S-Clarke

That sub scared the shit out of me, we weren't cruising in the game and we needed a focal point up top to hold the ball and give us an outlet - so we brought on Mara. I have no problem putting him on when we're 3-0 or 4-0 up, but not when we are in a tight game as he will hinder us. Hope we get a French club offering us something for him in the summer.

Once again we're struck by a goal which leaves everyone with the question ''should he have done better?'' - it's one of those that if he saves it, it's a ''what a save!!'' moment - but he doesn't seem to have those moments in his game. You need your goalkeeper at whatever level to produce a few of those a season, and I'd expect them to.

For the first 30 mins I felt as if this was going to be another Swansea/Blackburn home game, done and dusted by the hour mark - but we just lost our shit as soon as they got a fluky goal. We couldn't contain them, they were pressing us hard and we couldn't keep the ball - we kept inviting them onto us. Half time came at a good moment I thought, but the second half started just as bad. Very disjointed, very loose out of possession and when in possession - their goal felt inventible at some point in that 2nd half, but weirdly it came during the time when it felt like the game was petering out. Absolutely hopeless play by Stephens in midfield, as he has absolutely no idea about positional play and where to be. It's a good finish by their player, but once again you have to question it because it wasn't hit with power, it wasn't high into the net, and it still didn't produce any form of save. I was pretty resigned at that point, the way we'd fucked around from 30 mins looked like it killed us. The subs didn't make us any better either. The winning goal that late on is one of those euphoric moments for, we got one hell of a slice of luck to bundle that in. To our credit once it went to 2-2 we did put them under pressure, but I just don't understand why we stood off them so much after 30mins. Stephens defended two moments really well against their attacker, but the obsession with having him at the team in any position is killing us. Bednarek and THB built a partnership, they need to be the two. Downes needs to stay as the 6, his rotational option is Charles. Stephens for me is the third CB and if we keep pissing around with his role we will continue to ship goals. Great spirit from us to get over the line, but our porous defending continues to hurt us and unless we sort that we will have a real uphill task in the playoffs.

They've been after him for weeks and weeks, back at Christmas or just after their manager bit back at the fans who started booing the team. I reckon he'll walk at the end of the season either way. In a snap shot you look at them still top of the league and think the criticism looks bizarre, but the way they have collapsed is unacceptable really and questions should be being asked. I watched them last night and they bored the shit out of me, quite similar to us at our worst in that sense - lots of aimless passing without any speed to it. The game at the King Power should be a game for the record books. (highest percentage of ball passed between the CB's)

Leeds and Ipswich have been handed it on a plate here, it's all in their hands. Leicester have chocked it. 3rd for them.

They'll have to sell everyone who moves, and they have a transfer embargo so they wouldn't be able to replace. No underestimating what failure would do to Leicester. Could end them as a club.

Not worth the effort and all the working outs. It's not going to happen, probably 98% probability that we finish 4th. Get the money on that!

They're in a bit of Financial trouble, there's no way they'd reject a bid in the 2-3m ballpark IMO. They'll sell anyone who moves in the summer.

I agree, I don't think either of those will do it. PNE have the best chance as they have to play Norwich, which could reel them right in, but PNE blow so much hot and cold it's crazy - so they've got some other shockers in their locker before the season is out I'm sure. I think it'll be as is - WBA and Norwich in 5th and 6th. Leicester have collapsed to a degree, but they'd need to continue collapsing if they were to fall into the playoffs IMO. I reckon it'll be Ipswich or Leeds. We just need to focus on (what I believe) will be the two WBA games first!

It will be kept as KWP, otherwise we've scored an illegal handball goal.

Looked a handball to me, so because of that the goal will never get taken away from KWP - if they did take it away from him, they'd have just allowed a handball goal by Adams. Ref was shit I thought.

I've given up on him now to be honest. Just get rid of him in the summer, ship him off for free. He looks shit at the level below we actually bought him for. He wouldn't even be useful at L2 level, hideous player.

