irish-villa submitted this fantastic article in which he overlooks the entire seasons so far and analysis’s every result.
Now I am not keen on being negative but going by our recent set of results I have no other choice. This season could barely even be described as a rollercoaster, unless of course it is an underground rollercoaster! The only real ups of our season as I see it is the brilliant 3-1 win at Anfield and our League Cup run. I want to do a game-by-game analysis of our season in the PL so far under Paul Lambert, which will incorporate tactics, how we performed etc. You may all remember Lambert at the start of the season saying he will have Villa creating chances from the off compared to McLeish’s season of waiting for 30mins for a shot on goal, but we’re pretty similar to last season in many cases if you ask me.
Game 1 (West Ham A) 1-0. Now this was our first game with many new players but there was a pre season wasn’t there? West ham easily dispatched of us, cannot recall a shot on goal. Shocking start. Worrying times.
Game 2 (Everton H) 1-3. A demolition at Villa Park, seemed at this stage that VP would not be a fortress if Everton (albeit a very good side) could so easily dispatch of us.
Game 3 (Newcastle A) 1-1. Finally a point on the board; didn’t play too bad but as usual with Villa we go into panic mode coming towards the end of games rather than trying to win the game ourselves. When you look now pretty much anyone can take points off these lot at St.JP.
Game 4 (Swansea H) 2-0. And we’ve got our first win. Vlaar and Benteke both shining stars. Great attacking win against a decent side, limited Swansea to scraps. Encouraging signs.
Game 5 (Southampton A) 4-1. Could we build on the good Swansea result against the struggling men from the coast…NO! Typical inconsistent Villa. Went ahead, second half was as bad as Chelsea (8-0) away. Very poor result.
Game 6 (WBA H) 1-1. The rival arrive. Big atmosphere. Not met with big performance on the pitch, WBA seemed to be the home team. Only for late Bent goal it would have been a bitter pill to swallow. No real signs of encouragement.
Game 7 (Spurs A) 2-0. Although no problems with the result, Shocking performance, pretty similar to last season’s loss. Not able to keep possession at all. Enough said!
Game 8 (Fulham A) 1-0. 6 goals in 8 games after this one. You sort of just knew we’d concede a late goal too. Baird with the 84th minute strike to sicken us. Fulham bossed the possession and chances. Still no signs of improvement. Negativity sets in.
Game 9 (Norwich H) 1-1. Personally I was very disappointed with this result. We should be beating Norwich at home. And we didn’t dominate the game either. Struggling to win games. Benteke on form but another late goal costs us. Not enough experience to hold onto leads!
Game 10 (Sunderland A) 0-1. The start of our best run in the league this season. Sunderland are a decent side and most were thrilled with this win. Major positive was the performance of Ashley Westwood. All in all a great away performance. Villa on the up?
Game 11 (Man Utd H) 2-3. The big boys are in town. Villa fans right behind our team. It was looking so good but Utd done what they do best, the comeback kings you may be saying to yourself. Yes I was disappointed but extremely pleased with out performance too. Benteke and Weimann were immense. Also a mention for young Stevens who kept Valencia very quiet. Why can’t we play like this all the time?
Game 12 (Man City A) 5-0. Away to the league champs, no real hope was there. Didn’t expect a 5-0 walkover though. Lino ruined the game. Won’t say any more.
Game 13 (Arsenal H) 0-0. Great result, probably could have won it too. Holman was superb! Just still lacking that goal scoring ability. Why is Bent not getting games?!! Kept Arsenal quiet. Stevens played well again.
Game 14 (Reading H) 1-0. Big result for us (especially when you look back at it now)! But the performance in fairness wasn’t the best. Reading could have won the game themselves only for the tiny fact that Jason Roberts is s****! Benteke again, becoming a hero. Villa fans alike relieves with the big 3 points and a bonus clean sheet.
Game 15 (QPR A) 1-1. Away to the side in last place. QPR were better than there position suggested however. Took the lead with super Holman strike but conceded shortly after and we were very lucky to get out with a point. Severely lacking experience and a bit of bite in CM to hold onto leads. Same old Villa going ahead then dropping points?
Game 16 (Stoke H) 0-0. Villa park IS NOT a fortress. No ways or ideas to break down Stoke. Blame definitely falls on Lambert. Everyone knows what Stoke are like, where were the tactics to create chances. Bore. That’s what Stoke do though.
