[Archived] Official: Paul Lambert Appointed Blackburn Rovers Manager

[den]

I agree with all the above comments about giving PL time to rebuild and I believe he will succeed but some of us will continue to comment on what we see week by week.

Some of us? We all do, don't we?

[onlyonejackwalker]

This view seems to have some support on the MB but no team has ever been successful over a full season by not playing well.

Nobody (with any sense) is judging PL yet but it is reasonable to point out that when a new manager is appointed there are usually one or two players who immediately resond to the manager's personality or tactics and visibly up their game, or there is some small sign of what he is trying to achieve.

Neither has happened in this case, and it can be argued that every player appears to have regressed.

Some of us have commented that this is unusual, especially under a successful, experienced manager.

I agree with all the above comments about giving PL time to rebuild and I believe he will succeed but some of us will continue to comment on what we see week by week.

How do you explain an increased point return per game under Lambert if individual and team performances have not improved in anyway?

[sambo]

How do you explain an increased point return per game under Lambert if individual and team performances have not improved in anyway?

To be fair, Kean's point per game ratio in the Championship was good and I seem to remember we didn't play particularly well at the time.

Not comparing anyone to him, just saying that 8 games isn't a sufficient barometer to make a judgement - whether good or bad.

I think performances have dropped slightly - a red card at Bristol City helped us out no end, and we did grind some results out (I'll take that all day long, mind).

However, the bottom line is that in the long run I believe Lambert will yield better performances and better results. That I am 100% certain of.

[onlyonejackwalker]

To be fair, Kean's point per game ratio in the Championship was good and I seem to remember we didn't play particularly well at the time.

Not comparing anyone to him, just saying that 8 games isn't a sufficient barometer to make a judgement - whether good or bad.

I think performances have dropped slightly - a red card at Bristol City helped us out no end, and we did grind some results out (I'll take that all day long, mind).

However, the bottom line is that in the long run I believe Lambert will yield better performances and better results. That I am 100% certain of.

I am not disagreeing. Thought we were very fortunate initially in the games we won. I was chuffed we got those wins to buy a little time.

Not sure what people expect however at such an early juncture in his time here. Looking forward to some fresh ideas and a new direction. I am genuinely positive about the club for the first time since Big Sam was potted.

Yes performances remain crap. More credit to Lambert in that case getting more points per game out of this shower.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

It's like I've said in the past. When we win more tackles, win more 2 nd balls, win more contested headers, run further for longer than the opposition. When we don't get out enthused by less skilful teams. Then we'll be on the way. We show no real signs of that yet. This group of players seem unable to buy into what makes a successful team. Maybe we need another group of players.

[garnersfags]

How do you explain an increased point return per game under Lambert if individual and team performances have not improved in anyway?

In Lambert's 1st 3 games we managed to score through some individual pieces of skill and ability. Evan's good shot creating the 1st goal at PNE and Taylor cleverly winning the pen for Jordan's 2nd. Akpan's decent header and Evans again against Wednesday. Hanley and Duffy's decent combination for 1st goal at Bristol.....and that was it. 5 games, no goals (Rotherham was og).

I still maintain that in the 3 games above that we did manage to score, we played poorly. Not a single post on here stated that we played well in any of our last 8 games, with the exception of the 1st half against Forest.

Like it or not, we did play well in a number of our previous 8 games.

So, yes, we managed 3 wins and 2 draws without a single player showing an improvement over the 8 games, and yes, we managed 3 wins and 2 draws without a single improved team performance.

Please share which player or performance is/was, in your opinion, better than before.

Please note, I still think PL/AI was the right appointment and I am happy to give them both til Christmas to turn it around. I just hope we can do it before then. Bennett and a couple of players (leaders) with Championship and Premier League experience will be a good start.

[Amo]

It's like I've said in the past. When we win more tackles, win more 2 nd balls, win more contested headers, run further for longer than the opposition. When we don't get out enthused by less skilful teams. Then we'll be on the way. We show no real signs of that yet. This group of players seem unable to buy into what makes a successful team. Maybe we need another group of players.

This is the group of players who were celebrating a point at home to Brentford.

That just typifies the weak, mediocre mentality that we have to show for three years of 'stability'.

