Lambert in or out? Poll reset with majority 'in', 7th May

[MarkM]

We've been shit all season. Lots of delusion on here.

Swansea at home, Newcastle away, Arse at home, 60 mins of the Manure match, Liverpool, Norwich and Citeh in the cup. Or were they all delusuions?

Thats four out of 20 league matches, and apart from the Swansea game at home and possible the Newcastle match we had very poor periods in all the other games.

Swansea and Arsenal at home are one of the only league games where I would say we had a good 90 mins

[dave.woodhall]

Needing a break, Jesus how many games are players these days able to play before they break down and need a break?

Comparing players now to those of days gone by is like comparing thoroughbred racehorses to carthorses. Playing too many games might deprive them of 1 or 2% of their sharpness. You and I wouldn't notice that but it's the difference between making a last-ditch tackle and the goal we let in yesterday. 

[pedro25]

Lamberts transfer dealings have in the main been very encouraging

I agree. The only one he looks to have fluffed is KEA, and even he might end up being OK, given time. There's no arguing that Westwood and Lowton are just the sort of signings the club needs to make for the longer term, Bennett looks like he will take longer to make the grade but you can see the potential, and let's not forget Benteke, whose value has surely doubled in the mere months since he joined. He also brought Guzan back, with stunning results. Vlaar is very solid and has slotted in really well, so much so that we have missed him enormously in recent games. Nope, I trust  this man with Randy's cash, no worries.

Frankly, if we hadn't had such fucking awful luck with injuries, this thread wouldn't even have been started.

Which of the long term injured was he regulary playing?

Not many, but losing Baker and Vlaar left us with only 1 fit centre half which would stifle any team.  Also to lose both left backs (Bennett and Stevens) at the same time was more than unfortunate, as was losing all 4 of Benteke's possible partners/suppliers/back up in Bent, Gabby, Weimann and N'Zog, leaving Benteke isolated and meaning he wasn't able to be rested at all during a busy festive schedule, despite obviously needing a break.

Needing a break, Jesus how many games are players these days able to play before they break down and need a break?

Badly phrased, but can you imagine a top 6 team signing a 21 yr old new to this league and making him play almost every minute of every domestic match as a lone striker, despite him also being a regular for the national side.  There is no way you will get an optimum level of performance from him by doing this imo and I don't think we would have if the other forwards had been fit over the last couple of months.  The Baggies play either Long or Lukaku, who generally run themselves into the ground by the 60 minute mark and they get swapped over, just like many European teams do in the Champs league.

[MarkM]

Needing a break, Jesus how many games are players these days able to play before they break down and need a break?

Comparing players now to those of days gone by is like comparing thoroughbred racehorses to carthorses. Playing too many games might deprive them of 1 or 2% of their sharpness. You and I wouldn't notice that but it's the difference between making a last-ditch tackle and the goal we let in yesterday. 

I could go with that if the player was getting on a bit [in relative terms 25+] but most of our team as is being mentioned is the youngest we have ever fielded.

Should we not gain the energy and determination as the possitive side to the lack of experience on the negative side?

[paul_e]

Gabby and Vlaar, Dunne we have no way of knowing if he'd have played or not.

Bent was a bit part player to an extent but he never appeared to be fully fit anyway and lots of comments were made when he was playing about him not looking sharp enough.  Nzogbia hasn't been great but he came on vs Norwich and showed what he can offer, then got injured and has been out since, which is just bad luck.

Having both Vlaar and Dunne out is the key thing, we have 2 experienced central defenders amongst a defensive unit that is very inexperienced at this level, having 1 not been available all season and the other out for what is currently 6-7weeks is a hammer blow however you look at it.

[MarkM]

Gabby and Vlaar, Dunne we have no way of knowing if he'd have played or not.

Bent was a bit part player to an extent but he never appeared to be fully fit anyway and lots of comments were made when he was playing about him not looking sharp enough.  Nzogbia hasn't been great but he came on vs Norwich and showed what he can offer, then got injured and has been out since, which is just bad luck.

Having both Vlaar and Dunne out is the key thing, we have 2 experienced central defenders amongst a defensive unit that is very inexperienced at this level, having 1 not been available all season and the other out for what is currently 6-7weeks is a hammer blow however you look at it.

Dunne was injured pre season so the error in not getting in more 'experienced' cover is the managers. This error he may have gotten away with but it has been magnified by the other areas where were are inexperienced, which has resulted in our overal performances being extremely patchy and ranging from the great [for periods in games] to bloody awful

[Chris Smith]

Lamberts transfer dealings have in the main been very encouraging

I agree. The only one he looks to have fluffed is KEA, and even he might end up being OK, given time. There's no arguing that Westwood and Lowton are just the sort of signings the club needs to make for the longer term, Bennett looks like he will take longer to make the grade but you can see the potential, and let's not forget Benteke, whose value has surely doubled in the mere months since he joined. He also brought Guzan back, with stunning results. Vlaar is very solid and has slotted in really well, so much so that we have missed him enormously in recent games. Nope, I trust  this man with Randy's cash, no worries.

Frankly, if we hadn't had such fucking awful luck with injuries, this thread wouldn't even have been started.

Which of the long term injured was he regulary playing?

Not many, but losing Baker and Vlaar left us with only 1 fit centre half which would stifle any team.  Also to lose both left backs (Bennett and Stevens) at the same time was more than unfortunate, as was losing all 4 of Benteke's possible partners/suppliers/back up in Bent, Gabby, Weimann and N'Zog, leaving Benteke isolated and meaning he wasn't able to be rested at all during a busy festive schedule, despite obviously needing a break.

