Re: Takeover thread. What will happen now. ?

[Morpheus]

We've been too nice for too long, I'm okay with us doing a bit of bullying

Just to clarify my comments weren't meant to be a criticism, in fact quite the opposite. Fully agree we've been 'too nice for too long' and we needed to add a bit of steel to our play which we have now done.

As a consequence we won't be anyone's push overs this season and that alone should gain us a few extra points.

I was agreeing with you :)

[Mazrim]

Nobody has any right to be sanctimonious over anybody criticising or calling for Lambert's head. No right at all. We've had two shite seasons under Lambert and we're already out of a cup to lower league opposition. Again.

Yes, the early, very early, league form is encouraging and I commend him for that. But I think on balance he owes us a lot more than that before we can let him off the hook as a fanbase. He's still on dodgy ground as far as I'm concerned.

This is Aston Villa, not QPR, Stoke, West Brom or some other Mickey Mouse club. We should expect to be at least comfortably top half.

[Kakacroom]

I have it on great authority from a source I trust impeccably that changes are about to be made, it is just a matter of dotting the i and crossing the t's, so it would seem PDC has been spot on

any time on this sick of waiting

[UnclePanda]

We have no God given right to be top half. We have to earn it. We haven't recently.
Heck, we have no right to be in the Premier League. We have to earn that too. As it is, we have done that.

To say we should expect to be top half is almost cringeworthy. Sounds like Man Utd fans saying they should be top 4. They shouldnt, they have to earn that too

[Morpheus]

Id love to see Lambert succeed at Villa. I do think, with a bit of real money to support him, he can do a job for us.
Id only get rid if we get a multi billionaire owner, and Klinsmann as boss

Pretty much agree with everything there UP.

I'm one of Lambert's biggest critics but i would love him to shove that opinion back down my throat again by being successful with us.

It has never been personal with me and how could it as i've never met the man but I want the crap football and results to stop and actually have a season where we are not continually looking over our shoulders at the relegation places while pushing for top 8.

If we get that this season then it will constitute a massive improvement with something to build on and I might even give Lambert my support.

[TheLeftSide]

The big question is would you prefer a new owner to come in and spend 100s millions on a new squad and big name manager to break into the champions leagues places or would you prefer Lambert to do it with our current squad and current budget restraints?
Be honest.

New owner with 100's of millions to spend for me. Purely and simply because even though we've started brilliantly, our squad is a mid table squad over 38 games Imo, so top 4 is never going to happen under Lerner.

Villabromsgrove, point missed a little I think. Would you prefer we reached the champions league with current restraints I.e same result as splashing cash but you've done it miraculously :-)

For the record I'd love a fairy tale like that, and I still think that one year there will be a team that will grind out results all season and do it against the odds - you may think I'm mad but one year it will happen. It's not money all the time, it's about assembling a team and installing confidence, belief, determination etc.

I'll stop daydreaming now.

[kimbo]

The big question is would you prefer a new owner to come in and spend 100s millions on a new squad and big name manager to break into the champions leagues places or would you prefer Lambert to do it with our current squad and current budget restraints?
Be honest.

New owner with 100's of millions to spend for me. Purely and simply because even though we've started brilliantly, our squad is a mid table squad over 38 games Imo, so top 4 is never going to happen under Lerner.

Interesting question KS.

Okay. Can this squad get into the top 4? Pretty darn unlikely.

But let's say it did - let's say this form isn't temporary, and we sustain it over a season. Things go our way, and we break the top 4.

Hugely, hugely improbable, but let us imagine for a mo it actually bloody well happened - what would be even more unlikely than it happening in the first place would be sustaining it. That takes dosh if you ask me.

See for example, just doing it the way we have to, I don't look at a team like Spurs, who are regarded as top 4 contenders, as being on a different stratosphere. I see them as being catchable if things go our way with form and injuries, even without spending loads. That's not to say I see us finishing above Spurs, I am just saying they are not a team whose first XI is amazingly better than our first XI. For instance I believe that Guzan, Vlaar and Benteke would improve Spurs. In fact is Danny Rose still their left back? Because if he is then Cissokho would improve them too. So I think they are at a level that we can get to with us improving in a way that a club like Aston Villa should be capable of.

However, right now, Chelsea and Man City are just elsewhere. It's not comparable.

Which, for me, means money. Show me the money. Fuck it, I want to play with that gang!

(yes yes I know, FFP, etc...)

