CanadaSaint

Unfortunately, in that situation the talented Guly is one of the first to go missing in action. I like a lot of what he brings to the table but bringing it in pressure games/situations is not on the list.

He's got a great chance - not just because of that sensational shot but because he possibly has the best swing in golf.

Phil again for me. BTW, everyone should try to get to Augusta at least once in their lives. For golf-lovers it's like the Hajj is for Muslims. I will never, as long as I live, forget the feeling of seeing that place "in the flesh"; it was like the first time I went to Lord's and Wembley - a few weak-kneed minutes as a flood of televised memories came back to me. It's far more hilly and even more beautiful than I expected. And beer was $2.50 - about 1/3 the price at most major sporting events. I've gotta do it again some day.

I’m sure you’re right – I didn’t see the Watford game, and I was suspended 36,000 feet above the Atlantic, cursing Air Canada, when I should have been watching the Ipswich game. However, I wasn't talking about Lee but about De Ridder, although a similar issue applies IMO. SDR didn’t get the early ball he needs against Blackpool (few did), or against Donny, or yesterday. All I'm saying is that if we can't play to his skills reasonably consistently (or if his skills don't suit our tactics very well) we probably shouldn't play him because I'm not sure he brings many other things to the table.

The injury to Schneiderlin changes everything and it's not just about the right side of midfield any more. De Ridder is quite uni-dimensional and if we can't get him the ball early (a big problem with the way we play) we're better off not playing him. Falque probably has the skills but I'm not sure he's really been on Nigel's radar screen since the Leicester game, and - besides - he's a bit young to be thrown into the cauldron of a promotion race, especially as he looked rather intimidated against Leicester. My hunch is that he'll give Hammond the role performed by Schneiderlin (yes, I'm groaning too), and use either Chaplow or Puncheon on the right. My preference would be Puncheon because I think he's more versatile, but that might be the very reason he starts on the bench.

The funny thing is that I was resigned to a draw with five minutes to go - just hopeful that they didn't snatch a late winner. But then the emotional roller coaster arrived and we've all felt sick since.

This assumes that they had something to think with.

Absolutely. I thought P*mpey were much quicker getting the ball to their danger men, and their lead midfielders were quicker to support them.

Doesn't that give us more opportunity to give De Ridder the ball he needs? I think it does but that assumes we have a midfielder who can see and react to that opportunity, and I'm not sure we do. Other than Schneiderlin - if he can get forward quickly enough from his current base of the diamond/front of the back four role.

Absolutely. He needs the early pass in order to be effective, not a pass with his back to goal and a guy up his arse. Our inability to use guys who need the ball early - and Lee is another example - is a real weakness. It makes me (sadly) think we're better off not playing them because they don't suit our style/skill set.

Isn't it supposed to be a lifetime ban for doing that?

Dead right. I'd argue that we've lacked that even with Morgan playing because he's been playing in front of the back four, and it's next to impossible to do that and fulfill the role you're talking about.

The game showed the value of something we don't do well enough - resisting the urge to make one more pass and letting fly instead.

Guly's touches are great but he seldom, if ever, performs in pressure situations - they seem to overpower his attitude. And all we have left this season are pressure situations. If we're not going to give the ball to De Ridder early enough that he doesn't have someone right up his arse, we might as well not play him. I'm all for bringing the more versatile Puncheon in.

I really like De Ridder but we need to get him the ball early enough for him to take them on. If we keep playing it to his feet when he's got a defender up his arse we'll never see the best of him. Still, I'd keep him in and leave Guly out for the balance of the season because, although I appreciate his touches, Guly seldom seems to perform in pressure situations.

The "D" on the edge of the box is one of the most lethal places on the pitch. We didn't defend it and paid the price. No use crying over spilt milk, though. We were done by two cracking strikes but we're still top. TBH, right now I'd settle for second in a heartbeat.

I'm not sure anyone would have saved that. It was a howitzer.

I don't know how P*mpey have survived the corners - other than sheer desperation and luck. We have so many people capable of scoring from them. Jos to add to his total in the second half.

For a guy with big legs and a low centre of gravity, I expected his first 10-20 yards to be much faster. That's how he'll get a lot of his chances. I don't think we'll see the best of Sharp until next season when he really will be much fitter. You can't rectify a fitness deficit in a few weeks near the end of the season.

Although I used to really rate Upson I'm no longer anywhere near as convinced. The World Cup hurt him IMO. However, is it my imagination or has Fonte not really been the same player for the last couple of months? He was a shadow of his former self against Blackpool and made a succession of errors. Still, the same could be said for many others but he seemed to escape the post-game criticism for some reason.

Yes, and - as the saying goes - we all know what you find under a pony's tail.

Why didn't you quote the full post or talk about the entire discussion? Because that would strip you of your main modus operandi - "misrepresenting what people post in order to make whatever dubious point you're trying to make, or settle whatever score you're bent on settling." Anyway, I'm much more interested in LSC's answer. Nighty-night.

I don't see any insults in here unless they're in responses to people who sneer without offering a counter opinion, and even then they're pretty mild. Can you offer an example to the contrary? I know you're still smarting about me pulling up the Walsall post-match thread (containing your typically laughable over-the-top posts) six months after the event, but you really have to move on at some point. You also need to rectify your deep-seated habit of misrepresenting what people post in order to make whatever dubious point you're trying to make, or settle whatever score you're bent on settling; it has happened again and again with a whole array of moderate posters. Until then I'll do what most people do - ignore you. You're a different kettle of fish and I'm really disappointed at that response from you. Where, exactly, have I done anything other than argue my case with you, just as you have with me, and where have I insulted you? I have looked back over the thread and I would suggest that your posts are far more "aggressive" than anything I posted. The Adkins comment, for example.

"Massive issue"? Now you're just being argumentative. We certainly aren't where we are by luck, but we are lucky to have someone who has been as successful at scoring goals and as (relatively) injury-free as Lambert. Many teams have worked just as hard as us to sign successful players but nobody knows for sure how they will turn out. We've signed a few duds but Rickie has been a dream. Unless you're a lot dumber than I thought you were, you knew exactly what I meant with the Lambert reference. And the Barca analogies are growing a bit tiresome.

I hope you're right. He certainly took his chances well against Donny and could have had a couple on Saturday. If those had gone in he'd already be a hero.