Legod Third Coming

Touché sir! (But if a lack of a tv replay costs me two grand, you might hear from me again...)

I could not disagree more. To take those points in turn: Football is stop start - and definitely has become more so over the past decade. It is no different to rugby in that the ref blows a whistle, people stop. I would hazard a guess the ball is in play for what 60 minutes of each game? Why would reviewing a penalty decision take any longer than the arguments do about said penalty? And if you have ever been to a rugby game and waited for the decision on a try why is this a bad thing?? The idea of grass roots games being the same as professional games I can understand, but do you feel grass roots tennis or rugby have suffered for the introduction of technology? Or cricket, where this argument was used ad infinitum and now technology's most fervent objectors are now among its fans?? And finally, there is too much money in football. But given that there is, what is your choice - to hope the ref gets it right with a penalty decision in the play-off final, or to give him as much hekp as possible to make the correct decision?? And what if that decision costs a club promotion, loss of players - don't the fans suffer indirectly? And what if I have had a bet on Southampton to win the league at 14/1 and that decision costs me thousands of pounds?? I am sure I won't change your mind, but it baffles me that in any part of life you would object to technology that could contribute towards a fairer and more just outcome...

This is what you said: My main concern from #1 - was that failing to have secure a striker on loan before November, meant we lost 16 of the following 24 points So what else could it have meant other than it would have changed results????? And I repeat my belief that having that striker was not the reason we lost 16 of those 24 points. For some of those games Barnard was available and not selected/used. For others we scored and still lost/drew. Yes, another striker may have got onto the pitch but Lambert was available and playing well for those games, so having back-up for him was not the reason we didn't win them.

Here you go, this game tonight proof in point that video evidence is now needed... Joke decisions all night long.

Could not agree more. Has rugby, cricket or tennis fallen apart for the introduction of technology?? No, they've all become much more accurate. And the Indians failure to accept the referral system has been shown up in the recent series to be a major mistake!

Use this website, it's superb. It tells you we are the best team at home against top half sides, but currently 22nd on form... The link is to the same championship table on 3rd January 2011. Then QPR were five clear with 48 points of Norwich and Swansea on 43. So, all we need is history to repeat itself... http://www.statto.com/football/stats/england/league-championship/2010-2011/table/2011-01-03

Hmm, can you point to clear chances missed? Take the first half of the season and we genuinely could have scored 6 goals in most games. In truth we didn't create a single clear cut chance on Friday night that was missed. The movement that created the chances, the slick interplay that was impossible to defend, that simply isn't there in the three or four recent games I've seen... Although I agree the half chances (Adam's, Morgan's and Guly's against Pompey, for example) were all poorly executed and we should simply have a dip more often!!

I cannot comment on the Brighton game, but on Friday it wasn't a lack of striking options that cost us the game. I agree we need striking cover, but the recent form owes more to a failure to create the chances that were coming with ease earlier in the season rather than an ability to finish. How much of this is: 1. Teams working us out. 2. Lack/loss of key players and form of key players. 3. Hard luck (we had plenty of that on Friday). I couldn't tell you! It is not, however, as simple as saying that a new striker would have meant different results as you assert. Lambert played all those games (and played well in most of them) so a new striker would not have played anyway, unless the arrival of a new striker would have spurred Lambert to score more?? Look at the run of results where things have gone wrong and there are some reasons: Doncaster - didn't see it, can't comment. Portsmouth - should have won, shocking defending, never looked like conceding, Guly, Lallana and Morgan all had chances they would have and did score earlier in the season. Blackpool - scored twice, enough to win any game. Undone by awful, awful goalkeeping. Bristol - no control of midfield, no luck with the bounce, undone by best team I've seen at SMS this season. Would a different striker have made a difference? Possibly. Brighton - think we all know what cost us here and I'm reassured by observers coming back and saying we played well. I am not for a minute saying all of the above is down to bad luck but football operates on wafer thin margins and if all the above were spread out over a season you would say that was life... That's not complacency. We do need to strengthen. Our six game form is 22nd!! But there are other reasons we have not won games that have nothing to do with Lambert.