Game 17 (Liverpool A) 1-3. OH YES! After getting through a torrid first 20mins Villa went on to record a famous 3-1 win. Benteke looked world class and Weimann was excellent alongside him. Baker…a revelation at the back. Everyone (pundits included) conceded Villa were coming good.
Game 18 (Chelsea A) 8-0 The worst performance I’ve seen by a Villa side and I’m sure many would agree. We went in to this one confident as we are regularly Chelsea’s ”bogey team” and we were on a high after the Liverpool win. Shocking stuff, horrendous defensive display! Youthful Villa will be shellshocked. Where’s the experienced heads to help them Lambert?!
Game 19 (Spurs H) 0-4. Horrific display. (I’m running out of words to describe these performances!) Spurs are good yes but to be totally overrun and conceding 15 corners to 1 by half time is quite simply unacceptable. Very, very worrying times. But alas, we’ll beat Wigan next week won’t we?
Game 20 (Wigan H) 0-3. It is unacceptable to lose to Wigan 3-0 no matter where the game is played. What was worse than the score line was the fact they absolutely bossed the game. Everything going wrong. Villa is now officially the laughing stock of the league all over the social networking sites. (Tough times to be a Villain)
Game 21 (Swansea A) 2-2. I was very pleased with our performance but extremely disappointed by the way we conceded yet another late goal to lose points. Where is the experience/quality to hold onto these leads Lambert? How many times have I said that in this article? (Quite a few!) At least we ended our horrendous set of results.
Game 22 (Southampton H) 0-1. Bossed around the park for periods by what on paper looks like a championship team, but who am I to say that a league 2 side done the same to us! In all fairness though it WAS a dive for the peno and we definitely deserved something from the game. In the relegation zone again. Odds on to be relegated with many bookies. Where is the silver lining? The January window to save us once more? We shall see.
So upon reading back over my analysis of the games it would appear clear to most minds that Villa are a relegation threatened club. Lambert came in with promises of free-flowing attacking football. This did not fall on deaf ears and we can all note that it has not been the case. His lower league signings for the most part have been a let down. the only real major positive of Lambert’s reign to date for me is the signing of our brilliant Belgian Benteke. There are only 16 games to go with no imminent signs of improvement. I myself am extremely worried. Lambert at the start of the season said we won’t be relegated and what not. I’m sure he wouldn’t have envisaged this mess we currently find ourselves in. Is Lambert still the man to lead us out of the mess he has put us in? Or would you even say this season is to be blamed on Lerner? Lambert wasn’t forced to sign young lower league players, it was his choice and this is how he works….take Norwich for example. So for me, the blame is surely with Lambert. I still have hope we can turn things around pretty soon provided we spend in the proper areas this month. New defender, new tough tackling CM, possibly a new striker.
I put up this post to provide an insight into our season under Lambert so far. I hope to have done this. Please feel free to comment and give opinions, arguments etc.
UTV
Lerner- MON: Lerner- GH: Lerner – AMC: Lerner -PL, common denominator? Lerner, it can’t be everyone else’s fault and we can’t keep blaming manager after manager.
Billy, I don’t think it’s just down to Lerner.
I know how many feel about MON, but for me, when he left, the feelgood factor went with him.
I suspect that feeling went through the club from the very top too.
Anon I can’t see any further, what as he achieved, success on the park? Financial stability? Improved AVFC as a brand? Just what is his legacy? Constant flirtation with relegation and financially fcuked, cheers Randy for a job well done.
Hardly constant flirtation with relegation, when we finished 6th 3 seasons running and were in touching distance of Champions league, Lerner was bankrolling it!
End Of last season the fans were chanting for Lambert! Randy delivered! We can now hardly blame him for Pl short comings?? He ain’t perfect as a chairman but to blame him for the mess we are on the playing files right now, seems unjust to me
Under a manager Deadly employed and sacked by Lerner and we’ve been flying high for the past 3 seasons haven’t we? So ok we carry on blaming manager after manager, everything’s just peachy in the boardroom.
Which takes us back to that Mirror article that suggests he needs some help from someone who knows the game inside out.
MON wasn’t sacked, he had complete free reign over the club and threw a hissy fit when he was £20m over a very generous budget and those above him took measures to curb his excesses.
So you were a fly on the wall were you? Sacked or left or what ever, still a statement of intent by Lerner.
It’s convenient though.
I think that all we can blame Randy for is naivety, he hasn’t held back on the cash and he has improved the club all round apart from the team.
He’s probably entitled to think that the manager bit isn’t his department.
