The Kraken

This is the first time I've heard it and whether it's true I don't know, so we're debating something all based on an assumption. But they could be being sent home as they're not in the travelling squad for the next game, therefore don't need to be in a meeting to talk about specific tactics. Who knows? But they'd get their chance like any other player would do, as I said that approach to training is implemented by most if not all professional clubs, and they seem to get by just fine with it.

Fair enough point in itself Wade; though in this case we're being told that results weren't the main issue for the sacking, it was more to do with the division between the first team and development squad. Which fits in with the quotes attributed to the first team player. I find it strange that Rupert Lowe was castigated (and rightly so IMO) if he was seen as stepping on the toes of the management of the first team, yet Clotese is seemingly immune from this accusation as he saved the club and has mapped out a blueprint for our future.

I've been to see training a few times at Staplewood, before AP and after; it's often completely unproductive to have the whole squad training together (too many numbers) so they are split into first team and reserves. Nothing at all sinister in that, I'm sure it happens at many if not all clubs. And it's up to the manager and his coaches to decide how he conducts training, as that's what he's paid for. Not the chairman.

I'm alot more worried about the quotes attributed to a first team player. One first-teamer, who asked not to be named, said: "The chairman told us he felt the club had become too divided. "He said he was concerned that some players were not getting a chance and he wanted all the squad to feel part of the club, not just from one to 11 but from one to 30." That strikes me as Clotese interfering with team affairs, which is a massively dangerous route for a club chairman to start going down.

Cortese has never been onside with Pardew so this was bound to happen at some point. The timing is appalling but at least we have plenty of time left in the season for the new man to get his feet under the table. Cortese appointed Pardew on a recommendation in an effort to appoint a manager very quickly, so perhaps never considered him as "his" appointment. Now he has everything in place at the club with regards to the structure, AP clearly didn't fit in with the way Cortese wanted the whole club to be run. I simply can't believe that we don't have someone already lined up to step in; perhaps it won't be announced for a few days but I'd absolutely expect the new management and coaching team to be in place by the weekend.

Indeed.

This is exactly how I see it. The club statement alluded to that fact that the first team and development centre need to be more integrated so I can only see a young manager coming in who'll buy into that. I can see the manager only having a small role in future transfers etc so I can't see a more established manager wanting a part of that. I don't think Zola would be good for us, but I really think that's who we'll get.

I think 3 points today are absolutely vital for AP to stay in position; I could very easily see a defeat meaning the end of his tenure. So for that alone I'm doubly hoping we can put in a performance today and put some points on the table.

I think you're right about the first two, not sure about number three though. Edit to say: I agree If that happens.

My opinion is that you're bleating about someone pointing out that we're in the same league as Rochdale. They weren't for one minute saying that our club was the same as their's, simply that we're in the same league as them. You, however, seemed to twist that to say that we aspire to be in the same class as Rochdale, which clearly wasn't what was being inferred. And I credit you with enough wisdom to have known that in the first place, hence the childish moniker I ascribed you.

Stop being such a drama queen. He's pointing out that, as a club, it's no good resting on past glories or where you think your club should be. Right now we're in the third tier of English football, and so are Rochdale. It's up to the club to sort out that imbalance, but until that happens we can only "carry on and be like Rochdale" as, for now, they are our competitors. No amount of complaining how unfair it all is, and how we're above all that, is going to change it.

Rudi Skacel has signed for Saints.

Good news. But I wonder whether he'll actually start; I guess it depends on his fitness and what AP has seen from him in training. If he is fit, might make sense to start with him in a 451, with Barney available to come on for 2 up top if required.

And there you have a massively simplified analysis of the problem. Firstly, because no-one actually has any idea whatsoever of how high in the negotiations Cortese was prepared to, or did, go. Secondly, because it assumes that it's Antonio or nothing; tick tock, but there's still time to spend said amount on another player who could well have as much as or more impact as Antonio. And thirdly, because it identifies one position (and an impact player position at that) as the dividing factor between our poor form now and the guarantee of promotion.

Very good point FC. I think there's a few reasons why we tend to knock it long so often, particularly from Davis. First of all, while we'd like to see the ball played on the deck all the time, as you point out we are at a completely different level to Germany and will always be much more reliant on the safety-first, don't make a mistake approach. That however often leads to an over-reliance on the long ball, which is where the trade-off needs to be found. But secondly, when you have someone like Lambert who will win much more than his fair share of high balls (which are often in a dangerous attacking area) you kind of begin to repeat where you've previously found success. Not since Beattie have I seen us have such a reliable outlet for winning or bringing down the long ball, so it's inevitable we will try to reproduce what has consistently worked before.

Great point. Suggestions of paying £1M for someone who can't get into a mid-level Championship side are misguided IMO. Puncheon cost siginficantly less than that and was in the League 1 team of the season. OK, with Antonio you may get more of a player for the future, but we need a player for the now. Now isn't the time to be investing for the future, it's for finding a player who can come in and do a job at this level right now. Antonio still has plenty fo developing to achieve before I'd consider him a genuine starter for us in this league anyway, he had too many average/poor performances intermingled with good ones last season for my eyes.

If I had to guess, I'd agree. It would be akin to us loaning out young Chamberlayne and agreeing with the loan club that they could buy him after a year. Or like Man U letting Beckham go on loan to Preston with an option to buy. Or Rio Ferdinand to Bournemouth. Or Jermaine Defoe to Bournemouth. Or......

2 wrongs make a right then? Says alot about you. Carry on, you're clearly not worth engaging with.

We haven't assumed anything. We just haven't pre-judged the club over something we don't know about, which is what you did.

Or maybe we did. Neither of us have any idea, yet you have decide that it was definitely the club to blame.

Why bring facts into the equation when you can snipe away with baseless accusations?

Here's my Palace supporting mate's withering assessment of Alan Lee, when I suggested he'll probably score against Saints.... "You're bad if he does. I'm absolutely delighted he's gone. £300K in the coffers (should pay for David's wages!). The crazy fools offered him a 3 year contract on more than he was getting at Palace. He's 32 and sh1te for God's sake!"

I know what type of player he is, I've seen him many times. Which is why I say there would be no point in us going for him, he wouldn't start for us and would just be a backup for Lambert, and being as he's been playing in the Championship I would assume he's looking only for first team football at this level so with that in mind any approach from us would be a non-starter anyway.

He'll score some goals at this level but will probably be on a fair whack. And I'd speculate that, having come down from the Championship, he will expect to start every game which isn't going to happen with us. My Palace supporting mates are absolutely delighted to be rid of him as they think he's thoroughly useless. I know it's one division up, but he's consistently scored less than 10 goals a season at that level so I don't think we're missing out.

I got the impression that the fact he wasn't as good as some of our other players was an issue.