Lambert PL Signings

[maqroll]

I remain unconvinced with these signings at the moment. We still look a very young team and buying players from lower leagues and from dodgy foreign leagues (Dutch/Belgium) where the quality is unquestionably lesser than the Premier League is concerning. I'm not saying it can't work but I think it's very risky.

I'd have liked a few older heads in their personally.

Yeah, that dodgy Dutch league never produced much did it

[P3te]

and those belgians... christ their national team looks **** doesnt it

[Richard]

People saying that they wanted more prem experience, well Owen is still available, anyone take him now?

[Nigel]

Well we are being brave! Exciting and terrifying! I cant make my mind up whether I am optimistic or pessimistic. Newcastle will help me decide!

This is not a team that is being built for Newcastle, thats for sure!

[flamingsombrero]

I think the crowd with take to this recruitment campaign in a way they havn't with the prima donna's

I think you will see a synergy between the crowd and these youngs lads that hasn't been seen in years.

I might be wrong, but I sense something different is happening.

[StanBalaban]

I remain unconvinced with these signings at the moment. We still look a very young team and buying players from lower leagues and from dodgy foreign leagues (Dutch/Belgium) where the quality is unquestionably lesser than the Premier League is concerning. I'm not saying it can't work but I think it's very risky.

I'd have liked a few older heads in their personally.

You're falling into the trap of judging young players based on their environment, rather than their individual talents.

Ronnie Wallwork and David Beckham both came from Man Utd, but it doesn't make them the same.

Why should we wait for another team to scout talent only for us to miss the boat or buy them at inflated prices? The team that a young player plays for is not the only reflection of their ability.

Anyway, it's not just inexperience in our squad. Given, Ireland, Gabby, Bent, Zog, Dunne are all seasoned campaigners.

[chomer]

In much the same way, that Saunders did it, with unknown players like Morley, swain, Evans,bremner, etc....I think PL will emulate that.

It is impossible to be excited, because we have no idea of how these players will turn out, we just have to put our faith in the manager... and it will not come good in 5 minutes.

The interesting bit will be the rate of progress and watching thenm maturing in to Premier League players, just the same as seeing Morley go from a £200,000 burnley player to an England International ( when it was hard to get an England place).

Watching these players grow, will be like watching Andy Gray grow and as each game goes by they hopefully will get better.

We have not had a very good record of buying ready made stars mainly because unless its a meal ticket they don't want to come.

Our record has clearly been to mould our own stars and let them build to gether that seems the only way we seem to hold on to them too, it builds loyalty and they gain success together, despite the sound bites, I don't believe team spirit has been there for years... yes they say there is, but not the same spirit as when you grow together lads all a similar age.

I sense a new dawn

It will take some time and there will be setbacks but I think this manager is on the right lines and knows what he is doing.... He just needs that essential ingredient with him " a bit of luck"

I sense a sunset. I don't see how you can even begin to compare the Saunders years to todays game. It was quite common in the 60's - 80's for managers to find British player as the likes of Tony Morley in the lower leagues. But now any club that relies on the lower leagues to find the next Morley is on a hiding to nothing.

Apart from sensing a sunset, I also sense a massive amount of wishful thinking.

I'm more of a midday man myself. I think Lambert has put together a squad that will be able to hold its own in mid table.

But I hope TRO is right and we can do better.

I admire and applaud your optimism but why do you think we can hold our own in "mid table"?

Most people admit that they know little or nothing about the players we have signed yet many talk about them as if we have made some kind of breakthrough.

I don't see anyone thinking this is some kind of "breakthrough" - more of a change of direction. That may lead to a breakthrough in a couple of seasons or it may not. I don't know. But I do know the change of direction is what is exciting me.

[MikeMcKenna]

I remain unconvinced with these signings at the moment. We still look a very young team and buying players from lower leagues and from dodgy foreign leagues (Dutch/Belgium) where the quality is unquestionably lesser than the Premier League is concerning. I'm not saying it can't work but I think it's very risky.

I'd have liked a few older heads in their personally.

You're falling into the trap of judging young players based on their environment, rather than their individual talents.

Ronnie Wallwork and David Beckham both came from Man Utd, but it doesn't make them the same.

