S-Clarke

Agreed, as per usual it was all too passive up to 70mins. Everton were dire and the fans were getting on their backs, if we showed an ounce of ambition and pined them in we'd have got a good away win today. They were there for the taking. We didn't show the ambiton and we were clearly happy with a 0-0. All it then takes is 1 mistake and it's 1-0, then the entire midset has to switch to attack. Not possible that late in the game.

Really, really, really poor period. I'm still confused as to how we played as well as we did at Bournemouth, that seemingly looks like the odd one out as we've reverted to type since. The worry is that we play this passive protective game in order to remain compact, but we're now starting to ship goals at an alarming rate as well as still not scoring any. We've got too many players out of form right now. Redmond looks shot, the manager scored a complete OG with him at the start of the season. Romeu looks absolutely dead on his feet (no surprise there). I must admit, in previous season we've had spells like this (this time last year was just as bad) but I've always looked at the manager/coaching staff and have felt that they won't let this dip any further, you always felt that. I just don't get that same feeling now, I cannot see where the inspiration is going to come from. Of course we were going to have a season like this eventually, we've had improved finishes for years - it was going to end at some point, but it seems to be ending in very limp fashion. I've never been so bored watching us and I've never been less interested in listening to our managers post or pre-match stuff, I cannot bring myself to listen to him. As a club we don't panic or react based on a few results, so I don't expect Claude to be going anytime soon - but he needs a good January and we're dying for someone to come in and light up our season as it's really never got going.

This is all a bit of a shambles really. We're mentally fragile as a team and it shows. Everton have been dire as well.

It's the same old really, nothing different. Gaps to the forward players is too big, redmond/tadic coming deep for the ball then having to make up a lot of ground to get near the final third. Repeat constantly. Everton have been truly inept, a team with a bit of ambiton would have taken it to them today. We've just let them have this game as we have shown nothing apart from trying to keep them at arms length. The Christmas rotation malarkey hasn't really worked. Players should be fit enough to play more than 1 game in 5 days, if they're not then stick them into a fitness camp.

He didn’t say that at all, did he? It’s just that people cannot really use ‘’this season we’re 9th at this stage’’!! as a reason to suggest we’re doing better. We’re doing no better than we did at this same stage last year, and to get us to this stage last year we just went through 1 win in 10. It’s best to wait until the end of the season before comparing anything with last season.

They’ve made a few changes. Trippier in for Walker, Son in for Sissoko. Dier moved to midfield to replace Dembele. Toby back to replace Jan Vertongen.

Because we’re missing the link between the midfield and our attack. It nullifies him when he’s having to track back and pick the ball up deeper, he needs to be as high up as possible all the time.

Different type of player in my opinion. He’s a final third player, we need a midfielder capable of closing the gap between our midfield and the final third and feed the likes of Boufal etc.

Another name I'll throw in the hate - Roberto Pererya - not playing for Watford today, but in my opinion one of their better players from that advanced CM role. He's another in the mold of what we're missing.

This could be whatever score Spurs want. The gulf in quality is insane.

Yes!! I personally think he’s perfect and exactly what we’ve lacked for years in that area. It won’t happen though.

I can see why people want Morgan back, but even if he did come back we'd still need another type of midfielder as he's not the sort we're missing. He'd be a perfect replacement for Clasie/JWP with Romeu sitting deep. But we're not looking to replace those players, so it's a mute point. Then you get someone else along side him who can drive.

There is such a huge gap between the top 6 and the rest this year, not just points wise but coaching and quality of players. Not seen it this 'wide' for years. But there are now two distinct leagues in this league.

Jesus christ, can we just set up a dedicated forum so these two muppets can go on endlessly at each other? (and then we don't have to see it).

That’s a fair point, but to be honest we’re now buggering around in midfield rather than in front of goal. We’re moving the buggering about backwards…!

