Paul Lambert

[suttonpaul]

I think PL has been found lacking but if we get taken over I would give him the money to go buy some better players and see how he does.

You don't think if we have money we could get better?

I think he has spent well on his bigger purchases

[pacbuddies]

 

 

 

 

 

I think above anything else Lambert deserves our support for these last 4 games.

Two points occur to me from this.

 

First, Lambert is probably a bit better than McLeish but that isn't saying a lot, is it?

 

Secondly, the team needs our support - they are the ones who have to get the 1 or 2 points needed to ensure we stay up. Whether we "support" the current manager or not will be irrelevant.

 

So, cheer for the team.

I find this, just like Faulkners outburst the other week, really patronising to Villa fans. The fans have have supported the team over the last 4 years through thick and thin, and have been mostly served up a shower of shit from the team. You talk as if the supporters havent really bothered to turn up this year and we need them now? They have and always will be there, its upto the team to do their side of the bargain for a change.

 

OK, well I will receive that comment as evidence that I have totally failed to express well the point I was trying to make! 

 

I certainly wasn't intending to echo Paul Faulkner. In fact, I want him, his boss Mr Lerner, and his gofer Mr Lambert out of the club asap because I think they have let the club - and in particular its fans - down badly. Hopefully that will all change this summer.

 

So what was I trying to say?

 

I was picking up on the bolded comment, that "above anything else Lambert deserves our support for these last 4 games"

 

Well, I don't think that, ABOVE ANYTHING ELSE, Lambert deserves our support. In fact, I don't think he deserves our support at all. He has failed us and he deserves to go. But we probably do need to get a couple of points to stumble to safety, so we do need to help the team - however lacking we think the squad is - to get those points. 

 

That's all I was saying. Nothing will come of "supporting Lambert", and he hasn't deserved it.

 

I'm sure the away support will be magnificent at Swansea, as they have been all season. The fans have turned up to every match, home and away, in very impressive numbers, far more impressive than either the team or the manager have deserved in almost all performances this season, and mostly they have supported the team beyond what is reasonable given the rubbish that has been served up on the pitch. So I'm sure they will be cheering the team on as ever tomorrow. I just don't think anyone should take that as backing for Lambert. I think most fans want him gone, and Lerner and Faulkner.

 

I hope I've been more clear this time!

 

Seems clear enough to me.

[suttonpaul]

Firstly, can I just say recently I've been questioning if Lambert was the right man at this time, where as all along I've kept faith in him that he would turn it around. I still wonder what he could do with a budget. However, it's not so much about results, I just wonder if he can ever produce the kind of football that will see us get where we need to be. I'm only 25 & there is people on here who'll have been watching us far longer than me, but definitely since Gregory (probably before that too but I was only a kid) left we've seemed to struggle against the smaller teams, not only in the league, but even in the cups.

I kind of feel sorry for Lambert, to be honest anyone who would want the Villa job the last few years would have had to have been crazy, and fair play to him for risking his reputation at Norwich for this. Over the last two season Paul Lambert has managed 72 Premier League games, he's named 11 starting players 72 times, which is 792 player starts. Of these 792, 255 were players who came through the Villa academy, that's 32%.

People are saying he's worst than McLeish, people need to look what he had to work with.

McLeish's average starting XI: Given. Hutton, Collins, Dunne, Warnock. Gabby, Petrov Herd NZogbia. Bent Heskey. (2011/12) avg. cost per player about £4m-£5m

Lambert's average starting XI: Guzan. Lowton, Vlaar, Baker, Clark. Bannan, Westwod, Delph. Gabby, Benteke, Weimann. (2012/13) avg. cost per player about £1.5m-£2m

Lambert's average starting XI: Guzan. Bacuna, Vlaar, Baker, Clark. El Ahmadi, Westwod, Delph. Gabby, Benteke, Weimann. (2013/14) avg. cost per player about £1.5m-£2m

I think above anything else Lambert deserves our support for these last 4 games.

But Given, Hutton, Bent and Nzog are still on the books of the club. Last season they all could have been utilised more by Lambert (not saying some would've improved the team) and this would've put Lamberts average higher. He choose not to utilise those players.

Guzan over given any day

Bacuna/lowton however Hutton any day

Nzog injured all season

Bent you may have a case for but he has done nothing at Fulham and been replaced with a teenager

[dont_do_it_doug.]