Why should we wait for another team to scout talent only for us to miss the boat or buy them at inflated prices? The team that a young player plays for is not the only reflection of their ability.

Anyway, it's not just inexperience in our squad. Given, Ireland, Gabby, Bent, Zog, Dunne are all seasoned campaigners.

Yes we have a number of "seasoned" players but are they good enough to support the kids?

Given - looked very dodgy in the Euros and in his last game

Ireland - played well against Tranmere, but jury is still out on whether he can make difference for us

Gabby - what can we say about Gabby, apart from that he seems to have gone backwards in the last three years

Bent - scores goals if we have someone who can deliver opportunities on a plate

Zog - good runner into cul de sacs, but can't cross to save his life

Dunne - Too "seasoned" and past hs sell by?

[jim]

People saying that they wanted more prem experience, well Owen is still available, anyone take him now?

I woud actually, if fit a great player to bring on in the 70th minute if you need a goal.

[Folski]

I remain unconvinced with these signings at the moment. We still look a very young team and buying players from lower leagues and from dodgy foreign leagues (Dutch/Belgium) where the quality is unquestionably lesser than the Premier League is concerning. I'm not saying it can't work but I think it's very risky.

I'd have liked a few older heads in their personally.

You're falling into the trap of judging young players based on their environment, rather than their individual talents.

Ronnie Wallwork and David Beckham both came from Man Utd, but it doesn't make them the same.

Why should we wait for another team to scout talent only for us to miss the boat or buy them at inflated prices? The team that a young player plays for is not the only reflection of their ability.

Anyway, it's not just inexperience in our squad. Given, Ireland, Gabby, Bent, Zog, Dunne are all seasoned campaigners.

Exactly, and in recent years Kompany has come from the Belgian League and hasn't done too bad, plus the likes of Suarez, Sneijder, Robben, Rvp all came from Holland.

[Big_John_10]

I think the crowd with take to this recruitment campaign in a way they havn't with the prima donna's

I think you will see a synergy between the crowd and these youngs lads that hasn't been seen in years.

I might be wrong, but I sense something different is happening.

Did you go to the everton game?

You think those that were annoyed and frustrated won't be know because we've signed 3 lower league players and a kid from Belgium?

I think you're in for a surprise at the final whistle against Swansea.

[Big_John_10]

I think the crowd with take to this recruitment campaign in a way they havn't with the prima donna's

I think you will see a synergy between the crowd and these youngs lads that hasn't been seen in years.

I might be wrong, but I sense something different is happening.

Did you go to the everton game?

You think those that were annoyed and frustrated won't be now because we've signed 3 lower league players and a kid from Belgium?

I think you're in for a surprise at the final whistle against Swansea if we've lost.

[coda]

**** the idiots that boo. Lambert doesn't need to pander to them with his signings.

[The_Steve]

Lambert is building a squad that is less about giving players like Richard Dunne 4 year contracts and £50,000 a week in wages. He's building a squad, that is young, hungry to compete and will want to play for him and Villa. You have to give him a chance at least. It's incredible how people have written us off 2 games into the season. Beyond pathetic. Although, it's usually the usual bunch. I have qualms about the problems facing the squad. However, I'm prepared to back Lambert and hope the new players succeed.

[PandaMac]

I think the crowd with take to this recruitment campaign in a way they havn't with the prima donna's

I think you will see a synergy between the crowd and these youngs lads that hasn't been seen in years.

I might be wrong, but I sense something different is happening.

Did you go to the everton game?

You think those that were annoyed and frustrated won't be know because we've signed 3 lower league players and a kid from Belgium?

I think you're in for a surprise at the final whistle against Swansea if we've lost.

I think people were angry at the fact that we were 3 - 0 down at half time and TBH fan's of most team's would do the same. As far as I remember there were no boo's at full time even though we only really showed up in the last 20 minute's.

This for me show's the fan's will take to Lambert and the player's he's signed.

[VillakevBromsgrove]

I think the crowd with take to this recruitment campaign in a way they havn't with the prima donna's

I think you will see a synergy between the crowd and these youngs lads that hasn't been seen in years.

I might be wrong, but I sense something different is happening.

Did you go to the everton game?

