Is this what transition looks like?

[rooboy316]

All this leads me to believe that Lambert knows we need that player and actively wants to recruit for that position but no one was available for a fee he was happy to pay during the summer.  If I'm right, whilst it is disappointing we didn't get the player we need, I'm happier with this approach than signing the wrong player or paying the wrong fee out of panic, very few panic buys work out well.

And that is the benefit of taking a long term view of managerial appointments and building squads.  While we're poorer for not having that number 10 type this season, it's ok, because Lambert will get one when the right one is available at the right price.  That's ultimately the kind of sustainable, long term growth we should be aiming for.

The danger of that approach is that you can be patient about developing the squad, and about results, if you're secure in the knowledge that the right person is at the helm.  I see enough in Lambert, based on his stint here as well as what he did at Norwich, to think he is the right person for the build.  If he isn't, then we'll have pissed away a few years, but that's a risk I'm willing to take in exchange for sustainable, long term growth.

[Concrete John]

My biggest issue with Lambert is the way he reverts to the 'Bradford' tactics.

Has that actually happened?  Other than Bradford itself, of course.

Against Newcastle there was more than a whiff of the 'loads of strikers, that way' tactic.

No where near it for me, but fair enough it's a valid opinion.

[Monty]

My biggest issue with Lambert is the way he reverts to the 'Bradford' tactics.

Has that actually happened?  Other than Bradford itself, of course.

Against Newcastle there was more than a whiff of the 'loads of strikers, that way' tactic.

No where near it for me, but fair enough it's a valid opinion.

It ended up as it, I think. Against Bradford, that tactic went on for a good half-hour, whereas against Newcastle it was more like ten minutes. Still, it looked a little desperate and very unimaginative.

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My biggest issue with Lambert is the way he reverts to the 'Bradford' tactics.

Has that actually happened?  Other than Bradford itself, of course.

Against Newcastle there was more than a whiff of the 'loads of strikers, that way' tactic.

No where near it for me, but fair enough it's a valid opinion.

It ended up as it, I think. Against Bradford, that tactic went on for a good half-hour, whereas against Newcastle it was more like ten minutes. Still, it looked a little desperate and very unimaginative.

That is how I would describe the proceeding 80 minutes of that game. We were dreadful that day.

[LeeB]

My biggest issue with Lambert is the way he reverts to the 'Bradford' tactics.

Has that actually happened?  Other than Bradford itself, of course.

Against Newcastle there was more than a whiff of the 'loads of strikers, that way' tactic.

No where near it for me, but fair enough it's a valid opinion.

It ended up as it, I think. Against Bradford, that tactic went on for a good half-hour, whereas against Newcastle it was more like ten minutes. Still, it looked a little desperate and very unimaginative.

What was that study that someone mentioned the other day? Something like for all the huff and puff with tactics, the thing that leads to a goal scoring opportunity is chaos.

I think that was the idea for both games. We were just piss poor at executing it, unlike Dortmund last season who did it against Malaga and snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.

[Monty]

Tactics are, it's true, mainly defensive, or at least formations are. Bu if you're set up to create conditions of chaos for the oppo, then that's how chaos leads to goals. If you have chaos in attack, it's simple for defenders.

[Mister E]

Tactics are, it's true, mainly defensive, or at least formations are. Bu if you're set up to create conditions of chaos for the oppo, then that's how chaos leads to goals. If you have chaos in attack, it's simple for defenders.

This is the piece that supports what Liveprool and Newcastle have done well this season: maintaining an energetic and pressing game all over the pitch, and moving the ball quickly to mobile receivers. We are not doing enough pressing and do not move the ball swiftly enough (which means we get closed down and the ball ends up back with the two worst distributors in the team, Guzan and Baker).

As an aside, Petrov was a very good pass-and-move player: didn't dally on the ball much at all.

[paul_e]

All this leads me to believe that Lambert knows we need that player and actively wants to recruit for that position but no one was available for a fee he was happy to pay during the summer.  If I'm right, whilst it is disappointing we didn't get the player we need, I'm happier with this approach than signing the wrong player or paying the wrong fee out of panic, very few panic buys work out well.

Whilst by and large I agree with what you're saying, why does the alternative to getting the player he really wants have to be signing the wrong player or panic buying?

