derry

Maybe the question should be which would be the best squad under Pardew, Grayson or Lambert, that might be the difference.

Probably, and I hope not, it's more pace we need not less. If Pardew is serious about the play offs we need to go for it, not put a team out to stop the other side. We won't win 15 games with the likes of James as an attacker.

It's how we use them that counts. Up to now it has been pretty negative and unimaginative.

He is a decent footballer, fairly combative and not slow, breaks forward well and scores goals, he is a natural left footer and fairly tall, there is no reason at all why he couldn't play central midfield. Does Pardew have the imagination to try it out? No, but I personally would like to see it tried if only to answer the question. Wotton and James don't cut it for me and as we sign more players they will gradually disappear. Is Harding a better player than either? in my view yes.

Lallana spends a lot of his game in central positions. We need to be able to pass the ball out wide from the centre of the field, receiving the ball from the full back with the midfield and defence moving across to cover isn't going to open teams up, that is when the ball needs switching quickly across to the other side, to attack down the open side. It is an option we don't have or use.

There is a massive difference in the effect of wide on both touchlines as Utd play, or just one wide, which cramps the midfielders and promotes the lump it up top approach.

If they play Puncheon wide left it will sort the central midfield problem by opening up the passing options which we don't have at the moment. The only reservation I have, is I think like Lallana, he likes to play narrow which isn't going to cure anything. Although Alec Ferguson sees playing down the touchlines as vital, Pardew doesn't seem to be bothered, which is one of our major problems. It is all about outlets and we only have the front man at the moment, we need to get men out wide to stretch the defence and allow us to pass the ball around.

I don't think we play either 4-5-1 or 4-4-2 properly as we have no left sided outlet. Until we sort that out and get the balance right we just aren't going to play passing football. The interesting thing is the way various teams use hybrid systems to suit the talents of the players, we don't do that either. I think there is a priority for both but it is probably the availability factor and the plan for the summer. I'm sure if we want both that the club is now in a position to cover that especially with Saganowski gone.

It doesn't matter how many central or right midfielders unless we have somebody wide left we are going to continue narrow and lumping it up front. MK Dons can't block Puncheon's permanent transfer under FA rules. They either have to buy him permanently or let him go. Any fee paid for the loan is a matter between Plymouth and MK Dons.

Under FA rules the only way MK Dons can block his transfer is to exercise their contractual option and buy him.

If we want to buy good players, we have to let them play. Tieing them down in a narrow midfield is akin to trench warfare. If we played two wide players we could play two or three in the middle and keep the ball. The long ball then is not ugly just another variation rather than the result of trench warfare. You can't kick teams off the park if you can't get hold of the ball.

He needs to start playing head up. I know it is one of the most difficult things to pick up, but as long as he runs looking at the ball he won't see the runners. That was evident from the start with the crosses hit in to nobody and not passing in to the middle for a tap in having done the hard work getting to the byeline. He is very much early work in progress.

One of the problems is the bunching in the middle leading to an inablity to do anything else but belt it up front. Wotton is the worst because he does it without looking. We need to play two wide like Utd did last night and it doesnt matter if we play two or three in the middle as we can pass it out to them, then we can get break outs from midfield. I've got the history book by the way. The variations are interesting.

Out of contract at the end of June. He only signed until the end of the season.

The company that owns the electronic pitchside advertising have shut it down. There was no pitchside advertising at the West Ham game this week.

The company that leases them the electronic pitchside advertising has pulled the plug on it and shut it down. There was no pitchside advertising during the West Ham game.

He is the quick left sider we need.

Under FA rules MK Dons can't block him coming to us unless they exercise their option to purchase him permanently. Even then like all these things it will be down to what the player wants to do. If Plymouth have a buyer then MKD have to exercise the option. If there is any repayment of fee it would be between MKD and Plymouth. We would only deal with Plymouth.

Under FA third party rules a player on loan to another club is tied to the loan club, only in so much as they have under the agreement been given an option to purchase, should the home club want to sell the player. MK Dons therefore have to exercise that right and match the offer or the transfer will go through. I suspect that they would also have to match the players new contract offer. I know we can't talk to the player without permission but the agent would have this end tied up.

I would be very surprised with any loan agreement if there isn't a clause covering the situation of the players home club wanting to transfer the player permanently.

We played 4-4-2 last night were 1-0 up and created good chances. In the second half we changed to 4-5-1 to hold the lead and were overrun, conceded then brought on Waigo and went two up front to try and win. I personally think it is more to do with the players picked than a system. At the moment despite the number of players we have, we aren't anywhere nearly as good as some people think. Antonio is a raw young player that isn't an accomplished footballer and is erratic. He has pace but isn't as quick as Waigo or as good a footballer. He plays with his head down when in possession and his output isn't that good. Waigo isn't great defensively, but apart from the tendency to be offside gives us a better cutting edge. We don't have enough pace in the side, or the balance to go with it. We need a left sided quick midfielder and both attacking and all round central midfielders. The central midfield is nowhere near good enough. All the players have deficiencies, none of them are able to to an all round job. Until we resolve the pace, balance and sort out the midfield we won't dominate the best teams in this division, whatever the system.

They will only be allowed to sign loans or free transfers, so it looks like it is only a conditional lifting of the embargo.

Whilst I see where the ball is, I am watching the players on both sides to see how the move is developing and pick out runs or lack of, marking or lack of, with players off the ball. I continually check the blind side and watch ahead of the move to see if there is offside developing. I'm really interested in balance, width and shape and am continually aware of it in an overview. In effect this sounds complicated but it is purely scanning a wider area than following the ball and as I've always done it, it is no effort.

The problem Pompey have is that all football debts have to be settled. If they don't get a CVA and satisfy the football debts never mind the fact the HMRC don't do deals they are in big football trouble with points deductions, licences etc.

If we are going to rest Lambert I would have thought Saturday against Stockport would make more sense. We need to win at Brentford. We have a load of fresh players available, Lallana has a groin strain and James could be rested. I suspect James who has to play will be the right midfield although I hope not.