[onlyonejackwalker]

In Lambert's 1st 3 games we managed to score through some individual pieces of skill and ability. Evan's good shot creating the 1st goal at PNE and Taylor cleverly winning the pen for Jordan's 2nd. Akpan's decent header and Evans again against Wednesday. Hanley and Duffy's decent combination for 1st goal at Bristol.....and that was it. 5 games, no goals (Rotherham was og).

I still maintain that in the 3 games above that we did manage to score, we played poorly. Not a single post on here stated that we played well in any of our last 8 games, with the exception of the 1st half against Forest.

Like it or not, we did play well in a number of our previous 8 games.

So, yes, we managed 3 wins and 2 draws without a single player showing an improvement over the 8 games, and yes, we managed 3 wins and 2 draws without a single improved team performance.

Please share which player or performance is/was, in your opinion, better than before.

Please note, I still think PL/AI was the right appointment and I am happy to give them both til Christmas to turn it around. I just hope we can do it before then. Bennett and a couple of players (leaders) with Championship and Premier League experience will be a good start.

The players have neither improved, or gone backwards. It's taken 20+ years to reach this standard. How can five weeks make any difference to their abilities?

Bowyer should have been getting better performances of course. He signed them all, nurtured them all, protected them all and trained them all for years. They were bound to know what he expected and wanted. He still didn't get better results however with supposed improved performances and you need to ask yourself why.

Few like change. There was bound to be a settling period. It's a tad silly to be making any judgements just yet.

Bowyer's recruitment, lauded by many, was in my opinion absolutely bang average. I'll ask you how many players improved under him? How many are others interested in? Where are the youngsters he coached for years?

Whether Bowyer got better performances is very debatable. He personally bored me rigid for years and got fewer points per game than a man who has literally just arrived. The only way is up.

[garnersfags]

I am not disagreeing. Thought we were very fortunate initially in the games we won. I was chuffed we got those wins to buy a little time.

Not sure what people expect however at such an early juncture in his time here. Looking forward to some fresh ideas and a new direction. I am genuinely positive about the club for the first time since Big Sam was potted.

Yes performances remain crap. More credit to Lambert in that case getting more points per game out of this shower.

I assume you expected at least a marginal improvement in performance, or a greater desire, or a sense that some of the player's were playing for the new manager, or that he would have given the team and club some kind of visible boost?

Many on here were initially expressing a much greater expectation. Yes, even in the 1st 8 games.

That's what people expected. Some of us have expressed surprise that we have had to go backwards to go forwards. Not a single person on here was ringing the alarm bells and reminding us that we may have to play worse than under Bowyer whilst PL assessed the squad and decided what work was needed.

We all accept that we have a better chance of success under Paul than Gary, but we are entitled to express the acute pain we have felt during the last 4 dismal performances, which has seemed all the more disappointing after the devastation of 5 disatrous years.

Still optimistic despite all that....

[onlyonejackwalker]

I assume you expected at least a marginal improvement in performance, or a greater desire, or a sense that some of the player's were playing for the new manager, or that he would have given the team and club some kind of visible boost?

Many on here were initially expressing a much greater expectation. Yes, even in the 1st 8 games.

That's what people expected. Some of us have expressed surprise that we have had to go backwards to go forwards. Not a single person on here was ringing the alarm bells and reminding us that we may have to play worse than under Bowyer whilst PL assessed the squad and decided what work was needed.

We all accept that we have a better chance of success under Paul than Gary, but we are entitled to express the acute pain we have felt during the last 4 dismal performances, which has seemed all the more disappointing after the devastation of 5 disatrous years.

Still optimistic despite all that....

There's only me and you here

He has matched Bowyer's win return in half the time yet you insist we have gone backwards.

Is that really making sense to you?

[garnersfags]

The players have neither improved, or gone backwards. It's taken 20+ years to reach this standard. How can five weeks make any difference to their abilities?

Bowyer should have been getting better performances of course. He signed them all, nurtured them all, protected them all and trained them all for years. They were bound to know what he expected and wanted. He still didn't get better results however with supposed improved performances and you need to ask yourself why.

Few like change. There was bound to be a settling period. It's a tad silly to be making any judgements just yet.

Bowyer's recruitment, lauded by many, was in my opinion absolutely bang average. I'll ask you how many players improved under him? How many are others interested in? Where are the youngsters he coached for years?

Whether Bowyer got better performances is very debatable. He personally bored me rigid for years and got fewer points per game than a man who has literally just arrived. The only way is up.