Hojbjerg needs a serious run in this team. Not sure how he can be expected to adapt to a new league by being taken in and out. I really, really hope the 2nd half of the season will see us field consistent sides as we'll have plenty of free weeks. Hoj is exactly the sort of player who will benefit from a sustained run in a side. He clearly has all the tools.

It’s impossible to say really, I remember this time last year quite a few had enough of Koeman and there was talk of dressing room falls out etc. Personally I think once we get to Saturday > Saturday games and we can field the same team every week, we will benefit from that. The Europa League has had the predictable effect on a middle of the table club. So in certain situations, Claude has been dealt a tougher hand and has been forced to rotate more often than not. I’m hoping more consistent 11’s will equal better consistency in results.

Why don't you pull up the end of season form Goatboy, for a more balanced view...? And also, that run of form Koeman had lead us to 24 points. Exactly what we sit on now.

We need an attacking central midfielder who is willing to take risks more than we need a striker, but that's just my opinion.

We’ve got exactly the same points, albeit an inferior goal difference. As has been said, the rest of the league is much of a muchness which is why we’re a couple of spots higher. I don’t particularly feel comfortable comparing the current points total with last years at this stage, as we were pretty dire at this point last year.

The main element is the retention and possession of the football, so we don't spend 90mins chasing around to win the ball back. On paper, that sounds great and you'd assume it would encourage good football/attacking moves etc. But we keep the ball for the sake of it, we pass it backwards or sideways to just retain possession rather than take a gamble or a risk. This just allows the opposition to regroup, get men behind the ball and block the avenues - then just repeat it endlessly for 90mins. We're a dream to play against for the likes of Allardyce and Pulis, we just play into their hands by slowing the game down ourselves. All they have to do is stay in their shape and they've got a clean sheet. There's nothing wrong with keeping the ball, but there's a balance between keeping the ball and passing football. I don't class us as a ''passing'' team, we just keep the ball for the sake of keeping it. I just want to see us take more risks, whether that's our full backs taking on players more often or midfielders trying a forward pass rather than playing it safe by going backwards. It's times like these where we seem too nice a team, whilst at times it's a commendable attribute, it can also be damn frustrating to see us slip into our shells.

We’ll be going into the 20th game in exactly the same state points wise, although with a -4 GD, compared to the +2 last year. We’re higher up the league though as the middle is so more congested this year. Top 6 is done, away and into the horizon. But so many teams have a shout of a Top 7 finish or a bottom 4 finish. There are lots of middle of the round teams in the league this year, not much quality in that middle group. A good January window by 1 or 2 of those clubs could see them run away though….

I must admit, I cannot bring myself to listen to either his post match or pre-match interviews. It's just too painful and I end up drifting away a few mins into it. But the shouts now are all still a little knee-jerky for me. We're at a bit of a crossroads admittedly, let's see if we can add some pace and creativity to this team next month.

One of those games you expect nothing from and we end up ripping up the form book. Seen it all before.

The main issue is that it's all too slow, way, way too slow. We played into the hands of Tony Pulis by playing in front of their back 8 and slowing it down ourselves. There are a few players on the floor confidence wise at the moment and you can tell that from the extra touches they want to take. We need someone to be brave, someone who wants to take the game by the scruff of it's neck and push us up field. It's all too nicey nice, pass, pass just for the sake of it. Hojbejrg is better than that, but he's turning into a bit of a crab. All he seems to do is turn it back wards and sideways and even that wasn't being done particulary well. Boufal was really the only player that looked like doing something, but even he ran out of idea's towards the end as he needed the other guys to start doing something for him. As was pointed out at the start of the season, we rely on our full backs to provide the width and stretch the game. We need someone in the middle of the park with some pace, creative, energy and drive. We then need to compliment that with a powerful centre forward option who can win the ball and bring others into play. The gaps between our midfield and ''attacking'' options is too great and that's why we continue to do nothing in the final third. Forster needs to get himself sorted as well, that first goal was diabolical goal keeping - but one thing I will say....the fans who boo and jeer him are a bunch of ****ing nobs - but we all know that.