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Parma Ham's gone mouldy

Paul Lambert hasn't left Norwich

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It is fascinating to see that not only do we Norwich fans not have Paul Lambert truly out of our systems, he does not have us out if his.

The slightly forced over-reaction on the pitch after the cup defeat (didn''t that hurt?) was the look-at-me-with-my-new-girlfriend moment and I must confess to taking more than a passing interest in his press conferences at Villa, where his "At my old school..." utterances have become legend.

Now he makes eyes at old flames in Hoolahan, who is as equally unlikely to receive the central free role at Villa as he is at Norwich or for Ireland (as Trap often said).

Holt to Villa is not a move designed to placate Villa fans, who - without our heartwarming memories of derring-do - will be utterly bemused and blackly amused by such a move.

Lambert is understandably harking after better, happier times in a land that he no longer inhabits. He is sending himself happy postcards from memory island and - truthfully - I really like it that he''s not over us either....

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No way would Lambert come back. I was devastated when it was announced he was leaving for Villa, but there you go. The fact that Chris Hughton has matched what Lambert has done at villa on points since the start, when Villa''s squad is made of more valuable players on average, should earn Hughton a bit of credit, but doesn''t. Funny old world.

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[quote user="Gingerpele"]I find it bemusing some fans seems to think you should just forget ex players and managers.
Its bizarre.
[/quote]Personally, I don''t think he should be forgotten, he''s responsible for getting us to where we are now. That doesn''t change the fact that he''s nicked Jed Steer and is now trying to nick Hoolahan, who while not the perfect player like you''d think from some of the moans about him not featuring in every game, still has a very useful part to play here and does so. Lambert is now enemy no. 1 I''m sorry to say.

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It is fascinating to see that not only do we Norwich fans not have Paul Lambert truly out of our systems, he does not have us out if his.

The slightly forced over-reaction on the pitch after the cup defeat (didn''t that hurt?) was the look-at-me-with-my-new-girlfriend moment and I must confess to taking more than a passing interest in his press conferences at Villa, where his "At my old school..." utterances have become legend.

Now he makes eyes at old flames in Hoolahan, who is as equally unlikely to receive the central free role at Villa as he is at Norwich or for Ireland (as Trap often said).

Holt to Villa is not a move designed to placate Villa fans, who - without our heartwarming memories of derring-do - will be utterly bemused and blackly amused by such a move.

Lambert is understandably harking after better, happier times in a land that he no longer inhabits. He is sending himself happy postcards from memory island and - truthfully - I really like it that he''s not over us either...

I think this is a little OTT!

Then again, as a player i used to love going to my previous club and getting one over them so I''m betting its just the same for managers. Especially if they didn''t treat you so well before you left.

In regards to Lambert making ''eye contact at old flames'', hasn''t our current manager done somewhat the same?

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The inference is that these signings do not appear to fit what he requires at Villa, and certainly not in the eyes of the Villa fans, who are a mixture of incredulous and underwhelmed.

They appear to have a nostalgic pull far beyond the typical "back to my old club for players I know and rate".

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Dare I also say that I sense a mischievous element to choosing totemic legends such as Holt and Hoolahan? These are not the best players we possess, nor are they the ones that he truly needs.

An element of leaving the girlfriend, but maliciously trying to make sure she can''t move on either?

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This is the case for many managers when they move to another club.

 

Redknapp had his favourites and regularly went back to their previous clubs to get players they could rely on or fitted into their ideas. Warnock is another example.

 

It is also not always possible to take these players ''with you'' so sometimes they have to wait until the opportunity is there.

 

I agree that maybe Lambert needs different players in and may well go after depth, especially defensively and CM, but as I said earlier, whatever the pitfalls of Holty, Lambert knows that he got the best out of him and will give him an option which he can rely on.  The same, if it happens, with Hoolahan, who will provide a link and creativity for him between his midfield and attack.

 

I don''t read this as desperation, but more a case of, I need these players because I know what they can do with what I have, rather than an addition that is a relative unknown and unpredictable.

 

I do believe Villa fans expectations are far and away greater than ours, but I do also believe their memories are even shorter.

 

There does however appear to be more of an understanding from plenty of fans on their boards, with regards to the task Lambert took on when Big ''eck left, than what we see on here.  I for one can see what is trying to be done there, but I am seriously struggling to see exactly what the philosophy is here and where it is heading.

 

Snake

 

 

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[quote user="Parma Hams gone mouldy"]The inference is that these signings do not appear to fit what he requires at Villa, and certainly not in the eyes of the Villa fans, who are a mixture of incredulous and underwhelmed.

They appear to have a nostalgic pull far beyond the typical "back to my old club for players I know and rate".[/quote]Lambert said before the window opened that he was going to have to change policy and bring some older players into what is a juvenile squad. "You maybe want to bring one or two experienced ones in, to help the younger ones on the pitch." I think that is more the motivation than raiding an old club. That and knowing the players. I can understand the Villa fans not wanting Holt specifically (I wouldn''t) but some kind of old warhorse is not a bad idea. It is what we did with Trevor Hockey in 1973...

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Parma,

 

I know we have had our disagreements in the past, but I would be interested in your take on the job Lambert took on.

 

Some Villa fans are saying that this will be his 4th Transfer Window and that he should have straightened things out by now, but a complete change of squad and philosophy takes much longer than that IMO, especially from the position he inherited.

 

What do you think?

 

Snake

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Truthfully Snake I don''t know enough. I have no connections at Villa.

That Lambert felt his stock was at its highest at the end of our first survival season is observed. That his prime motivation was the career trajectory of Paul Lambert is documented.

In business terms I agreed with him at that point.

He is well advised and favours taking on clubs with potential who are underperforming. Ideally this is a linear club progression upwards. Villa fitted the model.

He also recognised - and I do not believe that Chris Hughton gets nearly enough credit for this from fans - that his hung-ho, nothing to lose, Glasgow gambler''s approach to Prem season 1, was in no way a credibly sustainable approach. Particularly when following season 1, you de-facto have a lot to lose (relegation) and not much to gain (losing a lot, not much fun, hard for fans to remain buoyant).

Most of the players also weren''t that good. He had them on a crest of an over-performing, confident, winning wave and it had reached the shore.

Within football circles the Villa promise of American money for players is feared illusory. He may have received sweet promises, but his hands look tied. The fans who chanted his name, now rubbish it on message boards.

He does play youth - and the Villa youth set up is very well respected - but who waits in football now.

You want my opinion? Given time I think Lambert and Hughton would both be successes...

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Not saying I know this for certain, but his remit at Villa must have been something along the lines of working on a budget, reduce the wage bill and ultimately reducing the £100m debt Villa had.

Now I''d guess his player recruitment must have had a theme of players who are ultimately going to be cheap and on a small wage bill but also likely to perform. Benteke and Vlaar are his success stories.

I''d reckon that while the fans would probably know this, based on their perceived size it makes it hard to have to go through this prolonged period. We were lucky that we achieved promotions and safety while paying down the debt but our expectations are a lot lower.

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