[Archived] Official: Paul Lambert Appointed Blackburn Rovers Manager

[DE.]

This is the worst squad Ive seen in 30+ years at Ewood. PL is still assessing it, but at present he doesn't have the players to be able to change a game. He needs to get more out of the players, and quickly, but we do need to give him a bit of time.

A central midfield partnership of Akpan and Williamson isn't good enough for league 2, and neither are strikers like Koita, Delfy and Brown.

Indeed. So many players in this team who are nowhere near the required level. We'd have been better off promoting players from the reserves/youth than signing the likes of Delfouneso, Guthrie or Koita. Akpan can do a limited job as as a Mokoena-esque DM, but the reality is he's pretty poor too. What happened to our academy? Isn't it supposed to be one of the few success stories under Venky's? If so, where are the players to either sell for big profit or utilise in the first team?

[Amo]

To be fair, it could easily be suggested that your criticism of the last boss was equally as obsessive.

It could, but you'd be a fool to do so.

[Stuart]

How many games should he be allowed in order to 'make his mark'? 8 not enough?

Is this a joke post? It's certainly wind-up material.

That's some 'Honeymoon period'.

Reality is that the honeymoon has been a wet weekend in Grange over Sands.

Ah, I see. It was to set up this actual joke post.

Needs work. Keep at it.

[sambo]

I think he can turn it around, but we sacked Berg and Appleton after slightly more games than Lambert has had.

The football has been eeringly similar to under Appleton and we look devoid of any creativity. Let's get some new signings in and let's change our 'hammer it 80 yards upfield' approach.

Our direct style would make Big Sam blush.

[Stuart]

I think he can turn it around, but we sacked Berg and Appleton after slightly more games than Lambert has had.

The football has been eeringly similar to under Appleton and we look devoid of any creativity. Let's get some new signings in and let's change our 'hammer it 80 yards upfield' approach.

Our direct style would make Big Sam blush.

I seem to remember Appleton being quite tough with the players too and they didn't like it.

It seems like there is something wrong at Rovers right now. If Lambert can't put it right then as SD said we need to look at the owners.

Quite a malaise at the moment.

[Dunnfc]

We all said how a new manager could do more with this squad, yet Lambert has dragged it to new levels.

His whole reign is the carbon copy of Appleton

Careful i was slated after Bolton for saying the exact!

Do concur with the Appleton comment. Starts with clean sheets then leaks like a sieve.

[ABBEY]

Same question as I've just asked .. Do you want him sacking ?

[JBiz]

Back to black (and white)...

Surely criticism can be given without wanting the bullet.

[Dunnfc]

Same question as I've just asked .. Do you want him sacking ?

Abs, further to the comments in the other thread. Please find below a copy of my earlier post which of course still stands.

Gav, he's being supported and no doubt deserves time in his role. If anything this season is very much like the Souness first season in terms of sussing out the squad and respective division as it's been a while since PL was last here with Norwich. He wasn't my choice but i'm far from writing the bloke off.

What pressure is on Lambert is to get results in the medium term and bar the last two games he has done, he needs to be aiming for 1.8 points a game. What I and perhaps one or two others are concerned about is not the style of play as we've seen under BSA how effective it can be but the organisation and set-up of the style because to date it's been orchestrated poorly and i don't think anyone can deny that.

Long balls are fine but make sure when someone is holding it up that you get the bodies around him quickly, no point in winning the ball if you become isolated and give it away. Credit to the pressing style which is starting to show after what i suspect is following some fitness work which is pushing us higher up the pitch in a bid to force the mistakes from the opposition.

There has been games like Bolton and Sheff Wed's where like our own center halves we've met some giants, Prince, Lees, Dervite etc. What we know from our own duo is that they struggle with the ball played in behind them as they are slow on the turn, Rhodes for all his critics is a deadly finisher and its about service to which Bowyer finally cottoned onto this season hence we changed our style from last year to get it played into him.

Sure PL will have a plan though. Its a contrast of playing styles and a medium needs to be found, at the moment we are putting ourselves under pressure with the ball coming straight back and it resembles a defense game. In Conway we've got the best assist player in the league and we need to utilise that.

[deryck guyler's spoon]

Is this a joke post? It's certainly wind-up material.

Ah, I see. It was to set up this actual joke post.

