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The Biggest Con this season 09:56 - Mar 1 with 5913 viewsAlexwaddell

That we have "the best squad in the league"
This has been proved to be an utter fallacy. The players do not have the skill, or the commitment (with one or two exceptions) for league one never mind the Championship.
Throughout the course of the season numerous different formations have been tried with numerous different players with the same result...abject failure.
If we have to resort to hoofing the ball up the park we need a big target man, a la Simpson, rather than the vertically challenged forwards we employ.
On the bright side I reckon Town would be top of the league if it was 5 aside...but unfortunately it isn't and you cannot make a silk purse out of a sows ear.

Poll: What was today?

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The Biggest Con this season on 10:03 - Mar 1 with 4197 viewsLankHenners

Has it? The point’s been made before - to accept that the reason for failure is that the players aren’t good enough is to accept that Lambert is doing as well as he could do with what he has. Given that pretty much everyone thinks this isn’t the case, it’s a logical impossibility to conclude that it’s the players’ fault. They’re not completely blameless - collectively they’re too much of a soft touch - but the dreadful failure this season lies firmly at Lambert’s door. Bizarre you typed out that 2nd paragraph and didn’t come to the same conclusion.

Just because I don't care doesn't mean I don't understand.
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The Biggest Con this season on 10:04 - Mar 1 with 4188 viewsHerbivore

It's almost like changing system and personnel constantly doesn't really work.....

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The Biggest Con this season on 10:07 - Mar 1 with 4180 viewsAlexwaddell

The Biggest Con this season on 10:03 - Mar 1 by LankHenners

Has it? The point’s been made before - to accept that the reason for failure is that the players aren’t good enough is to accept that Lambert is doing as well as he could do with what he has. Given that pretty much everyone thinks this isn’t the case, it’s a logical impossibility to conclude that it’s the players’ fault. They’re not completely blameless - collectively they’re too much of a soft touch - but the dreadful failure this season lies firmly at Lambert’s door. Bizarre you typed out that 2nd paragraph and didn’t come to the same conclusion.


Agree that the buck stops with Lambert.....but he is not helped by the 11 bucks that are tasked with winning a game

Poll: What was today?

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The Biggest Con this season on 10:11 - Mar 1 with 4148 viewsChrisd

The Biggest Con this season on 10:03 - Mar 1 by LankHenners

Has it? The point’s been made before - to accept that the reason for failure is that the players aren’t good enough is to accept that Lambert is doing as well as he could do with what he has. Given that pretty much everyone thinks this isn’t the case, it’s a logical impossibility to conclude that it’s the players’ fault. They’re not completely blameless - collectively they’re too much of a soft touch - but the dreadful failure this season lies firmly at Lambert’s door. Bizarre you typed out that 2nd paragraph and didn’t come to the same conclusion.


The blame should be apportioned to: ME, PL and the players. All three just not been good enough.
[Post edited 1 Mar 2020 10:15]

Poll: Where are we going to finish?

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The Biggest Con this season on 10:17 - Mar 1 with 4115 viewsBlueBadger

The Biggest Con this season on 10:07 - Mar 1 by Alexwaddell

Agree that the buck stops with Lambert.....but he is not helped by the 11 bucks that are tasked with winning a game


The culture of complacency comes from the top though. Where was the fight last season? Nowhere. Same as it is now. Lambert treated last season as a 'free hit', the players took it as a free ride and the fans actively supported it.

I'm one of the people who was blamed for getting Paul Cook sacked. PM for the full post.
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The Biggest Con this season on 10:18 - Mar 1 with 4115 viewsbournemouthblue

They keep trotting that line out and yet as you say, it simply isn't true

It's a good squad at this level, I would suggest probably about the 5th best in the league and yes we have had injuries, none more devastating than KVY.

What we lack is physicality in particular, we have few players who are going to cause headaches for opposition defenders in the air. If you can stop us threading balls in to Jackson and force us to ping balls into the box we soon become ineffective.

I don't think we're a total lost cause by any means, we have improved our ball retention and we generally control possession. That's an improvement on last season but this is looking like more than just a one year project sadly. If we did get up this season, we would be annihilated in the Championship.

We clearly lack a number 9, Will Keane isn't that man and he may still come good but a powerful targetman who can hold the ball up and make a nuisance of themselves is very much lacking.

I also feel we could go with a big physical midfielder to mix things up, look at Rotherham with Crooks, he is a serious handful when he gets into the box.

