Englesaint

Tomorrow Never Knows - Beatles

Sad news. Get well soon.

Definitely. The more draws there in the bottom half the better - keeps as many teams as possible in the mix. 1-1 at present so fingers crossed.

Excellent post TBFS. The fans have generally done their best. There has only been genuinely negative stuff at the Doncaster game and then not directed at the players. This club is poorly managed from top down and the fans know it !

No reason whatsover to keep any of them - so none !

My my, . . . he can spot a player that Mr Lowe. Great deals all round

Given your opening line I thought you were going to discuss the "factors" but no . . . . it's a one track argument blaming the fans again ! The fans have been fine and some would say more than fine, given what they've had to put up with. As others have said, curious tactics/formations have more than played their part . . . things the fans have no control over.

Indeed. Never was . . and will never be !

Good letter CS. Probably far too articulate for the gentleman in question though.

Agreed. Judging by how they played at SMS then I would say Blackpool, Barnsley & Watford are easily candidates for bottom 6 places. Not sure anout Norwich . . . but a point there would be ok in the circumstances.

Great stuff, especially with what happened to Norwich and Watford. Sounds like for once we got away with the good fortune . . . and KD our MOM (again!!)

Couldn't agree more. We've all I'm sure been crtitical of BWP at varying points but given that he has shown some form, been dangerous and is relatively experienced you'd have thought that would have counted today . . . but apparently not in this revolutionary new coaching set up?

Sorry to pick on a young lad but he was horrible . . pretty much as every time I've seen him to be honest. However, it's not his fault - it's just simply too early for him. He simply should not be put in this position yet.

Did you see Gillingham fight versus Villa (I managed to see second half in the pub before the game) - totally different kettle of fish, both in terms of standard/pace of football and desire/agression. Grieves me to say it but they looked miles better than us.

I thought Skacel was in my top three as well. . . . . with fourth place a long, long way behind. Think both sides looked as if they thought three nil was enough and stopped there.

Agree - there are a relatively few exceptions (the great Mr Shilton on occasions for example) but generally all it tells you is something about the lack of real leaders in the team. My preference would have been to give it to Perry but that only highlights the lack of real leadership in midfield.

Agree with pretty much all of the last few posts. Perry, Davis & Skacel were by miles our best players. Perry did outstandingly well to prevent a landslide playing alongside a really terrible Lancashire (sorrt - hate myself in some ways for saying it, but it's true). Saddest thing was seeing the lack of fight, passion, absence of tacking etc from some - today of all days! Once again, we looked poorly organised and with little usefully coming from the bench. The ref was shocking throughout but this shoudn't excuse some our shortcomings - especially ones to do with attitude.

Legends are normally based on folly and to follow Lawrie McMenemy, well I prefer Rupert Lowe's chances of pulling the sword from the stone, than a dubious legend of an era unrecognisable in football terms from todays. Oh dear SB. LM really does get under the skin of some of you guys doesn't he? Whilst, as S1977 suggests, there might well be a bit of an ego associated with dear old Lawrie, there is also here a period of success (75-84 ish) unrivalled in our history. Some fantastic teams and players and a major trophy win. Guess that's what hurts some of you the most . . . that we have a heritage and that LM actually achieved something outstanding.. . . . unlike a certain Mr L. As to the unrecongnisable era . . . utterly irrelevant . . . every age is different from the past but it does not diminish the achivement. Perhaps we should stop celebrating 1966 as it's all too long ago and players are quicker now?

MM ASFC has said it all. The Lallana & DMG situations are completely different. AL has suffered nothing in the ground and nor will he - simply a few posters have pointed out that he needs to wake up to his tactical responsibilities fairly quickly and that some help from our (utterly static) coach is desperately needed. DMG has finally got booed after several months of complete and utter laziness - I personally thought he couldn't get worse after Barnsley & Blackpool but clearly I was wrong. People will always give a certain amount of time to a trier . . but this guy ??

Spot on. Said something similar a few posts above. Fans will (ok then . . might) forgive a lesser player who is playing for the cause. They will not put up with such a bad/lazy attitude. . . . in fact, they are already making themselves heard. Age (or lack of it) is no excuse for basic lack of effort.

Agreed. Jan needs to sort this instantly. We are not flexible in the sense that we don't switch formations and situations as any game progresses. If Jan belivees the formation to be sacrosant then those selected have to be up to the job given - unfortunately 4-2-3-1 requires on good and disciplined wide players and a mobile, selfless front man. We currently have neither and McG seems to be picked permanently . . .in either of these two roles. . . .both of which he shows show no real effort in. Yet when this happens so obviously on match day, Jan appears to stand rooted to the spot, hands in pockets . . .seemingly addressing nothing. That is where he really loses it with me.

I would agree. I think he's a decent guy and those I know who have met him all say the same. However, the repeated failure to do anything about such basic tactical flaws does, indeed, suggest a man out of his depth and you're right - we should look to those that made the appointment ( . . . again!) I think repeated selection of McG will be his undoing. Fans may or may not deliberate about tactics and points of detail - but we will all spot a non-trier and an apparent bad attitude.

Twaddle? If so, then this twaddle is a view shared by many. I've taken various mates to games this season, many of whom have played or coached at a good standard of football and all have said the same thing about Lallana and the wide right spot. This coupled with playing a young, inexperienced midfielder as full back makes us so easy to work out by almost any standard of opposition. The situation with McGoldrick and his zero work ethic is even sillier.

In my time a toss up between Ivan Golac ( hugely entertaining and more of a right winger half the time) and Mick Mills (classy and somewhat understated England captain). After that, a long way down for third place. Interesting insight into Alf Ramsey from Derry though.

Mark Wright and Dave Watson . . . even if Derry might have a point that DW was even better before he came. Both had lengthy careers at the highest level. Svensson as first reserve.