2021/22 Frank Lampard

[BlueToff]

He did the issue is do we know how fit Dom is? I am suspecting he didn't want to risk him. VDB should have come on for me go 433, we need to set up like that for me it's the best formation to give us a bit more solidity three at the back won't work long term when our CBS aren't very good on the ball.

Yeah I did say in another thread maybe Dom couldn't do 70 mins.

Ultimately though then you have to change the shape because Gray and Dele are in no way similar players.

We couldn't go 433 because we didn't have a LB, so it had to be VdB on to stack the midfield or keep the shape but have Dom on and Richy in the Gray role... Maybe even El Ghazi if Dom wasn't fit enough.

I just don't think Alli was the right sub but the issues elsewhere left us short of options

 

[Little Ralphy]

I think last night highlighted that if you want to play a high energy game like he seems to, then you need players who can cover the ground quicker than the ones we have. Newcastle were just quicker to everything last night, we've got too many players with zero pace, and if a pass goes astray then we can't recover. We are far too slow in transition. A two man midfield with Gomes and Allan was just completely over ran.

 

[BlueToff]

And who put Townsend as LWB? Who put in Coleman? Where was Patterson?

I will not judge Lampard as a manger on this one game, but the managemnt of tis one game should be open for scrutiny. After Gray got injured he couldv put in Ghazi, or VdB. Not Alli, who did nothing and has been out of form for ages. WHen Mina got subbed for Branthwait, and the course of our midfield being run over, the logic would e to take off an attacker and add a midfielder, not sub one midfielder for another.

That you can blame Frank for.

The other thing wich should be mentioned, is that this happened a lot at Chelsea too. Frank comes in with plan A. the opponent nullifies plan A and then Frank doesnt have a plan B.

I hope he has learned from last night, but it should be mentioned.

Who else plays at LWB or even LB?

Kenny?? Patterson?

Patterson has 27 senior games to his name, in Scotland, and 15 starts. We needed a RB to come in straight away but instead signed a lad with zero experience.

This isn't hitting out at Patterson, he needs a chance now, but fgs, let's not keep acting like he's a world beater because frankly we have no idea if he is or not.

 

[BlueToff]

I think last night highlighted that if you want to play a high energy game like he seems to, then you need players who can cover the ground quicker than the ones we have. Newcastle were just quicker to everything last night, we've got too many players with zero pace, and if a pass goes astray then we can't recover. We are far too slow in transition. A two man midfield with Gomes and Allan was just completely over ran.

As soon as Mina went off Newcastle knew they could bully us.

Gomes was a liability as he always is starting league games and we all got hoodwinked the other day again.

Townsend was hopeless but not because he was out of position, but because he literally cannot pass a ball 10 yards. But our other 'back up LB' is a CB who is now injured and the other two are RBs, one of whom is crap and the other of whom is yet to play for us but people think it was sensible to sign a lad with 27 games to his name in Scotland to come straight in in a relegation scrap.

 

[GoldenToffee]

Said he learned some things last night and I'm sure he did:

*Mina can't play two games a week
*Gomes and Allan in a midfield two will not work against any team
*The players cannot be relied on to concentrate at key moments of the game, such as immediately after scoring
*The effort and application is, in general, not there from the entire squad
*Richarlison will be isolated and unable to impact the game when up there alone
*We have nothing whatsoever in reserve to replace Gray with
*We have no good centre backs

That's a hell of a lot to digest and put right in 17 games. We need to win about 6 of those games, which at this point looks utterly impossible. I can see us finishing on fewer than 30 points, which of course means we're going down.

 

[Nymzee]

Who else plays at LWB or even LB?

Kenny?? Patterson?

Patterson has 27 senior games to his name, in Scotland, and 15 starts. We needed a RB to come in straight away but instead signed a lad with zero experience.

This isn't hitting out at Patterson, he needs a chance now, but fgs, let's not keep acting like he's a world beater because frankly we have no idea if he is or not.

You poo poo this signing almost every day for a player you have no idea on. Strange behaviour.

 

[Nymzee]

Who else plays at LWB or even LB?

Kenny?? Patterson?

Patterson has 27 senior games to his name, in Scotland, and 15 starts. We needed a RB to come in straight away but instead signed a lad with zero experience.

This isn't hitting out at Patterson, he needs a chance now, but fgs, let's not keep acting like he's a world beater because frankly we have no idea if he is or not.

You poo poo this signing almost every day for a player you have no idea on. Strange behaviour.

 

[chazzle_dazzle]

I think a lot of this 3 at the back is we don't have 2 defenders he trusts to play together, and I agree, I think Lampards favoured formation is 4-3-3 which taking into account the signings in the window where mids (even though we desperately needed them) shows he wants to gravitate this way.

