MOSaint

I guess Clyne has a knock if he isn't even on the bench.

I can see what NA going for here by taking the smaller and less physical players out, but we don't have the options at our disposal to do it well.

That team is going to get bummed

From Tancredi Palmeri, Italian football journalist who was first to confirm our Ramirez interest, looks like this one may have some real legs to it.

Robinson is someone we should definitely try and bring in. A good goalkeeper joining will keep us up.

Given how our back four have improved greatly and Stoke are not the best going forward (only Villa & QPR have scored fewer) I think there is something there for us if whoever plays in goal can maintain his sanity for a full 90 minutes (unlikely). 1-0 loss and another hint to NA that we need a better goalkeeper ASAP in January. Since the rest of the team began sorting themselves out (after the WBA game), goalkeeping clangers have cost us 6 points and I see another costing us at least one point on Saturday

Stoke are a decent side this year, defensively they are exceptional and have let in the least goals in the league and are very good at squeezing out 1 goal victories. Boruc Clyne Fonte Yoshida Shaw Cork Morgan Mayuka Ramirez Puncheon Lambert Surely Boruc has had enough time now to drop the extra weight he was carrying when he signed and gained match fitness. He can't possibly do worse than Gazzaniga & Davis. Also I'd shove Ramirez back where he belongs, in behind the striker with Puncheon switched to the left to take advantage of his stronger left foot and have Mayuka on the right to add some pace.

Still...plenty of time left to get our **** together, but worrying if we are this poor against a team that are on the ropes like fulham.

****ing hell

That Defence? His most notable howlers came after our defence improved massively. Had it not been for his errors you could argue we'd have four more points.

Given Fulham's dire form at the moment (7 points from 30), this is one of the few away fixtures we should be thinking we can nick three points. Still need an improvement on Saturday's performance to do that mind you, but with a good response from the players we win this. 2-1 saints

That's true, Brighton are paying 10k of Bridge's 90k pw and they were still paying 100k of Adebayor's wages when they loaned him to Tottenham last season, in fact after he signed permanently City are still subsidising his wages http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19334854 On the other hand Lescott is one of the best CBs in the league so would have the pick of the best sides in the PL if he wanted to leave even on loan.

Good player, can play both flanks and would add depth. Currently if AL or Gaston are unfit we seem forced into a drastic reshuffle in midfield that forces at peast one player into a position where they are not comfortable.

Villa had been picking up a bit recently, a nice 7-0 bumming should dent their confidence a bit.

May have worked if we'd tried to play him in behind more...

Lambert back up front where he should be, Mayuka up top won't work because we don't even try to adapt our style of play to suit anything other than Lambert at CF. Davis Clyne Fonte Yoshida Shaw Cork Schneiderlin Puncheon Ramirez Rodriguez Lambert Subs: Boruc, Hooiveld, Richardson, S Davis, Mayuka, SDR, Guly

You know the delivery was bad if SDR managed to put in the best ball of the game.

Puncheon had a bad game, Ramirez had his poorest game since signing, Cuellar & O'Shea had Lambert in their pocket and the service up to Mayuka first half was all wrong & Cork/Morgan got out battled in midfield. Horrible performance, but a decent opportunity to bounce back against a nosediving Fulham on Boxing Day.

What a letdown, I would have hoped we'd at least show some fight second half but instead we were worse.

We haven't really tried to use his strengths 1st half, look at how spurs play when Defoe is alone up front, they try to get the ball in behind so he can run onto it. We have done that once all half. He's never going to hold the ball up or win an aerial battle against Cuellar & O'Shea.

Problem is that Lambert is in midfield and we're asking Mayuka to try and hold the ball up or win the ball in the air, which he isn't going to do. If Mayuka is going to do anything up front the team need to try and play the ball into space so he can use his pace to get in. Put RL back up front, move Ramirez into the middle and put Mayuka out wide 2nd half please.

Didn't he play on the left against Leeds? I remember the 5live commentators singling him out for his performance and not for the right reasons.

High wages and it would appear an even higher opinion of himself.

Matt Slater ‏@mattslaterbbc Chainrai says PKF has boobed, running up huge costs, & money will run out on 21/12, hence offer 2 fund new administration