Chez

Read my post again and you will see that I recognise that he has qualities needed in a side to do anything good. I have no problem with having that type of player in the team. But he doesn't work hard. Not a chance. How does fan attitude win anything? Forums are for voicing opinions by the way. Try not to cry when you see one that differs from your own.

He started just 19 of the 57 games they played last season. As I said Mason was first choice and just like Cork if we had offered him first team football his head may have been turned. Too late now.

Which one minute of one game did you see to come that conclusion?

The original poster said last year/year before. The thread largely looks at last year's squad/side. How about comparing it with the team of two years ago as they were then (not now). Is Caulker better than the much maligned Jos? Is the **** weak Target better than super slow Fox? The two long term injuries muddies the water a fraction, but what do you think? Boruc Clyne Fonte Lovren Shaw Morgan Wanyama Lallana Davis Rodriguez Lambert Forster Soares Fonte JVD Bertrand Classie Wanyama Mane Davis Tadic Pelle Davis Chamberlain Yoshida Jos Fox Cork JWP Ramirez Guly Gallagher Osvaldo Stek Martina Yoshida Caulker Gardos Targett Romeu JWP Juanmi Ramirez Rodriguez Long

Likewise. I posted a comparison on the Liverpool thread between now and two season ago and the first team is weaker and the second 11 pretty much the same.

he was at Sheffield United last season...****ing terrible. But he had the odd decent, or should I say uneventful game too to be fair. In my eyes he hasn't justified the fee.

Has Tadic ever worked hard? He has qualities, but working hard...do me a favour. Doubt they have to wash his shirt after a match.

looked **** when we played them and in every game I've seen him play for West Ham. Massively overrated. West Ham didn't seem terribly fussed about resigning him.

this. He couldn't get a game for Spurs last season with Mason first choice (so must have been an option), but when he played against us I thought he looked tremendous. Power and ability on the ball. Everything that Morgan has. We need that sort of combination of facets. Size and pace isn't everything, but winning headers, getting to the second ball, being able to make interceptions, get close enough to opponents to force errors, and then using the thing when you get it is what's required of a CM. Does that sound like JWP, Classie or Romeu?

you seem to have forgotten the indoctrinated saints hashtag, so I've inserted that for ya.

I agree their certainly wasn't any Lee Cattermole style giving up, but there were one or two opportunities to go for tackles that players decided (perhaps wisely) otherwise. Long certainly did, but maybe he would have pulled out anyway. By and large defeats, even heavy ones are not down to lack of effort, its down to poor performances and a lack of quality. And there lies the problem. An erosion of quality in many positions. IMO this side is not a patch on the side of two years ago. Many on here point to a stronger squad, but I'm not sure about that either. The two long term injuries muddy the water a little, but interesting to compare (not that it makes any difference) Boruc Clyne Fonte Lovren Shaw Morgan Wanyama Lallana Davis Rodriguez Lambert Forster Soares Fonte JVD Bertrand Classie Wanyama Mane Davis Tadic Pelle Davis Chamberlain Yoshida Jos Fox Cork JWP Ramirez Guly Gallagher Osvaldo Stek Martina Yoshida Caulker Gardos Targett Romeu JWP Juanmi Ramirez Rodriguez Long

