What can Lambert realistically do now?

[Harleston Canary 0]

Despite the scoreline tonight''s game could potentially have some positve effects.  It all depends how much Lambert can change in the next few days, defensively.

Results and performance this year (with the exception of the Yeovil game) make it as clear as day, that going forward we have potential and can threaten most teams - we have enough players for Lambert to shift people around and get the blend right.

It goes without saying that the elephant in the room is our defence.  Our best central defender, Askou was given a deal after being a triallist, Spillane shows potential there, but will now be suspended for at least two games.  Nelson looked dreadful, but might get a second chance out of desperation, but Ginger Pele blew his last chance tonight.  Semmy needs to be politely asked to leave immediately.  The only grounds for optimism is left back where Drury and Lappin as cover can more than do a job.  We''ve also lost the keeper with a facial injury for who knows how long?

There is less than a week left of the transfer window and we''re skint.  At a guess we''re at least three defenders short of a decent squad.  So my question remains - what, if anything can Lambert do to address this?

[Lincs CR 0]

Sell hoolahan asap and bring in a center back... that''s his only option really

[I am a Banana 0]

would rather sell russell, because hoolahan is a match winner when behind the front 2!!

[E I E I E I O 0]

Get a National Lottery ticket for wednesday, he has more chance of winning that than he does getting any funds for defenders out of Delia and co! They actually wonder why we are Shit???!!! I hope Lambert tells them in a firm and forceful manner why.I doubt they will listen! I doubt he will win the lottery and we will have to rely on Holt scoring 100 plus goals with his multiple strike partners to get a posititve goal difference at the end of the season!Another relegation anyone?[:''(][:$][:@]

[Branston Pickle 3,657]

The elephant in the room has been the defence for the past 4 (or more) seasons - a horrific inability to keep clean sheets anywhere near often enough and stupid, soft goals given away far too frequently.

The most amazing thing is that in this time we have had 3 managers come and go, and none have been able to get it sorted - you just have to hope that Lambert has that ''magic touch'' - but he managed to sort out Col U, so hopefully he''ll be able to sort us out. The simple fact is that we need to get far more stingy in defence.

[Metatron 0]

This was one of my beefs with Gunn''s transfer dealings over the summer - 12 players in, but no replacement - or even cover - at right-back when it was plain to see that Semmy was a liability last season.

At least lambert will get some idea tonight of who he can rely on and who he can''t...

[I am a Banana 0]

but, russell may not bring in the same money as hoolahan!!

[Downloads 35]

Keep Hoolhan

Sell Cureton, Gill, Nelson, Theo, Russell and Donkerty first.

Even if we only collectively sell that useless bunch for 50k, we then ask out majority shareholder to buy us a defender as that is clearly what we are lacking.

[Lambo 0]

Sell Wes for as much as possible, Try and find some mugs to buy Docherty and Otsemobor then find a new RB and CB and if possible loan LW cover for Lappin.

[Stephen Hawkings Football Boots 0]

I agree hoolahan cant play down the flank as he leaves the left back exposed, would rather see something like:

Holt partner

Wes

Lappin hughes smith

Defence

then the leftback can be helped out but lapping, although there would not be a place for mcveigh who played well last game

[blahblahblah 2]

I guess he could always loan a CD in from another team, but what quality are you going to get outside the Premiership ?  Whatever he does now, he''ll have to sell to bring in.  Unless he starts Stefanovic and Askou in central defence ?

[E I E I E I O 0]

The sad thing is we need a whole back 4 to have any chance they are all awful, Doc must go first though!

[Camuldonum 0]

[quote user="Downloads"]

Keep Hoolhan

Sell Cureton, Gill, Nelson, Theo, Russell and Donkerty first.

Even if we only collectively sell that useless bunch for 50k, we then ask out majority shareholder to buy us a defender as that is clearly what we are lacking.

[/quote]

Here is a question: sell them to whom?

As many of this message board have had their say about Cureton, Gill, Nelson, Theo, Russell an Donkerty who will you convince to buy any one of same?

If Colchester is anything to go by you will end up paying players each week that you will never see on the pitch again.

[Lambo 0]

If Rusty is up for playing and staying then he''s worth a place in the side IMO.

He''d be good along-side Hughes at this level.

[E I E I E I O 0]

[quote user="Camuldonum"][quote user="Downloads"]

Keep Hoolhan

Sell Cureton, Gill, Nelson, Theo, Russell and Donkerty first.

Even if we only collectively sell that useless bunch for 50k, we then ask out majority shareholder to buy us a defender as that is clearly what we are lacking.

[/quote]

Here is a question: sell them to whom?

As many of this message board have had their say about Cureton, Gill, Nelson, Theo, Russell an Donkerty who will you convince to buy any one of same?