I agree with you on most points, I was just responding to your question: 'How do you explain an increased point return per game under Lambert if individual and team performances have not improved in anyway?'.

I'm glad you now agree there has been no improvement. Anyone at each of the games, as Sambo stated above, will agree performances have steadily dropped.

I don't agree the only way is up as I don't think we have reached rock bottom yet.

I do agree though that we will have improved by Easter, hopefully sooner.

We all passionately want the same thing.

[onlyonejackwalker]

I agree with you on most points, I was just responding to your question: 'How do you explain an increased point return per game under Lambert if individual and team performances have not improved in anyway?'.

I'm glad you now agree there has been no improvement. Anyone at each of the games, as Sambo stated above, will agree performances have steadily dropped.

I don't agree the only way is up as I don't think we have reached rock bottom yet.

I do agree though that we will have improved by Easter, hopefully sooner.

We all passionately want the same thing.

You think we've gone backwards. I disagree. The facts state we are getting more points per game and have won as many in the last 8, as the first 16.

Most would see that as some form of improvement, however small.

[garnersfags]

There's only me and you here

He has matched Bowyer's win return in half the time yet you insist we have gone backwards.

Is that really making sense to you?

I was thinking the same. Ha ha.

I'm sure we essentially agree, so we'll leave it there.

Cheers

[onlyonejackwalker]

I was thinking the same. Ha ha.

I'm sure we essentially agree, so we'll leave it there.

Cheers

It's ok don't answer

Enjoy your day garners. All will be revealed in time.

[garnersfags]

It's ok don't answer

Enjoy your day garners. All will be revealed in time.

Gonna let others adjudicate on our sparring.

Enjoyed it.

[EgyptianPete]

Gonna let others adjudicate on our sparring.

Enjoyed it.

Deuce

[ABBEY]

Gonna let others adjudicate on our sparring.

Enjoyed it.

verdict..tame

[G Somerset Rover]

Lambert's comments in his latest interview are very telling where he mentions 'players who you can trust', when questioned on the signing of Bennett.

Clearest indication yet, IMO, that we have some trouble makers in the squad.

[VinjayV4]

Well it can't be argued that for once Venkys appointed someone Rovers fans were in favor of. Though he has slipped somewhat quickly on here with some people considering the initial reaction. There's really 2 ways of looking at Paul Lambert. Do you look at his failure at Aston Villa that seemingly is a managerial graveyard for anyone? Villa Park is certainly as depressing as a graveyard. Or do you look at Norwich City whom he managed to take to promotion from the Championship (and League 1) at the first attempt? Whichever way you look at it there's signs of actual logic behind the appointment. Lambert may suffer from a severe charisma bypass but its likely he will be given more time than Berg and Voldemort. Its in the summer when his real work is likely to begin.

[Claytons Left Boot]

Villa Park is certainly as depressing as a graveyard.

It's one of the nicer stadia in my opinion. Well built, solid, fairly large and far superior to some of the flimsy, modern grounds like Stoke, Hull, Southampton and Leicester. Depressing?

[oldjamfan1]

It's one of the nicer stadia in my opinion. Well built, solid, fairly large and far superior to some of the flimsy, modern grounds like Stoke, Hull, Southampton and Leicester. Depressing?

I've always really liked Villa park, particularly for night matches.

[VinjayV4]

Don't think the stadium is bad at all was referring to the depressing football poor Villa fans have to endure each week. They blame boring Lerner but they blame every manager as well including Lambert. That club needs one hell of a shakeup from top to bottom but Lerner has no imagination whatsoever. Sherwood at least had more personality than his usual selections.

While I've made fun of Lambert in the past (meaning a few years) for his lack of charisma some of the quotes I've read after he joined Rovers impressed me.

[booth]

Anyone else terrified that Venkys might do what they did with Appleton/Berg if results don't get better very quickly?

[DE.]

Anyone else terrified that Venkys might do what they did with Appleton/Berg if results don't get better very quickly?

If the aim was playoffs this season, as some have suggested, then it's possible. Their investment in Lambert is much higher than it was in Berg (didn't even get to bring in his own staff) or Appleton, which hopefully buys him a lot more time.

[ABBEY]

Anyone else terrified that Venkys might do what they did with Appleton/Berg if results don't get better very quickly?

WE CHATTED ABOUT THAT LAST NIGHT AND NOTHING THE LUNES IN PUNE DO SURPRISES ME