now far worse off than under Ellis and odreary
    ” Paul Lambert is a portal to a universe of misery”

  22. I also think Moyes would consider us.. knowing new owners were on the horizon..

    None of the top 8 will go for him.. so what choice does he have..

    At least at Villa it still is a biggish clubs in terms of 30K plus crowds..

    Unless he holds out for maybe the Newcastle job..

  23. paul

    its the same problem we have had for years mate thanks for your report though its hard to get the full picture from the radio

    frem
    I hope your clairevoyant

  24. The thing about changing manager is that we actually couldn’t get anyone worse. People on the sites used to ridicule Holloway, Brown, McKnob, Bruce etc, i’d take any of them over this knob however bad.
    Just had a squint at other blogs and there’s a bloke on TBAR who was thrown out because Lambert called a fan a prick, he’s expecting a banning order and a police visit but will still go to away games due to his loyalty, this bloke is worth ten of Lambert, he’s also having a media knob done for slander, good luck to him and fuck Paul Lambert, get out of our club you lowlife tw@.

  25. Laughing stock. That guy gets so much a use for how shite he is

    Can Lambert not see from last night, Newcsdtle, pre season and last season that we need some fecking creativity !!!!!!!!!

    WINGERS!!!!!

  26. FREM.. why would Delph be on his way just because he has been announced in the England Squad.. if someone wants him they will have earmarked him anyway..

    Also.. Delph is a decent player but he is NEVER an England international.. shows the state of our national team that he is getting a call up..

    With regards to Cleverly.. just do not get that at all.. why would we waste money on him when we need someone more creative.. hopefully it’s just a rumour with no substance..

  27. Cleverley!!
    That will mean Delph will be off sooner rather than later, he is in his final year as is Vlaar. Shambles from the top to the bottom .
    Where does Cleverley fit in though, he’s not dynamic, not prolific, what will be bring to the party( his wife is fit ), he’s not really an enforcer, he won’t be a squad player???? He brings more questions than answers for me, perhaps he is a direct replacement for Delph.
    We will still lack creativity and a goal threat.

  28. Lionheart- Puts in the lime light a bit more doesn’t it ?

    ” why would we waste money on him when we need someone more creative.. ”

    because Lambert is our manager

  29. no point in cleverly at all…might as well keep kea.

    Moyes would be the man to take over.

    Frem

    I was thinking this morning the press especially the local rags should be questioning our home form, Matt Kendrick should be all over it, asking where are the fans and putting pressure on about our home form.

  30. disclaimer: none of what I am about to say means I like Lambert its just an observation thank you 🙂

    roy hodson puts him in the england team ahead of milner and fergie liked him. he’s got work rate and maybe if he wasn’t mopping up for the rest of the manure side he might have more to his game. that or westwood and delph are our AM? maybe him and the lad from the jackson five (sanchez) will sit. this has Keane all over it if true.

  31. Ive seen worse players ( most play for us though ) but its so so underwhelming

    we need a spark. we need a magician, a genius, someone who makes you get of your seat, not bloody Cleverley.

    Grealsih was the only player last night who looked good. Bloody start him on Sunday

  32. Is he a number 10 by trade ?

    You all might of seen Bacuna and Wiemann attempt to play RM in the last two games. Surely we will should be splashing the cash for a wide man ?

  33. Morning Lifers

    Mark.who would I put in charge?Same man as I suggested at the start of 2014.John Gregory,would steady us,until a takeover.Popular,but that doesn`t influence me.A decent tactician and organiser,footballers like to play for him.
    As I am calmer than last night,my overall point is that in sport yes,we can lose to Orient.But,the way we lost one shot on target?Not only should Lambert get stick,but the players were a disgrace too.

  34. We all said it about McKnob and was proved right us football fans are not complete idiots, most of us are saying it about Lambert he is clueless completely out of his depth, we had seven internationals in the team last night against the mighty Os and we could muster only one shot on goal, its a fucking disgrace.

    Millwall,Sheff Utd,Bradford and Orient I bet the teams in the lower leagues are salivating waiting for the FA Cup draw hoping they get the mighty AVFC.

    Lerner and his imbeciles have ruined a club built over centuries in seven years of such bad miss management that it ought to be deemed criminal, these fuckers should do time for the damage they have done to a club once considered the cream of English football, wankers the lot of them.

    AVFC RIP.

