Lighthouse

Yes, with the much maligned Hooiveld in the team. With Boruc and Shaw around him, he is adequate back up. The problems come with Fox and Gazza/Kelvin, like Newcastle last year or Spurs this year. Keep them away from the side and Jos is okay.

I don't actually think Jos is that bad. Not a first choice but he will do a job for a couple of weeks. He made a mistake against Newcastle but other than that managed to keep a very good attacking side quiet at home. Same at Arsenal, where neither goal was anything to do with him. With decent players around him he is alright. The problems start when you add Gazza and Fox into the equation, who are a liability IMO. I don't get the perception of Yoshi as being poor either. He was a very good defender last year and his reputation seems to have been destroyed despite barely playing. I don't think we have a problem at CB personally. I'm more concerned about our #2 LB and keeper.

I find this goes well with a white meat, served slightly chilled.

Think you're being a bit dramatic, that's half a year away and Lovren didn't even need hospital treatment. Doesn't look good though.

Players like Jos and Fox were good enough to come second in the Championship, they should be good enough to get the job done at home to Yeovil. I'd go with: Kelvin Clyne - Yoshi - Jos - Fox Wanyama - Cork JWP - Reed - Davis Osvaldo

I was just pointing out the contradiction in someone saying we can win the FA Cup but we will probably get knocked out if we get drawn away to a big club. If we want to win the cup we will have to beat one or 2 big boys on the way, probably at either a neutral venue or possibly an away tie.

That will involve beating at least one big club 99% of the time. The Skates getting West Brom in the semis and Cardiff in the final was very rare and even they had to win at Old Trafford to get to the final.

And then saying, "boring!" If we draw anything other than a trip to Old Trafford, Anfield or the Emirates. I disagree with Griffo, nobody is going to be happy to get knocked out and we certainly aren't, "probably going to lose". It's a lower league team at home for crying out loud. They may be a decent Championship team but Fox, Jos and Kelvin were decent Championship players. If our reserves were League 1 quality I'd be worried but they aren't, we don't have anyone that bad in the squad.

Microscopic compared to the money gained from promotion. They would be foolish to risk a player like Ings getting injured tomorrow.

Each to their own, personally I don't find January that horrendous. I can certainly live without watching football for a month, especially if it means the summer break is a month shorter.

I'm surprised there is anyone who doesn't have him on their ignore list. His ramblings are utterly pointless and it is well know he just posts nonsense in the hope of a tedious argument. There really is no point what so ever in talking to him.

I'd keep the traditional Boxing day and New Years fixtures, then have a break after that. Obviously we would have to make sure our players maintain their fitness over the break but I don't think a weeks holiday in the new year is going to turn them all in to Ade Akinfenwa. If we were allowed to organise our own training regime over January without the need to play any matches, our players would come back in February much fresher and fitter than they are now.

I'd be in favour of a winter break personally, it would only mean the tedious summer break is a month shorter. It should mean fewer injuries and matches cancelled due to weather, particularly in the lower leagues. I think it would also mean stronger teams in the cups, whereas at the moment we're asking already tired players to play 6 games in 3 weeks over the Xmas period. I'd have a new years day fixture, then nothing until 1st weekend of Feb. I do like the idea of a CL spot for the FA Cup winners though. Also U23s only in the LC or something like that.

I thought Gaston was one of our better attacking players yesterday too, Lallana and JRod were both well off the pace. They looked tired, lethargic and kept making mistakes. I thought Gaston's time here was over a month or so ago when he wasn't making the match day 18, with little word from the club as to why. However if he is back in our plans, I see no need to sell him just yet unless a big offer comes in, which it wont. I'd say give him until the end of the season and decide from there.

A Saints team consisting of Davis, Jos, Fox and Cork got promoted from the Championship so why have they suddenly got no chance against a current Championship team? Chambers looks every inch the Premier League player and most Champ teams would love players like Yoshi and Gaston in their team. That's 7 players who would easily give any Championship team a game. With them, a couple of first teamers maybe and a couple of kids how are we 'not taking this game seriously'? If we were going to play the under 18s I could understand people's frustration.

James Avery, better known as Uncle Phil in the Fresh Prince is apparently first out of the blocks. Loved that show when I was younger, R.I.P.

Unlikely as it may be, I still think we should try. 7 points over 18 games really isn't that much, even if we are chasing some very good sides. Without our injury problems we would probably have smashed Villa and maybe taken a few points from games like today, Everton and Spurs. With a couple of decent signings, you never know. I guess everyone has different ambitions. I'd like to see us challenging in the League and making a fist of getting into the Europa League that way. I think if we're up there with the likes of Spurs, Everton, Newcastle and Man Utd we will have the ability to attract better players in the summer and have a real go at the top 4 next season.

In - 22nd Out - Kid on loan, deadline day.

Firstly, our strongest side looked knackered. We can't just carry on playing the likes of Lallana, Morgan, Lambert, JRod, Davis, Shaw etc. until they drop dead in the middle of the pitch. Secondly, you're giving up on the league HALF WAY through the season? I could understand that attitude with 5 games left but on New Years Day?

Nobody will care. This isn't the Champions League, people don't buy players to compete in the FA Cup.

You're probably right but I'm struggling to think of better options. I thought since he was here we might as well give him a game and Gallagher in the second half. I know Barnard is a million miles away from the first team but I'm not aware that he has been banned from playing.

For me it should be something like: Davis Chambers - Yoshi - Hooiveld - Fox Cork - Reed JWP - Gaston - Lee Barnard JRod and Lambert look knackered and I'm guessing Ossie will still be mysteriously absent so we are kind of snookered up front. Maybe give Gallagher a go.

I'd accept the bid and leave it up to Rickie to decide, tell him we want him to stay but £8m is a fair offer. He would decide to stay here. £8m invested wisely is too much money to turn down for Lambert. We spent less than that on JRod, who is arguably a better player now and much younger. £8m spent on another JRod or Lovren would be much more beneficial to us than Lambert, who has looked well off the pace so far.

Watched Villa against Fulham and Man Utd on Sky recently, complete gash in both games. We could replay that fixture another 10 times with exactly the same team and win 9 of them. Just unlucky I guess. I can't see us improving by another 11 points in the remaining fixtures. We will need to get 7 points from the games against Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal just to match last season's results. On the other hand we have the chance to avenge some crap results from last year, like West Ham away and West Brom at home, where we got spanked last season.

Pretty much Ronseal with the thread title Fixture - Last Season - This Season - Difference West Brom a - Lost - Won - +3 Sunderland h - Lost - Drew - +1 Norwich a - Drew - Lost - -1 West Ham h - Drew - Drew - 0 Liverpool a - Lost - Won - +3 Palace/Reading h - Won - Won - 0 Swansea h - Drew - Won - +2 Man Utd a - Lost - Drew - +1 Fulham h - Drew - Won - +2 Stoke a - Drew - Drew - 0 Hull/QPR h - Lost - Won - +3 Arsenal a - Lost - Lost - 0 Chelsea a - Drew - Lost - -1 Villa h - Won - Lost - -3 Man City h - Won - Drew - -2 Newcastle a - Lost - Drew - +1 Spurs h - Lost - Lost - 0 Cardiff/Wigan a - Drew - Won - +2 Everton a - Lost - Lost - 0 Puts us 11 better off compared to the same fixture last season. Not really trying to make a point, thought it was mildly interesting.