suewhistle

Teams did learn to foul higher up the pitch though... I still think he would be of considerable value to a better team. One thing I've noticed over many years is that the better players are always moving into space to support others, and when a team is playing badly with confidence shot this doesn't occur. But JWP has always worked his socks off and I've often been surprised where he has popped up to offer himself for the ball. No pace to chase a break, but he does his job well, even if the movement around him hasn't been great.

Not that cheap if you're in Hampshire FA.. Last season my team had the crippling cost of getting across to the bloomin' Isle of Wight!

Yep, no booing from me, just a weary sigh when I saw him in the starting line up. I'm not a booer but if I had to choose it would be Aribo. At least Tall Paul would come off blowing through his arse with a muck sweat on.

He said 'prospect' of a win, not winning per se. It's been awful going this last season as even for us optimists the hope for a win was pretty forlorn, plus dire football into the bargain.

After Nottingham Forest and similar games at home last season I'd take either..

Perhaps if we dominate a few more games in the Championship he might find himself in more goalscoring positions, which I presume was the case in Belgium? But here he has looked unfit, no pace, looking lost in the position and role he was asked to play, then lost any confidence and any touch he might have with it. Whether the reset of a new pre-season, new manager and new league might help I really don't know. It may depend on how big a hit on his value the club are prepared to take.

It might be the end of my life though, I'd be laughing myself to death at TCWTB. Gawd, your constant sarcasm is really tiresome.

When the railway is running (barring staff shortages and strikes) it's not too bad, although late midweek kick offs can be a pain. Maybe because I'm young and fit (cough..) that I don't find the walk from the station too bad, and I far prefer a city ground with the option of a pint in town. Transport links could definitely be improved though, and the planning permission condition that required free bus transport to the ground seems to have been quietly dropped. When you consider we only held 14K at The Dell our attendances aren't too bad. When they planned the ground I heard that they were budgeting for approximately a third of games at 18K, a third at 24K, and a third at 28K. Let's see how we do in the Championship: they say sales of season tickets have been OK. Maybe if we start to see wins crowds will hold up. I seem to recall leaving the ground after a win is quite a cheerful experience, but I may have dreamt that.

... and Elyounoussi..

I believe Benrahma has been booked for diving, according to the MBM I'm reading..

Physio!?....

Bloomin 'eck! Luke Shaw's let himself go a bit!

I thought it was Stoke the true test..

So he's our JWP replacement but without the free kicks?:-) SNAP!

My friend said that to me too and I think she was right, plus Alcaraz looking knackered as he puts so much into it earlier in games (in general).

Couldn't really see from the Itchen, but both the players and crowd nearby made the most noise in appealing, so it did seem a likely candidate for VAR. On which note, it's a relief we haven't got VAR next season: at least we can start celebrating goals.. It was a microcosm of our season yesterday, giving the ball away, losing a lead, PP defending, with the addition of extra goals and entertainment. It was far better than the game I was dreading. Sulemanna took his goals well and is the counterattacking threat we've missed; good to have that boost of confidence and PL goals before the end of the season, same with AA. Good to see Livramento, Ballard and the other nipper (I'll look up the spelling later.) come on and we'll be needing them next season.

.. or give them back.. I'm in town and going, it would be rude not too, and to avail myself of the opportunity to give the team some advice. High level coaching stuff, you understand, like "run!", or "ffs, put some effort in" or "move!" Lord Duckhunter made a good point recently about confidence levels and the absence of anybody taking responsibility. I have to admit I've been shouting something similar most of the season: you can't beat a cathartic vent!

I was just about to post something similar but luckily carried on reading the thread.. Generally politicians who make a thing of their faith seem to show a lack of understanding as to what it's all about. I hope that doesn't apply to football managers too where the Jones example doesn't inspire confidence..

No different from most of the home fans in the ground then. Not much excitement to keep us awake..

We pass it around at the back a lot, sometimes even quite successfully for periods of time.. When they talk about possession football does that include losing possession football? Anyway, I can't remember when we last scored at home or when we last won so there is definitely room for improvement in that aspect of the game.

He's not stupid, but it would be only right to tell him formally.

rallyboy! You posted to keep Mack happy! I'm certainly not going on The News site unless I have to: I'm guessing the article was written by Factless Allen? He'd be turned down as a contributor by most community newsletters.

I thought I was a masochist for watching that, but don't they get some sort of enjoyment from the pain? Aribo! Who sanctioned his signing, an utterly dire performance devoid of any effort? From a Brighton corner we get it out and Walcott, bless 'im, is sprinting out to close down and Aribo just shambles forward. Holmes_and_Watson above highlighted that Elyounoussi doesn't offer anything in that position, but not sure he'd do much in a more central position either - just too slow of movement and of thought. Lavia and Alcaraz I'll give a pass to, based on their inexperience, but they certainly put the effort in. JWP with his pass for the disallowed goal showed that passing forward is far more likely to get a goal than passing backwards, who knew?, but the last quarter of an hour was embarassing. As others have said the return of Livramento was a real positive, and he had the measure of Mitoma with his pace and the confidence to try some passes in tight positions. I hope we keep him for next season. Can't think of anything else really. We have some better CBs if they're not injured, mentally ill or on strike, but Bednarek's little jaunt to Villa showed his true bench-warming abilities although he probably fell off it backwards a few times. It looks like there will be a train service next Sunday, so I will attend the wake and in time honoured tradition have a few too many in memory of scoring goals, winning and decent football.

Please @Trousers, tell us you've been having fun with Photoshop.. Another Selles theory, showing the board what he's had to work with..?

You mean they won't miss Charlie Wayman's "support"?!