  35. frem
    wonder what the fan called him? 🙂 Lambert has looked like a man that has withdrawn into himself for a good while now not like him to bite. if the fan pushes it they probably will .

    brazil
    best shout I’ve heard mate, not like you to be clever. its not the one shot on its the glaring total misses that’s worrying . apparently bent and bakuna missed 4 sitters

    we should go and get that argie lad while we are still in the top 6 before he realises were shit 😉

  36. Mark- Hopefully the fan told him what for. Steamer wasn’t at the game was he ?

    Oh, and the bad new’s, just found out where the source came from with regards to Cleverley. The guy has been spot on with things in the past. first with Ki bid, first to say we bid for sanchez, was spot on with Sanchez medical date, fist to say Tonev was off to Celtic

    he never tweets much what so ever so a bid has been accepted fro him, from us

  37. True Mark,I could never claim to be clever.I mean,would a clever bloke have lent you lot all those £20 notes at the meet up?You can call me a lot of things,but not clever.

  38. SVW

    the mcnob call was easy, the whole no money thing had only just surfaced. many better managers than Lambert have taken teams with better players than ours down. still think we will stay up, what could go wrong that hasn’t already? Lambert may have signed his P45 anyhow plaese not graham taylor

  39. Cleverly is crepe, if we sign him and let Delph go we’ve weakened the team, because the lad just can’t play. Hodgson is the clown who after the WC said “the whole World saw what a great team we have.” end of argument. Even if we sign him and keep Delph its another p-poor idiot holding back Grealish.
    Beginning to think we’re a charity for out of work clueless and injured footballer impersonators.
    Lerner is more stupid than he looks, apart from destroying AVFC and his investment he continues to throw more £££ at the dummy who’s wasted £50m of it already. Lost all enthusiasm for Villa but by fuck they still make me laugh.
    One of the dog walkers has had a ST for the last two years, he’s never seen them win a home game as he occasionally works, another hasn’t been to VP for six years, his kids bought him a ticket for last night, oh dear.
    For Aston Villa FC read biggest laughing stock in English football.

  40. Lambert doesn’t give a shit. Just listened to his interview. Might as well of just said we were excellent and that be that

    17 thousand there last night. 30 thousand against Newcastle. wonder if he’s got the picture the yet ?

    Indeed lambert did call someone a prick last night. Hopefully thats the end of him

  41. at this late time I don’t think barring suicide he will go, deals are already being done, benteke to return soon. a new manager would have 2 weeks to get a team ready for the september onslaught with the top names on international duty ( we have got some ). Hull on Sunday he needs a good display and draw minimum ( ha ha ha) then some at least decent showings against the top teams, lose the whole lot and come out with our pants around ankles and arses glowing even randy has to get twitchy. the only upside of the Carling cup is untieds second string were proper embarrassed by the dons we just can’t shoot.

  42. Villa have not had a prolific goal scorer since Andy gray, which is many, many years ago….has been our main downfall…..it lost us the first premiership….when Dean Saunders lost his touch with Dalian Atkinson.

    Until we have the beast back we will struggle. We need a regular scorer of at least 20 goals a season. Bent and Bacuna were off target with opportunities, and Westwood should have given at least one opportunity to Bacuna for the free kicks he wasted.

  43. “Lose the whole lot and come out with our pants around ankles and arses glowing ”

    🙂

    I think thats going to happen though you know. we cant shoot, but still Lambert does nothing to solve it. we couldn’t create or shoot anything last season either, but still, he’s done nothing

    even Kosak back will be a huge help. We just need someone in the box who can get on the end of things

  44. Congrats delph!

    Lost his confidence but fought through that and injuries and came back stronger for it!

    I think he’ll resign with us but could be wrong if the lure of a massive payday comes calling!

  45. Just watched Lambert’s full interview on AVTV , and ALMOST feel sorry for him because Bent should have put away at least one chance, and so should Bacuna, and Baker had THREE free headers he could done better with, but at the end of the day, you have to have people on the pitch who WILL score…maybe Clark should have come on for Cole, and Gabby for Bent. Just watching now Bent hardly ever ran.

  46. paul

    radio said bent looks overweight and lethargic, he’s never been much of a runner but he had pace when he needed it. looks like those days are gone

  47. bent made some good runs of the ball. Most the time we had knowone who could execute a simple through ball

    15 defeats in 59 games at VP for Mr Lamberk

    1 goal in 3 games this season. 2 shots on target in 3 games is it ?

  48. Apparently Kojak has had a setback.

    Bent could have his legs nipped at the knees and still score more than Flabby.