Look at someone like Southampton who have done great, but can they sustain it long-term? Even if they do, can they get any further? I have my doubts on the first part, but even if they do, I have even more doubts about the latter.

So it isn't really about what I'd prefer, it's about what's best for long term; sure, hand on heart, I love the idea of cheap buys and talented youngsters battling it out with the biggest boys, but thanks to the shitbags that are in charge of football, I guess it's all about the money.

[Heisenberg]

I've never been against Lambert to be fair. He was never given the money to build the team for real. Yes we had 2 terrible seasons under him but we had a lot of key players out for long periods. We had some really bad games but we had some good to. I can not think we could have had better menager at the time we got Lambert. What quality menager would come to a budget of 10 mill and orders to cut the wage bill. He was forced to get a lot of players on cheap. Some turned good and some did't. Peaple expect sexy football but you can not have that with the budget we had. As Jose M. ones said " if you want quality omlett you need quality eggs'.
I think we are going to have a good season but only becouse we got some better quality eggs to make a omlett.

Now if we get a new owner who would like to smash transfer records and want Ancelloti to lead the team I would jump on that train.

Sorry for my english people, it's not the best but I think you will understand

[TheLeftSide]

Great answer Kimbo, just need to factor in irganic growth though, so year 2 you add as you have gained all that extra cash - unless the owner keeps it to himself.

[Keyser Soze]

The big question is would you prefer a new owner to come in and spend 100s millions on a new squad and big name manager to break into the champions leagues places or would you prefer Lambert to do it with our current squad and current budget restraints?
Be honest.

New owner with 100's of millions to spend for me. Purely and simply because even though we've started brilliantly, our squad is a mid table squad over 38 games Imo, so top 4 is never going to happen under Lerner.

Villabromsgrove, point missed a little I think. Would you prefer we reached the champions league with current restraints I.e same result as splashing cash but you've done it miraculously :-)

For the record I'd love a fairy tale like that, and I still think that one year there will be a team that will grind out results all season and do it against the odds - you may think I'm mad but one year it will happen. It's not money all the time, it's about assembling a team and installing confidence, belief, determination etc.

I'll stop daydreaming now.

No better time or team to do it than us. Two years of records broken for the wrong reasons, two years of hoofball, from surviving relegation by the skin of our teeth to top four, and that with the second lowest summer transfer spend. A squad of players deemed surplus by many ( baring maybe four players ) and a manager and no 2 with beards? Add to that a chairman who wants out, it would be like Walter Matthau and the bears all over again. All we need is the town council threatening to send the bulldozers in and Jodie Foster.
I'll stop daydreaming now.

[Keyser Soze]

The big question is would you prefer a new owner to come in and spend 100s millions on a new squad and big name manager to break into the champions leagues places or would you prefer Lambert to do it with our current squad and current budget restraints?
Be honest.

New owner with 100's of millions to spend for me. Purely and simply because even though we've started brilliantly, our squad is a mid table squad over 38 games Imo, so top 4 is never going to happen under Lerner.

Interesting question KS.

Okay. Can this squad get into the top 4? Pretty darn unlikely.

But let's say it did - let's say this form isn't temporary, and we sustain it over a season. Things go our way, and we break the top 4.

Hugely, hugely improbable, but let us imagine for a mo it actually bloody well happened - what would be even more unlikely than it happening in the first place would be sustaining it. That takes dosh if you ask me.

See for example, just doing it the way we have to, I don't look at a team like Spurs, who are regarded as top 4 contenders, as being on a different stratosphere. I see them as being catchable if things go our way with form and injuries, even without spending loads. That's not to say I see us finishing above Spurs, I am just saying they are not a team whose first XI is amazingly better than our first XI. For instance I believe that Guzan, Vlaar and Benteke would improve Spurs. In fact is Danny Rose still their left back? Because if he is then Cissokho would improve them too. So I think they are at a level that we can get to with us improving in a way that a club like Aston Villa should be capable of.

However, right now, Chelsea and Man City are just elsewhere. It's not comparable.

Which, for me, means money. Show me the money. Fuck it, I want to play with that gang!

(yes yes I know, FFP, etc...)

Look at someone like Southampton who have done great, but can they sustain it long-term? Even if they do, can they get any further? I have my doubts on the first part, but even if they do, I have even more doubts about the latter.