My evening started with the discovery that the chosen pre match pint venue was closed and finished with me having to circle for 25 minutes in attempt to find a parking pace remotely near my home. Brilliant! What went on in between was, as you know, the stuff of nightmares. It wasn't just pub closure that got me off to a good start. Before the game there was a massive queue outside the Kingsland, so I only made it to my seat with 4 minutes played and therefore missed our goal. I suppose it could have been worse - Liverpool could have scored it, but of course they made up for that. I'm getting old now and defeats, even miserable ones, are starting to become water off a ducks back. Cup exits however, do still seem to smart a little. The limp displays at Sheffield United and Sunderland still leave a bad taste in my mouth. You can't criticise RK for not going for it this time. He put out a full strength side (which is a worry in itself) and threw caution to the wind having gone 1-3 behind. But I do certainly question the personnel in that reshaped line up in the second half. In my eyes we were getting overrun in the middle, with Classie offering nothing in the way of pressure on the ball or a physical presence to win second ball. Yet it was Wanyama that was dropped back, leaving us even more exposed. I thought JWP did pretty well when he replaced Classie, but someone as immobile as him left to command the whole midfield area seemed madness. Bertrand pushed into a central midfield role did inject a little more pace in that area, but at times he seemed to still be playing at left back, leaving first Classie and then JWP to battle against two or three opponents. If you want to get back into games you need to start dominating possession, not just add bodies in forward positions. The new formation meant Davis and Tadic touched the ball about twice and any thoughts of us getting the ball down and play went out the window as our centre backs had no central midfielders to offer an easy pass to. Time after time the ball was smacked long by the keeper and defender. What ever happened to us passing it out from the back no matter what? Klop is known for a pressing game, and they did that to a certain extent, but not so much that we couldn't try to pass it out. Pelle won a single header all night against Skrtel, as he does every season. Total waste of time us attempting it. I have to say when Long came on I didn't really know what the formation was. Nor did the players. But Liverpool certainly knew where the space was. Everywhere! Like a masochist I stayed to the end. I like to see which players are willing to battle to the end even when the game has gone. JWP and Mane certainly didn't give up, but the rest are perhaps older and wiser and avoided tackles and potential injury without making it too obvious. Long was especially good at that. Having absolutely slated Lee Cattermole for giving up when we turned them over last season I guess I shouldn't go easy on our own players. We usually bounce back from cup defeats, so hopefully we will wallop Villa, but will yet another season go by without a cup final. I suspect so.

In JWP and Classie we have two players that really lack the mobility to get close to opponents to put them under pressure. Because of this we don't tend to regain the ball half as much as we used to, plus the opposition tends to have lots of time to get their head up and pick a pass. That lack of pace and size also effects their ability to recycle loose ball and to win second ball. Romeu offers a little more in that department, but not much. There is some quality when on the ball, but greater athleticism combined with that quality on the ball is needed, especially in that central area.

Martina signing baffles me. Not good enough in Holland, so why sign him even as back up? Richest league in the world and a team in Europe yet we settled for second best.

It looked like a pass would work, but you have split seconds to see that ball. You need greedy strikers. The moans on here about not shooting...

Watched Black Mass the other night. Reasonable American gangster type movie, but not an outstanding film, which that genre often are. I am not sure why I wasn't blown away. Perhaps I am more critical these days or perhaps it just lacks something. Mind you in a world full of crap movies it's certainly won a watch. A far better movie is Dope. Nice pace and flow to it, half decent story and well acted. Nice sound track too. Really enjoyed it.

I think Maskell was year before and Widdrington year after.

Hope they get smashed. Don't ever want to see them win...ever. ****s.

Pretty much ran the game from start to finish. Very composed, very dominant in midfield and very solid at the back. Vvd is now as dominant for us in the prem as he was for Celtic. The only thing missing at. The moment is that option off the bench in attacking areas.

He got injured on June 30th, so he's been out for quite a while. With Wanyama now suspended he is going to need to step up and take the game by the scruff of the neck.

Kelvins penalty saving record during our rise back up the leagues was unbelievable. There was a period when he seemed to save almost every one. Less talented takers than in the top flight of course, but still outstanding.

incredibly arduous warm up

maybe the tickets are too expensive? £47 for my seat raised an eyebrow.

I disagree. JWP played out wide is not an option IMO. I do agree that Tadic is not a right sided player though. Looks like we could do with a right sided player going forward. Happy for Ramirez to replace Davis when injured or towards the end of games, but your post said you'd like him to start at Bompey in the hole, which means you were suggesting dropping Davis.

I put the ever worsening atmospheres down to the fact many (not all of course) beer drinking lads that are happy to shout and sing all game have been replaced by less intoxicated fans that are more reserved.