I don't think there's any way the home record can be "defended". It just simply can't be. Sure there are some mitigations - but not so many that they excuse the level of ineptitude on display most times.

At the latter part of last season it looked like things were going in the right direction. Same at the start of this season, but since then the direction of movement has reversed. We're getting worse, not better.

Thinking back to the second time GT was here, he too had to operate under little or no money from the previous chairman, and he went at the end of the season. He managed to win 11 home games that year, in the league.

I think it's possible Paul Lambert could turn us round, given some decent money to spend. I'm not shouting for him to go, but to be honest there's not much concrete I could point to and say "for this reason, he definitely deserves to stay".

Style of play - nope.

Away record - it's kind of ok-ish, but not great.

Signs of progress in the team and players - nope.

And there's no section of the team (midfield, or defencce etc.) where you can say "that bit's right, we just need the last piece in the jigsaw"

signings - nope. I know he's had to spread a little money (relatively) very widely, but while Benteke was a major plus. Vlaar was a good buy, same with Ashley Westwood and the re-signing of the released Brad Guzan was excellent. Okore too looked excellent, before his unfortunate injury. But the rest, though, just haven't looked like players who belong in the Prem. In time some of them may do, but "in time" isn't what is needed in the here and now. I don't think, given the level he's had to shop at, he's done badly, but he hasn't done well enough to get any kind of credit, really.

One plus has been wins against so called top teams, the sort who we used to get rolled over by. That's been really good. But then he's gone and spoilt it by having us trampled on by so called little teams, who have deservedly whooped us.

So as much as I think he's had a really hard task to do, with not as many tools as he'd like or need, he ultimately hasn't shone at it, hasn't done something so far to demonstrate he should definitely be kept on. Winning the next 4 games would do it, winning 3 of the 4, even, but that aside it's becoming harder to say why he should stay.

I agree with you word for word, up until the last paragraph. Winning 3 of the next 4 would prove nothing to me, I'd think it another false dawn.

His problem is not that he can't get them to play football, it's that when he does he doesn't seem to know how he did it. No consistency. After what, 7 years in management and a ton more as a player, if he doesn't know now will he ever? Can we take that risk?

My answer to both would be no.

[pacbuddies]

 

I don't think there's any way the home record can be "defended". It just simply can't be. Sure there are some mitigations - but not so many that they excuse the level of ineptitude on display most times.

At the latter part of last season it looked like things were going in the right direction. Same at the start of this season, but since then the direction of movement has reversed. We're getting worse, not better.

Thinking back to the second time GT was here, he too had to operate under little or no money from the previous chairman, and he went at the end of the season. He managed to win 11 home games that year, in the league.

I think it's possible Paul Lambert could turn us round, given some decent money to spend. I'm not shouting for him to go, but to be honest there's not much concrete I could point to and say "for this reason, he definitely deserves to stay".

Style of play - nope.

Away record - it's kind of ok-ish, but not great.

Signs of progress in the team and players - nope.

And there's no section of the team (midfield, or defencce etc.) where you can say "that bit's right, we just need the last piece in the jigsaw"

signings - nope. I know he's had to spread a little money (relatively) very widely, but while Benteke was a major plus. Vlaar was a good buy, same with Ashley Westwood and the re-signing of the released Brad Guzan was excellent. Okore too looked excellent, before his unfortunate injury. But the rest, though, just haven't looked like players who belong in the Prem. In time some of them may do, but "in time" isn't what is needed in the here and now. I don't think, given the level he's had to shop at, he's done badly, but he hasn't done well enough to get any kind of credit, really.

One plus has been wins against so called top teams, the sort who we used to get rolled over by. That's been really good. But then he's gone and spoilt it by having us trampled on by so called little teams, who have deservedly whooped us.

So as much as I think he's had a really hard task to do, with not as many tools as he'd like or need, he ultimately hasn't shone at it, hasn't done something so far to demonstrate he should definitely be kept on. Winning the next 4 games would do it, winning 3 of the 4, even, but that aside it's becoming harder to say why he should stay.

I agree with you word for word, up until the last paragraph. Winning 3 of the next 4 would prove nothing to me, I'd think it another false dawn.

His problem is not that he can't get them to play football, it's that when he does he doesn't seem to know how he did it. No consistency. After what, 7 years in management and a ton more as a player, if he doesn't know now will he ever? Can we take that risk?

