derry

Better still, just leave him out, he is a liability and a large part of the problem not the solution. We won't have any width until he is out of the team. Yes his corner kicks are awful as well.

Schneiderlin would be a much better player if our two wide men both played out on the touchline, he would then be able to hit one of them or hit the pass behind the full back into the corner. The other one could then get to the corner of the penalty area and come in on the blind side reinforcing the strikers whilst the midfielders made for the edge of the penalty area. There is no doubt in my mind his passing is the key, now that Hammond is alongside him it would release him if we played our wide midfielders wide. Lallana won't do it, Mellis was on his wrong side, both narrow, leave them out and put in players that will stay wide. For the moment I would put Holmes in on the left and Gillett on the right until we bring in one or two pacy proper wide players. James lacks pace and is struggling to get into the game. Lallana has become a cameo player, a couple of flash flicks, no end product and seems to have no alertness or awareness.

Football is a team game the central midfielders need wide outlets not standing around 5 yds away. Lallana, Mellis, or anybody on the wide midfield positions don't need to play like central midfielders, they have to always start out on the touchline and not be played on their wrong side. My biggest beef is while these players don't have the pace to play wide there is nothing to stop them providing width, they don't have to be narrow. None of them seem to want to be wide and if that is the case put them in the reserves, because they are no bloody use to the team doing their own thing.

Exactly, like the way Schneiderlin was clobbered from behind when he was getting through. Great execution, I wish we would do that, it was classic wing play.

Most of these academy players wouldn't get in a decent reserve side. There is no excuse in my opinion for Pardew allowing the lack of width. Width and pace is fundamental. Nobody in front of the back four has any pace, that together with the awful narrow formation is destroying us. With Murty back the defensive five is reasonably solid. The two central midfielders could run things for us if we get a couple of direct pacy wingers. We have plenty of strikers to get goals if we can get down the lines. Schneiderlin told Lallana to get wide but he turned his back on him. I'm surprised he didn't slip him a couple of hospital balls. I think Schneiderlin is looking worse than he is because he has no wide options. I think Schneiderlin should start rolling the ball out wide and show up Lallana because he isn't where he should be, and don't pass to him if he stays inside. It would be worth a few throw ins if he learnt to play wide. It is a problem trying to get central players to play wide and especially on the wrong side.

Well I was there Bill and it was dire. Pardew doesn't have an excuse for setting up the team the way he did. Lallana and Melis were playground footballers sitting 20 yds inside the touchline and coming inside. They created nothing and gave no options to our midfield or defence. we were the usual narrow rubbish. Improved for a while when Saganowski and Thompson came on then we stopped passing to him. Lallana is hopeless, he's not a team player and plays anywhere the fancy takes him. As long as he is picked we will have no width and he isn't quick enough to play as a striker. We need two wide players with pace and until we work that out we are going to get turned over. FFS it was the left back that scored. We were done up like a kipper, runner down the left to the byeline, centre backs sucked over, great low cross towards the penalty spot and a cracking diving header went in like a rocket. Everything we lack. Just the sort of thing we lack on both sides of the field

This sums him and the situation up for me, great analysis.

We could be a much better team if we just played two wide men, packing the centre of the field is destroying us. It just stops us from any effective attacking and leaves us vulnerable down the flanks. It is so frustrating, Lallana's positional play is a major cause of our problems. Wotton giving the ball away plus the lack of wide players mean we never get runners out of midfield, reinforcing the strikers to get on the end of crosses from the byeline. It is so easily fixed.

Well said, which puts Lallana back in the reserves.

He played better against a poor team but still provided nothing down left side the goals came from the right. Raziak put his 'tap in' on a plate for him. He comes inside far too much and plays in the old inside forward position and gives no width which we need, so as not to waste a £1m forward. He is becoming a sacred cow to some people but his output doesn't rate a place in the side. He needs to play in the reserves and continue his education.

I think you might get an A Level A* for that.

My club only allows garaging for about 10 members owned carts, I've been on the waiting list for about 9 years. I'm next up when the next vacancy arrives, usually one a year. I'm going to walk as long as I can and occasionally use the cart, maybe to play 36 holes. I think the wicket may be breaking up, Warnie is saying 350 may be a good score now, but one never knows with Australia.

Remember people centre back is a mature players position, Lancashire has been put under unnecessary pressure early in his development. Some years ago we had a young centre half, Mike Williamson, who we released to Wycombe, he is now starring for Watford at both ends of the field, we don't want to do that again. Give the lad a chance let him develop with reserve, loan and substitute appearances then we may just have a decent defender.

I suppose a cart is standard in Canada, I presume you don't walk. It was only after first light that walkers were allowed on a few courses in Florida even in the cooler mid winter.

Has Lyn grounded you or is it too hot for golf?

He disrupts any team shape by his indisciplined wanderings. Besides there is no end product. I'm not sure they will but he along with the other youngsters should be sent back to be re-educated in the reserves and given appearances on the bench if they respond well.

I suspect there is an injury issue involved.

We played 4-5-1 with no width, the one up front was easily dealt with because the lack of pace and support from the midfield wasn't there. It is not the formation that is important as decent teams continually change as the game progresses. We have no balance and players out of position causing us to be shapeless as they lack discipline and play off the cuff creating and achieving nothing. The goal had three forwards in front of Morrison but nobody attacked the ball which is what the centre backs should be doing. Bringing 10 players back into the penalty area is causing problems as they are all waiting for somebody else to take responsibility. It needs 2/3 to be left upfield which will take 3/4 opponents back to the halfway line and more than likely get two more to drop outside the penalty area that then leaves 4/5 attackers to take on 6 defenders with a GK + 2 on the goal line. The centrebacks then have the room to attack the cross with the other players picking up tightly. Until the team is disciplined enough to play touchline to touchline and maintain it's shape with two strikers getting on the end of crosses from the byeline we just won't score enough goals. The width is the key, it stretches the defence and allows attacking runners from the midfield to cause mayhem. It gets done to us all the time it's about time we started doing it to opponents. Lallana possibly Schneiderlin, Lancashire need to go back to the reserves, play in their best positions and build up confidence to come again initially with appearances as substitutes in games we are winning not as key players struggling to perform.

With everyone getting on and co-operating. If that's what we intend it's as good a way as any. It does need those sort of people.

At the beginning of last season one of the senior coaches took him to one side. He asked him not to run about so much as it devalued his game, he asked him to be more discerning and to try and get into dangerous positions and hurt the opposition, to pick his runs and make himself more effectve rather than just chasing around with little end product.

In football terms the manager has to be happy with his chain of command. If that isn't working they usually walk. I prefer the old style manager in charge of all football principle. There have been some real debacles when people are brought into football matters over the managers head and don't work effectvely with the manager. Results are usually poor and conflictions affect the players.

He might not pick the team but he could dictate the style and which players are brought in, as has happened at clubs in the past. I would prefer a Manager in charge with a GM to take the load off the Manager's shoulders, responsible to and working with the Manager. Imposing a football boss on Pardew might be counterproductive unless they get on and work easily together.

The title is a red herring, whoever is appointed is going to be Pardew's boss and responsible for football matters. (possible Keegan/Wise situation)

Could be. I presume that was Wise and Bassett after Redknapp went.

I'm not bothered in the slightest Mark. I'm still not sure about Pardew but time will tell. His lack of intervention was strange. Whatever you call the post, British managers don't take kindly to D of F style posts or interference from above. That is why very few clubs employ them.