Chez

I can understand him not chasing around like a headless chicken when they have the ball and its him v four, but when we have the ball there is zero movement to find some pace and create a path for midfielders.

five at the back fill some of those huge gaps we leave, but it leaves us massively light in front of the ball. We've been better since going to five, as arsenal cant waltz past us, but we really don't know how to utilise five a the back in a positive way going forward.

He's done well. Got stuck in, been physical and competed. Looks sharp. Wish Diallo would show some of his sharpness, strength and bite.

he does his best work running off the ball. We never have the ball so his whole game is gone. You are right though. He really is a non entity these days.

Aribo with lively twinkle toes. He has pretty much nothing else though. As I have said all season, we have one of, if not the least threatening attack in the league.

Great foul by Salisu. We were in brig trouble there. Our press is horrible. so easy to play through.

we've improved a bit and put a few passes together and even got a shot off...that's how bad its got. I'm trying to defend us with "we got a shot off". Still, hope springs eternal. Come on Saints.

attack vs defence

Stu is doing well to keep the ball and buy us a little time. Fuck sake JWP. Bad place to lose the ball there. Real lack of options I should add. The formation kills us offensively.

cant really press with a five man defence, not that we do it when we play four.

I guess he can't play worse. Not sure it's going to matter today. Can't see anything other than an arse win, sadly.

If he's got a tight hamstring he shouldn't be on the bench at all. Better off putting Ballard there.

Looked sharp during the week. Gonna be tough to do anything going forward today. He might be our only out.

Amazed Aribo starts after the last two displays.

Widely reported that we bid. If that's the case, then I don't know what you mean by `smokescreen'. Smokescreen for what? All summer long Gapko was linked with United. When they didn't come in for him, he was bound to be disappointed and accepting an offer from Leeds or Saints would be hard to do. Both clubs are a serious step down. It's not surprising he had misgivings, took his time to make a decision (and perhaps stall to allow time for a bigger fish to come in) and then ultimately leave us hanging. I am guessing his agent did a brilliant job of convincing us that he would join us if we could agree terms with PSV, but it was obviously bollocks.

Gary O'Neal pushed him further forward (where they don't have to rely on his tracking anyone - which makes sense as he doesn't work anywhere near hard enough to play in midfield) and it has worked a dream for them. They ain't selling him to us in the next window. If they go down maybe...

I was slightly surprised a league 1 club didn't sign him on loan. Do you think he has the physical attributes - pace and power as well as the ball skills to play in the top flight?

I'm not saying he shouldn't play, I'm saying I doubt Ralph will pick him. The academy and players coming through today seem to be at a different level to those in the last two of three years. Payne, Ballard, Jimmy Morgan and Diamond Edwards have a good chance of making it. It looks like we will have two or three players in the England U18 squad this week. Dibling has lost his way a little since Chelsea offered him that crazy contract, but he is another that might make it. Spending millions on Amo-Ameyaw and Meghoma is the first time we have invested properly in youth players since the Best-Blackstock signings in 2003. Shields and SR have changed things by offering some of these youngsters `big' money professional contracts. We seem to be serious about youth development (and retention) again. However, I think there is concern as to whether Ralf will give them enough chances. We shall see.

yeah, but who meets that criteria, is affordable, will eh allowed to leave and wants to join us? Just saying "we need a guy that score lots of goals" doesn't solve the conundrum.

I was told "it was a panic signing".

I don't think it's terribly harsh to lump them in the same category. At the end of the day, if £11m doesn't get you a world beating fullback then £15m certainly doesn't give you a world beating striker. Those two guys are widely criticised for not doing their jobs very well and Perraud should get equal criticism for not doing his. Creating and scoring goals is a far tougher than the job of defending and spoiling. Defending comes under far less scrutiny too. Miss a chance and we remember it. How many remember a fullback failing to keep up with a winger? The way Fredricks just jogged past him on Wednesday was revealing and he's not the only opponent that has found it easy to get to the byeline and get a cross in. All you have to do is knock the ball in front of you and run right by. No trick or skill required. What I want/need from a premiership fullback is top notch technical ability (touch, weight of pass, ability to get out of tight spaces), pace and acceleration, positional sense and good decision making, and of course the ability to prevent crosses/stop wide players/defend.... We have got grit and effort, which is bloody great and is what warms him to fans, me included, but I'm just saying that it would be good to get more than that. KWP cost £10m. It is possible to get top class with good scouting.

After the Jankewitz red card on his debut and the subsequent trouncing at Old Trafford, Ralph seems to have a phobia about giving nippers from our academy games in the Prem. He doesn't trust them, at all, which, from my understanding is starting to be a problem as the youngsters are getting a bit frustrated. I'd be surprised if he gives Payne the shirt.

As I recall, and I might be wrong, KWP fucked up and had to over stretch to try and recover his error, which caused the injury. So he was certainly trying, but for once his talent/touch let him down and was the cause.

Solanki? Yeah, did fuck all. Maybe one of those too good for the championship but not good enough for the prem. Lerma and Cook are the only real talent they have.

we shouldn't give up on signing from the championship, but players need to be stand out young talents with attributes fitting of the prem. Not entirely sure Che and AA were players `obviously too good for the championship'. It's always a gamble signing players from anywhere though. Brereton was a decent prospect at Forest, good feet, decent target man and I thought we should be interested. He couldn't score for toffee back then. His game seems to have come together, but he's incredibly one footed, not quick, it amazing in the air, so he'd be a mix of AA and Che.