Lambert needs results to buy time at Villa

I've had my say on Twitter recently. I'm a Paul Lambert man and have been from day one, but his FA Cup comments ahead of the Sheffield United defeat proved costly. What better way to heal those wounds than with a home win over Arsenal on Monday night!

So Kevin Hatchard of Sportsmedia's taking my place. Here's his thoughts on what's wrong with Lambert and how his fortunes could change:

The Villa boss is dividing opinion among fans

It occurs to me that there is currently a noticeable spilt among Aston Villa fans when it comes to the thorny issue of Paul Lambert’s tenure as manager. There are some who argue that he’s taking the club forward, bringing through youngsters and delivering an exciting brand of fast-paced, counter-attacking football. Some say his hands have been tied by the financial strictures placed upon him by Villa owner Randy Lerner, and that he hasn’t been given the same funds that were made available to previous managers.

However, there are some who accuse Lambert of failing to drag the club out of mediocrity, of maintaining a dreadful home record, and of making a clutch of errors in the transfer market. His critics have been handed further ammunition by the club’s limp FA Cup exit at home to League One Sheffield United, a competition he naively admitted he could do without. It’s one thing to prioritize the Premier League over cup competitions, but to state it so plainly was an error, and an insult to paying fans.

It’s worth examining Lambert’s Premier League record compared to his immediate predecessors. If we consider points per game records in the top flight (win percentage can often be misleading), we see that Lambert has overseen 58 PL games as Villa boss, which have yielded an average of 1.1 points. That isn’t a whole lot better than his much-maligned predecessor Alex McLeish, who collected an average of one point per game. Gerard Houllier was an odd choice by Villa, and never convinced the fans he was the right man for the job, but his PPG record is still better than Lambert’s (1.18).

Lambert underestimated Villa's desire for Cup success 

Lambert’s counter-attacking style can produce some thrilling results on the road (last season’s victory at Liverpool and this term’s win at Arsenal are shining examples), but he has failed to find the right formula at home. Under his guidance, Villa have won just seven of their 29 league games at Villa Park. Last season, only the three relegated clubs had worse home records, and this term only the bottom club Sunderland have collected fewer points at home. This is a chronic issue, and frankly it shows tactical inflexibility. When Villa don’t have space to counter, they lack the ingenuity to open teams up. All too often at home, Villa resort to direct tactics, pumping the ball long and looking for flick-ons. That’s all very well if it works, but if it doesn’t it merely hands possession to Villa’s opponents. Villa have an average possession of 42%, and their pass success rate is an unimpressive 74%.

Lambert does deserve huge credit for recognising the talent of Christian Benteke, and the big Belgian flourished last season, scoring 19 goals in 34 league games. However, after seeing a potential summer move to Spurs fall through, his form has tailed off dramatically this term. He has scored just four goals in 15 league appearances, and looks a yard short. Lambert also gets a tick for bringing Ron Vlaar to the club, as “Concrete Ron” has been solid when he’s stayed clear of injuries. Lambert has been desperately unlucky in losing summer signings Jores Okore and Libor Kozak to long-term injuries, but some of his acquisitions don’t hold up to scrutiny.

Ashley Westwood is a tidy young midfielder, but although he keeps the ball moving, he just doesn’t affect matches enough. His stunning long-range effort against West Brom is his only Premier League goal in 47 appearances, and although he has seven assists, just one of those came this season. Karim El Ahmadi has plenty of energy but little in the way of end product – he has managed three goals and just one assist in 37 Premier League games. Left-back Joe Bennett appears to have been discarded after failing to adapt to the demands of the top flight, but his replacement Antonio Luna hasn’t fared much better. Bulgarian winger Aleksandar Tonev looked to be an exciting acquisition from CSKA Sofia, but he has been handed just six league starts, and in 14 PL appearances he hasn’t managed a single goal or assist.

At his previous club Norwich, Lambert successfully employed a policy of signing hungry young players with very little top-flight experience. While that’s a laudable idea, Lambert has implemented it at Villa in a way that has seen the club’s experienced players sidelined. The club’s record signing Darren Bent was completely frozen out, and while his performances certainly didn’t justify a regular place in Lambert’s team, no attempt was made to adjust the team’s tactics in a way that would play to his strengths. Shay Given, Stephen Ireland and Alan Hutton were summarily discarded, and while Lambert could easily justify those decisions, that’s a lot of experience and financial resource going to waste. Perhaps more subtle and flexible man-management could’ve got a bit more out of those players.

