Legod Third Coming

Agreed. But I'd go further. I want this attitude every game. Go for the win. You betcha life that old Schuey didn't line up on the starting grid thinking about a top-ten finish... Is it naive to go for the jugular every game? Surely not, since if you don't you end up in the must-win position anyway at some point. Better to go into every game thinking and planning to win. Every game is now crucial to us. But I believe that if we had started the season with this belief that every game was crucial, we wouldn't be where we are - we would be comfortably safe...

Cheltenham??? The girls wear thermal woollen knickers forget it. Ascot? too many Essex tarts although the Enclosure has its share of fit-totty bang up for a bit of ruff... But Aintree - northern hospitality, fake tan, balconette bras and g-strings... I know which is my choice...

I do not doubt that me screaming urged the team on. What difference that might make if Lallana is through one on one, as opposed to Stern John or Rasiak, I am not so certain... I shall be there for the next two, come hell or high water. And be there for Hertlepool and whomever next year if it comes to pass. But I and our respectiver vocal chords are the icing on a cake severely lacking in reletaive ingredients as a result of the chefs not the poor folk who who are waiting for the desserts...

Waterproofs?? Phil you need to get to Aintree - whatever the weather, strapless and high-heels are the order of the day. And you should see the women too...

I'm guessing not as much as Leicester and Coventry failing to score...

And we're just in that 'pretend' trouble...

Lol - I am voting on the basis that I am mortal and have to be selective about the time I have left... It's a bit annoying that the Grand National clashes with a must win game but then most of my life we've lost must win games so I'll ensure I'm there for the ones we can't win, which we often do ...

That's my 'point' Nick - none and all are vital. At the end of the season, we have accrued x many points - take any away and it is vital. However many it is, it will be exactly the number we deserve and WELL BELOW what any half-decent side should muster. But you cannot single out one point and say it was 'the' one that made the difference. They all count the same. We need to stop talking as a club about gaining a point and talk about losing two (or three). It's a mentality shift that is needed.

I have two free tickets to the Grand National, the prospect of some shapely company among the scouse birds, free booze and the potential to win a sackful of cash, or Charlton... Not for the first time this season, I am voting with my mortality thanks!

How is that possible on £50m turnover and £26m wage bill?

These are all valid points. Because I drive well and concentrate does not make me immune from accidents... Conversely, if I drive around with one hand tied to the wheel it does make accidents more likely! Boro illustrate that it requires more than a box-ticking exercise - it still comes down to WHO the manager is, WHO he buys, HOW they are motivated and MANAGED. But even then there is no magic formula. Those clubs who find the right manager, support him and do everything else within their power to equip the manager with the best tools do best over time - that's all we can legitimately say. Boro may or may not prosper in the long-run under Southgate as Bolton did under Sam and Charlton did (both backing their managers through relegation). Pompey clearly made a mistake appointing Adams and appear to have rectified it. Interestingly (and annoyingly) the quality of their players will probably see them safe this season... What we did - under Rupert - was fail to learn any of the lessons of countless teams who had been relegated. Mistakes that the man's arrogance have now seen repeated. A great shame as it clouds some good things he was also responsible for.

No Nick, more a reflection of RL's views towards fans - tell them something completely short of detail on the basis that they are, by and large, incompetent and unintelligent... In my, limited, dealings with the man I have found him arrogant and of the opinion that football fans are not the broad-church of society but instead are made up of a different breed to those who 'lead' - forgetting that many of us run successful businesses with excellent relationship with all manner of humankind!

Which is taken directly from the Rupert Lowe business management handbook as we know...

We must get back the mentality that saw us beat Preston and Cardiff. This was not (to my untrained eye) anything to do with either of those team's approaches, but to do with our state of mind and effort. In both games we were 'at 'em' from the off - high tempo, high-line, chasing, harrying and really looking like we wanted it. We even looked confident! Having won three games on the spin - the usual 'we've done enough' attitude seems to have crept back in and we are not IMPOSING ourselves. We need to ignore league position and play according to the experience and quality within the team, not according to our 'hard-done-by' mentality...

Er, didn't WGS want to buy Drogba and Malbranque and someone else decided we didn't want/need them?? Or did I dream all that?

For once I agree - almost. What Lowe did was showed that he will not invest in flair players (he did after all sanction £4m for Delap) nor in two/three quality players (Malbranque comes to mind) at the behest of the manager. He prefers to spread his risk - supposedly... Given that throughout the 90s, one player delivered us what precious little success we had, I find this approach totally and utterly bewildering.

I have heard quoted - even by the club's management - this total nonsense about 'this may be the point that makes the difference' as some form of justification for failing to despatch teams we really should be thumping. And it is a nonsense. If we stay up by one point, it is ludicrous to suggest it is the 'point gained at xx fc' which makes the difference. It's not. What is a fact, is that every time we draw against a poor side like Blackpool we have dropped two points and every time we lose against them, three. If we cannot get this mentality into our club we will be the perennial underdogs and underachievers so many seem hell bent on preserving. We need to start adopting an approach that demands winning. Second place is just the first loser, tell the players. If we stay up, by some minor miracle, whatever points we have garnered will be 30-40 less than any half-decent, motivated outfit, focusing on the basics of football could have achieved in this division of mediocrity punctuated by the occasional spell of entertainment.

Thats three points from the last 12 possible. If we were a racehorse, I would say we were starting to get tailed off...

We have at least got that magical 40 point mark...ooops

Could have

A win today would be sooooo valuable now

Stop saying this, you berk. It puts the staff out on the dole not Lowe.

who the feck is Robert Lowe????

Mainly me as a fecking taxpayer, thanks!!! Although valid point well made...