hughieslastminutegoal

But those figures are not enough. It's how good the opportunities are that matters. Maybe the Oldham chances were just more clearcut?

Do you agree or disagree with your own posts, then? I'd be interested in your view (on that if on nothing else).

It's not really the fitness issue, but how much better top teams make the ball do the work, and that saves them energy. We played a good style of football but anyone with any honesty can see that they thought faster, passed snappier, controlled the ball quicker, were more aware of where their teammates and the opposition were, seeming not to have to look. Class gives you that edge. Owen's header was a classic example of where class won out - instantaneous reaction. Compare that with Guly's simpler header which he put over. We gave them a good test, but they played pretty much within their comfort zone most of the time. And maybe their 2nd team isn't as good as they have been in previous years, but they still beat us, and in my opinion the feeling in their dressing room would not have been anything like "we just got away with it" or "we're totally knackered". Nevertheless we looked much more composed, and showed more class against United that Notts County did against City. My main complaint was that Lambert still looks laboured, and sluggish; jumping for headers, and moving off his marker he just looked rather slow and heavy.

The only cup upset I can see here is that someone will spill his tea in the dressing room at half time.

Do we really have to read this before posting on any thread in the future? Can I read it just the once? Please, Mr. Head Teacher?

Good luck Paul. Good to see you have another project to get your teeth into. It's a job he'd give his eye teeth for appparently, if only he could find them again. Mind you, if he found them, could he be sure they weren't Viafara's? Great guy, did Plymouth proud, shame he came to us so late in his career, he deserves to end his career in a good way.

For heaven's sake, this game was nearly 35 years ago. I was there, and enjoyed all the celebrations afterwards, but what's the point in keep on bringing this game up? How many more times does he want patting on the back? You won it once, Lawrie, but a Furguson you aint. How many of us actually care a toss who won last year's cup final? The only people who can really be arsed to remember are the fans of the winning club (and a few other anoraks). We won it once. Good. Now get on and focus on winning something else, and the most important at the moment is promotion.

Well, you can play with numbers and hyphens however you want. I could equally well say 4-4-2 can become 4-3-3 or 4-5-1. The root of it is who you play, and how adaptable are they, and how well versed are they in making tatical changes as the situation demands. Your assumption seems to be that if you play 4-4-2 you pick players who aren't adaptable enough to take up another formation when required. It also suggests that somehow the coach's mindset is that if he sets out to play 4-4-2, that's how the entire game is played, that flexibility isn't part of the thinking. I don't actually see why that needs to be the case, but you do have to have players with brains. You assume they have enough brains to play your flexible 4-5-1 etc. but imply somehow they become dimwits when 4-4-2 is an option.

Did we just win a game of football as simple as that?

The stats show the squad ought to be strong enough. Stats tell you FACTS about the past, but indicate only PROBABILITY for the future. Isn't it the whole point that we want to make as sure as is reasonably possible that we do get promoted this season. We were a few injuries and a suspension down just a little while ago and almost everyone bemoaned the lack of depth. Strength in enough depth is what we need from now on. We've got into a great position, let's not let it slip. Does Ferguson sit there thinking "We're top of the league at Xmas. Job done?" He will always be looking to what he needs to continue to win, win, win, not patting himself on the back at last week's stats, however good they are.

Blimey! Two weeks ago people were complaining about lack of strength in depth when Chappers was out, even NA.

If the first 11 isn't ripping up this league why will buying a second 11 as strong as the first do it? Personally I'd just like a first 11 that's stronger, and a few spares.

Absolutely. Sometimes the payers are to blame. It is noticable that without Chappers there is no drive in midfield.

People wonder why he's taken the job. It's a cast-iron contract termination compensation opportunity. He's four points above the drop zone. Players are p*ssed off, and probably have the attitude "Who's he? What's he ever done?" So he's in a no lose situation - get relegated and get a pay-off, or keep them up still get the sack and get a pay-off. If I was him I'd aim for the former - get your money and get out. Nothing more that that moron Ashley and co. deserve IMO. How anyone thinking they are a "big club" can replace Houghton with Pardew is beyond me.

Hardly anyone buys the paper anymore. They've sacked a hell of a lot of workers over the last few years. To survive they are cutting costs to the bone. They have to pick up stories from wherever they can. Papers have always picked up news from other news media, that's nothing new. The Echo now just rewrites it (slightly) rather than adding anything of their own to it.

Trouble with football is that you usually need to do it with a ball........ and not run into a defender....or into the wall at the end of the pitch. Perhaps Mr Wenger has those figures at his fingertips as well?

You'll need a crow bar to get some posters to take off the rose-coloured specs. Chelsea came knocking for Bridge - he went. Arsenal came knocking for Walcott - he went. Spurs came knocking for Bale - he went. Some people will continue to stare the facts of life in the face and convince themselves that this will change. The club has to be run expecting this to continue to happen (while hoping it won't).

But it would be easier for Pulis to do two jobs he can handle - preparing the veg and cleaning the pans.

But if you ask him nicely he might get them to do a special showing of My Little Pony for you.

So when we say we are going to have the biggest names in the league, we mean having a team full of double-barrelled surnames?

I was really attached to the gas works at one time. It was a right drag getting home for tea. Mind you, the lines of coke were something else.

Who knows whether what a player says in an interview is what he really thinks? How many times have fans across the nation heard "I want to do it for the fans, I want to play for the shirt, I want to help get us up to the next level..blah blah" and then a week later the transfer request comes in and the manager says " We couldn't stand in his way..." I'm not saying what he said definitely isn't true but I just have serious doubts. The fact is we can speculate all day about how good he might become. Adkins has to decide whether he contributes enough now.

I think you are making an assumption that the only mental attribute is composure. Speed of thought, anticipation and awareness, imagination and coordination are also relevant. Having good feet is worth Jack if you don't (or can't be bothered to) think quickly enough. That magic thing called confidence - some players manage to keep it, some are more mentally fragile and let things affect them more easily. Generally it's speed of thought that is the critical mental attribute when it comes to "stepping up a level" as a striker. RL is reacting late, not anticipating well enough or making decisions quickly enough at the moment.

We NEED a player who is learning his trade? You might want to keep him, but need is a different matter.

Is it this bit you couldn't agree more with? .........he has time on his side and could go on to be a very important player for us......... Should we play him because he could go on to be an important player? Or does it mean we should keep him and maybe not play him much? If the latter I think it's clear he doesn't want that. Which means that you'd play him in a league to which he isn't suited and take the increased risk of another missed promotion?