derry

Thomas at right back and you have a half decent team.

We lost last night because we had a narrow left side. All three goals came down our left. Although James wasn't good, the right side was fairly secure because the width on that side blocked off the runners. On our left Mellis was narrow the whole game allowing the space outside to be exploited and Harding exposed. The second goal was stoppable by Mellis blocking Regan off instead he went into 'I won't give a free kick away mode' and actually stepped aside with his arms up to let him to the byeline to cross for the goal. Holmes should have been brought on wide left to occupy the left wing and deny the space we were gifting to BR. Instead the three substitutions were bizarre, Mills wasn't wide left or left back and didn't seem to know where to play, consequently looked inept. Replacing the only player with pace for a one paced and inneffective Saganowski gave us no outlet and Wotton coming on like a headless chicken was just stupid. When Wotton came on the first thing he did was to instruct the wide right players to come in narrow. All that did was give more space to BR to attack us. The goal that Williams scored wasn't a fluke, he checked back onto his left foot and curled it across and over Davis into the side netting. Davis had no chance, I was right behind it and it was in all the way. Substitutes are supposed to improve a situation. Ours contributed to our defeat. The fact we had a quick wide right player even though the left was narrow helped to open up and spread out the defenders, resulting in two goals from play and damn near another two if we had been more clinical. If Pardew wasn't so bloody negative and played with width on both sides we might just win some games. The only other criticism I have is Harding allowing the winger the space to turn and spin off around him. As soon as he started having trouble with him he should have got tight on him. Alternatively Mills should have done that and Harding double teamed him.

The short answer Bill is yes I do doubt Pardew because of the elementary errors. Waigo gave width on the right but there was little on the left consequently although it partially spread the defence it wasn't the real deal. I understand they were lining up 4-5-1 but only sometimes as they were worried about Waigo tracking back which was bizarre as the big problem was on the other side. This came from the father of one of the players. Lallana may well be able to play off Lambert but we have to be braver and that has to come from the Manager. I was quite satisfied with Waigo overall but to get the results Holmes has to start on the other side. Mellis is a lightweight. It's no good the manager talking about winning mentality then setting up a safety first system. You know as well as I do that positivity has to come from the manager. If playing the way we do only brings in 9 points in ten games then change it. Bristol were a breath of fresh air, pace all over the park, attacking on the break in numbers, by making the changes we dumped the shape and gave them the room to attack us wide and all the goals came from their right side. When you think that Lambert massively increased his wages coming to us and that they get by on 9000 crowds there wasn't one of their players I wouldn't take and the goalkeeper would be number one. Considering our resources we really have a pretty poor team in terms of pace and attacking.

Bristol Rovers had pace all over the park, wide right caused us problems all game. The funny thing is we had two point blank chances that were placed and saved instead of blasting them into the net. Waigo was useful and caused problems, Lallana had a decent game when he stayed central. Mellis was poor and stepped aside to let the cross go in for the second equaliser. Davis gifted the first equaliser by coming out 30 yds and not getting to the ball and was stranded, shades of QPR. Waigo provided good width on the right but Mellis came inside all night. Because of Waigo wide we played our best and most penetrating football of the season. The substitutions were awful. Mellis should have been replaced by Holmes, once Waigo came off we lost our shape and Wotton for Schneiderlin was bizarre. Mills was supposed to help Harding who should have got tight on the winger but all that happened was a narrow shapeless mess that allowed us to be skinned down the lines especially our left. Two left backs and stll getting skinned. The final goal was brilliantly bent across Davis into the right hand side net.

James like a number of the existing players will be playing somewhere else or permanent reserves in the not too distant future. The ambitions of the owner dictate that any players with weaknesses are replaced sooner rather than later. The side lacks pace, that too will be rectified and when it is, a fair number of the players that are being talked up will be gone. We can't expect to dominate this league and then move seamlessly up the next one unless there is an influx of better players. The team is in transition and as better players come in there will be no place for the likes of James, sad but that is the price of building a successful team.

Probably the best attacking header of a ball of all time. Certainly the most lethal striker in the world in his prime. Hang in there, while there is life there is hope. May God be with you.

I'm not looking for 'beautiful' football, I'm looking for efficient teamwork with proper width, getting down the touchlines and allowing the midfielders to get into the box. All we are doing at the moment is playing narrow huffing and puffing football. Pressure and possession on it's own doesn't win matches proper one on one chances have to be created and we aren't doing that. The only statistics that will show progress is multiple goals from play and clean sheets . Multiple goals won't happen until we play with width and introduce some pace especially wide.