Needing a break, Jesus how many games are players these days able to play before they break down and need a break?

It's why clubs have squads, they understand that performances will suffer if the players aren't properly looked after. That's why the most successful clubs have the deepest squads, so that they can rotate players and try to ensure that the better players are as fresh as possible for the more important games. I thought everyone understood this.

[Risso]

Exactly Mark, we were weak in defence anyway, and so to effectively just swap Collins for Vlaar and sign a couple of kids at full back was a high risk to take, and one that has come back to bite Lambert on the arse.

[pauliewalnuts]

Gabby and Vlaar, Dunne we have no way of knowing if he'd have played or not.

Bent was a bit part player to an extent but he never appeared to be fully fit anyway and lots of comments were made when he was playing about him not looking sharp enough.  Nzogbia hasn't been great but he came on vs Norwich and showed what he can offer, then got injured and has been out since, which is just bad luck.

Having both Vlaar and Dunne out is the key thing, we have 2 experienced central defenders amongst a defensive unit that is very inexperienced at this level, having 1 not been available all season and the other out for what is currently 6-7weeks is a hammer blow however you look at it.

Dunne was injured pre season so the error in not getting in more 'experienced' cover is the managers. This error he may have gotten away with but it has been magnified by the other areas where were are inexperienced, which has resulted in our overal performances being extremely patchy and ranging from the great [for periods in games] to bloody awful

Hasn't Dunne been ruled out for much longer than expected, though?

If Lambert thought'd he'd be out a few weeks at most, then I can see why he'd not bother getting a "replacement" in

[fredm]

Lamberts transfer dealings have in the main been very encouraging

I agree. The only one he looks to have fluffed is KEA, and even he might end up being OK, given time. There's no arguing that Westwood and Lowton are just the sort of signings the club needs to make for the longer term, Bennett looks like he will take longer to make the grade but you can see the potential, and let's not forget Benteke, whose value has surely doubled in the mere months since he joined. He also brought Guzan back, with stunning results. Vlaar is very solid and has slotted in really well, so much so that we have missed him enormously in recent games. Nope, I trust  this man with Randy's cash, no worries.

Frankly, if we hadn't had such fucking awful luck with injuries, this thread wouldn't even have been started.

Which of the long term injured was he regulary playing?

Not many, but losing Baker and Vlaar left us with only 1 fit centre half which would stifle any team.  Also to lose both left backs (Bennett and Stevens) at the same time was more than unfortunate, as was losing all 4 of Benteke's possible partners/suppliers/back up in Bent, Gabby, Weimann and N'Zog, leaving Benteke isolated and meaning he wasn't able to be rested at all during a busy festive schedule, despite obviously needing a break.

Needing a break, Jesus how many games are players these days able to play before they break down and need a break?

So why does Fergie put Van Persie (to name just one) on the bench?  To keep him fresh, that's why - something we have been unable to do. 

[Somniloquism]

Exactly Mark, we were weak in defence anyway, and so to effectively just swap Collins for Vlaar and sign a couple of kids at full back was a high risk to take, and one that has come back to bite Lambert on the arse.

He probably thought it was less of a risk with Dunne due back by Mid Sept at the time. But it has come back to bite him.

[saunders_heroes]

We've been shit all season. Lots of delusion on here.

Swansea at home, Newcastle away, Arse at home, 60 mins of the Manure match, Liverpool, Norwich and Citeh in the cup. Or were they all delusuions?

Not talking about the League Cup. I'm talking about the league. It's our bread and butter and it matters the most. By the way, no team however poor they are goes through a season without a few good performances, and we're no different. For every Swansea game I could give you an Everton, Chelsea, Wigan or a list of other appalling performances. Even when we beat Reading it was an absolutely awful display.
Stop dreaming - this team is heading towards the drop unless we invest this month in PL experience.

[Risso]

Gabby and Vlaar, Dunne we have no way of knowing if he'd have played or not.

Bent was a bit part player to an extent but he never appeared to be fully fit anyway and lots of comments were made when he was playing about him not looking sharp enough.  Nzogbia hasn't been great but he came on vs Norwich and showed what he can offer, then got injured and has been out since, which is just bad luck.

Having both Vlaar and Dunne out is the key thing, we have 2 experienced central defenders amongst a defensive unit that is very inexperienced at this level, having 1 not been available all season and the other out for what is currently 6-7weeks is a hammer blow however you look at it.

Dunne was injured pre season so the error in not getting in more 'experienced' cover is the managers. This error he may have gotten away with but it has been magnified by the other areas where were are inexperienced, which has resulted in our overal performances being extremely patchy and ranging from the great [for periods in games] to bloody awful

Hasn't Dunne been ruled out for much longer than expected, though?

If Lambert thought'd he'd be out a few weeks at most, then I can see why he'd not bother getting a "replacement" in

He was expected to be out for a couple of months, which when you then add on the resulting time to get match fit etc, made the choice not to get another defender very risky.  Especially given Dunne's well known lack of general fitness and injury history.  Lambert essentially chose to go into the season with one defender completely new to the Premier League, and two kids.  His choice, and as I said before, it's backfired spectacularly.

[Concrete John]

I'm pretty sure the prognosis on Dunne was less then that at the start of the season?

[Villafirst]

Exactly Mark, we were weak in defence anyway, and so to effectively just swap Collins for Vlaar and sign a couple of kids at full back was a high risk to take, and one that has come back to bite Lambert on the arse.

Agree, we also let valuable experience go with Cuellar's release on a free. It was madness to lose so much experience all at the same time. Add in Stan's unfortunate illness and it only adds to the problem of a lack of senior players.