Lee On Solent Saint

Unfortunately with only a year left on his contract with us, his real market value will not be reflected in the offers that are made

Just caught some of the Villa-Leeds game earlier. Have to say I was pretty impressed with Targett and got me thinking whether, in hindsight we should have kept him and allowed Bertie to leave. Might be that he might just be going through a decent patch, but have to say he looks more athletic and more aggressive than I remember him being when he was here. At the moment, compared to Bertrand, think I would prefer Targett at the moment. If I'm being honest, I didn't expect to say that.

Not sure if I would be tempted to go with a back five for this one. I know it's not pretty to watch, but at this time for us, it's so important to not get beaten. Be defensive for at least 60-70 minutes, then if still in the game, the shackles can come off. Maybe drop of the press, let Everton have the possession and just try to engage in our own half.

We are struggling at the moment and it seems inconceivable that we won't limp over the line. For me the Sheffield United game is crucial. Lose that one and we deserve to go down.

I think this season has highlighted the shocking recruitment we had in the last 18 months or so of Reed and Kruger. 5 or 6 supposed first team players out on loan is simply unsustainable for a club our size. Factor into that Boufal and Carillo also just being able to leave, it really does become a shit show behind the scenes. This is why we have such a small squad, that are unable to cope with the injuries that we have had. The squad depth isn't there because we have filled it up with players that aren't good enough or have over inflated opinions of themselves. I know it's difficult to predict injuries etc, but the signing of Walcott was, in hindsight not a great move. It was pretty obvious that he was going to get injured at some stage in the season, a player relying on pace as he does would invariably do so at some stage considering his age too. Better to have used that loan space in an area where we were lacking. The same with Mini,when it was obvious we couldn't get a full back in, surely we should have looked at CM instead. I always thought that Ralplh's words about working with a small squad would come back to haunt us.

Could you imagine use bringing in Diego Costa when he was available? That would have been some sight. Pretty sure he would have tore our midfield to shreds if they didn't get the ball to him quickly enough!

Absolutely. If they don't sneak up though the play offs this year, then that team is going to be broken up. The likes of Brooks and Lerma will be off and they will be back to obscurity where they belong.

I can never understand why we don't utilise the loan market more than we do. Obviously we have used our quota for the season, but this is the first time I can actually remember us having two loan players in. Possible the scouting team have also been asked to check out players that are known to be on free transfers come July.

Am just annoyed we handed Newcastle three points the other week. Without those points they would be in the bottom three now. Would much rather see them go down than Fulham.

Not sure I can remember I game where both keepers have had so little to do.

We just can't retain the ball even for four or five passes

That game was my first experience of how cruel football could be!

Following a hugely lucky bounce of the ball around the penalty spot. Think it hit a pile of sand or something as legend goes! Smallest player on the pitch, KWP to head home the winner!

Think it's been said before, but am pretty sure that JWP only got the armband by default. Being the longest serving player does not make you captain material. It's a tough one to resolve, as the nature of our transfer policy dictates that we rarely sign players who are established. Not sure how the likes of Bertie etc would take to a young kid signing and then being made captain. Maybe that's what it needs, identify a leader in a position that we need improving and sign them.

Agree we will probably be safe this year, just next season is the major worry. We will probably have to cash in on JWP and Ings to improve on the areas that we are desperately lacking in, which will in turn leave as weaker in the midfield and attacking departments. After such a strong start it's looking increasingly likely that we will end up going backwards in terms of league position from last season. Reckon will we end up 15/16/17th.

No idea. Maybe we are just burnt out, maybe the VAR decisions have had an impact. Who knows, maybe it was the lockdown without football.

I don't think we have the mental toughness. Things go against us in games we just shrug our shoulders and accept it. Yes, the penalty to them this afternoon was another shit decision, but rather than use that as a motivation to spur you on, Bertie just kept muttering to himself. We need to get nasty, the least these players should be doing is using the bollocks calls to motivate them to attempt to turn things around. I'm not saying I agree with surrounding the ref and being in his ear all game, but sometimes it doesn't hurt to get like that

To be honest, at the moment neither McCarthy or Forster inspire too much confidence in me. It's quite strange though that after the last 9, Gunn was immediately dropped and hardly ever seen again, yet McCarthy continues in goal. Am not saying that Forster is any better than McCarthy, but I do think he needs to be dropped and Forster given another go. The goal today was really disappointing in the fact that McCarthy just stood where he was and made no attempt to close down or spread himself in anyway. I'm no keeper, but in teams I have played in, the keeper was always told to make himself big. It doesn't matter what part of the body you save the ball with. For me, Forster just seems to have a bigger presence between the sticks. He has done nothing wrong in the games he has played in this season.

We won't this year, not so sure about next season though. We have been incredibly lucky that the current bottom 3 are so shit. If we hadn't had had such a good run earlier in the season we might well have been looking over our shoulders. I think we will finish 16th/17th and that in itself is a huge disappointment.

Completely agree. JWP it seems to me got the gig by default. Being the longest serving player at a club does not make you captain material.

Yes the officials aren't helping us much, but it's another second half where we have been outplayed and out thought by an average team once again. Wolves didn't have to do much to force the change up. They just pressed us with more intensity and the wide players swopped positions.

No question we deserved to lose. No fight at all in that second half. You could see it straight away, Wolves upped the tempo and yet again we couldn't live with it.

We haven't won in the Premier League for the last five games I think. I want us to win for that reason, been stuck on 29 points for far too long now

That's a pretty bold statement by Ralph. What must FF think? Can't be too motivating for him.