derry

I think they have already signed Mullins, I'm not sure he didn't play at Basingstoke. On a more serious note, What's your opinion on the situation? I see Crouch is going today. Could the new chairman be employed by the previous owner to get his money out asap then the whole lot disappears? Or is he a bonafide owner in his own right but having paid a lot less than thought whilst allowing funds to be raised on the transfer market to fund his purchase?

As they have already played in the Wembley tournament at the weekend, this could be news from early last week. Obviously worth playing but I think the time frame and less than two weeks to Millwall then Northampton would rule that out.

I thought Paterson had a terrific game and was a real handful allowing John and Rasiak room. I understand your view on Lallana but I don't think he is up there yet with a young MLT. Only time will tell how he develops. He has had a pretty poor season and now needs to kick on. I can't see anywhere he can play at the moment except wide right and coming in from the right when play is on the left. If Gillett or somebody with his mobility was inside him they could double team and switch which would allow him to play centrally on the burst then go wide again. That for me would be the way to use him. Whatever happens we need to use all the width, without pulling the defenders out we won't get goals. Yesterday we had more crosses from the byeline than all last season and three goals.

IMO if we can take on and not drop many points against the top third and win a good proportion of the rest, then we could wipe out the ten points over the season and be in the mix at the end.

After I retired, I flew the Q400 for a couple of years part time for Flybe. Carlisle is a licenced airfield, Fire cover is the only variable criteria and that can be hired in. Flybe can fly to any licenced airfield that fulfills the criteria in their area certificate. Flybe if they thought it worthwhile could do it but as it is the weekend, still in the summer schedules, possibly wouldn't be interested. Jet fuel is available but the Q400 wouldn't need refuelling. Handling is available for flights. The Q400 has airstairs and as long as it isn't parked nose in wouldn't need a tug or towbar.

Yes and time to send out a message, we are back and we aren't a pushover.

You are right in one respect Lallana has to play in the system or he will be sacrificed. Whilst he has ability, a young MLT he isn't. Matt was probably the best striker of a football other than Beckham that I've seen in recent years. His goal from his weaker foot was good but his positional play is obviously being watched as Pardew and Wotton were waving him wide. It wouldn't surprise me if we brought a wide right player in unless Lallana grasps the nettle and plays there. I suspect he will be used on a regular basis but not a 100% starter. Apart from the motivational work that has been done I think the 4-4-2 was vital as the players looked comfortable and for once the teamwork was the key rather than spasmodic individual performances.

Quite, but it was for once enjoyable and we can see where the manager is coming from with the players responding. I like what I see, how successful we are going to be, who knows. As a matter of interest were you there?

We are talking about a game we went to.

Absolutely.

It was a comment specific to the performance. You could see the players visibly grow in confidence as the game closed out. If we can build on that confidence aganst QPR, get a result and a good performance it should get them to the first game with the confidence to perform. The 4-4-2 suits them and playing a system they were comfortable with adds to the feeling of confidence.

We have been banging on about this for years. All these unbalanced systems which the players don't play naturally and detracted from the performances. Keep it simple, compact no nonsense defence and let it flow up front. A simple balanced 4-4-2 plus a bit of direction and a no nonsense approach and suddenly we are flying. The confidence will soon return plus some reinforcements and we could have a good season.

A good call Colin, Whoever it is, has to be able to pass the ball and organise the midfield. The youngsters are still a long way from knowing instinctively where they should be, position wise, they could do with a good player to direct them if needed. You and Canada Saint have much in common he was a young player on the Saints books and played in the same team as Mike Channon and Bob McCarthy when they were starting to make a break through. I'll try and get him to come to one of our get togethers when he comes over.

I wouldn't go so far as to say MOM but he had a tidy game, gave balance down the left and worked hard with enthusiasm. He looks as though he could make a good left side with Harding and also cover him in case of injury. The right side is more problematical, Murty looks a certainty for right back but the wide right position needs looking at. Lallana is a bit of an enigma and I think has work to do on his awareness and positional play to nail down the position. It could be an in and out season for him unless he steps up his game.

