DuncanRG

Forren was never meant to play a big part this season, how many times does this have to be repeated?

Not from a business perspective - big crowds. I think I read that the 2011 Champions League final got more US viewers than the Superbowl! We don't know anything about these sorts of deals, let's be honest. Maybe they are planning something, maybe not. Who cares?

Horrific news. My deepest condolences to the family.

Evra and Rafael are miles ahead of the rest. Clichy and Zabaleta, Cole and Ivanovic, Davies and Rangel not bad either.

Let's not get crazy. Agree we're up there for potential though

Is that a stat? Remember Hooiveld winning at least one against him and others

Yes, quite a few. Lost quite a few as well, but considering there's a high ball every 30 seconds against Stoke I'd say we did absolutely fine.

No Baines or Suarez is an absolute travesty

Crikey. Are you thinking £47m on Cavani and the rest reclaiming Bridge, Ormerod and Danny Higginbotham?

I believe we'd have finished exactly even and that would have been that. The discussion came up with the Arsenal/Chelsea thing last week but I think a play-off only occurs when something rests on it, as in 4th v 3rd. Prize money would presumably be split evenly

We got behind Stoke's defence plenty of times today. On this occasion it was just the finishing, plus a fine game from Begovic

I wouldn't take how close the bottom half was this year as a rule to take forward. It'd be interesting to see the table as it would be if every team held onto their lead. We didn't get the points we deserved at times but every club's fans will be saying that...except QPR's.

Maybe we're developing an intergalactic exploration programme

Does anyone else think that JWP might have a place in the midfield three next season? He looks very strong on the counterattack - aware of what's around him, two-footed, quick to move the ball and not bad along the ground either. He changed our dynamic at Sunderland last week and whenever we picked up the ball in midfield I was hoping it was him cause he can get things moving. If he's deployed there and he and Ramirez grow into the role I'm not sure we'd particularly need a signing - though I'm not sure I'd take the risk.

To be fair, so is every other team in the country. You don't get many in his mould

The most consistent player if you ask me, only Boruc can compete and he's not played half the games.

I agree that those four are the only ones absolutely, 100% guaranteed to be in the XI but it'll only be a couple of the others replaced rather than all 6. Imagine Boruc, Ramirez, Lambert and Cork will all play regularly even if it isn't every single game.

I thought it was quite funny seeing him chase down Kelvin today. I thought to myself 'he hasn't lost too much pace!' but then realised he was there next to Fonte, Hooiveld and Stoke City.

Played well today, his best in a while even if you discount the goal. He's been anonymous in the last few games but the injury kind of explains it - I do wonder therefore why Pochettino's played him for 90 minutes so often. I'm not sure it's a 'risk' to let Rodriguez or Mayuka lead the line if it enables Lambert to recover faster.

I'd add United, Arsenal and Chelsea (in the cup) to that list to be fair

Rollercoaster season with a fantastic end result. We were more exciting at the start but finding our feet and especially changing managar has brought stability to this side. Much to build on!

Exactly. I agree with the Kraken, if we make it through the summer without losing any key players then we'll be in business. I'd be content if we got through it only selling one or two!

Is this really the way to end a post suggesting we could finish in the top four? Ryan Seager? I don't think anybody at the club has said anything about top four next season, only when looking further ahead. Nobody has ever spent their way from our position to the Champions League in one season. Stop thinking about it - aim for top half next season and then see where we are. Probably still a way off.

And that's the benchmark of success for a protest party.

And those would indeed be the upper reaches. No amount of summer improvement, barring a dramatic collapse from a large handful of top teams, would get us anywhere near the top 4. 7th or 8th is very ambitious but just about achievable if we improve to the absolute best of our capabilities.