SWLondon Saint

I sort of do, because the current Cameron Archer seems to have absolutely no confidence after last season's shitshow. Maybe a switch to 4-2-3-1 could free him up if Azaz / Scienza can supply him from the AM spots, but he absolutely cannot play the striker role in our current setup as his hold up play is crap.

I'd swap Azaz for Sesay, or Azaz as a false nine instead of Downs but otherwise that's what I'd go with since I don't think Aribo is getting a chance. Archer was completely invisible against Blackburn and Armstrong missed our best chances. Fellows deserves a shot in that position.

Think it's safe to assume he's talking about our 'core players' who are now on the brink of getting a 4th manager sacked in the last season and a half?

I'm not sure he particularly wants to - he's just being pragmatic. I thought after Blackburn - 1 point from 3 very winnable games - there was a high chance he'd get the boot. But as it didn't happen on Monday, every game of the next 3 is now a 'must win' for him to keep his job. Hopefully the club is lining up a replacement in the meantime, be bloody stupid if they weren't.

Come on, do you really think Rosenior is going to leave Strasbourg, in the top half of Ligue 1, part of the Chelsea group of clubs, to come to us?!? Realistically, any club is always going to look at who's out of work first.

Still may or may not be a decent manager - but I don't think he's got the chops for this job, right now. To be honest, that statement by Mads is bloody worrying - it sounds like things behind the scenes in the squad are toxic. Hard not to assume it's the senior players who've been dropped who are pissed off. A manager like Still does not have the experience or gravitas to tell them to f*** off - which they probably deserve, since they've all been utter shit for a good season and a half. As I said before, I've no idea why Lallana and any of the coaches from last season are still here either, the lot of them should have been binned off and that can't be helping. And what's with the complete disorganised crap that lead to Bragg coming on last week? That's on everyone at the club, not just the manager. Best case for me is if Still resigns - just say it was too big of a mess and too much for him and he'd come out with some credit from before. If he wants to stick it out he basically needs to win all 3 of our next games or he'll be sacked at the international break if not before. I don't think it's an easy job even with some quality players as the squad is unbalanced, so it needs someone with complete authority right now who can come in and bin off / play whoever he wants.

It really doesn't matter if we have 3 CB or 2, I'm pretty sure we had a back 4 against Hull and from what I (unfortunately) remember that was crabbier than a crab trawler full of crabs who've shat themselves. Always more about how you play and the players you have on the pitch.

They didn't win the ball with their press and then score from it at all! First one they had the ball in midfield, played a hopeful through ball that should be cut out 7/10 times and the remaining 3/10 goes straight through to the keeper. Second one they have the ball and are attacking, take a hopeful shot from outside the area (which we should do more of) and it takes 2 deflections and comes off the post. Third one Jander is under no real pressure, he just plays an absolute hospital pass to Wood. They weren't really pressing, they just sat in a low block. But instead of just letting teams do that, I think we should actually give them possession in places that suit us, like throw ins deep in their own half, as it disrupts their defensive shape as they have to try and clear it. Kick for the corners!

Archer - invisible except for his crap finish. THB - so negative with the ball, seemed to lose his rag completely 2nd half and asking to be sent off. Fraser - never ever looked even slightly like a threat going forward, targeted in the air, also super negative with ball.

Got to say, hats off to you and our other away fans, outsung their lot by some distance and deserved better. Players should have been on their knees in front of you lot apologizing for that shite!

I think where Still has been weak is managing the squad, and SR did him over in some areas: Still's fault: He clearly liked Sesay, Matsuki, Robinson in preseason and the first 2 have disappeared and Robinson has gone bit part when he was one of our better players in the first couple games. Roerslev came in, one good game at Norwich, one shit one at Hull and he's copped it. Fraser has been moved all over the place and looks lost. Stewart should never have played 3 games in a short time. Downs needs time in the U21s. I don't think an experienced manager would have allowed such a big squad. SR's fault: Extended Stephens and kept him as captain. Too many CBs in the squad, should have shipped some out. THB and Downes don't seem to want to be here. No GK or CF recruitment, Downs not ready for this level. Too many attacking midfielders, we should have bought a striker instead of Azaz or Fellows. Lallana should have gone after the debacle of last season, don't think having him around will have helped tbh. And that Carl geezer too.

I don't think he can be much worse than Archer today tbh who was basically invisible except for that terrible finish against the keeper, but my preference would be Azaz as a false 9.