So it isn't really about what I'd prefer, it's about what's best for long term; sure, hand on heart, I love the idea of cheap buys and talented youngsters battling it out with the biggest boys, but thanks to the shitbags that are in charge of football, I guess it's all about the money.

I remember watching Man UTD getting hammered at Old Trafford by Romarios Barcelona and thinking if that was us it would be double figures, 20 odd years later and the gap is even bigger.

[villabromsgrove]

The big question is would you prefer a new owner to come in and spend 100s millions on a new squad and big name manager to break into the champions leagues places or would you prefer Lambert to do it with our current squad and current budget restraints?
Be honest.

New owner with 100's of millions to spend for me. Purely and simply because even though we've started brilliantly, our squad is a mid table squad over 38 games Imo, so top 4 is never going to happen under Lerner.

Villabromsgrove, point missed a little I think. Would you prefer we reached the champions league with current restraints I.e same result as splashing cash but you've done it miraculously :-)

For the record I'd love a fairy tale like that, and I still think that one year there will be a team that will grind out results all season and do it against the odds - you may think I'm mad but one year it will happen. It's not money all the time, it's about assembling a team and installing confidence, belief, determination etc.

I'll stop daydreaming now.

No better time or team to do it than us. Two years of records broken for the wrong reasons, two years of hoofball, from surviving relegation by the skin of our teeth to top four, and that with the second lowest summer transfer spend. A squad of players deemed surplus by many ( baring maybe four players ) and a manager and no 2 with beards? Add to that a chairman who wants out, it would be like Walter Matthau and the bears all over again. All we need is the town council threatening to send the bulldozers in and Jodie Foster.
I'll stop daydreaming now.

I love the sentiment! It would be a brilliant adventure as long as the film ended there. If we had that dream moment then we would almost certainly go out in the early stages of the CL, and recriminations would start …. Lerner and Lambert would be hung from the nearest lampposts (metaphorically speaking), and TBAR would be banning posters left right and centre! The dream wouldn't survive the aftermath.

[heystally!]

We still play shit football under Lambert though. Yes we've managed to get three wins and a draw, three clean sheets and an away win at Anfield. But we haven't done it pretty.

It's nice to have some fight about us this year, but the cynic in me would say that Keane is the difference. No Keane, no fight. Now we do.

[viva_la_amo]

The big question is would you prefer a new owner to come in and spend 100s millions on a new squad and big name manager to break into the champions leagues places or would you prefer Lambert to do it with our current squad and current budget restraints?
Be honest.

Everyone would love that. What Atletico Madrid achieved last year is probably one the greatest achievements I've seen in club football and restored my faith in a sport that's losing it's soul by the day. The way they did Rel yest was awesome as well.

[Kakacroom]

We still play shit football under Lambert though. Yes we've managed to get three wins and a draw, three clean sheets and an away win at Anfield. But we haven't done it pretty.

It's nice to have some fight about us this year, but the cynic in me would say that Keane is the difference. No Keane, no fight. Now we do.

to be fair to lambert one of he's biggest qualitys is taking points off the so called big teams so if a wanna praise keane u should wait for our games at home against the lesser teams

[Kakacroom]

I've never been against Lambert to be fair. He was never given the money to build the team for real. Yes we had 2 terrible seasons under him but we had a lot of key players out for long periods. We had some really bad games but we had some good to. I can not think we could have had better menager at the time we got Lambert. What quality menager would come to a budget of 10 mill and orders to cut the wage bill. He was forced to get a lot of players on cheap. Some turned good and some did't. Peaple expect sexy football but you can not have that with the budget we had. As Jose M. ones said " if you want quality omlett you need quality eggs'.
I think we are going to have a good season but only becouse we got some better quality eggs to make a omlett.

Now if we get a new owner who would like to smash transfer records and want Ancelloti to lead the team I would jump on that train.

Sorry for my english people, it's not the best but I think you will understand

well said , with a bit of luck and no injuries we can easily finish in the top ten

[Keyser Soze]

The big question is would you prefer a new owner to come in and spend 100s millions on a new squad and big name manager to break into the champions leagues places or would you prefer Lambert to do it with our current squad and current budget restraints?
Be honest.

Everyone would love that. What Atletico Madrid achieved last year is probably one the greatest achievements I've seen in club football and restored my faith in a sport that's losing it's soul by the day. The way they did Rel yest was awesome as well.

fantastic example, Atletico Madrid and Borussia Dortmund are proof it can be done without spending near a billion pounds.

