Lallana's Left Peg

No defenders or the two midfielders likely to sit in front of them (Cork or Schneiderlin) in the clip. May be fair to assume the majority of their work this week has been away from the rest of the group and been pretty intense...

I always thought our transfer strategy was very clear - in fact I find it clearer than most. The challenge has always been executing it given the very particular aspects of it and our standing in the game. I've always interpreted our strategy as: 1. Buy young players who we will seek to grow and develop with the club 2. They must be hungry and fit into a wage structure 3. The transfer fee will be reflective of their potential as much as what they will contribute 'right now' 4. The agents fee must be very low The only exceptions I've seen to the above is when an experienced player is available for a very cheap fee (and still fits into the wage structure). The risk in all this is: 1. Bigger clubs are after the same sorts of players 2. Whilst one of our selling points is first team football, our other risk is that the player has to come in and perform straight away so we don't get relegated. 3. We buy players who simply do not push on as expected The first risk has seen us miss out on players (either because their club will not sell or better clubs come in for them) and the second risk is what we've seen a bit this season with up and down performances. The third risk remains to be seen whether or not we'll experience it. Right now I think we've done ok with transfers - there has been difficulty in executing the strategy for the reasons mentioned, and the signings seem ok to me. However, I would definitely be disappointed if this level of performance was all that was going to come from them.

There are only a few players on that list who were original targets. Many were backups way down the list and purchased because they were still better than what we had and we couldn't afford to stand still. But that is how it works in football - you rarely get your primary targets the vast majority of the time.

Probably be one of those games where both teams have their moments and the ones who show quality in these moments will prevail (at either end of the pitch). Norwich play quite open against fellow teams in the bottom half so that potentially bodes well for us. Hard to know which version of us will turn up game to game (or even half to half) at the moment so predictions are hard to make.

I've mentioned it earlier in the thread, but understanding who will and won't challenge for first team spots off the back of u21 and u18 games is very hard and it isn't easy to do. JWP had an efficient game and he is closest to the first team out of all that played last night yet in terms of tangible contribution that is easy for the fans to see he didn't do a great deal. I thought his positioning was great and Liverpool didn't do much down the middle at all despite the rotation of all their players. Also interesting to see that Martin Hunter played down Omar Rowe's performance, suggesting that Rowe needs to learn when to take on his man and when he needs to link up with his other players. Although I'm surprised Rowe hasn't signed a professional deal yet - he's been as good as anyone else in our u18's this season. Lastly, a good example of how hard it is to step up to the first team can be seen with Suso. Suso is 19 years old and made EIGHTEEN appearances in the Liverpool first team this season and not made an impression at all. At times last night he looked a world beater (no end product though...) yet if we had a player like him doing that for us we'd all be demanding he start in the first team. Taking on fellow youth players like that is very different to doing it at first team level, and even then you shouldn't be taking on players all the time either. We look like we are developing some good players and they all have time on their side but it is hard to say who will and won't make it from these games - there are so many different things to consider and the general quality of the game differs greatly from week to week depending on who is playing etc.

He is nowhere near fit enough for a first team game. However, his distribution from the back was brilliant - some lovely through balls to midfielders moving 'between the lines'. Can't ever see him being a quick player anyway and he'll have to rely on his reading of the game more often than not, but we can feel confident that when he has the ball not only will he make the right decision with it he'll also start some attacks for us. But that high defensive line...

Liverpool u21's are very good and totally dominated the game against us a few weeks ago. Hopefully we play better tonight. Will be good to see Forren if he does start.

Agreed - if a few players aren't 'on it' then it won't matter what systems or Plan B is. Pochettino has inherited a squad that is very much confidence based - and it has been like that for a few years. When our tails are up we're decent, but when confidence is low there are problems as we can't manage games too well to 'find a way to win'. So when we have a tactic like this which is demanding and has no margin for error we will have times when we struggle due to the disposition of the squad. We'll just have to accept that and get on with it - and hopefully the teething problems won't cause us to be relegated.

Has a ridiculous amount of potential, paved a way into the first team for himself via his composure and pace. Has more to offer going forward but for now he is concentrating on just keeping the ball and growing into the role. Quite impressed by his ability in the air as well, appears to have a great leap from a standing position. He'll make some mistakes and we should expect that, but for a 17 year old in the top flight he is brilliant and will go on to be a fantastic player. Hopefully will spend a good few more years with us before he makes his way at a big club in Europe. Nothing seems too much effort for him and he is very laid back.

