The Lowton Question

Matthew Lowton didn't even make the squad today and Bacuna looked every bit the makeshift player he is in that position.

So what do we make off the situation with Lowton? Has he been frozen out on account of issues with the manager or has his form when he has made the team not merited selection? If the issue is him being frozen out, the most obvious explanation for that is to do with club rules on living within a certain proximity of the training ground. Is it right that he is kept out of the team for this reason? Is he a big loss to the team or does his form this season mean that he gives little more or possibly less than an out of position Bacuna?

That he's not even on the bench says to me it's not a footballing issue - he's a very capable footballer. And at least good enough to sit on our bench if not be a starter.

The housing issue seems to be the only explanation going around.

If that's the case then both parties (Lowton & Lambert/the club) are to blame: Lowton for not abiding by club rules and Lambert for, once again, making his mind up and isolating a player.

Now he can rightly claim that rules are rules and why should there be an exception? But we're talking about something more than a company employee. Where talking about a valuable asset that's costing money.

This is a problem that needs to be fixed. Or at the very least, managed correctly. If the player refuses to move then he should be put up for sale and moved on, sharpish. And my guess is that's what he would want too.

And the best way to do that is to keep playing him, keep him in "the shop window" and keep talking him up as a footballer. Explain to him that it's a mutually thing and Villa will hold up there end if he does likewise - Villa at least cover their costs and Lowton gets a move during a window plus, no doubt, a nice signing on fee and a wage increase (it's the footballing way).

It could be suggested that he wasn't aware of the conditions of his contract when he signed - I don't buy that.

It could be suggested that he thinks he's some kind of Billy Big Bollocks that is too good to have to abide by the rules or sees it as no big deal as, maybe with the exception of the odd day, he's on time and training/playing with everyone else. And to be honest, I couldn't give a fuck where players live as long as, like any other employee of any other company, they get to work on time.

But, the club has rules and he would have known about them when he signed.

But instead of coming to a mutual agreement that, assuming he's earned his place, he plays with the intention of moving on at the earliest opportunity, it would seem that Lambert has said "fuck you, rot in the reserves and ruin your career".

The problem with that, as we've found with Darren Bent, Stephen Ireland and a host of other players over the last few years, is that the club is effectively burning its assets.

Whilst every club has players that don't fit in for a variety of reasons - style of player, personality conflict, etc - only Aston Villa can publicly have a "bomb squad". We may as well put up a sign that says "No offer refused"  

Bent and Ireland have made so much money over the years that they certainly won't ever have to work again. So our "fuck you, rot in the reserves" is countered by "fuck you, I'm a multi millionaire already and I'll run down my contract to the tune of a few more million so who gives a fuck?"

I've no idea if Lowton is in a position where he's financially independent already but I'm sure he'd have been given a nice signing on fee and maybe 5k a week? That's a fairly nominal wage for a premier league footballer and, if he's got 4 years left on a 5 year contract, he'll be set for a payout of a million quid.

I suspect he's on double that, at least.

Add in his original sign on fee, whatever he's pocketed already and I suspect he's set for life already.

So fuck you, Paul Lambert!

I'd be interested to have a closer look at how much Lambert's man-management have cost the club in non-playing-player's wages and significantly dented transfer fees.

Maybe the bean counters sat down and were willing to write off those values. Either way, it's piss poor management from the club.

Again.

There's the counter argument of course in that the club states very clearly to the players that are here that they will not be held to ransom.

Bravo!

But no matter how you look at it, the player power is ridiculous and there's no way they can lose unless they value their careers far above money.

So there's only going to be one side who's the loser. And this club is full of them at the moment. From top to bottom.

Lambert man management skills appear to be as bad as his tactical skills - a sorry state indeed.

Any truth that Weimann and Lambert had an angry exchange when the former came off? I didn't notice it but a bloke told me about it afterwards.

Lambert: "Alreet Randy. How's things?"

Randy: "Thaings are ok. Vladimir sends his regards. Now, whut's this about Matty Lowton and his refusal to shift his ass?"

Lambert: "aye, he's refusin' tae move closer tae th' trainin' grin sae waur gonnae hae tae wark it whit tae do"

Randy: "well you're the manager so you tell me what the answer is. I'm sure you've given it a lot of time and energy and have the right answer. So y'all tell me what it is"

Lambert: "Grant Holt"

Randy: "is there a problem with Grant Holt, too"

Lambert: "Nooo"

Randy: "So why in hell are you talin' about Grant Holt?"

Lambert: "That's mah solution tae every problem...Grant Holt.
Ah dornt care what tha problem is. Tha answer is simple!
Crisis in th' middle eest? Grant Holt.
Lost an airline? Grant Holt
Russians invadin'? they willnae invade Grant Holt!
Tha mccann girl still missin'? Replace 'er wi' a Grant Holt.
Gay marriage? Grant Holt
Shite weather? Grant Holt
Got a bangin' hot attorney general? replace 'er wi' gran...ah mebbe nae that one.

Trotters wrote:Lambert: "Alreet Randy. How's things?"

Randy: "Thaings are ok. Vladimir sends his regards. Now, whut's this about Matty Lowton and his refusal to shift his ass?"

