| Let's say Lambert takes us up 10:50 - Dec 10 with 2870 views | Devereuxxx |
Playing devil's advocate here and engaging in a bit of whataboutery as quite frankly I'm bored at work.
Let's say Lambert takes us up this season. And while I'm still in the majority who think he should be replaced ASAP, he has proven he can muddle together enough wins to keep us in the playoffs at least, so it's not totally beyond the realms of possibility he actually gets us promoted.
If that does happen, does anyone have any sort of hope he could actually keep us in the Championship, or even be vaguely competitive? We'd have a weaker squad than before and we can assume finances will still be limited. Our total inability to beat teams in League One in the positions in and around us make me believe we'd be battered from pillar to post in the Championship if Lambert was still at the helm. Or am I just being pessimistic here, and instantly reverting to predicting the next misery if something positive does occur? |  | | |  |
| Let's say Lambert takes us up on 10:52 - Dec 10 with 2377 views | wkj |
Nope, our team is fodder in the championship. It will take some shrewd investment and Evans digging deep if we stand a chance. [Post edited 10 Dec 2020 10:52]
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| Let's say Lambert takes us up on 11:03 - Dec 10 with 2325 views | haynes_toe1 |
To perform in the championship we'd need a manager that produces team performances that are better than the individual players in the squad, not the other way round.
So yes, we'd need to get rid. |  | | |
| Let's say Lambert takes us up on 11:18 - Dec 10 with 2293 views | jayessess |
On the optimistic side, we have a lot of young players who should have improved with a year's experience and development. Our wage bill would also look pretty modest next to our projected income, so there will be plenty of room to bring in new players. That's particularly going to be the case if we release some of the older professionals whose contracts are up, which includes Judge, Chambers, Sears, Ward, Huws, Nsiala, Skuse and Donacien.
Pessimistic side, Lambert's shown little ability to build a side that's better than the sum of its parts, overcome superior opposition through clever tactics or sign players who markedly improve us. Whoever manages us, we'd also need to move a lot of players out and in, which we've not been good at of late. |  |
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| Let's say Lambert takes us up on 11:20 - Dec 10 with 2286 views | hype313 |
Given that his last stint at championship level didn't exactly go that well ie put up the white flag and gave up, then you can already start to hear the excuses now if we did go up. |  |
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| Let's say Lambert takes us up on 11:22 - Dec 10 with 2281 views | clive_baker |
Same, very quiet at work.
I’m not convinced we do have a weaker squad than the one we came down with, personally. Our younger players like Woolfenden, Downes, Dozzell, Lankester are a couple of years older and wiser. Bishop has found some fitness which hopefully we see through the 2nd half of the season. We’ve added Norwood and KVY. Dobra, Gibbs, El Miz, Drinan, McGavin etc emerging. Edwards, Jackson, Nolan closer to their ‘prime’.
Yes Chambers, Skuse & Sears are getting on, but that was probably the case in our relegation season. L1 perhaps offered a stay of execution. Aside from Bart I’m not sure we’ve really lost anyone I would want back from that squad tbh. This is the team that beat Leeds on the final day:
33 Bartosz Białkowski
4 Luke Chambers
6 Trevoh Chalobah
22 Aristote Nsiala
30 Myles Kenlock
41 James Bree
8 Cole Skuse
21 Flynn Downes
23 Andre Dozzell
31 Alan Judge
45 Collin Quaner
Substitutes
25 Callum Elder
9 Kayden Jackson
1 Dean Gerken
27 Josh Emmanuel
42 Idris El Mizouni
10 Ellis Harrison
48 Kai Brown
We didn’t own 4 of those but despite that, our squad today is stronger on a good day IMO.
Point still remains Lambert isn’t the man to get a tune out of our squad, as he’s demonstrated over the past 2 years. |  |
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| Let's say Lambert takes us up on 11:30 - Dec 10 with 2259 views | jayessess |
| Let's say Lambert takes us up on 11:22 - Dec 10 by clive_baker |
Same, very quiet at work.
I’m not convinced we do have a weaker squad than the one we came down with, personally. Our younger players like Woolfenden, Downes, Dozzell, Lankester are a couple of years older and wiser. Bishop has found some fitness which hopefully we see through the 2nd half of the season. We’ve added Norwood and KVY. Dobra, Gibbs, El Miz, Drinan, McGavin etc emerging. Edwards, Jackson, Nolan closer to their ‘prime’.