If Colchester is anything to go by you will end up paying players each week that you will never see on the pitch again.

[/quote]I would settle for that, there are quite a few I would never like to see play again![:D]It is better than just playing Shit players because we are paying them!

[Harleston Canary 0]

I don''t disagree, but what about the defence..?

[First Wizard 0]

Lambo will get it right, given time, of that I''m certain.[Y]

[blahblahblah 2]

[quote]If Colchester is anything to go by you will end up paying players each week that you will never see on the pitch again.[/quote]We''ve been doing that for quite a while already Cam, often they''re in the first 11 but they still go missing...

[Downloads 35]

Totally agree Cam, i don''t think anyone would want them, was more of a light hearted comment. But i don''t want to see Hoolahan go just because he is worth something when he constantly is looking for the ball.

[Lambo 0]

[quote user="First Wizard"]Lambo will get it right, given time, of that I''m certain.[Y][/quote]

Cheers for the show of faith bud ;]

[xxxx 0]

Gill ,Nelson and Theo , cannot see any of these being sold let alone all 3 , very rare to buy and then sell a player in the same transfer window .Looks like we are stuck with a whole host of players that just are not good enough , but as most said at the time if you build a squad of freebies you are asking for trouble.

[Lambo 0]

I think Nelson''s worth a punt personally, him and Doc should never have been played together in the first place, it''s worth giving him a try at the back with Askou on Sat now Spillane will be suspended.

[Camuldonum 0]

[quote user="Snakepit boys"][quote user="Camuldonum"][quote user="Downloads"]

Keep Hoolhan

Sell Cureton, Gill, Nelson, Theo, Russell and Donkerty first.

Even if we only collectively sell that useless bunch for 50k, we then ask out majority shareholder to buy us a defender as that is clearly what we are lacking.

[/quote]

Here is a question: sell them to whom?

As many of this message board have had their say about Cureton, Gill, Nelson, Theo, Russell an Donkerty who will you convince to buy any one of same?

If Colchester is anything to go by you will end up paying players each week that you will never see on the pitch again.

[/quote]

I would settle for that, there are quite a few I would never like to see play again![:D]

It is better than just playing Shit players because we are paying them!





[/quote]

When Lambert came to Colwho and ran the rule over the players he didn''t like what he saw and I think he was mostly right.

But then the owner gave him around £1.5m to replace them.  It depends your end, I think, whether you can afford to keep paying Lambert''s (possibly unsold) no hopers while providing the money to get in their replacements.  I do not know the answer to that.

 

[NCFC_Shaun 0]

[quote user="Lambo"]Sell Wes for as much as possible, Try and find some mugs to buy Docherty and Otsemobor then find a new RB and CB and if possible loan LW cover for Lappin.[/quote]

 

Adomah from Barnet. That''s who we need to sign.

[G 0]

[quote user="Lincs CR"]Sell hoolahan asap and bring in a center back... that''s his only option really[/quote]

Exactly what i was thinking. I thought we needed Hoolahan but he has been bad the last couple of games.

[pak mei 0]

but that''s the conundrum, with a decent defence hoolahan is crucial to the team, with a crap defence he''s a luxury but we may need to sell one to get the other

[Longy 1]

He simply has to get the back 4 right first and foremost, though do think that getting the centre mid partnership right, to control games/ protect the back 4 is important as well. I think he has the latter probably covered within the squad with a mixture of OTJ, Adeyemi, Hughes and Korey Smith. The former i feel we need to get from elsewhere, i think left back with a mixture of Drury and Lappin is not that bad. Whether this has to be funded by the sale of Hoolahan or other is an interesting dilemma, i would rather we tried ship out others but despite being a fan of Wes, if we could get a solid league 1 center back and right back in exchange for Wes i think it is a price worth paying.I am not overly worried about us going forward, Grant Holt looks like a star at League 1 level, he will score plenty if he remains injury free.

[Dronny Canary 0]

As I''ve said somewhere else, its not just the back four at fault.  We don''t defend as a team.  Our midfield as also culpable.  They simply don''t track back, they wonder out of shape and they don''t take responsibility for their man.  Because of this our "defence" gets too exposed far too easily.  This is partly because we don''t seem to have any real leaders in this area in the team to get stuck into the rest of them and sort it out.  We need a "character" solid central defender and a similar player in the centre of midfield. 

[barclay seats 4849 0]

[quote user="I am a Banana"]would rather sell russell, because hoolahan is a match winner when behind the front 2!![/quote]

I really dont get your comment................He is S*it...................loses the ball more often than he ever does anything positive with it ....Lappin is far better bet to supply balls to the strikers......get some money for him ,,,buy shackell back

[grantroederdisaster 0]

Do what we''ve brought him into do!

Unfortunately for you Doc knockers that''d be picking his best available team!