Great signing and pretty good move for Lambert. He has good squad and only way he could do worse than McLeish is getting relegated.
Great time for him to join. Even if they finish 12th or so, it's an improvement on last year. Lambert can't lose, unless he's incompetent.
Excellent appointment by Villa. I rate Lambert more than Rodgers. Clearly Lambert is someone who knows tactics and players having guided Norwich to two successive promotions and established a solid mid-table showing for them in their debut season. This feat is even more impressive when you consider the financial problems Norwich were facing when he came
Certainly. 12th would be a decent enough season for us, and a top ten finish would be excellent. We've got a squad bursting with potential, with two of the most important things for any team - a quality goalkeeper and more importantly a lethal goalscorer - and a whole load of versatile youngsters.
The tactics I'm particularly excited about. Norwich often changed tactics three or more times per match. I've seen them play 4-4-2, 4-2-3-1, 3-4-3, 4-3-3 and even 4-3-1-2. With a good deal more money than he would otherwise have at Norwich, a dramatically sliced wage bill and the aforementioned youngsters, he only needs a couple more signings to make the squad able to compete with anyone in the league on their day. Perhaps a good start would be offloading Richard Dunne, and perhaps James Collins too. Not to mention the train wreck that is Alan Hutton...
The thing I'm intrigued about is Jean Makoun. What's his position? I really like him, and that match against United when he first arrived shows he has class, but he'll be back from loan soon and it's debateable whether he'll stay. I hope so, since some bite in midfield would be appreciated.
Lambert is very intelligent tatically. As I mentioned I rate him higher than Brendan Rodgers. He obviously knows his stuff when he has guided Norwich to successive promotions and lead them comfortably to safety in their debut season with a pretty weak squad.
He should have a great deal more money to spend at Villa and with the youngsters you have littered among established players like Darren Bent, N' Zogbia, Gabby .. He should do very well. Why did you lot send Makoun out on loan in the first place? Such a good player