Ahead of Tuesday night’s trip to Villa Park, LFW caught up with Aston Villa fan and regular contributor Nelson Rahi for his opinions on Paul Lambert, Tim Sherwood and the relegation battle.
So, Paul Lambert, did the best he could with the resources he had at his disposal, or was he just a bit crap? Did you support the sacking? What did he do wrong specifically?
NR: Lambert. Ugh. Honestly, he seemed like a decent bloke, he got Villa's history and expectation. That might seem silly considering how poor we've been in recent years - Clive you have picked us to be relegated a few times! (probably why it hasn't happened — ed) - but Villa are still the forth most successful English club. Supporters over 30ish will have seen Villa win the League and European Cup. I know outside of the Midlands we might be an irrelevance, but the weight and expectation of history hang over Villa Park. Lambert always seemed to get that and never resorted to disrespecting the club or its fans. I genuinely wish him well, but I think he was found wanting badly in terms of tactics and motivating players.
But all that history I've bleated on about, well, Lambert added his own. He's broken ancient records at Villa for sheer crapness. I tea-leafed this compilation of stats from Vital Villa:
1. Biggest defeat in Premier League history (8-0 Chelsea).
2. Worst start to a season since we've been in the Prmeier League (his first season).
3. First manager since we've been in the Premier League to have two seasons or more and not achieve a top ten finish.
4. Most home defeats in a single season. Ever.
5. Most defeats over a season in our Premier League history (20 last season).
6. Most goals let in over a season since we've been in the Premier League (more than 60 last season).
7. Five defeats in a row without scoring for the first time in our entire history.
8. Six defeats in a row for the first time in 47 years.
9. First manager to lose to a fourth tier side over two legs in a cup semi-final.
10. First time we've gone out of cup competitions three years on the spin to lower league opposition.
We probably bored you to sleep last time we played as Lambert had us playing this mind-numbing style of football where we would rack up 60% possession and never set foot in the opposition penalty area, maybe scratching a scuffed shot on target. Terrible football, awful results and a humiliating lack of goals. He didn't get the squad playing to anywhere near their potential. That was bewildering.
One area Lambert did well in however, was in transfers. He managed to sign Christian Benteke and keep him when everyone was sure he'd leave. He's also found players such as Okore, Sanchez and Carles Gil.
Overall I think he suffered from his management team being dismantled. His two closest associates were gotten rid of for bullying allegations. He then got Roy Keane in who stuck around while his book was newsworthy and then did one, leaving him on his own.
In summary, nice guy with decent ideas but seemingly unable to implement them successfully. I didn't join the calls to fire him, I just feel what will be, will be, but I fully understood those who did. It was dire for a long time at Villa.
What did you think of Tim Sherwood before he was appointed? What do you think of him now? What has he changed, what has he done well, what has he not done so well?
NR: I honestly didn't know much at all about Sherwood. I knew he had been Tottenham manager and played for Blackburn back in the day. Coming in to Villa, I still don't really know much, other than his overall managerial win/loss record is in the 60% region. Apparently.
Credit to him for energising the players and giving them some confidence again. His brashness isn't something I would find endearing normally but it is something I think that is vital to us right now. The players need leadership and someone to say the right things. Sherwood seems to do that really well. Villa have started playing with a lot more freedom and honestly, seeing Villa beat West Bromwich Albion twice in a week was wonderful after the season we have had. He's just started to turn Villa around but there's a long way to go. It can't be easy to change the mentality of a group of people who have had a negative point of view for three years - longer if you count Alex McLeish and his predecessors.
It's a huge job for Sherwood really and Villa should have got rid of Lambert long ago. Why let it get so close to the wire when it clearly wasn't working out? It's another example of Villa's well-meaning but ultimately clueless ownership.
Is there any end in sight to the ownership situation? Any buyers on the horizon?
NR: There are rumours going about now, more than there have been in a long time really. However, there's nothing concrete. Villa do like to do business very quietly and even on transfers we don't tend to hear much until deals are pretty much done. I imagine over the sale of the club we probably won't hear a lot.
I must say, Randy Lerner's biggest problem seems to be naivety. I believe he always has meant well but had no one with any football nous to call upon. A change of ownership is a worry for me, what guarantee is there that the next owner might not be a complete charlatan? There seems to have been so much of that in football recently. There was a time when the only football chairman I knew of was Doug Ellis, now they seem to be a part of the news story everywhere. Some of your readers might nod their heads here. We just have to hope that Lerner in his love for Villa will see us right in terms of who he hands the reins to.
If a takeover doesn’t happen, what are the realistic aims and hopes for next season with Sherwood in charge? Why won’t it just be the same old struggle?
NR: I know I say this every time you ask me, Clive, but it shouldn't be another struggle, no. With the squad of players Villa have we should be looking at midtable in the league and the odd cup run. That's not asking the world and is probably in line with what most would expect of their clubs. Villa have good players and if Sherwood can keep them interested they can play some decent football.
Villa have equalised in terms of finances and Lerner has always splashed money out when needed. I wouldn't be worried if Villa were not bought out and Lerner and Sherwood stayed put. It honestly could not be any worse than it was at the end under Lambert.
Who have been the stand out performers and who have been the weak links?
NR: My new favourite Villa player is Carles Gil. He doesn't seem to be getting much time under Sherwood and that's a worry but boy was he a breath of fresh air. A player who can run at people and beat them? Someone who shoots from the edge of the box?! Link up play? What witchcraft is this? He's the reason we finally scored a goal after that Sahara-esque dry run.
Alan Hutton has been more than decent too. He's one of those players who Lambert ostracised in the "Bomb Squad", so for him to work his way back into favour with Lambert and also Sherwood is pretty damn good going.
Ciaran Clark has been pretty good too. It might seem odd sticking two defenders in this when Villa have been awful but he has been decent. A solid tackler and has struck up a decent relationship with Okore, who himself hasn't been terrible.
Weak links under Lambert were our forwards and midfield. In that we didn't have either. Andy Wiemann has been anonymous all season really, but I guess he'll have a chance under Sherwood.
Short, medium and long term aims for the club?
Short term: Stay in the league.
Medium: Stabilise, identify a style of football that suits our players and keep it. Win the FA Cup again.
Long term: We have finally got a half decent recruitment policy - use this, develop players, keep improving steadily. Unless Villa get bought out by mega-money, we should be looking to finish just under the Europa League spots. (No one wants to qualify for it). Win another FA Cup.
All the best to yourself and QPR for the rest of the season.
The Twitter @NelsonRahi, @loftforwords
Pictures — Action Images