Chez

where has this £70k wage for Aribo come from? I often say players are on far more than we imagine, but in his case, we signed him for buttons from Rangers, who pay fuck all. I cant see why we'd have to pay him that much and not have a cut in his contract should we go down. Doesn't stack up. That said, even with wage cuts, players are on far more than the championship can cover.

We do have the second parachute payment, but I agree, we will need to raise some funds, assuming we don't win the play off (I'm still very hopeful). My fag packet maths has us needing to make a significant profit in the next set of accounts to avoid breaching FFP rules. I would say that if players are currently on lots of money, they will be hard to shift. McCarthy has been a prime example, so too Bednarek. No Prem side was interested in buying Bednarek when we were touting him to all and sundry two summers ago, and likewise last summer. What has changed? AArmstrong has once more proved he can score goals in the Championship, but other than perhaps a promoted Ipswich, which Prem side is coming in for him? Aribo has done quite well in the second half of the season, but not enough for a Prem side to buy him. KWP is only here this season because he was shite the season before and we will have wanted a bloody serious fee for him. That fee will be lower this summer as he edges towards a free, so his departure is more likely, but not certain. We will certainly need to do some trading if we are to acquire Downes (which I think could happen) and maybe a couple of others that can give us what has been missing this season.

the Anfield League cup game (and one or two others) push it close, but me too. Unbelievable tension, atmosphere and overall experience. The wild celebrations after the Vifara and Rasiak goals would probably kill me now.

more `big chances' than any other striker in fact. I'd argue that when he was played out wide last season (with less pressure to score goals), he was more of a handful - the newcastle cup game at home a prime example (why the fuck he was subbed that night is beyond me) and a better fit to his skills/attributes. He now plays out there all the time, so he may be more effective if we go up, although he's never going to score as many goals as he has this season, obviously.

we could then have four in midfield too, which would protect the fullbacks. Would we still be able to get players into space, play out from the back and dominate possession? I wouldn't have thought it impossible, but maybe it leaves us short in the middle, which at the top level is suicide.

Do we really have quality defenders? No one rates the keeper and the midfield in front of them is pretty poor defensively. Individually, Manning is pretty average as a defender. I honestly don't know if the centre backs are all that. They have struggled in the top flight, but on relegation they suddenly become the `best defenders in the championship'? THB is a little overrated in my opinion. Decent footballer, no doubt about it, but he's not quick and not the best in the air. And then there is KWP, who is obviously a fantastic footballer, but is he actually a great defender? He's been fucking terrible the last few weeks. I doubt i am going to convince anyone on here that our ills are not down to RM, but I think it should be acknowledged that player limitations do factor in. That said, players that defend well and are not great on the ball are unlikely to be high on his wish list this summer. So even with time to shuffle his pack, I'd be surprised if we got tighter next season.

I think that was the first time I have ever referenced the stats provided about Championship games, so not sure I'm terribly `fascinated' by them - I'm not sure the xG illuminates anything to me, but maybe i don't understand it correctly. On this occasion I just wanted to see if we genuinely created a lot of proper chances (if we do then RM must be doing something right) and equally if we allowed too many proper chances or we have just been done by quite a few sucker punches. I've watched every game, so I probably know the answer, but over a whole season you memory can play tricks on you.

number of `big chances' our defence have allowed would seem to be a good stat to have.

Saints were top in terms of xG expected goals scored (1.86 goals per game) but as you say, 3rd in terms of goals scored (1.89 goals per game). Not sure how we have scored more than expected, unless opposing keepers have been shit against us, but I'm sure someone will enlighten me. What is telling is that we have the second most `big chances (70) missed, highest was Leicester 78. AArmstrong has missed 28 `big chances'. Next highest was Rutter with 17. We have had the most shots per match, most corners too. Whatever the gripes about RM, the style of football is creating opportunities, if perhaps they are not being taken. In defence, our xGA (expected goals conceded) is 1.14, equal third lowest (best), but actual number of goals conceded per game was 1.38, which as you say is 14th (same in terms of rankings for clean sheets). Is that disparity simply down to the keeper not saving things he should? I wonder how many big chances we allow (can't find that stat). We have made the 3rd least number of tackles, 3rd least number of saves, 2nd least number of interceptions...I am not sure they are all that telling (all the good sides are similar) because we have the ball a lot, but it's obvious that we don't have a clue how to keep it tight and shut up shop.