The much maligned ex-Blues boss.

Lambert’s commitment to giving young players a chance is to be commended, but I would question whether he has managed to improve any of the raw talents at his disposal. Defenders Nathan Baker and Ciaran Clark are still making the same naive mistakes they were making when Lambert arrived, Andreas Weimann has scored just one goal in 19 Premier League games this term, while the once-vaunted Marc Albrighton, Nathan Delfouneso and Barry Bannan made no impact under Lambert. Can Lambert loyalists really say his young guns are taking the club forward?

You can’t appraise Lambert’s time in charge without referencing last season’s semi-final debacle in the Capital One Cup. Villa were overcome by Bradford City, a team from the fourth tier of English football. This wasn’t just a one-off defeat – Villa were undone across two embarrassing matches. This can be seen as nothing else but a gigantic black mark on Lambert’s record – a miserable coaching failure.

Whenever I’ve spoken to Lambert I’ve found him to be a passionate and honest coach, who has total belief in his methods, and desperately wants to be the man to take Villa back into the limelight. He has been unlucky with injuries, and hamstrung by the need to reduce the wage bill, but results show that Lambert’s methods aren’t yielding progress. Villa are a healthy-looking six points clear of the dropzone, but three of their next four games are against clubs in the top five, and a rough run of results may tip the balance of opinion in favour of Lambert’s detractors. The Scot says wants time to rebuild the club from top to bottom, but only improved results will grant him that respite.

Is Appleton really Blackburn's Messiah?

Jobsite! It's Appleton's favourite website

As Blackburn Rovers appoint Michael Appleton as their new boss, where's this hyperactive game of managerial musical chairs taking us? 

Blackpool granted him permission to speak to Rovers - despite only being at Bloomfield Road two months.

Before that, he spent 10 minutes at Portsmouth and had a quick trip round West Bromwich Albion on the coaching staff.

Fans on Stadium Tours get more accustomed to the surroundings!

Collecting a CV quicker than you get your holiday snaps developed is a symptom of trigger happy chairmen's impatience. They're sacking bosses because they’re perceived not to be big enough characters. It used to just be about getting results. Now bosses get boned because they’re not more famous.

Stepping into that vacuum is someone like Michael Appleton, highly rated in the game largely because he’s not got anything wrong yet – because he's not done much except drive around the country signing coaching contracts.

Sean O'Driscoll left Nottingham Forest on the edge of the Championship play-offs having beaten Leeds 4-2 - and replaced by Alex McLeish. Flippin' Eck, you might say!

He's got more tracksuits than Sports Direct

The former Birmingham and Aston Villa boss is supposed to be more capable of dealing with the rigours of the January transfer window.

Next thing, Forest get beaten 3-2 at home by Oldham, a team further down the Football League and the decision looks cack-handed to say the least.

The Championship's jittery because owners and chairmen all realise the riches of the newly-capitalised Premier League would provide their club with even bigger cash injections than before. Television revenues are set to increase by a whopping 70%.

Leeds United and Nottingham Forest have both changed ownership because of it and the inexperience of the new custodians makes the manager's life even more precarious than it was before.

So as Rovers sign up Appleton, they seem perfect bedfellows. Neither has a gameplan.

Alex McLeish's departure statement



Flippin' Eck's dignified statment

Alex McLeish's left Villa Park after an ill-fated and ill-conceived year at the helm.

But now the dusts settled, I must say Eck never asked fans for sympathy and rarely complained about luck and adversity. He leaves with dignity and his statement via the LMA is respectful to his former club. Good luck Eck - any boss in your position would've taken the Villa job at the time and the conditions of your arrival weren't entirely of your making.

STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE LMA ON BEHALF OF ALEX MCLEISH

The League Managers Association (LMA) has issued the following statement on behalf of Alex McLeish following his departure from Aston Villa Football Club.

Alex McLeish said, “When I accepted the role as manager of Aston Villa Football Club, I was acutely aware of the responsibility I had to find the best way to serve the great traditions of one of the finest clubs in professional football.

“I was truly honoured to have been given the opportunity to manage the club, which plays such an important part in the fabric of the local community and to its worldwide fan base.

“I relished the challenge and, together with my loyal and very capable staff, dedicated all of my efforts into moulding a successful team. My only regret in leaving now is that we weren't able to achieve more for the supporters and their high expectations.

