Lambert: I want to build a top team

[KRS]

Difficult to talk about long term when we're by no means certain to even stay up.  I'd have a bit more faith in the long term planning if Lambert and the board had taken the necessary steps to strengthen the defence in January.

Up or down I like the idea he has. The defence in Jan we don't know the story with but QPR spdnt 12.5 million on a centre half we would have all loved and he has been a total flop. a centre half would have been nice, but in truth we are 2-3 defensive players from a solid defence.  not easy in  Jan.

Who are these "we" you are talking about? Chris Samba has always been a donkey and just the thought of him signing for us had me deeply concerned. It also amazed me how the media portrayed the signing of an average at best player as an amazing and ambitious transfer just because of the ridiculous sums involved. I'm not surprised in the slightest that Samba has proved himself not only to be over valued but also as shite as I thought he was in the first place.

[Summers]

I have, at times, spoke out in a negative way about Lambert, but I've been won over. He was the man I wanted for the job originally, and I was delighted when he got it, but obviously it hasn't been a great season. Whether we go down or stay up, I hope we keep him. I think our future with him is indeed, bright. I also think more chopping and changing of styles and philosophy will cost us long term.

Not strengthening the defence was indeed a mistake, but he has us playing good, passing, attractive football. As he improves the players and gets his style deeply bedded in, we'll see massive improvements.

[tomd2103]

I have, at times, spoke out in a negative way about Lambert, but I've been won over. He was the man I wanted for the job originally, and I was delighted when he got it, but obviously it hasn't been a great season. Whether we go down or stay up, I hope we keep him. I think our future with him is indeed, bright. I also think more chopping and changing of styles and philosophy will cost us long term.

I agree, but only if PL learns some lessons from this season.  We have looked good going forward at times this season and if he can bring someone in who can link things up then we could be a real attacking threat next season.  Defensively, however, we've been below par this season and he really needs to work on that side of things.

[ozzjim]

You wanted Samba FFS Risso! You cannot want a guy, then argue using him being woeful, which he has been, means we should have bought better. He was 12m and 120k a week. And has been useless. There is no value in Jan at all, you have to pay mad money. QPR did, and it has not worked, who is to say it would for us.

Ahem:


"QPR losing Nelson is a bonus. Hope they don't sign Samba"
"Samba is made for us. Shame we can't afford him. "
"Samba would be a good signing"
"Chris Samba would be awesome, what is he up to now"


I'll leave you to guess who wrote all that this January, but a big clue was that it wasn't me.

I wanted him, and am not trying to pretend I did not, but I am glad we did not get him. I was pointing out that you, and you can keep dancing around it with the "someone like him" bs, also wanted him, and won't acknowledge that signing an experienced centre half might actually not have been the saving grace it looked as though it could be in january. I also wanted Sissokho, but not on the contract he is on either, although the fee was excellent. He looked great against us but Newcastle have struggled badly since too. I also thought Samba was way over priced and you have left those posts out of your seach clearly, and said I would not want him on that kind of money.


I also think Chris is spot on, and please don't use the term retards to describe people, it is not a nice term to use.

[martin o`who??]

I have, at times, spoke out in a negative way about Lambert, but I've been won over. He was the man I wanted for the job originally, and I was delighted when he got it, but obviously it hasn't been a great season. Whether we go down or stay up, I hope we keep him. I think our future with him is indeed, bright. I also think more chopping and changing of styles and philosophy will cost us long term.

I agree, but only if PL learns some lessons from this season.  We have looked good going forward at times this season and if he can bring someone in who can link things up then we could be a real attacking threat next season.  Defensively, however, we've been below par this season and he really needs to work on that side of things.

I wrote elswhere on H&V a few days ago that we need a defensive coach and it was pointed out to me by someone that we have one in Ian Culverhouse, if that is his role within the club then i can think of one change we should make immediately.

[PeterWithesShin]

Samba has been left out of the starting 11 today. Money well spent there 'Arry.

[Matt Collins]

Some quick points:

1. I support what PL is doing and I'd keep him if we go down.

2. He should have been more pragmatic in his strategy. With the injuries to Dunne and Petrov, we needed some EPL experience in there even just on loan, to steady the ship.