Fuck off that’s grade A bullshit- so AVFC have won numerous catering awards who cares? What is convenient is to blame manager after manager and just what as he improved at the club? We are currently a laughing stock-that’s an improvement?
Billy on a lighter note never mind we can all go in the restaraunt next season and order championship LAMBERK STEAKS served with CULVERHOUSE chips and Faulckner red sauce.
Yea Tel that would GO DOWN well.
And come DOL you explain to me Lerner’s legacy.
No, Billy, how about you explain who’s going to come in, who’s going to be any better?
I don’t see that there is anyone.
Lerner’s legacy is that the club, Academy and training facilities are top notch, but the majority of the current current playing staff dire.
The marketing, match day facilities, supporters clubs, charity funding, Acorns initiative, Petrov backing, community awareness, Corporate hospitality etc, etc are all excellent.
Have never been better.
He must be wondering where his £200m on players went. It’s mostly his cash !!!
You’ve never had it so good (well apart from the Championship football), oh stop it me sides are hurting.
£200m in loans paid with interest at £4m a year to his holding company Reform Acquisitions.
Becoming more like a restaurant than a football club, BWS, I’m with you son on what you saying.
Just when u think it can’t get any worse
http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2013/01/15/3674889/-?
At least anon will be happy!!!
Qpr winning at WBA in cup ffs
The only legacy that matters at a football club is one of winning things or a great team. Lerner has neither at Aston villa.
“MON wasn’t sacked, he had complete free reign over the club and threw a hissy fit when he was £20m over a very generous budget and those above him took measures to curb his excesses.”
Vaze,
I’m sorry, but you simply don’t know that, even if the Mirror have said it.
I’m sick of saying this, but MON won a tribunal for wrongful dismissal.
These tribunals are automatically biased against the employee, yet he still won.
So something that we don’t know about must have occurred.
I’m fairly sure Faulkner is the “source” that’s often referred too, in most reports, hence you’ll only ever get one side of any story that concerns the Villa, imo.
Just means his solicitor was better than lerners on the day. Means nothing.
Good to see your faith in the British legal system.
It’s my law degree makes me a cynic!!
Fair enough Rumpole.
Seriously?
You’re joking, surely Oohaah.
A football manager has better briefs than a Billion dollar outfit?
Nah, mate, no way.
No joke mate. Not necessarily ever seen the Mclibel case google it if you don’t believe me.
Also remember mon has studied law
Murder cases not employment tribunals.
Did he win the case? I thought this was settled out of court. Employment law generally leans towards the employee and is certainly not automatically biased towards the employer. That’s why the Tories want to change the rules. I guess Lerner wanted to keep some internal stuff quiet so paid up to do so and also avoid some legal fees and risk. Just my opinion, not based on anything inside info.
Employment law in the favor of employees? What planet you on? So if average Joe takes on his employer and loses they can afford to take the hit of the employers legal fees? I think not and unions will only look at them if they have around at least 60% chance of winning due to the costs incurred, so it most definitely is not employee biased.
Your opinion. I have been in a few. In an employment tribunal the costs are borne by the respective parties. To have to pay any of the employers costs you have to be so obviously guilty of theft/caught red handed or something like that that you never had any chance of winning. Why do you think there are so many companies that will pursue an unfair dismissal on no win no fee? Simples, it bends towards the employee. And you don’t need any union to do it for you.
DSVilla, leans toward the employee?
You’re kidding mate.
Pretty much every law that’s come out since the 80′s has favoured the employer.
The tories want to stack the odds even more, that’s all.
But yes, in fairness, it was settled out of court.
And I’ll bet you’re right; it was because he didn’t want stuff to come out.
I’d love to know what.
But whatever, you don’t cough up if you think you’re right, imo.
Could of been hush money disguised as compensation IMO of course
I guess that all depends on which side you sit. As an employer, if you make one slight slip in procedure you will lose an employment case even if you we’re in the right dismissing him/her. That isn’t true for the employee. Lerner would have ended up with a bigger legal bill plus the risk of losing. And all that after O’Neill resigned!! He made a big deal of making the Mirror accept that. Lerner gave him complete control and then changed the rules so MON walked. He will have claimed constructive dismissal I believe. Personally I think Lerner was right to move the goalposts. That’s my take on it but if you guys have seen these things work differently that’s fair enough. Can’t believe we all still argue about it really.
