DO NOT JUDGE NORWICH ON TODAY'S RESULT.

[Ginja 26]

I''m afriad that Smudger is 100% right, the writing was on the wall for this game, we''d come up against two very average sides and struggled, lucky to win both in fact and yet we came into this game with almost the same team and tactics, it was doomed from the start. We were missing two very key players as well, which is why I wouldn''t fully blame Labert for the defeat, I just think that it was naive to think that we could roll out the same tactics with them missing. I''m not condeming Lambert as a bad manager, I just hope he learns from yesterday as in my opinion he made mistakes. It will be interesting to see the response next week at Brighton, I think we will win, but the bigger question is will we win convincingly or will it be another struggling lucky win.

[Matt Morriss 69]

[quote user="Smudger"][quote user="NorwichRat"][quote user="Smudger"]Were you there Sad Old?Were you at Hartlepool last week?  Were you at Walsall?This defeat has been coming for a long time because Lambert has not changed the disaster waiting to happen NELSON & DOHERTY.  He also keeps taking Korey Smith off for Simon Lappin and obviously we have really missed Grant Holt.He needs to change this menatality of no changes to be made when we are winning games to some extent, because the clued up todays result had been coming for the last few games and could of been prvented if the right changes were made to the team.Quite simply we are continuing to play 3 players week in week out at the moment who are not good enough... Lappin, Nelson and Doherty.[/quote]

You must be joking smudger....

Sorry ment to say you are a joke.

One loss and your back on this board with your foul tounge.[/quote]While the percy positives like you can''t find fault in things and so can''t improve things.If Lambert doesn''t make the changes that many fans are now starting to ask for after a team from this very poor league has finally put the skids under us then more and more will start to question whther he is really as talented a manager as we have all given him credit for.Win, lose or draw... you always look to see if you can improve things....It has been blatantly obvious to many over the last few weeks that we have better players on the bench than certain players in the team who are getting picked week in week out![/quote]hahahahahahahahahyou really are a tool Smudger!!!! The players who have been picked week in week out have got us from bottom of the league, almost, to top of the league and 2 points clear!!!!!!!!You havent got a flippin clue about football Smudge, you really should start watching Crown Green Bowls or something....

[Mello Yello 2,282]

[quote user="Barclayman"][quote user="Smudger"][quote user="NorwichRat"][quote user="Smudger"]Were you there Sad Old?

Were you at Hartlepool last week?  Were you at Walsall?

This defeat has been coming for a long time because Lambert has not changed the disaster waiting to happen NELSON & DOHERTY.  He also keeps taking Korey Smith off for Simon Lappin and obviously we have really missed Grant Holt.

He needs to change this menatality of no changes to be made when we are winning games to some extent, because the clued up todays result had been coming for the last few games and could of been prvented if the right changes were made to the team.

Quite simply we are continuing to play 3 players week in week out at the moment who are not good enough... Lappin, Nelson and Doherty.
[/quote] You must be joking smudger.... Sorry ment to say you are a joke. One loss and your back on this board with your foul tounge.[/quote]

While the percy positives like you can''t find fault in things and so can''t improve things.

If Lambert doesn''t make the changes that many fans are now starting to ask for after a team from this very poor league has finally put the skids under us then more and more will start to question whther he is really as talented a manager as we have all given him credit for.

Win, lose or draw... you always look to see if you can improve things....

It has been blatantly obvious to many over the last few weeks that we have better players on the bench than certain players in the team who are getting picked week in week out!
[/quote]

hahahahahahahahah

you really are a tool Smudger!!!! The players who have been picked week in week out have got us from bottom of the league, almost, to top of the league and 2 points clear!!!!!!!!

You havent got a flippin clue about football Smudge, you really should start watching Crown Green Bowls or something....
[/quote]

Why aren''t you manager then?

