Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert ready for '12 cup finals'

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Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert

Paul Lambert says his Aston Villa side must be prepared for "12 cup finals" as they battle to avoid the drop from the Premier League.

The Birmingham side are currently 17th, a point above 18th-place Reading, as they go into Saturday's match at Arsenal.

"There's no point in looking back and thinking, 'We should have got points here and there'," said the Villa boss.

"From now on in it's 12 cup finals and that's the way we have to view it."

He added: "We lost two-goal leads against Manchester United, West Brom and Everton. It's tough when that happens because those points could have made a major difference.

"We have to be ready for it and win more times than not."

Villa, who did not play at the weekend, go to their 27th league fixture of the campaign on the back of a victory against West Ham.

Lambert is confident his side can build on that success.

"The feeling to try to win is there," said the 43-year-old former Norwich manager. "When you get knocked and knocked at every opportunity, you have to take the game by the scruff of the neck and influence it.

"The last few games we have thought, 'We'll have some of this'. You can't go out and play football like it's a hobby.

"It's your job to win. The confidence is high at the moment."

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  • Based on their recent cup performances, if Villa treat every game like a cup game, then they are doomed.

  • Aston Villa are going to hold the record for most cup final defeats in a season.

  • Surely he's the best manager in England right now though?

  • If they didn't lose over two legs to a league two team they would have thirteen cup finals to look forward too....

  • Villa can stay up yet, but even if they don't then they shouldn't scapegoat Paul Lambert - he did spend 20m in the summer but he basically had to rebuild an entire squad, as Villa have continually sold their best players and are sorely missing Dunne and Petrov. If they sack Lambert at the end of the season then they won't get anyone better and could do a lot a worse...

  • qpr reading and wigan to go down

  • There's no point in looking back and thinking, 'We should have got points here and there'," said the Villa boss.

    We lost two-goal leads against Manchester United, West Brom and Everton. It's tough when that happens because those points could have made a major difference.

    Ummm?

  • It will be a shame to see Villa get relegated, okay they haven't been at their best, but looking at the squad there are some players with great potential, for example Benteke, and if Villa get relegated players are going to move on elsewhere, Villa to me have the biggest fight on there hand as the squad is young and the relegation battlers are begininng to pick up points, good luck Villa

  • The lads have got 12 cup finals in front of them, they will take each game as it comes, they'll give 110%, they're not taking anything for granted as there are no easy games in this division, they'll be sick as a parrot if they go down but they'll be over the moon if they manage to stay up.

  • Paul Lambert has just used a cliche that's almost as bad as his management abilities.

  • good job your not playing any league 2 teams!

  • I did not expect anything from villa this season because we all knew things had to change at villa park, Mcleish was sacked, lambert employed and his signings were a refreshing change to the norm ( young with potential), i firmly believe that we will not go down and still see Lambert one day becoming a great manager at villa. Rome wasn't built in a day.

  • @24
    Don't think it would have much of a difference tbh. AV's problem is that they're in transition and trying to blood younger players who will be the future of the club is very difficult in a relegation dogfight season. IMO it's the senior players who have let themselves and the club down through loss of form and character. If Villa survive and can keep the youngsters, they'll be better for it.

  • @charles MPV lol this the same Norwich who were getting beat 7 - 1 and from then on lambert took u to the prem n kept u in it???

    hes a class manager and time will show it. Randy Lerners falut not lamberts - looks wat happens when he gets cash , benteke , westwood,vlaar, guzan free, lowton ......

  • I do hope Villa stay up.

    Purely because my missus is a Villain and I can't be doing with the moaning.

  • Its not the manager who is out playing for 90 mins. His players should be docked 50% of their wages if they dont perform to their abilities.

  • Oh I can't stand it when managers say this. Basically he just said if they lose one more game, it's all over. Well there's not going to be a lot of motivation if they do lose now is there!

  • I wouldn't say that lambert. Don't think our boys really like cup finals...

  • Villa are crap......statz don't lie.....

  • Totally the right attitude from Lambert. Every game is huge for us now, and the cup final mentality is what we need.

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