Lambert's La-La-Land Since Leicester

[Katie Borkins 1]

Now then, let me begin first by saying I love Paul Lambert and if I was forty years younger and female I''d probably give him the freedom of my ladygarden.  However, he has started to worry me with some bizarre tactical and selection decisions ever since that FA Cup game against Leicester where the whole ground smelled distinctly of that old aftershave "Can''t Be Arsed."  Since that game we have been out-thought, out-fought and our selections have left us too narrow and easy to pass the ball around - and then today I thought we looked rather powder-puff in attack even when Newcastle were playing as if they were our twelfth man.

 

I suppose one positive is that as we slip down the league due to our tactical shortcomings, fewer clubs will be circling to take Paul Lambert away from us in the Summer but that is really at best a consolation prize - you fellow oldies might remember the Blankety Blank chequebook and pen, or the "Dusty Bin" replica that good old Ted Rogers used to offer up to losing contestants.  It would be a great shame if Paul Lambert carries on with his poor run of selections and tactics and costs the club more money in finishing positions.  It reminds me rather of when Ron Saunders became overly fond of his rigid 4-4-2 system, or Mike Walker becoming fixated on the 3-5-2.  It''s all well and good to have a favourite but it should not blind you to alternatives.  I would like to see us go back to a solid 4-5-1 which offers both width and the extra midfielder to stifle more creative sides, but either way the narrow diamond must now be packed off to bed and replaced with something less predictable and easy to counter.  His halo is still in place but it will start to slip soon if he remains dogmatic and reluctant to change what we can all see needs changing.

 

What say you?

[Mister Chops 7]

Hmm.  Perhaps we should look to appoint someone like Fabio Capello or Mick McCarthy as Director of Football to give Lambert a helping hand.

[JF 694]

Yeah I have posted a similar thing on another thread saying that I feel we lost the momentum we had built up prior to the Leicester game. We had won 6 in 8 in all comps ending with our best performance of the season against Swansea. Then along came the cup match and the attitude was all wrong from the top through to the players and the performances haven''t recovered to the levels they were since.

[Boyo 0]

I think some of the players probably thought we''re safe now and the season is over and Lambert is maybe rotating the squad to show them they''ve still got to fight in every single game.

 

This is our blip, its taken 29 games and we''re finally having one. Be patient. We''ll pull through.

[ROBFLECK 132]

God Boyo'' I hope your right...but sooner rather than later...please :)

[grantroederdisaster 0]

Since the Leicester debacle we''ve lost narrowly by single goals to Man U, Stoke away, and Newcastle away. It not like we''ve lost to a cr*p team.

 

The only real let down was Wigan last week when we should really have been beat but the fact we got a point when playing poorly is a sign of the teams spirit!

 

I agree we''re just the wrong side of the thin line but its hardly a crisis and 4-5 more points will see us over the line!

[Norfolk Mustard 94]

It’s a self-created blip!

Ever since our FA Cup exit (when I pointed out we’d lose momentum if we didn’t play a full strength squad) we seem to have lost our cutting edge. PL even suggesting it was an achievement to scrape a solitary home point against bottom-of-the league Wigan. Little surprise that type of reduced thinking has transmitted fairly quickly to the first team players – and I imagine the City boss knows full well that our expectations have been unusually low recently.

It seems an unusually long time since we successfully picked up the full 3 points – from a personal pride point-of-view I can’t see PL allowing that to continue against Wolves...

 

PS: The players recent jaunt to Spain doesn’t seem to be paying great dividends does it?

[JF 694]

Spot on Mustard. That''s exactly what I think has happened.

[Norfolk Mustard 94]

[quote user="JF"]Spot on Mustard. That''s exactly what I think has happened.[/quote]

Just read Jonny Howson''s comments (on the Pink Un site) following the Newcastle defeat; “There are no easy games in this league, from the short time that I have spent here I can see that, and today is no different. But in future if we can learn from the little mistakes we made, we can take that into the next game and we might be able to grind out a point.”

Blimey - I hope the new boy isn''t serious!

Expectations have always been high with PL - now we have a talented player telling the press he plans to grind out a home point with Wolves who have been losing heavily for fun lately. I''m a bit concerned to hear that - even more so as he uses the phrase ''might be able to'' (grind out a point). Hardly aspirational thinking is it?

[Graham Humphrey 13]

[quote user="JF"]Yeah I have posted a similar thing on another thread saying that I feel we lost the momentum we had built up prior to the Leicester game. We had won 6 in 8 in all comps ending with our best performance of the season against Swansea. Then along came the cup match and the attitude was all wrong from the top through to the players and the performances haven''t recovered to the levels they were since.[/quote]I agree with this, although we were excellent against Man Utd for most of the game the week after the Leicester match.  Momentum is something that takes a lot of effort to build up but can be lost very quickly and everything has felt a little bit flat since then.  On the other hand, though, it has been such a huge mental and physical effort to get the results we''ve got it could just as easily have caught up with them a bit (more likely a combination of both, perhaps) - but if you''re going to have a blip now''s the best time to do it.

