Paul Lambert confirmed as new manager (reply #544)

[Legion]

110% agree.

[Matt Collins]

I don't have an objection to better use of data and science. I'm sure footballs pretty backward in some respects. But I don't reckon the pure money ball approach would ever work in football

Lambert seems very much a pragmatist, rather than the OGS or Rodgers who seem to have more fundamental beliefs. I won't pretend I wasn't advocating the latter category, but I think this is the safer choice.

Worth taking account of the Norwich fan views. But they'd been promoted twice without spending any real money at all. Can't really expect consistent excellence

I do however think there'll be games where the style isn't particularly different to mon or mcleish. I saw Norwich park the bus a few times last year

[not3bad]

It is worth noting that Lambert tactically outthought Brendan Rogers twice last season. Will he do it again? Let's hope RL gives him the budget to have a chance of doing so.

[Ad@m]

I don't think those Norwich fans are just being bitter.  I remember a report on TV about Norwich towards the end of last season where Norwich fans travelling to an away game had no idea what the team or formation was going to be and said it was the same uncertainty every week.

If you tinker around with things as much as he seems to, sometimes it's going to go very well and other times it's going to go very badly.  But at least we should have the times that were very well, times that were too few and far between over the last two seasons.

[silhillvilla]

At the start of last season through to Xmas I made a fair few quid on Norwich
Every week I was lumping on £50 on their games to score +2.5 goals
I did it on the basis that they seemed to attack teams but were poor at the back
It's good & bad all rolled into 1 with PL I think

[pauliewalnuts]

At the start of last season through to Xmas I made a fair few quid on Norwich
Every week I was lumping on £50 on their games to score +2.5 goals
I did it on the basis that they seemed to attack teams but were poor at the back
It's good & bad all rolled into 1 with PL I think

I remember their defending was abysmal at Villa Park.

Must have been for us to beat them.

[Ian.]

Well if this is true about a lot of tinkering with team selection, then all this talk of being him MON II is rubbish.

[DeKuip]

Not sure where the Norwich fans get it from that we're all expecting the "beautiful game" under Lambert. I saw enough of Norwich last season to know that won't be the case.
I have my reservations about the appointment in terms of style, but I'm sure what we will get is a far more positive attitude in our play. With that could come style if the individual ability of the player is there – and I think a number of our youngsters could flourish if they're given the freedom to do so.
I'm just dreading the first time I see a ball launched from full-back to centre-forward's head, when I will slump into my seat muttering "no, no, no... not again!"

[silhillvilla]

At the start of last season through to Xmas I made a fair few quid on Norwich
Every week I was lumping on £50 on their games to score +2.5 goals
I did it on the basis that they seemed to attack teams but were poor at the back
It's good & bad all rolled into 1 with PL I think

I remember their defending was abysmal at Villa Park.

Must have been for us to beat them.

Think they took the lead then we scored 3 fairly easy goals
Don't recall much tactical genius that day from PL
Gabby and Bent both played well I recall

[ozzjim]

At the start of last season through to Xmas I made a fair few quid on Norwich
Every week I was lumping on £50 on their games to score +2.5 goals
I did it on the basis that they seemed to attack teams but were poor at the back
It's good & bad all rolled into 1 with PL I think

I remember their defending was abysmal at Villa Park.

Must have been for us to beat them.

Someone said their first choice centre backs were injured a lot, and didn't they have Leon Barnet? Gabby killed him against West Brom I remember, and was brilliant against Norwich but may have been the confidence of knowing you have your opponent before a ball is kicked.

[Mazrim]

Lets not forget that his Norwich team were built on a very meagre budget and most of the players were very ordinary at best. You'd expect them to get beaten far more often than they did. Especially by a team with two England forwards playing for it.

[ozzjim]

Lets not forget that his Norwich team were built on a very meagre budget and most of the players were very ordinary at best. You'd expect them to get beaten far more often than they did. Especially by a team with two England forwards playing for it.

Was kind of what I was trying to say about the standard of their back 4, although I would take Naugton and whoever they had to play left back tomorrow!

I actually think Given, Dunne, Clark, Hutton and dare I say Warnock will be retained as the back 4 next season, until Dunne, Collins and Warnock can go on frees. Lambert will get more out of them I am fairly sure, and we will be ok at the back, but nothing special. His focus will be on the way we attack, and I reckon wingers, midfielders and forwards are the likely ones coming in.

[Mazrim]

The defence will be largely told to do one I would think.

[ozzjim]

The defence will be largely told to do one I would think.

We will see, but if you could squeeze 12 months out of them, which you could Dunne and Hutton certainly, I think he will.

[eamonn]

We'll find it hard to shift Dunne, Warnock and Collins. With one year to go on their contracts they know that the next one they pick-up is likely to see a huge drop in wages. Hopefully Lambert can galvanise them.

The one thing I worry about is, Scottish contingent apart, how we're going to understand him. His accent and mumbly low-tone isn't the easiest to decipher. Did he have many foreigners at Norwich?