Spurs 2 - Aston Villa 0

Yup taking our chances was again the biggest problem. If we'd have taken the chance to shock them, the game was close enough for us to have seen it through, but we didn't.

Benteke, is he the new Heskey, I hope not but at the moment he certainly has Emules goalscoring touch. Very worried and hard to see how we are going to get out of danger. A long hard winter awaits us. Mr Lerner you have a lot to answer for. Top 6 to bottom 6 in 3 seasons. A team of players from the lower leagues and it shows in our play, lots of enthusiasm but little class.

This week I will mostly be blaming the manager. 1) SELECTION: apart from the inexplicable continuation of the Clark-Vlaar pairing, seriously, what does Bent have to do to start ? If you thought he was *****ed off last week, wonder how he feels now. And Bennett is NOT up to starting PL every week. I sincerely hope he is not badly injured, but Lihaj had one bad game (Soton) and suddenly he's out. There are others who did equally badly vs Soton but are still starting (begins with C, for example). At this point Bennett is a squad player/cover. Lihaj earnt his colours during the war of 2011-12. Benteke has missed too many chances before today to be starting. He had the TWO BEST CHANCES IN THE WHOLE GAME put on a plate for him (not like he missed his own chances, so to speak). Unless he is going to start in a formation with a different role in it to that of Bent, he is a squad player/impact substitute. What ******** point is Lambert trying to prove. 2) SUBSTITUTIONS: today I saw perhaps the worst set of decisions since DOL days. First of all you wait until they have scored the jammiest goal ever to put Bent on....in place of Benteke, surely ? No - I am going to take off the two players who can provide service to Bent and/or Gabby (Holman and Albrighton) and then by taking off Delph as well I basically hand them the midfield for the rest of the game. So now I have Bent, Benteke and Gabby WITH NO ******** SERVICE WHATSOEVER. Nzogbia I have no words really - can we retire the No 10 shirt please, for ever ? After this set of brilliant choices, we never had a dream of getting a goal back.Then to top it all I have made my third substitution way too early....given that Spurs seem to have a strip of ******** concrete a yard and a half behind the touchlines. 3) TACTICS: 4-5-1 (which is the way it was lined up on TV) is a difficult formation to play at the best of times. And if you believe we should play Gabby (as opposed to not play him) then 4-5-1 is probably only going to work if Gabby is the 1. Otherwise has to be 4-4-2.....which is apparently what worked at City of Manc the other night. I could see 4-5-1 working with Gabby upfront if Ireland was playing. Everyone should be aware that we had a relatively easy entry phase to this season - and we have not capitalised on it. We needed to get 7-9 points ou t of these games, so we are now badly behind the curve. And as Jonathan has pointed out the Nov-Dec fixture list is pretty tough. Serious money will probably have to be spent in January to avert disaster.

Agree with malacaxeta RE: the midfielders. Nzogbia was the best player when he came on though. Bent had 3 touches and they were all within 5 secs when he trapped it and passed back. Benteke puts himself about and goes to get the ball. Bent just waits on the last man's shoulder. Without an amazing pass (which was lacking today), and the defender or 2 that's marking him making a slip or error of judgement, he is useless.

Didn't see the match, didn't get the comments during the matc due to internet, but reading malacaxeta's post Ican fully understand the frustration. I've been all the way behind Lambert, but this does not mean he is above criticism. He got it all wrong today again!

Bent was completely ineffectual. Benteke missed two superb chances. He has to put them away at this level. Scoreline flattered Spurs a little. Bennett struggled against Lennon.

Anyway - heres whats crossing my mind now......theres another Paul in the equation who would like to offload Bent in January (more austerity measures - as pretty soon his wages will be equal to everyone else's put together). He was injured in the summer, remember! It would be the last chance to get some decent cash for him on the current contract. Maybe Benteke was bought to be the guy to step into Bent's shoes come January. Heres the irony - look why we bought him when we did! It'll be deja vu all over again. So the dastardly plan is going to explode in your face. Benteke might be up to it in 2 years when that contract expires...maybe.