[Matt Morriss 69]

Smith, Russell and Lappin have been instrumental to our turnaround. They may have an off day now and then but for the most part have been superb, and its the perfect midfield combo.If you were to actually have a conversation with Lambert or Culverhouse they will tell you the reason were top is the diamond tactics and the 4 involved, Korey, Rusty, Lapps and Wes. They make it work, they make us tick and were top due to it and them. We have something the other teams dont, the diamond tactic, the players to play it and the front 3 to compliment it.

[Mello Yello 2,282]

[quote user="Zachariah Lovespoon"]yes well done, now read on for the evidence that this was deliberate billy binner, or is your brain tired?[/quote]

Ralphy....is that you?

[Matt Morriss 69]

[quote user="Notts Canary"]I''m afriad that Smudger is 100% right, the writing was on the wall for this game, we''d come up against two very average sides and struggled, lucky to win both in fact and yet we came into this game with almost the same team and tactics, it was doomed from the start. We were missing two very key players as well, which is why I wouldn''t fully blame Labert for the defeat, I just think that it was naive to think that we could roll out the same tactics with them missing. I''m not condeming Lambert as a bad manager, I just hope he learns from yesterday as in my opinion he made mistakes. It will be interesting to see the response next week at Brighton, I think we will win, but the bigger question is will we win convincingly or will it be another struggling lucky win.[/quote]Wrong wrong wrong. You seem to overlook one very large, very key factor in this. What other option did Lambert have? We dont have a ready made replacement for Holt. We tried Johnson, and it was Cody who ended up grabbing the goals. Lambert had very little alternatives so the best bet was simply stick as much as possible with what got us to where we are.To those blaming Lambert for not changing things. WHAT WAS HE SUPPOSED TO DO AND YOU TELL ME WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE!!!

[Matt Morriss 69]

Incidentally Lambert did change things and brought on Macca and Oli, and i think even put Doc up front at one stage. Lambert did all he could WITH THE RESOURCES HE HAD.

[Trent Canary 0]

Id bring in Whitbread for Nelson, and Holt for Cody, but thats about it. I think its fine to make a change if it improves the team, but obviously sweeping changes are only going to hurt our confidence and our system. (Although some people such as Shyster dont seem to believe in our diamond system, even though its taken us to top of the league.) Although we dont appear to have a plan B, its probably because we havent needed a plan B very often this season. Ive got faith that Lambert has these things taken care of. At the end of the day Lambo has to pick the team he thinks will win us the match. If that means sticking with the same team each week, or playing 11 players from the academy then so be it. Thats why hes paid to make these tough decisions, and we''re not paid to sit here moaning and second-guessing them with the benefit of hindsight. Not that it will stop us [Y]

[Ginja 26]

[quote user="Barclayman"]Wrong wrong wrong. You seem to overlook one very large, very key factor in this. What other option did Lambert have? We dont have a ready made replacement for Holt. We tried Johnson, and it was Cody who ended up grabbing the goals. Lambert had very little alternatives so the best bet was simply stick as much as possible with what got us to where we are.To those blaming Lambert for not changing things. WHAT WAS HE SUPPOSED TO DO AND YOU TELL ME WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE!!![/quote]We have a pretty large squad so I think it''s nonsense to suggest that he didn''t have options, and there are other formations than the 442 diamond...I never said I had the answer to the problem,  I merely said that going with the same tactics of the last two games was suicide and that change would be needed to have a chance of not losing the game. That''s not to say that this would have definatly won the game I just think there were better options than playing a formation that has been recently ineffective with key players missing. It matters not that it got us to the top all that matters is what will win us the next game and just because it kept us undefeated in 16 games does not guarentee it will keep us undefeated in the next.[quote user="Barclayman"]Incidentally Lambert did change things and

brought on Macca and Oli, and i think even put Doc up front at one

stage. Lambert did all he could WITH THE RESOURCES HE HAD.[/quote]Changes that were too little, too late.