“Finally, I want to take this moment to say that I have nothing but the highest respect for the club and sincerely wish it and the fans great success in the future.”

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Villa act swiftly to appoint a manager this time

A Special One before the Special One

Aston Villa's board have acted decisively in appointing Paul Lambert as their new manager. After a brief flirtation with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the Norwich boss was identified as the man to replace Alex McLeish, putting to an end any repeat show of the problems this time last year.

Back then, indecision, rejection and fudge proved costly as the board were forced to appoint Alex McLeish. Flipping Eck, who crossed the city to Villa was fifth-choice. After weeks of rumour and fruitless negotiation, hundreds of angry fans protested at Villa Park as the man who'd relegated Blues twice was unveiled.

Gerard Houllier quit before the season's end citing more heart problems, leaving Gary McAllister to caretake. Villa finished 2010-11 with a flourish: a 2-1 win at Arsenal was followed by a final day 1-nil win over Liverpool. Window signing Darren Bent's goals helped secure a ninth placed finish after a springtime dalliance with the wrong end of the league. Randy splashed £24m on the Sunderland striker to insure against the unthinkable.

So there was cause for low-level optimism: after all, McLeish was inheriting a better squad than he had at St. Andrews, he could call upon on an enlarged squad crop made possible by Houllier's faith in youth - and he had won Blues some silverware (so ruining Villa fans "one hundred years and won f*** all" Blues tribute song).

Lambert takes over from Alex McLeish at Villa Park

Instead the footballing fair all season was lamentable. McLeish had a reputation for setting up defensive teams and he took his confidence-sapping pub-team mentality and placed it upon the shoulders of a good team built by Martin O'Neill.

I deliberately took a seat next to the bench for Villa's home game with Wigan, so I could see how McLeish managed during game time. While clapping the flicks and tricks of Barry Bannan, he seemed to exchange a negative comment immediately afterwards with his coaches. I'd heard talk from another reporter that he didn't think the youth were good enough; a real kick in the face for the likes of Albrighton, Clark, Herd and Delph, who'd figured largely in Houllier's plans.

McLeish never looked assured in the job.

But it could've been all so different if Villa had appointed a boss with less panic and conjecture. No less than five names were in the frame in advance of the surprise link to the Birmingham City manager.

David Moyes was the early rumour. I had it on authority from a former Villa player now connected in the world of agents that the Everton boss had had two meetings with a representative from Villa's board. To the disappointment of many (including me), that's as far as it went; whatever issues Moyes had at Goodison were settled without the story emerging from the shadows.

Then suddenly and without any advance warning, Mark Hughes quit Fulham. The Welshman had just completed an eighth-placed finish at Craven Cottage, a place, a point and a seventeen goal better goal difference than Villa. The betting exchanges took this as a definitive job offer from Villa Park. How wrong that proved: in fact, owner Randy Lerner was said to have been spooked by Sparky's Cottage walkout.

Matters then got a little out of hand: Villa set their sights on Champions League winner, Rafa Benitez. But he gave short shrift to the Villa opportunity and swiftly rejected Randy's overtures.

Former England manager and umbrella model, Steve McClaren was called for interview - within 24 hours, he was told by Paul Faulkner not to bother turning up. No explanation was given and the disappointed McClaren, who wanted a return to England after disappointment at Wolfsburg, had a short-lived spell at Forest.

The spotlight then fell on Wigan's Roberto Martinez: a last day Premier League survivor with a win at Stoke. The Spaniard had cultivated a reputation for playing good football at both Swansea and the DW Stadium. But his special relationship with Dave Whelan put paid to Villa's chances.

Meanwhile, the close-season clock was ticking: other clubs had completed their summer signings, pre-season preparations were well underway. Still, no one was at the helm.

When Alex McLeish's name started circulating on Twitter, I originally thought it was a joke. Birmingham City had already mailed out Season Ticket renewal cards with his picture, autograph and spiel to get behind a promotion push.

Two days and £2million pounds in compensation later, the Blues boss was wearing a claret and blue tie, aiming to placate angry fans and win them over! Frankly, it was a terrible way to kick-off a new regime.

The only relieved people must've been Messrs. Lerner and Faulkner, but even they must have hoped beyond hope to a bit of good fortune: McLeish's arrival was nothing like they'd chosen.