My answer to both would be no.

 

Lambert isn't capable of masterminding 3 wins out of 4. He couldn't do it with a fully fit squad so with his depleted player resources he has no chance.

[blandy]

Point taken, but I think he does know, but the players don't, or if they do, can't do it regularly. Agree on the consistency.

[foreveryoung]

Wouldn't keep him for the new season, especially if we have big money to spend an new owners. He blantently cant an wont deal with big ego's an big players.

[dont_do_it_doug.]

He blantently cant an wont deal with big ego's an big players.

Based on what?

[Amo69]

Can't we have a poll on Lambert?

[Kwan]

 

He blantently cant an wont deal with big ego's an big players.

Based on what?

 

 

The Darren Bent's of the world not able to make the team at Fulham. Or the Barry Bannan's not able to make it at Crystal Palace. Or the Richard Dunne's toiling away in the Championship. Did I miss any other big egos?

[Big_John_10]

I don't think there's any way the home record can be "defended". It just simply can't be. Sure there are some mitigations - but not so many that they excuse the level of ineptitude on display most times.

At the latter part of last season it looked like things were going in the right direction. Same at the start of this season, but since then the direction of movement has reversed. We're getting worse, not better.

Thinking back to the second time GT was here, he too had to operate under little or no money from the previous chairman, and he went at the end of the season. He managed to win 11 home games that year, in the league.

I think it's possible Paul Lambert could turn us round, given some decent money to spend. I'm not shouting for him to go, but to be honest there's not much concrete I could point to and say "for this reason, he definitely deserves to stay".

Style of play - nope.

Away record - it's kind of ok-ish, but not great.

Signs of progress in the team and players - nope.

And there's no section of the team (midfield, or defencce etc.) where you can say "that bit's right, we just need the last piece in the jigsaw"

signings - nope. I know he's had to spread a little money (relatively) very widely, but while Benteke was a major plus. Vlaar was a good buy, same with Ashley Westwood and the re-signing of the released Brad Guzan was excellent. Okore too looked excellent, before his unfortunate injury. But the rest, though, just haven't looked like players who belong in the Prem. In time some of them may do, but "in time" isn't what is needed in the here and now. I don't think, given the level he's had to shop at, he's done badly, but he hasn't done well enough to get any kind of credit, really.

One plus has been wins against so called top teams, the sort who we used to get rolled over by. That's been really good. But then he's gone and spoilt it by having us trampled on by so called little teams, who have deservedly whooped us.

So as much as I think he's had a really hard task to do, with not as many tools as he'd like or need, he ultimately hasn't shone at it, hasn't done something so far to demonstrate he should definitely be kept on. Winning the next 4 games would do it, winning 3 of the 4, even, but that aside it's becoming harder to say why he should stay.

I agree with you word for word, up until the last paragraph. Winning 3 of the next 4 would prove nothing to me, I'd think it another false dawn.

His problem is not that he can't get them to play football, it's that when he does he doesn't seem to know how he did it. No consistency. After what, 7 years in management and a ton more as a player, if he doesn't know now will he ever? Can we take that risk?

My answer to both would be no.

A bit like the end of last season. We all thought it meant things had clicked but he's completly failed to build on it this season.

[Ghost_of_Pongo_Waring]

Point taken, but I think he does know, but the players don't, or if they do, can't do it regularly. Agree on the consistency.

 

If the players Lambert brought could play at their best consistently they would not be here because we wouldn't have been able to afford their fees or wages.

 

Lambert hasn't done a great job, and has made plenty of mistakes, but rebuilding the whole squad, on an average £2million per player, while keeping us in the Prem has not been an easy task.

[The_Lions_Roar]

I don't think there's any way the home record can be "defended". It just simply can't be. Sure there are some mitigations - but not so many that they excuse the level of ineptitude on display most times.

At the latter part of last season it looked like things were going in the right direction. Same at the start of this season, but since then the direction of movement has reversed. We're getting worse, not better.

Thinking back to the second time GT was here, he too had to operate under little or no money from the previous chairman, and he went at the end of the season. He managed to win 11 home games that year, in the league.

I think it's possible Paul Lambert could turn us round, given some decent money to spend. I'm not shouting for him to go, but to be honest there's not much concrete I could point to and say "for this reason, he definitely deserves to stay".