[. 0]

Don''t you think that after three, hundred mile an hour years that it''s inevitable that they would run out of steam once safe?It''s a bummer for the fans who travel so far and give up so much to see City play.... but the season is over for the players really and it''s all about next year now.

[Beauseant 0]

Newcastle, with pretensions of Europe, won their first game in five yesterday. Presumably they''ve had some sort of crisis as well?

It would be amazing if, having rushed through two divisions and had a fantastic first premiership season we hadn''t had a lean spell somewhere. Thank god we''re having it when we''re safe, not before Christmas.We did enough to get something yesterday, but it didn''t happen. That''s football. If you want something to get in state about there''s a 23 year old fighting for his life in a London hospital. That''s more worthy of concern than City going a few games without a win.

[dpit 1]

[quote user="Beauseant"]

Newcastle, with pretensions of Europe, won their first game in five yesterday. Presumably they''ve had some sort of crisis as well?

It would be amazing if, having rushed through two divisions and had a fantastic first premiership season we hadn''t had a lean spell somewhere. Thank god we''re having it when we''re safe, not before Christmas.We did enough to get something yesterday, but it didn''t happen. That''s football. If you want something to get in state about there''s a 23 year old fighting for his life in a London hospital. That''s more worthy of concern than City going a few games without a win.

[/quote]

Rational. Intelligent. Correct. You are in the wrong place matey.

[ROBFLECK 132]

Well Beau, I''m thinking of the young lad too and it does put Football into perspective...but I''m a Norwich City fan... We really need a win, although everyone thinks we''ve done enough to stay in the league... I think it''s important with an eye on next season. For the moment I''m worried with what I''m seeing. It''s easy to say we deserved a point etc...but I couldn''t see where the goal was going to come from...could you?

[Beauseant 0]

[quote user="ROBFLECK"]Well Beau, I''m thinking of the young lad too and it does put Football into perspective...but I''m a Norwich City fan... We really need a win, although everyone thinks we''ve done enough to stay in the league... I think it''s important with an eye on next season. For the moment I''m worried with what I''m seeing. It''s easy to say we deserved a point etc...but I couldn''t see where the goal was going to come from...could you?[/quote]

 

Surman, Pilkington and Morison were all clean through and should have scored, plus Whitbread''s header and Howson''s rush of blood when he probably could have carried on with his run. Also Surman''s pullback when no one made the near post run.The chances were there, we just didn''t take them.

[ROBFLECK 132]

[quote user="Beauseant"]

[quote user="ROBFLECK"]Well Beau, I''m thinking of the young lad too and it does put Football into perspective...but I''m a Norwich City fan... We really need a win, although everyone thinks we''ve done enough to stay in the league... I think it''s important with an eye on next season. For the moment I''m worried with what I''m seeing. It''s easy to say we deserved a point etc...but I couldn''t see where the goal was going to come from...could you?[/quote]

 

Surman, Pilkington and Morison were all clean through and should have scored, plus Whitbread''s header and Howson''s rush of blood when he probably could have carried on with his run. Also Surman''s pullback when no one made the near post run.The chances were there, we just didn''t take them.

[/quote]Well that''s what I actually meant...we''re missing a finisher aren''t we...

[YellowLittle1 0]

I think Lambert made a couple of mistakes yesterday, but I wouldn''t call this a blip personally. United we were brilliant, Stoke one of the hardest games of the season, Wigan fighting for their lifes at the moment and Newcastle looking at Europe. Baring in mind we probably deserved more against United and Newcastle too. I think up top is a slight problem at the moment but form is temporary and hopefully more goals will come.All our players and staff are learning and learning, we''ve been brilliant all season and I still think we have more great times to come. Lambert is just showing that he is human.

[Beauseant 0]

[quote user="ROBFLECK"][quote user="Beauseant"]

[quote user="ROBFLECK"]Well Beau, I''m thinking of the young lad too and it does put Football into perspective...but I''m a Norwich City fan... We really need a win, although everyone thinks we''ve done enough to stay in the league... I think it''s important with an eye on next season. For the moment I''m worried with what I''m seeing. It''s easy to say we deserved a point etc...but I couldn''t see where the goal was going to come from...could you?[/quote]

 

Surman, Pilkington and Morison were all clean through and should have scored, plus Whitbread''s header and Howson''s rush of blood when he probably could have carried on with his run. Also Surman''s pullback when no one made the near post run.The chances were there, we just didn''t take them.

