Legod Third Coming

I'm not sure it's feasible for a club to be truly self-sufficient until they change the rules although if you look at our gates and TV income this year I bet we're not actually doing too badly as clubs go... I have seen some good football this season and some bad, but what I can see is we have the right ingredients across the park when they are all fit!! Perhaps we are one/two central midfielders short of the full ticket, but the spine is there, the nucleus of a side that I still believe will make the play-offs this season. And if it doesn't I have no doubt that with the addition of the above, we will be the full ticket next season. But above all, I'm having a lot of fun watching us score goals, win games (ok not enough in the league just yet) and cannot wait to go to Wembley where, frankly, I would go to watch us win a raffle...

Post of the decade, no question, no debate. Well done Stu a genuine piece of internet magic.

Ah, the benefit of a little local knowledge (10 years working in Marlow) and frequent previous trips to AP do help to mitigate that a bit!! In the old days, I used to have lunch in the pub at the ground and as we would sit there with a pint and a mixed grill, Terry Evans and his team used to come in after training and have the same!!! Ah, those were the days when players were men and sports science were subjects in Trivial Pursuit...

Ah gotcha, apols!

Sorry Chez I can't reply to specific bits so here goes... Brentford. If a second goal goes in while we were on top I really think it's game up... I felt the same against Pompey. You could see they were low on confidence and a goal would have raised us and demoralised them. Brentford are a good side at home and have got much better results against the top teams than they did against us. Still, I felt that having been gifted James' opener unexpectedly as it were, we should have imposed ourselves and missed great chances to do that. Didn't we hit the woodwork twice/three times? I agree having seen both Wycombe games that we didn't play well in either. Like a lot of good sides we play best against the best sides. I'm pretty sure most Wycombe fans thought that was pretty good fare for them and they played hard for the whole game while we seemed stagnant. Didn't see Colchester so hard to comment, but overall I think we are struggling to impose ourselves and style on teams. Whether this is preparation or mentality I don't know, but I would want us to show much more arrogance on taking the pitch. We ARE the Real Madrid of this league and that can really work in our favour. Imagine how Wycombe were feeling facing a team who had just turned over the league leaders - could have had six goals!!! We should be strutting onto the park and really at teams from the off. They know how much we've spent, who plays for us and will have done their homework. Sometimes that can do as much harm as good as the CB starts thinking "crap I'm up against a bloke who's scored 24 goals already..." Then when one goes in heads drop and on we go... We don't appear to be doing this, using our size and stature for pyschological advantage and I think it's a missed trick. Maybe because Pardew is himself on a recovery mission... I've heard him talk this season about learning lessons from his past and maybe he's thinking a bit too much and not playing his natural game? Who knows...

Crikey, there's some imagery while you're enjoying your soup...

To be fair, Mandaric is only repairing the damage HE created at Leicester... I agree with you regarding Steve Gibson mind - he simply gave a mate too long in the job. I don't have Cortese pegged for either, thank God! Nor do I begrudge him the freedom to do what he wants with his bosses' money... However, if we win, it'll be the right decision. If we don't, it won't be long before he reaps the sour wind, we all know that! Personally, I trust him to get it right because every decision I've seen so far is one that looks right for footballing reasons - managerial appointment, player purchases, training ground improvements, etc. And I would concur that is a far cry from the man who gave us the best catering in League One!!!!!

I think that'sa bit unfair my friend. Adams Park is not a bad place really... I would certainly give my jumbo hot dog a 7/10. (And stewards and parking 8/10)!!!!

Actually, we were the 10th highest spenders in England (ie including more than half the Premier League) in January. And our boss makes us probably the 5th/6th richest club in England. So outspending anyone is perfectly plausible! Personally, not my style. But it's possible. I agree with you, money is irrelevant unless you buy the right players. Look at Chelsea - still Jose's team even now really...

Fair play to that fella!!!! I knew there was a Pompey fan somewhere I respected.

What, you cracked a smile???! You know I'm joking - we're sparred often enough right?!

1. There is no fan backlash. As people constantly state, when you go to games and talk to other fans, 90% are happy to have a club and are supportive of the manager and players - whom we can all see are working hard and trying things... 2. I hope that Cortese is sensible enough to appreciate that football is not science and that many an empire created in haste crumbles for eternity. If he doesn't know this, perhaps he'd like to cast a glance along the M27... Don't let a few irate internet users lead you to believe the vast majority of supporters (ie those who qualify on the basis of getting of their arses and going occasionnally) don't recognise progress when they see it... Of course, if Cortese wants to follow the Rupert Lowe model, it won't be long before he moves from benevolent Chairman to red-faced banker. I'm sure he's more astute than that.

Oh FFS!!! The internet needs moaners and happy clappers - without it there is simply no debate. What we can well do without is people rocking up with a relaxed and balanced view trying to stir down emotions so that we're all agreeing. Change your name to Sanatogen!!!!

The only reason I think it's possible is that I forecast a draw at Norwich and win at Wycombe... I acytually think the latter might help in the long run as it now shows the ethic and application required! It's not going to be as easy as they thought maybe...

We don't need a miracle. We need to win the ten of 16 home games we have left and also win a few away. That could be enough. Your stat of only beating 1 Top Six team could easily be "have beaten five of the top six" in a few weeks. Some results have been disappointing I agree - Tuesday case in point!!! I retain my faith that we will make the play-offs. 85 points is my prediction, I hope it will be enough.

And we've already scored 6 more goals...

Although funnily enough guess how many league games we won in 2003. 13.

I win against the top six but still to play four of them at home... with that kind of selective assessment you should be thinking about working in Centrica's pricing policy function...

I think that's only fair though. My pension needs dividends, der...

F**k me, what do you do for a living???

Why can't we have high tempo, high passion, high skill football?

I know funny thing football isn't it... the fixtures and our cup run mean we are always at least 6 points further away than we could be. Win those games, beat Huddersfield and we have 10 points to make up in 13 games. It's not impossible. It's fecking hard but not impossible.

What a great post at the end of a really boring day!!!!

Think that's very valid, but our problems on Tuesday night were (from where I stood) much more deep-rooted than just Lambert having an off day. To give Pardew credit he tried mixing it up and nothing worked... Short passes went astray, Hammond won nothing in the middle, he swapped Lallana and Puncheon to little effect, Waigo made a slight difference but was off-side too often... There was no movement, little energy and we allowed Wycombe to boss the entire midfield (which I still maintain was perfectly playable, albeit not to the standard of pitch you would hope to see). If Lambert is double-teamed, as he was, it should benefit a Barnard or Waigo, but it didn't. Nothing broke for us either in and around the box. I really just put that down to one of those awful nights. The previous three games we had played very well - MK, Pompey and Norwich.

She might be fat but she's not singing just yet my friend...