Today

[Ivan Easter 0]

Although we played extremely well we still need that extra Ummph eg. finishing. We did great against a good side and could have won as they gave away several chances.We need to definitely strengthen the squad in the January window and then we will be ok.Well done lads!!!!!

[Fromage Frais 14]

Too many mistakes and poor finishing made the game closer than it should have been.

On another day against any team that many mistakes would have led to a hiding.

I agree we need some quality in january especially in the middle of the team.

[splutcho 196]

To be honest I thought we were poor compared to how I know we can play. They should have put more past us.

[Raedwald 0]

Sorry guys but withh the fixtures we have coming up, unless we improve the defending drastically we will be in the bottom three by Christmas.

[Herman 11,136]

Agree with the last 3 posts.Thought we were average today.Save for some luck,and some last minute stops,we should have been thrashed.Sloppy passing and defending really doesn''t help.Got to do QPR next week!

[norfolkbroadslim 225]

I can''t put my finger on it, but there just seems to be something missing recently?[:^)] 

 

Almost like the spark has gone, or is going, but I would never expect this from a Lambert side. 

[Bomber 57]

[quote user="Eggy"]Although we played extremely well we still need that extra Ummph eg. finishing. We did great against a good side and could have won as they gave away several chances.We need to definitely strengthen the squad in the January window and then we will be ok.Well done lads!!!!![/quote]

Were you watching the same game as me - what do you mean we could have won as they gave away several chances - we should have been 4 down in the first 15 minutes and should have lost by a lot more than 1 goal - definately need strengthening otherwise a struggle from Jan onwards is on the cards

[Bomber 57]

[quote user="Eggy"]Although we played extremely well we still need that extra Ummph eg. finishing. We did great against a good side and could have won as they gave away several chances.We need to definitely strengthen the squad in the January window and then we will be ok.Well done lads!!!!![/quote]

Were you watching the same game as me - what do you mean we could have won as they gave away several chances - we should have been 4 down in the first 15 minutes and should have lost by a lot more than 1 goal - definately need strengthening otherwise a struggle from Jan onwards is on the cards

[whoareyou? 0]

We need to stop giving the ball away in the middle of the pitch. We do it far to often.I think one of Whitbread or Ayala needs to come back ASAP as well to replace Martin. We don''t look like a defensive unit at all at times. I''d also be tempted to give de Laet a game at RB. Isn''t RB his position?Positives were Morison again and i thought Crofts had a decent game. Ruddy looked more confident as well and made some decent stops.Pilkington was very poor.

[rock bus 1,059]

what concerns me is we seem to have lost faith and confidence in what is our best team and even formation. defence is just patched up with both barnett and martin. midfield we dont know which players (fox or crofts) and what system

up front morrison is doing enough but can we get holt in same team

as for hoolihan - its the same old question. i know he is great but im not convinced he still so good we can build the rest of the team and formation around him

lambert needs to do some work and make some tough decisions to keep us in a good place going into next year

[Thecanaryfan 0]

Hate to say it, but we were shocking today. We had no flare going forward (not once did we sucessfully take on the Arsenal defence), marking was none existant, we constantly gave the ball away under minimal pressure. Holt was constantly diving like a bloody cheat.Pilkington was shocking, bar one good cross. Fox went AWOL. The worst of the bunch was Morison. His first touch on the ball was constantly poor. Its incredible we only lost by the one goal. Our only positive was Ruddy.

Very dissapointing considering the performances of late.

 

[Gingerpele 0]

I hope your being sarcastic Thecanaryfan.

[komakino 282]

As a team, we seem confused. It''s almost like we need to start again and I have to say for the first time that Hoolahan isn''t doing enough to justify automatic selection - to see our players get out wide and have nobody to cross to is depressing.

Defence is a major concern and if we don''t improve in that department, we will be relegated.

[Thecanaryfan 0]

[quote user="Gingerpele"]I hope your being sarcastic Thecanaryfan.[/quote]

Why would I be sarcastic? We were terrible today. We couldnt reproduce what weve been doing at ease so far this season, the basics.

[smooth 114]

We lost 2-1 against a team that anything against them was a bonus.