Yes Chambers, Skuse & Sears are getting on, but that was probably the case in our relegation season. L1 perhaps offered a stay of execution. Aside from Bart I’m not sure we’ve really lost anyone I would want back from that squad tbh. This is the team that beat Leeds on the final day:
33 Bartosz Białkowski
4 Luke Chambers
6 Trevoh Chalobah
22 Aristote Nsiala
30 Myles Kenlock
41 James Bree
8 Cole Skuse
21 Flynn Downes
23 Andre Dozzell
31 Alan Judge
45 Collin Quaner
Substitutes
25 Callum Elder
9 Kayden Jackson
1 Dean Gerken
27 Josh Emmanuel
42 Idris El Mizouni
10 Ellis Harrison
48 Kai Brown
We didn’t own 4 of those but despite that, our squad today is stronger on a good day IMO.
Point still remains Lambert isn’t the man to get a tune out of our squad, as he’s demonstrated over the past 2 years. |
Trevoh, surely? Either of the right backs over Chambers/Donacien too. | |
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| Let's say Lambert takes us up on 11:33 - Dec 10 with 2249 views | SteveDt |
| Let's say Lambert takes us up on 11:30 - Dec 10 by jayessess |
Trevoh, surely? Either of the right backs over Chambers/Donacien too. |
Pointless , as it’s not going to happen | | | |
| With no money you need 3 things to survive...... on 11:33 - Dec 10 with 2252 views | Bloots |
....in the Championship.
1. A good crop of young homegrown players
2. A motivated, happy squad that will perform better as a collective than their individual talents would suggest
3. A manager that has the tactical ability to set the team up to it's strengths as well as to exploit the oppositions weaknesses
We could argue that we have 1. but injuries have meant that we cant even be certain of that.
2. is very questionable.
And we definitely don't have 3.
Ergo, we'd get relegated.
Lambert out. |  |
| "He's been a really positive influence on my life, I think he's a great man" - TWTD User (May 2025) |
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| Let's say Lambert takes us up on 11:42 - Dec 10 with 2213 views | Herbivore |
I'm not sure he can muddle enough wins together to keep us top 6. We're top 6 because we had a very kind opening 6 games in which we produced enough decent spells to accrue 16 points. Our form since then is poor, 13 points from 10 games. If we continue with our recent form we won't be top 6 for very long. A narrow win against 10 man Plymouth who were coming off a home thrashing by Rochdale doesn't change a lot. |  |
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| Let's say Lambert takes us up on 11:43 - Dec 10 with 2201 views | clive_baker |
| Let's say Lambert takes us up on 11:30 - Dec 10 by jayessess |
Trevoh, surely? Either of the right backs over Chambers/Donacien too. |
Maybe, but I never saw a lot in Chalobah tbh. He was young to be fair, but never set the world alight. Plus he wasn’t ours, same for Bree. Hard to rue them not being here when they were on loan from Chelsea and Villa respectively and on c. £40k between them.
I don’t think our squad would be strong enough for the Championship, but I do think we should be in a better state than last time. Next summer gives us a good chance to clear out the old guard, we would need a pair of fullbacks, forward, few good loaners etc and as you say should have some budget for that with the likes of Sears, Chambers, Skuse, Huws, Judge out of contract. | |
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| Let's say Lambert takes us up on 11:51 - Dec 10 with 2168 views | MrTown |
I’ll get slaughtered for it, but I’ve seen organisational improvements last two, so have a little bit of optimism going into Pompey.
Were he to take us up, it would first a foremost fall down to who can stay fit again for me. |  |
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| Let's say Lambert takes us up on 11:51 - Dec 10 with 2162 views | MattinLondon |
| Let's say Lambert takes us up on 11:22 - Dec 10 by clive_baker |
Same, very quiet at work.
I’m not convinced we do have a weaker squad than the one we came down with, personally. Our younger players like Woolfenden, Downes, Dozzell, Lankester are a couple of years older and wiser. Bishop has found some fitness which hopefully we see through the 2nd half of the season. We’ve added Norwood and KVY. Dobra, Gibbs, El Miz, Drinan, McGavin etc emerging. Edwards, Jackson, Nolan closer to their ‘prime’.
Yes Chambers, Skuse & Sears are getting on, but that was probably the case in our relegation season. L1 perhaps offered a stay of execution. Aside from Bart I’m not sure we’ve really lost anyone I would want back from that squad tbh. This is the team that beat Leeds on the final day:
33 Bartosz Białkowski
4 Luke Chambers
6 Trevoh Chalobah
22 Aristote Nsiala
30 Myles Kenlock
41 James Bree
8 Cole Skuse
21 Flynn Downes
23 Andre Dozzell
31 Alan Judge
45 Collin Quaner
Substitutes
25 Callum Elder
9 Kayden Jackson
1 Dean Gerken
27 Josh Emmanuel
42 Idris El Mizouni
10 Ellis Harrison
48 Kai Brown
We didn’t own 4 of those but despite that, our squad today is stronger on a good day IMO.