Pride of Lions - Spurs? A team bought at Harrods? Pull the other one, they won't finish top 6.

No-one gets DECENT experience playing reserves football. Patience must be given, PL isn't another Eck. If he makes the same mistakes constantly then fair enough but this is mostly a brand new team and they need time. Bent has had his time though and....

Its interesting how easy it is for some people to turn on a manager look at the league table and look at Liverpool... 1 point ahead and they have spent how much on their team? 20 million more than us? they have a new manager and they are still gelling yes they have had a far tougher time than us but they are still struggling... But how many fans have criticised him? very little from what Iv seen defo a less criticism than PL is getting... Im not worried and Im not sure why other are the foundation for future success is there and its clear to see... The Villa problem will not be a quick fix...

No different to seasons under Monny and his record winless streak mate, difference is yet we haven't clicked and racked up the points to mask it, but the overall performances are coming and that's a positive.

Agree entirely mala... with the subs. Holman had just created the chance for which Walker got booked when he got subbed. Bannan was ineffective. So was Gabby in this week's formation. So was Bent with Gallas looking superb at the back. In fact, the Bent and Bannan combo seems to be for the latter to play long balls to the former when we're chasing the game. PL really has bugger all options with this squad though. Bent needs service in behind to perform his talent and we can't service him.

Mike your positivity is admirable but equally whilst no one should be asking for the manager's head after 7 games neither should the cloud of untouchability remain. From what I've seen so far this season Lowton looks like a great signing as do Vlaar and Holman (actually a Mcleish signing). KEA looks ok but Benteke and Bennet, Westwood and Bowry all look way short of the required quality. The manager's tactics and decision making have been questionable to say the least and his man management has been truly awful (Hutton, Warnock and now Bent). I understand that its a work in progress (although its debatable how much progress is actually being shown) but equally no one should be above criticism and PL has had a year in the premiership to know what its all about. I really hope PL gets it right but I am firmly expecting us to be in and around the relegation zone for most of the season.

Oh yeah I nearly forgot, when is Bale going to stop diving, bloody Cheat!! A very talented footballer who's ability has gone to his head so much that he thinks he can now con everyone and the ref in getting his own way. He should be booked for that dive by the officials to stamp it out. If Guzan had of been sent off or booked for that then there would have been an uproar. If bad tackles can be booked retrospectively then so should that disgaraceful pantomine dive act!!!!

Nath you almost had me until you judged Bowery...who has yet to play in the first team! lol I do however agree, PL has made mistakes as have the players. But I think we are getting closer, not at speed, but slowly. I even annoy JF in our chats because I'll give us until mid November...then I'll panic. I'm expecting 15 this season because we are building a base again, if by mid November we aren't turning losses into draws and draws into wins then I'll be re-enacting my famous after match rants. But for now....not yet because I see progress.

1969 even if that was true we could've been 3-1 up by your own standards. It doesn't matter, they took their chances, we didn't. That cost us, we lost the chance to change the game again...that should come from confidence and experience but Benteke needs to put these away so he has Yorkie's smile on his face when he misses. As for the rest 100% agree mate. We've been in transition for 3 years, this time round it's genuine and we have to accept that, we'll be up and down, but we need to give time. Panic if nothing changes by December by all means, but we lost our heads on a freaky goal today. However pathetic that is, they are learning.

ps Bale - Hay - rolling around grass....don't hold out hope, certainly don't hold your breathe.

Zarch time and a place, Bent finishes, Benteke should be an impact sub whilst he learns.

I'm not calling for Lambert's head and I still think he will be a very good manager for us but he did get the team selection wrong. Benteke is a handful for any defender but would be much better utilised as an impact Sub at this stage, the game against Albion proved that last week. Bent is our best striker and should be starting every week unless he is woefully out of form.