penguin

As I've posted in the match thread, I'm by no means pro-lambert (or especially anti) but this has got to be chalked up to the players rather than him, as of half time.

We controlled the game and looked threatening for the first 10/15 mins, deservedly taking the lead, then the players seemed to get too comfortable and sat back and some of the individual defending and positioning has been among the worst you will see.

Lets hope he gives them an absolute rocket at half time and everyone wakes up.

I'm by no means normally pro lambert, but I don't think he can be blamed for this. We started very brightly and deservedly took the lead and looked threatening getting in behind.

But after the players seemed to sit back and relax and the defending as a whole as been some of the worst ive seen, one player going past 4 of ours, horrible individual mistakes and positioning.

**** off villa

Is there a more jekyll and hyde side than us? I cant think of one.

I wanted him to start albrighton to be honest, show us you can do it consistently marc!

Disgraceful defending, making all their players look like messi, buying every dummy and going to ground at the drop of a hat. Making it way to easy for them to waltz through.

Some just don't seem to realise that we are never going to be able to dominate possession against the likes of Chelsea and City. That doesn't mean we can't play good football against them though and have more chances.

Where on earth have you got the impression that anyone expects us to dominate possession against these sides? I haven't seen anyone say anything of the sort, just sensationalising to belittle what you don't agree with. The world isn't that black and white, it's not just dominate or be dominated there is a middle ground.

I don't know why every one keeps harping on about, you don't get bonus points for possession etc, I don't think anyone has said all they want is more possession even at the detriment of the results. It's about wanting an improved team performance altogether, which there has been recently, and increased possession is usually a by-product of this.

Sneijder.

 

Swap Torres for Benteke + £10m our way.

 

Buy Mulumbu from West Bum.

 

Find some wonderkid winger from Holland. Maybe Bacuna's brother.

 

Enjoy finishing in the top 4.

Yeah we've heard that one already.

 

Is it not a valid point though? Are silly little stats really more important than winning?

Why are the stats silly?

Of course the win is ultimately more important after the event but that isn't what is being discussed, I think he has a point in what he's saying. If those were the story of every game of the season we'd easily be relegated, in my opinion. Although hardly an unbiased opinion, Pochettino said after the game -

"It's the type of game you lose maybe once in 1,000, but tonight we lost it.

Yeah we've heard that one already.

Where are those stats from please.

They are correct.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25115885

For all this chastising of those who "only care about possession stats", who's actually said this?

We have been very poor on the ball at times and do seem to have a tendency to give it away cheaply thus putting us under unnecessary pressure, this is where I would like to see us improve.

Villalads post which seems to have instigated this discussion, to me is talking more about the team performance and sitting deep than purely possession stats, hence why he has mentioned the City and Southampton game where he feels we were lucky, and I would be slightly inclined to agree, rather than the Chelsea game where possession was similar but the performance and tactics were much different and the win was perhaps more merited.

To me the view some take that "we won therefore the performances are irrelevant" seems too short-sighted, as over the course of the season you would expect the teams performances to be correlated to the results picked up.

I remember a few weeks ago, I can't remember who they were playing, Mourinho's Chelsea had won their game but he said he was disappointed in a post-match interview as the teams performance was poor and over the course of the season this would be what determines their future results.

Oh if Gary Neville said it, it must be true...

I'd be willing to put a fair bit of money on the fact that on average the team with the highest possession in a game, wins more often.

I'm not even a "possession junkie" I just agreed with the point made by the earlier poster, that we do need to keep the ball better.

What annoys me this season is games like Everton away and also that lucky City win a home.

 

Your never going to get anything against Everton with just sitting back and let them play on their strengths, poor tactically by Lambert imo. The City and the Southampton game away were lucky as s***

 

Also. Our possession stats needs to improve next season.

 

Modern Sky fan rubbish

What a load of bollocks, so possession stats are just a hipster fad are they?

I appreciate that the importance of possession stats may be over-stated but surely not many people will deny that at times this season we have been atrocious at keeping the ball and in turn put ourselves under unnecessary pressure.

Pushing it a bit imo saying the City game was a counter attacking win, it was a complete mugging (Not that I'm complaining).

Yeah who cares. Was only a win at the Emirates and their only home league defeat of the season, why would I be glad that happened.

Good job he didn't, Luna looked awesome against Arsenal from what I remember.

Personnally I think it makes more logical sense to assume that there was a AM that could have been purchased for the price of Kozak than not, that said I'm actually a fan of Kozak and think he will come good so I'm glad we bought him.

Gabby is very much a strength, not a weakness as far I'm concerned. No sentimentality, no fan playing for the club gubbins, he's quick, he's good in the air, he can hold the ball up, he can change games and he can finish with both feet - he's inconsistent, yes - but bad Gabby is in the team on merit, and on a good day he's the best we have. I don't want him to leave because he's one of our best players. Simple as that for me.

Agreed, I think he's one of our best players and one his day has the potential the change games single-handedly. Just look at the difference it made to the team when he came off injured against Liverpool and when he came on against West Brom.

I hope we keep the high defensive line and the aggressive pressing after how well it worked, so much more positive and effective than defending deep if the players can pull it off. Red Bull Salzburg are one of my favourite teams to watch and they play in a similar vein and they are absolutely devasting teams at the moment.

Absolutely disgusting tackle deserves a huge ban, no attempt on the ball only go in like that with the intention to injure and could have so easily broken his leg.

Still can't get over how good it was,100x better than the one Ronaldo scored against us that the media were tugging over for weeks IMO.

Well done today PL, very well done.

When Chelsea went down to 10 men, I asked you to try to win the game, and you delivered by making two excellent changes. If Albrighton didn't come in, I doubt we'd have won. And in spite of Bennet having a great game, I felt more at ease with Clark in in the end.

I agree, he made some great changes, was so nice to see some positivity and belief from the team rather than being happy with just the one point. Played some great stuff along the floor as well shows the players are capable, hopefully we continue playing to this level.

Got it spot on today; good tactics, subs and an excellent performance.