Point still remains Lambert isn’t the man to get a tune out of our squad, as he’s demonstrated over the past 2 years. |
That team may well have beaten Leeds but it’s the same(ish) team and squad that got absolutely humiliated in the championship.
If, from now on, we win the vast majority of matches, whilst playing entertaining football then I’ll be happy to eat humble pie and say that Lambert should continue as the manager.
But if somehow get promotion by playing the sort of football we’ve seen so far then I’ll still call for him to go. Personally I think the best scenario would be for us to get promoted and hope that a ‘bigger’ club comes in for him.
Saying all that, if we are promoted Evans will need to spend big or we will simply be a yo-yo club between the championship and L1. |  | | |
| Ah, the old "Danny Haynes Syndrome"..... on 11:54 - Dec 10 with 2152 views | Bloots |
| Let's say Lambert takes us up on 11:51 - Dec 10 by MrTown |
I’ll get slaughtered for it, but I’ve seen organisational improvements last two, so have a little bit of optimism going into Pompey.
Were he to take us up, it would first a foremost fall down to who can stay fit again for me. |
....we haven't lost for 12 days, so you've forgotten how crap we actually are.
Lambert out. | |
| "He's been a really positive influence on my life, I think he's a great man" - TWTD User (May 2025) |
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| Let's say Lambert takes us up on 11:55 - Dec 10 with 2151 views | footers |
| Let's say Lambert takes us up on 11:51 - Dec 10 by MattinLondon |
That team may well have beaten Leeds but it’s the same(ish) team and squad that got absolutely humiliated in the championship.
If, from now on, we win the vast majority of matches, whilst playing entertaining football then I’ll be happy to eat humble pie and say that Lambert should continue as the manager.
But if somehow get promotion by playing the sort of football we’ve seen so far then I’ll still call for him to go. Personally I think the best scenario would be for us to get promoted and hope that a ‘bigger’ club comes in for him.
Saying all that, if we are promoted Evans will need to spend big or we will simply be a yo-yo club between the championship and L1. |
If we do get promoted, then we'd surely have about £6m in additional revenues to spend. Of course most players' contracts would go back up and that would need to be paid for. But would Lambert be the person best placed to make the few crucial purchases we'd need to make a difference to the squad?
His recruitment has been a bit of a mixed bag for me. While he's no Hurst, he's certainly no MM either. |  |
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| Let's say Lambert takes us up on 11:57 - Dec 10 with 2133 views | wkj |
| Let's say Lambert takes us up on 11:55 - Dec 10 by footers |
If we do get promoted, then we'd surely have about £6m in additional revenues to spend. Of course most players' contracts would go back up and that would need to be paid for. But would Lambert be the person best placed to make the few crucial purchases we'd need to make a difference to the squad?
His recruitment has been a bit of a mixed bag for me. While he's no Hurst, he's certainly no MM either. |
Evans will pocket that £6 as next year will be less of a tax write of for him. smh | |
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| Let's say Lambert takes us up on 12:01 - Dec 10 with 2123 views | jayessess |
| Let's say Lambert takes us up on 11:55 - Dec 10 by footers |
If we do get promoted, then we'd surely have about £6m in additional revenues to spend. Of course most players' contracts would go back up and that would need to be paid for. But would Lambert be the person best placed to make the few crucial purchases we'd need to make a difference to the squad?
His recruitment has been a bit of a mixed bag for me. While he's no Hurst, he's certainly no MM either. |
As I heard it our wage bill last season had dropped to somewhere around £6m? It was £21m during our last year in the Championship... [Post edited 10 Dec 2020 12:01]
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| Let's say Lambert takes us up on 12:02 - Dec 10 with 2107 views | hoppy |
| Let's say Lambert takes us up on 11:57 - Dec 10 by wkj |
Evans will pocket that £6 as next year will be less of a tax write of for him. smh |
What would happen to the other £5,999,994 ? |  |
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| Let's say Lambert takes us up on 12:04 - Dec 10 with 2104 views | MattinLondon |
| Let's say Lambert takes us up on 11:55 - Dec 10 by footers |
If we do get promoted, then we'd surely have about £6m in additional revenues to spend. Of course most players' contracts would go back up and that would need to be paid for. But would Lambert be the person best placed to make the few crucial purchases we'd need to make a difference to the squad?
