Still Not Worthy Of A Thread

[Disco]

Huth has been charged for his cock or no cock exploits

 

What on? Inappropriate behaviour?

 

What a crock of shit. The FA need to stop making football the moral arbiter of society. It's a bunch of young(ish) lads kicking a ball around for sport and good entertainment. Nowt more.

[joeyt]

'Aggravated misconduct'

[Yorkie]

Huth has been charged for his cock or no cock exploits

 

What on? Inappropriate behaviour?

 

What a crock of shit. The FA need to stop making football ]the moral arbiter of society. It's a bunch of young(ish) lads kicking a ball around for sport and good entertainment. Nowt more.

 

It's neither of those things.

[LFEE]

Jewell taking legal advice as he didn't leave with mutal consent. Wonder what's went on.

[brummie]

Uh-oh, the local press have finally, finally turned on Lambert.

 

Bit of a savaging for him from the Birmingham Mail today (although not from the bloke who covers Villa for them, tellingly, as he'll not want to get barred from matches).

 

Should Aston Villa sack Paul Lambert? Yes, now!

 

Mat Kendrick delivers a no-hold barred verdict on Paul Lambert and says it is time for Aston Villa to relieve him of his duties

 

Remember the Paul Lambert who breezed into Villa Park with a self-assured swagger, bold promises to play exciting football and a reputation as one of the brightest young managers in the game?

 

Whatever happened to him?

 

In his place stands a cautious, battle-weary pale imitation of that man. Villa are seemingly damaging him every bit as much he is damaging Villa .

 

Perhaps this is the way it is destined to be - a long, lifeless slog towards 38 points each year, with goals deemed a luxury item rather than a necessity.

 

After all 38 0-0 draws would do it.

 

His task in keeping Villa in the Premier League has certainly covered a multitude of sins and papered over the cracks - and he finally admitted when the going got tough last season that survival was the height of the club’s ambitions.

 

It might be good enough for the chairman and the manager, but it is not good enough for the claret and blue fanbase.

 

Villa are not even taking the scenic route to mediocrity and have recently been dubbed the most boring team in Premier League history.

 

Whether planned protests take off or not - and Lambert is more than capable of emptying the Holte by himself - demonstrations on top of the recent anti-Lambert chants show fans have reached the end of their tether.

 

Despite previously displaying remarkable restraint they have been accused of being fickle for finally losing patience with the man they excitedly serenaded at Norwich during the final day of the McLeish era.

 

But this is not the Lambert Villa fans thought they were getting. Surely if something is not as advertised and is malfunctioning then the best course of action is to dispose of it?

 

“He’s a wishy washy manager,” is the most apt description I’ve heard from a Villa fan.

 

Wishy washy, illogical, a walking contradiction.

 

Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert

 

From young and hungry and foreign finds to old and experienced.

 

From long-ball counter-attack to possession-based counter-productive. 

 

From “The only stat you need to know is you have to try and win games - that’s the name of the game.” to “We had 752 passes against Blackpool and we had 69 per cent possession.”

 

Maybe he should be credited for trying different approaches in the quest for a winning formula? But if he gets fed up of his own philosophies what chance have the rest of us got?

 

I accept there have been difficult circumstances - from cash constraints, to a disinterested chairman, injuries, suspensions and so on.

 

But even taking into account all of those things - he should be doing better.

 

He is not solely the problem, but neither is he the solution.

 

This is not a knee-jerk reaction. He has taken charge of 97 Premier League matches, which have yielded 97 goals.

 

That’s just one goal a game - and while we would gladly take any goal right now, that is a shocking statistic to add to a charge sheet of shocking statistics.

 

Maybe the confusion on (Tom) Fox News earlier this week was that parts of Birmingham were becoming no goal areas populated entirely by must wins?

 

The points tally is no better. 101 points from 97 games. That’s an average of under 40 points a season.

 

If Lambert deserves credit for keeping Villa up, then so do their perennial saviours - three worse clubs.

 

Lambert has broken so many records that he would probably choose the late Norris McWhirter as his next assistant manager were he still around.

 

Speaking of number twos, to lose one may be regarded as misfortune, to lose two looks like carelessness.

 

Having one armed tied behind his back is no excuse for the strait-jacket he has inflicted on Villa this season, and this with a group of players he has described as his strongest squad.

 

Right now they are performing less than the sum of their parts.