3. It's just not true that we've been cut to the bone. Lerner is still subsiding the club. We still have wage levels in the top 8. We've bought a lot of players - even after MON left - that were expensive and who now aren't playing. Find me another club in the bottom half of the league - with the notable exception of QPR! - that has:
- a £4.5 m keeper on the bench on £40k a week
- a £4m right back out on loan
- a £5m midfielder who's been given a free
- a £8m attacking midfielder playing with the kids
- a £23m centre forward on the bench
- a £10m winger who's generally not been first choice

All of these players were post-MON purchases.The truth is - spend that money better, and I think PL would have - and we'd be absolutely fine. It's not the lack of funding, it's the poor managerial decisions, that are my main gripe with Lerner.

[ROBBO]

We have two opposites. MON who relied on overpaid average footballers who couldn't perform when the real talent left never giving younger players a chance and Lambert who wanted to change the playing style overnight, playing and buying players from lower divisions hoping they can make the grade, i hope for all our sakes he can get us through this, we will know after Monday.

[ozzjim]

Some quick points:

1. I support what PL is doing and I'd keep him if we go down.

2. He should have been more pragmatic in his strategy. With the injuries to Dunne and Petrov, we needed some EPL experience in there even just on loan, to steady the ship.

3. It's just not true that we've been cut to the bone. Lerner is still subsiding the club. We still have wage levels in the top 8. We've bought a lot of players - even after MON left - that were expensive and who now aren't playing. Find me another club in the bottom half of the league - with the notable exception of QPR! - that has:
- a £4.5 m keeper on the bench on £40k a week
- a £4m right back out on loan
- a £5m midfielder who's been given a free
- a £8m attacking midfielder playing with the kids
- a £23m centre forward on the bench
- a £10m winger who's generally not been first choice

All of these players were post-MON purchases.The truth is - spend that money better, and I think PL would have - and we'd be absolutely fine. It's not the lack of funding, it's the poor managerial decisions, that are my main gripe with Lerner.

I think that is fair enough.

My biggest issue is the about face in style of play and ethos from Houllier to McLeish. I think had Eck never walked in on his short term mission we might be a lot better off.

[Jimbo]

I'm getting a little tired of hearing "I can see what Lambert's trying to do” from fans and pundits alike. When a toddler gets his hands on a paint brush, I can see what he's trying to do. But invariably his attempts at painting mommy and daddy end up looking like a scarecrow massacre. Frequently, what we've tried to do this season hasn't worked. And in this league, it has to work.

Having said that, if we do go down, I'd stick with Lambert. Unlike QPR, we won't be losing half of our first team, probably because most of our players will have found their level (at this stage) in the Championship. It's probably the best league for Lambert to put his plan into practice, and maybe we'll be able to build from there?

What he has started has to be given a chance to mature. I only wish he'd taken a less cavalier approach at times, because too often what we've seen on the pitch has been a bit too close to a scarecrow massacre for comfort.

[villa `cross the mersey]

I'm getting a little tired of hearing "I can see what Lambert's trying to do” from fans and pundits alike. When a toddler gets his hands on a paint brush, I can see what he's trying to do. But invariably his attempts at painting mommy and daddy end up looking like a scarecrow massacre. Frequently, what we've tried to do this season hasn't worked. And in this league, it has to work.

Having said that, if we do go down, I'd stick with Lambert. Unlike QPR, we won't be losing half of our first team, probably because most of our players will have found their level (at this stage) in the Championship. It's probably the best league for Lambert to put his plan into practice, and maybe we'll be able to build from there?

What he has started has to be given a chance to mature. I only wish he'd taken a less cavalier approach at times, because too often what we've seen on the pitch has been a bit too close to a scarecrow massacre for comfort.

And not just in the League - his tactics for both legs against Bradford were extremely poor - the second leg at Villa Park was embarassing.

[Jimbo]

Agreed, VCTM. Lumping on every attacking player on our books was reminiscent of a playground kickabout.

[sidcowans10]

I wanted him sacked in January as we were simply woeful. For me, not strengthening that defence was reason enough to sack him.
However, I would now keep him even if we go down. We are playing some nice football at times, and he has a clear vision of what he wants to do. I think the majority of who we would want to stay will so the team will have continuity.
If we stay up I can see us really progressing next season

[StefanAVFC]

Completely agree with his comments. Building a team takes time and having an itchy trigger finger as a chairman gets you nowhere.

[wolfman999]

The idea of creating a decent team from youth etc. is fine and one I'm sure most would buy into but not if every time a gem is unearthed, it's promptly sold to the first bidder that comes along.

In order to buy into a vision, you need to know what that vision is and unfortunately, for the last few years, ours has appeared to be (because so little comment comes from within the club) to scout out cheap talent and sell to the highest bidder to balance the books. Do we want to just exist to do the scouting for others or achieve something in our own right?