S-Clarke

We were chasing him all summer tbf, we just dragged out the deal to get the best price for us. The attitude comments came from a weird German reporter, who I think had a personal grudge against Leo for some reason.

''Never fall in love with a loan player'' Damn.

Proven us all wrong and I couldn't be happier. I mentioned it into the reaction thread, but we look as well coached as we've done since the Poch days for me. Not a 'world beating team' (in the context of the Arsenal game), but players clearly following well defined instructions in a structure that has been put in place by the coaching staff. Tactically smart, but I think the players have responded to the way he coaches and provides instructions. No over complication, just well coached players.

He makes moving with the ball look easy, like he's gliding with it - similar to how Bale used to look for us from LB, just flows along the ground. He's fun to watch, what a pickup - getting him is utter top tier scouting, no doubts.

I was pleased it wasn't a dragged out ET, because that would have been tough. But we actually came through last nights game being able to make strategic subs (Leo/Stewart) and still win - and I don't think we were back to the walls or 'blowing' out of our arses either. Wrexham will be an entirely different challenge though, I notice they've got Moore back - and that's a different challenge than we've faced for a while.

What an incredible night, I struggled to sleep all night after that. Adrenaline pumping. Often in these sorts of games you need a bit of luck to win it, but I thought we were actually unlucky - Leo through and making an extra touch, Leo hitting the bar. It was fully deserved, it wasn't a smash or grab and certainly wasn't a backs to the wall job - it was played like two PL teams if I'm honest. That was the best atmosphere I've heard at St Mary's, the WBA game was up there last year - but this was even better for me, I guess the 'late' winner somewhat makes it more dramatic! Leo had a decent game - although not his best in my eyes. I thought Bree was outstanding, ditto Jander - those two did some very 'quiet' but effective jobs tonight, we were so hard to break through and they were quite often the reason. This isn't a comparison with Poch's team by the way, but...this is well as we've been coached for many a year, everything is coordinated. The press, the block, the transitions - it's slick as butter, and that's not through luck - it's a really strong foundation and a well coached team who know where and what they're supposed to be doing, so all the credit to Tonda for me as he's made us look like we know what we're doing. I always had a feeling that the Leicester game would be defining, you cannot underestimate the amount of belief that has given everyone and it's such a unique circumstance - so we've got to feed on that for as long as we can. Maybe we can move our home ground to Wembley for May?

True, but I still think he was seen by the club as a 'development' player rather than a day 1 hit the ground running type, which was the wrong sort for me - this meant we were still relying on Stewart being the proven experienced type. Larin fills that hole for now, he's certainly not a world beater, but he's the sort we should have aimed for in the summer rather than more up coming prospects.

It's the same argument as in the summer really, we cannot put all our eggs into the Ross Stewart basket. If we keep him around it should be on a deal which works for us, lower wage, shorter length, weighted towards appearances etc. But we need to go out and buy a first choice striker, Stewart - if he stays - will be part of the squad, we need to go out and buy a Larin or similar who is going to be the main striker. We can't have a situation again where we are so poorly stacked up top with just Stewart as the only 'true' number 9 we have. I'm somewhat discounting Downs as he's continued his 'non footballer' form at Hamburg too, so I think we can discount him ever being any use.

Jack Cork? Played a solid part in our promotion from the Championship, and came into his own in the PL under Poch too. Solid 6/7-10 player for me. Can't remember too many stinkers, just steady.

I don't think there's any situation where we won't go strong, we cannot think of going weak or resting players - even against their second string. If you step off it and go with a weaker side, lose heavily, it just crashes out any momentum. I agree with others views that this ''play the kids in the cup, focus on the league'' is such a defeatist approach in my eyes. It's not just us, I've seen Newcastle and Villa fans suggesting going weaker in the European comps (when they were in them) to concentrate on the league, so they could qualify for Europe next season. Make that make sense. As fans we've been indulged by the finances of football, it's not for us to worry about - we're the fans, all we can judge success on is winning silverware - surely? Modern fan bases seem more bothered about achieving a 'Positive net spend' or a '15th' place finish so we get £2m extra, rather than actually going all out for a bit of silverware. Quarter finals don't come around too often, European runs don't come around too often (for clubs like us), so let's just grab the chance.

