CanadaSaint

I think it's a combination of all of the above with one added component that the Dutchmen apparently forgot. When a "winger" cuts in, the full back on that side is supposed to move up and re-create the wide option - if it's safe to do so. When it's done properly it works well in creating scoring chances, but it seldom does, which is why I don't care much for playing wingers on their "wrong" sides. James tried to do it correctly last year but his lack of pace meant that he ended up with too much real estate to cover on the opposing counter. It's working for us now because we have faster, well-coached and better full backs. When we push forward like that we also have too many skilled players for them to mark properly. IMO

The Huddersfield guys say that Hammond ran the game. Can't wait to hear from those who went, especially Derry because he was full of praise at the weekend.

There could be trouble at t'mill after this.

The Huddersfield commentators just reported that about 200 of their fans headed for the exits when the fifth goal went in.

Would that count as two substitutions?

Jeez, and you give Dave Merrington the gears!

Unless I'm mistaken, we have just overtaken Huddersfield in goal difference.

They've conceded 35 goals in 33 games ... and then 3 in 35 minutes. Please, Pards, don't change anything. Keep going at them with width and pace.

Buzzword Bingo: Arbsoloootly sooooopurb - Check Won't want to concede now - Doubtless in the works as half time approaches Need to keep a clee-un shee-ut - Please, no, never-ever

It sounds like we're throwing a ton of width at them.

Hopefully someone's popping vallium into NC's coffee because this game is much, much bigger than Wycombe.

I have now.

They're quite good at replying to e-mails and posting little notices like this but they seem unable to do much about the service quality. As I type this, the Huddersfield lot are happily listening to their feed, and have been for some time. We, on the other hand, are waiting for that guy to say "Searching, connected ..." and start our feed. It'll be like it often is - no lead-in, wham, kick-off. It's crap all round and it's high time the club stepped in to sort this out.

It was bad, wasn't it? Here's the e-mail address: customerservices@performgroup.com A number of us e-mailed them but the more the merrier!

Just going, Alps. I'm so nervous that I'm struggling to retain control of my bodily functions. I'm sure you wanted to hear that, didn't you?

Presactly! Great sport - and it helps me to deal with not going to SMS every second week. And you know your Canadians from your Canadiens! I'm impressed.

We are now completely, utterly and totally screwed, then. I'm switching my support to Hythe & Dibden if that happens.

God, what a waste of time that would be. I'm soooooo not worth the effort.

NC, I remember that post of Dubai Phil's as well because it really resonated with me. But we can't change NC, and AP is on the more sophisticated end of the football manager spectrum, so we have to make this work. The danger - God forbid - is that if they don't make this work we could see a repeat with the next managerial appointment as well. That's why I'm leaning towards a DoF appointment - someone to act as a "buffer", to use Weston's word. BTW, I'm shortly going to leave this vital thread in order to watch Canada whack seven bells of hell out of the U.S. at hockey (he says, with the white knuckles and knocking knees of someone who really, really, really, really doesn't want to lose this one!)

If you keep going like this you're going to trigger another Guided Missile exposé. I can see it now - "Who's that gnome in my garden?"

Absolutely. Pardew's not a dummy and I'm sure he knows the way people might read what was - to me - a rather angry and sulky performance like that interview. If that was a deliberate attempt to garner fan sympathy he's playing a dangerous game. Hopefully it wasn't. We don't really, do we? But I don't see a Swiss bank putting someone lacking talent on the Markus Liebherr account, do you? And I don't think someone like Markus would be taken in by someone who was all style and no substance. I've seen Cortese do things that have made me wonder about his judgment but nothing to make me wonder about his skill set. Bringing Markus to the table and pulling off the acquisition from administration was a challenge in itself, and the player acquisitions since seem to have been well handled.

Ooooh, get you! Don't be such a B-i-t-c-h.

Or there could be a "problem" with Cortese or - more likely yet - a problem with both of them. Managers need a competitive edge and need to protect their vision for the team and its style. Chairmen need a broader vision for the club. There are plenty of points where those two visions will rub noses, and high sensitivity (on the manager's part) or a rather interfering or impatient nature (on the chairman's part) will make it a painful exercise. This stuff often happens when you put talented people in the same room, which is light years away from where we were not so long ago.

Good point, but sometimes people who don't fully understand the difference DO get involved in it - because they have the money or because they are the link to those who have the money. NC is, I suspect, an impatient and rather impulsive man, and a DoF might be the ideal way of keeping his strengths without having to live with his weaknesses - in Weston's words "a buffer".

That's a great comment IMO. I would be inclined to add Pardew's skills to the list of positives because, even though he's made - and is still making - some tactical errors (by most accounts), he's signed some excellent players and he's transformed the playing side. Introducing a "buffer" would enable us to see the best of NC and AP - and better cohesion between the two.