derry

The players/management/spectators know what they get with Fox, he has never been a good defender. Swansea know what he is like, so put the nippy Dyer out wide supported by runners from inside and behind. Consequently he was exposed and torn apart. Lovren did his best to support him but unlike Hooiveld quite rightly wouldn't leave the middle open. Fox needed support and cover from in front and inside, presumably Davis was supposed to cover in front but never picked up tight, choosing to stand off allowing Dyer to cut into the space. It wasn't until JWP was sent on and closed down quickly that we at least helped him out. Fox doesn't read the defensive game, he defends like a winger, either too far up with space behind or backs off towards the corner of the penalty area. Even if he isn't that quick he could have got tight on Dyer and tried to bully him leaving the others to cover the space behind him.

I was talking to Dennis Pring at the golf club this morning. Ian White was there but not in photo. Said it was a good do.

Interestingly in complete contrast to those stewards behaviour, at the West Ham game at half time a fan was drinking beer, obviously from the bar, chatting at the top of the steps. The steward just approached him and told him drinking not allowed there please take it back down to the concourse which he did.

I suggest you make an appointment to see the head of security and discuss the incident face to face.

I can see the same team selected again but food for thought as far as Premier League goals from play is concerned, Lallana 3 from 35, Rodriguez 6 from 40, Ramirez 5 from 29.

We have 15 league games before the window is open, why would we even be thinking of selling Lambert at this time. Any fee received is small beer compared with his worth. In any case the Bale money gives us a freebie in Lambert's case, we can afford to keep him. Osvaldo could get injured any time and as long as Lambert is fit we would still have good options. The game changer would be if further top class strikers were brought in in January. My view, whatever happens don't let him go this season.

But he didn't score. Ramirez put his away that's the difference.

Rodriguez and Lallana don't look like scoring whilst Ramirez's goal last night and his finish at Barnsley were clinical. We need goals from somebody, both Lambert and Osvaldo can but aren't yet, so for me I'd leave either Rodriguez or Lallana out.

Last night had the tempo of a training game. The first goal very nearly killed the game off. We were playing a very conservative 4-5-1 masquerading as the standard 4-2-3-1. Except for a twenty minute period in the second half when BC raised the tempo and got the ball forward quickly the pace was slow. A couple of good saves by Davis and the ball hitting his legs with him diving early the wrong way plus a series of low crosses across the goal could well have seen us out. Overall Davis was pretty poor, his command of the box was non existent, caught a couple of easy crosses but looked on edge whilst his kicking was dire. If Gazzaniga isn't the answer neither is Davis. If Boruc is injured we need a goalkeeper PDQ. The back four were ok however Fox drops off to the edge of the penalty area too far away to pick up the threat out wide. He also gets out of position which draws Jos out of the middle, a problem when they play together. Davis and Cork didn't really get hold of the midfield and I thought Davis was staying fit. No commitment there. Guly was hopeless and I don't think we get much out of JWP as a wide player. Lee in his first game for a year at least, worked hard but is not a lone striker and lacked service and support. Ramirez scored a brilliant volley but seemed to me to be totally uncomfortable having to play facing his own goal. He looked really good when facing play and was really accurate with his passing especially out on the right of midfield in a spell in the second half. This was his first 90 mins in ages and he suffered from cramp in the last five minute, going off with a couple of minutes left. He has the ability and we need to find a place for him but I don't see room for both him and Lallana. In the short term I can see Lambert and Osvaldo in the middle and two from three, Lallana, Rodriguez and Ramirez filling the flank positions.

By the middle of October the EPL will have lost a month to friendlies or World Cup qualifiers. The 2022 summer pre season would be international free. Another month out of the EPL season could be rapidly caught up. Making the CL and EL knock outs:lol: would free up a lot of weeks. Be interesting if somebody goes to court on behalf of the countries denied the WC. Although my guess is them being bought off. More likely a collection of clubs/leagues seeking damages. I think it won't happen.

Don treated various football injuries for me. RIP.

60's Promotion, 60, 66, A Cup SF 63. 100 goals a season. Ron Davies, Terry Paine, John Sydenham, Martin Chivers etc.