If you slip up? That is if you’ve done something wrong i.e. not followed procedure, bullied harassed, sexually harassed, racially abused or discriminated against or flouted H&S law (this list is not exhaustive). Well if you have done nothing wrong (1) why are you at an ET in the first place and (2) If you’ve got them bang to rights you’ve nought to worry about.
DS I take you are an employer, yes? And if you’ve been to a number of ET you’re obviously not a very good one and it’s cost you a few bob hence the biased view
And BWS you’re not biased? It’s more complicated than that. There are rules that apply to companies over a certain size, but that an Employment Tribunal will rule that you should have followed even though you don’t fit in that bracket. My company lost an employment tribunal for not following procedure correctly, but it was found correct that the employee would have been made redundant in any case so cost very little. I paid off another case rather than go to tribunal because there were two conflicting stories so just wasn’t worth the effort, and went to one against an employee that was caught in the act of theft, admitted it and then took me to a tribunal and lost (and had to pay some of my costs). So I’m about break even. Since you’re asking.
Ds yes I am biased; I’ve only dealt with it from an employees point of view so you can appreciate where my sympathies lie. My earlier comment was jumping to conclusions and making assumptions so I apologise.
DSVilla, take a bow.
Yes you do. I’ve done it. It was cheaper than going to court. That may not be the case with Lerner but I bet that was a big part of it.
No problem fella. FWIW I agree with all the stuff about employees rights. My dad was heavily into trade unions and his dad actually set up the local Labour Party where I was born so I sort of see both sides. I was just giving my opinion about MON exit as Anon stated he won an unfair dismissal. On a wider note I just can’t see an end to the death spiral we seem to be in. I don’t have any feelings one way or another about Faulkner but it does look like Lerner needs a football man as well or instead of him. Not that it will make a difference in the short term.
“£200m in loans paid with interest at £4m a year to his holding company Reform Acquisitions.”
Ah, I can’t argue that one Billy.
Until Lerner converts the loans, A la Abramovitch, it’s hard to disagree that he hasn’t put a cent in.
Actually, I think many forget that he’s only acting as a banker.
And it never gets mentioned in the papers, does it?
Have a gander at this Anon
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/david-conn-inside-sport-blog/2010/jan/27/aston-villa-randy-lerner
“The £4m (interest) came from Villa’s income, which means that fans buying tickets, however reasonably priced, are paying the interest on Lerner’s loans”.
You don’t need to tell me Billy, I know mate.
In black and white Anon, so is he the kindly benefactor some see him as or is the truth a little more hard nosed?
So Lerner is an asset stripping Yank who has done nothing for the club and sees us only as a cash cow for interest payments on his surplus wealth ?
MON knew the writing was on the wall, there had been rumours that he was off for a long time.
If it was written in to MON’s contract that he had free reign of signings, wages, bonuses etc, and that was taken away from him once he went over budget, of course he can say that he is no longer in the role that he took the job for and is entitled to a constructive dismissal payment.
Too many on here forget that Randy was a saviour in his first few years, when backing MON to the hilt.
He’s now some sort of complete c**t because the side is shit. Where’s the grounded viewpoint.
Some on here are like bleating children who have had their toys taken away.
So who’s fault is it? Come on he’s at the helm and we sinking faster than the Titanic but randy’y just great. Vase Randy’s obsequious servant.
Mon was a failure he wasted shit loads of money of shit players. Beye on 42k per week FFs. For the amount of money he spent top 4 should have been the min requirement but each season he bottled it. Lerner quite rightly looked across to Spurs and saw the team they built on much less wages and looked in in envy. That bought it home to him what mon was all about overhyped and overrated. 3 years of top six us not repeat not an achievement when dol got us to six on a shoestring and Brian little took us to 4th on less money. Remember he didnt have man city to contend with until the end and still produced a team that got stuffed 7.1 at Chelsea despite being the biggest spending manager in our history by a planet!!
Read the link to the Mirror article posted today. Lerner sacked Steve Stride who would have a eye on MON’s antics and then gave MON a free reign over contracts, signings lock stock and fucking barrel so who’s fault is it we are in the shit, oh yea I got it- RL.
Boring mate, it’s all been done before.
You have to pay top money for players not playing, if you intend to compete.
Yep biggest spending in our history, but still miles behind the top clubs.
I take it you are backing Randy and PL all the way then?
As the current approach is correct?
Sorry Anon mon paid top money for shite. Are u seriously saying he built a better team than spurs who spend millions less on wages. And plz don’t give me the London factor cobblers
Spurs are the only club that did better mate.
And I’ve already said we would do better copying their model.