I just don't see how we can play more direct with the 3 miniature amigos up front? Honestly for me I think we have to try Azaz as a false 9 or even Downs, Archer is just not working out as a central striker and Armstrong was completely anonymous as soon as he moved to the middle too.

Bloody hell that was depressing - 3 absolute giveaway goals by them, just ridiculous luck for the first 2 and then a shit pass for the third. Why don't we seem to get any lucky breaks? There's just a cloud of bad attitude and luck over the club and players. THB, and Downes when he plays, just seem to be in some kind of giant sulk, guaranteeing yellow cards. As soon as things go against us we just mentally flop. Manning and Fraser offer absolutely nothing on the flanks going forward. Jander and Charles were actually good except for Jander's brain fart bad pass for the 3rd. Archer might as well have not been on the pitch. Scienza a clear class above everyone on both sides. I think if we lose at Blackburn Still is gone, but I'm actually not sure sacking the manager solves the problem, we could easily get worse instead of better.

I just don't get why Fraser is on the pitch, he just gets totally dominated every time the ball is in the air near him and seems to have absolutely no attacking intent anymore. Has given the ball away a few times too, he's not great in tight quarters.

They will definitely double up or more on Scienza second half, big chance for someone else to step up here.

Bloody hell, can someone just shin it or chest it into the goal ffs. Scienza absolute mustard, they know he can beat any of them on the deck and are bricking themselves every time he's on the ball.

Honestly I don't get why people get in such a flap about the formation, it's always a question of how you play more than 'formation' these days. 3-4-3 putting the WB on their full back can be very attacking. 4 at the back with 2 CBs marking 1 central striker can be very negative.

Another way to look at it is if we win and QPR beat Millwall, we'll go from 17th to 7th before the 3pm games. That's how tight the league is.

Just read it here: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/oct/06/rugby-union-lewis-moody-england-diagnosis-motor-neurone-disease Didn't realise he was Lewis Moody's kid! Hope he's OK, in an ideal world Lewis gets to see him make a first team debut with us before the MND takes too much from him.

Still has to realise Manning and Fraser cannot play as our wing backs in this formation. They offer absolutely no progression or threat to take people on and always turn back. Also, they should be pressing up on the full back, not standing in space 30y back. Against Norwich when Roerslev was at WB he was right up on the fullback which is where he should be, Fellows did that too the last couple of games. Having those 2 on makes it impossible to play out unless you're hitting a forward from the back line which only happens if Stewart is playing. I appreciate Fraser puts in a shift and actually defends better than Manning but hopefully we never see him in that position again.

As soon as Stewart went off, we went to pieces, up to that point we looked so much better going forward, I thought this was where the season was getting started. Scienza also has to play, without him we looked so pedestrian. Azaz had a couple of moments, good pass to Fellows at the end but need more from both of them. Armstrong should never ever play in the centre again, he has no presence and he is terrible on the ball in the middle, no idea how to play all the little flicks and chest downs. Well taken goal though. Downs invisible, should be in the reserves not in the 1st team. Scienza-Archer-Armstrong would have been better 1st half. We have big problems stopping crosses especially from the left. I think Jelert or Fraser should be playing.

Scienza impressive, can't believe Stewart really is made of glass, but should have rested him, and Manning you twat. Fucking amateur hour, arguing with the ref instead of defending.

Yes Quarshie was at fault yesterday for their goal but he was excellent against both Liverpool and Boro. He's 20 and relatively inexperienced, he is going to make mistakes. He has to realize at this level players are technical enough you can't just lunge in and nick it, they will go past you - but when they try to push it past to open up space to shoot, that's when he can use his speed and power to get the ball. He did that against Ekitike and Isak, just needs to treat every opponent like that. But if he was getting all that right already, we would never have got him, he'd have been £15M+ and gone straight to B'muff or somewhere in the Prem. He has the potential to be an absolute beast, unfortunately there's also a learning curve and he's on it with us. Keep him in, I think he's learning and building a partnership with Wood.

Dodgy pen but fuck me that's a terrible miss from AA. - Quarshie has got to be more sensible and not dive in there on their goal. Just no need to, wait for help. - Manning needs to come off, apart from that last long ball he offered so little over there. Get Jelert on. - Fellows the main attacking threat. There's just not enough movement from Stewart and AA. Azaz has picked the ball up nicely quite a few times but not enough movement around him. - Very cagey game overall, they're clearly set up to counter us and force us to have the ball at the back. One of the defenders probably needs to step into midfield to make the extra man.