derry

I agree with this, not natural but needs work. It's a lot easier to be taught right when very young.

Pochettino said after the Chelsea game that they would rotate and play the best side they can in the circumstances. That means to me the same as the League cup. I wouldn't mind betting that Burnley's priorities will be to avoid damaging their promotion challenge. I don't expect Burnley to field a first team either.

We were attacking Chelsea, Aspilecueta stayed down in their penalty area, the attack lost it's momentum and the ball went out and the game stopped. Aspilecueta quickly recovered but the purpose was served the attack was over the bounce up and the ball given back with the opposition formed up. If he had to stay off in the dressing room for a doctors inspection/scan or substituted it wouldn't have happened. We should have immediately had two forwards push up as he was playing them on side and not stopped. Play shouldn't be allowed to be stopped by the players and the referees shouldn't allow the ridiculous charade of giving the ball back or worst case a goal accidently scored then the opponents allowed to run through from the kick off to score.

All he needs to do is practice every day. It is all to do with motivation not age. Just as an example I started playing golf in my thirties, I could hardly hit the ball and had no idea where it would go, with practice I got down to a four handicap and can still hit the ball high/low and draw/fade even though I don't have the distance any more. The result of lots of practice and lessons. Even now in my seventies I play six days a week and hit about 160 balls on the seventh day. Another example at a time when aviation took the same view that only the young could learn efficiently, I was 28 before I learned to fly, became a competent instructor, aerobatic pilot, long haul jet captain at a time when age was questioned. At 63 I came out of retirement and did a conversion course onto a new type because by now the thinking had changed and whilst the airline had plenty of young co pilots with the hours for promotion it was only allowed to promote some and was forced to bring in experience to keep the balance. I'm now teaching myself to play the electric guitar, a lot more difficult than golf or flying. What I'm trying to show is that provided the basic aptitude is there, age is no impediment, it might not be easy but if Hooiveld wanted to kick right footed he could with constant practice, if he really wanted it enough or was made to by the club.

I've long thought that Hooiveld's problem is he only uses his left foot even when wrong sided. I watched him at half time yesterday in ten minutes he touched the ball once with his right foot all the rest only his left foot used. I don't feel any sympathy for him because he has obviously made no effort to improve his right foot. One has to ask the question, why haven't the club coaches sorted that problem? I would have thought making him play right side in practice games and just using his right foot would improve his weak side.

I'm going. I think we should play all the fringe players that we are likely to need in the first team plus first teamers that are short of game time. Gazzaniga should be given a game, Clyne, Yoshida, Hooiveld, Targett? Fox), Ramirez, JWP, Reed, Lee, Gallagher, Osvaldo, also.

A dirty day, torrential rain with a 30 mph wind and no plan. Chelsea did our pushed up defence with pacy breaks in behind catching us on the difficult surface. However, Villa, Spurs and Everton caught us out the same way. We have to find a way to change when presented with these tactics. For me when faced with this, dispense with the 55% possession in our half drop the CBs off 10 yds, hold the full backs, stick three right up on back four and put the ball in hard supporting from midfield. The one time we did it yesterday right at the end Lambert got on the end of it. I'm not advocating that as playing style but as a shock counter, as I like the way we try to play but sometimes we are too ponderous going nowhere. The block of four with Wanyama and Schneiderlin in front of the CBs was the foundation for the high line, attacking full backs, and high press. IMO there is no room for Davis and Ramirez in the same team, Cork can do the Wanyama role, take him off and the door is wide open. Chelsea defended in numbers then broke out with pace but kept a solid barrier of the back four plus Mikel to disrupt our possession game. One thing that stood out, Rodriguez needs Lambert as he is ineffective on his own without the service he needs. I would like to see how a front four of Rodriguez, Ramirez and Lallana behind Lambert with at the moment Cork and Schneiderlin in front of the CBs would work out. Play the early season way unless the opposition play direct and if they do hit them with a dose of the same and keep a compact back four.

May have turned down Fiorentina. I think he is getting it now after a long time trying to do it his way. I think we will be seeing a lot more of him from here on in. If he doesn't start v Chelsea, he'll get a full game in the cup.

He is a decent link player that sometimes gets forward. In a side that places the emphasis on pressuring the opposition he rarely gets tight, in most games he hardly makes a tackle. He just let the Everton runner go and just jogged back, he had to pick up the runner but didn't see it. Against Spurs for the second goal he did the same thing, he had an opportunity to block off the Spurs runner but just let him go. Decent possession player, lacks pace, doesn't win the ball. He looks best when we are on top, IMO a bit of a flat track bully in cricketing terms but missing when the going gets tough letting others do the tackling.

In the two league games last season Lambert bullied the Chelsea CBs. The only changes I'd like to see if Boruc is still out, would be Clyne and Ramirez for Chambers and Davis but only if Clyne is 100% fit. Of course Schneiderlin for JWP.

Not a bad shout, either in front of CBs would have probably shut that run off.

It makes no difference who the player was Davis didn't pick him up. I think the commentator said Osman.