It wasn't a joke post, my point was that Lambert had enough time in the job to have his work so far assessed. It was quoted and edited in way that seemed to imply that I was suggesting that the period of time he's been in the job is sufficient to make a definitive assessment of him. That isn't my position.

Needs work. Keep at it.

In my defence, I don't get as much practice as you. Nor do I try as hard.

[Stuart]

It wasn't a joke post, my point was that Lambert had enough time in the job to have his work so far assessed. It was quoted and edited in way that seemed to imply that I was suggesting that the period of time he's been in the job is sufficient to make a definitive assessment of him. That isn't my position.

Needs work. Keep at it.

In my defence, I don't get as much practice as you. Nor do I try as hard.

Ha. Defending your own mediocrity! You should have applied for our first team while Bowyer was still here. No wonder you're sore that he's gone.

As for 8 games being long enough - that clearly is a joke. Whether you intended it to be or not.

Always makes me smile when people slag off those who post content on here. The very content that you read and respond to!

[Blue blood]

A combination of both IMV. Certain players appear to have downed tools, perhaps in resentment over having their holiday camp taken away, others are just lower league players that should be nowhere near this club.

Big changes needed this month. If Lambert cannot bring in significant additional personnel we're looking at a very difficult last few months of the season.

Good post. However, being honest I'd not have been able to tell you which players would, and which wouldn't like it if you'd have asked me pre-Lambert about such a change. Problem for Lambert and us is he's having to work that out the hard way.

[Exiled in Toronto]

He's an experienced manager though. This is the sixth club he's taken the reigns at. He should have this process down to a fine art by now.

Yes he is evaluating the squad but he is being paid to of organise and motivate the players better than the last bloke did while he assesses them. He was blessed with a non too taxing set of fixtures so needs to start walking and chewing gum at the same time.

Wigan and Bolton showed that appointing experienced managers is no guarantee of anything. Lambert needs to be finishing January in a lot better shape than he is starting it or we will be dragged into a relegation fight. No goals from open play in 8 games is a dreadful statistic for any manager at any level in any circumstances.

[DE.]

Good post. However, being honest I'd not have been able to tell you which players would, and which wouldn't like it if you'd have asked me pre-Lambert about such a change. Problem for Lambert and us is he's having to work that out the hard way.

Seems like almost all of them. The only players to come out of the past few games with any credit are Steele, Hanley and... well, that's it really. Olsson has been reasonable I suppose. Duffy's trying but the amount of headers he balloons over the bar or wide borders on ridiculous.

It really is worrying how much of this team needs replacing. The collective attitude of most of them over the past few games has made me think I've always given them too much credit. Winners don't quit like they have.

[47er]

Careful i was slated after Bolton for saying the exact!

Do concur with the Appleton comment. Starts with clean sheets then leaks like a sieve.

0-1 a sieve?

[patrickvalery]

What worries me as much as the form is what affect this is having in India. We've been banging the drum for years about getting an experienced manager in and the owners relent and see this. Let's not dress it up. If we continue this level of performance then relegation is a real danger. Will they persist with proven managers or feel they had it right with unproven risks who are significantly cheaper? I've got to be honest, my initial joy about Lambert's appointment is slowly starting to feel very misguided. A few alarm bells are sounding very quietly in the back of my mind. I'm a fairly grounded person and the sensible side of me tells me Lambert will get this right. But doubts are creeping in. At the end of the day even the best managers have clubs where it just doesn't happen. And I wonder (pure, absolute conjecture and unbridled speculation) if maybe Lambert's good feeling about the club might be waning a little. In my opinion he is already showing signs of minimal communication with the fans. I don't mind that per se, but it helps if the side is winning.

[Tony Diamond Inc]

I think few on here, or in the wider community doubt PLs abilities as a manager, however, it seems the players are not happy with his methods. This lot, quite obviously were always going to struggle to finish in the top 6, but under PL they now seem hell-bent on targeting the bottom 3.

This is not a criticism of PL, but more an observation of the modern footballer. We have seen what an unhappy bunch can do to a world-class manager down at Stamford Bridge, and it is looking more like the Rovers players are sulking at PLs training methods going off the declining performances (and I absolutely do not mean they were great under Bowyer!).

The same squad means the same ability, but the application has definitely dropped.

We know he can do it, but it is looking more likely that he will need to bring in maybe more players than first thought to buy into his ideas.

[yoda]

We all said how a new manager could do more with this squad, yet Lambert has dragged it to new levels.

