Prem was a lot weaker back then...

For a start still had all those NW teams with no fans or big (enough) financial backers (Bolton, Blackburn, Wigan) just waiting to get relegated.
Prem TV money has gone up massively in the decade since then and the gulf from Prem to Champs has widened accordingly.

Alex Neil is currently doing an amazing job at Preston and to be honest is almost certainly actually a better manager than Lambert.

Posted By: mr carra on October 28th 2019 at 09:33:42

Message Thread

All those pre-season predictions by TV pundits and journalists, (NCFC) - thirsty work, Oct 28, 05:09:33
- We are going down (n/m) (NCFC) - firjam, Oct 28, 09:37:06
- Yep was thinking that (NCFC) - SCC 28, Oct 28, 06:31:50
  - Lambert... (NCFC) - Alan, Oct 28, 09:26:08
    - I do sort of believe in Farke but the nagging doubt I have with him (NCFC) - Jim, Oct 28, 10:50:45
      - He DID sort it out in his first season with the 3 CB formation (NCFC) - mr carra, Oct 28, 11:02:08
      - having a new midfield player playing at centre back is kind of making that tricky (n/m) (NCFC) - Charles21, Oct 28, 10:59:00
        
        I agree but ultimately one player (or two I suppose) should not make such a huge (NCFC) - Jim, Oct 28, 11:01:37
        
        Not sure you can prepare for 3 CBs being long term injured (NCFC) - mr carra, Oct 28, 11:03:41
        
        Also, until last week, we've had most of the midfield injured too (NCFC) - duke of york, Oct 28, 11:13:57
    - Yeah Lambert isn’t comparable with us - amazing job (NCFC) - SCC 28, Oct 28, 09:46:09
      - Not sure he’s had the rub of the green since he left... (NCFC) - Alan, Oct 28, 09:59:06
        
        Or maybe he just had all of the rub of the green here? (NCFC) - mr carra, Oct 28, 10:12:02
        
        His recruitment was decent... without spending fortunes (NCFC) - Alan, Oct 28, 10:39:05
        
        Mike Walker (n/m) (NCFC) - SCC 28, Oct 28, 10:14:46
        
        Yep. Hey, even Owen Coyle was hot property for a while! (n/m) (NCFC) - mr carra, Oct 28, 10:16:48
    - Prem was a lot weaker back then... (NCFC) - mr carra, Oct 28, 09:33:42
      - the gulf... (NCFC) - Alan, Oct 28, 09:52:48
        
        Brighton and Bournemouth spent fortunes iirc (n/m) (NCFC) - SCC 28, Oct 28, 09:53:56
        
        Indeed, and Burnley took kind of the Pulis lowest-common-denominator approach (NCFC) - mr carra, Oct 28, 10:03:19
        
        It’s just frustration... (NCFC) - Alan, Oct 28, 10:23:35
      - Lambert at Norwich vs neil at Norwich is a no contest though (n/m) (NCFC) - earlydoors, Oct 28, 09:47:33
        
        Agree totally, but they're pretty small sample sizes (NCFC) - mr carra, Oct 28, 09:53:34
        
        I don’t agree with that at all... (NCFC) - Alan, Oct 28, 10:06:24
        
        Didn't immediately give Hughton £30m (NCFC) - mr carra, Oct 28, 10:08:27
        
        yeah you’re right I stand corrected. (n/m) (NCFC) - Alan, Oct 28, 10:15:05
        
        Yes was a year later first season... (NCFC) - loz, Oct 28, 10:09:08
        
        Did he sign redmond that first year? (n/m) (NCFC) - Alan, Oct 28, 10:16:23
        
        Yes. Though he only cost a couple of million, didn't he? (n/m) (NCFC) - mr carra, Oct 28, 10:20:12
        
        He was signed a year later same time as fer and Rvw (n/m) (NCFC) - loz, Oct 28, 10:32:12
        
        Oh, yes. We did also sign Whittaker & Tettey in Hughton's first season I think. (n/m) (NCFC) - mr carra, Oct 28, 10:40:38
        
        And Snoddy (n/m) (NCFC) - lurd, Oct 28, 10:41:36
        
        Obligatory Leeds purchase (n/m) (NCFC) - mr carra, Oct 28, 10:45:56
        
        And Michael Turner (n/m) (NCFC) - lurd, Oct 28, 10:42:31
    - Aarons would be perfect as a wing back (NCFC) - duke of york, Oct 28, 09:30:59
      - Using WBs generally requires 3 CBs, so I see a snag... (n/m) (NCFC) - mr carra, Oct 28, 09:46:45
        
        Indeed (NCFC) - duke of york, Oct 28, 09:48:39
      - That is probably the answer... (NCFC) - Alan, Oct 28, 09:43:40
      - Aarons often seems very very isolated on the right side (NCFC) - mr carra, Oct 28, 09:40:47
  - Norwich won the league but..... (NCFC) - MORDENCANARY, Oct 28, 08:49:31
    - Good though, wasn’t it? 😊 (n/m) (NCFC) - SimonOTBC, Oct 28, 11:25:54
      - Indeed. (n/m) (NCFC) - MORDENCANARY, Oct 28, 14:31:37
    - Yes we didn’t smash many teams (NCFC) - SCC 28, Oct 28, 09:43:25
      - Neither did Sheffield United (NCFC) - duke of york, Oct 28, 09:45:54
        
        We’re still attacking loads (NCFC) - SCC 28, Oct 28, 09:52:59
    - Exactly. Never sustainable at this level because players at this level (NCFC) - Jim, Oct 28, 09:14:40
      - We're not good enough to dominate possession against (NCFC) - duke of york, Oct 28, 09:20:57
    - Yeah, we seemed to win most games by the odd goal (NCFC) - mr carra, Oct 28, 09:03:10
- the thing thats riles me the most (NCFC) - earthleakage, Oct 28, 05:22:22
  - That was in 2005. (NCFC) - mr carra, Oct 28, 07:38:44
    - Yes but we've never before had so many "saleable assets" in the event of relegation (n/m) (NCFC) - Jim, Oct 28, 08:41:29
      - if we've been relegated, how saleable are most of them actually going to be though? (n/m) (NCFC) - CWC, Oct 28, 10:23:04
        
        They'll still be saleable, but for less money. (n/m) (NCFC) - mr carra, Oct 28, 10:46:29
      - Tend to agree, though you're still basing that on income that isn't guaranteed (NCFC) - mr carra, Oct 28, 09:08:08
        
        Yes, it would be a small risk. Not advocating "doing a Fulham" at least (NCFC) - Jim, Oct 28, 09:11:28
- apart from the local ones who all said we would stay up (n/m) (NCFC) - pab, Oct 28, 05:19:25

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