Even then, you can make the books look exactly how you want in the short term, either way. I know, I’ve done it myself and I know nothing about it.
And I’m sure Spurs’ turnover is way higher than ours anyway.
I’m still not sure what you’re saying though.
Should we pile money in now, to achieve a short term aim, which would involve us paying over the odds, or not?
If “no”, we’re going down, imo.
If “yes”, we’d just be doing exactly what MON did, imo.
Nothing wrong on throwing money at it anon as long as you get it right. My gripe with MON was not the fact he spent lots of money but that he went for quantity over quality which is wrong. By all means Lerner has no choice to spend now not because he want a successful villa but because he knows he will lose the best part of a 100m when we go down. To stay up we need a ch, lb, dm and winger but we need quality ones. We need players that hit the ground running as time is not on our side now. Just getting in championship dross on low wages won’t cut if. If Lerner spent say 25-30m to keep us up he will recoup that on wages and transfer fees in the summer by selling bent, more than likely Benteke plus dunce, Warnock and given will all be off the wage bill. It’s a no brainier really. The problem is that if we do stay up then what? It will be the same again next season and the season after until Lerner sells.
Nearly double ours mate: Spurs £163m -Villa £92m.
I’m with you on this one Vaze. Lerner had enough cash for one shot at top 4 but backed the wrong manager. All the stuff about loans vs equity is irrelevant in my opinion. He has put the money forward and now it has gone. Paying interest at around 4per cent is no big deal. He could get a better return elsewhere. The club is his so he is only paying himself his own money anyway. Doesn’t make him the villain many seem to think he is. Just someone who has made some mistakes, biggest of which was buying the club in the first place.
An interesting statistic that just reminds you how crap Lerner is, was that since the January window was introduced, Villa are the fourth highest spenders.
But Lerner is a prat that has to sell up to…
“Villa are the fourth highest spenders”
And 3rd from bottom, nough said.
Vaze, please say who you’re replying too mate.
I get confused LOL.
Fwiw, I’m not arguing with either side.
I think our problems can’t be just down to one thing.
Holte enders should create a song for Randy it should be sung the loudest.It should either be telling him how much you respect the money he has put in but he has to help the villa now.Or one telling him to save the villa and make them champions again i like the 2nd.Liriccks should be up 2 the faithfull.
The Villa is ours
The Villa is ours
Fuckoff Lerner
The Villa is ours
That wouldn’t get the villa good money.40 thousand voices singing for him to make villa champions again might if done on a regular.Its asking him to show ambition.
You where talking earlier about Villas catering I was a freelance chef in the trinity boxes for a year and a half and the catering has won many awards.I also worked in the corner flag.Born bred breathed worked and supported AVFC is a well respected catering outfit does better and wins more awards than the present lot of footie players.UTV
No point singing anything, Lerner isnt there and he probably has the mute button on when he watches the game at home in his jim jams.
But we could all sing a song at fat Faulkner
Stevey stevey stevey stride, we stil miss you stevey stride !
Fuck off faulkner you have taken us for a ride
You, along with Terry Jones, really are a thick fuck.
Go and sign on, it must be near the time for you to collect my hard earned taxes, go on, treat yourself.
Of course I am that’s why the intellectually superior Guest can’t put a valid argument forward so he/she/it resorts to insults. Dickhead I’ve been working since the best part of you dribbled down your Mom’s leg.
What valid argument are you looking for?
How old do you think i am?
i resorted to insults the minute you did, all’s fair …..
Fair enough, a truce? (Well for today)
Great, now you call a truce after i’ve angrily replied to an earlier post of yours.
The truce will probably go on ice.
Look, i don’t want to argue with my fellow Villans, i like to save it for the noses, we are all in the same boat and we are all hurting just as bad as each other, we all have different views on why but the end result is still the same.
I know i was a wind up to begin with, that’s my style, i had curbed it until you riled me today, but this is pointless and getting nowhere, let’s just agree to disagree and move on.
UTV SOTC
Think guest needs a hug !
To the tune of mandy from Barry manilow
Oh randy, you came and you gave without taking,
But we all know now you were faking,
Oh Randy
Lol
Oh Randy I heard Faulkner gave you hand shandeee
You threw krulak away Randy pandy
Ginja bum boy you have for your palleeee
And threw Villa awayyy oh Randy
Lol.
To the tune of hey baby
Hey fatty faulkner ooh ah I want to know where all my pies have gone!!
Hand Shandy?
