Rory Peepa

Yes those are very friendly fixtures. I'd take 8 points from those they way we're playing. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The festive pile up is an absolute disgrace and the TV companies and PL should hang their heads in shame. That said it's a woeful return. We have seemingly zero nous about how to grind out results against physical, cynical sides yet the quick passing, rapid attacking side of the game has gone as well. I can't see how Goodison is the right venue to be playing young, inexperienced players. I'm all for blooding young talent but I'm not sure throwing them in at the deep end is very helpful. It's going to be a sleep and worrying crawl to 40 points as we creep down the table. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Oh god. It's been a Christmas disaster. Where do we go from here?!? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think Long will run all day long and Jay Rod had massive potential but has been hobbled by a significant injury and a lack of game time subsequently. I think the reason Boufal, Tadic and Redmond are so hesitant around the opposition box is because we've either got no bodies in there quite often or they don't have any faith that Jay, Long etc will get on the end of it. Result is they delay and the opposition regroup. Usually managers address problems from the back forwards but I genuinely don't think our issues are with Forster, the back 4 per se, rather we are slow in attack (in thought if not if foot), predictable and play a safety first, keep some shape style rather than risk getting additional support up. Therefore playing us at home has become easy. I predict we will limp to 40 ish points and be safe but it dies remind me of 2004 when our decline was noticeable but a handful of quality players papered over some cracks. Lose those without adequate replacements in the summer and we will be in the poop. You cannot keep getting away with shredding the team every year and to think so would be unbelievably arrogant and negligent. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My observations although not worth much: Has he lost the dressing room? I'd say 50:50 judging by the team's response He has lost 75 per cent of fans at a guess Boufal is exciting but both he and Tadic want far more time than they're going to get. Virgil is fatigued. I'm sure he doesn't that second yellow otherwise. He didn't get into midfield at all today. Is this instruction from CP, lack of trust in Yoshida or tiredness? There is no movement up front. We desperately need a big man upfront at least as an option to hold the ball up. Forster's confidence is **** to pieces, not helped by a few idiots jeering and jittering. He should've at least made a half convincing attempt at getting closer to the second today though it was a quality strike. Hojberg needs more time to bed in and in general the team is needing too many touches and too much time. How much time wasting from Foster dies the ref want to allow before booking him?!? We were done by a much more physical, streetwise team who have mugged us. Not interested in playing any football but a nightmare to play against. We only looked like remotely like scoring once Sims was on to provide a bit of space with his running. It looks like being a long and worrying second half to season. I don't think we will go down judging by where we are or anything but it doesn't look like being not being very pretty. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I don't rate Redmond and was very underwhelmed by him replacing Mane but there was an article in the times yesterday or Thursday about recent transfers showing he'd done better than some. Opta statistics. Top of the list was Mane though...

The baby will sleep when it wants which is not when you want. Put him/ her down at the same time every night from day one. They'll cry. As long as they're not hungry and are safe then let them. Wish I'd done that with no1. Learned by number two not to let them. As a result #2 is an excellent sleeper. It can be very overbearing unless they go down at a decent, regular time because they will be up at all times for a feed. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yep. West Brom: 2 lines of 4 sitting in. Us loads of possession in a w***y diamond but always sideways and backwards. A set piece wins it for one side. I dare say. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Did anyone see the article in the Times today where Redmond actually has done okay according to the statisticians from Opta. Top performer was Mane though. How we miss an edge-of-the-seat player like him. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think the team is shorn of confidence. I also think a hammering as been on the cards for a while but it only happened because of the red. I remember thinking at the time that Vertingen got away with one and that it could come back to bite us. Had he seen red then I'm sure we would've won the game. Up until the equaliser we were very competitive but the confidence drained out of them after that. I don't think there was anything they could've done for the equaliser, it was a horrible deflection but a superb header. Likewise the third goal was lucky in the sense the deflection off of Romeu took the ball into Son's path. The bigger worry is the persistent toothlessness of the team. We could've played until midnight and not scored a second, even with 11 men. I agree wholeheartedly with the recruitment. Redmond is raw and his tendency to either cut back or stop when he gets into promising positions is infuriating. That said he rarely has any support inside the box. We rarely get more than one player up in support. Caution first, thoughts about scoring second. I get that Puel was trying to play a possession game to keep players fresh for the Europa but now we are out of that it is horribly apparent that we are nowhere near incisive enough to break down decent premier league defences. We miss Pelle hugely: a proper target man who others could play off. And the top sides mostly have a better work rate, defending from the front. Why had that gone out of game? Fitness? Tactics? Whatever it is it's not working and we have been a dull watch this year. We desperately need another striker. Jay Rod's goals against Bournemouth we're heartwarming but clearly he would struggle to hit a dozen goals a season now even if he were playing every week. If we were to disrupt the back four by letting VvD and or Fonte go in January I think we would struggle to get 40 points. Bottom line is top 6 are improved immensely this season, other mid table sides have improved with a few exceptions and we have gone backwards by losing Wanyama, Mane and Pelle especially. You can't keep on breaking up the side every summer and expect to get away with it. So frustrating. Rant over. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yep. There's a potential red in this. Hojberg, Reed, classie, Boyfal. He's hooked Reed, should be Hojberg Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quite a dirty side today aren't we...? [emoji23] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Maybe it's just me but I thought we looked comfortable, third gear only but that's been the story of the season and Puek's possession football. But by god are we toothless. And how long will Austin be out? 6 weeks? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Will always make a mistake. They make me nervous* Ffs. Hands like cow's tits after watching that. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Right, it's over. They need to find some form in the league ASAP or the disappointment felt at going out of that will pale into insignificance as we flirt with relegation. Forwards are not good enough. Period. We need to be hitting the net as that back four wheats makes a mistake. They're make my me nervous. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sadly for Fonte he peaked too late. He's been a great servant for Saints but at what, 32 (?) he's not going onward and upward. Took him time to adjust to the prem understandably and a team looking to break into Europe's elite again aren't going to go there. Virgil on the other hand... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

For me, it's Puel's system to an extent and the attacking nous to an extent. System is pretty, lots of possession but mostly too deep to hurt anyone. Secondly I agree that if you set up as an 'away' team to counter then Austin is most definitely not your best best. I'd play Long, Boufal and Tadic. We look very toothless and need loads of chances before we score. Other teams by and large are scoring with their chances, we are fluffing ours. We'd be a decent side if that could be resolved. At the moment I think the incessant matches and changes that result are causing the team to lack a bit of identity. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

PMSL at this. Very good. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Agree 100 %. Cedric was outstanding on Sunday. We need the A team out if we've got any realistic chance but I think Puel will want to be targeting the 6 points from next two and make several changes. But I suppose at least he has some options, some better than others mind. I worry about the lack of goal threat as I can't see us keeping a clean sheet there. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm going with Forster Martina Fonte VVD Bertrand Romeu Davis Ward Prowse McQueen Long Rodriguez Think he'll rotate and will fancy 4 points at least from next 2 league games. I fear that Romeu and Virgil will burn out and they've become the spine of the side Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Agree with all of this. Koeman has shown a serious lack of class with him comments, no doubt borne out of frustration at the scale of the task in front of him. Realistically the only way he could show 'constant improvement' in order to get the Barca job he covets is to get that side into the top 4 and there's no chance of that. Anyway, as soon as a club with 500 extra seats or an extra ten million transfer budget comes knocking he'll be off. No loyalty in football, eh Ronald... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk