derry

Poyet did his homework and worked us out. Before the game he was quoted as telling his players that we were beatable because he had identified our weaknesses which they would concentrate on. That was a worry to me because we have three major flaws. I felt if they could exploit these and nullify the only pace in the side down our right we could be in for a difficult game. Firstly we don't play a proper 4-4-2, we play a wide right but Lallana plays where he likes sometimes on the left mostly narrow if he does, leaving Harding to fill the left side on his own.. Yesterday they read us like a book. Lallana leaving the space free in front of Harding led to him being picked off for the first goal. The second major problem is a lack of pace in firstly the centre of defence. Forster and Murray were nippy and cute and played the ball in behind them. Their lack of pace in itself isn't critical with the right players around them but one of our biggest problems the lack of a proper right back which led to the final two goals. For me James brings nothing to the team defensively and is painfully slow. When he is in possession instead of running at a defender he always looks to pass or hit a diagonal long cross in the general direction of the oppositions penalty area. The opposition have worked us out with Lallana narrow they can now afford to double bank our only real threat of pace down the right. Lallana has to curb his enthusiasm and use his undoubted ability for the team and fill that wide position both attacking and more importantly defensively, or we have to get a proper wide left midfielder as obviously Holmes isn't rated. Quite what Pardew sees in Mills in an attacking role as he is all puff and no touch is beyond me. We are going have to get used to seeing more teams playing like this against us as it is the smart way to play us. Irrespective of the talent of some players and how pleasing to the eye their cameos are, sometimes the needs of the team are more important and until we sort the two main weaknesses wide left and right back we are going nowhere. We might win matches but we will also lose a fair number. Interestingly we beat Charlton easily playing 4-4-2 with Lallana often wider against 4-5-1 and Brighton played a good 4-4-2 yesterday but we didn't. The double banking of our only pace allowed by our narrow left was the major cause of our defeat together with Brighton playing at a higher tempo and winning all the 50/50s. and second balls.

Pardew says that Connolly and Schneiderlin didn't train today but are fine for Sunday and will train before the game.

There were only 9 out of 43 boxes signposted, Flybe are the main sponsors, Cedar do the programmes, Sky speaks for itself, Draper Tools were a main sponsor, Paris Smith and Randall are the club's solicitors.that only leaves 4 independents. It may well be a ramping up of the commercial department to sell the corporate side.

Charlton played 4-5-1, were outnumbered all over the field by a side playing high tempo 4-4-2. We put them under pressure for most of the game, they by comparison were very intermittent and as we do a lot of the time when playing 4-5-1 just hoofed the ball up to the outnumbered striker. I personally don't like 4-5-1 because we don't play it anywhere as effectively as 4-4-2. We seem to score playing 4-4-2, don't concede and take the game to the opposition but with 4-5-1 we sit back and do concede goals whilst not taking the chances created. The extra striker makes all the difference. Connolly reminds me of George O'Brien the way he plays. I think we are now playing with good width and more pace at a higher tempo. We may possibly be looking forward to a very good season. Last night was really enjoyable.

The club's/league/PFA have a scheme where all league professionals are insured against injury terminating careers. Once taken if the player wants to play for a league team again the sum received has to be repaid before being allowed to play.

Lancashire was unlucky with the own goal, I didn't watch all the game but he looked competent, neat and tidy against one of the best attacks around. I think he needs to stay playing on loan for the rest of the season and build up his experience levels. Central defenders in the main mature later than other positions, he looks like a player who will be a late developer and probably suited to the second centre half roll with a dominant header/leader alongside him.

We probably won't have to pay much if anything for Antonio as he is out of contract at the end of the season. After Jan 1st he can sign a pre contract agreement with us. I suspect he will be loaned for the rest of the season and sign on a free at the end of the season.

He's probably signed a contract but hasn't been registered as a league player however can play in the reserves until Jan.

I'll check with his PA's parents on Wednesday if they are in her usual seats if you like. Otherwise try the two options given as they will be knocked out if incorrect.

There might be more to it than that, I understand that he is shy and underconfident. It's possible he isn't comfortable moving away. I think it would do him good, he has the makings but needs to build up his confidence.

He is out of contract at the end of this season. I suspect there would be no fee if he signs.