It could have been more, we knew that our defence was going to be tested by pace, agbonlahor and bent last game and now arsenal have done it to us again.

Yes our midfield was a little missing in the first half but in the 2nd half not so much. Morison again somehow makes chances for himself, great goal the improvised chip was good with the sun where it was. If Pilky had scored on the ball across from benno we could have pinched a point.

But now we can move to next Saturdays game, which is a big game.

Yes I still think we don''t quite know our best side or how to accomodate certain players. But we need some stability now for the game against qpr, I also think we are limited with how much we can change.

One thing is for sure we probably had our most defensive midfielders on the pitch in the three man midfield but we didn''t look any more secure. Against QPR we won''t need to be so defensive.

Game is over, yes not ideal today but we lost by only one goal, bigger game is next Saturday and a win is very muchwanted and needed.

[Thirsty Lizard 3,215]

Right - which is it? Have I entered some strange parallel universe or is this the longest run of sarcastic posts ever on this board?

We didn''t deserve to win today, but we didn''t disgrace ourselves. We lost to ARSENAL. You know, a fantastic team who are on a brilliant run of form at the moment and who have the best striker in the Premier League on current form.

One poster has even suggested that Russel Martin should be dropped!!!! Just after he has given a fantastic display!!

Please God give me strength. The sane people on here have always said that if we finish 17th it will be a fantastic achievement - yet lose a couple of games against top sides and it''s all doom and gloom. AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...

[rock bus 1,059]

im certainly not saying today was a bad result and agree we could all be over criticising BUT there is no doubt that some work still needs to be done

its not all doom and gloom but reality is that we have a team built on courage and desire, a loss of confidence following a run of defeats could seriously affect this

suggesting changes and need for improvement doesnt mean i dont still have faith in lambert and the team

[Thecanaryfan 0]

I though Arsenal were poor today, sadly we were poorer.

[Thecanaryfan 0]

[quote user="Thirsty Lizard"]Right - which is it? Have I entered some strange parallel universe or is this the longest run of sarcastic posts ever on this board? We didn''t deserve to win today, but we didn''t disgrace ourselves. We lost to ARSENAL. You know, a fantastic team who are on a brilliant run of form at the moment and who have the best striker in the Premier League on current form. One poster has even suggested that Russel Martin should be dropped!!!! Just after he has given a fantastic display!! Please God give me strength. The sane people on here have always said that if we finish 17th it will be a fantastic achievement - yet lose a couple of games against top sides and it''s all doom and gloom. AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...[/quote]

A few of us have simply highlighted what was a poor display, nothing more, nothing less.

[smooth 114]

I think we can judge the individuals in our team better when we are playing qpr. That game means something.

I do think we need a leader on the pitch, who is vocal and commands respect. Lambert has said no centre backs will be required and so we move on from that, but it will be interesting to see what happens when our centre backs are all fit.

We are learning and I like the measured responses from Lambert, but as I said conviction and concentration is the key in this division. Being able to pick the right pass, weight it, when to just play it out and how to strike at goal.

Pleased that this game is done with, hasn''t really shown us anything that we didn''t know we are short of, so that is good. But now we need a good week uilding up for qpr and we need to get at them straight away. Confidence to go for goal early and get shots on target early.

The hyper criticism I will make of hoolahan, which I have already mentioned previously is that he doesn''t have enough end product, goals, shots, goal scoring assists. I just feel we need that from him, if he isn''t producing it then I am happy for us to revert to a 4-4-2. I think that is possible for qpr with Holt or Jackson coming in.

After today I would like to see Jackson, I am not one of his biggest fans, but I can see some pace upfront is needed and today I liked the way that when he got the ball he took it forward and took on a shot. Happy to maybe see Pilky and EB thread some balls through for him to run onto and provide for Morison in the box.

[Shyster 0]

[quote user="Thirsty Lizard"]Right - which is it? Have I entered some strange parallel universe or is this the longest run of sarcastic posts ever on this board?

We didn''t deserve to win today, but we didn''t disgrace ourselves. We lost to ARSENAL. You know, a fantastic team who are on a brilliant run of form at the moment and who have the best striker in the Premier League on current form.