Haha
“Nothing wrong on throwing money at it anon as long as you get it right.”
Oohaah, you make it sound so easy mate.
Blimey, if it was that simple, even Fergy would never have wasted all the millions he has done over the years, LOL.
I’m sure MON thought he was buying quality at the time and didn’t deliberately set out to mess us up.
Whatever, that’s in the past.
Back to today.
So, what if Lerner sanctions Lambert spending big (which is what we all think is needed) and it turns out we get more dross players?
Who’s fault is it then?
And yes, I’m playing devil’s advocate LOL
At this point Lerner must surely be wishing he had never bought the club. If he could get out with near break even I expect he would. Who would want to buy Villa for that kind of money? My guess is nobody but you never know.
Agreed, DS.
That said though, if we do survive we would probably be a pretty good buy, with the massive increase in income coming up.
It wouldn’t surprise me if we see a few clubs change hands in the next year or so.
Yes and that must make him shell out again to try to hold on to our Prem status. If you look at what it would take to get top 4 now from where we are that is going to take some seriously wealthy people. Why bother?
Why bother indeed, if you aren’t going to go out and try to make a name for yourself, by going balls out and risking it big time?
Why buy a club and sit back out of the limelight?
Who knows?
How can MON not know that Beye was dross ffs why did he sell Cahill and keep zag shite. Come if it anon the man is many things but he ain’t stupid!!
So you think he did it on purpose Oohaah?????
I’m not sure about Cahill, but he wanted assurances about starting and MON couldn’t provide them, hence he wanted out.
With 20-20 hindsight, yes, letting him go was a crap move, but I don’t remember being totally gutted when he left. He was a prospect yes, but how many of those fail to make it?
Did he do it on purpose Anon? As u may no there were a lot of eyebrows and allegations made about his dealings. Of course this is my opinion and its all alleged. But u can draw your own conclusions.
I was upset when he sold Cahill and kept Zat shite another strange decision.
You’ve lost me mate.
I don’t know of any allegations at the time????
Can’t say on blog will email.
Think Beye was the usual MON last day of the window panic buy. Good technique but terrible risk taker. MON seemed to like buying defenders rather than spending decent money on attackers. A decent forward may have given us CL. Ah well.
Hmmm strange buy though dont you think. Not like we needed a right back desperately at the time!!
Yeah just seemed like making the numbers up. Big surprise at the time and what a waste of money.
I’m not Randy Lerner’s servant at all, I just look at what he has done since he arrived and surely nobody can be more gutted than he is that after £200m spent on players, we’re shit.
In all other aspects, Villa are a much better set-up than they were under Doug.
MON was an unequivocal disaster in hindsight.
All those that look back misty eyed can’t remember the 0-0s and defeats at home by the Wigan, Pompey and Fulhams after spending fortunes.
Getting knocked out of the cup by Leicester and QPR, lower league opposition in the first rounds.
Abandoning European competition to draw at home with a God awful Stoke side that didn;t leave their own half until the last fifteen minutes.
Randy is reining in the spending and we are feeling it. Like everyone else I hope and pray that we survive this season.
I can just take a distant view of the club and believe that for all his faults, Lerner has been a better Chairman than most, and what has he had back for his faith in managers ?
Very little.
But he should throw another £20m – £30m in the ring to save us from relegation ?
What would we do if it was our money, it’s easy spending someone elses.
Spot on vaze. Lerner has done some great things for us ie Acorns was a great gesture so he ain’t all bad. But on the playing side which is what matters most he is totally clueless.
“But he should throw another £20m – £30m in the ring to save us from relegation ?
What would we do if it was our money, it’s easy spending someone elses.”
That’s the point.
Randy bought the club; we never, so it’s his choice, not ours.
Anyway, he’ll get it back with interest, just like any other bank. It just might take longer.
But if he doesn’t invest, he stands to lose a fortune, income-wise and whatever he has done for the club will be all lost when, in the future he’ll always be known as the one who took us down.
He’ll never be forgiven and will be hounded out over time too, if we fail to get back up at the first attempt, imo.
Being a silent, faceless owner is ok if you’re doing reasonably well, but combine that with big time failure and it’s a toxic mix.
Yes he should but not if lambert is the man to spend it correctly. And if he does put 30m in club then why the fuck didn’t he get Benitez in?
At least your mate Dunne may be back soon anon that just shows how desperate we are and how shit baker and Clark must be. But at least u will be happy. Lol
Tut tut.
