derry

I know he doesn't like playing there. He has said so. Dyer would have to curb that tendency as well. In any event the system we play requires two wingers. Despite what you say he is not playing wide right and when he leaves the wing nobody else goes out there. There is no interchange just a big empty space. James is left most of the game to play the whole right side on his own. I would like him to play well as a wide midfield, if he doesn't get his act together then we are going to be relegated. This team would be much more effective if he played where he is supposed to.

If he played within the parameters of the position, I would play him there. That would mean wide on the touchline as a starting position. When the play is on the other side, coming inside with a final attacking position outside the far post. Tracking back and helping the right back in defence, then wide on the touchline to be available to counter attack quickly. Certainly not the way he is playing at the moment. I think playing him in the hole is a poor option at present, as he can't seem to hit the ball cleanly. I don't think he has shown enough to be an out and out striker, then neither has anyone else. If he wasn't prepared to play for the team, I would drop him. I know for a fact he doesn't like playing wide or deep. Playing as he does at the moment is exposing us and neutering our right side attacking options. He has to play within the team plan which is well publicised with two wide men. Portvleit has said he is looking forward to getting his team playing with two wingers when Smith and Holmes are fit. Where will that leave Lallana? He is probably the best ball player we have and playing properly wide, could be a real danger.

Doyle, the two Hunts, Shane Long all at Reading for next to nothing from the Eircom. There are plenty out there but we don't go there. Academy Blindness/head in the sand.

That's my problem too.

Funny you should say that, I have felt that all along. I would think the view from the Directors box would give a much more detailed perspective. I can't see the value of just standing on the touchline.

Not rigid, if he plays there most of the time but is spelled by a colleague when moving inside, that is not sacrificing the width and keeps the opponents defence spread. His inability to strike the ball cleanly is a worry, as is McGoldrick. We are in fact rigid at the moment, LB/LM wide left, RB only wide right. Totally lopsided. I actually think Lallana also gets in the way of the CM, breaking up their pairing. We have little effective shape, are extremely narrow and open to counter attack.

I'm not saying that he hasn't talent. What I am saying, and I know what he is saying about where he is asked to play, he doesn't like playing wide. What I am saying, is the fact he is prepared to be picked there, then go out and run around chasing the ball like a playground footballer, in areas where he is totally negated, neglecting almost completely his defined role. That self indulgent behaviour wouldn't be entertained at a better club. In any event he knows that he won't get first team regular football at a Premier club, because of that feels he needs at least a full season as a regular before contemplating a move. He is not effective as a second striker, he isn't getting into dangerous positions and fundamentally he and McGoldrick are not scoring. He is being accommodated nominally wide right and refuses to play there. That is what I am banging on about and believe me it is one of the main reasons we are not able to compete.

Pretty close to the truth, but I just wish he would sort out the obvious problems. Saying we need more effort etc just papers over the real problems. Case and Armstrong have been emphasising the problems of lack of width and massed defences. Brian O'Neill the last time I talked to him felt BWP might do a better job wide right, strengthen the right side and get to the byeline. Probably be quite dangerous on the far post.

Spot on.

Whatever, I am a qualified FA Coach and have been for 40 years. What badges have you got?

It's taken a while but it is nice to see people talking about our missing right midfielder.

Until The problem costing us matches is rectified. Clearly you have little interest in the flaws that are going to get us relegated. Only 20 matches left. Suggest you put me on ignore then you won't be bothered by it.

Lallana has proved, by his inability to play in a selected position he doesn't want to be in, that he is not prepared to play for the team. You are clearly mistaking his undoubted ability for ball control and trickery as being a requirement to play in a team game. He plays for himself, is very undisciplined, has completely let down the team by playing anywhere, but the wide right position he is picked in. By doing this he has made it almost impossible to break down a massed defence, because of no width, and even worse has opened us up for the opposition to break and outnumber our defence. We have shipped loads of goals this year because of the way both he and McGoldrick when picked wide just didn't bother playing there. Dyer looked good for Sheff Utd and scored a good goal.

Not half as much as watching his superhyped non right midfielder, U21, future England star, showboating like a headless chicken.

I like your style. Take it one step further, maybe Cork with his moblity would be the best sweeper behind two markers in Perry/Pearce. I favour a front sweeper, Cork in front of Perry/Pearce but making up a defensive triangle and being the first to try and stop the break. The rest of the team would be two attacking CMs and two wingers reinforcing a central striker.

We need a right midfielder to play wide, he looked in decent nick for Sheff Utd, our one man right back midfielder having to play the whole right side on his own is killing us. Dyer has pace and might just get to the byeline. We are not doing that. All the other alternatives are worse.

Michael Kightley of Wolves.

I just can't make my mind up. I am gobsmacked that he allows McGoldrick and Lallana to ponce around, showboating with no end product, whilst James at right back, is expected to play most of the game both right midfield and right back, as the only player on our right side.

This has really gone beyond a joke. Portvleit must be either a total yes man or a total prat I don't know which. The fundamental flaw down our one man right side has got to be sorted immediately or we won't win another game. There are far better teams than Notts Forest and we weren't able to cope with them.

To solve the problem in the meantime for the next two games because it is really fundamentally hurting us. I would play Cork at right back with James at right midfield. Holmes and Skacel on the left, Pearce and Perry central defence. Euell and Surman if Schneiderlin not fit centre midfield. BWP up front paired with Paterson. The only other alternative I might consider is play Mills at left back and Skacel with BWP.

Robertson needs to go back, just not a goalscoring striker at the moment. Dyer could solve our right side problem

More people are seeing where our fundamental fatal flaw is. A right back having to play his own game and cover for the missing right midfielder, who sees his own self indulgence as more important than playing for the team. A striker who can't strike and can't be arsed to do much else. Both of them are lightweight showboaters and need dropping. The manager is either not allowed to do this or has been instructed to let them do their own thing. I just cannot believe the prat can't see what is destroying our defence and making us impotent in attack

Lallana has got a game plan, wide right but he doesn't want to play there so he doesn't. Either he plays for the team or leave him out. I would be happy to see him transferred as he is destroying our shape with his lack of discipline. If James wasn't trying to do his job and Lallana's as well, we would be a lot better off and he would look a whole lot better. If I was playing behind him, I would deck him, if he didn't do his job.

Well it probably won't matter to us as he played well for SU yesterday. According to Sky , he pretty much clinched a permanent move. We need another non goalscorer in exchange like a hole in the head. Let Robertson go back. Dyer is better than anything we have wide right.

The hairdryer treatment and a chucked boot or tray of cups might get his attention though. That would be my choice for him and McGoldrick.