[Archived] Official: Paul Lambert Appointed Blackburn Rovers Manager

[Iceman]

Sorry, if we can give Kean and Bowyer so much time, then we should give Lambert the same time.

Lambert is a good manager, so if Venkys decide to sack him without giving him next season, then they might as well finally sell the club.

[den]

Quite simply if he'd have sorted the centre of defence last season with the numerous experienced options he had instead of persevering with the two raw young centre halves together which clearly didn't work we'd have had a shout at the play offs. Enough goals were scored despite the other non contributors.

You can't get away from the fact that if you're striker is contributing nothing to the team in general play, and I mean "nothing", it affects performances - and performances affect results. Failings elsewhere make no difference to that fact. If I were Lambert and were offered big money for Rhodes I would sell him and try to bring in players who "could" contribute. He was bought to fire us to promotion and there's no chance he'll do that.

[ABBEY]

... Words fail me .

[oldjamfan1]

Quite simply if he'd have sorted the centre of defence last season with the numerous experienced options he had instead of persevering with the two raw young centre halves together which clearly didn't work we'd have had a shout at the play offs. Enough goals were scored despite the other non contributors.

I don't entirely agree with this. The main reason we conceded loads last year was because of the way the team was set up, not just because of the centre halves. There was absolutely no protection for them at all from midfield. Now there is, of sorts, and we are seeing the difference in the goals against column. Sadly, we seem unable to get the overall balance right at the moment.

[den]

... Words fail me .

They always have when it comes to discussing football Abbey.

[ABBEY]

They always have when it comes to discussing football Abbey.

There were 11 dustbins on the pitch on Tuesday night and yet again the situation is all Rhodes fault .

Blame venkys for everything but Christ almighty your obsession with Rhodes is worrying

[tomphil]

You can't get away from the fact that if you're striker is contributing nothing to the team in general play, and I mean "nothing", it affects performances - and performances affect results. Failings elsewhere make no difference to that fact. If I were Lambert and were offered big money for Rhodes I would sell him and try to bring in players who "could" contribute. He was bought to fire us to promotion and there's no chance he'll do that.

Take Rhodes out of it last season and all we did was hoof it to Gestede and we still conceded goals. I'm sure there were some stats knocking about on here that indicated we got better results with JR in the side than without him although I stand to be corrected.

I don't entirely agree with this. The main reason we conceded loads last year was because of the way the team was set up, not just because of the centre halves. There was absolutely no protection for them at all from midfield. Now there is, of sorts, and we are seeing the difference in the goals against column. Sadly, we seem unable to get the overall balance right at the moment.

Fair point but there was also quite a few goals conceded from individual errors by Hanley and Duffy, take those away and there would no doubt have been a few more points on the board. The defence should and could have been sorted earlier and yes it wouldn't have covered the numerous other weaknesses but it may just have resulted in less conceded.

[den]

There were 11 dustbins on the pitch on Tuesday night and yet again the situation is all Rhodes fault .

Blame venkys for everything but Christ almighty your obsession with Rhodes is worrying

You're making things up Abbey. There's no criticism of Rhodes on Tuesday night anywhere from me.

You are welcome to explain why any player contributing nothing week after week, doesn't affect the team performance?

[yoda]

JR will start scoring again when we have a midfield

[oldjamfan1]

Fair point but there was also quite a few goals conceded from individual errors by Hanley and Duffy, take those away and there would no doubt have been a few more points on the board. The defence should and could have been sorted earlier and yes it wouldn't have covered the numerous other weaknesses but it may just have resulted in less conceded.

Its a difficult one. I understand the point you are making, and while I have absolutely no desire to re-tread the old ground of Bowyer v Lambert, you seem to be criticising GB for selecting the same two centre halves that PL has picked for every single game of his tenure so far. They are either both right or both wrong.

[Rover_Shaun]

You can only pick from the pool you've got. If that pool is totally bereft of skill, hard work and attitude you're struggling..........hence we are

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

It took Hughes a season to rebuild after Souness. A season during which, under Hughes, we scored 28 goals in 34 games. And then the next season we finished 4 points off the Champions League.

More so on Facebook etc than on this site, but the lack of patience in the modern football fan really is very, very silly.

[onlyonejackwalker]

It took Hughes a season to rebuild after Souness. A season during which, under Hughes, we scored 28 goals in 34 games. And then the next season we finished 4 points off the Champions League.

More so on Facebook etc than on this site, but the lack of patience in the modern football fan really is very, very silly.

After being so patient with Bowyer, following many being so patient with Kean, I was amazed so many were berating Lambert after a short six weeks!!!! Couldn't make it up.

Four points off the CL under Hughes. Great times indeed.

[Tom]

JR will start scoring again when we have a midfield

No doubt he will come good again but he had 3 or 4 good chances on Tuesday and didn't score one, the one in the first half on the goal line was a shocker never seen him react as slowly.

I thought he woke up when Brown came on though which is why I would look to play them together

[chaddyrovers]

Tom, Rhodes played well with Brown last season.

