Is this what transition looks like?

[SoccerHQ]

Shite....the bottom half awaits us.

[chrisf]

How many on here would have preferred Martin Jol and all the "premiership quality" that he brought to Fulham?

[ciggiesnbeer]

To be fair I think part of yesterdays reaction was to our home performances rather than the result.

While I am a glass half full guy I understand where those who are tired of seeing us play poorly at home are coming from.

[supertom]

How many on here would have preferred Martin Jol and all the "premiership quality" that he brought to Fulham?

Jol is clueless. He likes to have an attacking side, with little regard for balance. It's a different kettle of fish having the squad he inherited at Spurs say. Once teams figured them out it went wrong for him of course, after initial success.

I think Jol also proved that the polar opposite to how we're going, or the Martin O Neill way, which his signings were akin to, is definitely not the way. He wasn't entirely wrong, but again, no balance.

Just like Fulham need to buy some younger prospects with more long term potential, we also need to buy a little more experience for our side.

But looking for example at Parker and Bent. On paper you'd think that's good business. The reality however is that Parker's legs went 2 years ago and Bent is a relic of days gone by. The Bent style forward is a thing of the past at this level. It's even more so now that injuries have robbed him of his pace.

[Dave Cooper please]

My son just called him Farting Lol on twitter. He's a potty mouthed bugger but very funny at times.

[mike]

I'm fully behind PL, but the one disappointing thing i've seen in him is how he has missed the fact that our midfielders are very similar, good hard workers, quite tidy on the ball, but unable to dominate a game or make something happen, and the fact that we spent good money on a guy who's not gonna be a number one starter ( no disrespect to Kovak he may come good) seems to be wasted when a £7m midfielder would have been far more beneficial for us right now.

Got grief for making that point a while ago. We have Benteke, Weimann and Gabby and a rake of average midfielders but one of our rare big money buys was another striker. When Lambert has said we can't match the spending power of the Albion and that's how we spend what little money we do have, it should be no surprise we can't beat a dire Sunderland side. At home.

[SoccerHQ]

I don't believe Lambert is as stubborn as MON. The inquiry he made for Kioyate indicated it was a position he wanted to fill but the price quoted was too high. Maybe he also felt Tonev could do a job there. He hasn't so I'd liked to think we'll get someone in January. We'll see.

[adrenachrome]

I don't believe Lambert is as stubborn as MON. The inquiry he made for Kioyate indicated it was a position he wanted to fill but the price quoted was too high. Maybe he also felt Tonev could do a job there. He hasn't so I'd liked to think we'll get someone in January. We'll see.

It isn't a question of  stubbornness. The trouble is, he has a plan which he believes in, and which RL will back to the hilt. The January transfer window of last year was the test of their joint resolve. They were prepared to contemplate the very real threat of relegation rather than buckle.

Let us be honest: we are in this for better or worse. Most fans go along with it to a certain extent, but I would imagine our gates will drop quite considerably during the process, and I would say that they have built this into their plans.

As to the length of this process, if I may paraphrase Leon Trotksy on the subject of the geographical location of the felicitous paradise to his religious prison guard: "There is no precise information".

[Toronto Villa]

I don't believe Lambert is as stubborn as MON. The inquiry he made for Kioyate indicated it was a position he wanted to fill but the price quoted was too high. Maybe he also felt Tonev could do a job there. He hasn't so I'd liked to think we'll get someone in January. We'll see.

he's not. Would MON have brought in a defensive coach in the summer or would he have stuck it out with Walford and Robertson? I think Lambert is evolving. He's made mistakes. He's been unlucky at times. His team haven't performed, his tactics haven't always worked. It's just way too early in opinion for any of us to abandon ship.

[ozzjim]

I don't believe Lambert is as stubborn as MON. The inquiry he made for Kioyate indicated it was a position he wanted to fill but the price quoted was too high. Maybe he also felt Tonev could do a job there. He hasn't so I'd liked to think we'll get someone in January. We'll see.

he's not. Would MON have brought in a defensive coach in the summer or would he have stuck it out with Walford and Robertson? I think Lambert is evolving. He's made mistakes. He's been unlucky at times. His team haven't performed, his tactics haven't always worked. It's just way too early in opinion for any of us to abandon ship.

