That is not what I am suggesting at all. Of course those players still have a part to play as do all the others in the squad but it was not so long ago that changing a winning formula was greeted with a host of questions as to why? It was nearly taboo. All I am suggesting is to try the same formation (as a minimum) for the next game, ideally with the same players and if for no other reason they at least deserve that chance to prove themselves again and hopefully prove the formation works.
Remember we kept the same team, when we first tried the 4-4-1-1, for about four or five games after the Bolton game away where we had a run of good performances. But we have had quite a few injuries, particularly to the defence, throughout the season to deal with which has meant we have been unable to keep the same team week in week out for a lot of the time. Whitbred, Ward and Ayala all had long term injuries and have suffered set backs throughout the season. Tierney got an injury that hasn't gone away. Pilkington has had one or two injuries as well as recovering from a major injury before he played his first game for us. Morison has dropped in form. Surman wasn't playing well and then hit a run of form, the same should be considered for Jackson and recently Wilbraham. It would be stupid to not play a player who is playing well.
Just one thing to add to this is that we brilliantly against Everton and were very, very unlucky not to take all three points against one of the Premiership's form sides so using this logic we would have lined up against Spurs with the same team. in the past few weeks Fox and Hoolahan have undoubtedly been two of our best players, bang on form and playing as well as they have at any point this season. However neither fitted into the formation and tactics Lambert wanted to use against Spurs so both were were sacrificed in order to bring in Bradley Johnson and Alby as another body up front up front. We were effectlively not playing two players who had been playing very well - and I think we all know what happened as a result Horses for courses ladies and gents, that's what it's all about in the fast and furious world of Premiership football, especially when you come up against teams with styles as varied as Stoke, Swansea and everybody in between. You need to look no further than the success SAF has had at ManUre using that very same philosophy, something I'm certain Lambert is more than aware of
Lambert changes his team and tactics to suit each opponent. Sometimes he gets one or both wrong, but you can be sure he won't make the same mistake twice. Keeping the same team just because they played well in the last game is madness. He has proved this over the last 3 seasons and the fact we have risen from the depths we were at so quickly should show he's totally correct with his way of thinking.
A wobble to me is when we are consistently outclassed. I can only think of 4 games this season- Spurs & Fulham at home and Man City & Sunderland away. All these games took place sporadically - to me, that is some achievement.
Also, am I the only one who thinks our 'outclassing' at home against Spurs wasn't quite as bad as has been made out since? It was only really the second half and I personally thought we were well in the game until the interval. For me the Sunderland game was the one where we were most outclassed from start to finish.
Hi Carra, is it not best to at least keep the central spine and the defence of the team the same? I would say for example, that Man Utd have done that. De Gea was seen as substandard earlier in the season but since they have had a settled back four that he has got to know, he and they have been immense. It cannot be good for a team to consistently rotate defenders. When I played, being in a settled side with the odd tactical change brought a lot of success. You knew instictively where players would be. At times this season, things have been tried that have not worked but we have conceeded by the time things were changed (Chelsea and Fulham for example)meaning we have a lot of work to do. That said I accept the point that the opposition does not know what Lambert will do to counter it, which brings advantages also!!
Whilse I do completely understand the positives of keeping a settled back-four whenever possible (which we haven't due to injuries) you can hardly say Manure haven't rotated their midfield and formation throughout the season though can you?
