beatlesaint

You seriously are joking aren't you ? I mean, really ? He has been out injured for 5 weeks, he comes back in Monday night having not even played a reserve game and cos he was off that pace you want rid ! I despiar of some of our supporters. No, we dont want to off load in January

You've got that right. If I live to be 100 you'll never convince me he is a Premiership quality defender. Christ he was shown up last season in the Championship, how much evidence do you want ?

Have to agree with that. I cannot believe people are jumping to his defence - no pun intended - when the second goal last night sums the guy up for me. Not only did he let their man make up 5 yards on him but he let him get goal side too. I mean ffs the evidnece is there ! Hansen has shown it on MOTD with his great big green squares highlighting the space he leaves, Neville highlighted it last night, even Adkins more or less pointed the finger at him in his interview. Yet people say he was alright last night ? Give me strength....he makes Benali look a worldbeater.

I know what you are saying but at least twice now on MOTD Hansen has drawn a bloody great square area where the opposition have licence to run into and do what the hell they like at whatever speed they like. That area is where other teams station what is commonly known as a left back. Wether Fox is bloody rubbish or not could he please please more often than not actually fill that big open space with his body when the other team is on the attack so that the opposition have got something to think about ! In two instances last week Lallana was shown racing back into that area like a mad thing. Lallana that is, NOT Fox !!! You do not have to be Alex bloody Ferguson to know which area to target. Bet you WBA have a field day down their right side like everyone else has this season.

QPR for me. They wont stay where they are, squad far too good once they all get to know each other and settle. A draw would be ideal, the one result I think we don't want is a Reading win.

Not good enough for us anymore, according to many of the experts on here. The fact he has played all his career in the Prem was irrelevant apparently. Nope, we were always going to be much better off with Danny one season for Burnley who got relegated Fox

Surely Boruc needs some more game time to get his sharpness back if he is to be first choice keeper. This game would have been ideal.

I tend to agree. The last thing he said after the West Ham interview was "we play 4-3-3" So what did we do yesterday ? Started with 4-4-2. If you dont want to hear some off the wall quote from a 19th century philosopher I wouldn't bother listening

The boy needs to learn some manners

dont expect to pick up many points away then if that happens. I agree, ridiculous.

I do hope Mr Richard Lambert is in the starting eleven........even if its at centre back

I agree, lets not look for issues that aren't there, its bad enough we cant defend without looking for reasons above and beyond the fact our defenders are not good enough !

Dont think anyone can add much to this if you want it summed up in a nutshell.

Having more assists is all very well if you are a midfield player or striker but the guys primary job is as a defender and at that he is crap ! Fox was preferred to Harding cos the club spent £1.5 million on him and as with all the signings that have been made they need to justify it. Fox played in the Prem briefly before for Burnley wasn't it ? And what happened to them that season ? He's hardly loaded with Prem experience.

I think defensively Harding brings more to the table than Fox. We both will never know however, besides Chaplow is hardly playing anyway.

that sounds familiar

Personally I think giving 4-4-2 a go for a few weeks isn't going to hurt. Lets face it things wouldnt be any worse with the tried and tested formation. If things pick up then great, keep with 4-4-2 until we are, ahem, safe, then give the 4-3-3 another go. But we haven't got the players with the discipline to play it at the moment either.

The gifting of a point to Fulham and the total capitulation against West Ham has started me to waver in my support I must admit. He has not helped himself with some of the team selections and whilst individual mistakes cannot be laid at his door the complete shambolic defending as a unit most certainly can be put down to the coaching staff. I would keep him a little longer with more hope than expectation that he pulls things round. I hpe he does for his sake as well as ours, but my confidence has certainly been knocked a bit.

even though the players dont look comfortable with it and we aren't very good playing it. Oh well, back to The Championship we go.......

So is the idea of plauing 4-4-2 next week such a bad idea ? It cant be any worse than this dreadful 4-3-3 experiment. Adam Blackmore on Solent said before a ball was kicked this season about changing formation and was it a wise thing to do first year back in Prem. The answer is a resounding NO !!

None of the three you mention have been in the starting 11 every week so your theory is doubtful.......hopefully !

I agree unfortunately, but he hasn't helped himself with tactics, team selection and substitutions.

Well he didnt strengthen sufficiently in the summer did he ? Bought in a young right back but after the Dutch left back deal fell through we decided not to find another one - why ? Bought in one centre back, not with Premiership experience mind you, and the one place you need Prem experience is in defence. We didnt have it and we aint bought any in either.

FWIW I agree, we have gotten to this Prem League too early. Last season was extraordinary. This season will be a nightmare, not helped by some strange team selections it has to be said. Easy to pick the same team every week when you are winning, not so easy when most of the squad are out of their depth.

you have made your point. you do realise you stopped being funny about 9 months ago dont you ?