Last season in parts was an adrenalin fuelled ride of fast past attack, some great goals from our front line and comedy pub defending. Every game was a roller coaster ride and a 1:0 deficit after 10 mins was the norm.
Now the comedy pub defending has almost gone but so has the adrenalin ride of goals. Weimann, Gabby and Benteke were unplayable last season, this season it feels like teams know how to nullify their threat plus all three are off form or have been injured.
If we can't play on the break or hoof it - then we play possession football that goes nowhere.
Our limitations are so obvious it hurts. Our midfield is league one level, our attack when on form is top 8 prem class, our defence seems to now be catching up to Prem standard, but it's all a weird mix of differing abilities. But on the whole we aren't a good footballing team and it hurts me to say that.
Lambert tries to make us play to our strengths, he used three attackers because he recognised our midfield wasn't good enough, instead he substituted talent in that area for reliability and industry (and the hope Delph can become something special).
As tedious as it is to state, until we have some kind of creative technical ball players in there with an eye for a forward pass and good close control we will not improve beyond where we are now, which I might add is a good solid platform to go from. And yes we need players to make the runs to adapt to the passes that this type of player would offer.
Looking at the players we have I would only say that Bennett (honest, I know he can't defend but he is genuinely good on the ball), Helenius (judging by the preseason games) and supposedly Tonev - have these technical creative attributes, maybe Gardener and Albrighton at a push, and then Grealish and Graham (maybe Carruthers). All are currently fringe players or youth players who won't be blooded for some time as Lambert doesn't play anyone under the age of 23.
Lambert needs to take some risks and make some bold choices with the players we have.
We are making progress though, just very dull and slow progress. And I think the players we have will and are getting better.