 

If Big Ron’s swashbuckling Villa reflected their manager’s bubbly personality, then so too are Lambert’s Villa playing in the Glaswegian’s image.

 

Never mind ‘strange’ comments in the name of self preservation, trust me, six-year-old boys falling in love with football don’t care for lame explanations about expectations or realism, they want to see goals. And the same goes for their mums, dads, brothers, sisters and so on.

 

It costs money to watch this. It is supposed to be entertainment.

 

Instead we get a manager inhibited by fear, drilling players to be so robotic they are barely capable of free thought. Off-the-cuff is off the menu. Even after the Guardiola pep talks it lurches between functional and dysfunctional.

 

Lambert gives the impression it is acceptable to be also-rans, taking defeats and dismal performances as ‘our lot’, when Villa Park is crying out for a manager who seethes when standards drop even a fraction below the absolute maximum.

 

He has become better at excuse management than actual football management.

 

Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert at The Hawthorns Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert at The Hawthorns

 

 

Calling for him to be sacked is probably futile. But this is a change that can be made within the football club, whereas the stuttering search for a buyer relies on outside influences. A quick glance down the road - in either direction - shows that things can improve by replacing the unpopular figures in the dugout even if the unpopular figures in the boardroom remain.

 

Sometimes to re-energise a flailing football club it just takes a can-do attitude, an increase in tempo, a tweak to the tactics, a fresh perspective that a new manager can bring.

 

If Lambert isn’t prepared to take a risk then Lerner must because right now keeping faith is becoming an even bigger gamble.

 

Maybe the suffocating nature of the job would have the same effect on whoever next clutches the claret and blue chalice...

 

But without hope, Aston Villa are simply hopeless.

[steve_69]

Uh-oh, the local press have finally, finally turned on Lambert.

 

Bit of a savaging for him from the Birmingham Mail today (although not from the bloke who covers Villa for them, tellingly, as he'll not want to get barred from matches).

 

Should Aston Villa sack Paul Lambert? Yes, now!

 

Mat Kendrick delivers a no-hold barred verdict on Paul Lambert and says it is time for Aston Villa to relieve him of his duties

 

Remember the Paul Lambert who breezed into Villa Park with a self-assured swagger, bold promises to play exciting football and a reputation as one of the brightest young managers in the game?

 

Whatever happened to him?

 

In his place stands a cautious, battle-weary pale imitation of that man. Villa are seemingly damaging him every bit as much he is damaging Villa .

 

Perhaps this is the way it is destined to be - a long, lifeless slog towards 38 points each year, with goals deemed a luxury item rather than a necessity.

 

After all 38 0-0 draws would do it.

 

His task in keeping Villa in the Premier League has certainly covered a multitude of sins and papered over the cracks - and he finally admitted when the going got tough last season that survival was the height of the club’s ambitions.

 

It might be good enough for the chairman and the manager, but it is not good enough for the claret and blue fanbase.

 

Villa are not even taking the scenic route to mediocrity and have recently been dubbed the most boring team in Premier League history.

 

Whether planned protests take off or not - and Lambert is more than capable of emptying the Holte by himself - demonstrations on top of the recent anti-Lambert chants show fans have reached the end of their tether.

 

Despite previously displaying remarkable restraint they have been accused of being fickle for finally losing patience with the man they excitedly serenaded at Norwich during the final day of the McLeish era.

 

But this is not the Lambert Villa fans thought they were getting. Surely if something is not as advertised and is malfunctioning then the best course of action is to dispose of it?

 

“He’s a wishy washy manager,” is the most apt description I’ve heard from a Villa fan.

 

Wishy washy, illogical, a walking contradiction.

 

Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert

 

From young and hungry and foreign finds to old and experienced.

 

From long-ball counter-attack to possession-based counter-productive. 

 

From “The only stat you need to know is you have to try and win games - that’s the name of the game.” to “We had 752 passes against Blackpool and we had 69 per cent possession.”

 

Maybe he should be credited for trying different approaches in the quest for a winning formula? But if he gets fed up of his own philosophies what chance have the rest of us got?

 

I accept there have been difficult circumstances - from cash constraints, to a disinterested chairman, injuries, suspensions and so on.

 

But even taking into account all of those things - he should be doing better.

 

He is not solely the problem, but neither is he the solution.