[corbs 0]

At some juncture yesterday someone behind me shouted ''Doherty and Nelson''...''you are useless c----s. I read on here that it is obvious that Nelson is not good enough and that we may have to settle for another ''struggling'' win next sat. If it is not the percy positives it is the nancy negatives! For my part I would be happy to carry on with these struggling wins. Also, happy to carry on with Nelson (although I prefer Askou mayself) as he has been successful with the Doc . Millwall were the better side, and they are strong at home. Personally I think Lambert is still learning his trade but his decisions have been right so far, and I like the way he picks the team on merit, so carry on ''as you were'' for me. We are not top because we outclass the rest, but because we have been a decent unit for most of the season.

[Matt Morriss 69]

[quote user="Notts Canary"][quote user="Barclayman"]Wrong wrong wrong. You seem to overlook one very large, very key factor in this. What other option did Lambert have? We dont have a ready made replacement for Holt. We tried Johnson, and it was Cody who ended up grabbing the goals. Lambert had very little alternatives so the best bet was simply stick as much as possible with what got us to where we are.To those blaming Lambert for not changing things. WHAT WAS HE SUPPOSED TO DO AND YOU TELL ME WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE!!![/quote]We have a pretty large squad so I think it''s nonsense to suggest that he didn''t have options, and there are other formations than the 442 diamond...I never said I had the answer to the problem,  I merely said that going with the same tactics of the last two games was suicide and that change would be needed to have a chance of not losing the game. That''s not to say that this would have definatly won the game I just think there were better options than playing a formation that has been recently ineffective with key players missing. It matters not that it got us to the top all that matters is what will win us the next game and just because it kept us undefeated in 16 games does not guarentee it will keep us undefeated in the next.[quote user="Barclayman"]Incidentally Lambert did change things and

brought on Macca and Oli, and i think even put Doc up front at one

stage. Lambert did all he could WITH THE RESOURCES HE HAD.[/quote]Changes that were too little, too late. [/quote]But the point is it wasnt ineffective was it? We beat Walsall and we beat Hartlepool. And what other choice do we have? we may have a big squad, but really what could have been done? You dont just change things for the sake of it. We continued to win without Holt, so its safer to stick with had previously worked than just switch everything around and put square pegs in rounds holes.Im really getting tired of people saying, after the fact, that we should have made changes. To those that are, please tell me what changes could we possibly make?

[grantroederdisaster 0]

[quote user="Smudger"]Were you there Sad Old?

Were you at Hartlepool last week?  Were you at Walsall?

This defeat has been coming for a long time because Lambert has not changed the disaster waiting to happen NELSON & DOHERTY.  He also keeps taking Korey Smith off for Simon Lappin and obviously we have really missed Grant Holt.

He needs to change this menatality of no changes to be made when we are winning games to some extent, because the clued up todays result had been coming for the last few games and could of been prvented if the right changes were made to the team.

Quite simply we are continuing to play 3 players week in week out at the moment who are not good enough... Lappin, Nelson and Doherty.
[/quote]

 

You are full of sh*te Smudger full stop!

 

If I ran this site I''d ban the bulls*iters!

 

Bollo*ks to democracy where numnuts like Smudger are concerned!

[Shyster 0]

[quote user="Trent Canary"]Id bring in Whitbread for Nelson, and Holt for Cody, but thats about it. I think its fine to make a change if it improves the team, but obviously sweeping changes are only going to hurt our confidence and our system. (Although some people such as Shyster dont seem to believe in our diamond system, even though its taken us to top of the league.) Although we dont appear to have a plan B, its probably because we havent needed a plan B very often this season. Ive got faith that Lambert has these things taken care of. At the end of the day Lambo has to pick the team he thinks will win us the match. If that means sticking with the same team each week, or playing 11 players from the academy then so be it. Thats why hes paid to make these tough decisions, and we''re not paid to sit here moaning and second-guessing them with the benefit of hindsight. Not that it will stop us [Y][/quote]

Of course I believe in the diamond, Trent, but as I''ve clearly stated all season a Plan B would be needed for the second half of the season, and the last few performances culminating in yesterdays defeat prove we''re lacking options.If the substitutions deployed yesterday and sticking Doherty up front are what Lambert has left himself as choices then we''re seriously looking at losing points -- it''s a risky business relying on Holt''s return and any other of the key players whilst there remains a lack of options.When all three substitutions had been made yesterday there was no one to pick up Millwall''s nippy left-back and they could easily have ran out victors by 3 or 4 goals by the full 90.