I think we have similar views on this TV, and Soccer too. To dismiss the idea Lambert would not bring in an attacking coach is clearly flawed by him identifying the back 4 as an issue and bringing in Marshall. Clearly we are much less of a threat going forward, but more solid at the back. Going forward, IMO, we have been very unlucky with injuries to Gabby and Benteke, and complete loss of form to Weimann, Gabby and Benteke over the last few weeks. That happens in football, and top sides have replacements, we can't carry that. When they hit form again we will win a few games with some ease, but they need their confidence back somehow.

[tomd2103]

I don't believe Lambert is as stubborn as MON. The inquiry he made for Kioyate indicated it was a position he wanted to fill but the price quoted was too high. Maybe he also felt Tonev could do a job there. He hasn't so I'd liked to think we'll get someone in January. We'll see.

he's not. Would MON have brought in a defensive coach in the summer or would he have stuck it out with Walford and Robertson? I think Lambert is evolving. He's made mistakes. He's been unlucky at times. His team haven't performed, his tactics haven't always worked. It's just way too early in opinion for any of us to abandon ship.

Agree TV. Have to remember that this is only Lambert's 3rd season as a top flight manager.  He's still learning.

[ChicagoLion]

I don't believe Lambert is as stubborn as MON. The inquiry he made for Kioyate indicated it was a position he wanted to fill but the price quoted was too high. Maybe he also felt Tonev could do a job there. He hasn't so I'd liked to think we'll get someone in January. We'll see.

It isn't a question of  stubbornness. The trouble is, he has a plan which he believes in, and which RL will back to the hilt. The January transfer window of last year was the test of their joint resolve. They were prepared to contemplate the very real threat of relegation rather than buckle.

Let us be honest: we are in this for better or worse. Most fans go along with it to a certain extent, but I would imagine our gates will drop quite considerably during the process, and I would say that they have built this into their plans.

As to the length of this process, if I may paraphrase Leon Trotksy on the subject of the geographical location of the felicitous paradise to his religious prison guard: "There is no precise information".

I like your style, but this Trotsky fella, when does he sign? Felicitous Paradise, is that a non league team? Sounds like Randy and Lambert have spent too much time in the Sauna.

[cheltenhamlion]

Felicitous Paradise is his porn star name.

[rooboy316]

I'm fully behind PL, but the one disappointing thing i've seen in him is how he has missed the fact that our midfielders are very similar, good hard workers, quite tidy on the ball, but unable to dominate a game or make something happen, and the fact that we spent good money on a guy who's not gonna be a number one starter ( no disrespect to Kovak he may come good) seems to be wasted when a £7m midfielder would have been far more beneficial for us right now.

But isn't that the benefit of taking a long term view to transfers and building a sqaud?  The right midfielder wasn't available at the right price, so he didn't buy one.  The right striker (in his opinion) was available, so he did.  It's not like he was only given 7m, had to use it on one player, and chose a striker over a midfielder.  He has the money available for when he finds the right midfielder. 

[paul_e]

I'm fully behind PL, but the one disappointing thing i've seen in him is how he has missed the fact that our midfielders are very similar, good hard workers, quite tidy on the ball, but unable to dominate a game or make something happen, and the fact that we spent good money on a guy who's not gonna be a number one starter ( no disrespect to Kovak he may come good) seems to be wasted when a £7m midfielder would have been far more beneficial for us right now.

But isn't that the benefit of taking a long term view to transfers and building a sqaud?  The right midfielder wasn't available at the right price, so he didn't buy one.  The right striker (in his opinion) was available, so he did.  It's not like he was only given 7m, had to use it on one player, and chose a striker over a midfielder.  He has the money available for when he finds the right midfielder. 

This has long been my opinion on things, I just don't see any evidence of Lambert not being given the money he's asked for for fees.  Wages may be another matter but I suspect that situation will change as well as we're now (according to the Trust meeting with Faulkner) within an acceptable level for wages.  Once Given, Bent, Ireland and Nzogbia all leave we've got another ~£250k a week to play with which will help immensely.