One poster has even suggested that Russel Martin should be dropped!!!! Just after he has given a fantastic display!!

Please God give me strength. The sane people on here have always said that if we finish 17th it will be a fantastic achievement - yet lose a couple of games against top sides and it''s all doom and gloom. AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...[/quote]

Well, I regard myself as pretty sane and would still be satisfied with 17th come the end of the season, but a scraped point at home out of a possible nine with eight goals conceded in three games IS relegation form.

[Raedwald 0]

[quote user="smooth"]We lost 2-1 against a team that anything against them was a bonus.

It could have been more, we knew that our defence was going to be tested by pace, agbonlahor and bent last game and now arsenal have done it to us again.

Yes our midfield was a little missing in the first half but in the 2nd half not so much. Morison again somehow makes chances for himself, great goal the improvised chip was good with the sun where it was. If Pilky had scored on the ball across from benno we could have pinched a point.

But now we can move to next Saturdays game, which is a big game.

Yes I still think we don''t quite know our best side or how to accomodate certain players. But we need some stability now for the game against qpr, I also think we are limited with how much we can change.

One thing is for sure we probably had our most defensive midfielders on the pitch in the three man midfield but we didn''t look any more secure. Against QPR we won''t need to be so defensive.

Game is over, yes not ideal today but we lost by only one goal, bigger game is next Saturday and a win is very muchwanted and needed.[/quote]

Trouble is we were also made to look poor by Blackburn who''s strikers aren''t a patch on Villa''s or Arsenal''s. Call me a pessimist if you like but even next weeks game worries me, QPR are currently winning at Stoke which ix no easy place to go and win.

[yoda 0]

The scoreline was respectable but the performance wasn''t . We looked scared from the 1st min and gave the ball away far too many times.

[ricardo 8,034]

[quote user="norfolkbroadslim"]

I can''t put my finger on it, but there just seems to be something missing recently?[:^)] 

 

Almost like the spark has gone, or is going, but I would never expect this from a Lambert side. 

[/quote]If you could put your finger on about £100 million it might just give you the answer Slim.

[Thirsty Lizard 3,215]

Shyster -- 13 points from 12 games (that''s our record over the season so far) ISN''T relegation form!!

But hey - why pick a far more representative long term statistic when you can pick a relatively meaningless short term one to back up your argument?

[Pyro Pete 2,354]

2-1 looks a respectable against a Champions League side. But Lambert

should be concerned that his team are getting the basics wrong.Against Man Utd and Chelsea I thought we gave a good account of ourselves. Today I thought we were well below the standards Lambert has set.  Were it not for some amazing last ditch blocks from Martin and Ruddy, it could have been a humiliation.A lot of nervous players out there in there in the first half.  Not something we''re used to seeing in a Lambert side that is taught to play without fear. The amount of tentative, under-hit passes was extraordinary.  Players moving like they were running through treacle. Routine passes going astray.

[Ivan Easter 0]

At the moment QPR are winning AGHHHHHHHHHH

[Jules 0]

Didn''t see today''s game but it does sound like we could have performed better. With the daunting fixtures ahead (Man C, Newcastle) next week''s game against QPR is another must win or we could find ourselves around the bottom 3 in 3 weeks time. QPR are getting results so it''s not going to be easy either.

[YellowBlood 0]

Sadly, I thought we were poor. Yes Arsenal are a good team but they''re far from an incredible team that some people are making out. If they were that good they would have kept a clean sheet and would have finished us off before half time.

Defensively we are not good enough, both goals today were handed to them on a plate and there were numerous other mistakes that should have resulted in goals. The marking and the ball retention was shocking and I lost count the amount of times we gave the ball away from defence. We need a commanding centre back ASAP. Good team spirit and 100% effort till the last mean nothing without the quality and we''ve been lacking it in the last three games. I''m sad to say it but I can''t see how we are going to get out of the bottom three at this stage.

The QPR game is massive but they''ve just beat Stoke and that''s one of the hardest places to go in the league. That game has just got tougher than it already was.

[YellowBlood 0]

*Finish outside the bottom three I meant to say.