And I would play that way on Saturday

[tomphil]

Its a difficult one. I understand the point you are making, and while I have absolutely no desire to re-tread the old ground of Bowyer v Lambert, you seem to be criticising GB for selecting the same two centre halves that PL has picked for every single game of his tenure so far. They are either both right or both wrong.

Nothing is as black and white though when your considering how young players form fluctuates and it's nowt to do with GB v Lambert. If you watched them last season surely you must have seen how poor one or the other was when playing together never mind the fact there was blatantly obvious tension between them.

Eyebrows raised this season when Bowyer made them his first choices again but by and large they've settled down a bit now helped by having the likes of Akpan in front of them and the team playing tighter generally. I have gone on record on here a time or two though saying I'd still prefer an experienced leader, organiser next to one of them despite us being better defensively this season. Always striving to improve

[oldjamfan1]

Nothing is as black and white though when your considering how young players form fluctuates and it's nowt to do with GB v Lambert. If you watched them last season surely you must have seen how poor one or the other was when playing together never mind the fact there was blatantly obvious tension between them.

Eyebrows raised this season when Bowyer made them his first choices again but by and large they've settled down a bit now helped by having the likes of Akpan in front of them and the team playing tighter generally. I have gone on record on here a time or two though saying I'd still prefer an experienced leader, organiser next to one of them despite us being better defensively this season. Always striving to improve

While I respect your opinion I think we'll probably have to agree to disagree on this one. I think the way the team was set up last season was the main contributor to how exposed the two centre backs were at times, and nothing I've seen this term changes my view on that. We finally have a big guy in midfield who relieves some of the pressure off those two but that in turn exposes other deficiencies. Duffy and Hanley aren't our biggest problem this season, and I don't think they were last season either.

MIDFIELD

[USABlue]

I am really having doubts about Lambert. Have we gone and hired a Malky Mackay (sp). That is, once was good but now a disaster.

Edge of our seats he said, pressing he said, playing on the front foot he said. He said a lot didn't he? None of which has even looked like materializing. Now he's gone and signed two players, one more perhaps coming in. All three if these played for him at Norwich, not much imagination there is there? I really hope he can cut it but I'm having serious doubts. Remember the GB maysayers told us that an experienced manager would have these players pushing top 6. A proper manager would have Rhodes scoring bag fulls cos they would play to his strenghts. Well, what has happened? Another appointment that is not looking too clever, i do live in hope though but it is very concerning.

[tomphil]

I think in the mid term there might be more parallels with Lambert at Rovers to McCarthy at Ipswich rather than the Boro's, Derbys or Leicester City. All those have built up decent footballing sides over a few seasons aided by big investment, I'm thinking our owners might be looking to do it more the Ipswich way

Also McCarthy down there has had flak from the off about style of play and uninspiring signings but he's certainly improved their standing way beyond what it realistically might be. He still gets the flak though but their fans still turn up on matchday and stick with the team.

[Amo]

I am really having doubts about Lambert. Have we gone and hired a Malky Mackay (sp). That is, once was good but now a disaster.

Edge of our seats he said, pressing he said, playing on the front foot he said. He said a lot didn't he? None of which has even looked like materializing. Now he's gone and signed two players, one more perhaps coming in. All three if these played for him at Norwich, not much imagination there is there? I really hope he can cut it but I'm having serious doubts. Remember the GB maysayers told us that an experienced manager would have these players pushing top 6. A proper manager would have Rhodes scoring bag fulls cos they would play to his strenghts. Well, what has happened? Another appointment that is not looking too clever, i do live in hope though but it is very concerning.

I don't believe there were many with serious 'top six' expectations this summer once we sold off our best players and had to sign a load of Championship freebies and players from the French Vauxhall Conference. It was mainly a grim resignation that we'd blown our best shot at promotion and would settle for midtable unless Venky's had a sudden epiphany.

[Exiled in Toronto]

I don't believe there were many with serious 'top six' expectations this summer once we sold off our best players and had to sign a load of Championship freebies and players from the French Vauxhall Conference. It was mainly a grim resignation that we'd blown our best shot at promotion and would settle for midtable unless Venky's had a sudden epiphany.

I must say I struggle with the logic that the only difference between this team of spineless, relegation-bound plodders and a top 6 team is the Aston Villa hatstand, the one-good-game-in-ten Bournemouth thigh strain and a not a centre-mid nor a winger midfielder. The notion that Lambert would have got more out of those three is somewhat contradicted by Rhodes's transformation into John O'Mara.

[VinjayV4]

Just look at the difference in Lambert's face since leaving Villa (a club which would have a depressing effect on anyone) and joining Rovers after his break. At least if it ever turns out Lambert isn't enjoying the job or is stressed it will probably be obvious just looking at him.

[DE.]

At this rate he'll look about 70 by the time the season ends.

[sambo]

Really worried about where this reign is going. Think he really underestimated the task at hand, and the players aren't responding to whatever tactics he's trying to implement. Looks like we will have to limp to safety and hope we get it right next season.

[G Somerset Rover]

I'd love to start seeing some sort of plan. God knows what it is right now - but it isn't working regardless.