Graffito

Top lads both. Cork generally been well regarded on here. Schneiderlin took some stick early doors. Couldn't understand it whatsoever. His quality has been evident from day one.

As merely an observer of his performances he appears to be someone who needs pushing more than coaxing. A big kick up the @rse should do it. Pochettino's the man.

You were there and I wasnt so I can't say you are in the wrong but watching on line it sounded very loud. Really.

We use zonal marking (with Lambert sometimes man marking a danger man). This generally means no full backs on the posts.

Yeah but remember it was lapse in concentration, a bit of inexperience from an otherwise excellent 17 year old, that cost us two points. Nothing more nor less.

I'm as disappointed as you are but look at the performances of the players. There's reason to be optimistic in my view.

We tackled hard and chased the ball down second half.

Really encouraging performance. Great spirit, determination and skill. Let down by two bits of sloppy defending. Yoshida lost Caldwell and then misjudged the flight of the ball from the corner kick. Shaw, who had an otherwise excellent game, played them on for their equaliser by not coming out with the rest of the defence.

Not playing like that we won't.

£80k a week with a bonus taking his pay close to the £100k he's been on. Fee and wages could cost QPR £35m, fee and wages, over his 3yr contract. Will anyone take him in May?

He could easily have described his commitment and dedication, which most acknowledge, without belittleing (sic) others. His antics after they relegated us are a case in point. He's the personification of arrogance.

He only got out of bed for Sunderland on match days, allegedly.

Agree we are short of a striker but that striker isn't Billy Sharp, much as we'd all like it to be, because he isn't good enough.

We did this under Adkins first half away to Everton and they just exploited the gaps in midfield, especially down the flanks. We appear to be playing a higher line under MP and all of the players are maybe trying that bit harder for a new manager so the pressing tactics worked better against Everton at SMS. I would add that you need pace at the back to play the high line and there is more available now than when we played Everton away.

Would you say he got it wrong first half?

Southampton second half were best team we've played at OT this season and we were lucky to win the game - ferguson.

Already happened on 5Live. So far, he and the commentator, McNamara is it, going on about how sloppy Manu were.

Lawrenson "anyone going to score its Southampton". 'kin kiss of death that is.

You're right. Must have got my dates mixed up.

The pubs at each of the four corners...

On the point about customer service the club seems to have problems where services that are outsourced. I've had issues in recent months with Saintsplayer (seems to be a contact centre abroad that I'm dealing with) and ordering goods online from the club shop. No doubt get them resolved eventually but it's painful. Btw if any one out there got for Christmas a mug with a picture on it of Rickie Lambert being held aloft by Saints fans after promotion with "Albert" on it, it's what I ordered for my nephew for Christmas. He got "Dave. Keep calm and follow Saints". If you're out there Dave, get in touch and we can do a swap.

Doubt there is much in this episode but what I dont quite understand is this. Jim Steele was allowed entry but at some point was then asked if he was a member. What isn't clear is why the young kid asked him that. Would the staff generally recognise all members and question anyone they thought wasn't a member?

A thoughtful post. Agree with most of it. I fear for Lambert in this pressing from the front. Attacking does suit us. I disagree slightly regards moving the ball quickly. This doesn't mean necessarily an early ball but moving teams around though if we play a quick one up front in place of Lambert then it makes sense to hit early. High defensive line - yes definitely need more pace in centre of defence. Full backs are fine. On the general point about the squad as a whole, we don't have the players throughout to play this way. We've been a squad in transition this season which is why Adkins has needed to be pragmatic rather than dogmatic about 443 and why he's paid the penalty. Getting the right players in is vital.

Here's Fat Sam crowing about his methods and West Ham's league position in the London Evening Standard in November: "Last season, for example, we came in for some criticism. The opposition considered us the top dogs in the Championship and went that extra mile to try and beat us. Not many West Ham fans were worried about the things which concerned me when I took over, though. We were a football club on our knees, with no soul. None of that mattered. “We are West Ham”, I was often told by supporters, “we should do this and do it in a certain way”. http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/sport-comment/sam-allardyce-injuries-are-the-main-threat-to-reaching-our-target-in-phase-two-of-the-season-8371247.html?origin=internalSearch When we didn’t ‘do it’, such as when we drew too many consecutive games, we were criticised. I didn’t mind it so much as that’s my job but the players felt it on occasions. This time it’s different. It’s our first season back and we’re not expected to be at the top of the Premier League. After all, we only came up through the play-offs but look where we are compared to Reading and Southampton."

You could debate the ranking of the other teams but I would agree with SAints at 13. They are indeed smaller than those above and bigger than those from 13 down.