Concrete Ron

[john e]

If we get 12 million for Ron Vlaar i'l eat my sou'wester

[PeterWithesShin]

If we get £12m (or the equivalent if Cleverley is included) it would be up there with Andy Carroll and Shane Long for highway robbery.

[silhillvilla]

It will mean we've had him including his wages for free in effect. Lambert deserves praise for the signing of Ron his challenge will be to find his replacement .

[pauliewalnuts]

It will mean we've had him including his wages for free in effect. Lambert deserves praise for the signing of Ron his challenge will be to find his replacement .

Where was Okore again today?

[Toronto Villa]

Vlaar has to be sick to death of this bollocks every week. I'm sure he'll enjoy playing in front of 70,000 for home games in the second half of the season.

[villa `cross the mersey]

His return heralded a great result I see

[silhillvilla]

It will mean we've had him including his wages for free in effect. Lambert deserves praise for the signing of Ron his challenge will be to find his replacement .

Where was Okore again today?

It's a mystery.

[Ads]

Not really the centre halves fault today, despite the incessant ramblings of the crank with a stick and purple die in her about Vlaar. Three really cheap and poor goals given away.

[Toronto Villa]

If you only play on the counter you could have a back four of Carlos Alberto, Baresi, McGrath and Maldini with Banks behind them and they'd still eventually concede goals.

[pauliewalnuts]

If you only play on the counter you could have a back four of Carlos Alberto, Baresi, McGrath and Maldini with Banks behind them and they'd still eventually concede goals.

It's not even the defence that is the problem - it is actually better than last season, on balance. It is the near total failure to carve out scoring chances, or to even get a shot on target.

[Toronto Villa]

If you only play on the counter you could have a back four of Carlos Alberto, Baresi, McGrath and Maldini with Banks behind them and they'd still eventually concede goals.

It's not even the defence that is the problem - it is actually better than last season, on balance. It is the near total failure to carve out scoring chances, or to even get a shot on target.

When you are sent out with the philosophy of just soak up pressure then whack it fucking long to Benteke then how on earth is there going to be any real possession based build up or creativity? The entire system encourages speed on the break and if we don't win the ball back and do that then immediately we are on the back foot again. We are simply not good enough (better yes) at the back to absorb that level of constant pressure and certainly not against better sides. Today was a piece of piss for Everton because they never had to really, truly step up to get to our penalty box. We made it very easy for them to camp in our half. It's a ludicrous tactic.

[pauliewalnuts]

If you only play on the counter you could have a back four of Carlos Alberto, Baresi, McGrath and Maldini with Banks behind them and they'd still eventually concede goals.

It's not even the defence that is the problem - it is actually better than last season, on balance. It is the near total failure to carve out scoring chances, or to even get a shot on target.

When you are sent out with the philosophy of just soak up pressure then whack it fucking long to Benteke then how on earth is there going to be any real possession based build up or creativity? The entire system encourages speed on the break and if we don't win the ball back and do that then immediately we are on the back foot again. We are simply not good enough (better yes) at the back to absorb that level of constant pressure and certainly not against better sides. Today was a piece of piss for Everton because they never had to really, truly step up to get to our penalty box. We made it very easy for them to camp in our half. It's a ludicrous tactic.

I don't even think it encourages speed on the break, or that it is a system, even.

I honestly think Lambert knows how he wants us to play, he's just absolutely clueless as to how to make it happen. Clueless.

[mrastonvilla]

If you only play on the counter you could have a back four of Carlos Alberto, Baresi, McGrath and Maldini with Banks behind them and they'd still eventually concede goals.

It's not even the defence that is the problem - it is actually better than last season, on balance. It is the near total failure to carve out scoring chances, or to even get a shot on target.

When you are sent out with the philosophy of just soak up pressure then whack it fucking long to Benteke then how on earth is there going to be any real possession based build up or creativity? The entire system encourages speed on the break and if we don't win the ball back and do that then immediately we are on the back foot again. We are simply not good enough (better yes) at the back to absorb that level of constant pressure and certainly not against better sides. Today was a piece of piss for Everton because they never had to really, truly step up to get to our penalty box. We made it very easy for them to camp in our half. It's a ludicrous tactic.

I don't even think it encourages speed on the break, or that it is a system, even.

I honestly think Lambert knows how he wants us to play, he's just absolutely clueless as to how to make it happen. Clueless.

I'm not sure how he wants us to play and neither are the players and it shows. After 2+ years that's simply not good enough.

[peter w]

The problem with the system is that it relies on us being good enough to create and take chances, however few. It's not happening.

[Toronto Villa]

If you only play on the counter you could have a back four of Carlos Alberto, Baresi, McGrath and Maldini with Banks behind them and they'd still eventually concede goals.

It's not even the defence that is the problem - it is actually better than last season, on balance. It is the near total failure to carve out scoring chances, or to even get a shot on target.

When you are sent out with the philosophy of just soak up pressure then whack it fucking long to Benteke then how on earth is there going to be any real possession based build up or creativity? The entire system encourages speed on the break and if we don't win the ball back and do that then immediately we are on the back foot again. We are simply not good enough (better yes) at the back to absorb that level of constant pressure and certainly not against better sides. Today was a piece of piss for Everton because they never had to really, truly step up to get to our penalty box. We made it very easy for them to camp in our half. It's a ludicrous tactic.

I don't even think it encourages speed on the break, or that it is a system, even.

I honestly think Lambert knows how he wants us to play, he's just absolutely clueless as to how to make it happen. Clueless.

the one thing I'll give MON is that at least for the most part he got counter attacking football right and we had the players to do it. It looks a fucking mess under Lambert. Not counter attack. Not anything in fact.