derry

And if Scott Dann did, he would probably have had a penalty given against him or even sent off, those days are gone. You can't touch a striker in the area.

Don't expect to see him a lot in build up etc but watch him suddenly appear on the end of moves and hit the target. It's what he is, a goal scorer, not a non scoring worker playing in what should be a goal scorers position.

I've been querying the lack of chances for Seager because we aren't taking our chances. We have a bunch of players that need say ten attempts to end up with scoring which isn't good enough. What I do know there is a vast difference between players that can score some goals and a specialist that is a natural goal scorer. I would go with a goal sniffer every day of the week. They make the runs in the box, rarely stop moving and are usually way ahead of the defenders when the final chance appears and ends up in the net. The sniffer seems to have loads of time and everything is in slow motion but lightning quick in it's execution whilst the ten chances a goal man is always rushing, stretching or just late. Seager looks like a goal scorer, seven in seven for the U21's and like Austin nearly always hits the target. Against Chelsea he scored going round the keeper but the question asked by the Chelsea defenders could well be 'where did he come from', it's what goal sniffers do, they lose their markers. They also seem to get goals at whatever level they play. We missed Austin in the Wessex, Howe spotted him and because of an embargo Wilson signed him, he scored goals for Swindon, Burnley and QPR in all the leagues. Don't ask him to create he scores, that's it, what we need. Don't ask him to hold play up or work his socks off, it should be keep getting in the box and take some chances. Putting JWP on instead of Seager on Saturday was crass.

Trouble is, that's where he leaves his mythical creativity because he doesn't create in play and more importantly score goals. Clasie shouldn't have been substituted and Seager given a go instead of Juanmi who just isn't fitting in.

I'm not trying to hype Reed but I was impressed the way he forced Everton to substitute Barkley at half time last year and just think that compared with JWP and Davis he deserves a chance as opposed to unlimited rewarding of mediocrity.

Glad you said that.

Nearly but didn't. JWP hasn't scored since 2012 from play, once from a penalty and never from a free kick and rarely from his corners. Can't tackle, head, painfully slow and ultra careful with his passing. Reed is dynamic, nippy and needs to be brought on. JWP has had more than enough chances and hasn't delivered. We don't know what Reed could have done but we sure as hell knew what JWP wasn't going to do and as usual he disappointed..

Clasie was still going strong when taken off and we were battering Palace. JWP added nothing apart from corners and a free kick as usual off target. If we were changing Clasie it should have been for Reed, a poor substitution. Juanmi doesn't fit and looks out of place at the moment. Seager instead of Juanmi at half time for me.

Were you at the game yesterday?

My comment was," Jesus, no goals in four years, this is going to work!" I would have thought leave Clasie and give Seager a go. Later they shoved VVD up front.

You posted at 5.02 pm yesterday, were you at the match?

He certainly won three crunching tackles yesterday and closed down very tightly. He looked a good player yesterday and very effective with Romeu. I've just noticed you posted at 5.02 pm yesterday, as the match finished at 4.55 pm does that mean you didn't go yesterday?

Or even three defensive midfielders because Davis isn't any use as an attacker. Two forwards only.

I watched the highlights this morning which of course clarified what I saw live yesterday. Fonte just assumed the ball was going out and allowed his mark to freely retrieve the ball, and feed Puncheon whilst Stekelenberg just turned the ball anywhere away from goal a poor goal to concede all round. Yes I am a self confessed critic of Davis mostly because I hate players that lack courage and if they can, avoid physical contact, especially being clattered while pulling out as happened twice yesterday but hurt in neither. Davis nearly closes down, rarely letting himself get near enough to have to tackle. Pulls out if a physical tackle is needed and often just unloads the ball usually to a marked colleague, or worse to an opponent if he is too near an opponent. The first Spurs goal is an example, unloaded the ball to an opponent, tracked back, in the best position to clobber Kane but pulled out and left Soares unable to challenge on the wrong side of Kane and only VVD left who messed up. Yesterday Yoshida passed the ball to Davis who instantly unloaded it as he didn't want it, straight through to Puncheon who was clean through to put in Ward for the goal. Davis is a liability who for some reason along with JWP is a manager's favourite. Both players do nothing for us and their scoring record is appalling. Romeu a defensive midfielder who has scored two similar goals in his few appearances recently and looks comfortable and courageous when he is in attacking positions and has a good shot yet the other two get picked in preference. IMO he was our best player yesterday. Koeman is doing himself or the team no favours by persevering with his favourite failures. Seager was on the bench, a goal a game record in the U21's, surely worth a go over the ill fitting Juanmi. Reed surely worth a go over JWP/Davis. It's not as if we are winning games regularly. Every team has a natural formation that suits it and raises it's performance, whilst picking a formation and shoe horning players into slots only works if is the formation that suits the players on the day. 4-4-2 worked against Arsenal and in the second half yesterday except for the Kamikaze winner but the negative 5-3-2 and for us 4-2-3-1 neutered our attacking. It's not the formation that counts it's the natural shape and blend of team work that the team selected produces naturally that counts. Select an ill fitting team in a set formation at your peril, it just won't work.

