The Paul Lambert thread - poll reset after our capitulation to Hull

[supertom]

I'd take 11th and exciting over 7th and dour, because ultimately the dour won't ever take you higher than about 7th. However, our main problem at the moment is that we're 11th and dour, which is no fun at all.

I probably would as well, but if this is a direct comparison with Moyes's Everton for example, in terms of consistency, over a season, they played like Barcelona compared to us under Lambert. More often than not this season we've been as dour as we were under McLeish.
We'll probably finish about 11th this year, but in terms of entertainment value. Half a dozen games (if that) over the course of the season which were entertaining (on our part), really isn't enough.

Something has to improve next season. The problem is, we're lacking tactical clarity. Can Lambert actually deliver entertainment on a consistent basis? I'm not sure he can. More so, I don't think he'll deliver results on a consistent basis.

[Concrete John]

I don't think we're 'dour' at all.  Inconsistent yes, but when we get it right we can be a lot of fun to watch.

I'd say 7th as having that hard to beat mentality is a big step and you can then add a flair player or two to jump the gap higher in the table. 

[Monty]

Everton were breaking their skulls against a glass ceiling under Moyes. He did very well to lay the foundations but the cruel reality of football is that often the guy who builds you up isn't always the right guy to take you to the mythical next level. Moyes was good and solid for years, but there's no way in hell that Everton would be above Man Utd if Moyes was still at Goodison and Martinez was at Old Trafford.

We're dour by accident rather than design. We can be exciting, but let's not airbrush the history and pretend that, for most of the season, watching Villa has been any more enticing as mucking out a stable.

[eastie]

The Lambert v Moyes thing is interesting. This might be an oversimplification but  with similar resources, Moyes got Everton to consistent top six finishes and was it once into the CL?. I can't see Lambert ever doing something similar with Villa. And as for being more naturally attack minded than Dave, what does it matter when you have the tactical nous of General Custer.

It makes him a bit more likable. At least Lambert wants to be better - Moyes thinks that the defensive stuff is the end in itself.

Would you prefer to like Everton under Moyes  finish 7th playing a dour negative brand of football or play the way lamberts team plays with highs and lows and finish 11th - genuinely interested in the reply as a lot of people I think would prefer results ahead of performances?

Your question is binary, and it ain't like that in reality.
To answer your question - I would prefer performances, but not if they consistently resulted in mediocrity and indfferent league position.
 
But I'm much more interested in purposeful improvement. What I mean by that is that we have a clear path toward improvement with a long-term (3-5 years) aim to win things. Without a journey of improvement leading to success, what's the point?

And that question can easily be aimed at Lerner right now!

We can have a long term plan but without the substantial investment on players it will not see us win trophies - the top clubs have huge income from gates , tv, champions league etc - a long term plan could establish us back in the top 7 or 8 but winning regular trophies is light years away without huge cash.

We will just see our star players move on to those so called bigger clubs as in the case of Milner, young, Barry , etc

[brian green]

Not3bad please do not take this as criticism but your comment that if Lambert has another bad season next year "we may have to" think again fills me with dread.  The thought of more days like Sheffield United, Palace, West Ham, Chelsea away, Citeh away,Bradford etc etc before we even consider that something should be done about our manager makes me give up the will to live.

[aj2k77]

I don't think we're 'dour' at all.  Inconsistent yes, but when we get it right we can be a lot of fun to watch.

I'd say 7th as having that hard to beat mentality is a big step and you can then add a flair player or two to jump the gap higher in the table. 

How many games have been fun to watch this season? More than a handful and you're being generous i'd say.

[London Villan]

Arsenal A
Chelsea A
Man City H
Liverpool A
Chelsea H
West Brom H
Half of Norwich H

7 out of 31...

[eastie]

I don't think we're 'dour' at all.  Inconsistent yes, but when we get it right we can be a lot of fun to watch.

I'd say 7th as having that hard to beat mentality is a big step and you can then add a flair player or two to jump the gap higher in the table. 

How many games have been fun to watch this season? More than a handful and you're being generous i'd say.

The games above were our best - fun to watch ? For me Norwich as home - the others were too nailbiting to enjoy until the final whistle.

[rob_bridge]

Arsenal A
Chelsea A
Man City H
Liverpool A
Chelsea H
West Brom H
Half of Norwich H

7 out of 31...

Southampton away?

[not3bad]

Not3bad please do not take this as criticism but your comment that if Lambert has another bad season next year "we may have to" think again fills me with dread.  The thought of more days like Sheffield United, Palace, West Ham, Chelsea away, Citeh away,Bradford etc etc before we even consider that something should be done about our manager makes me give up the will to live.

Many of the games have been painful to watch for me as well this season. At the same time I'm aware that we were looking at a table for teams that have played the top 4 last week that showed Villa at the top. There has been pain, but there has also been progress.

Compare Chelsea away last season to Chelsea away this one.

[aj2k77]

Southampton away was horrible to watch. 2 of those came in the first week of the season and another 2 of those have been 45 minute performances (Norwich and Man City). Not taking anything away from the results of course but we are talking about playing dour football. So 4 games since the end of August that you'd say were entertaining....not the best is it.

[eastie]

Not3bad please do not take this as criticism but your comment that if Lambert has another bad season next year "we may have to" think again fills me with dread.  The thought of more days like Sheffield United, Palace, West Ham, Chelsea away, Citeh away,Bradford etc etc before we even consider that something should be done about our manager makes me give up the will to live.

Many of the games have been painful to watch for me as well this season. At the same time I'm aware that we were looking at a table for teams that have played the top 4 last week that showed Villa at the top. There has been pain, but there has also been progress.

Compare Chelsea away last season to Chelsea away this one.

Compare sunderland at home last season to sunderland at home this season , or stoke away

[eastie]

Southampton away was horrible to watch. 2 of those came in the first week of the season and another 2 of those have been 45 minute performances (Norwich and Man City). Not taking anything away from the results of course but we are talking about playing dour football. So 4 games since the end of August that you'd say were entertaining....not the best is it.

Albion was entertaining 4-3.

[olaftab]

Arsenal A
Chelsea A
Man City H
Liverpool A
Chelsea H
West Brom H
Half of Norwich H

7 out of 31...

31?

[PeterWithesShin]

Not3bad please do not take this as criticism but your comment that if Lambert has another bad season next year "we may have to" think again fills me with dread.  The thought of more days like Sheffield United, Palace, West Ham, Chelsea away, Citeh away,Bradford etc etc before we even consider that something should be done about our manager makes me give up the will to live.

Many of the games have been painful to watch for me as well this season. At the same time I'm aware that we were looking at a table for teams that have played the top 4 last week that showed Villa at the top. There has been pain, but there has also been progress.

Compare Chelsea away last season to Chelsea away this one.

Compare sunderland at home last season to sunderland at home this season , or stoke away

Or Arsenal away, Southampton away, Chavski home, Citeh home to last season. It works both ways.