Lamie was never a terrible player - not a superstar, but never terrible. He was put at a disadvantage by the fact that almost every time he played, he was being put in a different starting position. It's certainly no coincidence that giving a player a few starts in their best position sees them settle in and improve.
Alexander has, largely, had to play the hand he's been dealt at this point in the season so it's good to see he's starting to get the best out of the players we have. He talks about how well we deal with crosses and how he's happy to let opponents have possession in areas where it doesn't hurt us. Whether that is his general philosophy, or whether it's just how he sees the strengths of the current squad, it's working out OK for now.