verlaine1979

Did we create any chances of note other than Long's header over the bar, and the goal (which was an absolute gift from Baba)? I thought we looked comfortable at the back in the first half, but disjointed in attack throughout, which worsened when Pelle came on. Lots of hopeful crosses, not a lot of quality. Davis had two bright moments in attack, but was a complete liability in possession. Once Willian and Hazard started getting on the ball in the second half, they pretty much battered us for 40 minutes.

Yeah, the flicks are a bit of a joke at this point. It's probably getting on for a year since one of them even ended up with us retaining possession, let alone resulted in us slicing open the opposition defence.

Davis giving one of his non-performances. Bring on JWP for the additional set-piece threat?

Not sure mobility is the main issue with Pelle. He's been in position to see plenty of the ball over the last two games, but almost nothing has stuck to him. His first touch has either been technically poor, allowing his CB to nip round the side and snatch it away, or he has deliberately attempted an incredibly low-margin flick which he either muffs or which doesn't find one of our players. The latter is something he's been guilty of the whole time he's been here, but of more concern is the fact that he now seems to regularly get bullied in absolutely straightforward hold-up situations.

He seemed to be attempting yet another first-time flick. When was the last time one of those paid off? I remember one during the first couple of games of last season (did Schneiderlin score it maybe?), but since then his insistence on trying to be a one-touch target man invariable seems to end in us surrendering possession.

I hope this Davis at RWB experiment doesn't last beyond half time. On this evidence Cedric would offer more both in defence and attack.

I watched it again on the off-chance that I'd missed something, but you're wrong. As Wanyama's legs slide between Payet's legs, the studs of both boots are clearly visible (if you want to check for yourself, it's the second slow-mo angle on MOTD). Doesn't really matter whether the challenge was ill-intentioned or just poorly executed, if you end up with both legs outstretched and you so much as clip the other player, 9 times out of 10 you're going to get sent off for dangerous play.

Watching it on the stream, I didn't think Wanyama deserved more than a yellow, but seeing replays, the studs of both boots are showing as he follows through on the tackle. You don't have to actually break someone's ankle for it to be classified as dangerous play, and he deserved to go. Byram should've gone too, but was fortunate insofar as neither he nor Bertrand went to ground, making the whole incident look a bit less serious than VW sliding for a couple of yards with both feet off the deck.

Some great individual performances, but didn't think the performance was that good, except insofar as resisting a battering is always good on some level. Last 25 mins of the first half and up to the sending off in the second, we were under the cosh. Lovely to see Yoshida get a goal, but in possession his instinct is always to go long or go back to the keeper, which invites pressure as often as not. Pelle also hugely off the pace. Still, a win, so who cares?

Most annoying this was it all came about because of a ball that he should've controlled easily, and which would've given us a real attacking opportunity with a simple pass.

This really isn't any different to how he's played since about September.

But for two world-class saves they'd be 2-0 up.

Final ball pretty rubbish. Has the look of a pretty even game that will probably break Arsenal's way in the end due to more efficient finishing.

Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?

That was the rumour bandied about at the time, though I'm not convinced Liverpool were actively pursuing his signature. When we went up against them for Coutinho, it was pretty clear from the off that we had no chance.

Nobody is really contesting that he hasn't provided a good return on investment for the club. All I'm querying is why you're blaming him for it? As far as I can see, he has a contract, the club have never complained about his conduct - either directly, or by leaking stories - and both parties are honoring their agreement. Isn't that a good thing? Isn't that what everyone bleats on about whenever a player tries to force a move away? Basically, you have to choose: you can either whine about players who don't honor their contracts by trying to leave, or you can whine about players you want gone who elect to stay - but it's hypocrisy to do both.

Clearly the answer is that Saints should lead the way by insisting all players move to zero hour contracts - it's the only way to ensure that we don't end up with a squad full of reprobate spongers.

Me too. I wish that instead of signing for us, he'd used his powers of clairvoyance and looked a couple of years into the future, seen that he wouldn't be able to pin down a first team place, and then done the right thing by refusing the move. What he's doing by turning up for work, training and then not getting picked for the match day squad is basically immoral.

Davis has been excellent this game

Long, Davis, Targett & Mane providing loads of movement and interchange today. Great to see.

Two things made me speak up about Davis. Firstly, when everyone in the entire world starts describing him as the most underrated player in the league, the whole invisible underdog thing gets a bit ridiculous, especially as he's underrated primarily because he never scores and rarely produces assists. Secondly, around this time last year he began losing the ball far more than he ever had before (the City home game in Nov was the start of it I think). This sloppiness in possession continues unabated (recent examples include against Spurs and Palace, leading to goals in both instances). When the creative weakness of your most attacking central midfielder is mainly excused because of his work rate and defensive capabilities, regularly giving up goal scoring opportunities to the opposition seems like it would be a problem for most, but there's a blind spot where this player is concerned. On a personal note, the fact that he mainly loses the ball while turning to face his own goal in search of a more conservative backwards pass is just the crowning irritation. If you're going to give it away, at least be trying to do something with it rather than just being caught while passing responsibility on to someone else.

Nah, thought he did okay (as I've said before when his performances haven't been sub-par). He didn't give the ball away stupidly as he did against Spurs and Palace (only the most recent examples), and he even broke beyond the strikers a couple of times, which he doesn't do anything like often enough for an attacking midfielder. All in all, a perfectly competent performance, though others (Romeu in particular) shone brighter last night. Contrary to the childish imaginings of some on this board, there's no vendetta. I just think that 9 times out of 10, he trudges through games without ever really making a decisive attacking contribution, which I find unacceptable for someone who is meant to be the creative fulcrum of a side aspiring to the top six.

Somebody has been doing extra crossing practice.

I never went away. Oddly enough, you're the one who only ever seems to appear when Davis' name is taken in vain...

Blimey, just seen the highlights - first goal was 100% down to Davis' failure of composure and technique. All he was trying to do was play a very simple wall pass back to Yoshida under a modicum of pressure, but he messed it up completely and managed to put Puncheon through on goal from inside the Crystal Palace half! (As others have noted, pretty much a carbon copy of his mistake against Spurs a few games ago). I think it's almost a certainty that had any other player in the squad made that same error, there would be threads calling for a lynching, but once again our plucky midfield general gets a mystifying pass.