[Morpheus]

I've never been against Lambert to be fair. He was never given the money to build the team for real. Yes we had 2 terrible seasons under him but we had a lot of key players out for long periods. We had some really bad games but we had some good to. I can not think we could have had better menager at the time we got Lambert. What quality menager would come to a budget of 10 mill and orders to cut the wage bill. He was forced to get a lot of players on cheap. Some turned good and some did't. Peaple expect sexy football but you can not have that with the budget we had. As Jose M. ones said " if you want quality omlett you need quality eggs'.
I think we are going to have a good season but only becouse we got some better quality eggs to make a omlett.

Now if we get a new owner who would like to smash transfer records and want Ancelloti to lead the team I would jump on that train.

Sorry for my english people, it's not the best but I think you will understand

I've seen this delusional argument rise it's ugly head from time to time in desperation to defend Lambert over the last two seasons and it has continually been put in its place by the two things we all can judge his performance on, results and statistics.

There is no need therefore to reproduce those statistics again because it is as boring as the above excuse for Lambert's performance other than to say that finally Lambert has gotten his transfer policy right and we are now reaping the benefits of that.

Long may it continue.

[My Old Man]

We still play shit football under Lambert though. Yes we've managed to get three wins and a draw, three clean sheets and an away win at Anfield. But we haven't done it pretty.

It's nice to have some fight about us this year, but the cynic in me would say that Keane is the difference. No Keane, no fight. Now we do.

As the season progresses we will run out of ideas. Its still the one dimensional dross but with stronger players. There is still no plan B since lambert only trusts plan A. We will not go down this season and we may even achieve a mid table position at least. However, things could be much better with a few minor tweaks with team selection. Plan A might even work using the right players.

An example of this was our usual tactic of hoofing it for the forward to take it down with nobody else in sight. Yesterday, that forward was Gabby and that is not his strength. When Benteke is fully fit, it will be him...like last term. Its not his strength, its a waste.

Kozak is probably the one who can do that, and with Gabby or Benteke getting the knock downs and midfielders getting up in support, then the system might well work.

[Guest]

We still play shit football under Lambert though. Yes we've managed to get three wins and a draw, three clean sheets and an away win at Anfield. But we haven't done it pretty.

It's nice to have some fight about us this year, but the cynic in me would say that Keane is the difference. No Keane, no fight. Now we do.

Some fans never...ever...fail to both amuse or surprise me........you don't even realise what a prat you sound....FFS....LOL

:wanker:

[Mazrim]

We have no God given right to be top half. We have to earn it. We haven't recently.
Heck, we have no right to be in the Premier League. We have to earn that too. As it is, we have done that.

To say we should expect to be top half is almost cringeworthy. Sounds like Man Utd fans saying they should be top 4. They shouldnt, they have to earn that too

It's not cringeworthy at all and if you think so, that's your problem, not mine. We're a footballing institution. A massive club that has been malnourished for far too long. What is wrong with stating a minimum we should expect? Nothing.

Of course we have to earn it. The point is we should expect to earn it. Well, at least I'm not prepared to lower the standards I expect of Villa. I know it doesn't always work out and clubs sometimes have to accept tough times. But I'll be damned if I'm ever going to accept sustained mediocrity or less for this club.

[HarryAVFC]

Ye, what Atletico did last season was un-real. They don't get the credit they deserve, but when City won our league after spending so much ££££££, the media were wanking over them

I actually love watching Atletico, especially last season. So well organized. Not great to watch, but it was winning football. A bit like what we are doing at the min. Don't create much our selfs, don't play great football but we are taking our chances and not giving many away our selfs

[My Old Man]

Ye, what Atletico did last season was un-real. They don't get the credit they deserve, but when City won our league   after spending so much ££££££, the media were wanking over them

I actually love watching Atletico, especially last season. So well organized. Not great to watch, but it was winning football. A bit like what we are doing at the min. Don't create much our selfs, don't play great football but we are taking our chances and not giving many away our selfs  

Remember the one-nil to the Arsenal? 8)

[HarryAVFC]

We can have Arsenal, and Everton, and Spurs. chelsea a step to far but I really think we can beat the first 3, especially with the beast back

[My Old Man]

We can have Arsenal, and Everton, and Spurs. chelsea a step to far but I really think we can beat the first 3, especially with the beast back  

Ive never really been to worried about playing the better teams, its the ones we should be beating that worry me!

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