derry

Fusarium and Dollar spot.

Arguably the best finisher in the Premier League. This is an unbelievable signing and just what we need. He is a really strong lad probably his previous life as a hod carrier. I saw him recently playing for QPR and scoring two different goals both taken under pressure, however it was his constant movement away from markers and into dangerous positions that impressed me more than the goals themselves. He is always taking the runs to get on the end of moves that others don't do and what we have missed for years.

I think Koeman said in one of his recent interviews that it would be by my reckoning of the time frame he gave, early February to train with the squad and be looking at U21 game soon after.

Bertrand said "It's alright, I was left of three at the back. We have a good understanding of each other and that was a new position but it wasn't too bad, it worked tonight. There was a bit more central duties to do but then other than that when we are on the ball I'm in my left back domain anyway. It's not too bad to pick the right passes from there." It almost looked like a normal back four with VVD on the right of Fonte with an extra left back tacked on. I think that worked much better than first half Saturday because instead of a third centre back and the lack of familiarity, the two usual centre backs were reinforced by Bertrand as a natural left sided player tucked in, with Target playing up and back outside him, making a much better blend which the two specialist centre backs were more comfortable with, whilst giving us the extra man in the middle.

Looks like you missed Long busting a gut to hunt down the ball in Watford's half when our players should have been busting a gut to get up in support but not Davis trundling along at about three quarter pace despite being the nearest to Long. Needless to say he never got there in time to be any use. A decent game but not in the same class as Clasie or Romeu.

I take it you weren't there again. Romeu was the best player on the pitch by a mile. Clasie had a good game That gave us the base in midfield. VVD and Fonte switched and were very solid helped by Bertrand who filled in well. Cedric did well, Targett hit a beautiful cross and Long got across the centre back for a good finish. After that immense effort but often spoilt by poor control. Mane needs to be less selfish but was a problem all night if only he could finish. Davis was nowhere near as good as you think watching without the TVs tunnel vision. He had a decent enough game much better than Saturday and did his share but Romeu was outstanding and Clasie and VVD not far behind.

It's getting pretty obvious the players don't like three at the back for a start and are uncomfortable playing it. Bertrand appears to dislike it intensely ref his words with Koeman during the Liverpool debacle. The Arsenal game demonstrated the best of this group of players as did the second half on Saturday. Only a fool keeps making the same decision and expecting a different result.

Koeman needs to stop picking systems and shoe horning players in that don't suit them. More Arsenal and less Palace (2), WHU and Norwich. Every group of players have a natural tempo, shape, blend and are comfortable getting the best results from them. A pair of centre backs don't relate when another is added, in fact all three drop in performance as it's not comfortable. Too many non scoring midfielders result in a lack of goals. Fast players are great but not if the passes are played behind them, or delayed until the space behind defenders has disappeared. All things that are happening in this team except against Arsenal, 4-4-2, get the ball up front quickly with the greatest space behind the defenders, high tempo, two banks of four. The two forwards revelled in the quick ball and the comfort of playing off each other. Pelle, Mane and Tadic our favoured front line have only managed two goals in their last 37 combined appearances.

Nail on the head.

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.