I find it hard to believe he just has "target number 1" and no back up options for his transfer moves. In fact, I would imagine a few of the players we have bought over the last year or two will not have been his first choice - that's just the way it is, pretty much at every club.

I never suggested there was 1 target he was willing to wait for, I said no one {he wanted} was available for a fee he was willing to pay.  We know of enquiries about at least 1, and almost certainly 2, what we don't know is if that's everyone we looked at or not.  Part of getting a full appraisal of a player is that you need to commit a lot of time to it, if all of the attacking midfielders he was sure of were unavailable for a sensible fee we'd have either pay over the odds for one of them or we'd have signed someone he hadn't scouted to a level he was happy with, which is what I meant by the 'wrong player'.  Signing a player you've not really scouted because you need to fill a gap is a panic buy, and generally they don't turn out all that well.

Out of interest, who are the players we know he enquired about?

Kiyotake - for sure, an enquiry was confirmed by both FCN and us, but both sides insisted nothing more happened, I seem to remember the club replying exactly that in a one of the online fan forum things when someone posed the question with the name 'JulieB'.

The 2nd that's less sure is Belhanda with his club stating we'd enquired but we never confirmed or denied that one as far as I recall.  There was a lot of noise around us enquiring for Coutinho as well before he went to Liverpool.  Both of these could be a case of the agents stirring things up to generate a bit of interest which is why we can't say they're definite enquiries.

[JUAN PABLO]

It is far too early to judge Kozak, so I don't really get why people are calling him a poor signing.

I must admit, though, he looks far from mobile, so I wonder how he's going to fit in with our front line.

To play  to his strengths would be a start - he is certainly no lone target man .
Probably more of a natural goalscorer than gabby or Weimann  - I would give him a few games alongside benteke and see how they go , using bacuna and tonev to provide width .

Did Lazio play to his strenghts ?      He didnt seem to score many if any in the league  , and please people dont go on about his golas in the Europa cup , we all know its a micky mouse cup and even Wigan are doing ok in this .

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Goals don't count if I say so.

[LeeB]

Goals don't count if I say so.

I think some of his goals were also 'too close' as everyone knows you 'can't blast it from there'

[Dante Lavelli]

honda might be an option this January. I read his contract is soon to expire so would be cheap fee wise. I'd question his motivation however as most footballers seem to choose Russia for the cash rather than footballing reasons.

[eastie]

Tactics are, it's true, mainly defensive, or at least formations are. Bu if you're set up to create conditions of chaos for the oppo, then that's how chaos leads to goals. If you have chaos in attack, it's simple for defenders.

This is the piece that supports what Liveprool and Newcastle have done well this season: maintaining an energetic and pressing game all over the pitch, and moving the ball quickly to mobile receivers. We are not doing enough pressing and do not move the ball swiftly enough (which means we get closed down and the ball ends up back with the two worst distributors in the team, Guzan and Baker).

As an aside, Petrov was a very good pass-and-move player: didn't dally on the ball much at all.

The best pressing team for me is southampton - and they are reaping the rewards.

[dekko]

honda might be an option this January. I read his contract is soon to expire so would be cheap fee wise. I'd question his motivation however as most footballers seem to choose Russia for the cash rather than footballing reasons.

He's signed an agreement to go to AC Milan in January

[Mister E]

Tactics are, it's true, mainly defensive, or at least formations are. Bu if you're set up to create conditions of chaos for the oppo, then that's how chaos leads to goals. If you have chaos in attack, it's simple for defenders.

This is the piece that supports what Liveprool and Newcastle have done well this season: maintaining an energetic and pressing game all over the pitch, and moving the ball quickly to mobile receivers. We are not doing enough pressing and do not move the ball swiftly enough (which means we get closed down and the ball ends up back with the two worst distributors in the team, Guzan and Baker).

As an aside, Petrov was a very good pass-and-move player: didn't dally on the ball much at all.

The best pressing team for me is southampton - and they are reaping the rewards.

You may well be right, Eastie.
My point was that it's a combination of both the pressing game and the slick / fast movement of ball and players when in possession. The games I've seen this season have had too many Villa players wanting too many touches and too much time, without colleagues making the runs for them.