[smooth 114]

Now I have mentioned earlier you are judged on the whole season but also both each and every game with a win, loss or draw... but also how you do it

which is showing good tacticians, coaching and application... each week this will change... you are playing different teams with different strengths... therefore you need to adapt and that goes for when you have players missing

Other sports and football have managers nad teams who will changes to personnel for certain games

You should not shy away from it, this is a professional game, these coaches and players... do train on the pitch I hope for each individual team... as mentioned the proof will be in our points tally this second half of the season when we are playing for the second time the same team

As mentioned any coach would have got the dvd of our recent games when holt was out and say to millwall this is how you can beat Norwich

The diamond make it narrow and guess what they did... they had all the space in the world

to judge the millwall game we played badly and got a loss

to judge the two before we played badly and lost... as I have mentioned that is ok but you have to nip this in the bud soon... as this can become an epidemic through the squad... psychologically and when trying to apply the tactics

I do think Lambert is unfortunate we need a second big striker that is clear if holt is out... I would have happily changed at the latest half time to a 4-4-2 yesterday, chip the ball over the top of the millwall back four. Our midfield diamond was basically camped around the centre circle, it didn''t work and we carried on playing it till desperation came in... we needed to bring on hughes into the midfield for hoolahan

how many of ous remember the siants game last season, they were 2-0 down at half time, there manager saw the problems changed the tactics and personnel and they handled us and got a 2-2

It is one result and it has been coming after an amazing run... but it has shown our reliance on holt and the lack of plan b

[hogman 0]

one defeat in 4 months and oh no we are doomed what a bunch of prats keep slagging the team off every team have off days ask mancini yesturday if and i dout many who slag the players off ever played thereselves they would no that thats football any way what does lambert no 2 months on the trot manager of the month top of the league some on here are just boring negitive people if we win the league by ten points they would moan it could have been 15 if doc would have done his job better otbc

[Shyster 0]

[quote user="hogman"]one defeat in 4 months and oh no we are doomed what a bunch of prats keep slagging the team off every team have off days ask mancini yesturday if and i dout many who slag the players off ever played thereselves they would no that thats football any way what does lambert no 2 months on the trot manager of the month top of the league some on here are just boring negitive people if we win the league by ten points they would moan it could have been 15 if doc would have done his job better otbc[/quote]

It''s not slagging the team off, it''s constructive criticism you ignorant oik. What exactly is negative in suggesting we need a Plan B or options to change formation?Nay, negative is the dullard who would condemn the brighter among us for our points of view.Go boil your head, Mr Negativity.

[Trent Canary 0]

[quote user="Shyster"][quote user="Trent Canary"]Id bring in Whitbread for Nelson, and Holt for Cody, but thats about it. I think its fine to make a change if it improves the team, but obviously sweeping changes are only going to hurt our confidence and our system. (Although some people such as Shyster dont seem to believe in our diamond system, even though its taken us to top of the league.) Although we dont appear to have a plan B, its probably because we havent needed a plan B very often this season. Ive got faith that Lambert has these things taken care of. At the end of the day Lambo has to pick the team he thinks will win us the match. If that means sticking with the same team each week, or playing 11 players from the academy then so be it. Thats why hes paid to make these tough decisions, and we''re not paid to sit here moaning and second-guessing them with the benefit of hindsight. Not that it will stop us [Y][/quote]