 

This is not a knee-jerk reaction. He has taken charge of 97 Premier League matches, which have yielded 97 goals.

 

That’s just one goal a game - and while we would gladly take any goal right now, that is a shocking statistic to add to a charge sheet of shocking statistics.

 

Maybe the confusion on (Tom) Fox News earlier this week was that parts of Birmingham were becoming no goal areas populated entirely by must wins?

 

The points tally is no better. 101 points from 97 games. That’s an average of under 40 points a season.

 

If Lambert deserves credit for keeping Villa up, then so do their perennial saviours - three worse clubs.

 

Lambert has broken so many records that he would probably choose the late Norris McWhirter as his next assistant manager were he still around.

 

Speaking of number twos, to lose one may be regarded as misfortune, to lose two looks like carelessness.

 

Having one armed tied behind his back is no excuse for the strait-jacket he has inflicted on Villa this season, and this with a group of players he has described as his strongest squad.

 

Right now they are performing less than the sum of their parts.

 

If Big Ron’s swashbuckling Villa reflected their manager’s bubbly personality, then so too are Lambert’s Villa playing in the Glaswegian’s image.

 

Never mind ‘strange’ comments in the name of self preservation, trust me, six-year-old boys falling in love with football don’t care for lame explanations about expectations or realism, they want to see goals. And the same goes for their mums, dads, brothers, sisters and so on.

 

It costs money to watch this. It is supposed to be entertainment.

 

Instead we get a manager inhibited by fear, drilling players to be so robotic they are barely capable of free thought. Off-the-cuff is off the menu. Even after the Guardiola pep talks it lurches between functional and dysfunctional.

 

Lambert gives the impression it is acceptable to be also-rans, taking defeats and dismal performances as ‘our lot’, when Villa Park is crying out for a manager who seethes when standards drop even a fraction below the absolute maximum.

 

He has become better at excuse management than actual football management.

 

Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert at The Hawthorns Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert at The Hawthorns

 

 

Calling for him to be sacked is probably futile. But this is a change that can be made within the football club, whereas the stuttering search for a buyer relies on outside influences. A quick glance down the road - in either direction - shows that things can improve by replacing the unpopular figures in the dugout even if the unpopular figures in the boardroom remain.

 

Sometimes to re-energise a flailing football club it just takes a can-do attitude, an increase in tempo, a tweak to the tactics, a fresh perspective that a new manager can bring.

 

If Lambert isn’t prepared to take a risk then Lerner must because right now keeping faith is becoming an even bigger gamble.

 

Maybe the suffocating nature of the job would have the same effect on whoever next clutches the claret and blue chalice...

 

But without hope, Aston Villa are simply hopeless.

 

Sounds quite familiar to be honest. Lambert sounds like Pardew mk11

[Wallace]

Uncanny similarity to us.

 

[Guest firetotheworks]

He's doing a good job under difficult circumstances tbf. Aren't his hands tied as well?

 

[midds]

Who are they going to get that'll do any better? Who would work for Lerner?

 

They're in the PL what more do they want?

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Its tragic times for both NUFC and Villa whose mismanagement and abject failures typify what is so wrong with the modern game than most clubs' troubles or times. Both clubs are historically big clubs and important clubs in the history of English football yet here the two are existing to exist with zero ambition and a fanbase that is basically dumbed down to the point where they literally accept any old crap. If this happened to Liverpool or Man Utd there would be hell on, but at our respective clubs its a case of 'oh well'...

 

I Love Villa Park, I drive by it at least 20 times a year working in the area and it was my first away ground to follow the Toon so I have a bit of a soft spot for Villa despite how their fans behaved when we went down. That and Brummie of course who is a top bloke. I hope your fortunes change for the better mate, I really do. Its a fucking disgrace clubs the size of ours with such passionate and large fanbases can be happy just to avoid relegation. You are former European Cup winners for fuck sake and, well, we once won the Intertoto ye knaa!

[brummie]

Its tragic times for both NUFC and Villa whose mismanagement and abject failures typify what is so wrong with the modern game than most clubs' troubles or times. Both clubs are historically big clubs and important clubs in the history of English football yet here the two are existing to exist with zero ambition and a fanbase that is basically dumbed down to the point where they literally accept any old crap. If this happened to Liverpool or Man Utd there would be hell on, but at our respective clubs its a case of 'oh well'...

 

I think, since the PL has come along, and then the Champions League and the financial divisions that causes, the premier league is divided into different types of clubs.