I don't know what the solution is between now and the end of the season, I don't trust any of those defenders to play in a two, and I guess he has learned that too.

Summer priority (among many) will be to get a commanding CB in to partner Godfrey and bring brainthewaite along.

 

[chazzle_dazzle]

Who else plays at LWB or even LB?

Kenny?? Patterson?

Patterson has 27 senior games to his name, in Scotland, and 15 starts. We needed a RB to come in straight away but instead signed a lad with zero experience.

This isn't hitting out at Patterson, he needs a chance now, but fgs, let's not keep acting like he's a world beater because frankly we have no idea if he is or not.

Honestly Toff, I would have put Kenny at lwb instead of Townsend. That's something coming from me because I think Kenny is nowhere near a prem player.

Townsend was awful and that game last night was not the one to put him there - the amount of crossed he put in the crowd too was embarrassing.

I get why Lampard done it, but I don't agree with it, legs, and discipline against a team who where going to fight us with blood and sweat for every half inch means he wasn't the right move there.

 

[BlueToff]

You poo poo this signing almost every day for a player you have no idea on. Strange behaviour.

None of us have any idea on him?

All we know is that Dunc, Benitez and now Lampard so far haven't deemed him ready. So maybe we should stop acting like he definitely is?

I want him to play. I would love him to start on Saturday and have a stormer mate.

But the fact remains we spent a big fee on a player with zero experience for a position we needed filling right away (not in a season's time) when we're in a relegation scrap.

And so far, he's not played a single minute for us under three managers.

Let's hope that changes on Saturday. I don't think that's on him at all. But I also think it was probably the right signing in terms of profile, but at the wrong time in terms of where we are in the league and the season.

 

[BlueToff]

Honestly Toff, I would have put Kenny at lwb instead of Townsend. That's something coming from me because I think Kenny is nowhere near a prem player.

Townsend was awful and that game last night was not the one to put him there - the amount of crossed he put in the crowd too was embarrassing.

I get why Lampard done it, but I don't agree with it, legs, and discipline against a team who where going to fight us with blood and sweat for every half inch means he wasn't the right move there.

I actually agree mate, but it's not like it's a great option to have is it. It's just the total lack of balance in the squad.

And that isn't just exclusive to now. All season we've relied on Godfrey to be our LB back up and one of our first-choice CBs to boot. It's madness.

 

[rochdaleblue]

I really think he has to go to a 4-2-3- 1.
Allan and Gomes don’t have the legs anymore
JP
SC YM JB VM
AD DVB
DG AG Richarlison
DCL

 

[blu87554]

Who else plays at LWB or even LB?

Kenny?? Patterson?

Patterson has 27 senior games to his name, in Scotland, and 15 starts. We needed a RB to come in straight away but instead signed a lad with zero experience.

This isn't hitting out at Patterson, he needs a chance now, but fgs, let's not keep acting like he's a world beater because frankly we have no idea if he is or not.

Yeah, and instead we put in Branthwaite, who has what, 3 games under his belt?

Lets not delude ourselves. Frank wanted to continue with what he made last saturday, wich wasnt a bad thing perse.

But the minute it became clear Newcastle figured it out, he shouldv acted. There was no outlet for our defense as our midfielders got pressed very agressive, sometimes by 2 newcastle players at a time. The ball hardly reached Richarlison, Gray or Gordon. Thats 3 players that where doing nothing.

 

[blu87554]

Who else plays at LWB or even LB?

Kenny?? Patterson?

Patterson has 27 senior games to his name, in Scotland, and 15 starts. We needed a RB to come in straight away but instead signed a lad with zero experience.

This isn't hitting out at Patterson, he needs a chance now, but fgs, let's not keep acting like he's a world beater because frankly we have no idea if he is or not.

Yeah, and instead we put in Branthwaite, who has what, 3 games under his belt?

Lets not delude ourselves. Frank wanted to continue with what he made last saturday, wich wasnt a bad thing perse.

But the minute it became clear Newcastle figured it out, he shouldv acted. There was no outlet for our defense as our midfielders got pressed very agressive, sometimes by 2 newcastle players at a time. The ball hardly reached Richarlison, Gray or Gordon. Thats 3 players that where doing nothing.

 

[Toff33Blues99]

Well Frank, you've been lashed in at the deep end here mate. Got your work cut out for you, get us to the summer in the premier league and I back you to make us into a steady team again.

Should the dreaded happen and we go down, I back him to bring us back up too (if he wants to stay)

Would sack him before he got on the bus at the Emirates, save him the trouble of coming all way up north. He has 55 pts to play for , if he can't get us enough points he deserves to go