SNSUN

I'm fully expecting relegation until we sack Pellegrino, so on a Saturday night lull at work yesterday, I've been working out what our squad could look like in the Championship next season. You know what, it's not actually too bad and with a few incomings we stand a chance of bouncing back up! At the very least we could linger around the play-offs like Aston Villa have. I think, unlike 2005, we have a much stronger foundation, are stronger financially and have a better core group of players, and are more likely to bounce back up than we were back then. Of course cluster**** after cluster**** is still a possibility and we could do a Blackburn, but I just can't see it. The biggest downside would be missing out on the Premier League TV money from next season, and of course not attracting the better class of players to the club. Let's start with saleable assets, the players we are likely to lose because clubs will pounce on us like vultures: Cedric, Hoedt, Lemina, Boufal, Gabbiadini, Bertrand, Tadic and Redmond. Of those, I reckon we are likely to still have Hoedt and Redmond; Hoedt because he's not been a staple for us this season thus far, and Redmond because, well, no-one will want him! (Although as we proved, there was someone that wanted him from Norwich...) I also think there is a question mark over whether we'd still have Tadic or not, but I think he'd have a right grump on next season in the Championship, so I'm selling him if a decent offer comes in. Question marks also over Romeu, Hojbjerg, JWP, Stephens and Austin, but I think we'd keep those 5 otherwise we might as well build a new team up from scratch. That leaves the squad looking like: GK: Forster/McCarthy/Lewis The dream is that someone comes in for Forster and we can make money for him, use McCarthy in the Championship with Lewis as back up, with the extra spot opened up for a top keeper if we make it back to the Premier League. However I don't see it, and for the Championship at least, our goalkeeper choices are very strong. Release Taylor. RB: Valery Right back is where we'll need major surgery. Pied will be released IMO, leaving young Valery as the only potential inclusion as a back up right back. We'd need a first choice. LB: McQueen, Targett. I'd expect Targett will become first choice left back in the Championship, but would largely rotate with McQueen depending on opposition. It's another position that would need strengthening if we made it back to the Prem, but for the Championship those two would be decent. CB: Yoshida, Hoedt, Stephens, Bednarek. Are those four enough? Could another youth teamer come in? I can't see Gardos staying (although ironically he could probably do a decent job in the Championship fitness pending). Question marks over the saleability of both Hoedt and Stephens - keep both and I'd say we don't need another centre back - lose one or both and we definitely need strengthening here. DM: Romeu, Hojbjerg, Clasie, JWP, Davis, Reed I think we're fairly strong here in Championship terms, even if we don't bring Clasie back, who some may say is too lightweight for the rough and tumble of the Championship - but it depends if anyone wants him, he still has two years left on his contract. Romeu, JWP and Hojbjerg are all possible saleable assets as I said, but we need to keep those three IMO for the Championship, as they'd be a good nucleus for a side looking to get back into the Premier League at the first attempt. Reed will have a season of experience in the Championship behind him, where he's largely been first choice and done well up until his recent injury. Davis? Well he'll still be here, the experienced captain, and he'll still have something to offer us next season. Attacking midfield: Redmond, Sims, Hesketh OK, major surgery needed here, more so if someone actually wants Redmond. Will Tadic or Boufal stay? I can't see it. It's our attack that will need to be drastically worked on next season - something that of course can be said about our attack this season...a recurring theme. Strikers: Austin, Long, Gallagher, Olumola, Seager. Ok, one of the youngsters will possibly be loaned out/released, and somebody may take a punt on Austin, although I think he'll stay put, so there is some talent there for Championship level. That creates a possible 4-3-2-1 of: ------------Forster------- New RB Stephens Hoedt Targett ----JWP---Hojbjerg----Romeu--- -------New AM ---Redmond--------- ------------Austin------------- With a back up 4-3-2-1 of: ----------McCarthy------------ Valery---Yoshida---Bednarek-----McQueen ------Davis---Reed-----Clasie------- -------Sims-----------Hesketh--------- ---------------Long---------------- Anyway this is just my thoughts about what the team could look like. It’s largely dependent on who the vultures fancy, then of course who we are able to sign at Championship level.