Midfielders with goals in them in general is another thing we are lacking, perhaps Huws, Nolan and Bishop in time will start to bring this again, they certainly should be chipping in with goals at this level. Judge should get far more goals than he does.

Wingers are particularly lacking so Lambert has abandoned the classic 442 all together.

Dobra and Lankester may well develop into players who can be a handful and chip in with goals.

Rowe and Edwards may still come good, we will see.

Skuse and Chambers aren't getting younger and will need to be succeeded at some point.


The building blocks of a side are there but we probably still need to develop a new spine of the side to take us forward.

Another quality centre back, another quality central midfielder and a targetman.

Wolfy and Downes could be two of those parts but they are our most saleable assets and could be off if we don't go back up this season. That's the real fear of failure for us this season, along with diminishing income which League One brings.

Alcohol is the answer but I can't remember the question!
Poll: Rate this transfer window

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...is that somehow, people still make excuss for Lambert. on 10:21 - Mar 1 with 4066 viewsBlueBadger

He's had three transfer windows now to effect some reshaping and adjust attitudes and done very, very little.

I'm one of the people who was blamed for getting Paul Cook sacked. PM for the full post.
Poll: What will Phil's first headline be tomorrow?
Blog: From Despair to Where?

1
The Biggest Con this season on 10:27 - Mar 1 with 4029 viewsChrisd

The Biggest Con this season on 10:18 - Mar 1 by bournemouthblue

They keep trotting that line out and yet as you say, it simply isn't true

It's a good squad at this level, I would suggest probably about the 5th best in the league and yes we have had injuries, none more devastating than KVY.

What we lack is physicality in particular, we have few players who are going to cause headaches for opposition defenders in the air. If you can stop us threading balls in to Jackson and force us to ping balls into the box we soon become ineffective.

I don't think we're a total lost cause by any means, we have improved our ball retention and we generally control possession. That's an improvement on last season but this is looking like more than just a one year project sadly. If we did get up this season, we would be annihilated in the Championship.

We clearly lack a number 9, Will Keane isn't that man and he may still come good but a powerful targetman who can hold the ball up and make a nuisance of themselves is very much lacking.

I also feel we could go with a big physical midfielder to mix things up, look at Rotherham with Crooks, he is a serious handful when he gets into the box.

Midfielders with goals in them in general is another thing we are lacking, perhaps Huws, Nolan and Bishop in time will start to bring this again, they certainly should be chipping in with goals at this level. Judge should get far more goals than he does.

Wingers are particularly lacking so Lambert has abandoned the classic 442 all together.

Dobra and Lankester may well develop into players who can be a handful and chip in with goals.

Rowe and Edwards may still come good, we will see.

Skuse and Chambers aren't getting younger and will need to be succeeded at some point.


The building blocks of a side are there but we probably still need to develop a new spine of the side to take us forward.

Another quality centre back, another quality central midfielder and a targetman.

Wolfy and Downes could be two of those parts but they are our most saleable assets and could be off if we don't go back up this season. That's the real fear of failure for us this season, along with diminishing income which League One brings.


The spine of the side certainly needs addressing going into next season and I'd rip up what we've got and start again. I'd be looking to attract strong, experienced players with the right mentality for those key positions, you've rightly highlighted and I'd get rid of Skuse and Chambers. We could've done with someone like Blackpool's Madine up top as a plan B for this season. Get the spine of the team right and then fill in with our younger players ala Nydam, Lankester, El Miz, Dobra etc.. This season can be written off, but start thinking and planning for next season, which is exactly what PL should've been doing this time last year, but he didn't!

Poll: Where are we going to finish?

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...is that somehow, people still make excuss for Lambert. on 10:29 - Mar 1 with 4021 viewsbournemouthblue

...is that somehow, people still make excuss for Lambert. on 10:21 - Mar 1 by BlueBadger

He's had three transfer windows now to effect some reshaping and adjust attitudes and done very, very little.


This January was a missed opportunity and it isn't the first time Evans has done that with managers

We needed a bit more and didn't get it


The players Lambert brought in in the summer have been successful you have to say but you have to remember what he inherited to start with

It will sound like madness to suggest the current situation is an improvement but there have been positives from this season, even if now it is starting to look apocalyptic

The real concern is what happens next? Do Wolfy and Downes get sold and if so, does Lambert actually see any of that money for reinforcements in the summer

If we start the season well and are well placed, will Evans back our manager in January?


