[Archived] Official: Paul Lambert Appointed Blackburn Rovers Manager

[Baz]

What style of play do we need to play, in order to play to JR strengths?

[DE.]

Lumping it endlessly up the pitch isn't likely to work. If Lambert is going to play JR from the start we really need a more varied gameplan, as Koita/Brown are never going to regularly score goals and this system totally nullifies Rhodes as a threat to the opposition. Scarily we'd probably be better off starting with Brown and Koita under the current style of play.

[Stuart]

What style of play do we need to play, in order to play to JR strengths?

4-4-2 with a decent strike partner - not sure Koita is up to it, Lawrence is too similar to Rhodes for me but with more pace and less eye for goal.

Or, have him alone up front but have the midfield play a higher line - either through pace on the wings (so that when that ball is pumped forward it's not Rhodes being asked to trek out wide) - or through a link player a la Judge, or Dunn, or maybe even Marshall, or a.n.other. (Here's a thought, could Conway be converted into Dunn's old role in the middle?)

So getting the best out of Rhodes requires better midfield personnel, which we have needed for some time. It depends if people think our midfield is adequate without Rhodes in the side. Shaun Goater was a limited player but he had an eye for goal and he carried City for a while when they were struggling - although even he had exactly the strike partner Rhodes needs (in Paul Dickov) and a young Shaun Wright-Phillips chipping in. Rhodes may not have Goater's pace but the principle is the same...

Feed the Rhodes and He Will Score

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

What style of play do we need to play, in order to play to JR strengths?

Good question. I think we need a time machine to take us back to the days when everybody played with two strikers. One a target man and one a goal poacher.

Having said that has Rhodes ever formed a real partnership with any other striker he's played with ? The sort of combination that one player instinctively knows where the other one is ?

[den]

4-4-2 with a decent strike partner - not sure Koita is up to it, Lawrence is too similar to Rhodes for me but with more pace and less eye for goal.

Or, have him alone up front but have the midfield play a higher line - either through pace on the wings (so that when that ball is pumped forward it's not Rhodes being asked to trek out wide) - or through a link player a la Judge, or Dunn, or maybe even Marshall, or a.n.other. (Here's a thought, could Conway be converted into Dunn's old role in the middle?)

So getting the best out of Rhodes requires better midfield personnel, which we have needed for some time. It depends if people think our midfield is adequate without Rhodes in the side. Shaun Goater was a limited player but he had an eye for goal and he carried City for a while when they were struggling - although even he had exactly the strike partner Rhodes needs (in Paul Dickov) and a young Shaun Wright-Phillips chipping in. Rhodes may not have Goater's pace but the principle is the same...

Feed the Rhodes and He Will Score

There you go again Stu - suggesting we set up a team so that Rhodes scores. We've done that. It hasn't got us anywhere because he weakens the side. His terrible performances don't matter - they don't affect performances? Bowyer, Lambert and Strachan have all said that it does matter because the team performance is more important than any individual.

[den]

Having said that has Rhodes ever formed a real partnership with any other striker he's played with ? The sort of combination that one player instinctively knows where the other one is ?

Short answer - no. We've had both Gestede and Rhodes reaching 20 goals in the season, yet people wonder why the team didn't play well and didn't win enough games. Simple, neither could contribute anything on the ground or outside the area bar flick ons from Gestede. The sooner we get players up front with the ability to cause problems on the floor for the opposition, the sooner we'll start to win more games.

[FGS5635]

We played 4-4-2 with a decent strike partner. When that partner out performed Rhodes we then heard the excuses that he took up the positions Rhodes wants.

Rhodes is a good player, but damm the excuses folk make for his short comings and poor performances are embarrassing.

To play to his strengths we basically need xavi, iniesta and neymar behind him with him up top alone goal hanging with no defensive duties.

[BlooBoy]

A midfielder willing/good enough to get beyond Rhodes,give the opposition someone/something else to actually worry about. Wingers to get to the byline.Full backs who can actually cross a ball.

Rhodes works best when defenses are in disarray,pulled out of position.The centre halves stand on his shoulder and the rest is history. Hes a poacher not a creator.We lack midfield creativity get that sorted and Rhodes will flourish.

[ABBEY]

Short answer - no. We've had both Gestede and Rhodes reaching 20 goals in the season, yet people wonder why the team didn't play well and didn't win enough games. Simple, neither could contribute anything on the ground or outside the area bar flick ons from Gestede. The sooner we get players up front with the ability to cause problems on the floor for the opposition, the sooner we'll start to win more games.