Interestingly this is not part of Islamism but comes from extreme fundamentalism. The same fundamentalism that the Taliban and other extreme groups use to persecute non members. In my view this form of dress should be banned in public as there is no way of knowing who is inside or what is concealed. Terrorists and bombers threatening this country are almost exclusively from the groups that adopt this philosophy. As an airline captain I wouldn't allow anybody on the aircraft with their faces hidden. I never had to turn anyone away but I was asked on occasions whether I would accept passengers and always refused.

Probably the best striker of a football in the England squad he has what most of the others don't have, football wise he is really smart with terrific vision. Leave out his goals, his passing was excellent but the two passes for Welbeck's goals were sublime, otherwise known as world class. Ricky Lambert has fitted in and brings the best out of the players around him. The first five yards is in his head, he isn't quick but like his goal against Moldova he was there already, all the others were just watching while he was moving. The main reason we are where we are.

Webb celebrity referee, would have been a penalty to MU, MC, Chelsea, Arsenal etc.

There was a lack of balance today. Only Lambert and Osvaldo are goalscorers, JWP doesn't score and Lallana is hit and miss. That leaves us woefully short up front. Two defensive central midfielders keep the goal count down at both ends. Neither full back really drove forward however we need midfielders to drive into the box to unsettle the defence. We were very one dimensional today. If we have six defensive players and only four attackers we aren't going to score many goals from play. It needs a tactical rethink, we need to get numbers into the box.

More importantly the Premier League money that they are still receiving and which stopped them from being liquidated. The Parachute Payments.

Apart from the disallowed goal we didn't work a single clear cut chance by movement and passing through the defence. All the chances came from crosses/headers and the goal from a 'Hail Mary' free kick from midfield. We did need a full back/central midfielder to join up, to allow this we needed more lateral movement up front to move the defenders around and we certainly didn't need a back four reinforced by two sitting midfielders passing the ball around in our own half because the opposition were all in their half. When teams retreat and defend in numbers up front it is difficult to create space, so the forwards need to make runs to try and take the defenders with them if only for a few yards. In the second half we were much better. I liked the way Osvaldo pulled away as did Lambert and Ramirez looked like he will link well with them. This should allow Rodriguez/Lallana or full backs/midfielders to drive into the spaces.

In the first half we kept the ball after conceding but strolling possession without penetration doesn't create really good overload chances. I would have liked to see more movement up front and more driving runs by the central midfielders and full backs. Second half we did up the tempo and had better movement. I thought the goal conceded was very poor marking and a failure to attack the cross. All round we look a really competent team but we need to raise the tempo. Nobody had a poor game but I would like to see Ramirez, Lambert and Osvaldo start with one from JWP, Lallana and Rodriguez. JWP looks a very good player but all the front four need to get into the box. If he is in the front four he has to be less of a playmaker. We need Schneiderlin and Wanyama to join up with the front four in turn, we don't need them both sitting at the same time when we have possession.

It's not as if Islamic militants value non combatant lives, 9/11, 7/7 etc.

Mike, he mentioned a union rep so military is unlikely. Presumably he worked at 0700 the previous day. I submit that to drive would be breaking the law ref tiredness. Secondly if he had been forced in at 0700 and had an accident his company would be liable under health and safety. It sounds like he acted maturely and sensibly in all respects. I suspect when the Union/Lawyers get involved the manager involved will get torn a new one.

The UN inspectors are already staying 15 mins drive from the area. The Assad regime would have nothing to gain by an attack such as this at this point. The opposition who could be losing momentum on the other hand would have everything to gain regarding international intervention by staging an attack and pinning it on the government.

I've not seen Osvaldo play however I get the drift. One of our big complaints last year has been the number of chances missed by our forwards, especially early on in games. It may well be that Osvaldo is seen as a more incisive finisher and will be the primary in play striker, whilst Lambert will play as usual and look to play him in, in the meantime Rodriguez, Lallana, Ramirez etc, whoever is in will provide movement, alternatives, and back up. I can't see the system changing and just think that Lambert will be the catalyst to get the best out of the other three forwards whilst picking up his quota of in play goals.

Clyne and Shaw looked pretty active in training.

Paypal paid my subscription on 3rd August on a recurring renewal. Membership lapsed, I have sent 4 messages with NO reply, it's a bloody shambles.