It does make me laugh to see some of the rumours bandied around as if they would happen.
I wrote a piece a couple of weeks ago saying the policy HAD to stay as it was because that is why Lambert was selected for the job. It has always been about wages and one in and one out policy. How many would really buy the likes of Bent and Ireland for example, do not think the queue would be that long.
So lets be honest those who suggest NRC are not looking at the facts of the situation and it is all panic and I understand that. We need that magical word – ‘experience’ but only if it comes within the policy and he is quality. It is no good getting a player who is not good enough but has ‘experience’ total waste of time.
We stand now with just over two weeks until the window closes. I am 100% certain by the time it slams shut we will have new players but equally sure it will be what we saw in the summer. We all knew in August we needed a quality defensive midfielder but Lambert never got one. I doubt that he could have afforded one anyway (wages) and does he even want to play with one ?
His philosophy does seem to be one of open systems, an attacking style. It is after all after the dross of Mcleish what many fans wanted and why they chanted his name at Norwich. It is also why I did not want him as I suspected he was too open, however we have to stick by him and his plans.
The choices are limited but we are not dead and buried (though we deserve to be) and we have the games available, but like with the window, time is running short.
‘His philosphy does seem to be open systems, an attacking style’. What? 17 goals scored, does that suggest ‘an attacking style?’.
He needs to be sacked, he doesn’t have a clue. The ‘plan’ has back fired & as you stated yesterday Ian, we are down.
You sign lower league players & thats where you end up.
Lambert OUT.
did he have any choice but to buy them ?
He took the job knowing the financial limitations, and it’s ok to be open and attack minded but you need a really good defence for it to work and with a goal diff of -25 we do not have that. I think we have to accept that relegation is a reality and hope we do a Newcastle and not a Leeds!!!!
Of course he did. Instead of taking his route, he could have taken Swansea’s route, solid players probably on the same wages.
Thats all Lambert knows.
Lerner hasn’t got any Football knowledge so he wouldn’t think ‘I know, we are going to sign lower league players now’.
Lambert has gambled with our Premier League status with these lower league turnips.
Those players signed in the summer were down there for a reason, because they aren’t good enough to play at the highest level.
Thats why we are 3rd from bottom.
Yea it’s Lambert fault nothing to do with Lerner, give it a break.
I think I’m expecting a change in policy, because it’s what’s needed Ian.
Open style? That’s a bit of an understatement!
While I’m not against PL, I don’t particularly back him either.
I’ve said I’ll judge after the window, my logic being that if he’s any good as a manager, he’ll know where the problems are and sort them, at least to some extent.
But while I expect a change in policy, it doesn’t mean it’s going to happen.
And if it doesn’t, well …….
We need to buy a top quality central midfielder, if not, we are very likely to go down. The transfer policy goes out the window when we are faced with possible relegation and the financial implications it brings.
Lambert is the worst Aston Villa manger in living memory and i include mclesh and venglos in that the fact he is still in a job shows what a tin pot club we have become.its embarasing every time he gets tp walk to the dug out
Talksport midland correspondent was saying that we want a CM and CB who have prem experience and are in mid twenties..
With our budget and wage cap who the hell will we buy that will be half decent.. Some reserve player from West Brom or Norwich..!
Moussa Cissoko or M Villa are both available.. Get one in and put a relegation release clause in his contract..
I still can’t believe that the shit we are in.. The size of the club.. The extra sky money carrot being dangled… Lerner has decided fcuk it..!
no one would come here any good and except a relegation clause …
we may look towards shite like huddlestone but prem experience dos not equal ANY GOOD or even fit as in fat boy’s case.
Warnock, Dunne Ireland etc have prem experience but no one would give a fuck if they went today
I have to disagree, huddlestone would be the perfect player for us in the middle. Physically imposing, but composed and a good passer. He’s a derby lad, so who knows maybe he wouldn’t be apprised to a loan until the end of the season, but I doubt spurs would be interested.
You highlight what is now THE problem I think, Lionheart, if we’re to have any chance of surviving. We could do with some quality all over the park, but for me an absolute must is a steely midfielder to add some grit, a creative midfielder to add some flair and guile, and a commanding central defender. We need these players as of yesterday, and they need to be able to do the biz on the park from the word go, as we’re desperately short of time to save things now. But even assuming that we can identify the right players, why would they want to come to a sinking ship?