Progress:- Not losing games-6 undefeated. Reality check:- 3 league goals from play in 9 games. Paterson, Harding, Lallana. 1 goal from God knows how many corners. 1 goal from God knows how many free kicks. 3 penalties. 0 goals from God knows how many hopeful crosses from deep. Hardly any crosses from the byeline. Total lack of width and pace. There is a long way to go and little sign of improvement.

He definitely isn't a runner but that doesn't mean with the right direction, freedom to get forward and the organisation to squeeze the space in the middle when he and Hammond go for the box that he won't. However the lack of width has to be sorted to give them the time to spread the play wide and then get forward on the burst to give the pull back option to the wide men..

It's worth remembering when tempted to drive really fast the only thing between you and your maker is rubber and air. A blow out of a front tyre is instant carnage. If you aren't the only one to drive the car you don't know how many times it's hit the kerb. Just a thought. As somebody who spent nine years taking off on 186 ton aircraft with an decision speed up round 200mph and the end of the runway coming up fast, knowing everything hinged on rubber and nitrogen concentrated the mind.

James doesn't just lack pace he is painfully slow. Even at fullback because of it, he is a weakness. As a last resort I would have preferred Perry or even Wotton at rightback. I wouldn't write Schneiderlin off until I see him with two decent wide players. If he doesn't perform then so be it.

I think you may be clutching at straws, his passing isn't good enough, his tackling is innocuous, he doesn't seem to know how to fit into a team and I personally think he would leave a gaping hole in the middle of the field. I think oddball does sum up his talent to some extent. The time has come to put the interests of the team before Lallana's. Until we do the team won't score enough goals. It is time to try something different without him because it isn't working with him. Playing three positions in a match isn't helping either as it shows they don't know where to play him.

I personally feel that until Lallana is out of the side the team won't have balance and won't score goals from play in any numbers. Nine league matches, three goals from play, one by a fullback. Whatever spin is put on it, there is something drastically wrong with the teamwork.

I think you are right about Lallana but I think Schneiderlin suffers as much as the strikers from our lack of natural wide players. His passing options are drastically reduced and inhibited by the lack of natural wide players. If we resolve the lack of width problem I would prefer to give him the playmaker job as I think it will give his passing free rein. At the moment we just aren't seeing the real player except in flashes.

A pretty good summation of our problem. He can't/won't play wide, was tried as a striker yesterday, that didn't work or he wouldn't have been moved wide again. We don't need oddball, cameo, cosmetic we need pace wide and he doesn't provide it. Whether with two natural pacy wide players he could play up front I don't know, but I do know I'm not the only one who can't see where he can be played and benefit the team. It seems that by persuading him to stay, promising play instead of sitting on the bench or playing in the reserves for a better club, Pardew has given himself a big problem. If he doesn't fix it, he may well rue the day.

He might be playing out wide but he doesn't play like a winger or cross like a winger he plays like a fullback. When he does get down the line he doesn't pick out players he hits hopeful balls in, that mainly get belted back up field. I prefer him to nobody wide but he will be a good class fullback given time. Holmes is a much more natural winger and does pick out players however he is being treated with kid gloves because of his injury record. My priorities are get rid of the lack of width and get natural pacy forwards playing there in due course, not shoehorning in players without either the pace or wit to play there.

So we didn't create loads of chances just a bit of pressure and a few shots blocked and the usual poor corners. We allow the defences to compact and cope comfortably with our lack of pace.

And to do that they need the time made by the ball going down the lines. Whacking balls up to the strikers means they can't get forward.

It will have to happen, they are just putting off the day.

Fine but we still aren't scoring with him there and he is a fullback and shows it. You asked me what I wanted them to do. N'Diaye is an unknown quantity so nobody really knows, but he might give Lambert and Saganowski the help to start scoring. Neither have managed a league goal yet this season from play.

The problem is for this Tuesday not Christmas. Sort it short term then find the long term solution.

It's not the bloody rebuilding FFS it's the fact we lack width and pace down the flanks. That is something the management could sort by making the players play wide. But shoehorning unsuitable favourite players lacking the ability to get down the lines and cross in these positions is most of the problem. Sooner or later they are going to have to leave them out and bring in proper replacements.

Initially Holmes wide left, N'Diaye wide right, then a loan wide right and if Holmes isn't doing the job a loan wide left, The loan window closes 26th Nov and we can play up to 5 loans at any one time. There is no criteria stopping us bringing in loans except balancing the books and getting players out.

It might seem like that but the problem of lack of width and pace is there week in week out and looks no nearer to being resolved. I'm thinking maybe the time has come to complete the replacement with new players those positions not yet replaced.

Three league goals from play in nine games one from Harding is disgraceful. Lack of width and pace are the main problem but nothing changes and we can't score from play. Until the manager sorts it, but at the moment there is little sign, it will continue to blight our recovery.