    Feel sorry for Lambert ? O’s rested SIX players last night from Saturday.

  49. Lambert has always said that Bent doesn’t fit into his system, ( he has one ? ), so why play him up front on his todd ? case of attempting to destroy a reputation and making it easier to select the two donkey’s.

  50. paul

    no excuse for excess weight though same with gabby.
    I really thought he would of played a stronger side knowing the repercussions and the likelihood of orient being up for it, no excuse for missing so many chances

  51. Say what you like about Darren Bent but we has a club should have looked after him better, we made an investment of £24m and made him train with the U21s, we then loaned him out to Fulham who struggled and eventually got relegated, we then took him back and said forget all that’s gone on before you are now part of the first team squad, we stick useless Gabby in the team in front of him because he runs about like a headless chicken but couldn’t score in a brothel.
    Basically we have treated him like dogshit and expect him to turn cartwheels for AVFC, the fucking lunatics have finally taken over the asylum.

    AVFC RIP.

  52. swv

    yes and so where others like hutton, a whole season with Fulham and wasn’t fancied there either. if it was me I’d be as fit as possible and looking to cram it all down Lamberts throat, he definitely needs to lose weight and get match time

  53. Wow. Apparently we have bid 8 mill for you know who. Someone saying Randy is finding his love for Villa again

    So, we’ve over paid massively for an average player and now our clueless owner might stay ?

    It can’t get worse

  54. andrew

    ditto if the money is true. perhaps we are going for a 2-4-5
    and yes I do mean 2 keepers. unbeaten in the league all season with 37 draws and 1 win but no fans

  55. Andrew

    If Cleverly is the answer,what is the fekkin question?

    It seems the names and ages of the signings have changed,but not much else.I said I would judge or have a clearer idea after 8 PL games.But last night`s performance,not so much the result is very worrying.I concede I did not see it and don`t normally get too wrapped up in stats,but 1 shot on target is downright atrocious.
    Buying average players could earn us an average postion 12th ,13th,but the early signs in terms of the lack of penetration,and an inability to trouble the opposition B4 and GK is troubling.Plus,don`t get me started on our delivery of FKS and corners,a permanent irritating issue for the last several seasons.

  56. i dont think cleverly is a bad player…..well not as bad as people make out but he is not the type of player we need.

    May prove us wrong but i doubt it.

    We need someone with pace, making intelligant runs, turning the opposition around and getting in behind defences.

  57. Afraid its Bent who’s crammed it down his own throat.

    wonder if ‘prickgate’ will end his reign ?

    What exactly does Cleverley do ? He’s no better than the rest of Lambert’s duds.

    God, Lerner regaining interest ? what happens when he throws a mardy ? he’s done enough damage up till now without a second coming, that means Lambert could finish bottom of the table for the next three seasons and still be here taking the piss.

  58. B6B,
    That’s another story to be told mate, why did he leave ? few skelewobbles in the AV closet methinks.
    No doubt he’ll bugger them up, knob.
    Anyway good to see you back, did you ever get that £20 from that tight git Mark ?

  59. Talking of ‘prickgate’ looking at the avatar of the bloke who complained and was thrown out then Lambert would have been in big trouble, damn stewards. I bet 10% of our crowd have been slung out for complaining at some stage, another couple of yards and this bloke would have made it worth his while, Lamberts getting brave with Keane sat next to him.

  60. We’ve had 3 shots on target in our last 5 games. ( includes City and spurs away)

    Ha. Hahahahaha hahahahaha

    Lambert said a few weeks back we have good fire power

    Aaaaahhhhh hahahahaha hahahahaha

  61. Cleverley for £8 million?

    Madness for three reasons:

    1) He has one year left on his contract
    2) He is an attacking midfielder that doesn’t create
    3) He is an attacking midfielder that doesn’t score goals

    He would undoubtedly improve our squad but £8 million? No thanks.

  62. brasil
    as soon as st75 gave me my £80 back I popped you a £20 on a pigeon to stop you moaning call it charity are you saying lightning didn’t make it? I loved that pigeon ( not in the biblical sense)
    funny thing is didn’t moyes like a bit of cleverly? wasn’t on talk shite a minute ago, every other manure player but not him.
    would fox have any say on a new manager or is he strictly commercial?