[/quote]Well that''s what I actually meant...we''re missing a finisher aren''t we...[/quote]

 

Hardly. We have several good finishers who aren''t scoring currently. It happens, just look at Ba, who''s been out of the goals lately.If we lacked a finisher we''d be near the relegation places.

[ROBFLECK 132]

[quote user="YellowLittle1"]I think Lambert made a couple of mistakes yesterday, but I wouldn''t call this a blip personally. United we were brilliant, Stoke one of the hardest games of the season, Wigan fighting for their lifes at the moment and Newcastle looking at Europe. Baring in mind we probably deserved more against United and Newcastle too. I think up top is a slight problem at the moment but form is temporary and hopefully more goals will come.

All our players and staff are learning and learning, we''ve been brilliant all season and I still think we have more great times to come. Lambert is just showing that he is human.[/quote]Well Yellow that''s a positive way of looking at it...nice to read...because I''m such a pessimist :-)  PL has done great and I''m trying to keep the chin up, but the last few games are showing that we need some reinforcement in the summer too imho

[YellowLittle1 0]

FLECK, I thought start of the season, if we go down then we''ve had a season in the Prem, which is way more then we all expected.Best time I have ever had supporting the club so I think we should all be as positive as possible with Lambert, Mcnally & co. now at our club. Obviously we have weak links and discuss that but I''ve seen posts on this forum saying for example Barnett should never wear a Norwich shirt again, which is ridiculous. I think everyone has excelled themselves. Anyway I think in the recent dip of form, we actually havn''t played badly. Stoke and Wigan we were not great, but I would be happy if we never play Pulis''s team again, for me the most intimidating game because you know we won''t get any breathing space and it will just be long throws and freekicks all game. OTBC anyway

[Chip20 69]

[quote user="Norfolk Mustard"]

Just read Jonny Howson''s comments (on the Pink Un site) following the Newcastle defeat; “There are no easy games in this league, from the short time that I have spent here I can see that, and today is no different. But in future if we can learn from the little mistakes we made, we can take that into the next game and we might be able to grind out a point.”

Blimey - I hope the new boy isn''t serious!

Expectations have always been high with PL - now we have a talented player telling the press he plans to grind out a home point with Wolves who have been losing heavily for fun lately. I''m a bit concerned to hear that - even more so as he uses the phrase ''might be able to'' (grind out a point). Hardly aspirational thinking is it?

[/quote]I suspect he was either mis-quoted or he meant ''win'' rather than point. Footballers aren''t always the most eloquent bunch and itis easy to get tongue tied when questioned on the spot.

[andyc24_uk 59]

It''s not panic stations, realistically barring a complete implosion and a lot of luck for 3-4 other sides below us, we''re safe now... However, there are definite questions to be asked about Lambert''s recent selection policy.

To my mind, I think he''s actually trying a bit too hard to be inclusive. We know the value PL puts on squad harmony, and I suspect part of what he''s been doing recently is trying to keep everyone happy by rotating his selections around the squad. While that''s understandable and a noble idea, I think you have to question whether it''s the right thing to be doing. Morison, for example, is very clearly out of form and has been for a while. Hard to see any logical reason why he played the vast majority of the game ahead of a fully-fit Holt and Jackson. Same with Wilbraham - He might well be a great guy who brings a lot to the dressing room... but when you''re chasing that winning goal or crucial equalizer, and you need an inspirational impact sub to rally the team - is he really the man for that job? I suspect even many of his fans would admit he''s not really done that job in the games Lambert has brought him on.

The same thing happens in midfield - the formation and personnel get changed up on almost a weekly basis - OK partially reacting to the opposition''s perceived strengths and weaknesses; but also, it would appear, to give a variety of players their run-out.

To my mind, it''s now time for PL to pick maybe two formations, decide what the strongest XI is for each of them, and stick as close as possible to those lineups for the remainder of the season.

[It's Character Forming 1,160]

I wonder how fans on here would react if we lost 5-0 to Bolton (like Stoke) or lost at home to Blackburn (like Man U) or lost at Swansea (like Man C) or conceded 8 at Old Trafford.... I could go on

 

I think some fans have a lack of perspective.  We lost at home to Man U in injury time - they''ve won 9 of their last 10.  At Stoke we had more of a wrestling match than a game of football which we lost due to one moment of inspiration from one of their quality players.  Wigan was a disappointing performance but Wigan always seem to play better than their league position would indicate.  On Sunday the only difference from our away performance at West Brom was that we failed to take our chances.  Actually we probably played better on Sunday overall.

 

My view is that Lambert is now primarily focused on preparing for next season.  Why else would he have brought Howson straight into the team ?  And e.g. Wilbraham has had a couple of run outs in the Prem.

 

My only real concern is that we''ve stopped taking our chances, if we get over that everything else will fall into place.