[Post edited 18 Feb 2021 12:44]

Well HELLLO TWTD.... what's occurring? a lack of understanding perchance? by unstableblue 22 Nov 2020 23:41
Hey Hey Hey.... the humiliating demise of the liar in Chief Trump, and the expulsion of the juvenile troll Bluefish surely justifies a short post and fleeting return to the board? (oooh look at me).

So I've been away for some time.. but have delved into the board on occasion, and bizarrely always returning to some man-baby tirade from Bluefish. Bless him, narcissism akimbo. Didn't the poisson bleu realise that Phil is the Kofi Annan, Boutros Boutros-Ghali of this board, he's the leveller, the only decent one amongst us - abusing him is hardly a sign of stability or class.

Anyway my true reason for returning is to perhaps provide some calm reflection, after the Shrews game, and perspective on the season.

Its all gone Lambert OUT, Shambert MAAAAD on here. Even some of our most esteemed posters such as Joe are baying for blood and the appointment of Cowley (yes, really!) and Cook. And those creating Trumpesque conspiracies of a lack of a goal celebration - fake news.

Look the Shrews game was really really poor, the international break and the usual lackadaisical return, the simple error for the early penalty, the injuries to Nolan and our best player Bishop.... blurggghh. "This league is terrible, every team is sh!t, Shrewsbury were woeful, we have to beat everyone"... yes we probably should with our squad.. but this is football, no game is easy and did anyone notice they put everyone behind the ball? and players like Ebanks Landell, Pierre, Pugh are not a walk over.

Excuses aside the problem Saturday is that the system and technical approach we're trying to follow did not get supported by the player performance or the players available. Period.

I'm no rabid fan of Lambert...I don't really warm to his style. But I'm not going to pretend I know what he's like behind the scenes at the training ground or with the players. I know it grates everyone when he says we're excellent week in week out.. but perhaps he views our high possession and passing as a plus. And also do you really think he's not criticising faults in our play behind the scenes - COME ON?! Also I do think some of our players need a kick, McGavin was great but he made errors, the excellent Wolf still needs to work at his game.

What amuses me is those complaining of his press style - Marcus has given us Keane, Mick, and Hurst.... that's part of the job description it seems. Fergie time.

Back to this season - its been much better. But we are still not where we want to be. People calling all performances this season abject? behave, you haven't a clue - Blackpool, Sunderland, etc (high shots per game, high possession per game). We've had some of the best passages of play and pass and move we've seen at this club since perhaps Magilton? But clearly its INCONSISTENT, and the ENERGY seems to ebb and flow. Does anyone actually remember Mick's last season ("oh but we were mid/bottom of the Championship not in League One" blah blah... it was woeful low possession, anti-football), calls for his return this season, embarrassing.

So what's been working? and WHY is everyone still so disgruntled.

Well first of lets think about selection, below (courtesy of GlasgowBlue's excellent early post) is our best possible team. I would perhaps put Jackson in for Lankaster... as his pace, goals and wing assists since being here has been good.


––––––––––––––––-Holy–––––––––––––––-

KVY––-–––––-Woolfie–––––-Toto––––––––-Ward

––––––Bishop–––––-Downes–––––Dozzell–––––-

Lankaster–––––––––Norwood––––––––-–Edwards

Illness, injury, absence has meant being without at times 6 of these guys. Lets be clear our system NOW under Lambert is Holy feeding Wolf and Toto, them bringing it forward and passing it through the lines or hitting the cross ball, Dozzell as quarterback, Bishops breaking the lines, full backs bombing forward, width AND CRITICALLY triangles of play between midfield and attack often. WHATS NOT TO LIKE? At least we've got a system at last! Edwards gives width and pace down the channels and has been statistically our most important player this year - he was missing against the Shrews if you hadn't noticed. Our system ALSO NEEDS a high press and ENERGY. THATS IT, THATS THE PLAN AND FOR ME ITS THE MOST COHERENT FOOTBALL STYLE WE'VE HAD FOR YEARS.

Why's it failing against the big guns (well not against Sunderland, errr or the second half against Pompey)? is it Lambert? as so many suggest. Perhaps... is he able to actually get the energy the drive out of his players? I'm not sure. I have a big worry about Lamberts back room staff.. are they too weak?? (look at Oxford this season, they lost their experienced assistant coach, a man with pedigree, and they've dropped like a stone).

To be fair Lambert's been very unlucky with injury - he kind of needs KVY, Dozzell, Bishop, Edwards and Norwood all playing and all firing for that system. He's never had that. Norwood is class. If you've actually watched him since his return, and fit, against Pompey and Shrews, you can just see he is at a different level to so many of our squad. We just have never had him fit.

Ward and Chambo's form has been essential, as stated the system has needed them breaking up and threatening, they just didn't turn up Saturday. And critically Judge and Sears then did not get service and support out wide and up the pitch, and both those senior wide attackers themselves looked lacking real drive.

So lets judge Lambert on what's on the pitch not his press conferences, there has been technical and tactical PROGRESS, that's what we need to look for. If he cannot match that to motivated players, then yeah - call for his head. But give the guy a bit more respect and also give him a little leeway given who he's had to select.

We're going into two critical games.. against those higher teams we can't seem to beat... but we're missing KVY, Bishop, Edwards, Nolan. If those who do play don't fight and show real energy.. and we take no points - Absolutely valid to question Lambert. But let's wait till Saturday night shall we??

COYFB

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