Initial impressions under PL

[WALTERS WARRIORS]

This time last season you were waiting for it to go wrong. Now it's waiting for it to go right. That's the difference.

This summarises my feelings exactly.

And mine

The one thing that gets football fans going through thick and thin is hope - last year that hope of anything other than yet another humiliating defeat was taken away
As other have said - we now go into every game knowing we will give the opposition a game

Can anyone imagine PL using terms like "Cannot compete with them" &  "They are one of the Elite clubs" its just not in his mentality

Has anyone noticed that TSM is not being linked to any vacancies at the moment - the whole football world saw what he did with Aston Villa and no one wants any of it

I know, Bolton and Blackburn haven't gone anywhere near him. And Bolton have been linked with McCarthy, ffs.

McLeish has a very good record in the Championship.

More like a very good record of getting premiership teams into the Championship !!!

[andyaston]

...
It could be an 'outside looking in' thing. Remember that under O'Neill, half of us on here who thought he was great were constantly at war with the other half who thought he was a one-dimensional tosser. And 100% of non-Villa fans still think the sun shines out of his arse and always will do.

I was talking to an Everton fan the other day who was of of the opinion that we are getting all we deserve after screwing O'Neill over.

Like being stood up on your wedding day and being told that you are an inconsiderate twat.

[tomd2103]

We've had our ups and downs so far this season, but I still think that we haven't yet found a formation (especially in midfield) that we seem comfortable with. If we play narrow in midfield we don't have anyone in wide areas and if we push players out wide, we seem to get overrun in central midfield.

I know it is a blast from the past (particularly our past during the Little and Gregory eras), but a 3-5-2 formation might be worth considering, especially when Dunne comes back. Wigan did well when they used that formation at the end of last season and on paper, I think it would suit our current personnel. There have been questions regarding the defending of Lowton and Bennett, but they wouldn't have as much defensive responsibility if they were playing as wing-backs and had defensive cover behind them. We could play two holding midfielders (from El Ahmadi/Herd/Delph/Bannan) with an attacking midfielder in front of them (Holman or Ireland) and could still play with two up front. As for the back three, Dunne could play centrally with Vlaar and Clark / Baker either side of him.

Lambert should be familiar with that formation as Celtic used it when he played there and he himself used it at Norwich on occasions. I just think it could suit the players we have at the moment and might solve a few of the problems we are currently having. Another option could be to go 4-5-1, but I think that is a bit too negative.

[Percy McCarthy]

Wigan play 3-4-3.

[tomd2103]

Wigan play 3-4-3.

On the couple of occasions I saw them on TV towards the end of last season (I haven't seen them play this season), Maloney was definitely playing behind two strikers, but my point wasn't really about Wigan.  It was about our current personnel possibly being more suited to a 3-5-2 formation.

[Mister E]

I was talking to an Everton fan the other day who was of of the opinion that we are getting all we deserve after screwing O'Neill over.

I hope you set the record straight about who screwed who, Steve.

[supertom]

With our current personel, we definitely need more players in midfield because we have got good enough players to play two CM's. So if we play a 4-3-3/4-5-1 or a 3-5-2, then we might compete better in the middle. The former would be my preferred option.

So far I'm quite happy that PL is the right man for the job. He's got a hell of a task to get us out of our losing mentality and form. As much as players are responding quite well to what he wants, we're still 1 win in 7 prem games this season. If we could have had 5 more points this season right now from playing fuck ugly hoof ball, I'd have taken it. Points are first and foremost. I do however think that the points will eventually come. Hopefully not too late though. It's a long term thing.

My worry is lack of quality. We've too many shit players, or players who aren't near the finished article. Lambert may have to break his ethos, and Lerner his purse open, and sign a quality, established player. Someone who's been there and done it. Particularly in a very weak midfield area. In all honesty, our midfield is bottom 6 standard. It's the most important area too. It can hinder you defence and your attack, and so far this is proving so.