  63. Lambert’s obviously one of these bosses who thinks management is just about signing players hence 29 in three years at Naarwich, wouldn’t mind but he isn’t a good judge of a player. As for Keane, most ex Untied players, when they go into management, tend to sign ex reds, unfortunately most are past it or weren’t up to it in the first place. Another disappointing factor is that if Lerner is going to waste another £8m then he’s not going to boot the knob, so a double whammy there chaps.

  64. droyd

    I must complain, when you said

    “Cleverley for £8 million? Madness for three reasons:”

    I thought you were going to weave the aforementioned groups greatest hits into a witty little post , buck your ideas up!

  65. Can’t get my head round this deal.. esp at 8M..

    I thought we were skint or the budget was very tight..

    Of course if we still have the equivalent amount left over for a winger and a No.10 then fair enuff.. even then he would not be my choice to spend that much on..

    I have a feeling it will be a midfield three of Delph him and Sanchez.. Sanchez doesn’t score goals.. delph the odd one and Cleverley has THREE in his Man U career..

    Begs the question why someone like Barry wasn’t a priority and leads onto what sort of strategy are we working on..!

  66. If a chairman came up to you as a manager and said, here is 8 million for you to go and spend.

    Only Lamberk would straight away think,” ill bid for Tom Cleverley”

  67. Lionheart

    I know longer believe there is a strategy,we just seem to make up as we go along.Feck knows what the input of Fox has been since he started.One minute we are polo,the next minute we are throwing 8M at Man Urine for Clev,I can`t get me nut around that one.Madness? “Your an Embarrasment”.

  68. Good news, Hull are after him too, who would you choose after meeting Lambert and Bruce, not much to shout about with either but at least with Bruce you can understand one word in ten.

  69. This is a disaster strategy.

    If we had 15 odd million and wages to bring in 6-7 players. Why didn’t we sack Lambert. Get a decent manager in and give him the money.

    Thinking about the Cleverely deal. It would mean we won’t be buying a play maker. The middle three will be Delph Sanchez Cleverely. With N Zog on the wing with maybe a winger to come.

    Looking at our team we have no fecking goals besides Benteke…

    After FIVE transfer window. Albeit on a restricted budget we have no fire power. Bloody ridiculous.

  70. Bitterly disappointed if this deal happens,pretty bemused by it really.Our incoherent and contradictory transfer policy is in full swing.Mr Fox if you read this blog,please scupper this deal.£8M is outrageous,nothing against him oersonally,and I wish him well at our club,but ,as I said I am baffled by this,I can not het me nut around this one.

  71. brasil

    don’t worry just remember “everything that is happening now is happening for my ultimate good” so suck it up you pigeon killing swine

  72. Bad Mark. Wanted them to stay in to feck there Prem season. Oh well, we migrh have to rely on our selfs this time instead of praying 3 teams are worse than us

  73. Hull wont be going down, dont worry about them.

    Leicester, palace, burnley, baggies and qpr are the ones we want losing every week.

    Money available? Is learner staying? Will a takeover happen? Where is okore? Will we score a goal? Never a dull moment……apart from on the pitch

  74. Don’t worry boys….Cleverley will sign and make his debut against Hull and Gabby will score a hat trick, while Vlaar and Sendeross will help Guzan keep a clean sheet and all the fans will go home singing and be happy for a whole fortnight…….!!!!

    Gosh! finding a cheque for £60 in wallet has sent me over the top..!!!

    One day my dreams may come true…..

  75. He’s a decent player, just The price tag is mad

    He will give us more energy and a higher tempo in midfield. He will move the ball around so much more quicker then anyone else in our midfield, and might chip in with a few gaols and assists

    The problem is out wide. Wiemann can’t do it, Bacuna can’t do it, Zoggy you never know.

    Palace have Zahah, bolas I and Punchen. Jealous. 3 handy wingers

  76. i don’t understand the fuss over tom cleverly,a very good player we are getting indeed,just cannot handle the pressure of playing for a big club,but at villa he will do perfect,Up the Villa

  77. jackvilla

    lets hope so if he comes, i think its more the 8m when we are skint and everyones hoping for a playmaker. plus the negative comments about him don’t fill you with confidence.

  78. James,

    Even that wiley old Fox will not be daft enough to think that will work, Villa fans have had a bellyful of Lambert and his anti-football and now he has been accused of calling on of ours a prick the fans want him hung.

    I wonder if that fan on TBAR has received his visit from the old bill and his ban is in the post.

    AVFC RIP

  79. Valencia also after Cleverley, they are building a new stadium that holds 75,000 the Nou Mestalla or would you want to go to the KC or come and play for Lambert, thankfully he will bugger off to Spain has we have enough average players at VP but I suppose another one to add to the twenty cannot hurt.