We are vulnerable down the touchlines, our right back is slow whilst the left back is exposed by the space in front of him allowing teams to get in crosses that on Saturday led to both the goals. All the teams know our weakness and see it, apart from set pieces as probably their best way to score against us. The goalkeeper is also a weakness in these circumstances because of his lack of command and not regularly claiming crosses.

Reported today. The surgeon who tried to fix her broken nose was quoted as saying that her nose bones were so badly smashed by the force of the blow she will have permanent disfigurement. (presumably plastic surgery will be difficult or impossible) That arrogant bully needs a good belting. Hopefully she'll sue a lot of money out of him and in the meantime the FA should ban him for bringing the game into disrepute and kick him out of football.

Waigo has scored once in six league games, Lallana has scored six in four of fifteen games. That is reasonable as long as they are not being played as strikers and as attacking midfielders, they haven't scored since Southend and won't score regularly at anything like the rate of Lambert and Connolly who have scored six goals between them in the last three games.

Roy Lunnis.

Will he be signed by a club and play again-yes, Will he be the same arrogant, ignorant fool-probably. Do I want him influencing and contaminating the younger players and playing for us-No.

I doubt there is a compensation issue as he signed from I think Dulwich Hamlet so is not a player they have brought through their system.

It is all very well talking about missed chances with 4-5-1/4-3-3 but this probably has more to do with having only one striker and the chances falling to players who don't convert on a regular basis. Scoring goals regularly is what strikers are about, other players convert occasionally and can rarely be relied on to score regularly. With the second striker we seem to be converting a higher percentage of chances in a shorter time scale.

'Gay'- Unfortunately these days the real meaning has because of it's misuse become obscured. Really an inappropriate usurping of a word meaning happy.

I happen to think we are better with two strikers and no holding midfielder. I would prefer wins, but if we were consistently winning with a different system I wouldn't want change, however we are having to change to 4-4-2 regularly in order to rescue matches.

Q1- Torquay, MKD and LO changed to 4-4-2 and saved the game. Q2- I think we are better with two up front and without a holding midfielder. I prefer football to be played that way W, L or D.

Interestingly in this weekends Premier matches Arsenal, Spurs, Pompey, Wigan, Blackburn, Hull and Everton didn't play 4-4-2. Arsenal and Spurs played 4-3-3, Blackburn 4-5-1, the others played variations of 4-4-2 or 4-3-3. Man Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool, Man City, Villa, Sunderland, Stoke, Burnley, Fulham, Bolton, Birmingham, Wolves and West Ham played 4-4-2. The great majority of teams in the Football League play 4-4-2. To try and say that 4-4-2 is out of date is rediculous. Whatever best suits the players available is the best system to play. Either that or have a preferred system or systems and bring in suitable players to make it work. Of course another combination could be Waigo and Lambert together and Antonio wide right in a 4-4-2, If they teach Waigo to stay onside that might be interesting. I think we are better with two good strikers up front and without a holding midfielder who isn't very good. Hammond and Schneiderlin play a lot better when Wotton isn't playing, for that reason as soon as Connolly is able to play a full match I hope we will start 4-4-2.

Maik Taylor a far better keeper than his erratic replacement.

How is Capello doing? England play from a 4-4-2 basis. NP plays 4-4-2 at Leicester. We play it successfully after messing up with 4-5-1. If we had a proper, decent (like Oakley?) holding/passing midfielder it might be a good formation. Wotton isn't good enough. Schneiderlin when he grows up might become that sort of player. He hasn't scored in over 38/10 appearances and needs to do that if he is to play in 4-5-1 as an attacking midfielder. Once/if ever Connolly is fit enough to start and finish a match, we more than likely will start 4-4-2 as Lambert this week spoke about his anticipation at being teamed up with Connolly.

The two formations are basically the same except one has Wotton deep so the two midfielders can get forward but don't, we then take Wotton off, have two up front and the midfielders get forward anyway. We are putting the ball out wide and playing football with 4-4-2 giving the midfielders the time to break forward. Behind against Torquay, MKD, LO, switching to 4-4-2 put us back in the game. If we are good enough to give teams a start and pull the deficit back with 4-4-2 then it is worth giving it a go from the start as soon as Connolly is match fit. I suspect Connolly's lack of fitness has a lot to do with not starting 4-4-2 at the moment.