It was a very ugly second half for sure, but I'd say this has been something we've lacked for a long time - having the sort of players in the side who can help you win ugly - goalkeepers are usually critical in that approach, as if you're bad you're likely going to face some shots which need saving! You cannot underestimate the difference Peretz has made to the side with his saves, but also with the mentality of the defence and the confidence throughout the entire backline when defending set pieces or communicating etc. Of course he makes saves, which goalkeepers are paid to do, but it's his personality and energy he brings which has given us an extra kick too. I thought Azaz worked his arse off - as hard working as I've ever seen him, and with little moments of quality in the areas that matter too. Matsuki was another who worked so hard, always pressing, always harrying - he doesn't have the pace or ability of a Leo, but the energy he brings has always been infectious. Larin had a bit of a sloppy night I felt, but even through that - it was his presence which enabled Azaz to score, so it shows how important a physical presence actually is - they don't need to score, or even play out of their skin....things can still happen around them because they make defenders to defend. This was mentally a big game - we had expectation on us for the first time this season I'd say, against a side in stronger form than us and the results around us had gone our way, so we had an opportunity to take advantage - and we did it, by hook or by crook. Oxford at home on paper looks dooable, but they've seriously picked up in recent weeks and are fighting for their life. If we play to our ability we'll have too much for them, but if we are complacent this is a huge banana skin.

Worked his arse off, his press was excellent for most of that match. He tries things which don't always come off, but those sorts of players are called match winners for a reason - they take risks, but he's really upping his work rate now.

He was all over the place, he had no control of that game at all. All Norwich did, as others have said, is kick us and foul us (Edozie especially).

We've certainly picked the right time to have our uptick in results, because all the other teams around us have played either each other or top sides - and we've been able to pull back a ton of points on Hull, Millwall, Wrexham etc. I'm conscious that we'll have off days between now and the end, as every team does (the Wrexham away game is a biggy in my eyes), but the balance of home games left against away games surely puts this strongly in our favour. If we'd have had a better start to the season, even talking 6 or 7 points better, we'd be breathing down Boro's necks right now.

The biggest thing for me is why did it take so fricking long for a professional football club, full of professional scouts, analysts and coaches to realise we needed an actual goalkeeper to be succesful? This Bazunu project has been to the detriment of this club, and even if he returns this summer, I hope this experience with Peretz hammers home the fact that we've been playing without an actual goalkeeper for quite some time, bar the few games in the PL with Ramsdale. If this doesn't concentrate minds, I don't know what else will. I'd love us to sign Peretz, but even if that ship sails and he has other options, I want this experience we've had to be used as club-wide realisation that we need spend on a goalkeeper either way.

I wouldn't see it as a free hit, no game is now. If Wrexham do lose, this is a huge opportunity and mentally it could be massive.

Yeah he was excellent, really busy, good touches, keeping the ball in tight situations - but he was also excellent tracking back and pressing too. He did have a bit more freedom yesterday because of the 3 CM's, and I think it benefited him as he was able to float across the front 3.

Yep, 8m euro or around that. I would imagine he'll have a few suitors after the last few months, but I think he appreciates playing - he doesn't want to be a bench player. We need to sort out the Ramsdale situation then we will make the call on him. I just hope the Ramsdale sale doesn't drag on for weeks.

The recruitment definitely has had an uptick this year compared to previous years, and it seems as if maybe he does know what is required and has an eye for things. Tonda being a fine example - no one would have done that, and a lot of us were against it, but he stood by his decision. I think January fixed some of the gaps from the summer (Striker/GK), but the likes of Leo, Jander, Azaz, Peretz, Larin have been sound additions and good 'left field' finds, exactly the sort of scouting we've been missing.

