All about West Brom and European target for Paul Lambert

This post is about the match but I can't just ignore what Tom Fox has said this week and it's about ambition, I think. But in honesty, I'm not actually sure what that ambition really is.

There was a lot of talk about things going on at the club that supporters can't see and how he's done the initial job of convincing the partners to stay on board, but now he's turned his efforts to supporters to try and convince them to stay on board, I'm not convinced and as we were once told by the club; actions speak louder than words. Maybe we've just had too much PR from the club and we're fed up hearing the same thing. We're maybe fed up hearing the same thing all supporters of all teams hear.

But this is where we are with Fox and this new journey. Apparently Lerner is energised and yes they talk every day. But the club is still for sale and we have to put all of this in context. It's just PR, the Aston Villa way. New contract after three or four games for the manager and after three decent results, get all the positive PR out we've needed to get out for weeks and pray for a win next time out.

But something Fox did say this week interested me. He said "we should be competing consistently up there for a place in Europe, and putting us within touching distance of the larger clubs. And I don't think that takes four years."

Paul Lambert is in his third season and it shouldn't take a fourth, so this is one thing we agree on with the new CEO. And the irony with all of this is that the longer Lambert stays in the job, the shorter period of time Fox gives himself. We'll illustrate this to you next week, hopefully before the news that Delph is leaving for London breaks.

All about West Brom

And I know this match is bigger for them than it is us, but it is a local derby and it is important to win. Not only because we all know a West Brom supporter that would dine out on this for the rest of the season, but because it should be about the football first.

The result matters. But I wrote ahead of the Leicester match that I thought it would be a great game because it was two Championship managers coming together, I don't think that will be the same today. I know West Brom are struggling, but I don't see this as been as good as last weekend, even though I do see us winning. I just think Lambert now has too much to protect again and he'll revert to playing not to lose.

I might be wrong, but I've watched a lot of Lambert and this is his way. But we'll be here from about an hour before kick off for the rest of the day. Team news coming as and when it does and no doubt I'll get some stick for not falling in line, but it should be fun and I don't feel like a mug.