The growing sense of disillusionment around the club of recent months has lead many commenters on this site, and Villa supporters all over question the team, the managers, the owner, and maybe even the kit man. All of that is normal in times like this, and is what being a fan is all about. That’s why sport resonates with so many people. We all have our thoughts, ideas, and opinions. Since sport is far more trivial than things like politics, or even religion for some, fans are far more inclined to share what they think and feel.
By and large, I have been a supporter of the Lambert Project such as it is. While I haven’t openly called for the manager to be sacked, the performances have made me question my faith at times. A year ago, even in the worst of times the team had a go every match, even if at times it was as futile as a Banzai charge into a machine gun nest.
Lambert’s Norwich teams were always trying to score and attack, so what has changed? I remember hearing Lambert talk about trying to win before almost every game, but after the game against Swansea hearing how happy he was with a draw at home, where his players looked good for about 20 minutes or so, was disconcerting.
Had the manager lost the plot? I don’t know. I also don’t know who else would’ve taken the job or done better given the resources at the manager’s disposal. If the manager was replaced, who could the club hope to get anyway? Would the board provide the backing needed to lure a big name, or would we have to settle for a coach desperate enough to take any Premier League job? If it is the latter, change would be ultimately pointless, maybe even a backward step.
Since the current owner has been in charged, there has been a pattern we have seen with several managers, so it is easy to point the finger higher up the ladder. Has Randy Lerner done anything to make us think he was able or committed enough to turn things around? Ask a Cardiff or Hull fan if the grass is always greener with a new owner. Hell, if you are one of the Villa fans who adopted the Cleveland Browns as your NFL team out of loyalty to Randy you know a new owner doesn’t mean things will improve.
The one thing we can all agree on is that the players needed to be better after a run of losses. Against Sunderland, the team seemed to grow in confidence as the game wore on. As they held onto their gifted 1-0 advantage, and held their opponents to few chances, the team actually started to hold onto possession and string some passes together. If Marc Albrighton had hit the target late in the game, that would have been an early favorite for goal of the season. More crucially, Christian Benteke became more involved as the game wore on. I have a feeling that once he bags that first goal, the floodgates will open. Playing against lower league opposition in the cup is as good of a chance as any.
These players haven’t all become terrible overnight. The Sunderland game made me think a lot of our team’s problems have resided solely between the ears of the players. During the team’s poor run, we didn’t see the resignation of two years ago, but a lack of confidence, and signs of fear. Say what you will about the players Lambert has brought in, but the young and hungry will always give you an honest effort. That said, I think the large number of youngsters is why the manager has indicated that he is looking to bring in experience.
Against better teams than Sunderland, the team still needs some help in the form of new signings. I suspect that such signings would provide a bit of a lift to the current players who are in the trenches trying to save the season – if the owner has their back and is giving them help, they will be buoyed. Beyond any intangible effect bringing in experienced players will have, proven players are more likely to be able to hit the ground running.
Looking at the table after the holiday period, with apologies to Southampton, the top eight have separated themselves from the bottom 12. While it would be alarmist to say we will be in a relegation battle, nobody in the bottom half can feel they are entirely safe either. Looking forward the expectation should be that the team kicks on from these last two results, that as more of the players find form that the results improve, the manager makes some key signings to address needs and add experience and keep us away from danger, we go on a respectable cup run, and that we make a push for ninth.
January will show us our future for this season, but can we make the right moves to ensure we go up the table rather than down?
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