We are very much a broken record and the same mistakes get repeated again and again under different managers

That's the real worry here, there seems to be an ambivalence at the top and they aren't learning from it

Alcohol is the answer but I can't remember the question!
Poll: Rate this transfer window

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The Biggest Con this season on 10:34 - Mar 1 with 3985 viewsLankHenners

The Biggest Con this season on 10:11 - Mar 1 by Chrisd

The blame should be apportioned to: ME, PL and the players. All three just not been good enough.
[Post edited 1 Mar 2020 10:15]


Evans is the reason we’re here in the first place but he’s given his manager more than enough to finish in at least the play-offs this season. To try and push the blame for this season’s failure onto him or the players is letting the main culprit get away with murder.

Just because I don't care doesn't mean I don't understand.
Poll: What is Celina's problem?

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...is that somehow, people still make excuss for Lambert. on 10:35 - Mar 1 with 3981 viewsChrisd

...is that somehow, people still make excuss for Lambert. on 10:29 - Mar 1 by bournemouthblue

This January was a missed opportunity and it isn't the first time Evans has done that with managers

We needed a bit more and didn't get it


The players Lambert brought in in the summer have been successful you have to say but you have to remember what he inherited to start with

It will sound like madness to suggest the current situation is an improvement but there have been positives from this season, even if now it is starting to look apocalyptic

The real concern is what happens next? Do Wolfy and Downes get sold and if so, does Lambert actually see any of that money for reinforcements in the summer

If we start the season well and are well placed, will Evans back our manager in January?


We are very much a broken record and the same mistakes get repeated again and again under different managers

That's the real worry here, there seems to be an ambivalence at the top and they aren't learning from it


Yep, ME has shown that he's completely clueless as a football club owner and that's been proven with his longevity and our slow decline. I'm certainly 'NOT' suggesting keeping PL as manager, but when countless managers keep coming across the same problem, until ME changes his approach and learns from past mistakes, nothing is changing at our club. How many times can managers at ITFC keep being expected to polish a turd?

Poll: Where are we going to finish?

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The Biggest Con this season on 10:36 - Mar 1 with 3966 viewsChrisd

The Biggest Con this season on 10:34 - Mar 1 by LankHenners

Evans is the reason we’re here in the first place but he’s given his manager more than enough to finish in at least the play-offs this season. To try and push the blame for this season’s failure onto him or the players is letting the main culprit get away with murder.


You need to wake up!

Poll: Where are we going to finish?

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The Biggest Con this season on 10:39 - Mar 1 with 3943 viewsMarshalls_Mullet

Downes, Huws, Bishop, Sears, Garrett, KVY, El Mis, Dobra, Dozzell, Keane, woolf.. all good technical players at this level.

And Jackson has been involved in more goals in this league than anyone apart from Toni.

Not saying it's the best squad in the league, but it's certainly enough to compete at the top end.

Poll: Would Lambert have acheived better results than Cook if given the same resources

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The Biggest Con this season on 10:41 - Mar 1 with 3928 viewsBluebell

The Biggest Con this season on 10:11 - Mar 1 by Chrisd

The blame should be apportioned to: ME, PL and the players. All three just not been good enough.
[Post edited 1 Mar 2020 10:15]


The players are good enough. They proved that in the first 14 weeks of the season.

Ok injuries have been hard but how come we can beat the likes of Burton 4-1 (who drew 1-1 v Peterborough yesterday) but can't beat Blackpool?

Sloppy playing, players out of position and Lambert not having a clue how to get the team to play 2 halves of a game like they want to win it!
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The Biggest Con this season on 10:43 - Mar 1 with 3909 viewsLankHenners

The Biggest Con this season on 10:36 - Mar 1 by Chrisd

You need to wake up!


If you’re still defending Lambert at this point then you’re well and truly asleep.

Just because I don't care doesn't mean I don't understand.
Poll: What is Celina's problem?

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The Biggest Con this season on 10:47 - Mar 1 with 3890 viewsstrikalite

Up until November we were doing ok, looked pretty solid, confidence was good, momentum(which is huge) was good, losing KVY was massive looking back, width, pace, an outlet...
Without good width our midfield lacks, because we don't have a couple of players who can run and beat a man and make things happen, none of them can strike a ball from the edge of the box which all the half decent sides even in this league have....they're not all playing beautiful football, but they have two or three key players who can do something out of nothing....
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The Biggest Con this season on 10:49 - Mar 1 with 3871 viewsBlueBadger

The Biggest Con this season on 10:39 - Mar 1 by Marshalls_Mullet

Downes, Huws, Bishop, Sears, Garrett, KVY, El Mis, Dobra, Dozzell, Keane, woolf.. all good technical players at this level.