Of course I believe in the diamond, Trent, but as I''ve clearly stated all season a Plan B would be needed for the second half of the season, and the last few performances culminating in yesterdays defeat prove we''re lacking options.If the substitutions deployed yesterday and sticking Doherty up front are what Lambert has left himself as choices then we''re seriously looking at losing points -- it''s a risky business relying on Holt''s return and any other of the key players whilst there remains a lack of options.When all three substitutions had been made yesterday there was no one to pick up Millwall''s nippy left-back and they could easily have ran out victors by 3 or 4 goals by the full 90.[/quote]Thanks for the clarification Shyste. I agree with what you say. I havent watched enough games to really comment, but it does appear that teams are starting to work out how to play against us. Not sure quite what a plan B would consist of, I dont think you can drop any of the front three, but Hoolahan on the left wing didnt look convincing last season. It would be great to see what McNamee can offer, but its gonna take a brave call for how to fit him in. Also we really lack a specialist right winger. For now Id like to think Holt coming back, combined with a run of relatively easy fixtures should get us back on track. But as for a plan B, who knows... Thats why Lamberts the boss, and thats why Roeder missed my spell as England manager [:)]

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

As I suggested in a seperate thread we could have treated this game as a one off, mixed it up and rested key players. We didn''t.

Now, with Holt back we should keep the diamond and it is quite possible for us to use this as a launchpad for five winnable games.

If we can do this we will be nearly there. But, how much better a chance might we have had to do so with rejuvenated key players?

I have to admit, Smudger and I are not a million miles apart on this one. I just said so before the game.

[Smudger 0]

[quote user="Houston Canary"]Based on what I have been able to read about the last few games, most commenters agree that we were at least somewhat lucky to gain points in them. OK, we''ve been shat on by the soccer gods for years and it''s our turn to get some of the breaks, but it does seem reasonable to make changes when victories are not well earned.

However, the one glaringly obvious need seems to be the return of Holt. Not only does he score regularly, he appears to do a lot more than that with his ball handling and general disruption he causes opposing defenses.

Ergo, RuPhuck, the judging of this team on this forum seems not to be based on just today but on the less-than-stellar performances we have been getting since Holt was red carded. Hopefully he will be chomping at the bit and in top form next Saturday so the teams confidence will be back where it should be for a 1st place team, and the team won''t be under so much pressure from opponents trying to take advantage of his absence.

Hopefully![/quote]Also Wycombe away Houston... [;)]

[Smudger 0]

[quote user="porkyp"]One defeat in the last sixteen games, and here you all are condemning the manager, players and everything else you can......all of you taking smudger''s bait are total morons, and as for him, he just isn''t worth bothering about.....call yourself supporters, GET F''IN REAL.[/quote]You keep applauding bad p0erformances and defeats.Unless we bring in two new central defenders and bring somebody in for Lappin we are always going to struggle against most opposition with any quality about them whatsoever.Fortunately we are playing in a league where half of the players are glorified pub footballers at the minute (a few in our squad who through injuries have found their way in to the managers first team plans included).

[Smudger 0]

[quote user="smooth"]I don''t understand how some fans cannot take constructive criticism... we have been poor since holt left and luckily won 6 points

we have not performed well and yesterday proved that game plan b does not work... our diamond yesterday was ineffective... we have said that it is hard to accomodate hoolahan when that system isn''t working