You're Rhodes hate far outweighs my venkys hate... How many goals do you need from a goal scorer den? A strikers job is scoring not fannying about creating chances ... Rhodes scores simple .

[Stuart]

WHEN have we set up the team to get yet he best out of Rhodes, den?

[Mike E]

WHEN have we set up the team to get yet he best out of Rhodes, den?

Just imo: alongside Gestede.

[BlooBoy]

A question no one really asks is for a player with so many frailties...how the bloody hell has he scored 20 plus goals for six consecutive seasons? Hes never had pace ,never really held the ball up ,never beat five players yet scores 20 a season without doubt.

Now hes struggling scoring....hmm...all points to one thing ,we simply dont create enough chances anymore. People say sell Rhodes buy another striker. Who? Who would actually flourish and score in this team/system as it is now ? Burnley have a player Andre Gray,great finisher got bags of pace and hes struggling. Swopping a striker for a striker will not solve our problems.

Rhodes isnt the problem look at the bigger picture.We ve got the goalscorer just need to get him scoring.

[rhodie]

Fulham have got Jokanovich as their new manager, would have preferred him as our manager. It will be interesting to see how he does.

[ackroyd75]

Fulham have got Jokanovich as their new manager, would have preferred him as our manager. It will be interesting to see how he does.

Must be my age. The town was buzzing when we appointed Lambert! We lose one game and not reached the transfer window yet and the above is on the board. PL has probably been assessing the squad to see what he has like Souness did a few years ago. Give him chance.

[blueboy3333]

Rhodes is often too far from the 18 yard box when he receives the ball. His lack of pace makes him easy to mark. What we really need is a quick striker to play alongside him so that the oppo's defence can't push up as far as they can when Rhodes is there on his own. A clever, quick forward who will run the channels and allow Rhodes to get in the box should be top of Lambert's January wish list.

[Stuart]

Just imo: alongside Gestede.

A happy accident, Mike. Although arguable that Rovers changed to play in a way that got the best out of Gestede who fed I the scraps from the space he created for Rudy, rather than the other way around.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

WHEN have we set up the team to get yet he best out of Rhodes, den?

We haven't yet been able to after all this time. Have you ever wonder why that is ?

My step son was bemoaning that fact that he ends up rowing with all the girlfriends he's ever had. I said the same thing to him. What's the common denominator in all those relationships ?

[Stuart]

We haven't yet been able to after all this time. Have you ever wonder why that is ?

My step son was bemoaning that fact that he ends up rowing with all the girlfriends he's ever had. I said the same thing to him. What's the common denominator in all those relationships ?

He's not yet found the right partner.

[G Somerset Rover]

Time for Lambert to tell it as it is after that debacle. I don't want to hear how we created loads of chances and just didn't put them away (as he said after Reading, which was stretching the truth big time). It's 4 games without a goal and we're not even looking like scoring (bar one chance at the death). Five games if you include our own players.

We had Seven days rest before that game. Bolton had ONE and had won ONE all season. Absolutely, truly pathetic. Do not go down the GB road of telling us lies, Paul. What on earth were our players doing during those seven days? Not putting in attacking or shooting practice that's for sure. Perhaps they were on the ales led by Grant?

Pathetic.

[DE.]

Whatever Lambert is doing is not working. It's unlikely he's going to be able to replace that much of the team in January, so he needs to get a grip on this now before we really are in trouble. Tactically Lambert has completely taken our best striker out of the game, and for reasons beyond my understanding shifted the bulk of attacking duties to the likes of Koita and Guthrie. This long ball tactic he's using has destroyed us as an attacking force. It has to stop.

[Tom]

This season is done; if he has a plan it's time to start putting it into action now

[BlueMonday]

The type of striker everyone is describing to replace Rhodes doesn't play for Championship Mid Table Clubs.

[jim mk2]

The received wisdom was always that we have a top 6 squad that was being mismanaged by Bowyer.

Well, Lambert's had time to make his mark and the team looks no better and possibly even more sterile than under Bowyer.

So as the only constant is the squad the conclusion must be that Lambert is no better a manager than Bowyer.

[danger19_80]

Paul Lambert: 'We got what we deserved. We didn't do enough to win that football match.'

You reckon?

[martonrover]

The received wisdom was always that we have a top 6 squad that was being mismanaged by Bowyer.

Well, Lambert's had time to make his mark and the team looks no better and possibly even more sterile than under Bowyer.

So as the only constant is the squad the conclusion must be that Lambert is no better a manager than Bowyer.

As bad as it was today, (and it was terrible), it's too early to make that call.

This is not Lambert's team and he must be allowed to build a side.

Then we can judge,