It’s a change of manager we need more. 3 of our most expensive (and talented) players started on the bench today in favour of workhorses. Even if we sign more expensive players, under the current manager they’ll only end up on the bench anyway. Sack the manager, and I mean now, and bring in the new manager this week (anyone could do a better job surely) and give the new man the money to spend. (His players, not Reed’s or the Black box’s.)

He's out of his depth and he needs to go. That's not even a decent away point seeing as we were two goals to the good. I told my mate at half time it'd finish 2-2 and I wish I'd had money on it. 15 games left this season and we are 1 point (as it stands) off the relegation zone, we could very well be in the relegation zone at the end of this weekend's fixtures. Unless a change is made, and soon, the only way I can see us escaping relegation is 3 teams being crapper than we are. Pellegrino out this week please.

Best result, win and Pellegrino goes. I'm at work and only following this thread and the BBC updates but even I'm on the edge of my seat. A Watford goal seems almost inevitable - and we shouldn't be feeling like this. Whatever the result I still want Pellegrino gone. Even Jan Poortvliet could manage this team into 5 wins in 23 games... :-)

I’ve been checking up on a couple of links from past windows TCDAJFU. Sebastian Haller has got a better than 1 goal in 2 games scoring rate for Eintracht Frankfurt since he joined in the summer, specialising in late goals apparently, including the Bundesliga goal of 2017 for this scissor kick. (Although would have probably been disallowed in this country!) https://igeeksoccer.com/sebastian-haller-wins-bundesliga-goal-of-the-year-video/ Wylan Cyprien that we were linked heavily with from Nice in Puel’s reign has now fully regained fitness since a bad injury, and apparently changed the game when he came on in the cup against Monaco the other night. (Although Nice still lost.) Not that we stand a chance of either but both would improve us.

Iheanacho. He’d rip up the Championship next season. I’d rather neither for that money, but Walcott would give us more in a relegation battle than Hernandez.

Play all the most expensive players in each position every week until the end of the season. That way if we go down, nobody will want them and we will be super strong in the Championship. That’s Forster, Cédric, Yoshida, Hoedt, Bertrand, Hojbjerg, Lemina, Redmond, Boufal, Gabbiadini, Long. Or something along those lines! Stat of the day... Gardos is our second most expensive centre back at the club. But including him in the above line up would be stupidity! Lose to Watford and we’re in deep plop. I had £20 on 18-1 in November. I really hope i lose it!

A win is a win and we're into the next round of the cup, but we're not going to win the thing this season, and with the predicament we're in in the league, we could really do without it. Still, no replay will help and every fibre of my being wants this win to give the players confidence, but I thought that after the Everton game and nothing changed. Fulham were crap, let's be straight here. They misplaced so many passes, smashed shots high into the stands, they were a shambles, and my Fulham supporting mate that I was with said that's the worst he'd seen them in ages. It makes a change for us to be the better team on the pitch. That was my first visit to Craven Cottage, and I liked it, a nice walk from the Tube station, friendly staff. I had a burger from that Veterans place at the start of the park, that was a cracking burger. We also had ample room in the neutral blocks, it was far from a sell out. Saints fans though, huge applause for you lot, I don't think you stopped all game and I could barely hear the Fulham fans. Hoj should have scored, and I celebrated Stephens crossbar hit as a goal, but the JWP goal aside I don't remember much goal action for us - although Gabbiadini's miss at the end came from some decent play by Lemina and I think a sharper Gabbi would have buried that. My MOTM was Hojbjerg and even I was surprised he came off. (Maybe I shouldn't be surprised by it considering who our manager is...) I also think Romeu and Davis had decent games, and Long worked his ******** off. Honourable mention to Bednarek too who kept Sessegnon quiet in an unfamiliar position. Watford next, and another must win...