Style of play - nope.

Away record - it's kind of ok-ish, but not great.

Signs of progress in the team and players - nope.

And there's no section of the team (midfield, or defencce etc.) where you can say "that bit's right, we just need the last piece in the jigsaw"

signings - nope. I know he's had to spread a little money (relatively) very widely, but while Benteke was a major plus. Vlaar was a good buy, same with Ashley Westwood and the re-signing of the released Brad Guzan was excellent. Okore too looked excellent, before his unfortunate injury. But the rest, though, just haven't looked like players who belong in the Prem. In time some of them may do, but "in time" isn't what is needed in the here and now. I don't think, given the level he's had to shop at, he's done badly, but he hasn't done well enough to get any kind of credit, really.

One plus has been wins against so called top teams, the sort who we used to get rolled over by. That's been really good. But then he's gone and spoilt it by having us trampled on by so called little teams, who have deservedly whooped us.

So as much as I think he's had a really hard task to do, with not as many tools as he'd like or need, he ultimately hasn't shone at it, hasn't done something so far to demonstrate he should definitely be kept on. Winning the next 4 games would do it, winning 3 of the 4, even, but that aside it's becoming harder to say why he should stay.

I agree with you word for word, up until the last paragraph. Winning 3 of the next 4 would prove nothing to me, I'd think it another false dawn.

His problem is not that he can't get them to play football, it's that when he does he doesn't seem to know how he did it. No consistency. After what, 7 years in management and a ton more as a player, if he doesn't know now will he ever? Can we take that risk?

My answer to both would be no.

Lambert isn't capable of masterminding 3 wins out of 4. He couldn't do it with a fully fit squad so with his depleted player resources he has no chance.

How often has he had a fully fit first 11 let alone a fully fit squad?

[mikeyp102]

Firstly, can I just say recently I've been questioning if Lambert was the right man at this time, where as all along I've kept faith in him that he would turn it around. I still wonder what he could do with a budget. However, it's not so much about results, I just wonder if he can ever produce the kind of football that will see us get where we need to be. I'm only 25 & there is people on here who'll have been watching us far longer than me, but definitely since Gregory (probably before that too but I was only a kid) left we've seemed to struggle against the smaller teams, not only in the league, but even in the cups.

I kind of feel sorry for Lambert, to be honest anyone who would want the Villa job the last few years would have had to have been crazy, and fair play to him for risking his reputation at Norwich for this. Over the last two season Paul Lambert has managed 72 Premier League games, he's named 11 starting players 72 times, which is 792 player starts. Of these 792, 255 were players who came through the Villa academy, that's 32%.

People are saying he's worst than McLeish, people need to look what he had to work with.

McLeish's average starting XI: Given. Hutton, Collins, Dunne, Warnock. Gabby, Petrov Herd NZogbia. Bent Heskey. (2011/12) avg. cost per player about £4m-£5m

Lambert's average starting XI: Guzan. Lowton, Vlaar, Baker, Clark. Bannan, Westwod, Delph. Gabby, Benteke, Weimann. (2012/13) avg. cost per player about £1.5m-£2m

Lambert's average starting XI: Guzan. Bacuna, Vlaar, Baker, Clark. El Ahmadi, Westwod, Delph. Gabby, Benteke, Weimann. (2013/14) avg. cost per player about £1.5m-£2m

I think above anything else Lambert deserves our support for these last 4 games.

The average cost per player doesn't make any difference in the grand scheme of things at Villa.

Just because McLeish's squad cost more doesn't make them significantly better and it certainly didn't make McLeish a better manager than he was at SHA.

Both managers are poor and both squads were/are poor.

You've missed the point, if Lambert had been able to field a team worth the same as McLeish then its likely we'd see better results. Obviously a more expensive team doesn't automatically mean that but when Lambert's spent more he's spent well.

I think you've missed some points. As I Pointed out earlier, Nzog, Bent, Given and Hutton are still on the wage bill, they could have been utilised last yr which would have put Lambert's average team value up.

Last year or last season?

Last season

[blandy]

 

Point taken, but I think he does know, but the players don't, or if they do, can't do it regularly. Agree on the consistency.

 

If the players Lambert brought could play at their best consistently they would not be here because we wouldn't have been able to afford their fees or wages.

