S-Clarke

Not a bad result, deserved on the pattern of play. I knew this game would be totally different to the Newcastle and QPR games, for a start Norwich close down - they get in your faces, and they press high up the pitch. In the last 2 games we've had the luxury of playing 2 teams who didn't do that, and we were allowed to dominate the midfield and pickup the ball in gaps of space. When the opposition press like Norwich did tonight, we do seem a little lacking in idea's at times. I think at 1-0 we were in control, but the goal just changed the game. Another avoidable goal really, not from any defensive mistake (we had a decent shape to us again) - just a horrible GK mistake, really, really amateurish. He's young, he's learning, but he's got to be flaming better than that. I don't care how old he is, his job is to do his best to keep the ball out of the net. That was embarrassing. So after that point Norwich just closed it out really, they threatened a bit more and we had a few panicky moments, but I sense they were happy with a draw to be honest - especially in the closing stages. A few cogs in our side were a little jaded, Morgan looked tired, Gaston was the same, Lallana was playing in fits and starts - the last 2 games have probably taken a lot out of them, so I see it as a positive that we're still on a decent unbeaten run. Frustrating, yes, but not the end of the world at all. So November has been a really good month, exactly the sort of month we needed to have. Similar next month please...as January is a stinker.

How can you say that though? Players come good late 20's early 30's, as proven by our very own Lambert. Still lots of improvement to be had in those players. Michu is actually a CM by nature, that's where he played for Rayo anyway.

Wouldn't it be a case of him being banned for the game after that? Might be thinking of red cards, but I seem to think that bans come into effect 7 days after the game.

He is their leading scorer, I believe. Might be wrong though

Villa lead, probably slightly deserved on the pattern of play. Reading are dire though, awful side. Will be long gone by February.

I think Villa have decent players in there, but I just don't know what Reading are about. I just can't see any ability in their team what so ever, just zilch. (Not just basing it on this game, seen a few of their games this year) They're more likely to do a Derby than anyone else.

Game changed when he was taken off at H/T. But I think we'd have blitzed passed them anyway based on our 2nd half.

I think Lallana looks slighty better because he has a full back who knows his position, and doesn't wander.

The quality of this game just beggars belief.

One thing you can say from the start of the season, Villa and Reading have looked complete dross most weeks. Very little flair, very little technical ability and very little quality. Our front 4 will cause anyone trouble, that's been proven in every single game this year. Our main achilles heal has obviously been our defending, but you can't argue with the quality we've shown over the course of the season in the final third. On tonights showing, we're at a different level to these 2 sides in that respect.

TBF if SDR can win player of the season in the dutch league, then it can't be that good.

I generally think Yoshida has been excellent in the last 2 games. Very composed, reading situations very quickly and reacting with the right decicions. If he has a weakness it would be his lack of physical presence against big strikers, and that his headers don't always have great distance on them - but generally, in terms of his all round game, he's improved as the rest of the side have improved. Will be interesting to see how he plays vs Holt...although I expect Fonte will be giving the instructions to mark him. I also agree that Fonte's game has come on with Maya alongside him, and we're now starting to see the fonte we all know and love. What that blip was about last season though, baffling.

There will be no problems what so ever.

will be the chelski game I expect. Rubbish game, but new manager etc. who was actually roundly booed at ko by the Chelsea fans

Fonte has probably been our best CB this year.

APP3 and the other companies do pay $$$$ to be shown a certain amount of times per game though, so that needs to be taken into account as well.

As premature it is to write us off after losing games, it's also premature to say we're on the way up after 2 wins against shoddy opposition. We're on the right track, things are improving, but we're still in a dog fight.

The big screens just take the TV feed of the game, so that will include replays, close ups and the like. The club have control of the advertisement splashes though, which is why you often see a ''controversial'' replay covered up.

He's in the JWP category of looking a hell of a lot older than he actually is - has a bright head on the guy, reads the game well, quick off the mark and defends very well. Very rarely did a player get the wrong side of him. He'll have tougher tests than the last few games, that's for sure, but for a 17 year old lad he's got a bright future.

He's a young lad, he will make bad calls, but it's hard not to see the obvious quality he has in there. Very talented, but still raw. Not worth chopping and changing him, he needs to learn and grow. We didn't pay £2.5m for a bench GK.

These sort of performances have been building since the WBA game, in my opinion. In that game we went back to basics, and even though we lost, we had a new solidity and organization about us. We've carried that same method into the upcoming games after that and got our rewards. As a team we are tighter, we are quicker off the mark, we read situations quicker and we're quicker to cover for other players. Generally it looks like the entire team have grown up. A hell of a lot is down to us having Ramirez available though, the bloke is just unbelievably good. Amazed he's playing for us, we should be very, very grateful we get to see a player of his quality grace St Mary's....for us! Also, obvious credit has to go to Cork. He see's and plays the easy ball, might sound plain and boring - but it keeps possession. He's also bloody good at reading the game, and has so much energy that it's transformed that defensive side of our midfield. For the majority of the season our attacking play has been quality, that's the one area where the team has delivered this year - we just couldn't defend as a unit, we couldn't get the balance correct. We now seem to have cracked that, and we defend well in units and attack well in units - it was good to watch us today, a well drilled, disciplined and organized performance. I think in a way we've been fortunate with the last 2 games, because we've faced 2 teams on their arses - but we've caught them off guard and battered both of them it has to be said. Wednesday will be a different proposition, Norwich have been playing well and have a new found defensive resolve about them as well. Obviously it's a game we need to be winning, but it can't be taken for granted. This month was a huge month for us, and it has to be said - we've delivered.

Will be interesting to see how fit Cisse and Jonas actually are, they were both rated 50/50 for this and have probably been rushed back just to make up the numbers.

Wigan win

norwich equalise, balls

Ruddy injured for Norwich