derry

Predictable. We had plenty of bodies in the middle of the field so as Adam was their only creator he should have been constantly pressured instead of having all the time in the world to pick out Odemwingie. Loads of meaningless low tempo square and back passes, ridiculous across the back square passes under pressure very nearly getting us into trouble. The balls we put into the forwards lacked pace so played into Stoke's hands. We were never going to be able to get Stoke to allow us to play our game as they just allowed us to play sideways and backwards in front of them then hit the front first time when they won the ball. It was crying out for Shaw and Clyne to get to the byeline not come inside. We had to knock any crosses in with pace. The midfielders in games like this need to run at the defenders and the forwards make runs, today there was a lack of movement up front. The tempo was far too slow.

Just wondering, presumably the payments to players are the gross figures with Income tax @ 40% and NI to be deducted. If that's the case HMRC will have a tidy sum to collect always assuming it's being paid. Of course it could be paid gross and the tax collected out of PAYE at current employer.

Wanyama had a couple of moments that led directly to Boruc having to make saves to keep us in the game. He was a long way off the dominating form pre injury. I really can't see why it should be either Cork or Wanyama when both of them plus Schneiderlin would give us a strong spine especially late and in away games.

I personally think that is exactly the sort of player we should invest in, not the highly overpriced foreign talents that struggle to adapt. We are proving that we can bring in youngsters, Chambers, Shaw etc. The great Liverpool sides bought youngsters for years, educated them and put them in. Keegan. Clements, Neal etc. We should do the same. Clyne and Rodriguez have been good for us, more of the same.

There is a lot more to Gallagher than goal scoring. His control and shooting is good, but it is his link up play and movement that pulls the centre backs all over the place. His run to the near post took Koscelny out of the way for Lallana to come in behind and have a free shot for the equaliser. He is young and raw but he is probably the best young centre forward we have brought through since Chivers, who in many ways was different as he was converted from a schoolboy midfielder as he grew. For the boy to come in and give the best defence in the league a hard time was outstanding.

Pochettino obviously thinks his performance against Arsenal took him up a level. I thought he looked promising in his short appearances but against Arsenal he looked a proper centre forward. It would be helpful if people who are judging him could say whether they have actually seen him live as opposed to the tunnel vision tv broadcasts. His work off the ball is outstanding. He needs to improve in the air and be more aware of the offside line.

In one way it has been an outstanding season. To add to the emergence of WP and Shaw last season we have Chambers (established), Gallagher, Reed, Isgrove and now Targett on the fringe of the first team.

Good centre back, coached the youth and scouted. I might be wrong but I thought he played for and managed Cowes. RIP Pat.

I am glad you cleared that up, maybe a list of all those you know won't be available would help us all wasting our time. In any event I said the likes of Ings, more the profile than the specific player.

It might be a good time to try and bring in the likes of Ings. Ex Academy, quick, something different, 21, will get better with Premier awareness.

It's not only style now Ron, I think they have learned a tough lesson, character will be a major issue although it may cost us financially, it will cut out lots of problems.

Are the Chinese, Indians, Russians and the US etc still ignoring global warming? If they are why are we, a microscopic speck on the planet, getting so obsessed with it.

Cortese was a difficult man to work for. It may well be that if the owner gives him her support he may well enjoy his job even more without the pressure created by Cortese.

A very good first start. Looks like a natural leader of the attack. Took Koscelny out of the road for Lallana to have a free shot for our equaliser. Comfortable on the ball, robust and a good shot. Well played Sam. I'm looking forward to more appearances.

Yoshida and Fonte were solid. as for the first goal Yoshida was goal side of Giroud with Boruc close by but Sagna's ball in was behind Giroud which put him between Yoshida and the ball allowing him to stick out his foot and deflect the ball past Boruc. Yoshida was in a good defensive position and as a result unable to block. Criticism of him is more indicative of a lack of awareness on the part of the critic than any poor play. As for Wanyama at centre back, utter nonsense. Firstly he hasn't even made an appearance after eight weeks out, secondly this isn't the Scottish Premier playing for the best team against also rans, thirdly he hasn't played there for us in the Premier, and fourthly the back four played well with Cork and Schneiderlin in front against the top team.

How do the other players see it.

Alternatives to Gallagher without altering the way we play. Rodriguez all at sea on his own, much better coming from behind. Guly the same. Lallana the same. Anybody else? Gallagher will close down, decent pace, good shot, physically strong, what's not to like about the only alternative. He has looked a good player every time he has played. Best of luck to the lad, I'm looking forward to it.

Sometimes I follow the ball but often I watch ahead of the play when a build up is starting and try to see the next moves by tracking the runners and reacting defenders movement off the ball. It really does pick up the committed, those ahead of the move and especially the players letting runners go and not tracking all the way.

He looked a highly mobile centre forward. His first shot was a cracker from 25 yds came back off the keeper, his goal was cutting across the defender with his right foot and putting it past the keeper with his left. His diagonal runs through the defence were excellent, don't think he ran offside once, and gave Rodriguez the room to run into. Needs to work on his heading. He is nice and robust and a bit of a handful with a bit of pace. Having said that, If Lambert is unfit I would start him out of necessity although 30 mins towards the end is probably better for him. I said that because Rodriguez isn't at his best up front on his own and more comfortable running through.

Careful what you wish for, Sheff Utd's pitch reminded me of the sixties, a mud heap. There could be a few more like that lower down. Lower league team at SMS for me.

Looks like a proper centre forward. Needs to improve in the air but his movement, ball control and shooting were excellent.

I know what was said, to keep going we needed the club in administration. Administration could not be funded. The man who was paying bills agreed that. Whatever you may think might have happened, that was the situation as seen by the people involved. I believe them.

I don't care what was published. At the meeting the position was spelt out. The club was broke, out of time and unless an immediate purchase was completed they would be liquidated as administration could not be funded. In the event ML provided the funds. The meeting was to explore ways of saving the club but it was obvious to all present that an immediate completion was the only way. That is what happened. Fry's proposed meeting with the directors if no sale, would have meant liquidation at that point. All the he said this or that is irrelevant as by the time of the meeting it was all over unless the money was provided immediately, luckily it was. It was a shocking stark reality. Fry was lucky, he made a stupid call backing Pinnacle. Liebherr was a no brainer not even in hindsight.

If Mary Corbett along with Crouch and McMenemy felt that we were going to be liquidated as there was no money to allow administration then that was the situation. The Councillors said that they could buy the Stadium fairly quickly but as the time had run out the football club couldn't be saved whatever happened to SMS subsequently. Unless somebody came up with a cash bid. The Liebherr cash on the nail bid was the only way the club could have been saved. There just wasn't any time left or any other serious bid that could complete. Tyre kickers all, there was only ever one bidder with the means to buy Saints.

There were no other buyers, that is why there was the meeting. Nobody had the money to save the club in the time left before liquidation. Markus Liebherr was the only other option to Pinnacle which at that time was known to have no money. The club was going to be liquidated. If ML had needed finance the club was gone. It was because he had his own money and could act immediately that liquidation was avoided. What is incredible is that ML was ready to pay the Exclusivity fee but Fry chose Pinnacle who couldn't raise the money for the purchase or the deposit, who then proceeded to use up the valuable time that left the club on the brink. If Cortese had as we know now acted in character he would have walked away. I think it was Markus Liebherr, God bless him, who liked what he saw and waited.