austsaint

Morgan's been good but surely Sadio has stood out above all.

Doesn't Mane look even more effective when not stuck out on the right. Davo not quite up to speed on the right, perhaps Djuricic to replace him.

I do remember many on here saying Jos H. was a better CB !! Yoshida has been mostly a very decent performer from day 1 and has definitely lifted a notch this season.

You're probably right, and who could begrudge him a move to a Champs League Club. He has served this Club well and is surely the only survivor of those L1 days. I just hold a fraction of hope he stays, but it's really his time to move on.

Wonder if the lads are able to have a few pale ales while listening to Longy doing Bob Marley?

Sorry to "out" him, but Simo might have been among the first to launch a thread slating Sadio - he got plenty of followers though!!!!

I would argue that Barkley, Wilshire, Ramsey etc are light years ahead of Ward-Prowse and were so when they were aged 20. Harry Reed after 3-4 games shows greater all round skill and quality than JWP after 70 appearances. I can see this lad still being hyped up after a hundred appearances and still demonstrating the same limitations.

Add Mane to your "should start every game from now on" list - agree on the others. Elia could add a lot of value off the bench from now on, and Djuricic looks a creative force who should sharpen up and improve.

Part of the problem is that in his 15 minutes on the pitch he also gave the ball away three times, two of which could easily have resulted in CP goals. He was also stood up twice by Punch resulting in dangerous crosses late in the game. Credit though to him for combining with Mane for such a crucial goal.

One positive thing to come out of the WBA game through my eyes was the decent dead ball delivery from corners and free kicks, courtesy of Morgan mainly with help from Tadic/Davis. I would be disappointed if JWP was recalled because the rest of his game just isn't up to scratch.

Three other observations - the referee in the second half was actually good, let the game flow, consistent with rulings. Yoshida once again a solid performer and the quality of our corners and free kicks yesterday showed that JWP should not be seen or selected as the only option for dead ball delivery.

Agree; WBA played like like the away team after the "worldy" volley from Berahino. The time wasting was incredible and their style of play to congest their area a predictable tactic very much like Stoke days under Pulis. Originally, I thought taking Vic off at half time for Davo was a mistake yet the little threat to our goal in the second half meant we didn't need him. Bertrand, Yoshida and Morgan had good games; the late miss from Pelle really sums up his malaise while Mane played out wide saw him out of the action and isolated from Pelle where he seems most dangerous.

Davis for Vic??????

Time wasting and spoiling from West Stoke Albion - what's all the booing about?

I'll give you that - uncontested.

By use of your definition, you are of course correct. Don't forget though, the "late-for-lunch" lad is just 22 and he's done some things on the pitch for us not too many attacking players are capable of.

I actually agree with Lou; Mane (particularly), Elia and Filip are close to being world class players.

Corky, are you expecting Mane to be late for lunch again? I'm sure he will start.

When I watched the replay I was surprised to see how much tracking back and helping out defensively he did. Very anonymous in the second half though (in racing terminology he probably needed the run) and with hindsight Tadic might have replaced him earlier. I wonder whether if Mane had turned up on time for lunch Filip would have been on the bench anyway.

A couple of changes I've noticed in Yoshida's game these days - his passing and distribution skills have improved markedly and he also seems more confident to burst forward with the ball looking to launch an attack.

Yes, early in the game wasn't it - set the scene for a string of decisions or non-decisions against us; the Jose tackle on Sterling the only exception perhaps.

A good point you make but you must admit he is a long way down on early season form. Returning to the refereeing debacle; two clangers not talked about much - Lovren's hand ball in the area, clear cut wasn't it? And the foul and yellow card given to Big Vic when he clearly got the ball first with minimal contact to the scouser.

Hello Wiggles 31. Can I refer you to post 155 (by Rasiak 9) and ask, of those 10 facets of the game listed, which, in your opinion, will JWP improve in?

You sum it up well for me with your "roam around ineffectively" description. It's not just today - take away his corners and free kicks (and they haven't been that startling, and aren't enough justification to include him) and there really isn't much of a footballer there; he just does not have the attributes of box-to-box running; evasion, trickery, interception, tackling, first touch, aerial ability.

Can't agree with you about Targett; apart from the slip which was unlucky, he has had a good match.