I would say it is unfair to come to any conclusions six games into the Pochettino reign. He appears to have a specific way of playing and the players are showing erratic form in putting it into practice on matchday. It's a learning experience for everyone right now and I would say a more valid question is what made Cortese so sure Saints had better survival prospects under Pochettino than Adkins. On one hand I see a more attacking team but on the other I see lots of players struggling to adapt on a consistant basis which is severely impacting our performances.

Game 6 update. Two defeats in a row has seen the emergence of two concerns: 1. We are badly exposed to the ball over the top when we cannot put any pressure on the ball when the opposition have it in their own half. Too many footraces being lost and while Clyne is quick the panic on his face when he is running back to his own goal is very evident. Quite simply the defence must be protected via incredible workrate off the ball by the midfield and attack - it's the only way we'll be able to cope as a team. 2. We are still struggling to break down teams who come to St Marys and defend deep. It's been like this all season. We aren't the quickest team and need to move the ball quickly to make up for it. But for some reason not only has the movement been sub-standard we are also slowing the play down and allowing teams to get their shape. Pochettino's style was said to ask for one and two touch football in the final third but I haven't seen much of that at all - maybe because the defence is so exposed and ill-equipped to deal with the fast break right now we are scared to lose the ball. Feels like no mans land where for the tactic to be effective offensively we need to do one thing yet by doing that we also expose our biggest weakness as a team. Hope we learn quickly although we were warned that it can take players a while to get used to it. For me, the defensive problem is a personnel thing - of more concern is in the final third as we should have the players but it isn't working. That needs to be sorted very quickly.

Isn't it a case that he technically hasn't been sacked, just replaced? The fact he still receives his monthly salary will mean if he wants to find other employment I am guessing the club will let him go but it also saves them paying him millions and then walking into another job. Just a money saving exercise as I see it, regardless of the morality of it.

Very hard to know who will and will not make it, even if an Academy team has a great season and compared against others of their age they look better. Aside from the pathway to the first team that is required, and a spot being open for them to even play, its not as simple as taking a look at a Youth Team game and concluding the players who look better are going to make it. As much as anything at that age it is the players who are either physically able and / or mentally advanced who get the chances at a young age in the first team squad. Tricky wingers or players of ample talent on the ball find it hard to make the step up very early and they often need more seasoning and development before they start to get towards the first team fringes. It appears that our Development and U18 squads have some very good players and as a team they are both doing well - it's difficult to pinpoint exactly who will make it from them as the other thing to consider is that not all players develop at the same rate, and the difference between Youth Football and First Team Football is so big it is never a case that a good player at Youth level is going to eventually be a good player at Senior level. Something which makes them stand out at Youth Level may not mean anything at Senior Level, likewise something hard to notice at Youth Level when watching a game may be something which translates well to the first team. The only thing we can count on is that we have a pathway to the first team so if a player is deemed good enough by the club they'll definitely get a chance. The rest is down to the Gods, it's that hard to predict.

The ball over the top is the way to counter a high line - the only way you can stop that is by pressing effectively as a team in the final third. For me too many times against Newcastle the pressing was not done as a unit which resulted in Newcastle passing the ball to a free Cabaye in a deep position and he would lump it over the top which caused problems.

Lallana, Ramirez, and Puncheon behind Lambert please. I understand arguments for Jay-Rod and Davis to start, but in a game like this I want to see our best quality on the pitch. Give all three of them a short leash (HT subs etc.) if need be, but we're playing the team bottom of the table and these guys have the quality to tear QPR apart. QPR are decent, Remy will cause us problems and we obviously need to watch Taarabt, but we should be slicing through the rest of their midfield and defence with ease. Make the chances count and I think we'll be fine. If things do get comfortable us (fingers crossed they do), I hope we keep going for it and try to stick the knife right in - the fans will want it and I think the team will be keen for a big win if the opportunity presents. None of this 'see the game out' if we get up by four goals or anything. Probably be a tighter game than people expect and St Marys may get nervous if we're losing at any point, but stick to the plan and we'll be ok.

So let me get this right, the Council complete a report which clearly shows there is no chance of getting back their £1.45m loan from the value of the land itself, and yet recommend the loan is given due to the following: Also interesting to note that the PST appear to be under pressure to finalise their bid according to the Council. Hang on, haven't they been ready to go for a long time? That's what they've been telling everyone. Couldn't be telling lies in this era of transparency, could they? Dare they? Oh dear.

