austsaint

I was just going on memory - as someone pointed out, J-Rod didn't sign until we were promoted.

Oh, yes....who was the other attacker in those days then? Had we got rid of Barnard by then? Was it Guly?....not a bad player.

One of the scary things is we appear to have a weaker attacking four now in Long, Davis, JWP and Tadic than back in the Championship days - Lambert, Lallana, Rodriguez and Puncheon!

Have Boufal and Lemina laughed at him at training?

Davis, Ward-Prowse and Long ???

Your last sentence is the thing.

Nothing much for the neutral then!

Quite funny....but with an ominous doomsday feel about it.

It really would be a disaster....which could easily have been avoided; even now with decisive action - which probably won't happen.

Sunderland scoreline a few seasons back at home comes to mind.

I think the majority of supporters are behind the team and well remember the days when relegation battles were common. The real (and in my view valid) complaint is that so much about our present position could have been avoided by decisive action to replace a poor manager and a proactive strengthening of the squad dating back to the non-replacement of Fonte.

I'm not making excuses for Pellegrino - he should have been binned 6 weeks ago. Boufal, Austin, Gabbiadini and possibly Tadic all good enough in attack, when played in their right positions and managed better. I'm saying Long and Redmond aren't good enough compared to the CP players I've mentioned and JWP played in that wide right position doesn't have enough pace, width and run to compensate for the few good crosses that come in. Carillo is too soon to call.

I'll help you. Zaha, Benteke, Sako, Cabaye and Townsend - better than Long, Redmond, Ward-Prowse - and arguably better than Tadic.

I think you will continue to hear discontent. If we start to climb the table it will be in spite of Pellegrino, not because of him.

IT helps that they have 3-4 very good attacking players and two excellent CBs; even if they are both injured at the moment. Some credit to Hodgson though; and the Chairman for decisive action.

Don't think that's right - his absences from 1st team duties were often down to Klopp not selecting him. Would he be any more injury prone than Austin? I don't think so. Given our situation, I would have welcomed him here - he's got class and he's clinical.

There's a dispiriting truth in what you write. I see some hope for more zip and intensity if the following players start (excluding the back 4 or 5).....Boufal, Tadic, Lemina, Hojbjerg, Romeu, Gabbiadini and Carillo....(LOng an impact sub as a wide runner).

Very pleased for J-Rod yesterday. Still think the Club did the right thing in selling although even with his post-injury form I would have opted to offload Long before him.

You've answered your own question! I agree with you, if only Reed could see the problem. Let's pray for a win! I'm an atheist by the way!!!

That's what I was getting at. In a game you absolutely have to play your best attacking player - he (MP) probably won't.

Do you think he did take Boufal off to save him for Brighton, or because he often subs him, even when playing well?

I didn't see the game - wife's 50th - but one thing which amazes me about Pellegrini is his apparent failure to get the best out of our really good players like Boufal and Lemina, even Gabbiadini. He doesn't seem to play them enough, leave them on, encourage them, put his arm round them, Klopp style or build their confidence.

From my vantage point McCarthy is an infinitely better keeper than FF. Excuses were made about post-injury and bad coaching but in the end you have to trust your eyes, Forster is a poor GK.

Yes, if he does that, and helps to keep us up. he will become something of a legend in my book.

Wow.