Lambert: "aye, he's refusin' tae move closer tae th' trainin' grin sae waur gonnae hae tae wark it whit tae do"

Randy: "well you're the manager so you tell me what the answer is. I'm sure you've given it a lot of time and energy and have the right answer. So y'all tell me what it is"

Lambert: "Grant Holt"

Randy: "is there a problem with Grant Holt, too"

Lambert: "Nooo"

Randy: "So why in hell are you talin' about Grant Holt?"

Lambert: "That's mah solution tae every problem...Grant Holt.
Ah dornt care what tha problem is. Tha answer is simple!
Crisis in th' middle eest? Grant Holt.
Lost an airline? Grant Holt
Russians invadin'? they willnae invade Grant Holt!
Tha mccann girl still missin'? Replace 'er wi' a Grant Holt.
Gay marriage? Grant Holt
Shite weather? Grant Holt
Got a bangin' hot attorney general? replace 'er wi' gran...ah mebbe nae that one.

That had me giggling and people in my office asked me what's up...

The Bald Eagle wrote:Any truth that Weimann and Lambert had an angry exchange when the former came off? I didn't notice it but a bloke told me about it afterwards.

Probably just discussing his injury - they spoke but didn't look angry.

When a player just goes off the radar for seemingly no reason you have to question the managers man management skills.

Eastie wrote:

The Bald Eagle wrote:Any truth that Weimann and Lambert had an angry exchange when the former came off? I didn't notice it but a bloke told me about it afterwards.

Probably just discussing his injury - they spoke but didn't look angry.

It looked like he took a knock to his knee. I saw nothing out of the ordinary.

Matt Lowton should be in or around the first team every week, either on the pitch or on the bench to give us the option of putting Bacuna into midfield.

Lambert's approach to man management seems to be: cut your nose off to spite your face. We have seen this with Bent, Given, Hutton and N'Zogbia. By so publicly sending these players to Siberia he blew any chance we had of getting sell-on value.

Last year, when we very nearly went down, he couldn't find a way to squeeze some product out of all those millions of resources at his disposal. Couldn't he have had them in or around the squad when we looked like headless chickens? He must be a very stubborn man.

Farrell_10 wrote:Matt Lowton should be in or around the first team every week, either on the pitch or on the bench to give us the option of putting Bacuna into midfield.

Lambert's approach to man management seems to be: cut your nose off to spite your face. We have seen this with Bent, Given, Hutton and N'Zogbia. By so publicly sending these players to Siberia he blew any chance we had of getting sell-on value.

Last year, when we very nearly went down, he couldn't find a way to squeeze some product out of all those millions of resources at his disposal. Couldn't he have had them in or around the squad when we looked like headless chickens? He must be a very stubborn man.

Or an incompetent man manager.

Trotters wrote:

Eastie wrote:

The Bald Eagle wrote:Any truth that Weimann and Lambert had an angry exchange when the former came off? I didn't notice it but a bloke told me about it afterwards.

Probably just discussing his injury - they spoke but didn't look angry.

It looked like he took a knock to his knee. I saw nothing out of the ordinary.

I saw nothing either and I was looking to see if he went into the dugout or down the tunnel. A bloke told me that there were gestures exchanged but nobody else seems to have seen it.

For me it is all to easy to condemn Lowton for the housing issue if you don't see it from his position. As I've said before there are some similarities with the Unsworth situation. His wife has obviously put her foot down about living in Birmingham and Lowton is caught between her and the club. The subterfuge around the issue is probably his way of keeping both parties happy. At the end of the day, it is only a job for him and can't ever be as important as his wife and child who absolutely should come first.

What is the rule regarding where players live? How close are we talking?

The Bald Eagle wrote:

Trotters wrote:

Eastie wrote:

The Bald Eagle wrote:Any truth that Weimann and Lambert had an angry exchange when the former came off? I didn't notice it but a bloke told me about it afterwards.

Probably just discussing his injury - they spoke but didn't look angry.

It looked like he took a knock to his knee. I saw nothing out of the ordinary.

I saw nothing either and I was looking to see if he went into the dugout or down the tunnel. A bloke told me that there were gestures exchanged but nobody else seems to have seen it.

No gestures just a few words and not angrily - nothing in it.

Probably just someone trying to make a story up.

On the bench today and came on. Seems he's not completely frozen out which suggests it is more of a form issue to me...

What has caused this sudden drop in form though? He was awesome for us last season, and I find it hard to believe that Bacuna is a better option at Right Back than Matty is.

Good question. The belief that he made it after getting an improved contract? Trouble at home? Poor man management from Lambert?

How dare you suggest Lambert has man-management issues!

Lowton was clearly ring-rusty when he came on but stopped just about everything than Man Utd tried including keeping Janusaj quiet until....well, until he didn't.

He looked a lot more comfortable in that role than Bacuna and fact is that move should have been made a hell of a lot earlier than it was - in fact he should be a starter.

But when we started to lose the game in midfield and Weimann, once again, was found wanting, he should have been hooked for Lowton with Bacuna brought in to strengthen the midfield.

Lowton would also link well with Albrighton which should have forced Man Utd back and given that prick Buttner something to think about.

As it was, it was all too little, too late.

Too little, too Lambert.

I didn't even realise Wiemann was playing.

Lowton should be playing instead of Bacuna. Bacuna is not a full back!

As long as I've got a hole in my arris he's never a full back.

Started today. So he's either fought his way back in or Lambert has backtracked on any issue...