As it happens, I’m concerned as to how effective Dunne is going to be after this long out, at his age.
Seeing as you didn’t answer my earlier question re Lerner backing PL, I’ll ask another one.
If Lambert isn’t the person to spend it, who is?
Yes, I’m tempted to agree when you ask why he didn’t just get Benitez in the first place, if we’re talking £30 mill.
But then, I wouldn’t have wanted Benitez, even with that sort of money to spend.
Now there’s a manager who can buy well, but also bought some absolutely shocking signings, in hindsight.
And you moan about MON???.
I very much doubt we’ll spend anywhere near £30 mill anyway, so it’s all academic.
That’s the problem Anon. If lambert was sacked I’m not sure we could get a quality manager now anyway. I was undecided about pl but happy to give him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe the dreaded director of football to help lambert as he really does look shell shocked now and hardly fills me and most prob the team with confidence. Another top priority has to be a top defensive coach this was the reason I wanted Steve Clark in as he is a defensive genius and just what we need. Benitez would of made us very hard to beat he would also be able to attract a better quality of player to. I honestly believe if Benitez had come in the summer with 30m we would be in the top ten now. As for Dunne u no my feelings anon I’d rather put u at centre half mate but glad ur starting to see the error of ur ways lol
Reading all this is very interesting.
Personally I have no problem with RL getting interest on his money.
Its probably some kind of commercial set up anyway.
I mean,why would he rip off his own club.
Where I think he has fkd right up is,his managerial appointments……especially Mc Leash.
Now given that him and PF would know next to nothing about football,how can you expect them to make these crucial decisions for the performance and future prosperity of the club.
I blame Lambert for our current crisis.He s the one responsible for alienating and selling all our experienced players……players who we need as of now to stay in the epl.
RL gave him money and he bought us a crock of shit.
Whoever made the decision to go out of their way to alienate our older players is the one who messed up Ted, imo.
Everyone knew they were going to be difficult to get rid of, so we should have explained the situation and tried to keep them onside, as opposed to just kicking them out to train with the kids.
When you have people who work for you, you don’t just tell them they’re not wanted.
You tell them they have value, even though you can’t afford to keep them past their contracts and they can help bring the kids through etc.
Just shocking management, imo.
But I suspect that while it was partly down to Lambert, the order came from higher up.
Probably Faulkner, in his ignorance.
Then again, I don’t agree that Lambert has bought us a crock of shit.
It’s just too much has been done all at once, imo.
You said it anon3….”shocking management”
His decisions,his signings,his crock of shit.
Why sell Collins and Cueller and sign an untried dutchy,who is well known to be injured every five minutes? 7 mill we could have spent elsehwere.
Why KEM ,another headless chook.
Lowton,Bennet,westwood,Benteke…..all players with potential but hardly likely to hit the ground running and keep you in the epl.
I was niether for or against Lambert in the Summer but what I ve seen so far,is the pits…the worst in Villa s history.
The problem is that all of us wanted Lambert to succeed so baldy after the disaster of last year. However, now the dust has settled and half a season has passed, Lambert’s honeymoon is over. He needs to get results and quickly.
Benno not all of us wanted Lambert i myself for one posted on here he was nothing more than a one season wonder.But those whom thought Lambert was the best thing since sliced bread lambasted me for my views and even called for me to be banned from the site.It no good blaming RL or Mon for the mess we are in this team is Lambert,s he is the one who ailinated the senior players and wasted RLs money in the transfer market.So all i am going to say now i TOLD YOU SO.
Terry, but Lambert could have been instructed from Lerner to clear all the senior, high wage earners out the squad. Don’t you think its more than a coincidence that every player that has been left out at times by lambert is one of our higher earners?
IMO the tight spending restrictions on wages/fees forced lambert to look in the lower leagues
I didn’t want him either to be honest, i wanted Solskjaer personally but got slated for it. Could you honestly say we would be any worse off, and i think he would have been able to tap up some good foreign talent. Hey ho no point thinking about what could have been, i will still support the team. The bottom line is, Lambert and co have two weeks to buy our way to safety, will we wont we? kind of boring now to be honest. Sadly im losing interest, what bugs me is that it doesn’t look like Lambert and co are trying and desperate to do anything to keep us up, it looks to me like all concerned can see the inevitable and don’t fancy doing anything about it.
Yes,for me Lambert s trial period is now over.
He s had time to assess all the players,buy players in, try all his systems….Time to produce some results.
The problem is,he s fkd things up so badly,I just can t see any way out of this shit he s got us into.
