Sky Blue Pete
Well-Known Member
Not sure Stoke have a reputation
Judging the Frank Lampard change (4 Viewers)
- Thread starter skyblu3sk
- Start date
AOM
Well-Known Member
This season in particular looks like the best chance for a while.
Nobody seems to be running away with it so far, and I can't see Middlesbrough keeping up their form.
Ipswich will probably climb the table at some point
clint van damme
Well-Known Member
fernandopartridge
Well-Known Member
I remember a press conference with Lampard last season and they were talking about the good players the other side had, rather than just agreeing he said "Well yeah, we've got good players too"
TomRad85
Well-Known Member
Yes I enjoy how he talks up our own players rather than fluffing the opposition too much.
skybluecam
Well-Known Member
Robins would never have had us playing like this.
There's a real excitement in knowing that if we hit our usual levels we'll beat anyone in the league, and hand out some proper thrashings to boot.
There's a real excitement in knowing that if we hit our usual levels we'll beat anyone in the league, and hand out some proper thrashings to boot.
clint van damme
Well-Known Member
Without Robins we might not of existed and certainly wouldn't have been a top 3rd championship side capable of attracting Lampard
skybluecam
Well-Known Member
Probably true but not relevant to this thread?
clint van damme
Well-Known Member
Very relevant.
procdoc
Well-Known Member
You’re the one who mentioned Robins
clint van damme
Well-Known Member
You’re the one who mentioned Robins
It's weird the amount of people who'll jump all over remarks made about our goalkeeping coach or the performance director but are happy to let snide remarksabout Robins slide.
skybluecam
Well-Known Member
...because the thread was about replacing him?You’re the one who mentioned Robins
His legacy as a legend is secure but also not that relevant to the decision of whether to replace him or not.
procdoc
Well-Known Member
I haven’t got a bad word to say about Robins. In hindsight it was right for both parties to part ways but he’s proving what a top manager he is at Stoke
clint van damme
Well-Known Member
Agree. Though I don't really care what he does at Stoke.
Same as I don't care what Lampard did at Chelsea, only bothered about what they did here.
procdoc
Well-Known Member
Yep definitely. Lampard has so far taken us to another level. The difference I notice the most is the fitness of the players. I don’t know if it’s just me but everyone seems sharper and fitter
Sky_Blue_Dreamer
Well-Known Member
The thing I worry with that is are the players going to be over exerting and we're going to run into injury problems playing two games a week in the freezing winter? Are levels going to drop off towards the end of the season as players just can't do it anymore?
If we had a bigger squad we could cope with that but at the moment we don't.
fernandopartridge
Well-Known Member
In fairness we've got options, even with a reduced squad size to last season. Ideally we'd have more but it's still better than e.g. the Luton play off season
skybluecam
Well-Known Member
I’m hoping we bring 2-3 in Jan.
Main deficiency right now is out wide. Getting a loan in as cover shouldn’t be difficult.
David O'Day
Well-Known Member
Oh well, we could of got Kenny Jackett in
DT-R
Well-Known Member
I said very early on in the season that I think there'll be 1 auto spot up for grabs. I think the 3 teams battling it out for the 2nd spot will be us, Boro and Bristol. The 2 teams that dont get it will be the 2 teams to watch in the play-offs. I was also berated by somebody as Bristol had just played out a 0-0 draw at home to Charlton. Think they said something like "yeah, we all need to worry about teams that drew at home to charlton" or similar. Forgetting that 2 weeks previous, we also drew a blank at home to Hull. And since then, look at how Charlton have come on! I still stand by it. Us, Boro, and Brizzle will be fighting it out at the end. Whether that's for an auto spot or a play-off final, time will tell.
Sent from my SM-S711B using Tapatalk
DT-R
Well-Known Member
My previous reply was meant to be to this post
Sent from my SM-S711B using Tapatalk
TomRad85
Well-Known Member
I think Hackney turning down Ipswich could prove to be huge. They tried to flog him, as they do, but it shows the benefits of holding on to your better players. I loved us swatting away Southampton interest in Rudoni, didn't even entertain it. I still can't believe some wanted us to go for it.
Yeah Sunderland last season ran into issues mid-season as they couldn't keep up their high pressing style that saw them chasing autos. Ended up in the deep-block that sneaked them through the playoffs (I'd argue 9 times out of 10 it wouldn't have)
COVKIDSNEVERQUIT
Well-Known Member
Isn't this the second time you've brought this up?
