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Maresca loves Russell Martin's rigid approach

Why did he being on Manning, pray-tell?

Is it brave to embarrass yourselves on the second highest professional stage in Britain like this with thousands watching across the country?

How can we capitulate like this? We're playing like a team long-since relegated? It's like Sunderland all over again. Surely the fans deserve a refund for this mid-week shit-show.

How did we get so dark?

Fair play to Leicester. Just when it looked like the wheels were coming off, they've fucking smashed any talk about that right into the stratosphere.

Ah, Hari kari. That's about honour, though. Like fuck would our players do that - they'd miss the sword.

How is Shogun? Watched the first episode and thought it incredible. Worth continuing?

Not sure what to say after that!? My bravado of the unbeaten run Saints has dissipated to be left with this weirdly familiar feeling of... resignation? Come on lads, put a shift in second half ffs.

I'm looking forward to the playoffs. Anything could happen. Surely we're better set for it than we were last time?

That is a very clear summary of his record, and has actually worried me... I've been pretty positive this year but that has opened my eyes a bit.

We all know Smallbone is weak as piss and doesn't track his runner. So, please don't shoe horn him into a holding midfield role, Martin. Charles to come in and get some experience for the next 3.

I'm sure the two teams of bottlers will meet again in the first play off. It would make me angry if I thought about it too much. So many potential what if moments this season. Let's enjoy the playoffs and see where it takes us.

Agreed. So should VAR be limited to events and fouls; like Henry's handball against Ireland, or blatant red cards only given as yellows?

I think it should be left to the judgment of the linesman. Really, it's about preventing attackers gaining an advantage, isn't it? I disagree with the mathematically precise football trying to be implemented. If you can clearly see the bloke is offside, call it. If it isn't clear, let's call it onside. Leave the laser lines to tennis.

It's mental. Offside was made to prevent goalhanging, not millimetres of a boot being past the last defender.

VAR, a Certain Romance? It's fucked the beautiful game and converted it to a game of spreadsheets and red lines. Fun!

I was in a huge grump yesterday evening, so that caused a few marital misunderstandings, for sure. 'Childish' was all I remembered hearing as I sipped a cup of tea in a quiet grump.

He's such a frustrating player. Every player misses chances, but not to the extent and severity of this guy.

Be nice to get back to winning ways at Wembley. I'm excited, I must say. I think the fact that everyone still has clear mememories of the last time we were in the playoffs says it all, that was over 15 years ago. This could well be another memory-maker. Despite my excitement, I am a bit worried about our tendency to 'bottle' high-stakes games. Whether that is a sliced finish, a poor choice of pass or a defender's brain turning off at a key moment. We have enough in attack to put teams out of it in the first leg, if we bring our shooting boots. West Brom or Norwich, both very much beatable.

More and more I see some of the players as the issue, not the manager. Too many of them are naive and wasteful, prone to errors of judgement, mishits, scuffs and brain farts.

Agreed.

We've been edged all season and I'm afraid there's no happy ending (yet). We'll see if the playoffs can provide a reprieve for the team, who at the moment look to bottle it a bit when we have a chance to seize the initiative.

Some emotional overreactions on here. Simple as this: we need to take more of our chances. This could easily have been another Preston if we had.