And Jackson has been involved in more goals in this league than anyone apart from Toni.

Not saying it's the best squad in the league, but it's certainly enough to compete at the top end.


What's been utterly lacking is any kind of moulding the sum of the parts into a greater whole. Our start to the season made both him and Evans complacent and he carried on the 'Lambingo' far beyond the point where it was patently obvious that it wasn't working. By then, it was too late. Other sides had cottoned on to the fact that technically inferior well-drilled sides that knew their team mates and had a set pattern of play could cancel us out and, as Rotherham showed, comfortably beat us.

I'm one of the people who was blamed for getting Paul Cook sacked. PM for the full post.
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The Biggest Con this season on 10:54 - Mar 1 with 3845 viewsChrisd

The Biggest Con this season on 10:43 - Mar 1 by LankHenners

If you’re still defending Lambert at this point then you’re well and truly asleep.


Read my other posts on this thread. You're part of the problem thinking this is solely on him and others are exempt from criticism. Both goals yesterday I'm assuming were PL's fault?!

Poll: Where are we going to finish?

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The Biggest Con this season on 10:59 - Mar 1 with 3825 viewsDennyx4

The Biggest Con this season on 10:39 - Mar 1 by Marshalls_Mullet

Downes, Huws, Bishop, Sears, Garrett, KVY, El Mis, Dobra, Dozzell, Keane, woolf.. all good technical players at this level.

And Jackson has been involved in more goals in this league than anyone apart from Toni.

Not saying it's the best squad in the league, but it's certainly enough to compete at the top end.


I agree with both of you - the squad should be doing better than it currently is, but certainly is not the best squad in the league.

Strange that you down vote the original poster, but then agree it is not the best squad.

For what its worth, I believe we have more good league 1 players than most teams, however we have key positions where we do not compete.

We have an over abundance of central midfielders, but didnt had a left sided centre half until January, still do not have a target man and seem to be lacking players that want to commit defenders.

Central defence for me is a weakness in comparison to many other sides in the top 10.
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The Biggest Con this season on 11:04 - Mar 1 with 3809 viewsWD19

The Biggest Con this season on 10:54 - Mar 1 by Chrisd

Read my other posts on this thread. You're part of the problem thinking this is solely on him and others are exempt from criticism. Both goals yesterday I'm assuming were PL's fault?!


Can you please outline what, in the season 2019/20 you think Marcus Evans has done wrong? Supporting evidence would, as always, be welcomed.
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The Biggest Con this season on 11:05 - Mar 1 with 3795 viewspointofblue

The Biggest Con this season on 10:54 - Mar 1 by Chrisd

Read my other posts on this thread. You're part of the problem thinking this is solely on him and others are exempt from criticism. Both goals yesterday I'm assuming were PL's fault?!


But why are we making elementary mistakes over and over again? Once in a while is fine but the same issues are continuously cropping up. The Burton and Oxford goals started in a similar way - a break on the exposed right flank. Peterborough’s second and Blackpool’s first - players trying to be too clever close to the goal. We’re not learning from this, why? Why is our right flank exposed and lessons not learned? Why does Norris try to be fancy then Garbutt repeat the trick not even a month later? Why have we seen, more than once in recent weeks, players get in one another’s way when trying to play the ball?

We have a simple lack of understanding and confusion about the role of each player. Edwards and Garbutt have played as full back, wing back, winger and, in the case of the former, the right of a striking three this season. Bishop, a decent central midfielder, has also been played wide right. Woolfenden has been in a two, a three, right back whilst Earl has only played a handful of games yet has already had in three different positions being partnered by different people. Breaking it down further, in one game Downes has been the defensive shield whilst, in the next, he’s expected to be the driving force forward. Judge has been right winger, left winger, part of a striking three, a number ten. There is no cohesion, no shape, no identity, no clue.

Yes, Evans is slowly burying this club and should move on but none of the above is down to him.

Poll: Who would you play at right centre back on Saturday?

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The Biggest Con this season on 11:22 - Mar 1 with 3744 viewsLankHenners

The Biggest Con this season on 10:54 - Mar 1 by Chrisd

Read my other posts on this thread. You're part of the problem thinking this is solely on him and others are exempt from criticism. Both goals yesterday I'm assuming were PL's fault?!