His recruitment has been a bit of a mixed bag for me. While he's no Hurst, he's certainly no MM either. |
In short, no. But if he were to completely and utterly turn things around in terms of playing with style, winning etc etc then I would say that he would have brought himself more time to prove himself in the summer.
I don’t think the above will happen. | | | |
| Let's say Lambert takes us up on 12:04 - Dec 10 with 2099 views | clive_baker |
| Let's say Lambert takes us up on 11:55 - Dec 10 by footers |
If we do get promoted, then we'd surely have about £6m in additional revenues to spend. Of course most players' contracts would go back up and that would need to be paid for. But would Lambert be the person best placed to make the few crucial purchases we'd need to make a difference to the squad?
His recruitment has been a bit of a mixed bag for me. While he's no Hurst, he's certainly no MM either. |
His recruitment has been half decent I would say. I don’t disagree with many of his signings / sales.
My issue is still that I have no confidence Lambert is the man to get us playing well, threatening the sides around us and ultimately promoted. Which makes it even more frustrating, as this time next year I really think the right management team could have us sitting comfortably in the championship with a lovely, exciting, balanced squad. | |
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| Let's say Lambert takes us up on 12:04 - Dec 10 with 2096 views | jayessess |
| Let's say Lambert takes us up on 11:42 - Dec 10 by Herbivore |
I'm not sure he can muddle enough wins together to keep us top 6. We're top 6 because we had a very kind opening 6 games in which we produced enough decent spells to accrue 16 points. Our form since then is poor, 13 points from 10 games. If we continue with our recent form we won't be top 6 for very long. A narrow win against 10 man Plymouth who were coming off a home thrashing by Rochdale doesn't change a lot. |
to be fair... I think the 16 games we've played so far are fairly representative of what's in the league. We've 7 games until the mid-way point and four of them are bottom half, 1 mid-table, 2 top 6. | |
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| Let's say Lambert takes us up on 12:14 - Dec 10 with 2059 views | BlueBadger |
To be honest, I'd think we'd be looking at a level of humiliation on the pitch that would make 2018/19 look like qualifying for Europe in our first season back in the Prem. |  |
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| Let's say Lambert takes us up on 12:15 - Dec 10 with 2053 views | Keno |
Can I just check where is Lambert taking us up? |  |
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| Let's say Lambert takes us up on 12:20 - Dec 10 with 2038 views | BlueBadger |
| Let's say Lambert takes us up on 11:43 - Dec 10 by clive_baker |
Maybe, but I never saw a lot in Chalobah tbh. He was young to be fair, but never set the world alight. Plus he wasn’t ours, same for Bree. Hard to rue them not being here when they were on loan from Chelsea and Villa respectively and on c. £40k between them.
I don’t think our squad would be strong enough for the Championship, but I do think we should be in a better state than last time. Next summer gives us a good chance to clear out the old guard, we would need a pair of fullbacks, forward, few good loaners etc and as you say should have some budget for that with the likes of Sears, Chambers, Skuse, Huws, Judge out of contract. |
So, a squad that's already not really good enough needing a rebuild?
With Lambert in charge. | |
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| Let's say Lambert takes us up on 12:22 - Dec 10 with 2023 views | clive_baker |
| Let's say Lambert takes us up on 11:51 - Dec 10 by MattinLondon |
That team may well have beaten Leeds but it’s the same(ish) team and squad that got absolutely humiliated in the championship.
If, from now on, we win the vast majority of matches, whilst playing entertaining football then I’ll be happy to eat humble pie and say that Lambert should continue as the manager.
But if somehow get promotion by playing the sort of football we’ve seen so far then I’ll still call for him to go. Personally I think the best scenario would be for us to get promoted and hope that a ‘bigger’ club comes in for him.
Saying all that, if we are promoted Evans will need to spend big or we will simply be a yo-yo club between the championship and L1. |
Is it? 8 of those players aren’t with us anymore, and a number more aren’t in favour.
2 years is a long time for the younger players we’ve got gaining some experience and getting stronger. On balance I don’t think our current squad is worse than the one that came down. We would definitely need additions, but that wasn’t the question.
It’s all hypothetical anyway, we’re not going up under Lambert IMO. | |
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| Let's say Lambert takes us up on 12:26 - Dec 10 with 1986 views | clive_baker |
| Let's say Lambert takes us up on 12:20 - Dec 10 by BlueBadger |
So, a squad that's already not really good enough needing a rebuild?
With Lambert in charge. |
Hopefully not | |
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