Saint Fan CaM

You're watching a different game - tell me what Redmond has achieved??? Nothing. And still nothing.

Poor game again from Redmond...just pretty useless as a striker and not much better tracking back. Hojberg has made several mistakes starting with the marking for their goal. As I've said before, if you buy Championship level players (JRod and Redmond) you get that quality. Just not good enough in the final third. Our play is sooo predictable...need to start running at defences rather than the slow build-up we seem to employ in nearly every attack.

I have always believed in a fundamental philosophy of not buying players that have gone down from the Prem to the Chumpionship. Apart from the likelihood that have picked up losing habits and a losers mentality, the simple fact that they've not inspired the team to do better speaks volumes in itself. Redmond is not good enough and represented a step backwards for SFC rather than assisting improvement. I would much rather see Sims get a start than Redmond - at least he seems to get himself into scoring opportunities.

Redmond is a liability in attack - almost pointless. Austin can score, but we don't play in a style that suits him most of the time. Our defence is generally great, but it relies on the three in front the defence being able to stop an attack drilling balls into the 6 yard area - put Forster under any kind of pressure and he's a statue. JWP - I want to like him, but for an attacking midfielder his range of passing and assist rate is L1 standard. When do we ever pose a threat at set-plays? Disappointing performance but mostly hacked off that old errors and squad issues have not been addressed by the club. Lastly we really need a quality Fonte replacement - he is also a liability now and we need better.

Lost the game for us today..up until the howler the crowd were very unsettled but then it all turned sour for us. he's not looking like a top ten keeper to be honest.

Not a great draw to be fair but if we play like we did tonight and the quality of our shots on target go up we can win.

RIP - condolences.

The evidence of an all-round fantastic performance? 0-2 away at Arsenal without all our 1st 11 and a clean sheet. Sensational performances from young Sims, Reed and McQueen given their experience compared to a side that cost much more to assemble. Claude was spot on with his tactics and subs. Hull next please - at home. Guess the press will blame poor Arsenal rather than credit our lads.

Fonte is a great servant to the club and has been a good captain, however his ankles apparently need great care and attention by the backroom staff and he is getting close to his sell-by date. Not only that, but if we have any chance of keeping VVD then it will by giving him the Captaincy and that means retiring Fonte. My understanding is that the club are searching hard for a top CB - whether that is to replace Fonte or to protect for VVD's departure remains to be seen. For our continued success I hope it's the former.

Hojberg is already a better option than JWP, with the only part missing from his game being goal threat. I do believe some consistency in selection and partnering would help him, but at 21 I doubt he could start every game and keep the intensity in his game so he needs to be rested for cup/Europa games perhaps.

Ref shocking. Liverpool messed up their finishing today to give us the point. We were very well drilled in defensive midfield duties so hats off to Davis, Hojburg and Romeu. Our strikers are not up to the job - I think Boufal will get there and will shake things up a bit. But we desperately need to get another Striker in January - not an easy job and should have been addressed.

So is this the start of our famed pre-Xmas slump that we've decided to start slightly early this year? International break probably a good thing to provide a rest, but there's still much to do on the training pitch - particularly when it comes to the last passage of play in front of goal. Our corners are awful - the manner in which the ball is delivered is crying out for players running onto the ball - but they all move too soon and so are almost static when the ball comes to them. Poor technique and coaching surely?

And now Puel takes off Tadic for Buafal - a player who has not found his Prem form yet. We will lose this game.

Absolutely typical - farting around with the ball at 1-0 and let a rubbish team come back into the game.

Yes of course. Not saying the lad has no potential, but he is quite a way off the pace of the EPL at the moment. Probably needs a couple of starts to really get find his way?

Forster has little to do then when needed acts like a statue. Boufal has much to do to convince me he will be what we hoped he might be. In terms of Strikers to replace Austin we are looking very weak without Long and JRod and even then I'm not convinced we've done enough business in the summer to deal with a huge number of fixtures. After saying all that, this was a good draw for us.

Is Forster really THAT good? Absolute statue for their goal.

I really like the manner in which Romeu goes about his business on the field - no nonsense ball playing DM - fantastic. Prefer him to Wanyama frankly without even considering who is the 'better' player.

Get shot of the dirt - if found guilty of course.

This is one of those games where we will be expected to win. So we won't. 1-1.

Good OP observations which are hard to argue with.

Palace give away a soft pen - Austin slots it home with ease.

We look toothless - midfield poor with no creativity...we're just hoofing aimlessly up to Long and Austin. Palace looking like the home team.

Cannot see us getting the win - they're putting out a reasonably strong team whereas we're not, but I'm glad the youngsters are getting blooded. Yoshi and Fonte have a calamity between them and I suspect that's where the winner will come from. 1-2 Palace. PS: Watch Targett get caught out and Palace catching on to Martina being our main assist down the right.

Honestly don't see the love for Berahino. Quite ordinary IMO.