It was no climb down, last week was a disgrace. There was absolutely no resemblance to last week in the make up and organisation of Pardew's team today except for some of the same players playing. If Henderson had been managing the team today I'm sure we would have taken another hammering. I stand by everything I said.

Looked a decent player. the whole back four were solid. He has a good left foot and hit in cross for Raziak to head home.

This related to the old regime and their anticipation of inevitable defeat not to Alan Pardew who had his first match today. A traditional 4-4-2, the players comfortable, a balanced selection, enthusiasm, loads of effort, a solid back four, organisation, no negativity and a will to win. Just what the doctor ordered. Now time to introduce some more experience and move on. I think we will beat Millwall and Northampton. I'm not being overconfident but the motivation is there now.

We looked a lot more solid than I've seen us for a couple of seasons. We even had a set piece kick off to the second half with the ball coming back from the centre and swept out deep right with Paterson reinforcing wide right it was a shame it was overhit but at least they are trying things.

The manager's decision to keep the two attackers together and not want them to come back probably tied up more defenders and at the same time made it easier to get into dangerous positions quickly when we attacked and defenders were pulled around. Raziak looked a class act and his goals were really slick, getting between defenders on the run. Him and John sharing plus Paterson and maybe a new signing would be good for us. Saganowski wasn't even on the bench today, may be he is off. It might be that apart from the idea of the shop window maybe he is showing Pardew what he can do.

Yes. totally different, 2 strikers up except for free kicks and corners, lots of effort and an efficient and comfortable looking 4-4-2. They should have set up like this against Ajax and it would have been a better performance. The 4-4-2 made a hell of a difference. In any event this thread was a criticism of Henderson and our defeatism which was nowhere to be seen today. In any event I think a view taken from being at the match has far more value than criticism from those not present.

Joe Mills had a solid game wide left whilst Gobern looked decent when he replaced him. Lancashire had a solid effective 15 mins for Thomas and James was ok at left back for Harding. The organisation and effort together with the two banks of four closed Hearts down pretty effectively.

It was unrecognisable from last week, traditional 4-4-2, the players looked comfortable. The work rate and enthusism was good, the two full backs gave us a pretty solid back four. Despite his goal Lallana's right side positional play wasn't the best and Wotton though he worked hard doesn't give enough skill in midfield. A big plus was Matt Paterson who was the hard working centre forward alongside John, then a rejuvenated Raziak who worked hard, had two class finishes and took up some good positions. Pardew was out on the edge of the pitch with pen and paper the whole game and was continually waving the pair of strikers not to come back except for free kicks and corners. He was doing the same to lallana about width and was directing the team in what he wanted. It was a pretty comprehensive win bodes well for the future.

The courses really do open up the analytical thought processes. I was amazed at some of the thinking, and listening to professional coaches and players discussing the game was a real eye opener. Coaching is not managing and I personally think that in the main dedicated coaches make poor managers because of their technical approach. The best managers appear to be common sense people that don't get bogged down in technicalities. Their interest is not coaching but managing, however most will have been to the courses. League referees although we criticise them mostly from a partisan standpoint are a very knowledgeable bunch. I knew two and the difference between them and local referees was enormous. Their knowledge is anticipatory and they really have to read the play to keep up.

How we deal with the ten point deficit will determine how successful we are. There are about eight teams that will be competing for promotion and the play offs. If we can get a decent side with a winning mentality together and target successfully those games against the better sides we could negate the ten point deficit. That is not saying be sloppy against the poorer sides who we would have to beat in any event, however a successful record of wins or avoiding defeat against the top teams will help us claw back the deficit. Losing to these teams will accentuate the deficit against our target and make it much more difficult to break into the top six.

As a matter of interest the Runway at Carlisle is I believe longer and wider than Galway to which Flybe operated a schedule.