In this current situation, as has been demonstrated frequently, you cannot start games with Darren Bent. When teams find themselves in our situation, which is devoid of confidence, you must first start to make yourselves hard to beat, and that starts from the front, working its way backwards. We need to start forcing teams to work for possession of the ball, closing them down, preventing them from settling and forcing them into mistakes. We need to start winning the loose balls and attacking and defending as a discernible unit. Players like Bent are not going to assist in this regard. I favour a 4-4-2 system to shield the whole of the defence or possibly a 4-5-1 allowing players with pace like Gabby, Andi and Charlie to feed off Benteke when we press. The 2nd half performance against Newcastle was as perplexing as it was encouraging. I saw our players covering every blade attempting to stick their boys into row Z during every 50/50, but if we are capable of these fleeting moments why the hell can't Lambert form a decent side - it doesn't bode well I'm afraid. Give the boys every encouragement. The management are there to recruit, train, motivate and select the team. UTV.