Yep was a great watch, not just to see all his goals but it was a nice way to see the journey we've been on for the last 3.5 years. Hopefully we'll never have another like it, and in a few decades time maybe we'll look back on it as the time the club established the foundations for far better things.

Hate Allardyce more than West Ham. I think it is a decent club and always found the fans to be a good laugh. They aren't stupid fans, the vast majority know what Allardyce is like and lets not forget the endless booing last season. This season started well but they are tailing off fast. You can tolerate and compromise if it is getting results, but you lose patience as a fan if the muck you are being served up no longer gets results.

This deserves more credit

Oops, that was meant for the Fox thread.

Fox hasn't shown any sign of being able to improve on his weaknesses since he joined the club so I think we should just accept who he is for now - a left-back with a sweet left foot, very good distribution, composure in possession, and nice set-piece delivery, but unfortunately poor positional awareness, no pace, and no natural instinct to be a defender. The challenge is: a) a high line means that lack of pace will be even more exposed b) Ramirez will take priority with left-footed set pieces c) there is a real movement in the game towards full-backs being great 1-on-1 defenders and that isn't good news for Fox d) the new tactics also mean we win the ball further up the pitch so the slower build up from the back gives him less chance to impress I'm reasonably happy with him as a back-up unless anyone could prove to me we already have a better back-up left-back at the club and / or he could be sold and replaced for the same or less money than we sold him for.

Just back from a game - a few musings: 1. Today we saw the negative side of the new tactic - when the defensive line sits so high and the midfield 5 do not press the ball enough someone with quality will just dink balls over the top to turn our defenders and then the chaos starts. We won't always come up against midfielders with the passing range of Cabaye, but he had far too much time on the ball today and as a result the defence was placed under a lot of pressure. 2. Too many players not at the races today, as a team - despite a dream start - I saw a bit too much apprehension and nowhere near enough decisiveness and conviction when passing the ball. When we did win the ball back in good areas the attack was slow and ineffective which then meant any advantage of pressing high and winning the ball back was all but eliminated. 3. That said we still scored twice and looked dangerous - definite goal threat in the team but also a fragile confidence level. When confidence is high we're a match for most. When confidence is low we can look terrible. Would like Puncheon and Lallana to start next week with Ramirez in the middle behind Lambert. Lets go with the team that has the best quality on the ball and give them the opportunity to take on the worst team on the division. Lastly, Chris Foy put on one of the most unprofessional Refereeing displays I have ever seen. It shouldn't overshadow what I thought was a below average performance from the team, but it was a genuine 1/10 effort from him today. This is a summary of his performance from my perspective: 1. Got many decisions he had a clear view of wrong 2. After he had made decisions he was then clearly influenced by players on the pitch - in particular the Jay-Rod yellow card came a good 10 seconds after the free kick was given and then a Newcastle player had a word in his ear. Just awful. 3. Clearly he had seen the mistakes he made at HT (especially for Newcastles second goal) and he came out all guns blazing in the second half and went through a 5min spell of giving us everything no matter what - it doesn't work like that, just do your ****ing job properly in the first place you stupid ****. And the biggest crime of all: 4. Inconsistency in his decision making - we got some Yellow cards for professional fouls in areas of the park that aren't dangerous. Then with 3mins to go Sissoko trips Lambert when he is ploughing his way towards the penalty area and only a free kick is given with no yellow card? Why? How can it be a free kick and not a yellow card given the previous decisions he made. It's baffling and inexcusable considering he gets paid to do this job. Then during the game in general some things were fouls then 5mins later they weren't. How can players on either side play on that basis?

It appears the criteria I've used has basically meant anyone in the squad with a professional contract can be selected apart from Tommy Forecast

Looking forward to the game, think it could go either way rally. HBA not playing would be a far bigger plus than Krul missing, as HBA is a game changer I think we'd have some trouble containing if he played. Newcastle have their tails up and have decent quality though I'd trust our Manager to make the better adjustments as the game goes on as we all know what Pardew is like tactically during games. Our form is better and while we'd all like to be looking up the table we're only 3pts away from the **** so tomorrow is a big opportunity to do something against a team we should be giving a proper game. It would probably be fair to start with the same team that started against Man City but I would prefer Shaw in at left back just to give a bit more reassurance to everyone. To have Ramirez and Lallana on the bench on merit is a nice feeling though!

Fair point - if Lambert is going to win by a landslide then lets quickly go - 2nd best signing. For me - Lallana, but only just over Fonte and Schneiderlin.