I think Lambert has actually kept that system going for too long in the last two games... I was hoping that there would have been an improvement in our performance yesterday, rising to millwall, but apart from the two martins we struggled throughout as they had space and time, where as we were rushed

heads went down after the second goal and we only had two shots all game

of course holt replaces cody (and he proved he is only a bench warmer) there may be whiitbread coming in... but we do need to look at how we can change our system when the diamond is not working... and very few of this personnel are guaranteed a first team place next season if we go up we can improve pretty much every position so these players need to step up after three poor performances

yes we won two of them but we have not played well and these habits and psychology can be hard to shift... we need a great performance on saturday, yesterday we didn''t deserve anything and I think you can judge us on every game and how we have applied our strategy and of course judge us over the season... but in professional sport we can be judged on every performance as the brighton coach I owuld take the video of the millwall and hartlepool game and say this is how you beat Norwich... It is very clear

so our players need to step up and we need to work on a positive game plan b, it can''t be shoving the doc upfront... cody was very ineffective and I have said that his contract ends summer 2011 if he doesn''t prove himself this and next season, he will be released. We will have three more transfer windows and from now on we are looking to buy starters and our current first 11 will be given a challenge to retain their place or be sqaud players[/quote]Of course that is the way it should work.  You buy somebody to replace the weaker players in your team and they then drop down to the bench while those on the bench drop further down the pecking order and are eventually sold.I hope that you have your tin hat on though, because many on here seem to believe that Lappin brought Whitbread and McNamee to warm the bench while they watch inferior players take to the pitch infront of them each and every week? [:S]

[Smudger 0]

[quote user="Notts Canary"]I''m afriad that Smudger is 100% right, the writing was on the wall for this game, we''d come up against two very average sides and struggled, lucky to win both in fact and yet we came into this game with almost the same team and tactics, it was doomed from the start. We were missing two very key players as well, which is why I wouldn''t fully blame Labert for the defeat, I just think that it was naive to think that we could roll out the same tactics with them missing. I''m not condeming Lambert as a bad manager, I just hope he learns from yesterday as in my opinion he made mistakes. It will be interesting to see the response next week at Brighton, I think we will win, but the bigger question is will we win convincingly or will it be another struggling lucky win.[/quote][Y]

[Lambo 0]

We were due a loss IMO. In some ways it was needed, give Lambert the oppourtunity to freshen the side up a bit, Hughes & Whitbred in for Nelson & one of Lappin/Korey, Holt back.

Aslong as we bounce back next weekend we''ll be fine.

[Smudger 0]

[quote user="Barclayman"][quote user="Notts Canary"]I''m afriad that Smudger is 100% right, the writing was on the wall for this game, we''d come up against two very average sides and struggled, lucky to win both in fact and yet we came into this game with almost the same team and tactics, it was doomed from the start. We were missing two very key players as well, which is why I wouldn''t fully blame Labert for the defeat, I just think that it was naive to think that we could roll out the same tactics with them missing. I''m not condeming Lambert as a bad manager, I just hope he learns from yesterday as in my opinion he made mistakes. It will be interesting to see the response next week at Brighton, I think we will win, but the bigger question is will we win convincingly or will it be another struggling lucky win.[/quote]Wrong wrong wrong. You seem to overlook one very large, very key factor in this. What other option did Lambert have? We dont have a ready made replacement for Holt. We tried Johnson, and it was Cody who ended up grabbing the goals. Lambert had very little alternatives so the best bet was simply stick as much as possible with what got us to where we are.To those blaming Lambert for not changing things. WHAT WAS HE SUPPOSED TO DO AND YOU TELL ME WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE!!![/quote]Ready made replacement for Holt... Lee Barnard (mistake number one).Mistake number two... those of us without blinkers and surely Lambert can see it too,,, Whitbread is 10 times the player that either Doherty or Nelson are and yet he has been left on the bench as we have had a winning side.  You don''t keep playing a winning side when you have been playing poorly for the last few weeks just because you are winning games in a very poor league.Mistake number 3... Simon Lappin... who has been playing poorly, giving the ball away, never winning his tackles and whinging at his team mates for weeks on end now.  You need to play 3 strong ball winners in a team playing the Diamond system or alternatively somebody with more pace and creativity than Lappin.You don''t leave stronger players than what you have in the starting 11 on the bench when you have played poorly for the last few weeks.

