The9

Actually last season we were an outlier in creating a lot of chances but not scoring that many goals. Extrapolate our poor goals to shots ratio downwards to also creating fewer chances to begin with, and that's a big problem. At the moment we look like a side that'll be lucky to finish as high as last season - plus we've already p155ed off some of the top sides by beating them last time, so they'll be at full strength against us this season...

We're not going to score from all of them - already scored from one this season, the two yesterday saw a defender block Fonte's stretching shot, and poor timing which saw Lovren and Fonte offside, checking and then unable to get to the ball in anyway. Biggest problems for me : 1) Wanyama can't pass accurately, short and quickly and we've had to change our style to accommodate this, making us much slower to get the ball forward and leaving the team to break down an organised defence. 2) Concern about getting caught by long balls from when we were a pressing side meaning our full backs don't get forward as much. Has helped us defensively though. 3) Too much perfect pass paranoia in the final third - some of our best chances yesterday were from off the cuff broken play moves, numerous occasions where we didn't try a risky through pass and instead just didn't pass it at all. 4) Too many off-form players making errors at the wrong times (eg Rodriguez/Lallana toeing the ball too far when running through, Lambert's weak shot in front of the Northam, also Osvaldo hitting the keeper) 5) Not enough movement generally, too predictable.

Which is the problem, and will be the problem for as long as Wanyama is the only player in a position to play the ball out of the defensive positions. Against Sociedad he was pinging 30 yards passes to their defenders, yesterday he'd obviously been told not to, and instead he either gave it back to the keeper or CBs or waited an age for Schneiderlin to drop into the space in the middle and made a safe pass to him, long after West Ham had organised themselves behind the ball. Cork would shift the ball rapidly and we'd create space and pull defences around by making them adjust to the ball moving - with Wanyama in the side we're having to completely change our game because he doesn't seem able to play quick, short, accurate passes (but at least we've stopped just hitting Hollywood balls to the opposition). All Wanyama offers that Cork doesn't is the ability to shoot from distance from what I've seen so far.

I don't think we're even playing 4-2-3-1 most of the time at home now, there were very few occasions when we actually had the ball yesterday when Schneiderlin was anywhere near Wanyama (and it showed with our lack of forward passing and the amount of time it was taking to pass forward even when we did). When we have the ball against an organised defence it's nearer 4-1-4-1 with Schneiderlin the deepest of the forward midfielders.

I think Rodriguez is an excellent player on the run, who occasionally knocks the ball a little too far when running at players. I'm always surprised how much people back off him when he dribbles, but they do, and it seems to work. He's not, yet, a back to goal player, and because his strength is going at people, the last thing he wants is a first touch that stops the ball dead and gives the defender a stationary target to defend against. He also gives us something different which is important if our policy of rotating attacking positions is to work - because there's no point in doing that if all our players play the same way anyway. Wasn't his best game yesterday, but he's certainly as worth a place at the moment as Lallana, Lambert or Ramirez are based on this season's performances.

I'd be gutted, the Autheno was what Bristol City wore in 2012/13 (with black on the shoulders), it's bad enough wearing an almost identical shirt to them this season, to wear a two year old version of their previous kit would be a massive p155take.

Campeon in red is what Aberdeen are wearing. It's not difficult to see that adidas didn't allocate our current home kit style in red and white stripes to anyone else though, both Stoke and Sunderland have other styles and West Brom have two striped shirts in that style, white/navy and red/black.

Watching Football Gold on BT Sport t'other day, I was amused to see all the fans dressed at Jimmy Savile at Arsenal v Leeds in 2002/3 when Arsenal gave up the title race and Leeds stayed up. I'd say dressing up has been passe since Niemi Day at Charlton in 2004, highlighted by Niemi not actually playing.

They're all required to adhere to the terms of their contracts and the club isn't fining either of them so they must be fine with their attitudes. However, Sharp's never shown the flexibility to play in 3 or 4 attacking/attacking midfield roles, Tadanari Lee at last has shown evidence he can do that.

It would be nice if people could stop quoting him too.

I prefer the other thread on this.

I prefer the other thread about this.

I should hope not, Brentford have the reverse of the white/red one this season, we'd look like right mugs, like Pompey do this season with their "bespoke" Sondico home shirt, which is the same design as last year's Dagenham and Redbridge Vandanel away shirt.

Oh, and they've also got a calendar of boot styles/colours and releases up until May 2014, so none of that needs to be a surprise either : http://www.footyheadlines.com/2013/01/2013-boot-calender-updated-11-january.html?header

GK and shorts here too : Info came from here : http://www.footyheadlines.com/2013/08/adidas-14-15-2014-15-teamwear-kits.html

It'll be a couple of these 2014/15 Adidas designs : Condivo 14 Tabe 14 Regista 14 Entrada 14 Plus this season's styles will remain in use (we've had 2 of these already) : Campeon : Tiro : Squadra : Autheno : Estro : So there we go, unless we're deluded into thinking we'll have stripes again for some reason, or are that bothered about who the new sponsors will be, the kit discussion is done and dusted and a good 8 months before the end of this season.

Probably by saying they're fit, or they have nice hair or a flash car. I'd be more interested in how he'd complement other squad members though.

"One Saints training kit stolen" as opposed to lots... it'll have initials on it for a start... and you probably CAN buy it.

Yup.

I can see 20 plus the ball ?

You can see 20, plus there's going to be a GK behind the manager and there should also be an outside right in the lighter colour near his feet - or if that's what you can see, a second centre back/half back, so I reckon that makes 22. You had to decapitate someone to get sent off in those days.

There are a few "coaching" type pics on her profile, and she lives in Southampton, so makes sense... now if we could get a positive ID from the OP we can close the whole thing...

I don't f'cking know, I'm just good at Google.

And as a special treat, a Rule 1 :