 

There are those who can compete for the title realistically, or to get to, and stay in, the Champions League.

There are those who traditionally are considered to be doing well to even be in the top flight (West Ham, Stoke, Albion, Swansea etc)

There are those who have recently been promoted, for whom it is all a big adventure (Leicester, Burnley, Palace)

 

Then there are those who are pretty much always in the top flight, who have - in the past competed for league titles - but now find themselves in a situation where it is impossible to even think of doing that any more - Villa, Newcastle, Everton, Spurs (no matter how they'd like to think otherwise)

 

It is the fans of clubs like those four for whom the Premier League is the biggest killer.

 

Just staying up is right at the bottom of expectations, haven't just been promoted so it isn't all a big adventure any more, can't hope to compete (unless they get insanely rich owners who fancy a go at it) - basically, stuck in a "it will never be like it used to be" rut, and in some cases run by people with sinking ambition.

 

Not cool.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

It fucking stinks. Happiest I've ever been supporting NUFC post Sir Bobby was during our Championship season. Players playing for the shirt, fans all united in support of an ordinary but enough quality when it matters team, winning games and looking to win something - the league and with it promotion. I loved every minute of it. Even when we finished 5th a few years back it didn't feel like we were doing something special or going places, it felt like an anomaly and that we were taking advantage of other clubs fucking up. The football was really poor too, despite the Pardew apologists who would say otherwise. Even when we won 6 on the spin or something it wasn't that great to watch.

[jdckelly]

Its tragic times for both NUFC and Villa whose mismanagement and abject failures typify what is so wrong with the modern game than most clubs' troubles or times. Both clubs are historically big clubs and important clubs in the history of English football yet here the two are existing to exist with zero ambition and a fanbase that is basically dumbed down to the point where they literally accept any old crap. If this happened to Liverpool or Man Utd there would be hell on, but at our respective clubs its a case of 'oh well'...

 

I think, since the PL has come along, and then the Champions League and the financial divisions that causes, the premier league is divided into different types of clubs.

 

There are those who can compete for the title realistically, or to get to, and stay in, the Champions League.

There are those who traditionally are considered to be doing well to even be in the top flight (West Ham, Stoke, Albion, Swansea etc)

There are those who have recently been promoted, for whom it is all a big adventure (Leicester, Burnley, Palace)

 

Then there are those who are pretty much always in the top flight, who have - in the past competed for league titles - but now find themselves in a situation where it is impossible to even think of doing that any more - Villa, Newcastle, Everton, Spurs (no matter how they'd like to think otherwise)

 

It is the fans of clubs like those four for whom the Premier League is the biggest killer.

 

Just staying up is right at the bottom of expectations, haven't just been promoted so it isn't all a big adventure any more, can't hope to compete (unless they get insanely rich owners who fancy a go at it) - basically, stuck in a "it will never be like it used to be" rut, and in some cases run by people with sinking ambition.

 

Not cool.

the sad thing even this can't happen anymore not with FFP rules and you can bet UEFA would come down like a ton of bricks on any "upstart" club trying to pull it off now and premier league has those rules too so the guys already at the top would probably demand points deductions on any side who tried that trick to kick them out of their cozy little club. Of coarse the media would think we should all just be happy bathing in the reflected glory of the true elite

[Disco]

West Ham, once they move to Olympic Stadium might move up a notch or two if they can source some fans/sponsors.

[Exiled in Texas]

Its tragic times for both NUFC and Villa whose mismanagement and abject failures typify what is so wrong with the modern game than most clubs' troubles or times. Both clubs are historically big clubs and important clubs in the history of English football yet here the two are existing to exist with zero ambition and a fanbase that is basically dumbed down to the point where they literally accept any old crap. If this happened to Liverpool or Man Utd there would be hell on, but at our respective clubs its a case of 'oh well'...

 

I think, since the PL has come along, and then the Champions League and the financial divisions that causes, the premier league is divided into different types of clubs.

 

There are those who can compete for the title realistically, or to get to, and stay in, the Champions League.

There are those who traditionally are considered to be doing well to even be in the top flight (West Ham, Stoke, Albion, Swansea etc)

There are those who have recently been promoted, for whom it is all a big adventure (Leicester, Burnley, Palace)

 

Then there are those who are pretty much always in the top flight, who have - in the past competed for league titles - but now find themselves in a situation where it is impossible to even think of doing that any more - Villa, Newcastle, Everton, Spurs (no matter how they'd like to think otherwise)

 

It is the fans of clubs like those four for whom the Premier League is the biggest killer.

