Saint Fan CaM

I dare you to come up with a rational explanation why Lambert is not scoring, not winning headers and generally not looking bothered. The likes of SDR get slated regularly on here for a cameo appearance and yet Lambert doesn't make the grade and he is untouchable. Now to me that's worthy of a WOW!

No, not atall. Read carefully what I have written and engage the brain before replying. Sometimes playing a certain player will influence how the team plays (e.g. in attack) and if a certain player is too one dimensional it will give the opposing Manager an easy job nullifying that player. How many times has Lambert scored recently or even come close? He's been great for us, but he's not delivering as a striker for us right now IMHO and that is affecting the overall team performance in attack.

So who or what is to blame Alps? Serious question. I personally don't believe the £30m was invested wisely and there are too many L1/Championship level players gracing Nigel's 1st team selection sheet.

For the right price yes sell. He is fast becoming a liability as we're too one dimensional and static in attack IMO. He is far too immobile for the Prem I'm afraid and while he's been a fantastic player for the club to date, being over emotional about playing or even keeping hold of unsuitable players will be our undoing. Let's face it, he may not want to play in the Championship but if we go down that's exactly what will happen or more likely he will get an offer from a promoted club and will leave anyway. Sorry if this flies in the face of the Lambert love-in brigade.

Yes Ramirez should have been played in the centre where he has been the most effective. However, Lambert has become a liability to the team now IMO - he is slow, predictable and does not move away from defenders in the area to give himself a chance. We try playing the ball to his head largely when he's stationary - it's so easy for two defenders to take him out the game. I would drop him in favour of JR at least while Lallana is out. I agree we should be playing our best players but I am not convinced SRL is one of them now to be honest. Perhaps we need an upgrade now? We nearly always go wide to then cut back into the middle...it's SO predictable, it's no wonder Puncheon got no joy yesterday and Mayuka doesn't have the experience yet to know how to unlock a resolute defence. There is a very, very urgent need to coach some different attacking methods - ones that involve passing through the channels for example rather than fannying around passing backwards and sideways. Pass and move triangulation - works well in the 1st and 2nd thirds of the pitch, so why not in attack?

We are pedestrian in the final third. While Cork and Morgan seem good together, we have no playmaker in the central mid position - someone to take the ball through the channels. Lambert is being outclassed by central defenders too much - he needs to be much more mobile to make an impact as a central striker (like Fletcher was today). We have stopped scoring goals - that needs addressing.

There - fixed it for you.

I see more wrong at CAM, LF and Striker to be honest. We are pedestrian through the middle of the park, in the left forward position (when Lallana's not available) and Lambert I think is starting to be found out at this level - he probably found his level to excel at in the Championship, but he is just not mobile enough. Contrast him to Steve Fletcher - much more effective yet very similar role.

No. Simple answer.

I kind of switched off 2.5 minutes into the video of his big performance when he suggested the use of social media to find out what customers are thinking. Surely it's pretty straightforward understanding what football supporters (customers) want?!? They want to see their team win as many games as possible and they want to see that happen for a reasonable price. Some want half-decent beer and food on offer. Why do you need to employ an expensive expert in 'social media' to find that out FFS?! Bah-humbug!

Read the above posts - all a bit obvious. Makes me smile...first one to bash others, particularly with the "internet's a serious business" quip, until it affects him personally (or so it seems) then he gets sensitive. Can't stand the heat - get out the kitchen.

Oh dear, seems Turkish has lost his sense of humour all of a sudden and has spat his dummy out.

Fair play getting involved with the kids, but please, please do not do the Newcastle shirt thing...it really would be bad for you.

There really is no need to remind everyone of your disposition - it is more than evident from the quality of your posts.

A big yes please, but he'll never come here and we'd not take him due to wage demands.

We need some speed in the side where Lallana has left a hole, so I would put Lee out there with the option of switching him with Ramirez or putting Ramirez on the left, Lambert in the hole behind J-Rod. If we turn up and play with confidence and high intensity this will be a walk in the park home victory. 2-2 then.

Just 21 posts in and as usual the thread has descended into base humour. I tend to agree with the OP and the nature of some of the replies on here re-enforces the opinion. However, I think the OP needs to also recognise that an internet football forum is not likely to be a place to find rational and adult written word, so trying to appeal to certain posters (ref above), will be like trying to pee in a proverbial storm.

Got to agree with you there Turkeyman - real shame we didn't make the most of that opportunity. Where did we go wrong I wonder?

Kinda this. Frankly I think we are about 10-20 games away from these two lads establishing themselves as 1st choice, highly sought after Prem CM's. Very impressed not just with each of them, but how they've grown as a partnership. Only issue I have is that there's not enough pace and drive through the middle from either of them, but this might just come with time.

Ask Turkish - he knows everything there is to know regarding male and female attire.

We will be 17th with nothing much changed. Villa will thrash Liverpool though.

Excellent news and best wishes to the whole family.

Completely agree. I find it coldly amusing that I've worked my way up in life moving from what one might call a working class background where I aspired to be able to own an ST to see my club play, to now owning that ST but feeling that something has been lost on the way. I know this will sound daft to some, but our days in L1 were some of the happiest memories since being able to afford an ST. Strange that.

Nobody really knows what working class and middle class means now - these two classes have been melded together due to a number of factors many of which originated from Thatchers 80's. The difference in days gone by was that working class were the people on the shopfloor or at the 'coalface' metaphorically speaking. As an example, I cannot imagine a qualified gas engineer/fitter considering him/her self as a working class individual - they earn more a lot more than most office workers I would imagine, drive BMW's or equivelent, go on at least one foreign holiday a year and their kids enjoy the best life has to offer. Today IMO we have the following social classes: the Poor/Homeless, the Financially Secure, the Affluent. You will never see the lowest class in a league football stadium now.