Chez

I actually thought they missed a trick by not exposing our weakness (poor fullbacks and no wide midfielders) by supplying their wide men more. When they did they took us peices. Scotland was terrific, strong, pacey and a genuine threat. Seijs had a tremendous game to keep him quiet.

they certainly looked before and perhaps he has a better reputation outside SMS

why didn't he play today?

nice. On todays evidence it is Wotte that is looking to create a team of **** kickers.

last game before the window closes - Forest looking for a left sided player and a striker, I think you can bet your bottom dollar Pleat was watching the main target to fill one of those roles. Swansea are not selling players, we certainly are.

for me it was 4-1-3-2 with Surman and Gillett having to cover both central and wide positions. I disagree that Lallana was in the hole, he played CM. ------------------ Davis -------------------- James ----- Saeijs ----- Perry ----- Molyneux ---------------- Wotton -------------------- -------- Gillett -----Lallana ------ Surman ---------- -------- Saganowski -- McGoldrick ----------- In the end it doesn't matter what formation it was it was all about the effectiveness and whilst we were sharp and lively it worked a treat, as we got more tired and then with ten men it was less so.

he certainly added much needed bite to the middle but he is still very very slow, watch how far away he is from his man for the first goal, cumbersome (how he didn't get sent off for the combination of bad tackles is beyond me) and extremely limited in possession - how many hoofs saw posession conceded. I expect his effort as a bare minimum from a CM but I also expect them to have a bit of ability as well. Still having seen Schneiderlin waltz through games in recent times hardly getting his socks dirty it was good to see a few tackles going in.

it was a 4-1-3-2 formation IMO that became 4-3-2 when we went down to ten. Wotton was standing next to the CB's most of the time with Lallana Surman and Gillett playing in front of him.

I thought he was overseas having a medical?

in the end if we need to shave a million or two off the overdraft it will depend who comes in with what offer as to where anyone goes.

the guy came inside and James was easily beaten and then didn't make up the ground to stop the shot. You could say he was at fault but when you are down to ten men you tend to have to cover a lot of ground so I might forgive him. However IMO he is a weak link. He is SO slow its not true. He is also terrible in the air. I don't think he is better than Jemaine Wright. Who plays there if he gets injured Gillett? We badly need a pacey or strong right back.

I think you will find Nigel Doughty has a fair few bob floating about.

Decent battling display including some ferocious tackles from Saints. The one by Molyneux was bad but equally awful was Wotton's on the half way line where somehow we were awarded a freekick???? This was exactly the sort of display you would have expected to see if a traditonal English manager had taken charge. Davis 7 not his busiest game and I suspect he will be a little dissapointed to palm the ball out to the striker for the goal. Not his fault but on a nother day he might have done slightly better. James 4 - beaten time after time by the pacey winger and by the ball over his shoulder. All his frailties were shown up today. Deefensively he is weak. Seijs 10 - MOTM by far for me. Fantastic display winnng every header and some crucial tackles. The new Svensson. I can not praise him more. Perry 6 Some good some bad. I feel he costs us wiht his lack of pace and height but he still battles hard. Molyneux 2 - Bad challenge right in front of me that might have got a red on another day. Deserved to go. Its still very early days but in all the games I have thought Mills was as good if not better. Why have we signed another short fullback when we needed extra height at the back Wotton (10 for effort 2 for quality) was like a man posessed chucking himself into everything and fair play to him. I think he is ****e but he really sweated blood for the side today and I can see why Plymouth fans love him. Shame he gives the ball straight back when he gets it and he chases shadows half the time. But no one can fault his effort and drive. Surman - 6 didn't get hold of the game at LM/CM but at fullback he came alive going forward and a became a liability defensively - ball watching and not getting tight the main problems. Glad to get him back in the side. Gillett - 7 Terrific start to the game hussling and bustling and winning ball. Still some very poor passing but a much better display. Worked very hard. Lallana - 2 Very poor showing. Did nothing at all. I'm a big fan but he has to offer more to justify his place. Woeful long shot when he should be running at the defence. McGoldrick - 4 Started brightly but dissapeared and no complaints at being subbed. In his defence he got next to no service with Wotton, Seijs and Gillett all happy to boot it absolutely anywhere. Saga - (10 for goalscoring 2 for all round game) Gave the ball away cheaply almost every single time he recieved it apart from the two crucial moments where he took his goals wonderfully. Tremendous second goal that only he (at the club) would have scored. He actually played a lot better against Donny IMO, but of course goals make MOTM performances in many peoples eyes. Great to have a goalscorer in form and great to be playing two up front. Euell 6 Totally comitted display. McClaggon - 2 Never got up to the pace of the game, never got the ball under, made the wrong runs and didn't work hard enough. Very dissapointed but coming on as a sub isn't always easy.

I think David Pleat was having a final look at Surman today with a view to a bid. Forrest were rumoured to have tried to get fellow left sided player Gary McSheffrey on loan with Anderson out for a while and Surman would fit their needs. I might be wrong of course as Forrest are also looking for a striker and perhaps were giving Saga or Scotland the once over.

agreed.

nicely done.

I think dillusional is the popular reponse to that sort of post (whether it is the correct term to use or not) I'd of thought you'd struggle to find many (perhaps any) supporters that rate Smith and are happy having him in the side.

likewise. He looked a far better prospect than James yet it was James that got that extra time needed to improve. Skacel did pretty well when he came in but only his heading appeared to be better than what Mills served up. IMO what MIlls needs is games and lots of them. If he had got the game James has had I would suggest he would be flying by now.

yep, Chemistry.

I thought he was pretty much available on a free now isn't he?

I wonder how bad he is going to have to play before Mills gets another chance? Just out of interest who would play right back if James got injured?

it was, the player didn't want to take a cut in wages and we didn't want to subsidise them.

according to his agent he had an option to stay at Hertha but he chose to come back. Some how I doubt that is the truth. In terms of transfers I am dissapointed we didn't sign Wayne Brown. Leicester just taken him on loan, he would have bene perfect for us - another big tough ball winning CB would have been just the job IMO especially considering Molyneux's lack of height.

according to his agent Pavel Zika, he had the option to stay at Hertha Berlin but chose to return to us. Not sure a football agents word is gospel though.

Molyneux could become a Saints great in years to come - who knows. Skacel will never be that now.