melmacian_saint

What do we reckon? Oldham win tonight to see Pompey down and the -10 imposed next season?

Conspiracy theories make me very angry. It's this kind of moany, against-the-world, informative overloading attitude that frankly has corrupted most Western societies into having so much contempt for its leaders and ultimately dropping the crucial levels of civic participation that make it all work. The West has indeed become very fickle and hypocritical. We love to bash everything we have here, from politics to economics to historical facts and general society behavior and liberties under the comfort of our roof and laptop computers and the social media sites we visit in them. I don't get why there is so much "anti-westernism" by westerners. Change this into Venezuela, Iran or some absolutist arab kingdom and we would all hate it, yet all the populace wants is to bash, bash, smash and bash. Gets on my nerves really...

I'm worried about keeping Schneiderlin and Clyne. We now have the power to keep Shaw and as long as we keep progressing in the table he will stay. The other two however (particularly Clyne who's been on the national radar for a while now) I feel are the kind of players that we would not think twice about selling if that meant we could go for more upmarket solutions.

How was he immense in a game where he forgot about someone he was meant to be marking in literally the last corner of the game to allow them an equalizer???? About the winning headers stats, well it's a shame we can't have a stat for aerial challenges rather than just balls headed. Because every time Hooiveld jumps with another striker, he either misses it and allows it to bounce or just fouls him. It's all very nice when you're on your own. Seriously what is wrong with you people?!?! It's like the hideous comparisons with Michael Svensson, he was far more composed, better at reading the game and, effective at set-pieces and mobile than Hooiveld and as a proof of that he was international CB. The day Hooiveld smells the dutch national team I suspect can only happen in a post-war Holland.

Jos Hooiveld is going to be one of our best players in the Premier League (said in this forum post-promotion).

Put it this way. I can see Yoshida and Fonte playing for another PL side. If we released Hooiveld however, I don't see any club in the top flight taking him.

One of the explosions was next to the tent where families of the Sandy Hook massacre victims were watching the marathon. Given the Senate is about to pass more legislation on gun ownership control, I would not be surprised if the dirtiest side of the gun lobby got this going...

I laugh when people say that Fonte is not as good in the air, yet he has scored two goals from aerial balls (has Jos even managed a shot when he's gone up for a set piece??) and could probably have scored a couple more. He can also shoot with his feet and actually treats the ball according to our style of play, something Hooiveld doesn't do. I haven't also seen him miss that many challenges in the air, unlike with Jos who just seemed unable to use his body most of the times. And to say that he is rash in the tackle...well, West Ham's goal just proves that this is nowhere near correct. I also remember a crucial, composed tackle against Liverpool where he literally stole (I think) the ball off Suarez before he could even do anything. Jos would've almost certainly just bulldozed him and given a stupid penalty. It is also a myth that Yoshida plays better with Jos. May I remind you that when Boruc wasn't even ready, we conceded 8 in 10 games and both of them had spectacular games together, without the standard mess up that Jos has every half. In fact, in the two games where Jos played (stoke and west ham, where his presence was regarded as a benefit) before the new year, we conceded 7 goals. Anyway, I've given up the argument because for most people in this forum it's not really an objective debate unlike for the rest of the squad players. Jos Hooiveld is considered adequate for the PL because of his social media interaction, sense of humor and being big. Out of our 13-14 main squad players at their season's peak he is one of the worst and yet people just ignore his mistakes. Fonte, Yoshida, Clyne, Puncheon, Rodriguez or even Schneiderlin etc. have had to work hard for their critics to disappear and some still have their doubters. Saint Charlie has even been nice and only put together the goals where he was to blame, because we could talk about numerous other mistakes (the near-penalties which quite frankly looked worse than the Tevez challenge amongst others), and yet people ignore it and say he is great because he can pinball balls back to midfield. Fortunately I'm sure Pochettino has seen it, and we'll have either Forren or a new left-footed CB in the squad next season, and Mr.Nice can go back to the Scandinavian leagues where he can hoof and bulldoze as much as he likes. You may not have enough chances once, and it's important to keep trying, but are you really going to adapt to the PL if title challengers in Scotland and Denmark don't want you?? The answer is no, and he hasn't. Put Anthony Pulis in our back 4 with Boruc behind him and he wouldn't do worse (worse than 2 mistakes a game that is). But go on, I mean, he will reply to your Instagram comments.

Don't forget the fact that we're pressing further forward, therefore putting less pressure on our CBs, Cork's presence generally improving our DM performance, a fully-fit international keeper on its was to becoming the continental-class player he once was again. Hooiveld has not improved, and has remained in the team mostly because MP (and rightly so) wants to conserve the momentum. Yet, we are able to single him out for the wrong reasons. I just wonder why he gets so much protection in this forum compared to many others in the squad. Even Yoshida was sentenced as not good enough before him FFS.

It's all to do with tactics. Pochettino likes to play differently footed CBs (I guess his positional expertise should help in this), and until the Forren mystery is solved he is the only one we have. I guess it's something to do with the full-backs going forward so much, meaning that if we loose possession the CBs can put out the fire more easily. I remember back to Yoshida's imprudent lunge against QPR, it was on his left side and he flopped it which lead to their 2nd goal. Also reading through the interview again, I shall not question the personality of someone I don't know, but it comes across as like he's blaming the clubs he's been at for him falling out of favour. Not my definition of a great pro IMO, especially after some of the poor calls he's made in games.

