derry

At last the walking football exposed for what it is, Garbage. The defence and midfield were so slow trying to play possession go nowhere slow motion passing and losing possession. Chelsea have exploited it by pressing and quick clever breaks pulling the defenders all over the place. How the hell did Elyanoussi stay on the field. What a slowcoach. Liveramento looks lost. Well played Forster.

63%possession, Villa and Newcastle 62% and 68%, three losses, 2 goals for and 8 against, This was again a total tactical shambles. Playing this way in three successive almost identical on the break losses helped by the inevitable mess for the first goal is management stupidity. I say inevitable because it is, the two centrbacks and Forster are no ball players and sooner or later we were going to concede playing short passes under pressure. We unsuccessfully played the same way many times in the last few years. It is not the way to play against packed defences because playing this way causes an organised packed defence to form.. If Bednarek had a clear forward pass he would still pass to Salisu or Forster. The defenders need to win the ball and pass the ball up to the front as quickly as possible. Sticking everybody but Bednarek and Salisu into the final third is kamikaze stupidity and happens because everybody is being sucked in by the painfully slow play, backwards and sideways all the way from the back. We will not win matches against teams that are comfortable and happy to let us fanny about at the back and play slowly then hit us outnumbered on the break.

I contacted them. They are working on a problem. I did find that the Samsung Nanomid App is working ok.

The last two matches have been examples of some of the early season clusterfucks. Villa 62% possession Newcastle even worse 68% possession. Possession is based on the number of passes counted. We have inflated our possession percentage by painfully slow buildup short passing backwards and sideways and even when we are in the final third regularly bailing out and passing back even as far as Forster. Our pedestrian buildups allowed opponents to mass in front of their penalty area, waiting until they win possession and immediately attacking our centre backs especially Villa. The higher our possession the slower our attacks and the more consolidated the opponents defence. I can't remember the exact figures he quoted but Ralph Hasnhuttl said something along the lines, press, win the ball back, pass it quickly forward and get a shot in under 20 secs. We are looking to do that during our good run but the last two that has been completely absent. Both Newcastle's goals came after a break, the first from a break and an early cross, the second from a corner conceded from the break. If teams play like this we have to be even quicker at getting the ball forward but we have to have enough defenders in case of a breakdown. Letting eight players commit themselves in the last third leaving the two centrebacks exposed is crass. The quicker the ball goes forward the better our depth the slower our buildup the more players we have sucked into the attack and the more exposed we become. The last two matches I've been tearing my hair out at the way we have played. Ok we've made some chances but we've scored one and conceded six.

My thoughts about our finishing place. We have played all of the top eight clubs except Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal all at home, the other nine games Brighton and below. We could if we keep our present level do well.

I have a view that the referee ignored the foul on Broja which led to Spurs second goal because he had already booked Sanchez for a similar foul, warned him about a second similar foul so would have had to book him for the foul and send him off. I just think he bottled it in front of a large Spurs crowd. VAR should have picked up the foul play and got the referee to review it.

This hasn't happened yet but the Saudi fund is aiming to own clubs worldwide. What if they buy expensive world class players worldwide then loan them cheaply to Newcastle? Alternatively sell them cheaply or on lengthy finance arrangements. Any ideas?

I don't think MC worked it out apart from putting their best headers at the back while our best headers stayed in the middle. If KWP hadn't tried to block Laporte and slowed him down he would probably have been offside with the other two. It was KWP delaying him that kept him onside.

There is only one side of the story out there. The headmaster who isn't identified by name. Ted is dead, any criticism is as far as I know is not liable. Ted can't defend himself so in my opinion that's enough to leave his legacy intact. I'm not even sure the club are invoved in any way in instigating this or for that matter wanting to annoy a lot of fans.