 

Lambert hasn't done a great job, and has made plenty of mistakes, but rebuilding the whole squad, on an average £2million per player, while keeping us in the Prem has not been an easy task.

 

Agree with the second line, but the first, not really, but I take your point. Again it's hard, but when he bought them, if they'd turned out to be capable of it, then they'd still be on the same wages, and we'd have bought them. He couldn't know, of course, and it wouldn't be likely that they all would work out like that, but fewer than we'd like have.

He's bought too many young 'uns, perhaps because that's al lhe could get, but the lack of experience ot cajole and marshall them has been telling, IMO.

[The_Lions_Roar]

Firstly, can I just say recently I've been questioning if Lambert was the right man at this time, where as all along I've kept faith in him that he would turn it around. I still wonder what he could do with a budget. However, it's not so much about results, I just wonder if he can ever produce the kind of football that will see us get where we need to be. I'm only 25 & there is people on here who'll have been watching us far longer than me, but definitely since Gregory (probably before that too but I was only a kid) left we've seemed to struggle against the smaller teams, not only in the league, but even in the cups.

I kind of feel sorry for Lambert, to be honest anyone who would want the Villa job the last few years would have had to have been crazy, and fair play to him for risking his reputation at Norwich for this. Over the last two season Paul Lambert has managed 72 Premier League games, he's named 11 starting players 72 times, which is 792 player starts. Of these 792, 255 were players who came through the Villa academy, that's 32%.

People are saying he's worst than McLeish, people need to look what he had to work with.

McLeish's average starting XI: Given. Hutton, Collins, Dunne, Warnock. Gabby, Petrov Herd NZogbia. Bent Heskey. (2011/12) avg. cost per player about £4m-£5m

Lambert's average starting XI: Guzan. Lowton, Vlaar, Baker, Clark. Bannan, Westwod, Delph. Gabby, Benteke, Weimann. (2012/13) avg. cost per player about £1.5m-£2m

Lambert's average starting XI: Guzan. Bacuna, Vlaar, Baker, Clark. El Ahmadi, Westwod, Delph. Gabby, Benteke, Weimann. (2013/14) avg. cost per player about £1.5m-£2m

I think above anything else Lambert deserves our support for these last 4 games.

The average cost per player doesn't make any difference in the grand scheme of things at Villa.

Just because McLeish's squad cost more doesn't make them significantly better and it certainly didn't make McLeish a better manager than he was at SHA.

Both managers are poor and both squads were/are poor.

You've missed the point, if Lambert had been able to field a team worth the same as McLeish then its likely we'd see better results. Obviously a more expensive team doesn't automatically mean that but when Lambert's spent more he's spent well.

I think you've missed some points. As I Pointed out earlier, Nzog, Bent, Given and Hutton are still on the wage bill, they could have been utilised last yr which would have put Lambert's average team value up.

Last year or last season?

Last season

Guzan > given

Benteke > bent

Lowton > Hutton

Don't remember anyone asking for given, bent and Hutton to be played over the players that have replaced them.

Arguably nzog could of been used but he played enough games, was hardly frozen out.

[mikeyp102]

Firstly, can I just say recently I've been questioning if Lambert was the right man at this time, where as all along I've kept faith in him that he would turn it around. I still wonder what he could do with a budget. However, it's not so much about results, I just wonder if he can ever produce the kind of football that will see us get where we need to be. I'm only 25 & there is people on here who'll have been watching us far longer than me, but definitely since Gregory (probably before that too but I was only a kid) left we've seemed to struggle against the smaller teams, not only in the league, but even in the cups.

I kind of feel sorry for Lambert, to be honest anyone who would want the Villa job the last few years would have had to have been crazy, and fair play to him for risking his reputation at Norwich for this. Over the last two season Paul Lambert has managed 72 Premier League games, he's named 11 starting players 72 times, which is 792 player starts. Of these 792, 255 were players who came through the Villa academy, that's 32%.

People are saying he's worst than McLeish, people need to look what he had to work with.

McLeish's average starting XI: Given. Hutton, Collins, Dunne, Warnock. Gabby, Petrov Herd NZogbia. Bent Heskey. (2011/12) avg. cost per player about £4m-£5m

Lambert's average starting XI: Guzan. Lowton, Vlaar, Baker, Clark. Bannan, Westwod, Delph. Gabby, Benteke, Weimann. (2012/13) avg. cost per player about £1.5m-£2m

Lambert's average starting XI: Guzan. Bacuna, Vlaar, Baker, Clark. El Ahmadi, Westwod, Delph. Gabby, Benteke, Weimann. (2013/14) avg. cost per player about £1.5m-£2m

I think above anything else Lambert deserves our support for these last 4 games.

