Saint Charlie

Totally, can only be a good thing, even if he has an impact in 1 or 2 games.

He is, has been in the videos on the OS. Just not been picked yet for the squad. Doubt he will be unless anyone gets injured, Lambert, barnard, Guly and Forte are ahead of him.

Key point - he will also provide the option for every throw in and comes short to get the ball from the defence, reducing the hoof ball.

I'm pretty sure that in each match he plays he would make the msot passes in our team, certainly of the midfield.

He can pass the ball better than anyone else in the team for starters. Always makes himself available to team-mates and can spread the play better than anyone else. He finds our wide players well, who setup most of our chances.

Exactly, for me Schneiderlin would be the first central midfielder on the teamsheet.

Frimpong from Arsenal would be good, saw him play in pre season and he was excellent. Josh Wright at S****horpe? Wants to leave, although not sure they would be keen to let him go. Probs end up with another Jacob Mellis type. He is doing ok at Barnsley now apparantly.

Agreed which is why Adkins wants to get another CM in (and Im sure he will).

Local Reading paper says he is staying to help Reading get in the playoffs.

'A house divided against itself cannot stand.'

I liked when he was talking about Lallana and said he 'loves his bones'! 'We can only control the controllables' is popular as well at the moment.

Also worth pointing out that Chamberlain's corner delivery has been excellent recently.

Agree, he doesn't touch the ball much for a central midfielder and isn't too good at winning it back. He does offer a goal threat but is better suited to a 3 man central midfield than in a 4-4-2.

Nice to see a consistent threat from corners and free kicks, have scored from a few lately. Obviously some good work being done on the training ground!

Three players isn't enough though really. Karacan is also playing RB for them at the moment.

Just listened to Adkins interview on Saints player and when asked about Howard he talked about how often he talks to Managers and players are constantly moving and sometimes a team has to bring someone in before they let someone go etc. Wouldn't suprise me if we are waiting for Reading to sign a replacement for Howard before continuing our interest. Seeing as he is a regular sub who often comes on I am sure they would want another body in their building before letting him go. Just a thought.

Barnard leads from the front and ensures we play at a high tempo.

At Bournemouth I felt Hammond was effectively our one man midfield. Chaplow couldn't retain the ball.

Agree on the midfield, Chaplow has been very poor in the last few games. Luckily Hammond has really stepped up.

But our goal difference is top two, significantly better than Pboro, surely worth another point?

Thats it. I wouldn't take their team because so far this team has pulled together when needed and has IMO an extra bit of class than Pboro. We have gone away in tough games and earned hard victories - the mark of a good team, we seem to deal well with the pressure and have some good experienced players, plus the best player in the league (Lallana) and 3 proven goalscorers in league football (Lambert, Lallana, Barnard). Also we have a tough defence who don't let many in. Sure it will be close, but we have the squad to do it certainly. If we get a good loan in then great. Whether Howard would work is up for debate. IMO bringing him in as a top earner, with a deal possibly tied in for next season would be a bit rash seeing as he is a back up for a current CCC team.

Exactly, so which of their attacking players would you have over which of ours? (CMS apart- obviously we would want him).

Exactly what I was getting at. We play with Lallana and Chamberlain playing very offensively and two strikers. Perhaps a more mobile passing player in the Schneiderlin style is what we need, like Frimpong the young Arsenal player.

So taking out Mackail-Smith and Lambert you would let them have Lallana, Barnard, Chamberlain and we had Boyd and 2 of their midfielders?

Re Howard: obviously a talented passer, but is he mobile enough in a 4-4-2?