[Smudger 0]

[quote user="Lambo"]

We were due a loss IMO. In some ways it was needed, give Lambert the oppourtunity to freshen the side up a bit, Hughes & Whitbred in for Nelson & one of Lappin/Korey, Holt back.

Aslong as we bounce back next weekend we''ll be fine.

[/quote]I agree with Whitbread in for Nelson, but...Mistake number 4... leaving Lappin off and taking Korey off in recent weeks.... another major reason why our midfield has been over run.The work that Korey puts in as opposed to Lappin is incomparable.  We need players like Korey on the pitch if we are playing the Diamond system.

[nutty nigel 7,513]

[quote user="Smudger"]

I hope that you have your tin hat on though, because many on here seem to believe that Lappin brought Whitbread and McNamee to warm the bench while they watch inferior players take to the pitch infront of them each and every week? [:S]
[/quote]

I assume you mean Lambert Smudge, unless you''re suggesting that Lapps, either of them, are responsible for the tranfers into Carrow Road[;)]

But seriously, this is the point that sets Lambert apart for me. He manages all the players at the club and gets the best out of each and every one of them. So many managers play "their own players" in front of those they inherited regardless of form. So the players he brought have had to wait for a chance to stake a claim rather than an automatic right. This I believe was right because we were in the middle of a run that has taken us to the top of the league. Now that run is over and there''s a chance that McNamee and Whitbread could play the next game. There''s also a chance that some of the others who have been waiting, like Hughes, could play too.

But I certainly wouldn''t drop Hoolahan. He has a great understanding with Grant Holt. With Holt missing the opposition have been more able to snuff out Wes more easily. The chance to re-unite the three players who have scored nearly 60 goals should be a no brainer surely?

 

[Smudger 0]

[quote user="Barclayman"]Incidentally Lambert did change things and brought on Macca and Oli, and i think even put Doc up front at one stage. Lambert did all he could WITH THE RESOURCES HE HAD.[/quote]The Doc upfront hahahaha! [:$]

[Smudger 0]

[quote user="Notts Canary"][quote user="Barclayman"]Wrong wrong wrong. You seem to overlook one very large, very key factor in this. What other option did Lambert have? We dont have a ready made replacement for Holt. We tried Johnson, and it was Cody who ended up grabbing the goals. Lambert had very little alternatives so the best bet was simply stick as much as possible with what got us to where we are.To those blaming Lambert for not changing things. WHAT WAS HE SUPPOSED TO DO AND YOU TELL ME WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE!!![/quote]We have a pretty large squad so I think it''s nonsense to suggest that he didn''t have options, and there are other formations than the 442 diamond...I never said I had the answer to the problem,  I merely said that going with the same tactics of the last two games was suicide and that change would be needed to have a chance of not losing the game. That''s not to say that this would have definatly won the game I just think there were better options than playing a formation that has been recently ineffective with key players missing. It matters not that it got us to the top all that matters is what will win us the next game and just because it kept us undefeated in 16 games does not guarentee it will keep us undefeated in the next.[quote user="Barclayman"]Incidentally Lambert did change things and

brought on Macca and Oli, and i think even put Doc up front at one

stage. Lambert did all he could WITH THE RESOURCES HE HAD.[/quote]Changes that were too little, too late. [/quote]Too much sense for many on here I think! [;)]

[Beauseant 0]

[quote user="Smudger"][quote user="Barclayman"][quote user="Notts Canary"]I''m afriad that Smudger is 100% right, the writing was on the wall for this game, we''d come up against two very average sides and struggled, lucky to win both in fact and yet we came into this game with almost the same team and tactics, it was doomed from the start. We were missing two very key players as well, which is why I wouldn''t fully blame Labert for the defeat, I just think that it was naive to think that we could roll out the same tactics with them missing. I''m not condeming Lambert as a bad manager, I just hope he learns from yesterday as in my opinion he made mistakes. It will be interesting to see the response next week at Brighton, I think we will win, but the bigger question is will we win convincingly or will it be another struggling lucky win.
[/quote]

Wrong wrong wrong.

