Article: Swansea City vs Norwich City Match Preview & Thread|Football, Swansea City, Norwich City

Lambert changes his system a lot compared to most managers depending on the opposition so it very much depends on our starting line up. Against Bolton we had a midfield of Wes, Pilks, Surman and Fox all of whom are comfortable on the ball which means we play less direct and keep more possession. However if we start with Crofts and Johnson they are more robust ball winning players who are maybe less comfortable in possession meaning we play a more direct style. Similarly when Holt and Morro are up front, two big target men we can go a bit more direct looking to get crosses into them and hold up play. But with the resurgence of Jackson it has given us another option to get in behind defences.

We certainly play a higher tempo game than the Swans and look to get the ball from front to back quickly (not hoof ball) rather than lots of sideways passing to look for an opening. In many ways you can look at it as a more simplified way of playing football, get it wide, hold up play and get crosses in although in reality its more complex then that and the midfield is very fluid and interchangeable similar to yourselves.

In answer to 'does he prefer that system?' it very much depends on the opposition and today may be more direct then some. But I'm sure if he had the likes of Messi and alike he would not prefer this style.

All the best for a good game

OTBC

 

Cheers! Pretty much the answer I expected to be honest. If a club has had a few years to get used to one playing style, and gaining success in doing so, it's a lot easier to stick with the one style. I think that was the Swans plan regardless of what league we were in/what manager we had etc, so now there's not even the option of playing any other way. For yourselves though, Lambert has shown he is a shrewd tactician and has consistently made the right decisions regarding what team/tactics to employ, and really there's no reason to doubt it will end, given the learning curve you've shown the last 3 seasons.

Next season, if we both stay up, will be very interesting. I wonder whether with a bit more money and another summer to plan whether PL would look to start trying to play one way (ish) or whether he'd continue to retain different players for different styles?

 

Excellent explanation, tipsy

 

Cheers Cromer!

RE: Changing styles with more money I feel that to be truly successful i.e. winning things, europe etc Norwich will have to adopt certain aspects of the Swans style, particularly keeping possession as top teams will punish sloppiness on the ball. We can at times be a little sloppy in possession which has cost us on occasion this season so with more money I'm certain Lambert will look to address this alongside the inclusion of more speed on the pitch.

Similarly I feel Swansea would adopt some of Norwich's traits if they had more money giving them the ability to mix it up a bit more in order to not become predictable and increase their options.

However the talk of winning major competitions is a bit premature and both sides have been fantastic this season and although survival seems a probability this must be secured first

 

Again, decent shout. The criticism most levelled at our style is that we lack penetration, or maybe a slight lack of urgency in possession. I guess in an ideal world we'd have a perfect mixture of both, but I think if that was the case we'd both be in the CL spots...

 

I agree, basically both teams have been outstanding considering the resources in comparison to others. Just to get to the very top you need that bit more but thats a way off yet. Could you imagine a team combining the styles of both teams? Would be sensational!

OTBC

 

http://www.eplindex.com/9750/premier-league-long-range-shots-opta-stats-comparison.html

While we're talking tactics, found an interesting article on teams in the PL shooting from distance. The Swans don't do it so much, but apparently we're more efficient at it than Chelsea!

 

Both Norwich and Swansea have young, bright up-and-coming managers with no doubt great futures in front of them. The fascinating thing is, Norwich fans wouldn't swap Paul Lambert for literally any other manager as I write this and I suspect Swansea fans feel the same about Brendan Rogers. We are all 'happy with our lot'.
For some reason, one or two City fans have stated on this thread that they expect defeat ? I can't get my head around that I'm afraid. IMO I think we have the better manager in Paul Lambert who knows how to 'mix it up' when necessary and has put together a team who are not just a 'one trick pony'. We may well lose today, but I'm certainly not expecting it, far from it. In fact I'm going to stick my neck out and predict that for the first time this season Swansea will concede more than one goal at home.

Swans 1 Canaries 3

OTBC .... CTI .... ILW-defo-T

 

I admire your confidence! I don't get the one-trick-pony thing though... in no other sport are you expected to change your style of play for the opposition, and while PL has had an amazing run, it remains a dangerous game. I'd prefer the stability of a style which seems to be good enough to keep us in the PL, over the possibility that my team would be changed to suit whoever we are playing. Like I said earlier though, there's no reason to believe PL's run will end any time soon as he keeps getting things right.

 

In no other sport are you expected to change your style of play.................................... Really, in virtually all team sports, teams change tactics, bring in players to combat strengths of other sides, if they have the luxury of doing so. Look at the six nations, each side changes if they have competent players to replace folk in the same position. I don't really understand your statement

 

I agree that chopping and changing tactics can be disruptive to a team. Why learn say 4 different styles to a low level when you can practice one to a very high standard? However teams spend hours constructing and practising these different styles so can do so to a high level. However all teams change tactics during a match (I see this as a different thing to style) including Swansea and all teams must do this to succeed.

So I guess what you are saying is that there is nothing wrong with playing your passing game all the time? Which I mostly agree with however you would surely be happy to change tactics e.g. play two up front against some sides and only a lone striker for others etc

 

What I mean is in most other sports a team has a set way of playing. Obviously, it's hard to compare sports but it's rare in tennis & rugby, I guess in cricket too, for teams/players to change their tactics from what they're used to, because they derive confidence from knowing if they play their game, hopefully it will see them through. Clearly, there could be many exceptions, and I could just be plain wrong, but there are very few managers who have successfully made a career out of tinkering with tactics regularly. PL has shown he is very very good at it, but I would still prefer to have an established style of play that we see every week regardless of our opponents. I feel it's the "safer" option.

As tipsycanary says though, they're professional footballer who should be able to adapt, but I still can't help feeling that if you know 4 systems well, you won't know any of them as well as another team knows their only system. I think that's what I'm getting at, I'm not quite sure to be honest!

As you say, given time and player acquisitions I don't think many people would object to two strikers, but at the moment I think the idea is it's better to have a solid defence, keep clean sheets, and then worry about adding goals to the formula... than it is to try and score goals while trying to figure out how to stop them going in the other end.

 

Scott would prefer the swancelona style play even if losing 9-0, obviously the Swans have to play horses for courses, we will see what happens in an hour or so

 

Anything can happen, but that's just blind faith winning out over pragmatism.

 

Probably not, but we don't lose 9-0 so it's a moot point.

 

Musty - it's 1.07pm here.

 

As is the wont of every football fan

 

True.

 

2313 here KJ, your point

 

if your point is ko at 0100 and i said an hour or so fair comment