The average cost per player doesn't make any difference in the grand scheme of things at Villa.

Just because McLeish's squad cost more doesn't make them significantly better and it certainly didn't make McLeish a better manager than he was at SHA.

Both managers are poor and both squads were/are poor.

You've missed the point, if Lambert had been able to field a team worth the same as McLeish then its likely we'd see better results. Obviously a more expensive team doesn't automatically mean that but when Lambert's spent more he's spent well.

I think you've missed some points. As I Pointed out earlier, Nzog, Bent, Given and Hutton are still on the wage bill, they could have been utilised last yr which would have put Lambert's average team value up.

Last year or last season?

Last season

Guzan > given

Benteke > bent

Lowton > Hutton

Don't remember anyone asking for given, bent and Hutton to be played over the players that have replaced them.

Arguably nzog could of been used but he played enough games, was hardly frozen out.

Bent could've played with Benteke (it was never really tried). Nzog could've played more.

Even so the option was there, you can't say that Mcleish's team was worth more when Lamberts could have been but it was his choice.

[colhint]

I don't think Nzog could have played more if he was out for the season

[Cliffy Biro]

H'es not though, hes been training for a few weeks. Havent got the link but im pretty sure lambert admitted not to long ago that hes training with the kids.

[The_Lions_Roar]

Firstly, can I just say recently I've been questioning if Lambert was the right man at this time, where as all along I've kept faith in him that he would turn it around. I still wonder what he could do with a budget. However, it's not so much about results, I just wonder if he can ever produce the kind of football that will see us get where we need to be. I'm only 25 & there is people on here who'll have been watching us far longer than me, but definitely since Gregory (probably before that too but I was only a kid) left we've seemed to struggle against the smaller teams, not only in the league, but even in the cups.

I kind of feel sorry for Lambert, to be honest anyone who would want the Villa job the last few years would have had to have been crazy, and fair play to him for risking his reputation at Norwich for this. Over the last two season Paul Lambert has managed 72 Premier League games, he's named 11 starting players 72 times, which is 792 player starts. Of these 792, 255 were players who came through the Villa academy, that's 32%.

People are saying he's worst than McLeish, people need to look what he had to work with.

McLeish's average starting XI: Given. Hutton, Collins, Dunne, Warnock. Gabby, Petrov Herd NZogbia. Bent Heskey. (2011/12) avg. cost per player about £4m-£5m

Lambert's average starting XI: Guzan. Lowton, Vlaar, Baker, Clark. Bannan, Westwod, Delph. Gabby, Benteke, Weimann. (2012/13) avg. cost per player about £1.5m-£2m

Lambert's average starting XI: Guzan. Bacuna, Vlaar, Baker, Clark. El Ahmadi, Westwod, Delph. Gabby, Benteke, Weimann. (2013/14) avg. cost per player about £1.5m-£2m

I think above anything else Lambert deserves our support for these last 4 games.

The average cost per player doesn't make any difference in the grand scheme of things at Villa.

Just because McLeish's squad cost more doesn't make them significantly better and it certainly didn't make McLeish a better manager than he was at SHA.

Both managers are poor and both squads were/are poor.

You've missed the point, if Lambert had been able to field a team worth the same as McLeish then its likely we'd see better results. Obviously a more expensive team doesn't automatically mean that but when Lambert's spent more he's spent well.

I think you've missed some points. As I Pointed out earlier, Nzog, Bent, Given and Hutton are still on the wage bill, they could have been utilised last yr which would have put Lambert's average team value up.

Last year or last season?

Last season

Guzan > given

Benteke > bent

Lowton > Hutton

Don't remember anyone asking for given, bent and Hutton to be played over the players that have replaced them.

Arguably nzog could of been used but he played enough games, was hardly frozen out.

Bent could've played with Benteke (it was never really tried). Nzog could've played more.

Even so the option was there, you can't say that Mcleish's team was worth more when Lamberts could have been but it was his choice.

But 3 of the players you've picked were replaced by our best 3 players last season.