Nathan Baker - Sold

[peter w]

not sure who has said that but I don't think that Delpg being an England international is just down to lambert. That is a very simplistic way of seeing things.

[Matt Collins]

Delph always had a lot of potential even when he wasn't doing it, despite the views of several people on here. Lambert deserves credit but I think he'd have come good either way

Whereas I've never seen the same degree of potential with gardner - but very prepared to give him a chance. He might be 23+ before he really starts to show his capabilities

[Ad@m]

Thew good things are down to someone else and the bad things are down to him. That figures.

Yet on the flip side you're defending Lambert's record in developing players by pointing to pretty much the only player to improve since Lambert arrived.

[OCD]

Baker seems to have improved a lot from last season. Unfortunately Clark's going the other way. I think he only came on in injury time yesterday and could have had 2 penalties awarded against him in the same incident. His arm shouldn't have been in the air like it was and you can't be diving in like he did, even if the West Ham player did make the most of it.

[supertom]

Baker seems to have improved a lot from last season. Unfortunately Clark's going the other way. I think he only came on in injury time yesterday and could have had 2 penalties awarded against him in the same incident. His arm shouldn't have been in the air like it was and you can't be diving in like he did, even if the West Ham player did make the most of it.

Clark came on to help combat Carroll and it didn't work at all. He could have scored twice in his 3 minute cameo.

[Tom_Mc9?]

I have zero confidence in Clark. Baker has improved since last season which is credit to him.

[peter w]

Thew good things are down to someone else and the bad things are down to him. That figures.

Yet on the flip side you're defending Lambert's record in developing players by pointing to pretty much the only player to improve since Lambert arrived.

Of course it is entirely possible that lambert has had some influence in Delph's development but where would he have done it? On the training ground? Where he was clearly so absent that Karsa and Culverhouse were able to create an environment where bullying was allowed to thrive. he couldn't have done it in private one-to-ones because the very same bullying would have come to his attention at lot sooner than it did. Given how poorly the team has developed and seems to have gone back from a counter-attacking team to one that just looks to nick a goals and shut up shop, I am very much in the doubtful camp that benteke and Delph's progress has been anything but their own ability plus one or two others at Bodymoor Heath that has allowed them to develop.

[Ad@m]

I'm not even convinced Benteke has improved. We paid £8m for him and his best season for us was his first. He's obviously had injuries but I don't see any evidence he's better than he was in that first season.

[silhillvilla]

Some of this stuff on baker is well harsh.
He was superb yesterday , he had Sagbo (sp ?) in his back pocket all game and he was on for a PL record if he'd scored . Cut baker some rope I say.

[supertom]

Baker's concentration has largely been pretty decent this season. He's not making too many unforced errors or switching off much. If anyone has looked ropey this season, Clark aside, it's been Blamanche Ron. The much maligned Baker and Senderos have played well. The midfield in front of them, Sanchez aside, doesn't really doing anything defensively, which leads to a lot of spectacular diving blocks.

[fredm]

A lot of the problem re lack of concentration/ being in wrong position etc can possibly be put down to the fact that the midfield and especially the front men don't hold the ball and give the defence time to get their second breath. It seems as soon as we clear it, ok sometimes its a hoof but not always, then within seconds the opposition are attacking again.

[LeeB]

A lot of the problem re lack of concentration/ being in wrong position etc can possibly be put down to the fact that the midfield and especially the front men don't hold the ball and give the defence time to get their second breath. It seems as soon as we clear it, ok sometimes its a hoof but not always, then within seconds the opposition are attacking again.

It's a good point, but then again we have that problem everywhere, where the different parts of the team seem to actually work against each other.

[Toronto Villa]

The thing is and we saw it fleetingly at the weekend, we can knock it about and string a few passes together. I genuinely we have players that can do that and actually want to. It's the complete lack of movement in the final third that leads to us just whacking it aimlessly to the flanks that kills us all too often. With a more technical manager who would address that problem I think the likes of Cleverley or Westwood would improve no end. Fuck, even Pulis would figure it out.

[OCD]

I'm confident that with the right coaching we could become a possession based team but Lambert keeps coming out with this line about possession not mattering. Whilst games can be won with the minority of possession, having that as your ruling tactic is crazy.

[Villa in Denmark]

A lot of the problem re lack of concentration/ being in wrong position etc can possibly be put down to the fact that the midfield and especially the front men don't hold the ball and give the defence time to get their second breath. It seems as soon as we clear it, ok sometimes its a hoof but not always, then within seconds the opposition are attacking again.

It's a good point, but then again we have that problem everywhere, where the different parts of the team seem to actually work against each other.

Yet another point that supports the team is less than the sum of it's parts theory.