I said we should give Puel one more season, so he's had time to get used to the feel of the place, the squad, he can see what weaknesses we have and correct them. Yes the football was poor but that's why you sign players with an X Factor, and don't forget he had Boufal that wasn't fit at the start of the season, lost Chaz to injury and lost VVD to injury too. OK, he was wrong to label Redmond as the next messiah, but he got a lot more out of him than Pellegrino has done this season. With Puel it was a case of better the devil you know than the devil you don't. Not to mention he got us 8th and a cup final - yes playing dull football at the end of the season, but outside the top 6, there aren't many that can boast beautiful football. I support our managers, perhaps longer than I should, but with Pellegrino, it's already perfectly clear that he has little idea. Odd line ups that are rotated for very little reason, odd subs, sitting on one goal leads, dropping players (like Hoj) after they've had a great game... etc. OK, he appears to have been brave dropping Forster, but even that happened weeks after it should have. He needs to go before the damage is irreversible, because at the moment we are heading for relegation without a fight. The stats are thus: We have won 4 games all season in the league against clubs that were shyte, and 3 of those are now above us and doing better under new managers. If anyone wants to support him, fair play, you've got bigger cahones than me, but personally he's shown already how poor a manager he is. I wanted us to beat Palace and go on a run, but we didn't even do that. I'd take Hughes, I'd take Bilic, I'd even have Koeman back. In fact it's got to the point where I'd take almost anyone else, because the jolt from Pellegrino's sacking would give the players a kick up the arse and/or a new lease of life. Reed and co need to act, and act fast.

Despite working Nights all week (I finish in half an hour), I'll be there today with little sleep and tons of adrenaline. My mate is a Fulham fan so him, me, my wife and his girlfriend (who has never been to a football match before) will be sat in the neutral block, as she bought tickets for him for Christmas. I fully expect us to lose this - Fulham aren't a bad side (3rd in the Championship form table) and we're 20th in the Premier League form table for a reason. If it gets Pellegrino the sack, I'm all for a loss as it's in a campaign we don't particularly need in our season. It'll be another mix and match team IMO. Something like: Forster Pied Stephens Yoshida Targett Lemina Romeu Redmond Davis Tadic Gabbiadini ...though trying to predict the line up with our manager in charge is nigh on impossible.

The only stat that really matters to us this season is points in the league - and we need more (or a better goal difference) than 3 other clubs, simple as that. It sucks to be thinking about a relegation battle but that's what we're in. The worrying thing this season is that nobody is being left behind. Normally there's one turd of a club that's left behind looking to reach double figures - this season there isn't and so every point is precious, something we didn't get against Palace, and something West Ham did get tonight (and wonderstrike aside, they nearly got all 3.)

I think Rugby is more his game, he plays better with a hooker. One thing is for sure, we don't need youngsters, we need players that can come in and make an immediate impact. One look at the table shows that for the first time since promotion, we are in dire straits, and despite having a decent set of players, we need new ones to boost confidence. Walcott is a must for starters.

Form be damned, I can see a win for us tonight. Improved performance against United for confidence, home tie, fresh new year, and while Palace have improved since the start of the season, they're still beatable. Long will score too. Quite simply, a six pointer but if we don't get all three points, then Pellegrino has to go. Has to. One of the only teams we can do the double over this season. I envisage a 3-1 thriller.

United to win and more than 4 goals in the match seems like free money. A win would be the biggest surprise since Martina's wonderful wondergoal against Arsenal in the 4-0 drubbing.

I will vote at the end of January. If he's sacked the manager, appointed a good manager in his place, and signed 3 or 4 good players to give us a fighting chance in the league, he can stay; otherwise... out.

