Charlie Wayman

That seems about right to me. Identifying likely suspects is one thing, integrating them into a fairly self-picking team without upsetting the whole apple cart is quite another. There are circumstances where it might be justified, for example where a key player may be out for the season and we have no adequate deputy but most only miss a match or two so pressing the Big P button isn't necessary. Now if Boruc or Wanyama are longer term injured than we have been led to believe maybe there's a case but even then do we really miss the Kenyan that much with Jack Cork in fine form and improving by the match.

Well there you have it from the horses mouth, Cortese in no hurry to offer anew contract so pochettino's agent is trying to up the ante to get some attention and action on the subject. It won't work with El Cortese and in fact could backfire for Poch quite badly so he may well be on his way through no choice of his own.

Keep up! Nobody's suggesting sacking our manager, it's what happens if he buggers off at season's end and leaves us in the lurch.

Will he last that long? On current form he may not. It is also extremely doubtful that Nicola Cortese is asleep at the wheel and his usual meticulous planning will surely include the possibility of Pochettino not being here for ONE reason or ANOTHER after this season. Lots of scope for speculation now of course but we have learned that NC does not necessarily hold a list of phone numbers of the usual suspects in his inside pocket, as likely as not a replacement for Pochettino will be yet another left field choice and more than probable that the FIFA World Cup in Brasil will be the place to look for likely candidates.

You don't know that, best to find these things out for yourself rather than quote the usual rabble gossip.

Oh dear Nick, rose tinted specs blocking your vision? Not scoring enough goals, conceding too many soft goals and not picking up enough points is surely the definition of playing badly. I guess you have had previous with Illingsworth but that does not automatically make his viewpoint brainless. The sycophantic nonsense that you sometimes come out with is equally puzzling to most neutral observers.

Looks like it's going to be a Saints v Gooners final just like 03. Easy draws but we need to be better than yesterday.

He was one dimensional yesterday, big slow and shoots at goal. Not what we want at all. None of Ricky's insight and deft control. Forget him we were right to get rid first time around.

Nothing in it, he wasn't there on Wednesday either. Still in Italy on holiday / tying up deals?

So, Arabelle the Obscure. It follows.

Agree with you and I wouldn't want Lovren to move on to make way ;-)

After his Everton comments it seems Mauricio is in denial about our true abilities and level. It is becoming a regular theme of his now that we were much better than the scoreline suggests and unlucky to lose due to bad refereeing. When manager resort to this kind of hyperbole it is usually a tell-tale sign that they are beginning to feel the pressure on their necks. I like the guy. He doesn't need to start making these run of the mill excuses. If he will only accept our limitations and the fact that we are heading for a mid-table finish, that we'll win some, draw some and lose some in roughly equal proportions along the way - which is what mid-table teams do - he and we will have a much better relationship as I for one do not want to see him become a whinger like half of the other managers in the PL. A top four finish even if an exciting possibility at the start of the season, is now a long forgotten memory for most; if Cortese still has such ambitions for this year than Mauricio needs to man up and tell him square "It ain't gonna happen with this squad". Honesty may cost him his job but who really wins if he fudges reality in a futile attempt to stave off criticism of his own performance.

firstrow was great today

One win from two on the road is Ok but we must beat Chelsea on Wednesday to have any chance of ending in the top 8. Morgan's creativity and defensive cover clearly missing today, Lovren especially looked vulnerable without him in front.

Had you bought a season ticket old chum.....

Hopefully at home to Chelsea in the 3rd minute in front of 32,000 adoring fans.

Phew! At least that particular monkey is off our backs. Just the right response to all the growing concern. I guess Louvren will be back in for Yoshida but with Schneiderlin on a one-match ban the Everton trip will not be easy peasy. Still a good result for now and a timely morale boost for the lads.

Sadly, many mangers have fallen by that particular sword. The fact is PL football is now a squad game involving tactical changes based on the individual abilities of players making up the squad and on match days the group on the field plus those selected for the bench. The bench is not there as a set of spares or replacement parts as in years gone by, each player selected for a bench place now is as important as the starting Xi and is expected to be able to come on at some stage of a match and help re-shape the patterns of play if called upon to do so. The manager must make sure he has the right group together on match day to meet the expected needs. is some people are absent through injury then the manager must re-shape his tactics to best use the talents at his disposal. That's how managerial success will be measured these days. That's why the plea of injury-hit squads has no resonance upstairs where football is a win-win activity only. I genuinely like what Pochettino is trying to achieve with his squad but I also genuinely fear for his future if they get nothing from these next three games... and whether we will speak its name or not, three defeats is not an unlikely outcome.

I can't believe you guys are being serious about Luke Shaw. He's worth more to us than any sum of money that the London crews would be willing to splash and we desperately need him here for ever. Be careful what you write even flippantly as you could easily give the guy the wrong messages on here, he is an ardent social media follower and probably reads this forum even if he doesn't reply. Let's be totally unequivocal about this WE WANT LUKE SHAW TO STAY HERE. EFF OFF CHELSEA, ARSENAL & MANURE!

Defo Ricky who was head down every time he went down the tunnel on Sunday and we were all talking about it at the time, not at all like him. Best not to speculate about private lives but new contract could be an issue or the lack of one?

If we lose 2 or even all 3 of the next 3 - which let it be said is quite possible and not at all unlikely - it will be very difficult for Pochettino to defend his position; Cortese will be in effect be forced to take some sort of action to stop the rot. This may be too soon to appoint a new manager even for our Master Strategist but no doubt the process is now in full swing in earnest. Bookies favourite is our old friend Roberto de Matteo so don't be surprised to see him here around January 13/14th.

Wonder who decides when the kids are ready and which ones? Is it obvious and foolproof or do we lose some through the net because the coaches don't know how to get the best from them?

But it's the same for everyone and Spurs were not at full strength either. We are told continually that PL football is a squad game so it's no excuse that some regulars are out injured and other squad members have to step up. Truth is we are limited taking all that into account. Deal with real world facts old chum not your dreamworld facts. This is the team that we have for this season no amount of wishful thinking will change matters.

All at sea today. This side is beginning to look distinctly limited an dthe better teams are finding us out. Disappointed in he coaches who seemed paralysed into inaction when we needed some fresh approach to get us moving. Only Lallana and Chambers can hold their heads high tonight, the rest were awful or ****ged out depending on your perspective. Ricky's whole body language was wrong from the get-go so assume he had a ding-dong with his missus yesterday, he was certainly absent on duty and seemingly in a foul mood all afternoon.

Guess which twit went to the match today? No prizes, got effing soaked as well. Place was absolutely deserted but then it was Spurs so no clues there. Thought I'd share this story to give you all a laugh on a sodden miserable day