derry

If we are to move forward we have to bring in midfielders that can get forward on the break and score goals as Wijnaldum did for Newcastle, not pass it backwards and sideways slowing the momentum. Davis, JWP, Clasie and Wanyama by not scoring enough goals are holding us back. JWP hasn't scored in play in four seasons, forget it, he isn't going to start now, he needs replacing with somebody who wants to score. We are very limited with only two players that get goals as Tadic rarely does either.

As it happens I was checking the time as it was brought up by a mate just before the board was held up that referees don't allow accurate extra time in injury time if there are stoppages after ninety minutes. Out of interest I then checked. I always time the second half 45 minutes so I can have an accurate finish time and can add the injury time as the stadium clock stops at 90 mins. The injury at the Chapel end took 1 min 56 secs before play resumed and there was a substitution which made just under two and a half minutes the game ended after six minutes and ten seconds not the required seven minutes twenty six seconds. As for the watch it is radio controlled and as accurate as you can find anywhere to the second.

No he didn't, he gave five minutes injury time at the end, of that there was one injury in injury time that took two additional minutes to resolve plus a substitution which equated to seven and a half minutes, he was about one minute twenty seconds short of that.

JWP ever since his first game has been over hyped by both Saints and England. As far as I am concerned he is almost the biggest con in football. He has done little in the last two seasons to even earn a place which just seems to come his way by rote. He has in fact gone backwards. His much vaunted dead ball delivery is a commentators myth, his shooting is a joke because he can't shoot but attempts a side foot lacking the power required. He is slow, won't run with the ball and plays sideways and backwards as a first choice. His tackling is innocuous and plays like the original seven stone weakling. It seems U21 is his level.

I'm not impressed by our loaning out. Only Turnbull and McCarthy are getting a game. Stephens and Gallagher are just training with Championship teams. They would be much better if they came back or went to a club that played them.

Plus play three in the middle not 4-2-3-1 with Romeu holding freeing Wanyama and possibly Davis/Tadic to get forward.

Leicester playing 4-4-2 and topping the league. Commentator says the difference is the numbers getting into the box and pace up front.

The chances we created were snatched at except for Wanyama leaning back and side footing over the top. JWP pass to Guzan, Pelle diving header, sort of, were poor efforts otherwise we were always a bit late. The midfield is hopeless, if in the longer term we want to get better we have to get a couple of quick midfielders that can drive forward and support Pelle plus score a few goals. As long as they are here we can't afford Davis and JWP together in midfield, we are far too slow. Romeu looked the part but seems more comfortable as a single holding player than in a pair. Juanmi was an improvement and looks a good footballer trying to fit in, nice to see him put his foot through the ball. Whatever we play, Mane needs to play up front closer to Pelle or Long. Maybe time for Juanmi to get more time. We were hardly threatened today by a really poor side. I hope Koeman gets it worked out before Palace and Spurs. More of the same won't work.

Precisely. As for Davis he nearly closes down, nearly tackles but mostly doesn't, mostly just unloads the ball even if colleague is already marked, rarely scores and just doesn't do it for me. JWP is even worse. As for Koeman picking them, he also picked the three at the back on Wednesday, how did that go? and some bizarre failed team selections early in the season. On Wednesday Davis and JWP in midfield were non existent.

Stekelenberg, Soares, Fonte, VVD, Bertrand, Clasie, Wanyama, Mane, Ramirez, Tadic, Pelle or Long for me. I've just had it with the JWP and Davis school of settling for unambitious football.

You mean the nearly man. Nearly pressed, nearly tackled, jogged around looking popular, few goals and not a lot else.

I'm surprised you think the midfield is that good. I can think of a couple I'd like to see out of here.

I personally think he should be given game time, rather than playing England's next back passer.

Fonte out OS.

I was told that around the time Lallana etc were going, his agent had a meeting with Man City when they were trying to increase their home grown quota. The offer apparently was very good but he wasn't going to play much if at all so JWP refused it.

Our full back cover is poor, a tyro, inexperienced possible one for the future on the left and a cheap Dutch league player that probably won't get a game unless we draw a non league team in the cup. Targett was a weakness until Bertrand returned and Yoshida is not a competent full back. If Soares can't play nearly every game then a competent full back should be brought in. As a matter of interest how is Stephen's loan, decorating Middlesborough's bench going?

Well that worked didn't it? What a negative line up. Only two forwards. How many chances does JWP need to show his inability to defend, tackle, run with the ball and play penetrating passes. I thought there was more to being a Premier midfielder than passing meaninglessly sideways and backwards. Mane and Long, great cameo for the goal. Now we get to the real issue. Yoshida is not a full back. Brought in for his alleged defensive strength he again made a Horlicks of possession, beaten in the tackle by Sterling for God's sake, goal no 1. At fault for goal no 3 because he forgot he was right back reverted to centre back mode and failed to even look behind him as Kolarov ran thirty yards to receive the ball and unmarked lined up a shot into the far corner that virtually killed the game. To cap it all he under hit a back pass to Stekelenberg similar to the Man Utd cock up and was bailed out by Stekelenberg coming well out of the area to clear. Koeman has this chicken**** team selection problem which has cost us dearly at times this season. Our best team is obvious and it doesn't include Yoshida, JWP or Romeu. As an aside Caulker filled in well.

Bates, McMenemy, Adkins, Strachan, Nicholl, Ball, Koeman.

As the foul happened, I was watching Mason, he put his whistle to his mouth then took it away. That said it all for me.

Firstly I queued outside the Itchen, there were two queues about fifty yards long. I worked my way towards the front watching stewards scanning at the front and others moving down the queue checking visible bags, so far so good. Then I got about ten people from the front, suddenly the scanners stopped and walked past the queue and everybody went in unscanned, so much for scanning. Another observation, the club provided the perfect opportunity for a bomb outside the stadium to kill a lot of people as they queued. Normally at 2.15 the numbers are light but with the queuing there was congestion.

A lacklustre display, not the first time after the international break the team seems to forget how it plays. It looked like Van Dijk was caught out going forward, left a gap in the defence which Stoke overloaded from our right and scored. Clasie looked very good, IMO a poor decision to replace him. Pelle played far too statically and was easily marked. We were poor at winning the breaking ball and our passing was below standard. Tadic had a lot of the ball but wasted it. Both full backs struggled. Wanyama needs to decide what he is, for me he is a blocker in front of the back four, win it and give it to Clasie. His passing was woeful today. Long showed a lack of intelligence and his touch, positioning and movement was poor. He has to play up the middle or forget it. There was a slow tempo and general lack of movement from the team in general which really slowed down our attacking and Stoke were able to get back. Even when playing Mane, Pelle, Juanmi, Long, Tadic with Wanyama and JWP and three at the back were unbalanced. JWP keeps on about going to the Euros, he is absolutely deluded. Playing backwards and sideways, not a ball winner and can't head, score and lacks pace, just adds to the general slowness.

His business partner is doing some work for me. Jason is now on the mend and has just been taken off life support. The consensus surfacing is that the perpetrators because of age will probably only get a slap on the wrist with the GBH with intent charge reduced to GBH. Useless justice system, five years with hard labour would be more appropriate.

I'll pay my respects to the poor unfortunates that were killed on a night out.

I'm not sure Stoke are as good a team as people are making out. It seems to me Butland playing blinders has more to do with their success than anything else.

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