[pauliewalnuts]

I talked of the board flapping like a fish on a rod and told Paulie by PM that TSM was the new manager long before it was official.

I read your PM, then reacted a bit like Hitler in that bit of Downfall.

[Merv]

We've had our ups and downs so far this season, but I still think that we haven't yet found a formation (especially in midfield) that we seem comfortable with. If we play narrow in midfield we don't have anyone in wide areas and if we push players out wide, we seem to get overrun in central midfield.

I know it is a blast from the past (particularly our past during the Little and Gregory eras), but a 3-5-2 formation might be worth considering, especially when Dunne comes back. Wigan did well when they used that formation at the end of last season and on paper, I think it would suit our current personnel. There have been questions regarding the defending of Lowton and Bennett, but they wouldn't have as much defensive responsibility if they were playing as wing-backs and had defensive cover behind them. We could play two holding midfielders (from El Ahmadi/Herd/Delph/Bannan) with an attacking midfielder in front of them (Holman or Ireland) and could still play with two up front. As for the back three, Dunne could play centrally with Vlaar and Clark / Baker either side of him.

Lambert should be familiar with that formation as Celtic used it when he played there and he himself used it at Norwich on occasions. I just think it could suit the players we have at the moment and might solve a few of the problems we are currently having. Another option could be to go 4-5-1, but I think that is a bit too negative.

A lot of sense in that. I think Lowton and Bennett would revel in those roles, and as PL doesn't seem to favour playing with a lot of width across midfield anyway, I could see that being an option. Good to take a look at it as a formation option for certain games at least.

[ez]

Lambert calls O'Neil for advise...
http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-sport/aston-villa-fc/aston-villa-news/2012/10/13/i-ask-martin-o-neill-for-advice-admits-aston-villa-manager-paul-lambert-97319-32021209/

[Aston Villa]

Lambert calls O'Neil for advise...
http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-sport/aston-villa-fc/aston-villa-news/2012/10/13/i-ask-martin-o-neill-for-advice-admits-aston-villa-manager-paul-lambert-97319-32021209/

In other words, PL asks MON which players he recommendeds...then blacklists them so they never join our great club.

[ciggiesnbeer]

Lambert calls O'Neil for advise...
http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-sport/aston-villa-fc/aston-villa-news/2012/10/13/i-ask-martin-o-neill-for-advice-admits-aston-villa-manager-paul-lambert-97319-32021209/

MON's advice.

"Stop selecting your players on form, just pick 11 and keep playing them no matter what."
"Whats this buying players who earn less than 40 grand a week? Cut that out lad."

To be fair to him though, MON is a bloody brilliant motivator and probably does have some good advice on how to get the best from players.

[SoccerHQ]

For all the changes, the key for Lambert is to get his most talented players integrated into defined roles in the side and playing - N'Zogbia and Ireland. He also needs Dunne at his best in the back four to give much needed experience.

We look a side with plenty of enthusiasm and commitment - can't fault that this season, but we lack quality and are not creating many chances. With a defence that is shaky at times, it's not a good combination.

Probably my take on this.

I'm relaxed about things. Of course I'd like more points on the board especially with the run of games we have coming up next month but I think this will be a season when we'll be much better in the second half of the season once Lambert's methods have been fully engrained.

Remember in O'dreary's first season we were bottom 3 at xmas and were top 6 by the end. I don't expect to finish that high but that's why I'm not panicking too much if things are looking a bit dodgy around that time. That and I reckon they'll be another 20m coming from Randy.

[Toronto Villa]

Even as all round shit as the Houllier season was at times we finished 9th. We don't have the Ash and Downing servicing Bent off course, but we do have a far more settled club and Lambert does still have another transfer window this season. Lots will still happen and DW put it best, that we are just waiting for it to get better as opposed to last season where we knew it would all just fall to bits eventually.

[villan from luton]

At least Lambert is trying to get us playing a better style of football and is at least bringing in players who are only likely to improve rather than players who are on the way down. I remain confident that we will be okay this season and then progress.