You think those that were annoyed and frustrated won't be know because we've signed 3 lower league players and a kid from Belgium?

I think you're in for a surprise at the final whistle against Swansea if we've lost.

An attitude like this wont help, yes the Everton game was poor, PL is not blind, he has seen the position we are in and has taken steps to improve it, it may take 10 games to see the results start paying dividends, alot longer if the crowd start having a go at the club and players, football is all about confidence, this breeds results, even star players like Rooney live on confidence. We want our players to try different things and do the unexpected, Nzogbia is capable of this and with confidence will improve, it takes time and as fans we should back the players instead of getting on their backs.

[NurembergVillan]

Paul Lambert's career highlight as a player was winning the Champions League with Dortmund. Clearly the hiring of his former coach there as our new head scout shows that his affiliation with them still runs deep.

So bearing that in mind, let's consider the Dortmund of today - having paid the price for expensive signings, even having to sell their stadium, a hungry young manager came in with the task of signing similar minded players. Some of those he signed two years ago are now household names or playing elsewhere after high profile transfers.

Nuri Sahin was deemed too slow for the BL but Klopp turned him into a formidable playmaker. Hummels was signed from Bayyern who deemed him not good enough and partnered him at centre half with Subotic. Kagawa, now at Utd, was signed from the Japanese second division. Großkreutz from the German second.

Is Lambert trying to replicate their approach? You'd be foolish to thnk it hasn't crossed his mind.

This article tells the whole story of Dortmund's resurgence. It could almost be a parallel to our own. We hope!

[Daweii]

I think the fans aren't stupid, the fans should hopefully realise it took Lambert 3 years to get Norwich to the Premier League and kept them there. Yes he turned their fortunes around in the lower leagues, but it wasn't an instant thing and he lost several of his first games in charge. His team quickly learned how to play proper football though. I say by January we will be about 15th, but most importantly we'll be starting to craft wins out of games we considered un-winnable last season.

[theunderstudy]

The only bright spark in last season was Andreas Weimann. Why was this? Because against all odds, when we were doing shit, when we couldn't score to save our lives, he came in and pumped blood for the team. He was the only player who tried his best EVERY time he was on the pitch. Bent, Gabby, Delfouneso whenever they appeared seemed to be lethargic, uncaring, and oft ineffectual.

The crowd and all the fans seemed to take to Weimann, because of this. He showed spirit, and an overwhelming desire to do well. If we had 11 players with that mindset we'd be up the table. Players who want to play for us, are desperate to play for us and have some talent. (See Westwood) These players can grow into a team. And with the likes of Vlaar, KEA, etc, they can grow into a team that can fight hard against big opposition and hopefully triumph.

I expect no trees to be pulled up this year, but I expect the lads to be straining every sinew to uproot them. If we survive, which I am confident about, then we can build more next year. Worst case scenario is we fight valiantly but are relegated. But I see no better side to bring us back up if, although McGrath willing we won't. We don't need big time charlies looking for a big wage, or lazy journeymen. We need focused, mentally strong players willing to do us proud. And I reckon we will watch this team being assembled in the next few years. If Lambert moves on after this to a bigger challenge, then I am sure we can find a manager to take us on again, a bit like Laudrup has with Swansea.

In Lambert I trust.

[PandaMac]

Paul Lambert's career highlight as a player was winning the Champions League with Dortmund. Clearly the hiring of his former coach there as our new head scout shows that his affiliation with them still runs deep.

So bearing that in mind, let's consider the Dortmund of today - having paid the price for expensive signings, even having to sell their stadium, a hungry young manager came in with the task of signing similar minded players. Some of those he signed two years ago are now household names or playing elsewhere after high profile transfers.

Nuri Sahin was deemed too slow for the BL but Klopp turned him into a formidable playmaker. Hummels was signed from Bayyern who deemed him not good enough and partnered him at centre half with Subotic. Kagawa, now at Utd, was signed from the Japanese second division. Großkreutz from the German second.

Is Lambert trying to replicate their approach? You'd be foolish to thnk it hasn't crossed his mind.

This article tells the whole story of Dortmund's resurgence. It could almost be a parallel to our own. We hope!

Fantastic article and a model you would hope we could follow.