austsaint

Reed is going OK; one mistimed pass.

Feisty game - what's wrong with Hoj today?

I wouldn't argue with your assessment that Reed can offer as much or more than Clasie. I'd go further and say he offers more than JWP can in central defensive midfield roles - and Hesketh or Sims offer more in attacking areas than JWP when he's played in more advanced attacking roles as he was against Stoke. Sunday against Bournmouth is a great time to throw Reed in for Romeu and start to test these theories out.

He looked a bit rusty the other day, I was wondering whether he could see properly!!

Good player with some silky skills. Very pleased.

Yes, I know he has had to bide his time behind the Wanyamas, Morgans and Romeus, but I've always seen a player in this lad. Also think he has a few more technical/expansive skills than Koeman's famous quote ever gave him credit for.

Can't we play someone else other than Ward-Prowse?

Frustrating night with the Boufal cross to J-Rod's missing left foot the critical moment - perhaps SB should have tucked it away himself. I found the central midfield set-up confusing tonight. Davis had a poor game; he seemed to be set up deeper tonight than normal, meaning the box-to-box runs he often makes were missing. JWP's brief seemed to be in a more advanced forward role; what we saw from him was no running with the ball, rather safe passes and then a run into the box as a de-facto centre forward or inside right!! I'm wondering why Hojbjerg wasn't given that role tonight - and Clasie who played so well on Sunday didn't get a look in either. Boufal and Bertrand were very good again and clearly our defence was rarely troubled. Ironically if Stoke had played all night with 11 we may have got the result. Long, Redmond and J-Rod all off the pace tonight - where has Sims got to? I'd like to see Reed, Hojbjerg and Clasie get the midfield spots v Bournmouth.

Davo did have an off night - he seemed to be asked to play a more defensive role most of the night; his through ball to Boufal should have resulted in the winning goal had Boufal shot or J-Rod used his left foot. Several people commented on how well JWP played - my frustration with him (obviously under instruction) was the mostly safe and sideways passing followed by a sprint into the box???

No left foot.

Prowsey seems to be playing in an advanced right side position, doesn't he? Tadic can do that.

Tadic on for JWP - Davis and Bertrand can handle corners and free kicks.

Davis has been poor tonight - maybe he's leaving the driving runs to JWP!!!!!

Is Prowse being played as an inside-right forward? Can't we have someone else on Mr Puel.

I'm starting to warm to your sense of humour.

I'm suggesting Glasgow adopts "Gall Blather" as his new non-de-plume. He will be instantly recognisable.

Where have you been? Went very quiet after all those ITK snippets petered to nothing.

Just watched the replay - at the 92nd minute when J-Rod missed that cross from Redmond from point-blank range; the 'Tater said.."Rodriguez ends up in the net, the ball doesn't, and you have to wonder how". Made me chuckle.

True - Davo's brace against Spurs late last season put a smile on my face though.

Skint - my observation tells me that JWP is not a midfielder in the same mould as Davis. Davis makes driving runs out of defence and into attacking areas; he also has good touch and passing range in dangerous areas (mostly). JWP seems a more static, recycling of possession type who seems to have a reputation for good dead ball delivery. What's the likeness you're seeing?

Let's not get you started again then. A sillier, more disrespectful post I haven't seen since Glasgow's last couple.

Quite astonishing that he could rate Clasie at 5 and JWP at 6. Crook is also very harsh on Redmond, Rodriguez, Davis and even Martina who did some very good things offensively in the 2nd half. Quite a bewildering summary, though he gets it right with Fonte, McQueen and Boufal.

Good point about the formation - I had written J-Rod off, but he was pretty good today and should have had two against his name. Redmond did well out wide when he came on allowing Boufal to have that freedom in the middle of the park, and Tadic will get better with game time - it's probably our best attacking set-up.

A moment of sheer class papers over quite a few cracks but the 2nd half performance was so much better. Boufal coming into the 10 role made so much positive difference. Clasie had a really good 2nd half and Martina was our main attacking outlet in the last 30 minutes strange as it seems. J-Rod should have scored a brace; he wasn't bad overall. I thought Fonte had a good game and McQueen had his moments. Such an important win.

Need a 2nd, don't we.