 

Just staying up is right at the bottom of expectations, haven't just been promoted so it isn't all a big adventure any more, can't hope to compete (unless they get insanely rich owners who fancy a go at it) - basically, stuck in a "it will never be like it used to be" rut, and in some cases run by people with sinking ambition.

 

Not cool.

 

Well said Gentlemen.  That about sums up the situation for both clubs (and much of the Premier League).

[Ronaldo]

Happiest I've ever been supporting NUFC post Sir Bobby was during our Championship season. Players playing for the shirt, fans all united in support of an ordinary but enough quality when it matters team, winning games and looking to win something - the league and with it promotion. I loved every minute of it.

 

With you on that. It was a very enjoyable time.

 

I enjoyed finishing 7th under Roeder, mind. We played a lot of good stuff in the last 3 months of that season. 

[Fugazi]

Yep, going down ended up being benefical for us.

[themanupstairs]

It f***ing stinks. Happiest I've ever been supporting NUFC post Sir Bobby was during our Championship season. Players playing for the shirt, fans all united in support of an ordinary but enough quality when it matters team, winning games and looking to win something - the league and with it promotion. I loved every minute of it. Even when we finished 5th a few years back it didn't feel like we were doing something special or going places, it felt like an anomaly and that we were taking advantage of other clubs f***ing up. The football was really poor too, despite the Pardew apologists who would say otherwise. Even when we won 6 on the spin or something it wasn't that great to watch.

 

The day we got that result we needed at home to Forest, when Enrique scored....that was probably the last time I felt the intensity of willing us onto a result that could MEAN something for us. Maybe the QPR away game when we secured survival but the circumstances were so different.

[Turnbull2000]

It wouldn't be so bad if the second tier of Europe wasn't so devalued, or the FA Cup was still a special occasion.

[jdckelly]

It wouldn't be so bad if the second tier of Europe wasn't so devalued, or the FA Cup was still a special occasion.

the really sad thing is how its UEFA devaluing the Europa League, can't stand the fact that the guys from the champions league get rewarded for failure with a place in it

[joeyt]

https://twitter.com/BBCSporf/status/555453632259559425/photo/1

 

Aye well apart from winning the biggest trophy in world football

[Village Idiot]

It f***ing stinks. Happiest I've ever been supporting NUFC post Sir Bobby was during our Championship season. Players playing for the shirt, fans all united in support of an ordinary but enough quality when it matters team, winning games and looking to win something - the league and with it promotion. I loved every minute of it. Even when we finished 5th a few years back it didn't feel like we were doing something special or going places, it felt like an anomaly and that we were taking advantage of other clubs f***ing up. The football was really poor too, despite the Pardew apologists who would say otherwise. Even when we won 6 on the spin or something it wasn't that great to watch.

 

The day we got that result we needed at home to Forest, when Enrique scored....that was probably the last time I felt the intensity of willing us onto a result that could MEAN something for us. Maybe the QPR away game when we secured survival but the circumstances were so different.

 

That was my first year in this forum. This place went utterly mental when Enrique scored.

 

A bunch of other great memories from that season; Lovenkrands scoring after his dad died, Plymouth Argyle playing the Blaydon Races when you won the title there (despite the fact it confirmed their relegation), Steven Taylor's phantom broken jaw... Also the bizarre collection of temp signings: Harewood, Fitz Hall, Van Aanholt, that French Pancake fella, Khizanishvili...

[Nobody]

As if you don't support us, I can barely remember half of those players

[Segun Oluwaniyi]

It wouldn't be so bad if the second tier of Europe wasn't so devalued, or the FA Cup was still a special occasion.

the really sad thing is how its UEFA devaluing the Europa League, can't stand the fact that the guys from the champions league get rewarded for failure with a place in it

Still don't get this, even if people are tired of me stammering on about it. The Europa League as a concept is a reward for failure. You weren't good enough to compete for the title in your league or win a qualifier, but you are a decent side, so here are some extra matches against exotic teams and some financial incentive. If we don't want to reward failure, the competition shouldn't exist except for cup winners.

[Big Geordie]

Fickle Villa fans.