Manager Paul Lambert

[villaguy]

I know it easy to pick out the perfect player as an example, but you must have a standard to aim for.

When are we going to attempt to get players with the "feet" of the likes of Dwight Yorke.

Alex Ferguson never just signed him for his number of goals, it was his quality of footwork that fitted snugly in to the Man U way

In my view we have to embrace the quick footwork and thought and move away a little from this frenetic gungo style of punter attacking....it simply lacks substance.

I don't think there is anything wrong with the style, similar to how the German sides play. But like you say the quality of the players on a technical and skill level is important. I'm sure when our scouts look at players they try to get these sort of players in who also suit our style, clearly isn't an easy task to do

[Isa]

£40k is a fairly average wage-packet by Premier League standards.

[foreveryoung]

A little off topic but Man u an Liverplop playing some lovely 'entertaining' football. Hope Lamberts watching! Its all about the width. Oooh errr!!

[Butterfingers]

£40k is a fairly average wage-packet by Premier League standards.

 

Wouldn't disagree but if the manager is told that he can't offer those sort of sums to players then you can hardly blame him for not signing him can you?

[mikeyp102]

You think we play good football?

We're currently about as exciting to watch, and have about the same points per game as we did under McLeish.

And McLeish didn't manage to stumble across a world class striker.

Who hoofs it to the bigman?

I'll give you Clark on 2 or 3 occasions on Saturday but apart from that, we always try to play it out & given the pressure we were under, I was quite happy to see the ball hoofed out of defence & into the opponents half.

Name me a goal that we've scored as a result of hoofing it to the bigman

The keeper, constantly. We don't play it out from the back, we pass it back to the keeper, who clearings in the woods it up to Benteke.

As for naming a goal we've scored as a result of this tactic, we don't, that's part of the problem. Doesn't stop us giving it back to Guzan to hoof it up a dozen times a game though.

So when you said "hoofing it", you actually meant the keeper kicking it out of his hands

Remind me again of how the goal was scored on Saturday

From Everton away back in February, we've been playing some good football. This is down to having a settled side & a bit of confidence. We've been at least mid table standard from then onwards. The midfield seem quite happy to be patient & its usually when rushed that players tend to go long.

This isn't going to happen overnight - We've got no money so we've got to build from scratch. We're improving & moving in the right direction. Lets just enjoy the ride.

Didn't see last nights game so not basing it on that. But guzan very often hoofs the ball to Benteke (not kicks out of hand). We normally pass the ball around a wee bit between the defenders, then when little or no movement occurs in front of the defenders the ball is passed back to guzan who launches it forward. Last season the most completed combination was guzan to Benteke and this has continued this yr. Yes at times we have played some nice intricate passes and good football, but the majority of time we don't.

[TRO]

£40k is a fairly average wage-packet by Premier League standards.

 

Wouldn't disagree but if the manager is told that he can't offer those sort of sums to players then you can hardly blame him for not signing him can you?

So we can't expect a player to trap a ball for less than 40 k per week.

Some of the poor play, don't relate to money in my book....it's more than just that.

[Butterfingers]

All keepers will go long when under pressure from a back pass. The insinuation from the original post was that our tactic is to hoof the ball up to Benteke. This has now progressed to Guzan going long from passbacks. What would you prefer Guzan attempting to nutmeg Saurez or Van Persie?

[Butterfingers]

 

 

£40k is a fairly average wage-packet by Premier League standards.

 

Wouldn't disagree but if the manager is told that he can't offer those sort of sums to players then you can hardly blame him for not signing him can you?

So we can't expect a player to trap a ball for less than 40 k per week.

Some of the poor play, don't relate to money in my book....it's more than just that.

 

 

The response was specifically to the insinuation that we missed out on Sissisko who was sold for around £2 million.

 

The criticism in general seems to be that Lambert has bought poorly. The reality is that he's bought within his tight budget & the remit that Lerner has imposed. Do people on this board really think they could do a better job at improving on last season with a budget of £12 million & a wage structure that is weaker than many teams around us. 

 

I notice all of those quick enough to criticise are not as quick to say how they'd have spent the £12 million.

 

The critics are probably the same people who thought we'd sign big names if Benteke was sold. The reality is that we wouldn't have because of our wage structure

 

They are the same people who were slating Bacuna after his performance against Liverpool yet say nothing about the shift he put in on Saturday.

[Isa]

£40k is a fairly average wage-packet by Premier League standards.

 

Wouldn't disagree but if the manager is told that he can't offer those sort of sums to players then you can hardly blame him for not signing him can you?

No I suppose not. Just another stark reminder of what we've been reduced to under Lerner.

[foreveryoung]

I don't think you'll survive in the Premier league for long with our wage budget. No one will wanna stop here, so what's the future???

[Butterfingers]

 

 

£40k is a fairly average wage-packet by Premier League standards.

 

Wouldn't disagree but if the manager is told that he can't offer those sort of sums to players then you can hardly blame him for not signing him can you?

No I suppose not. Just another stark reminder of what we've been reduced to under Lerner.

 

 

I'd go further. Its not just a stark reminder, it is the root of the problem.

 

We tried to shave the wage bill too quickly last year, relied on kids & quite possibly got away with it due to Wigans FA Cup run. Newcastle were in a similar situation to us & backed their manager to buy his way out of trouble in January. PL was not given that luxuary. 

 

For me, instead of having mercinaries like Sissoko, we have hungry players like Sylla instead. They want to be here, are happy & honoured to be here & will put a shift in for the cause. That statement Sylla made sums the attitude up for me "even if I'm not playing,their joy is my joy & their pain is my pain".