IMO we lost the game because Steven Davis yet again strolled back, allowed Osman to run past him, didn't bother tracking him, JWP saw the danger too late, Osman took the pass and put in Lukaku. Davis did the same thing against Spurs for the second goal. He might be a decent passer and link man but he is an open door as far as closing down is concerned. Once Cork was off Davis and JWP had to close off the runners especially after we equalised. It only took three minutes to open us up. Ramirez for Davis against Chelsea for me with Cork and Schneiderlin holding the middle. Ramirez would give us far more up front than Davis as he now appears to be finding some form.

Is that KAR?

I haven't noticed any problems but I regularly delete web use and clean discs etc using Norton. I also cancel any adverts by clicking on the tiny x and clear the screen that way before expanding. It seems that the obvious x on the advert usually brings up another screen that needs cancelling while the tiny x (usually obscure) gets rid of the advert.

Wasn't it just, the first was a poor one to give away as there wasn't much power in the header.

How did Mignolet do for MCs goals today? Precisely. Too much criticsm not enough support.

My biggest criticism of Jos which for me is the root cause of a lot of his problems, is that he is totally one footed and tries to clear or control the ball at times with his left foot when it is 1) almost impossible but not difficult with the right foot or 2) difficult but easy with the right foot. The man is nearly 30 FFS and he still can't use his right foot. He has no excuse as by practice it is easy to kick both feet. I feel that as hasn't bothered I haven't much sympathy for his mistakes which are compounded by being next to the incompetent Fox who has also made no effort to improve his concentration or positioning.

If the players were to be compared then credit has to be given that given the same training regimes fitness would not be an issue. Ramsey, Ellerington, Mills and Golac for me. Clyne has been caught too often at the back post and often relies on his pace to cover being caught out of position. Ramsey was probably the smartest. These players were at their peak whilst Clyne is nowhere near the finished article yet. He is still very young. However somebody very close to the club admitted that as Shaw was definitely going to be a 'World Class' full back it will be difficult to keep him once he feels he has sufficient experience and recognition to be a fixture in the top team.

Osvaldo wasn't fit, Fonte has an ankle problem I believe. Boruc has been out for a little over three weeks. Gazzaniga is really underconfident. Unsurprising really, has hardly had a game in more than a year. Some of the SMS crowd are a disgrace, sarcastic cheers when he catches a ball, small wonder he looks like a rabbit in the headlights. And some are looking to put Cropper into the firing line, I bet he's glad he isn't playing behind that defense, the real problem. Clyne I believe was back in training last week. Fonte doesn't seem to be ready for a full game yet. It appears to me that Hooiveld's problem hinges on his total one footedness. Whenever he is under pressure and wrong sided he still tries to clear with his left foot. Yoshida would be my choice with Lovren. Clyne, Chambers or Shaw for full back. Cork and Schneiderlin in midfield. With Lallana, Ramirez, Rodriguez and Lambert at the front. However I expect Pochettino to pick either Davis or JWP ahead of Ramirez.

Two class goals scored. Three needless goals conceded. For the first goal Fox and Hooiveld tracked back without picking up the only danger and looked complacent, as though they didn't think there was danger as they both just watched Adebayor attack the ball. Fox had to get across Adebayor and attack the ball as he was the last defender. The second goal was Hooiveld just waving his foot at the cross and knocking the ball past Gazzaniga. The third goal was Hooiveld again waving his foot at the ball and knocking it against possibly Salgado the rebound allowing a free shot from Adebayor through Lovren's legs after Fox failed to track him. Fox has proved that he is a poor defender because he stands off and just lets his mark free. Hooiveld is ok attacking headers in midfield but seems to play like Bambi on ice with the ball near his feet in the box. He seems to lack timing. Gazzaniga needs to go out on loan and should never have been placed in this position. Another experienced keeper as back up/competition for Boruc should have been brought in as Davis also is nowhere near good enough. Gazzaniga had no chance with any of the goals and was exposed by crass defending. Lallana two class moments, Rodriguez worked hard, Lambert mixed, good goal too many poor passes. Chambers and Lovren defended well. Cork had a decent game,gave outstanding through ball to Lallana for second goal, we missed him after substituted. Wrongly in my view. Schneiderlin had a decent enough game and made two outstanding last ditch tackles. Davis was neat without contributing much and just doesn't tackle. He had the chance to make a tackle during the move that led to the second goal but just let the opponent just walk past him. Ramirez looked worth a start instead of Davis. JWP was busy however without Cork we weren't as good in midfield. I thought that Yoshida is a better defender than Hooiveld who makes far too many mistakes that end up in our net. Left back is a major worry, surely Fox has to move on. We need to bring in a goalkeeper and a better left back that can defend when needed. Another CB like Lovren would strengthen us immeasureably.

I believe Fonte has an ankle problem, Shaw sent home with sore throat.

Worked fine last season.

Do we really need another current South American international with the amount of games and travelling involved amounting to extra unavailability with late returns?

Forget him, money more important than his world cup place. Sitting on QPR's bench all season in the Championship hardly enhances his bargaining power.