    AVFC RIP

  80. Starting to look like he won’t be coming with Valencia and Everton interested

    We should be spending the 8 mill on a winger anyway

    Randy and Lamberk out

  81. I have no doubt that Cleverley would improve us but the bid of £8 million is crazy money.

    I can see why Lambert likes him. His high tempo, busy style of play would suit us and provide the missing link between defence and attack. Too often our defenders have to hoof because the midfielders aren’t making themselves available for passes enough. Michael Carrick says that Cleverley is always available for a pass.

    However he is an attacking midfielder but doesn’t score or create much in a team that is a much higher standard than us. This is why the transfer fee is shockingly high.

  82. IF we have £8m to spend, and wages to match, I’m not at all convinced Tom Cleverley would be the best use of the money in our present state.

    He’s OK, an upgrade on Westwood, KEA etc for sure but surely there are better players available in that position for less than £8m.

    I doubt that he’ll go to Valencia and I doubt he’d get in Everton’s team.

  83. Cleverley is a young English international. That is why he is 8M. I think that is a reasonable price in todays market. Personally I don’t care about the price. I think he can form a great partnership with Delph. With Sanchez sitting behind I think that will be a good midfield in front of a strong back 5.

    We just need Benteke back to score the goals.

  84. Yeah, the England thing is going to push Cleverly’s price up, as is the fact he plays for Utd.

    Which, in the end, may be part of the value, the fact he’s played for a club like that and isn’t the same level of talent coming up from a lesser set-up.

    Not sure whether the purported price tag is the best use of our limited funds, but he’d make a decent addition. Which is what Droyd is saying, I think.

  85. Does anyone know how we are going to cause Hull any problems what so ever on Sunday ? Is all they will have to do is get of the team coach and they will be guaranteed a clean sheet

    Gabby, Wiemann won’t cause one problem to Davies or Dawson. Newcastle and Orient weren’t caused many problems what so ever

    We are as dire as anyone at creative chances, so when Lambert has 8 million, he goes and buys someone who won’t help in that department what so ever

    Logic Lambert

  86. Interesting piece mark, and shows just how the modern fan can destroy a player and his confidence.

    It could be a master stroke by Keane and Lambert in the end, if it works out, and villa could have the England mid-field playing for them in Delph, Westwood and Cleverley.

    Only time will tell. It would also be good to being back playing homegrown players.

    I see we have also taken two of Southampton’s youngsters.

  87. What’s happened to Ciaran Clark?

    He probably would have scored one of those chances that fell to Nathan Baker. It’s not Baker’s fault Villa didn’t score, though.
    Still think Villa will beat Hull, somehow.

  88. Trinity- can’t see where a goal is going to come from with our useless feckers in the final 3rd

    It’s a shame about Clark. Always liked him, still do. Agree, he would have buried 1 of those chances

  89. Baker is a perfect championship defender. Good in the air, but nothing else. Can seek Lamberk going 5 at the back on Sunday to include Baker

  90. Bakers like a broken lampost tall with no light on up top, he knows how to get on the ball that’s the main reason he gets picked over Clarke he’ll throw his head in a meat grinder without flinching. unfortunately he has a sloping forehead everything goes up like a sand wedge, a fifty pence head would be an improvement as at least it would be unpredictable. with his height and power he should be notching 4-5 a season but he couldn’t direct you to his house if he was stood outside of it.

  91. What’s happened to Ciaran Clark? been wondering that for three seasons.

    villa could have the England mid-field playing for them in Delph, Westwood and Cleverley. Funny PP but i nearly choked on my dinner when i read that, it was meant to be funny, right ???.

  92. If we get a big performance or two tomorrow we could actually be 4th after 3 matches, who da thunk it?

    Would love to see Grealish get at defenders and somebody else must be able to set up Bent on the opposite wing, so is Cleverley signing or not, prob doesn`t want his wage lowered and can u really blame him…
    UTV

  93. I’ve said this before but every clip of sanchez on the web seems to show him arriving late into tackles and giving away frees. The one cameo of him on motd on Sunday night showed him true to form giving hull a free kick outside the box. Does his nickname refer to his perceived hardnesss or his lack of mobility.? I have my doubts about him and will be thrilled to be proved wrong. The one good thing about our current setup is that its ideal for away fixtures against anxious top 6 teams. (In theory)

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