This time, the board acted quickly, decisively and boldly: hiring a man who the fans are behind and with a fighting chance in the transfer market, with both time and available finance.

Lambert speaks of energy, vigour and ambition: he's reawakened Norwich City with commitment and organisation. Villa represents a step up.

He believes in Villa's potential and arrives from a place where he couldn't have fulfilled those dreams previously.

Eck settling Villa's turbulent twelve months

Eck's shining light of stability 

Aston Villa's 3-2 home over Norwich City's ended a two successive defeat downturn and put the team into a respectable eighth place.

Only the usual suspects with bigger resources are outperforming Villa, Newcastle aside.

Alex McLeish isn't yet winning over the fans with his workmanlike style of football, nevertheless the club are much more stable than twelve months ago. In the wake of Martin O'Neill's shock departure on the eve of last season, the board scratched around to appoint the wholly inappropriate Gerard Houllier after a disastrous dalliance with Kevin MacDonald.

McLeish was always going to find resistance from the naysayers in arriving from the rabble at Small Heath, but I can't help but admire his Carling Cup win, particularly with the team he had and its startling lack of firepower and history of achievement. Yes, Blues were relegated at the end of the season but I think that had everything to do with the physical excesses of the Cup run.

What McLeish does do well is encourage players to grow in stature and confidence. Warnock and Petrov are beneficiaries of the new regime even if Ireland continues to annoy the faithful with his lacklustre shows.

But the fast-maturing Gabriel Agbonlahor's stepped upto the plate to become a senior player of real influence and quality at Villa Park. Working on his game rather than weight-training's helped plug the void left by the departed Ashley Young and Stewart Downing.

Agbonlahor and Bent developing a partnership

And increasing that work rate and goals is invigorating the strike partnership with Darren Bent. The £24m hit man, bought in the January transfer window has now scored 46 times since the start of the 09/10 season: no one, not Rooney or Drogba can match that.

It's important to remember what a proven striker we have and but for his checkered Tottenham career, Bent may have been playing for another top four team now, instead of arriving at Villa via Sunderland.

In defence, Villa have capability, talent and experience but lack confidence. But as results improve, so will form and as the season develops, so will fitness. There's nothing wrong with the reputation and commitment of players like Dunne, Collins, Warnock and great new keeper, Shay Given. Fans are calling for Collins to be dropped, but his early season progress has been hampered by injury.

The only legacy of the Houllier period was his commitment to youth. So many players staked their claim to the first team - and for one reason or another, they've slipped out of the reckoning. But Chris Herd is one player who's not only showing what a fine prospect he is, he's also creating competition at the back: so key to a developing squad.

I take Villa to continue improving and for Alex McLeish to look back at his first season in charge at Villa Park to finish higher than last season's stunted ninth place.

Houllier's still at the drawing board at Villa

I'd like rooom to sort out le Villa, s'il vous plait!

While Aston Villa extended their unbeaten run to seven against Birmingham City, there wasn't much ease and flow about their game.

Part of it was down to the tactics of Alex McLeish, who very effectively stopped Stewart Downing and Ashley Young in midfield.

But it was mostly about Gerard Houllier's inability to stamp his authority on the club. He's preparing and fielding Martin O'Neill's squad. Houllier has to fashion Villa to his mould.

A goalless draw is probably a fair reflection of a game full of bluster and effort, but there were no thoroughbreds in this derby.

Blues had a penalty claim, so did Villa. Ciaran Clark, Barry Bannan, Ashley Young and Nigel Reo-Coker might've snatched it.

What a good defensive unit Villa have. If you remember how James Collins, Richard Dunne and Stephen Warnock all made their debut in a 1-nil derby win at St. Andrews last year, they've never looked back since. No worries there for the new administration.

But Houllier is not yet a big figure at Villa Park. He needs to impress his personality on the team for them to rise again.

Saying things like "they will finish somewhere between seventh and twelfth" hardly echoes around the halls of Villa Park like the words of Churchill. And he's repeated that phrase.

All this after inheriting the baton from Martin O'Neill, who steered Villa to three sixth-placed finishes in a row.

Villa need to maintain the momentum of the last few years if they're to keep pace with Spurs and Manchester City. Liverpool's stunning decline affords clubs like these a great opportunity to gatecrash the Big Four Party.

Villa should take the initiative but it starts with Houllier cutting a bigger figure.