rshephard3

We have, by some distance, the highest pre season spending in the bottom 8. Ouch.

Against West Brom it was one of the most stand out problems for us, players all looked so weak compared to their players. I'm sad to say, last season we had the players relative to the level, to play past teams. Now, the same players are trying to play and getting beaten in every department, most notably outmuscled by every team we've played this season barring the second half against Villa.

Whilst making it about as complicated for me and you to buy footy tickets as it is to move house!

I still don't quite understand why there isn't just a season ticket holder date and a general sale date myself. We aren't such a massive club that demand outstrips supply every away game and the loyalty scheme in place doesn't work for the reasons mentioned. By all means have a login for users linked to a server that can handle a few hundred people logging in from work on the date of sale but no more is required for us IMO. Having 5 different purchase dates and working out which mates have done which away days etc to all get tickets together each time puts me off even wanting to bother logging in.

Will we be bottom by the end of the day? Who would people like to take 3 points here? With QPR's squad you'd imagine they see this as a great chance to begin to pull away from less gifted groups like us and Reading. Thoughts?

Ha. Can't wait for one of them to take 3 points and round off a sh*tter of a weekend before we go to West Brom to allow Long to return from injury with a few goals. Excellent.

The worry is the losing the confidence of the players element. Clearly those 11 players tonight weren't playing for the manager or each other. That's bad news.

What an embarrassment. Nowhere to hide this season now. Nothing like compounding poor morale by making 11 changes. Superb.

They're doing a great f**king job in the prem, injured or not aren't they?! Who wouldn't want a decent cup run to scrape moral off the floor at the moment?

Fair comment. I wonder if we will start with Lambert and Rodriguez up top against West Brom. Whatever anyone thinks about our attack, we might want to have a go at conceding less than 2 goals in a game!!

I think to describe any part of his game as 'absolute class' is a long shot. As for West Ham, what did he do differently to Guly when he runs around a lot, makes decent runs, looks ok but without being a real threat to the opposition. Don't get me wrong, I think he's a decent player, I just think if he's played in the same team as Lambert it won't work as well as if we had someone with pace like Mayuka to run in behind. I said pre season I'd expect someone of his quality to get 7 or 8 league goals in a season which is ok but not ground breaking.

If I'm totally honest, the second half, in large part appeared an improvement because Spurs fancied their chances of containing us and holding on. Don't get me wrong, second half more positive than the first, IMO helped by the introduction of Mayuka who must have really been useless in training not to bump Rodriguez onto the bench.

He was asked what he said to himself after the WHU game and he recited an inspitational poem. He didn't strip naked live on bbc and start reciting mein kampf! ?

It is. Compared to the usual 'disappointing to lose' or 'we would like to win' b**locks that managers spout. They're more like robots or politicians by the day!

Was thinking the same thing. If our answer to losing every week is to stick him in we might as well start looking at the Championship now. Running around doesn't make a player. He's just not very good, all IMHO of course!

Got a sneaky feeling Reading are going to turn up the heat on us with 3 points v's Fulham at home.

Superb.

Exactly. There might be things people dislike about Cortese but I'm about 95% certain that he'd never dream of a measure that would cause so much disharmony.

This. I don't support Saints because I expect them to win every week, or get in the Champions League. I just support them. Supporting them would be near on impossible with that c**k back in charge. Simples.

More to the point, never try to reheat a souffle when cooking it first time round went so spectacularly tits up!

I don't doubt this point but I do genuinely think most people are finding Fox unmanagable to watch at times. His ability to take a set piece is so so overwhelmed by his inability to do his job it's almost embarrassing to watch him. I can honestly say I've never seen a player so consistently out of position without learning a thing from his last mistake. On this basis, I don't think it would be ridiculous to imagine a player who is young enough to learn quickly could take Fox's place.

To elaborate a little further on my previous sarcasm, I think he is one huge positive to come out of the transfer window. Excellent decision making, good long accurate kick. I've enjoyed watching him. The football world is littered with international keepers who would be no good in the prem. It's also near on disrespectful not to put Kelvin in if Gazza is to be dropped. How could we possibly have been better off with Boruc than Kelvin when Jos and Fonte were at the back?! I found that unbelievable.

Yeah Boruc looked truly head and shoulders above a probably now demoralised pair of other goalies we have. especially his kicking, truly top draw. Tinkering for the sake of it. Gazza has held his own IMO.

My thoughts exactly. The other obvious point being that if it takes 3 players to stop him scoring it might just create space and chances for others. Not that our £6.5 million superstar looks like hitting a barn door but you never know!