Astori seems a good shout given his left-side abilities. If not suggestions of Richards or Smalling (maybe on loan only) seem pretty good and would be a great statement of intent.

We need a win at Swansea if this is even being spoken about in the changing room.

Top bloke he's always looked to me. However he has enjoyed one season too many at such a high level. And I'm afraid he hasn't proved anyone wrong. He is playing because he is the only left-footed CB we have ready to play (Forren?!?!), and the same clumsy challenges are still coming in. He can say what he wants but that was a foul and he had similar lazy challenges on Hazard and Mariappa inside the box that would've been given at least 7 out of 10 times, which they were at the beginning of the season (Tevez and Van Persie). He's also proved to be unable of even keeping his footing when not even that skillful players come round (see Carrol, Terry or Suarez). Also curious that he says he was the fall guy, when he received less than half of the criticism that Fonte, Fox, KD or even Clyne received. Yet our defensive performances pre-Boruc improved without him in the side. They are stable now as well, but in a team at it's season's finest he is still getting found out as the worst one. I'd be surprised if he stays in the summer. I reckon it'll be Fonte-Yoshida-Forren-new singing, or maybe just three CBs. Still I'd sign up to have the career he's had any day.

Slash the singing until he actually earns it. I mean we were singing his name over everyone else's before he even scored his first goal for us. I saw MLT doing better things and being given half the amount of dedicated singing.

Reckon Oldham will draw v. Yeovil and then win v. Crawley, although I think that they will loose v. Sheffield United so it won't even matter.

I don't want to bash Adkins, and this came before this impressive run of games, but after the Everton game I was commenting with two mates of mine that as a team we looked much more focused and assured than before. And this was in a 0-0 draw. With Adkins the style was there, but I'm not sure if we were that emotionally stable as a team and also if we were able to deal with the pressure of playing for results. Truth is we couldn't be either TBH given the relegation dogfight was still very far from its final countdown. Pochettino I must say has given us that little bit of nerve that you need to swallow up the doubts in adversity. Love Adkins, but in my eyes after the Everton game survival only really became clearer then.

He played well, just felt he had enough time to get that header before the break on target. Would've been a big blow on them.

His impression of a freshly-caught fish when faced with Carroll (of all people) that almost let him through on goal (easy for Boruc in the end) was also superb. You just need to be more mobile to play in the Premier League. I insist, the difference from the beginning is he is not getting found out as much, other than that he hasn't improved much. I can only see Pochettino's preference for playing one right/one left footed CBs as a reason to why he gets a start over Fonte. As for the game, uneventful first half where we were honestly better (Lambert should've done better), and a second half where we went for it, but dropped the ball a bit and were duly punished. After that it all got a bit panicky and messy until Rodriguez came in and we were a minute away from getting a winner IMO. They came for a draw, got dirty but were effective. As for Ramirez, did well with the goal, but not only he needs an English pre-season for his fitness' sake, he also needs to grow up a bit. Just has to be more humble and let go of set pieces if it's not working. The one he blasted into the Chapel was from a very good position to look for a touch in the box, to go for it came straight out of his hyped morale. I also think that we are singing his name far too often considering both what he's done, what he is in football so far and the time he's been here. After the goal we should've sang a Club chant rather than just chanting his name out at full voice for like 3 minutes. I stress that the last thing a South-American young starlet needs is an ego boost from 30k+ people. Otherwise things like the free-kicks happen.

Ok so is it me or have they almost spent all their fund-raising in just taking over the club? Parachute payments are not equal to the agreements they have committed to either. What are they going to run the club with? I doubt the HNWs will commit to a rise through the FL ranks... My guess is they have to touch non-league football before it levels off.

So the PDT have found another leak in their pockets, Robinson style?

Say guys, I think it's Fonte. Not sure Adam or Jack are as bulky...

You see, despite the goal, I'm very unsure about the "Lallana for England" shouts. In fact I could see Rodriguez getting in a squad ahead of him and so could Cork.

I thought Schneiderlin always looked class. The whole Poortvleit era just stank of inexperience.

I'm impressed at how easily he finds simple passes within a split-second of touching the ball and how our tempo just gets a massive electricity boost every time he's on the pitch. He adds composure to our attacking game and has made a difference when it gets to finding solutions to our attack whenever our initial ideas don't work. QPR game is the example of his importance. Cork-Schneiderlin-Davis is a midfield which I think is good enough to take us up to the upper mid-table level we had in Strachan's finest hour of 02/03 (which is much more difficult to achieve nowadays). We payed more for one player of our midfield back then (Rory Delap - 4M) than for the 3 of them. I know the contempt we have for Mr.Reed, but...

Hoping we can sort ourselves out sooner rather than later so that after so many months of looking over our shoulder we can fully act as final judges for both them and Sunderland (though I think they will be fine now with Di Canios energy?). Would love to see teams ****ting their pants over games with us after months of patronizing and underestimating talk.