Flog Bertrand for big money, Forster, Long and Davis too while they still have some value. Gardos can **** off, loan out Bednarek and McQueen. Sack Pellegrino. Appoint Rodgers. Sign Tierney to replace Bertrand, Armstrong to replace Davis and Dembele to replace Long, even if it costs us a ton of cash. Celtic always bow down to us anyway. Also bring in Lascelles (to replace VVD) and Ziyech, with an attacking winger type like Cyprien brought in for the X Factor. Forster can be replaced by Butland. Perfect fantasy window. I can dream...

None of these up and coming managers fills me with confidence, this is not the job currently for someone to try their hand at the big league. We are looking over our shoulder at the relegation zone, with a squad full of decent players but with big egos. We need an experienced manager, preferably a big name or someone respected, maybe even someone with Premier League experience, that can whip this team into shape. My first choice is Rodgers. He can coach, he's been at big clubs, and he's turned Celtic into a strong team. I just think he fits. The question with him would be getting him... I think he'd be reluctant to leave Celtic. After that it gets tougher, I would have Koeman back but be wouldn't be a popular choice. After that it's slim pickings. Personally I think we'll have Pellegrino longer than we all think, and that worries me.

This. Just found out about it as been asleep since finishing work at 3. In the summer I said I'd sell to anyone if we got £70 million plus, as it shows we won't be bullied. We've got more than we wanted. Liverpool have paid a premium to get a player that's rarely had a good game in a year, and I'm pleased. Yes it smacks of Alan Shearer/record transfer syndrome, but we do need to invest in the team and this will help. Of course I'd have preferred it weren't to Liverpool but at least they put their money where their mouth is. Virgil throwing his toys out the pram in the summer is everything that's wrong with the game, but we made an admirable stand in the summer and kept him. Was it the wrong decision? Had we got £50 or so million this January then perhaps, but to get such a huge amount of money shows our stand was justified. Liverpool Football Club acted terribly in the summer and were found out, and Virgil acted terribly. They deserve each other, and as good as he can be on his day, I'd say we've been suitably compensated, even after Celtic get their share. Now invest the whole bloody lot and sort the team out! (Starting with the manager!) As for Virgil, I hope he has another brush with Vardy...

"I didn't see the incident, I'm not sure how Harry Kane got a broken nose because I didn't see it. I saw the blood, I saw the red card the referee gave Wesley, but I didn't see the incident." "He is class, he gives us dimensions - he showed his talent by scoring a hattrick today. It's unfortunate we conceded six goals at the other end, but a great hattrick for Nathan." "We have good defenders in this squad. That's why I started with 8." He won't say one of these...

As my mate is a Fulham fan we've gone for 4 seats in neutral p2. Still loads left. I take it colours aren't allowed in there?

What worries me most about MP is he doesn't seemingly know what our best formation is nor what our best starting line up is. Rotation is fine if you have the squad, but as soon as a player starts playing well (Austin/Hojbjerg/Boufal in recent weeks) he's dropped. We're looking worryingly over our shoulder and with a squad like ours, we shouldn't be doing that. 4 wins from 18 games and out of the League Cup against a reserve team from the league below us - not great is it. New manager IN please. No disrespect to Pellegrino, but this squad needs a big kick up the arse, and the jolt of a new manager would sort that. None of this Potter/Wilder stuff either, we need a manager that the likes of VVD and co can look up to, a name in the game. (Yes, I believe the problem lies 'above' the manager, but Reed/the board aren't going anywhere so Pellegrino needs to.)

Almost every time you do a team, it's the team I'd come up with, so it saves me a job! It's hard to tell with Pellegrino in charge, I don't think he knows what his best team is, but I think that line up gives creativity and solidity.

One of the KUMB posters thinks that the Director of Football that Sullivan thinks very highly of is Les Reed, which sort of fits. Sullivan and his son are embarrassing though, KUMB posters are spitting blood over those comments...

My Fulham mate and I are already arranging it!

I was chatting results with a mate today because he wanted to put a bet on. So far I've got 6 of the 7 results correct today. Am I gutted I didn't put a bet on? You betcha. I had Arsenal vs United down as a draw too...