As we approach the mid-way point of the season and CH has now settled into his new job, it got me thinking as to where we might have been placed in the League had PL stayed. IMO Hughton generally seems far more tactically aware of the opposition and is certainly far less 'gung-ho' in his approach whoever the opponents may be. I think the fact that we have changed our manager (through necessity not choice), has benefited us and prevented any form of the supposed 'second season syndrome'. I truly believe that we would not be in the position we are now had PL stayed and we would be in the bottom six at best. My only gripe with CH is that when he does need to make a change he leaves it far to late for any substitution to have an impact, but that's just my opinion. Anyway, onwards and UPWARDS and here's to a very happy prosperous new year for NCFC. OTBC please log in to view this image Chris Hughton watches intensely as his Norwich City side overcome Manchester United in a deserved 1-0 victory at Carrow Road V please log in to view this image A truly disheveled Paul Lambert looks on as his Aston Villa side capitulate to an 8-0 drubbing from Chelsea
Pretty much sums up how I feel about life since the departure of PL. I think yu'll find lot of fans (if not the majority) agree re substitutions, but it's one of those things we'll just have to accept. We are ahead of where we were at Xmas last season and I'm delighted with our progress - especially our tighter defence!!
You would possibly be in League One still and almost certainly the Championship and have hardly any of the current squad without Paul Lambert
Er, talk about stating the bloody obvious The point I am trying to make is that PERHAPS PL had 'taken us as far as he could' and that him moving on has, IMO been beneficial to us although at the time I probably wouldn't have said so. What's so hard to grasp about that hampy old chap ? For what it's worth, not that I really care, I also think that PL's move to Villa was wrong for him and I'm not just saying that because his side has just been mullered by Chelski !
I don't think anyone is disputing THAT, Hampy, but kickitoff's question is about this season and where we might be in the table after 18 games if PL was still in charge.
My personal view is that they are both capable managers.I do wonder how long it will be before some big shot club tries to nick Hughton.
Agree 100% Hampy, but had PL still been in charge this season, then we would be nearer the bottom of the EPL than we are now!
Aston Villa have always been abit of a poisoned chalice!! Big stadium, big name, but can never break into the top four. Especially the last few seasons where they have sold all there quality players and have struggled. Squad wise, they were on the decline, and Norwich on the up. I think Lambert took on a bigger job than he thought when he took over Villa, and the youngsters who he is trying to bed are just too inexperienced and lacking quality. 12 goals conceded in two games!!! Bet he would kill to have even a few Norwich players that sit on our bench in the Villa team right now.
I can't help but think PL had taken us as far as he could. There are 2 types of business people - the type that take on an ailing business to rapidly rectify and sell on for profit before moving onto the next challenge and the other type which stays long term to build on success and produce a less dramatic but steady long term improvement. Both challenges are equal, but require very different mindsets. PL Is the former and CH is one of the latter.
I think Lambert would have still been playing the same system as he had done with us. The Chelsea v Villa game showed his thinking. Getting stuffed but still went forward looking for goals. I'm sure if the board had given him extra money and certain undertakings he would have stayed. But it has worked out well that he has left. Todays game with Chelsea showed us the difference. We took a 0-1 loss but we might just have pinched an equaliser at the death, in other words, we were still in it. Lambert will always be a hero for what he did for 3 seasons. And if CH continues his mission he will become one as well. Staying up this season will make him one in my eyes.
I'm grateful to Lambert and what he did here, I find week after week I'm less interested in what he's doing. Moving on is definitely helped by the fact that we are looking in better shape than Villa. Staying up this season will be a game changer and if we do it Hughton will start to write his own history with the club. More and more Reading look like they don't have the team to survive, and QPR may have their win but also arn't looking in great shape because of this Villa do still stand a chance of surviving, but they need to defend better and defensive tactics was never lambert's strength.
No, but at least we used to bang in plenty of goals - Villa are the lowest scorers in the division with only 15 from 19 games. Not sure why Savage felt the need to apologise for tipping them for relegation a couple of weeks ago and admit he was "wrong" after one impressive game against Liverpool, it still sounds like they're bang in trouble to me. I totally agree about caring less and less about Lambert with every game that passes though
I think both CH and PL are excellent managers and I will always be grateful for what PL did for City (especially now that the facts have come out about the lawsuits - PL deserved his bonus and City deserved compensation from Villa). The main difference between CH and PL is patience. CH seems more willing to see things long-term and has set about building an excellent squad with good depth and a hugely improved defence. He also places more importance on well-drilled organisation and these are the factors that produced the excellent unbeaten run. To lose two games by the odd goal (one which shouldn't have been allowed in West Brom's case) does not take away from this. CH is definitely the one I would choose now.
I'm not overly complaining as we've had some decisions go our way lately, but on another day they could both have been disallowed as the second goal came from an absolutely blatant foul throw that I appear to be the only one to have spotted
For what it's worth I think Lambert was bloody stupid in leaving Norwich when he did The only thing he will get at Villa is the sack!
......no, i actually shouted foul throw at my computer monitor as it happened. how it was not given i am at a loss to understand.
The last couple of games have highlighted one key difference between PL and CH. PL is a gambler and he will go for it. Hence our last minute goals which took us up from the Championship. The downside is that sometimes it comes a real cropper (8-0). Fortune favours the brave, though, and I think PL's willingness to risk everything will help Villa get enough points on the board to survive. Thrashings with the occasional win is better than a mix of draws and narrow defeats. CH is risk-averse, which makes his teams much more solid but explains why he doesn't seem to change things very quickly in reaction to what is going on during the match. The good thing about his style is that every player knows exactly what he should be doing and, except for Mata's piece of individual brilliance, I thought our game against Chelsea was the perfect example of how to counter a top, highly-talented side. We restricted them to very few chances and could easily have equalised in stoppage time. When I read that back, it makes us sound very dour, but we're not - it's not just backs to the walll stuff. Some of our approach play now is very good indeed, I think. But we don't lose our shape.
KIO / Robbie it's a patently biased post because Norwich didn't just beat Man United. You can just as easily wind back and find a Villa win. Now, Warky, I think he was right to leave when he did because he HAD taken Norwich as far as he could and I'm certain they'd be struggling this season. But, defensive minded football will only get you results if you're keeping goals out. You're heading for trouble if you can't keep goals out (particularly an issue with Ruddy out). So, it's not done and dusted. Te man who took you up two divisions or the man who kept you up playing defensive football. Got to be the former surely? It is amusing to watch him 'do a Roy Keane' at the moment though