He's turned his season around, completely different player. I still find it hard to accept some of his performances early doors, and even last season when he downed tools in January...but he's doing his job now and is back to the player we remember at this level. I think he seems settled in the side at the moment. Much more disciplined in his approach too.

It was an excellent away performance, well deserved and in control for 90% of that game. We went with 3 CM's to crowd out their midfield, as they like to play through the lines - but we were all over them, blocking passing angles, space etc. They became very pedestrian and they were somewhat easy to defend against because of that. Their best player was their RB, who has always been a cut above this level - he caused us some problems on his overlaps, but we contained him fairly well I think. The biggest takeaway is how comfortable the entire 11 look now, you can see triangles happening between players because they play together every week. We've got two CB's who have been allowed to form a proper partnership and it shows, but being backed up by a proper goalkeeper does make a huge difference. I don't think Larin is the greatest finisher, but his strength and pace does give us a totally different dimension to how we attack and it has changed our threats. We have the option to hit it and get people around him/running off him, and we look more dangerous for it. I remember something Pardew said when we first signed Lambert, he wanted the Lallana's and such to get close to him so they could benefit from the strength/hold up and use their ability after he's done the 'tough' work. We've seriously missed a proper 9 for so long. Peretz is quickly becoming a fan favourite. That save he made in the first half yesterday is a perfect illustration of the sort of goal Bazunu would have let in, and it would have been debated on here as a ''should he have done better?''. This is exactly the sort of moment we were all talking about when we wanted a keeper who can make 'match changing' contributions, that was exactly that. I love his personality and his character, I think he's put life into the entire back line - they now have trust. I love his constant appreciation for good bits of defending etc. I did say he was a bit flappy at the start, but I think he's even improving in that aspect as he's been very commanding in recent weeks. One final special mention to Downes who has turned his season around. He's got his head down and got his levels back to where he needed to be, but I repeat that a lot of it is down to familiarity and selection consistency - we were too chop and change early doors, loads of new players too...and it was all a bit disjointed. I think Still tried to overcomplicate it, but our approach now is pure simplicity. A capable GK, a consistent back 4, a strong target man and a solid midfield. That then allows us the foundation to have an Azaz, Leo, Matsuki, Edozie, Fellows etc doing what they're good at. We've put ourselves in a great position and I still look back at that Leicester game as being really defining, it's given everyone so much belief and momentum - and momentum in football is hard to stop, especially at this level.

That's it in a nutshell really, when you have a 'proper football team', you can have off days and still get something (as we did against WBA). We had a few off days under Adkins at this level, Leeds away one of those - we were awful, but we were a team with those two key attributes you mention - and we got the points because of that. It was never rocket science and it never required us to sell everyone really, just stop with the square pegs and play players in their right places. I'm not saying Armstrong is a bad player, but we were often tempted to play him as the 9 because of our options in the wide areas - but it never worked. It felt a bit forced with Armstrong around, but it's more of a natural attack now.

Well deserved, pleased for him. Let's hope this isn't the peak!

100%, with those sorts of players you have to take the rough with the smooth. They're naturally fairly inconsistent in game and over a season, but have enough moments over that season to be worth their place - isn't he our top scorer? I think he's got 7 or 8. Not bad numbers for an AMC, about right - the issue with our numbers is we've not had a proper number 9 to hit those double figures ahead of him. He somewhat reminds me of a 'Tadic'Lite' in terms of how he's seen by the fans, ''lazy, not doing anything, lumbering around''. I just don't think some fans have the right expectations for these sorts of players.

My fear is that we'll not be able to trigger the Peretz deal early on, due to Ramsdales likely 'temporary' return - the club will very likely need to shift Ramsdale before we can sign another number 1 goalie. Newcastle not taking up their option complicates things a bit for us, if it drags on I'd say Peretz has probably flagged up on enough scouts radars to have a few interested parties if we dawdle around. Hopefully we have a plan..