It seems that we can’t, or won’t, pay the wages for a start, but if we were to stand that policy on its head in our present emergency, it signals our desperation loud and clear, and we risk being taken to the cleaners again by mercenary agents and selling clubs, who aren’t in business to do us any favours. Doing decent transfer business at this time of the year is always hard, but we’re really in a fix, and I think it needs a miracle if we’re to succeed in bringing in the players we need in this situation. It seems a total mess to me, and I can’t really see a way through.
Eddie Clamp or Maurice Setters would suit
I am not going to say who the manager should buy however i want to see a strong commanding presence in midfield, I dont care about experience i just want someone who can tackle and see a good pass, i also want to see a new LB and a new CB other positions we need some more quality but these we are crying out for it
The answer is very simple , if there is no change in policy and Mr Lerner does not release more funds we will be relegated . With only 16 games remaining this season imo looking at the fixstures we are all but down aleady !
Look at the teams around us QPR are getting better results and rednaap will spend this month , southampton have done us home & away , wigan smashed us at villa park !
25m on 3 or 4 top players or we dont stand a chance !!!
My thoughts exactly markham but can’t see anywhere near that money being spent tbh
Wat i dont understand is if someone is disruptive and removed from the team because of poor influence why would you have them train with the youth team, especially when they are making such a big deal out of the youth team and academy and this being the future of the club
I have to disagree, huddlestone would be the perfect player for us in the middle. Physically imposing, but composed and a good passer. He’s a derby lad, so who knows maybe he wouldn’t be apprised to a loan until the end of the season, but I doubt spurs would be interested.
Totally agree why put players who we don’t want mixing with the first team in with the youngsters? Only point I can think of is that it’s to try and humiliate the player into leaving. I know a lad who plays for the villa youth team who is hoping to sign up professionally soon. Very promising, but he advised lamberts stopped letting the younger players train with the senior team. Not very popular with the young players.
To be fair though, probably doesn’t want them picking up any bad habits.
Ian, as you say, “we are not dead and buried just yet”……….it’s almost worse than that, the fans are being made to watch us slowly, painfully and humiliatingly die!…right in front of our eyes, knowing we as fans are pretty much helpless to stop the suffering. What’s worse is, no one at the the club appears to be doing much either?
I don’t blame the players, to be blunt, it’s not thier fault they are shit!
I think we have big problems from the manger upwards, we ain’t going to get a decent new owner in the sorry, pathetic state we are currently in……so I’m afraid Lambert has to provide the answers
Thing is we are a team fighting relegation sad that as we are the mighty villa.Who of any quality would want to come to a relegation battler.I can’t help thinking the cloth has been cut that much that there is no more cloth to cut.Fatty Fucknut and Lerner have been busy taking our club apart bit by bit seems like they want to be relegated WHY?
Transfer policy is as we all know. Cheap and little wages
Who are targets???
Lambert said in the week we are looking at players with strength for the midfield but not necessarily players teams want at their clubs or the fans want. I’d temp wolves with a cpl million bid for Karl Henry. Loan bid for Joey Barton. NRC back. Not what we all want but fit in to who lambert is looking for
Free transfers or loan deals is all we will get. Why not a huddlestone or free agent Hargreaves till end of season. Lescott would be ideal but y not let dunne run his contract out earning his money.
i don’t see the policy changing either and even if it did there’s a good chance we’d get f’d over, we’ve created a problem that isn’t fixable, the way its going its down to lambert and the current squad to sort out the mess they’ve created and that doesn’t inspire confidence.
a few were saying last week when people we concerned about our lack of activity given the situation that the window is the whole of january and we know what we are doing. i beg to differ.
liverpool needed a quality striker it was plain to see with suarez running the whole of their attacking options and shouldering the burden alone so they go straight in early and sign sturridge, a great signing for them imo. they knew what they wanted and needed and went and got it. chelsea needed another attacking option with torres and bang they go in early for ba, they knew what they wanted and needed and went and got it.
we desperately need a CB and DM at least, our very survival in the PL almost certainly depends on it clear to see to all, and we have done………………nothing!