It appears that all the charges against Higgins were 1980s and 1990s. I remember flying Saints to Norwich and Amsterdam matches in the late seventies/early eighties and speaking to Ted Bates in the terminal before the flight. Ted was still travelling to matches then. I remember on the Amsterdam flight Lawrie McMenemy got the whole squad to autograph Peter East's Saints book for me. I am absolutely against damaging Ted Bate's reputation and legacy on the back of one hearsay comment especially when there were so many others closer to the offences for over ten years and did nothing. I think Higgins was gone within a fortnight of Dave Merrington reporting it in 1989. I see the Daily Echo has front paged it, two pages inside but rediculously lazy reporting outside SMS, two passing students 19 and 20, "don't know much about it" say the statue should definitely come down. Whilst a supporter of 68 years gives a very reasoned answer leading to no way should it come down. The two youngsters probably just passing and nobbled by a reporter. MP Alan Whitehead's comment didn't support removing the statue but mentioned Higgins sacking as 1985 and that Ted sacked him. As far as I know it was 1989 and whilst Ted was a Director then President he retired at the end of 1973 as manager.

Firstly, Ted Bates gave his life to this club. Without his vision and success we would still be pinging around the lower divisions like a well known club we all know. The statue is recognising his contribution. Secondly, I was around local football at the time and the rumours about him and a few others were out there. Nobody knew anything definite and there wasn't any evidence or accusations levelled at any of those suspected. It was all hearsay. It was really a failing in Higgin's case of those in and around the Saints youth set up. I expect Ted was far removed from the youth set up and working with the first team and reserves. I doubt that anybody involved presented any real evidence to allow action to be taken. Personally I think the tragedy was the ruined lives and the fact nobody had the guts to confront Higgins.

Personally I thought it wasn't a penalty because the Wolves player wasn't in playing distance of the ball, mistimed his lunge and clattered into Bednerak's leg with the ball two yards behind him at the moment of contact. I felt it was more a foul being late on Bednerak than blocking the Wolves player.

He was suspended against Brentford but was training.

I was surprised that KWP wasn't at full back. Tella was an emergency selection against Brentford and did ok but not that well. The goals all came with him having no involvement so I see no good reason to keep him in. Against Brentford he was slow to try and pick up the goalscorer, today he had loads of time dithered just outside our penalty area and lost the ball which led to the penalty. I thought we were slow to build up with too many passes and played into Wolves hands allowing their consolidating defensive tactics to work. Too many short going nowhere passes and not enough quick back to front passes when we blocked Wolves attacks. Broja is a threat but not with 59% possession most of it sideways and backwards. I felt a bit sorry for Forster re the second goal. It is our tactic to hold the line and let opponents fall into the offside trap. Two or three Wolves players were offside including one who ended up in the net. Forster was hung out to dry as he was caught in two minds but coming out was the wrong decision.

Djenepo is at ACN in Cameroon playing for Mali.

It was less than that. The administrator quoted to me "change from £14m". That included all debts, the FC, The Holding Company, paying an agreed settlement to clear SMS mortgage, Staplewood, Jackson's farm etc. That was an unbelievable snip at that cost. What was amazing was that ML/NC were the only bidder at the time. That is other than from joke timewasters.

The reason Puel and his successor were sacked was enough feedback from supporters criticising the turgid style of play which the club recognised as valid.

I don't care what the selective statistics said, what I do know the two seasons with Puel and Pellegrino were soul destroying and turned an exciting spectator sport into the most negative boring waste of an afternoon that I was paying good money to watch.

KWP not JWP looks like wrong key and no read back. Definitely two yellows for Salisu.

As I read it Salisu's suspension is served by missing any FA competition whilst JWP's suspension is the next PL match.

That is one smart cookie. He extracted this philosophy from his experience with a gamblers analytical program. This could be an interesting experience depending how much influence he exerts over time. I suspect a lot in due course behind the scenes organisation.

Best of luck Sam. You were incredibly unlucky but tried to overcome your injuries courageously but it wasn't to be. Now you have taken another courageous step by facing up to what you considered inevitable. I'm sure you will find something you want to do and be a real success.

I thought it was an obvious deliberate tactic to use as it slows the game down drastically and allows the team to consolidate goal side. He usually hits long into the two channels away from the centre backs or chips it down either touchline as in the first goal at West Ham. Kicking long out of play was a good move in the circumstances. Pissing around at the back doesn't cut it as we've found to our cost when we lose the ball.

Come to think of it you're right. Only the Newcastle match if it gets played.

Magnificent rearguard action. Wonderful point gained. All the players gave everything to earn that point. Forster gives the players confidence by being on the front foot. Deserved his bit of luck. A shout out to Valery played his heart out. JWP great goal. Does Salisu get one or two matches as the first booking was number five.