COVKIDSNEVERQUIT
Well-Known Member
alexccfc99
Well-Known Member
For me Robins was the man to get a limited squad playing at 150% - Having your players like Fadz, Kelly, Wilson etc. who were earning peanuts in comparison to other Championship players play way above their ceiling
There was a huge mentality shift from the club last season after the window we had where we were tilted to make a proper and sustained push and I think he shrunk with that expectation ever so slightly and maybe he failed to gel with the newer players like Rudoni, EMC etc.
We were all upset when he left but time has proven that the decision was indeed the right one - With the benefit of hindsight it would have been the best time to maybe part ways after Man United at Wembley and dedicate the last few games of that season to giving him a heroes send off, especially if we knew that Adi leaving was happening - But after the way we lost at Wembley and after all he had done for the club it is easy to see why the club were willing to let him have a crack at assembling his own staff and attempting to go again
There was a huge mentality shift from the club last season after the window we had where we were tilted to make a proper and sustained push and I think he shrunk with that expectation ever so slightly and maybe he failed to gel with the newer players like Rudoni, EMC etc.
We were all upset when he left but time has proven that the decision was indeed the right one - With the benefit of hindsight it would have been the best time to maybe part ways after Man United at Wembley and dedicate the last few games of that season to giving him a heroes send off, especially if we knew that Adi leaving was happening - But after the way we lost at Wembley and after all he had done for the club it is easy to see why the club were willing to let him have a crack at assembling his own staff and attempting to go again
Domo
Well-Known Member
we got sheaf under the potential when we just came up form league on, he was such a coup at the time.
MacReady
Well-Known Member
That ref was a twat
Hobo
Well-Known Member
Robins was a great manager for us, progressed us and rebuilt the side several times. Although his time here had probably ran it course.
What I like about Lampard is he has built on the foundations Robins left. He has not ripped it up and started again. He has tweaked things.
People mentioning the team spirit and camaraderie in the squad. I don't know where they were but that was evident under Robins. Lampard referenced it as soon as he arrived. Even though the results hadn't been great the group were positive and their attitude was excellent in training and how they all supported each other.
For me, yes we still like to play possession football but mix it up more and sometimes play the longer ball and go more direct. The tempo seems to have increased and we move the ball more quickly. Also there seems more set plays, were two or three players are playing in partnerships or combinations in the build up. The understanding players have of each other seems to be developing. There seems more support for the player on the ball and more movement off it.
JSL
Well-Known Member
One thing that I have noticed about Frank, is that he as only brought in players in areas that we had a weaknesses. A quality DM. a backup RB, a better GK, a better additional CB and moved the dross out of the way for the time being except Sheaf who has gone permanently.
The squad is better for it and it is paying off. Come January, hopefully some long term targets will be revisited to bolster the squad.
Robins was great, but I think he had gone snow blind towards the end of his reign
The squad is better for it and it is paying off. Come January, hopefully some long term targets will be revisited to bolster the squad.
Robins was great, but I think he had gone snow blind towards the end of his reign
Robins is a great man manager who knows how to set up a team to play counter-attacking football. We never looked good in the Championship when he deviated from it & no surprise he’s successful with Stoke playing that way
Every manager needs a good team around him. The biggest issue was that Robins didn’t have that after Adi left and we botched the replacements
Lampard and his team have the expertise (tactical & fitness) to implement a hybrid style where we look comfortable in possession & pressing high.
The important part is a competent ‘team’. Lampard has it. Robins didn’t last season
Every manager needs a good team around him. The biggest issue was that Robins didn’t have that after Adi left and we botched the replacements
Lampard and his team have the expertise (tactical & fitness) to implement a hybrid style where we look comfortable in possession & pressing high.
The important part is a competent ‘team’. Lampard has it. Robins didn’t last season
JSL
Well-Known Member
No
Offhegoes
Well-Known Member
Never seen a Cov team with with a stronger mentality, and fight. The mindset of us against them almost.
You can see the fire in the eyes of Kitching, Thomas, Dasilva. When BTA scored on Sat, all the players had their arms up in celebration.
That team spirit and togetherness. There was a bit of that under Robins, but its been cranked up this season.
Lampard has installed that.
Evidence was there on Saturday.
We were far from fluid, and Brum had come to disrupt us, grabbing Haji right from kick off being an example.
Our players just knuckled down and found the way to win.
Too many times in the past if a team could stop us playing, then they'd probably end up winning.
You can see the fire in the eyes of Kitching, Thomas, Dasilva. When BTA scored on Sat, all the players had their arms up in celebration.
That team spirit and togetherness. There was a bit of that under Robins, but its been cranked up this season.
Lampard has installed that.
Evidence was there on Saturday.
We were far from fluid, and Brum had come to disrupt us, grabbing Haji right from kick off being an example.
Our players just knuckled down and found the way to win.
Too many times in the past if a team could stop us playing, then they'd probably end up winning.