VectisSaint

Andy Townsend. Must be right if that tit says so.

More importantly it was also the game where Ronald changed the system to have 3 CBs, a tactical change that he eventually had to make to arrest the slide. The change was a great success but did not endear Koeman to the powers that be.

Absolutely certain it wasn't given that Pardew was manager at the time.

He's also given up playing football and is now singing/playing in a band.

Luke Shaw. Great win tonight, frustrating it wasn't more when it so easily could have been.

Not a problem at all, they show themselves to be tw_ats (as opposed to making someone look like) far more often as most sensible people on here recognise.

Excellent the sooner you are gone the better. Don't forget to take the king of wit and wisdom, the self proclaimed intelligentsia, Whelk, with you. Welcome back Bearsy.

Think its been obvious for a while, because it means both Fonte and Les can be seen as being truthful. He has almost certainly had 2 offers. One was a pay rise and the second was an extension (it could have been the other way round that's not important). But he hasn't been offered both together. Man U were certainly after him in the Summer, but they aren't now, and that's why Fonte has probably shot himself in the foot. Don't think he would go to Palace (or anyone else outside the Top 6 in England), and China seems to be a disappearing destination. Unless Benfica are prepared to take him (or Porto or Sporting) I think he may well still be here on 1st Feb with some egg on his face.

Can't decide from Claude's comments whether he had an operation or whether there was a problem with how his knee operates. Trouble with Franglais. 3 weeks, strange that's the time roughly till Morocco's last group game. Wish someone would help Claude out with the Transfer Mercator thing.

It is a lame excuse because it was known before the season started and Puel was appointed. The Conte situation is not comparable, Chelsea knew (and crucially understood) exactly what fixtures they had and realised that he had the time to coach his methods. But dear old Les brought in a coach that wanted to introduce different methods knowing full well that he would not have the time to do that coaching (allegedly). If this is genuinely the case (and I don't believe it anyway) it just shows poor judgement on Les' behalf. Is any one debating the fact Puel has not had as much time to coach as other managers? I'm certainly not, simply that it was known before the season started. If lack of coaching time was a serious factor then it was a mistake to bring someone in who needed to do that in a season when we knew we would not have that luxury. I don't believe it is/was such a critical factor and so using it now is just a lame excuse.

Its a well-trodden path to declare an injury before AFCON starts to avoid playing. Presumably he was "injured" during our last game (a knock or something). Assuming that the "injury" is not too serious he will be back available to us at least as soon as he would if he had played in the tournament (and potentially been injured). Would expect him to be available after 24 Jan when Morocco's third group game is completed, might be available for the LC SF 2nd leg, more likely Swansea.

Don't have much to say about the performance, but a draw is worst possible scenario. We now have a guaranteed 8 games in 28 days (including today), which will increase to 9 if we win the replay. The rotation will continue apace, with no possibility of a settled team, this will be the busiest schedule so far this season. No coaching from Puel will be possible, only recovery sessions (if we are to believe Les Reed). the likelihood of this dour spell of football continuing has now been increased (that's not a statement that I think it will happen by the way, just a 'what if' scenario for the hard of thinking such as Fry). On another note (because I have no posts left) see that Dom Gape signed for Wycombe on a permanent today. Also that the U18s followed on the club-wide trend of not winning, following on from the u23s yesterday. The club really is a bit of a downer at the moment, something needs to change soon.

Didn't Les look at the fixtures before appointing Puel? Apart from possibly 2 extra LC games (if we had lost in the 3rd round) there have been no unexpected games this season.If Les expected Puel to have to do a lot of coaching for his new method then he was a bit of a **** appointing him knowing the fixture congestion we have. This "no time for coaching" stuff is just a lame excuse for our poor play and results.

He is 32 already. What constitutes "early 30s" in your (rather odd) mind? Really don't know what this thread is about in terms of debate, VvD has already been promised the captaincy, it is probably part of the contract upgrade he signed in the summer. That's why he has been captain on many occasions this season. Steven Davis is backup, but its possible he was a bit disgruntled by VvD's appointment as he was clearly next in line prior to this season. The only other potential skipper material we have at the moment is Romeu.

Chinese not affected by FFP of course, but their spending is about to be reigned in apparently: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38524429

He is not cup-tied. He was on the bench in some of our home games as well, it makes no difference, only cup-tied if he actually plays. All part of the game we have been playing since the Summer, its been so obvious that Jose has wanted out. It beggars belief that some seem shocked now. Of course the cup-tied bit became a little less important as the season went on when it looked like ManU would be out as well but they are still in though Mourinho doesn't seem that interested in the EL or Fonte any more for that matter. May be he has since been sounded out by Chelsea, Man City or Arsenal though (personally doubt any of them would want or need him but stranger things have happened). Think its possible that Fonte may have missed the boat and now might find himself hung out to dry unless he has an offer from China or Benfica (if the former he better hope they don't impose the crackdown on spending they have threatened on Chinese clubs).

Out of interest can you point us to the accounts for the last 18 months that would show otherwise. Please stop with your tedious dismissal of posts about finances and understand that there are no accounts available sine 2015.

I can't help thinking you may be taking what Shane said rather literally. Shane: "Ah, Christ on a bike, he's the dogs ********, so he is, to be sure, a right craic."

Apart from the 3 seasons when they didn't.

**** me you continue to be pathetic who cannot deal with speculation and what if scenarios. Why you continue to highlight what a thick s**t you are God only knows.

Sacked after letting a one goal lead slip against WBA. Imagine if he had done the same against Spurs and lost by 3 against Everton.

Indeed, another month and we could be entering into that scenario, assuming we exit the EFL and FA Cup. Meanwhile 7 games (at least) in the 28 days that follow Norwich means we will be playing twice a week until early February at least. At least as often if not more than we did when we were still in the EL. By February we could be well and truly buggered.

But how can this be, apparently we are so much better off than this time last year and in the SF of the EFL Cup. At least that's what I keep reading by the happy clappers. Good post, and sums it all up well. Last season we were dire, until Koeman eventually took the bull by the horns, ripped up the rule book (aka agreement with Les Reed about how to play) and changed our formation to go 3 at the back and consequently turned things around. Just can't see Claude doing something radical in the same way and risking upsetting Uncle Les as Ronald did. The current Board don't have the balls to sack Puel, so we know that's not going to happen during the season (or even next) so they have to take some decisive action in terms of signings during January, but afraid to say that I don't think Read, Kat and Ralph have the bottle to do that either.

I agree with you, but from next week, we have 7 games in 28 days. Even that would mean losing against Norwich, a draw or a win and we could have 9 or even 10 games in that time, far busier schedule than anything the EL threw at us. Fixtures this season are total madness, screwed up by bloody Sky/BT.

No wonder we lost then. One speech from that man is enough to make anyone to fall asleep. Makes Puel sound, well interesting.