Why so binary? The players make individual mistakes of course but when the same mistakes at both ends of the pitch are repeated time and time again over a lengthy period you have to question the ability of the manager and coaching staff. That’s applied everywhere, not just here.

I’ve not said anyone else is exempt from criticism or that Lambert is directly responsible for individual errors. I’m not sure what the problem is either with criticising a manager who’s overseen 4 wins in 23 or whatever it is.

Just because I don't care doesn't mean I don't understand.
Poll: What is Celina's problem?

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The Biggest Con this season on 12:43 - Mar 1 with 3634 viewsChrisd

The Biggest Con this season on 11:05 - Mar 1 by pointofblue

But why are we making elementary mistakes over and over again? Once in a while is fine but the same issues are continuously cropping up. The Burton and Oxford goals started in a similar way - a break on the exposed right flank. Peterborough’s second and Blackpool’s first - players trying to be too clever close to the goal. We’re not learning from this, why? Why is our right flank exposed and lessons not learned? Why does Norris try to be fancy then Garbutt repeat the trick not even a month later? Why have we seen, more than once in recent weeks, players get in one another’s way when trying to play the ball?

We have a simple lack of understanding and confusion about the role of each player. Edwards and Garbutt have played as full back, wing back, winger and, in the case of the former, the right of a striking three this season. Bishop, a decent central midfielder, has also been played wide right. Woolfenden has been in a two, a three, right back whilst Earl has only played a handful of games yet has already had in three different positions being partnered by different people. Breaking it down further, in one game Downes has been the defensive shield whilst, in the next, he’s expected to be the driving force forward. Judge has been right winger, left winger, part of a striking three, a number ten. There is no cohesion, no shape, no identity, no clue.

Yes, Evans is slowly burying this club and should move on but none of the above is down to him.


It could be a confidence issue? Also you could question the mentality of some of our players. Perhaps they aren't mentally strong enough to deal with the expectations? Yesterday was a prime example, that was nothing to do with knowing their roles - it was footballing basics. We've got midfielders that aren't able to be assertive and make a challenge, Holy could've done much better with the first goal too after getting a good hand to it and for the second, I was lost for words. Central defenders that aren't able to pick up their man, so allow him to have a free header and it happens most weeks. You'd expect better watching kid's football this morning. These are professional footballers and it should be expected they make better decisions than what they are currently doing. They need to be more accountable for their own performances. Don't get me wrong I do feel we've got some good individuals, but collectively there's better sides in L1 than us.

I'm certainly not saying PL isn't responsible for what's happened because he does carry the can, but our players haven't been great either and haven't been for some time now, they need to hold their hands up and accept responsibility too. On the note of ME, he might not be the one playing or managing the team, but he sets the tone and his consistent bad decisions off the pitch have certainly had a huge impact on why we find ourselves in L1 and will do for the conceivable future. He's just a poor owner, who expects everything to be done on the cheap.

Poll: Where are we going to finish?

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The Biggest Con this season on 12:49 - Mar 1 with 3602 viewsPinewoodblue

We have players with the required skill/ability. All that is missing is someone with the ability to turn them into a team.

2023 year of destiny
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The Biggest Con this season on 12:50 - Mar 1 with 3596 viewsHerbivore

The Biggest Con this season on 12:43 - Mar 1 by Chrisd

It could be a confidence issue? Also you could question the mentality of some of our players. Perhaps they aren't mentally strong enough to deal with the expectations? Yesterday was a prime example, that was nothing to do with knowing their roles - it was footballing basics. We've got midfielders that aren't able to be assertive and make a challenge, Holy could've done much better with the first goal too after getting a good hand to it and for the second, I was lost for words. Central defenders that aren't able to pick up their man, so allow him to have a free header and it happens most weeks. You'd expect better watching kid's football this morning. These are professional footballers and it should be expected they make better decisions than what they are currently doing. They need to be more accountable for their own performances. Don't get me wrong I do feel we've got some good individuals, but collectively there's better sides in L1 than us.

I'm certainly not saying PL isn't responsible for what's happened because he does carry the can, but our players haven't been great either and haven't been for some time now, they need to hold their hands up and accept responsibility too. On the note of ME, he might not be the one playing or managing the team, but he sets the tone and his consistent bad decisions off the pitch have certainly had a huge impact on why we find ourselves in L1 and will do for the conceivable future. He's just a poor owner, who expects everything to be done on the cheap.


If players are consistently under performing but still being selected then that is on the manager.

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