He too seems stunned by it all.
We need at least 3 or 4 players brought in,to make some sort of attempt at saving ourselves and he does nothing.
Myself, I now have grave concerns about his ability in the transfer market.
And indeed in his ability full stop.
Thing is,whats he got to lose…Comes in,cripples the club,takes us down.
He ll still leave with millions and then,like Mc leish ,get another job in the lower leagues and be back in his comfort zone.
Sorry to be negative but he is beginning to look like a seriously dodgy appointment.
Told you so.
Good debate about Randy.. Personally I think he’s a good guy with the right intentions but hasn’t got a scooby on how to run a football club.. Which is why we are in this mess.. To spend that much money and end up with a squad we have is criminal..
But right now all I care about is that it is more than half way thru the transfer window and we aren’t being linked to anyone when we are desperate for four new players…
Ted Witton– I might be being a little thick here mate but…. your saying we need maybe 4 players, im not saying I disagree, Lambert does nothing…. Put yourself in his shoes for one minute…. I have left Norwich to come here, ive got a bubbling rep as a manager and years at the top ahead of me….. its now January and we are sitting 3rd bottom…
do you honestly think that paul lambert is not wanting to add to his squad? if hes not able to im sure its not his fault….. maybe theplayers he wants arnt interested? maybe Lerner has said you have had your funds for the season?? wo knows..but im sure hes not sat in his office thinking we are good enough!!
Oh, I m quite sure he knows we aren t good enough,we all know that.
But I m seriously beginning to doubt that this management pairing have any clue how to fix us,thats all.
I m just,to say the least,hugely unimpressed with what they ve done so far
Looks to me like they re completely out of their depth.
And seriously,do you think Lambert would have left Norwich ,where he was a hero and enjoying relative success,to come to Villa with Lerner telling him to basically scuttle the club.?
Maybe he did,maybe he did it for the money.
Like I say,whats he got to lose…….Have a go, He can always go back to what he knows….He ll always get a job in the lower leagues.
Same as Mc Leish….made millions, even though he s shit, then has a nice year off and gets a job at Forrest.
Lerner s just a business man.hires people to manage for him.
Trouble is ,he s been hiring the wrong people.
Re wind to when he first took over….buckets of money to spend building a football team.
He needs a manager,he appoints MON.
Big mistake….should have gone for a switched on continental,someone with better knowledge of the modern game and the requirements for long term success in the EPL and the CL.
Fair point Ted with which I agree.
Don’t remember any of us being gutted with MON at the time, and complaining that Lerner was spending far too much money.
Ellis appointed O’Neil.
He (Ellis) did but I remember getting the impression that it was approved by Lerner as the negotiations must have been pretty advanced by that time
Lerner knew sod all about sod all, he hadn’t a clue who O’Neil was.
You don’t walk in off the street and buy a football club. Lerner completed the deal about 6 weeks after MON joined so Doug will have discussed the appointment with Lerner, and MON only came (supposedly) because he knew the deal was happening. Given the importance of the job I would be amazed if Lerner and MON had not met or spoken. He might know sod all about football but I can’t see him accepting the appointment if not consulted and I can’t see deadly going alone on that.
I’m not saying he wasn’t aware O’Neil was taking over but lets not kid ourselves Lerner knew anything about O’Neil prior to taking over the club, he would have researched O’Neil once Ellis presented him as being the best person to take over, had Ellis sold the club without putting a manager in place then it would have been down to his advisors to find someone.
That sounds reasonable. I really would love to understand Lerner’s thinking and motivation. Unlike so many others it doesn’t seem like an ego trip. It did seem that he is a real sport fan, and some of his actions since owning he club have been admirable. I can’t join in the get rid of him camp because he hasn’t done anything to warrant it, other than make a few mistakes. That said he should be learning from them and I’m not convinced that he is.
Hey i’m a reasonable guy.
Yes i totally agree, i don’t think Lerner is a bad guy i just think he’s making a lot of mistakes as our Chairman, he has time to put it right.
I too would love to know what makes Lerner tick.
Is it just the prestige of being the OWNER of an EPL club?
The exhilaration of appearing at Villa Park before the gratefull and adoring masses?
Who knows.
Yeah Ellis would certainly have played a major part in hiring O neill.
I liked Houllier,a manager with proven experience in the EPL and Europe but the appointment of Mc Leish still baffles me.
And now Lambert.Is he just another scottish trog?
Its beginning to look like it.