If they are going to do that, then they can't be pissing away 2-0 leads at Wednesday. That was a shocker of a result for them tonight, it's brought Preston and Cov right back into it. (Preston play Norwich at the weekend)

I thought we played pretty well in the first half, I don't think 3-0 would have been unfair as we certainly had the best of the game. Somewhat fortunate with both goals it has to be said, but still deserved. Cov were always going to get better, and they did, a bit huff and puff from them but they did get the goal their 2nd half deserved. They're a decent side so I don't think you should ever expect this to be an easy win. The pen they didn't score was justice - the softest pen ever, I thought they were actually debating it and he was going to speak to his assistant but obviously not - crap decision had been made. I thought Adams had a good game, and so did Aribo. He gives us a real presence in midfield and he's really hard to get off the ball when he has it, some of his attempted through balls - if they had come off - would have been worldie assists, he's got a lot to offer in that advanced CM role. Certainly MTOM for me. My concerns over Brooks remain though, he looks like an individual in a team - doesn't seem to be on the same wave lengths at all, just looks a little off it. He won't be getting into Bournemouth's team any time soon if he carries on playing like this. Mara was simply a waste of time when he came on. I hope we ship him off in the summer as I really cannot be arsed to watch him struggle around anymore. Onto the next one, need to turn up against Watford as we did in the FA Cup game. I think we'll confirm our playoff place at the weekend, if it's not confirmed already (think we need just 1 point?)

He's going full in on the 'Government make the weather' stance now. I feel pretty sad reading MLT's tweets and what he's become. https://x.com/mattletiss7/status/1777647625526722825

We were on the final straight before Boro at home, but for some reason we've taken a detour via Timbuctoo.

Stephens is an odd one, as individually he's done absolutely nothing wrong and I feel a bit sorry for him. The issue we all have is the 'shoe-horning' and overcomplicating of his role. He's a CB, or a full back at a push/in an emergency. Martin seems to be imagining that he's some sort of Pirlo/Iniesta in how he can use the ball in the middle, but it's bollocks. He's perfectly decent on the ball, but so is Downes, Charles, Smallbone, Aribo - you know, players who are actual midfielders. I don't know what problem he is trying to solve with this weird floating role.

I think both he and ABK have had a bit of a wakeup call, they both wanted out as they thought they were better/PL quality, but neither have played at PSV or Nice respectivly. (Granted, ABK has had injuries, but he's only played 9 times for PSV and that's a shit league). The only thing dictating them staying with us are the wages - we will have to cut our wage bill enormously next year, if ABK/Perraud are on shit loads then we'll probably have to beg someone to take them again.

Yep, exactly. So they'll end up being 6 points clear of Ipswich going into the final 2 games.

I wouldn't go celebrating a clean sheet against Blackburn too much. They're not great at all and we did then 5-0 at home only a few months back. We didn't need to defend amazingly as it was such a piss poor game from both sides. If we'd have come under any form of concerted pressure today I can almost guarantee we'd have let at least one in. Blackburn hardly huffed.

Good summary, that's exactly how I see us since Feb. We've tried to fix issues that weren't issues in the first place. I like Brooks as a player, but he doesn't suit us and does not fit into the team. I think someone more direct and quick would have been a better fit. We don't seem to know where to play Rothwell either, he's rubbish as a deeper CM - absolute shite. We benefit more when he's in that driving role in and around the 10, but for some reason we like him to play deeper. Like you say though, we didn't need him and I'm not sure what problem he was supposed to solve. We could have put Rothwells wages down on a centre forward and it would have been more fruitful. A really odd January where we ignored our main issues and added players to fix the issues we didn't have.

What a huge weekend it was for Leicester, they took full advantage when it looked like they were about to slip up too. From them wobbling badly, they have stabilised themselves a bit and put themselves right back up there, with a game in hand (win that and they're 6 points clear of Ipswich). It's going to be interesting to watch from afar, I 'think' it'll be Leeds and Leicester but I couldn't tell you what order. They're fortunate they both have to play us, so they can count on those 3 points in the bag.

Perraud played in pre-season and also the cup loss to Gillingham, Manning was signed weeks before. It was Perraud who wanted out, he was one of those who saw himself as having a 'PL Market' but actually didn't have a PL market. Salisu was another.

I think we were brave as supporters for watching it. Took some bravery to sit through that shit-fest that's for sure.

Brooks is such an odd one, clearly very talented but it seems as if we've brought him in because he's 'talented', rather than having an actual fit into our team. He looks so disjointed in our side, can't get into the game, roaming everywhere. Only Southampton could make a player like Brooks look bad at this level. Only us. Rothwell isn't even worth a place on the bench. Hope he stays at Bournemouth in the summer and we don't do something daft like buy him.