His whole reign is the carbon copy of Appleton

How many games should he be allowed in order to 'make his mark'? 8 not enough?

As it stands Lambert could be a big part in us not scoring 'ten in a row'.

That's some 'Honeymoon period'.

Reality is that the honeymoon has been a wet weekend in Grange over Sands.

Give your heads a wobble

[Norbert Rassragr]

Skimmed through the last couple of pages and there's a few rubber dingy men about. Not the sort of people you'd want on your side in the 303 as they'd see a messerschmitt and decide to surrender. So short term and knee jerk, and cry like spoilt Man U fans.

So Lambert is rubbish and should go after 8 games. So who would be next? Mourinho? Rodgers? Guadiola? The only people who'd come in would be McLeish, Di Canio or Mickey Adams.

[patrickvalery]

Skimmed through the last couple of pages and there's a few rubber dingy men about. Not the sort of people you'd want on your side in the 303 as they'd see a messerschmitt and decide to surrender. So short term and knee jerk, and cry like spoilt Man U fans.

So Lambert is rubbish and should go after 8 games. So who would be next? Mourinho? Rodgers? Guadiola? The only people who'd come in would be McLeish, Di Canio or Mickey Adams.

Don't be such a drama queen. I don't think anyone has said Lambert should go.

[sambo]

Give your heads a wobble

I want Lambert to do well and think he will turn it around. The early signs have been negative though - we look toothless and Lambert isn't above reproach for how bad we've been.

The current squad is full of cowards and chancers - a huge overhaul is needed asap

Perhaps it was a rash reaction from me but it's been awful so far and it's a hugely difficult task for Lambert to sort this out. We don't look remotely like scoring and the gameplan is to punt it forward somewhere in the vicinity of Rhodes.

[DE.]

the gameplan is to punt it forward somewhere in the vicinity of Rhodes.

To be fair, our gameplan has largely been a variant of that ever since he signed (plus Gestede when he was here). The main difference now being that the team is really poor in the middle and certain players have either thrown their toys out of the pram or are just in really, really bad form.

We need better, more consistent players to get up the table. With this lot we're at best a mid-table or below team. I hope that this time next year at least half of the first eleven that played today are either no longer at the club or firmly in reserve team roles. It's time to get ruthless with these underachievers.

[Athlete]

I think few on here, or in the wider community doubt PLs abilities as a manager, however, it seems the players are not happy with his methods. This lot, quite obviously were always going to struggle to finish in the top 6, but under PL they now seem hell-bent on targeting the bottom 3.

This is not a criticism of PL, but more an observation of the modern footballer. We have seen what an unhappy bunch can do to a world-class manager down at Stamford Bridge, and it is looking more like the Rovers players are sulking at PLs training methods going off the declining performances (and I absolutely do not mean they were great under Bowyer!).

The same squad means the same ability, but the application has definitely dropped.

We know he can do it, but it is looking more likely that he will need to bring in maybe more players than first thought to buy into his ideas.

The players really need to have a good hard look at themselves...These are highly paid professionals if they dont want to be here get out the more senior players who need to show some professionalism but another stance on it is we were desperate in the summer and beyond and in our desperation some absolute dross were signed Guthrie and Akpan both deemed not fit for purpose at Reading Delfonso from Blackpool - anyone doubtfull check his record out..Kiota still dining out on a wonder strike against Monaco hasnt done anything since or before in his career ,Duffy we all know where that signing came about , the numerous keepers what was that all about when under FFP ,etc

[oldjamfan1]

0-1 a sieve?

I was going to make the same point - we've conceded what, 4 goals in 8 games since Lambert arrived. I think its okay to constructively criticise but to suggest we are leaking goals is nonsense. Does anyone have the stats for Howard Kendall's first 8 or 10 games in charge? I suspect they would make for grim reading.

Edit:

Found them!

1979-80 season

h Millwall............D 1-1

a Carlisle U.........D 1-1

a Sheffield W.....W 3-0

h Grimsby T.......D 0-0

a Wimbledon......L 0-1

h Southend U.....D 1-1

h Barnsley..........L 0-1

a Blackpool.........L 1-2

h Rotherham U...L 0-3

a Barnsley..........D 1-1

So, we all know how that season ended up (and the one after it). Kneejerk reactions unnecessary folks, wait until Lambert has brought some of his own men in.

[roverandout]

Judge him after the Jan window