Hope Mara has a good game. Great to see Downes on the bench. Good sign that he will be fit for the play offs. What am I saying? Two 5-0 wins and we could be up. Central midfield looks weak.

It would be an over-simplification to say our `pass it out from the back' and possession-based game is the only cause though. A case in point is when we are hit on the break from our own corners, which has happened a lot over the last few years. This has nothing to do with style or football and everything to do with player positions, our shape, awareness of potential danger, players being responsible and having the desire and pace to get back. Our style of football has helped us score goals too.

He was fantastic as a winger, for us, but never convinced me when he moved inside. Still a talent player and as we saw in the Leicester game, if you want to pass your way out from the back, you need a high level of technical proficiency. I am sure Martin would love another technically good midfielder that can deliver his passing game, but personally, I think our frailties are because we don't have enough fight in the middle or players that do the ugly, often unseen stuff well. Not necessarily another defensive holding midfielder, but midfielders that can run all day, get up and down, press, get tight, get a foot it, and then when they get the ball have enough skill to keep it and pass it to the flair players. He has the ball skills but he won't add that that little extra grit.

The United website paints a different picture and their story about the meeting between the two has ten Hag saying that they are behind schedule, in what I presume is the summer transfer negotiations. If Nixon's story (about an instruction on a change of playing style) is true, then Ten Hags days seemed numbered. If he has coached the players to play one way (not a possession-based game) and then suddenly changes at the drop of the new owners and Wilcox's hat, he's not going to look credible to the players. Better to bring a new guy in who believes in that method, like RM.

I suspect any standing (by home fans) in non-safe standing areas will be clamped down on.

what's this silver bolt on give ya?

Did WBA sit back and not press? I'm amazed when teams do that.

Can someone tell me how we managed to win away at WBA? I seem to recall they had one or two brilliant chances that they didn't take and we scored ours. So perhaps the game could have gone another way on a different day? That game seems like a real outlier - winning away, at one of the decent sides, not conceding, controlling the game and us seeing the game out calmly. How on earth did that happen? I have to be honest. That win is the only thing that gives me any confidence that we can win the play-offs. So was it a performance that can be repeated?

This is tosh. We made four passes with the fourth (reasonably direct, to be fair) up to Adams. But he always had a guy right up his arse and struggled to keep the ball or he had to carry it about ten yards backwards. We didn't really beat the press. Aribo was brave and prevented the ball being immediately turned over. The rest? And that was in the first half when energy was high and we were competing. In the second half we didn't even manage that. We struggled to get out of our own half. The midfield was pathetic and then when defenders were left exposed we saw just how limited they really are.

we weren't. Doesn't mean players didn't try, but we were outclassed.

"we broke the press' did he say that? Utter bollocks. Barely got out of our own half.

Don't want to blame any single player as they all showed they are limited, but Charles was disappointing. When you are under the cosh and not able to get out of your own half, it's usually because your are losing the central midfield battle. We had no control at all. The drop off from Downes to him is massive. Get Downes back and we have a chance in the lay off. Without him, we can't play it out from the back

Four passes and we turn it over. All teams have to do to beat us is for players stay close to their man and the ball will be turned over. We haven't got the ability to overcome the press. Unless play off opponents sit off us - which they wont, we are fucked. First press conference question: teams the press hard seem to have the measure over us. How do you plan to counter a decent press?

very good point. The side I would fancy playing the least in the play offs.

this is why KWP was playing at left back. Bree and Manning aint quick enough to stay with their winger. Leicester have been impressive all season. Easily the best side in the division. We have been outclassed, again. Press us, just as they and Hull did at SMS and our limitations are exposed.

waltzed through it again.