benjii

If the players or management had a problem with the black kit we would wear something else IMO. Plenty of other teams have had black kits in the past so I think they would've been consigned to the flip-chart in the sky if they posed a serious problem. For the record, I once played in a highly succesful hockey team that wore all black. There is also a rugby team that plays in black that isn't bad!

I think most people are amused rather than apoplectically thumping out red-misted replies.

There's a thread on that.

He doesn't understand stuff.

Loads! But then we couldn't shift them... which is my point! Happy new year McRill.

That's because you have a strange and completely irrational dislike of Butterfield that makes you look a wee bit silly.

Can Milwall actually afford him though? We got him for a snip and I would say he must be worth about £500k now. Hopefully his performances for Milwall catch the eye of a bigger Champ fish and we can get a decent price or maybe a decent player in exchange.

IMO the policy of looking for players who could do well in the division above is the right one. We have enough to get promoted as things stand and bringing in former big-name(ish) players just for the sake of it is not wise. The only positions where we could possibly do with some greater strength in depth are right wing and upfront but, again, we have enough strength in depth to cover by shuffling players around a bit and there is no point buying a League One lump to sit on the bench. If, for example, Lambert were to get injured then Guly and Barnard upfront will probably be a better option than Guly or Barnard and some other inferior lower-league version of Lambert or an ageing veteran. If we can sign Guly, keep what we have and maybe add one more quality player or hot-prospect that will be a good window.

I don't think Barnard offers any more industry than Guly does and Chambo looks tired after 60 minutes and physically I don't think we can expect him to start every match.

Yes, but Exeter had given up by then and Guly is sharp at the moment. Guly is helping Lambert tremendously IMO. Give Barney a run out against Blackpool by all means but I would only make changes if they are deemed necessary for fatigue or specific tactical reasons.

Exactly, it's just winning half, or slightly under, and drawing a few. We've got 10 points from 8 games so far. An average of 1.25. If we win the next match it will be 13 from 9 which is only a shade under the 1.5 average. I think most would also expect us (provided no one good leaves) to have a better second half to the season than first.

He played very well against Huddersfield.

No, you are amusing us, which is fine. We do worry a bit about you though.

Game, set and, as it were, match.

I would bring Dickson in for Chambo (who looks a bit knackered and could be brought off the bench to terrorise them for the last 30 minutes if needed) and Hammond back in, probably for Morgan, but if we feel Daggers are weak in CM then maybe bring him in for Chaplow. I wouldn't bring Barney in unless Guly has a knock. It's no coincidence, IMO, that Lambert is looking more like his old self now Guly is finding his feet and settling in. His presence means that the opposition can not afford to double up on Lambert and he gives us an aerial alternative. Fonte's partner is a question of horses-for-courses IMO. If they have a big lump upfront then it's Jaidi, if they are more subtle then it's Seaborne. One thing I hope we don't do is change the starting formation. Adkins switched to a diamond in the second half with good effect on Saturday but I think those sort of changes are best employed once we have a foothold in the match. We can't afford slow starts and we can't afford a poor half like we had at Carlisle when we changed shape from the off.

We have ten home games left. Let's say we win 8 and lose two (although I would hope we actually do better than that). That would give us 58 points (when added to what we have already). To finish top 2, 85 points will probably be enough. That means we will need to take something like 21-27 points from our away games (depending on home form). 21 points from 14 matches should be very do-able but 27 would be difficult. What is my point...? Well, I wasn't sure to begin with but I guess it is that I'm not too worried about the discrepancy. I'm confident we can average at least 1.5 points per game away so if we can take maximum, or very near maximum, points at home then we should not be too worried. Home form is still key.

Quite. If I had been relying on getting a bus yesterday I'm pretty confident I would've taken the small trouble of appraising the service available first.

I guess when one sees other clubs desperate to stir up a rivalry with one's own and when a point is celebrated by an away team as though they have just won the Champions League then it may go to one's head somewhat.

Why would anyone want to sign Utaka? He is complete ****e. A cracking bit of work by Redknapp and Storrie.

Well, you're wrong. That is all!

Not closely enough I fear. That was his best game for us by some distance. As someone has already pointed out he went on a great run and played Lallana in one-on-one in the first ten minutes. I usually find Butterfield to be the better of the two on the ball but Richardson was very accomplished today.

Agreed, he was given a specific job to do and played well. As one of a central 2 though he doesn't perform well anywhere near often enough. As for Hammond, he is massively underrated.

Yes agreed. It has been a mad ten years. The Dell to SMS to the Cup Final, play-offs, no more Lowe, more Lowe, JPT, ridiculous managers and now loadsa money from a reputable source.

Shut up Deppo.