DuncanRG

Big words from Lambert on sky just now. Said 'the owners have brought in the people they think are best for the club, and we'll have to see if it was the right decision'. Hardly disguised the fact he doesn't agree.

Can Jack Stephens cover at full back? Curious that he makes the bench over Targett.

Can Jack Stephens cover at full back? Curious that he makes the bench over Targett.

Disgraceful that he's not in the squad today. Whether he's refused to play or Koeman's decided he's not in the right mindset, it's totally unprofessional.

Disgraceful that he's not in the squad today. Whether he's refused to play or Koeman's decided he's not in the right mindset, it's totally unprofessional.

Morgan starts. Let's have it.

Morgan starts. Let's have it.

Have any journalists been adamant that he would never play for us again?

It's obvious from his tweet and Koeman's words that Schneiderlin would rather be at Spurs right now. Ultimately I think it comes back to what Krueger said, that one or two unhappy players can be managed but if you've got five or six then you need some changes.

Yoshida has plenty more good games than bad games. He does make some really poor mistakes occasionally but is generally a good player. I wish we had more options to start today but I'm happy to have him as 3rd/4th choice.

Since when have Spurs had a poor squad? They've got great players

Koeman said he's available. If he's training on his own at any point it will be because he's on a different physical programme, not to isolate him from the squad or keep him ticking before a sale.

You're chatting rubbish. Why on earth would they bring him in to train for a few photos? Secondly, you wouldn't leak that he's available for selection tomorrow if he'd not been training with the team.

No... He was heavily linked with Liverpool last summer, to be fair

Emotional.

Lovren was very good in his first interview as well, as I recall

There's been nothing about him at all for a few days, so anything could be going on. He's always turned up for training. There's no reason to rule him out or in, but I suspect we won't find out for sure until Sunday.

I'm sure it means something at the top clubs, where you're putting on the shirt that one of the true greats wore. I expect some Saints players - including Lambert - can feel the significance of the number 7 shirt since Le Tiss but other numbers won't matter besides their indication of your rank in the squad

They've actually scored 28 each - Lambert in 75 appearances, Long in 100. No idea how many substitute appearances that includes but I'm sure Long was on the bench more often than Lambert. Long's scoring record looks a lot better when you put it like that actually, when you consider most of his sides have been pretty average.

----------Forster-------------- Clyne Fonte Yoshida Bertrand ----------Wanyama---------- -----Davis------Schneiderlin Tadic----- Pelle---------Long Boruc, Targett, Hooiveld, JWP, Taider, Ramirez, Gallagher ...that doesn't like quite so good, but we'll be alright.

----------Forster-------------- Clyne Fonte Gardos Bertrand ----------Wanyama---------- -----Davis------Schneiderlin Tadic----- Pelle---------Long Boruc, Targett, Yoshida, JWP, Taider, Ramirez, Gallagher That doesn't look too bad, actually.

I agree. What I'm saying is that we must be sure Schneiderlin is staying and will play this season. I can't imagine we'd let Cork go otherwise. If that's not the case and we're risking being left with Wanyama then I'll be outraged as everyone else.

Yup - I don't think we'd dream of letting Cork go if there was a chance of Schneiderlin either leaving or not performing in the immediate future. I can understand why some fans struggle to trust the club on that though. It might be that we see Taider as more versatile than Cork - a decent attacker who can also deputise as third choice holding midfielder. If that's the intention and it works out then I think it's a smart move. Gardos is also capable of playing defensive midfield, as I understand it.

I like Cork as much as anyone but the one thing he couldn't do was play further up in midfield. He's not and never will be an attacking player. Who would you play in a midfield three with one going deeper?

No idea where you're getting this guaranteed departure from. I really don't think we'd let Cork go if there was any doubt about Schneiderlin - if he was a risk or we were planning a sale we'd forgo the £3m and let Cork's contract run down. I think the positive here is that Koeman's not afraid to build the team he wants. With a well-funded rebuilding job like this it's no use at all to base formations too closely around the players you already have. One holding midfielder is what Koeman wants, and, good as Cork is, the third choice for that spot isn't in a strong position to negotiate a new contract.