 

This is where we are. We still have challenges. We may not be going for top 4 but we still want to finish as high as possible. The team spirit seems excellent, the players don't seem phased by big star names & we're giving it a go. I really struggle to understand so much negativity.

[Mantis]

I don't think you'll survive in the Premier league for long with our wage budget. No one will wanna stop here, so what's the future???

I don't believe high wages per se are the problem, it's high wages being spent on the wrong players. I don't know exactly what the players are on but I think Gabby and Benteke are both on a fair whack. Unfortunately, so too are the likes of Given and Hutton, and I doubt Stoke are paying much of Ireland's wages either.

[mikeyp102]

All keepers will go long when under pressure from a back pass. The insinuation from the original post was that our tactic is to hoof the ball up to Benteke. This has now progressed to Guzan going long from passbacks. What would you prefer Guzan attempting to nutmeg Saurez or Van Persie?

Most of the time he is not under pressure though, it is when there isn't enough movement from the outfield players. The fact that it it was the most successful passing combination last yr (for us) would indicate that our tactic more often than not is to hoof it up.

[Butterfingers]

 

All keepers will go long when under pressure from a back pass. The insinuation from the original post was that our tactic is to hoof the ball up to Benteke. This has now progressed to Guzan going long from passbacks. What would you prefer Guzan attempting to nutmeg Saurez or Van Persie?

Most of the time he is not under pressure though, it is when there isn't enough movement from the outfield players. The fact that it it was the most successful passing combination last yr (for us) would indicate that our tactic more often than not is to hoof it up.

 

 

Given they were both almost ever presents, the ratio will be high. Its probably the same for most if not all teams given the amount of times a keeper kicks over the half way line so I wouldn't put too much faith in that particular statistic.

 

Regarding being under pressure, he always has angles either side of him & when not under pressure, that's where the ball goes. It is only when under pressure that it goes long.

[foreveryoung]

You'll never ever see our players pass around the penalty area with the ball always pass back to Guzan to hoof. That shows me no confidence and no quality.

[mikeyp102]

All keepers will go long when under pressure from a back pass. The insinuation from the original post was that our tactic is to hoof the ball up to Benteke. This has now progressed to Guzan going long from passbacks. What would you prefer Guzan attempting to nutmeg Saurez or Van Persie?

Most of the time he is not under pressure though, it is when there isn't enough movement from the outfield players. The fact that it it was the most successful passing combination last yr (for us) would indicate that our tactic more often than not is to hoof it up.

Given they were both almost ever presents, the ratio will be high. Its probably the same for most if not all teams given the amount of times a keeper kicks over the half way line so I wouldn't put too much faith in that particular statistic.

Regarding being under pressure, he always has angles either side of him & when not under pressure, that's where the ball goes. It is only when under pressure that it goes long.

We'll have to agree to disagree on this one.

[Butterfingers]

 

 

 

All keepers will go long when under pressure from a back pass. The insinuation from the original post was that our tactic is to hoof the ball up to Benteke. This has now progressed to Guzan going long from passbacks. What would you prefer Guzan attempting to nutmeg Saurez or Van Persie?

Most of the time he is not under pressure though, it is when there isn't enough movement from the outfield players. The fact that it it was the most successful passing combination last yr (for us) would indicate that our tactic more often than not is to hoof it up.

Given they were both almost ever presents, the ratio will be high. Its probably the same for most if not all teams given the amount of times a keeper kicks over the half way line so I wouldn't put too much faith in that particular statistic.

Regarding being under pressure, he always has angles either side of him & when not under pressure, that's where the ball goes. It is only when under pressure that it goes long.

We'll have to agree to disagree on this one.

 

 

If you really think that Guzan goes long when its passed back to him and is not under pressure then not only shall we disagree but we clearly watch 2 different games.

 

Success rate of a ball out to a defender 99%?

 

Success rate of a hoof into the opponents half 20-30%

[Big_John_10]

They want to be here, are happy & honoured to be here & will put a shift in for the cause.

Really though who gives a shit? Pick me and I'd put a shift in but it doesn't mean I'd be any good.

Is that what we've been reduced to as a fan base? That we should be pleased because we've got players who may be technically poor but will run round lots?

I don't believe high wages per se are the problem, [/quotes]

There's a reason we've signed players on low wages since Lambert's arrived.

[TRO]

£40k is a fairly average wage-packet by Premier League standards.

 

Wouldn't disagree but if the manager is told that he can't offer those sort of sums to players then you can hardly blame him for not signing him can you?

No I suppose not. Just another stark reminder of what we've been reduced to under Lerner.

 

I'd go further. Its not just a stark reminder, it is the root of the problem.

 

We tried to shave the wage bill too quickly last year, relied on kids & quite possibly got away with it due to Wigans FA Cup run. Newcastle were in a similar situation to us & backed their manager to buy his way out of trouble in January. PL was not given that luxuary. 

 

For me, instead of having mercinaries like Sissoko, we have hungry players like Sylla instead. They want to be here, are happy & honoured to be here & will put a shift in for the cause. That statement Sylla made sums the attitude up for me "even if I'm not playing,their joy is my joy & their pain is my pain".

 

This is where we are. We still have challenges. We may not be going for top 4 but we still want to finish as high as possible. The team spirit seems excellent, the players don't seem phased by big star names & we're giving it a go. I really struggle to understand so much negativity.

Look, we are either talking about the technical side of the game or not you arguement is jumping around about mercenaries, budgets, attitudes and who would you buy.....these guys are paid 1mill per annum to know who to sign.

Whether lambert's signings do turn out to be ok or not ,time will tell

Right now it's Low grade.

Ps no, I don't want the manager out or anyone else, just saying its poor.

[TRO]

I like the one...."You can't fault the effort"....I don't know anyone who has, just detracting away from the real disappointment...quality of play.