Spot on - but I reckon most other teams (possibly exception of Leicester?) are in the same boat. And unlike them we do have the funds to decide whether we want to invest... Although as has been shown the Chairman will not be held to ransom!

I guess like you I'd be delighted to find it fecks their season right up!!

You could only have him for two (?) I think becuase of his US commitments, so it gets around the whole kissing badge here forever nonsense....

This infuriates me and makes me wonder whether people actually watch us?? On Friday night we went from trying to play football to going direct to the front two. This is two different plans. Perhaps they are A and C...???!!!!!!!

I think it depends on your squad depth. Champions league competition, FA Cup and league performance haven't been a huge issue for the big clubs - some managers (Redknapp) might like to use the number of games as a convenient excuse of course...

I think that's unfair. What's he done wrong in his career?? Apart from not being picked after going to Liverpool???

That just shows what competition can do for a player. I'd like to see a better reserve goalkeeper so that Kelvin practiced catching long range dipping shots a bit more...

I tell you who is available for two months and I would love to see here - Robbie Keane. Good brain, goal-scorer, too good for this league I suspect.

I hate not taking cups seriously, but of late one or two of our first teamers have simply looked a bit jaded, and we've had a hell of a Christmas with a lot of games in a short period. I would rest as many of our first 11 as possible and give some of the kids a run out. Who knows, they might win... If we could have finished a ham sandwich they we could have progressed in the Carling Cup with a lot of reserve players in the side.

Hallelujah.

This is why people say what they do. Your analysis is barking mad. And the same sort of total guff you and others spouted after a loss or two on our run in last year that apparently handed Huddersfield automatic promotion. Care to compare our current fortunes?? Everyone knows football fans are fickle but in four weeks some of ours have gone from thinking we were world beaters to thinking we can't win an egg and spoon race. Doomed Captain Mainwearing, Doomed I tell you... If it wasn't funny it would be pathetic. We're having a bad run - we have an opportunity to fix it. How much did we spend in the last transfer window to take us to the top of the Championship? But now we need to spend a fortune to stay there?? We had fans berating the manager and Chairman for signing an unheard of centre back - apparently the last possible choice we wanted. Where is the balance? The apologies? The humility? The respect??

Why does losing show a lack of tactical 'something' of any description? Does Alex Ferguson lack tactical nous? He's lost twice as many home games as Adkins so far this season... Wenger? He's lost the same number of games as Adkins... When you consider where we were 18 months ago, recent performances have been nothing short of remarkable. We are missing key players and others who have been off their game - that's football. Missing Chaplow and an out of form Lallana is huge. Every club would struggle without their best players no matter how robust the squad - even Man City were BEATEN by Sunderland (a terrible team). I think people are over-reacting. Let the manager and Chairman strengthen the team and then let's see where we are. Of course, it could be that a manager who has won more than 63% of games in his charge has suddenly forgotten how to win and we should all mope about in misery...

I don't mind really, it depends what their motivation is. If they got us into the Premiership and sold to a rich Arab who could have us compete in the same way as Man City... In truth, I would rather be a small family club punching above its weight, but those days are long long gone.

Cortese and the Liebhhers have every reason for us to be promoted. A club they bought for £15m could be sold as a bouyant Premiership Club for over £50m (the minimum parachute payment).

Where would you spend FF? And why does Durso continue to get top games when he is such a clueless cretin???

To my great regret I never saw him. And in truth, it would take a promotion to the Premiership and then some for me to hold Adkins in the same affection as Lawrie. But the nutcases on here who think he's become a bad manager because he's lost a few games recently, and showing no appreciation for 18 months of success the like of which I have not seen in 35 years!!!! Well, does my head in to be frank.

Pardew and Lawrie of equal stature though right?? Feckwit...