You seem to overlook one very large, very key factor in this. What other option did Lambert have? We dont have a ready made replacement for Holt. We tried Johnson, and it was Cody who ended up grabbing the goals. Lambert had very little alternatives so the best bet was simply stick as much as possible with what got us to where we are.

To those blaming Lambert for not changing things. WHAT WAS HE SUPPOSED TO DO AND YOU TELL ME WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE!!!
[/quote]

Ready made replacement for Holt... Lee Barnard (mistake number one).

Mistake number two... those of us without blinkers and surely Lambert can see it too,,, Whitbread is 10 times the player that either Doherty or Nelson are and yet he has been left on the bench as we have had a winning side.  You don''t keep playing a winning side when you have been playing poorly for the last few weeks just because you are winning games in a very poor league.

Mistake number 3... Simon Lappin... who has been playing poorly, giving the ball away, never winning his tackles and whinging at his team mates for weeks on end now.  You need to play 3 strong ball winners in a team playing the Diamond system or alternatively somebody with more pace and creativity than Lappin.

You don''t leave stronger players than what you have in the starting 11 on the bench when you have played poorly for the last few weeks.
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Absolutely spot on! We have been found out to some extent with Holt out, and have worryingly conceded large amounts of possession. The argument about not changing a winning team is a strong one, but we have been riding our luck more and more since the Christmas period, ie even before Holt''s rush of blood. As Smudger says, we''ve got away with things largely due to the poor quality of the opposition, and yesterday''s defeat has been on the cards.

Given our lack of money I don''t believe that Lambert would have signed the likes of MacNamee and Whitbread simply as squad players and surely the latter at least will figure soon. If you have better options you must use them. Lappin also has flattered to deceive at times, although he has also had some good spells. Over excessive goal celebrations and constantly being in the ref''s face do not make up for poor delivery, lack of pace and awful shooting, however.

[Smudger 0]

[quote user="smooth"]Now I have mentioned earlier you are judged on the whole season but also both each and every game with a win, loss or draw... but also how you do it

which is showing good tacticians, coaching and application... each week this will change... you are playing different teams with different strengths... therefore you need to adapt and that goes for when you have players missing

Other sports and football have managers nad teams who will changes to personnel for certain games

You should not shy away from it, this is a professional game, these coaches and players... do train on the pitch I hope for each individual team... as mentioned the proof will be in our points tally this second half of the season when we are playing for the second time the same team

As mentioned any coach would have got the dvd of our recent games when holt was out and say to millwall this is how you can beat Norwich

The diamond make it narrow and guess what they did... they had all the space in the world

to judge the millwall game we played badly and got a loss

to judge the two before we played badly and lost... as I have mentioned that is ok but you have to nip this in the bud soon... as this can become an epidemic through the squad... psychologically and when trying to apply the tactics

I do think Lambert is unfortunate we need a second big striker that is clear if holt is out... I would have happily changed at the latest half time to a 4-4-2 yesterday, chip the ball over the top of the millwall back four. Our midfield diamond was basically camped around the centre circle, it didn''t work and we carried on playing it till desperation came in... we needed to bring on hughes into the midfield for hoolahan

how many of ous remember the siants game last season, they were 2-0 down at half time, there manager saw the problems changed the tactics and personnel and they handled us and got a 2-2

It is one result and it has been coming after an amazing run... but it has shown our reliance on holt and the lack of plan b[/quote]Is Lambert afraid to drop the likes of Lappin, Nelson and Doherty for what the clueless would say if it went wrong do you think?I am sure that we need to change these 3 individuals in order to be putting out our strongest starting 11.  That is the only negative of the fantastic run that we have been on.  I still have doubts over whether Lambert has really discovered his best 11 yet.As for the target man, I said it at the time and still believe it... we missed out on a great capture by allowing Barnard to move to the Saints without so much as putting an offer in from what we can gather!