For as long as we persevere with starting Lambert I fear. There was at least 3 very promising situations that fell to Lambert in the first half that he held up and ended up losing the ball.
Very worried about their presence on the counter as things are, with our full-backs up the pitch we have no pace at the back, and when the ball breaks for Palace Vic flies at the ball to press but with everyone else running the other direction he has been negotiated around every time leaving us poorly matched-up at the back. Rarely have I been more nervous for us to find a goal... Or two... or three...
Get 1 goal and I won't mind this boring **** at all. possibly bring on ramirez as there is a bit of space out there and palace aren't the best defenders. Regardless of what poch does the players need to lift.
Lambert displaces Osvaldo and Lambert is far easier to predict. He's going to try and hold the ball up or take a touch and thread the pass. When we're breaking, we have Morgan, Luke, Nat, Dani and Adam streaming forward, but Rickie isn't on the shoulder of the defender for the cut-back or cross. I'd like to see Osvaldo leading the line and Gaston in the hole.
If we need a singular moment of quality to win one game of the three at home against Sunderland/West Ham/Palace, I'll still be pretty worried about the boring ****.
I didn't think it was that bad. We certainly weren't great, but if we can just sharpen the attack a bit we can easily win this game. I'm more bored than nervous.
Same old problem - plenty of possession but no clue how to break down a team intent on playing the counter attack. Its why we have managed to win two away games this season and not won at home since early March. Lambert's form has dipped a little of late; more of a marked man in his second season - as has happened so often in the past; you get found out in season two.
I didn't think we were ****. We looked reasonably comfortable, and created a few chances... Schneiderlin's header Lambert's shot over the bar Ball across the area with no one present Lambert's free-kick Corners that didn't quite fall for us Handball claim in the area