The fact that Clasie is substituted had nothing to do with his physical performance today. He certainly didn't look knackered. It was more to do with Koeman saving him for Wednesday. Bournemouth made eleven changes and rested their first team for Wednesday. Having to use two substitutions at half time because of a poor selection had more to do with the lack of available substitutes.

Wanyama is suspended. Romeu was probably our best player today and scored and Davis was poor.

Firstly, 4-4-2. secondly Clasie and Romeu in midfield, thirdly four forwards not non scoring workers after a fashion. Possession doesn't win matches we need goals and Davis, Tadic and JWP won't get them. Try Pelle if fit with Seager (7 in 7 for U21's ) as a pair and Mane and Long wide with Martina and Bertrand at full back. We gave it a go today in the second half with a 4-4-2 but Tadic and Juanmi fell short although we battered them and gifted another unlikely goal when there was no danger in fact both goals.

Clasie played well today, he put in some decent passes, certainly closed down tightly properly and made contact and won two or three crunching tackles. He certainly didn't look done in when substituted by the really underwhelming JWP. One goal down and one of the better players replaced by the negative wonder boy. Clasie and Romeu looked pretty decent in the centre. Davis as a forward is hurting us far more especially as some of our chances fell to him and were promptly bottled. Until Koeman stops picking negative formations and plays more proper forwards we will struggle. He has to have four players that can get goals and that isn't Davis, JWP or Tadic. Time to give Seager a go with Mane, Long, and maybe Pelle as a pair.

I'll have to watch the video but it was up the other end and I didn't see exactly who it was but the mate next to me said it was definitely Davis.

Out of interest what is the preferred core formation for the club?

The 5-3-2 line up was another aberration, we bored Palace to death in the centre of the field for twenty minutes, created a few half chances and then fell away. Davis gave the ball away and it ended up in our net. After that we were no real threat until half time. Davis and Yoshida replaced by Juanmi and Tadic and playing 4-4-2 improved things and we were easily the best side in the second half. I can't remember the last time Stekelenberg has actually made a save. Target and Martina were decent the centre backs had no problems but Fonte was at fault for the second goal. He thought that the ball was rolling out so didn't even bother and let Puncheon chase it down and eventually Zaha unmarked on the far post smashed it in. Clasie had a good game and Romeu had a really good game including scoring. Juanmi chased willingly but looks a long way off an international player whilst Tadic huffed and puffed but did little on the right where he is always too slow on his wrong side. Long and Mane worked hard but Mane was far too selfish at times running with the ball when a clear chance to play Long and Juanmi in was left far too long. There was promise but with 4-4-2 not one of Koeman's favourite formations only when desperate, I presume we will be back to 4-2-3-1 on Wednesday. He missed a chance to give the goalscoring Seager a go he certainly would have been a better bet than Juanmi. If he brings back Davis on Wednesday his non goalscoring is hurting us badly. We need to dispense with the possession players and play four forwards because the tentative defensive formations aren't working.

I just don't get some of the comments on here. Usually there are probably only one or two that progress to the first team squad each year and a lot more at various ages go out the door. It's the way it works. There is a lot of talk about various players. Really how good and ready are they. Forget the usual first team fringe regulars JWP and Targett, they've got their own problems but Koeman's support. Reed seems to be nudging the door open again. Stephens after two good seasons at Swindon moved to Middlesborough but was mostly a spectator and as a centre back needs to go to second tier team as a regular, Same for Turnbull next year. McCarthy good at Wycombe needs a step up next year as at least a div 1 regular. The first team needs goals, that brings me to Gallagher who didn't score in the second tier. We cannot afford him in the Premier unless he adds goals and he doesn't look ready to do that yet, so in my book a loan at a level that makes him a regular scorer. Seager by his record is a goal scorer, if we aren't going to use him in the squad then a loan with a good team in a decent league to see if he can continue scoring as he does at almost a goal a game in the U21's. The others such as McQueen and the skilful Hesketh and even Sims maybe look at a step up loan otherwise stay in the U21's. I'm not sure how good the others are but the big right back/cb that is injured could also be one for the future. If Koeman isn't going to play players, while they are being developed we should get them playing at the best level that matches their abilities to see if they can move forward.

The ten men of Norwich.

I think it was two hours before kick off.

His contract runs to July 2018. He'll only go in the summer if the club want to sell him. Still has two and a half seasons left on it. Good job I'm not a manager, I'd point that out and make him train on his own, after the players have left, without a ball, without supervision and not let him play or join in anything.