Slugsy

So far I have yet to be convinced by the defenders we have bought (maybe aside from Faye and potentially Enrique). Outside of Faye, none had premiership experience and when put under pressure have been found wanting in various departments. We've only come up against two half decent teams so far - Man City and Portsmouth and they both put our defences to the sword. Yes playing together regularly makes a difference but I'm not convinced some of these individuals are cut out for the Premiership. A good example of that was watching the Man City v Portsmouth game on Sunday, at one point Benjani was one on one with Dunne for a 50/50 ball (Dunne who I don't rate massively), Dunne eased Benjani off the ball with ease, calmly turned around and passed it to a team mate. I would not have had the same confidence with Rozenahl or Cacapa. Maybe thats becuase they just aren't used to the premiership or maybe its because they can't handle the physicality of the premiership, one way or another it isn't good enough and by now I would have expected our defence to be playing better than they are. Maybe that's down to Allardyce swapping and changing and that will have a factor but my gut feel is that we just didn't buy really good central defenders, we bought central defenders on a budget. I think after an easy start we are being found out and with tougher games to come I'm worried. As for what was spent on attacking players in the summer.......

1. A Premier League Match 2. A Championship Match 3. A League One Match 4. A League Two Match 5. A Conference Match 6. A FA Cup Match 7. A FA Cup Semi-Final 8. A FA Cup Final 9. A League Cup Match 10. A League Cup Final 11. A Scottish League Match 12. A League Match in another country. 13. Old Firm Derby 14. Milan Derby 15. A Derby involving Real Madrid 16. Istanbul Derby 17. An English Derby. 18. An International 19. A World Cup Match 20. A World Cup Final 21. A European Championship Match 22. A European Championship Final 23. A Copa America Match 24. An African Nations Match 24. An Asian Cup Match 25. A Champions League Match 26. A Champions League Final 27. A UEFA Cup Match 28. A UEFA Cup Final 29. A Cup Winners Cup Match 30. A Friendly 31. A team win the league 32. A team get promoted 33. A team get relegated 34. A team get relegated from the Football League 35. A Penalty Shootout 36. A saved penalty 37. Been a ball boy 38. Been a mascot. 39. Participated in a pitch invasion 40. Seen a playoff final 41. Watched a game at Old Wembley 42. Watched a game at New Wembley 43. Watched a game at the Millenium Stadium 44. Watched a game at the Nou Camp 45. Watched a game at the Bernebeu 46. Watched a game at the San Siro 47. Watched a game at the Maracana 48. Watched a game at the Stade Velodrome 49. Seen a top flight team beaten by a team at least two divisions below. 50. Travelled more than 400 miles specifically to watch a game.

Top class bloke, the fact he stayed behind with us after till we were allowed out when he could clearly have been given preferential treatment just added to his legend status in my eyes. The guy doesn't have to do any PR, he owns the club for f*cks sake and has just wiped off our debt - that's all the PR the guy needs!

Hope you are right, most likely true but I have a niggling doubt!

2 years at a max - I wouldn't be surprised if McLaren gets sacked and England come calling we could be looking in a few weeks time!

Zoggy has far more potential and shows moments of real class. Milner is too slow and lately has become very predictable and easy to defend against. If pushed I would stick with Zoggy and see if a better alternative was available for Milner - question would be who?

I shall be at the match!

Was just saying this to a guy in work, I agree.

I wouldn't say alot to be critical about. Just teething problems I'm sure. tactics at derby and reading, then on saturday are not teething troubles. I'll give you Derby and Reading, but Saturday was freak. There was NOTHING Sam could've done about the first 3 goals. Once we were 3 nil down, the gameplan goes out the window. I aqree with that but I was worried how our plan couldn't adapt to albeit freak conditions - we were not exactly a potent attacking force on Saturday and for most of it our only plan was to launch high balls up to Owen and Smith who were taken apart by Campbell and Distin. Granted Portsmouth are a very good team but we really didn't look like we could claw our way back into the game. Allardyce couldn't do anything about the three goals - one great one and a couple of individual errors, however, the way we play going forward isn't exactly electric. I don't know if thats down to the coaching, personnel or tactics, or a bit of all of them but in the end its down to Sam.

To be fair, comparing Souness' managerial silverware to O'Neil's is a ridiculous comparision give the respective teams they were managing and the resources available to them.

Yes and you are the paragon of stablility something I can only aspire to. I think my comments have been measured so far. Not calling for his head am I? Never claimed I was, never claimed you did. I'm angry at his attitude to away games against poor sides that is all. I think you are as well as are many others and I think imo we have a right to be. There are many other good things he's doing in the background and he shows all the signs of constructing a good base and paying close attention to detail and preparing the side. But it is clear he gave out the wrong signals to the side (and the opposition) before the Reading game. It is also clear he is stubborn and lacklustre regarding selection and hasn't adapted (yet) to the 'bigger club' environment and expectations...This will be the undoing of him, and it isn't something I want to happen. Best post yet - sums up my feelings completely.

Its going to be a very up and down season, not convinced by Sam's tactics and personel selection, very impressed by what he says and other things he has been doing off the pitch. I can accept getting a good whipping off the top boys at the moment but not sure how we can justify getting comprehensively (at times) outplayed by the likes of Reading. We have better players on paper in each position and I am not sure why it is so difficult to get them to play well together away from home? That being said, the time for me to judge him will be this time next year, two more transfer windows, time for his systems and back room initiatives to bed in and players getting used to the style that Sam wants. Frustrating times for a while to come I think.

Comedy gold!

Take him in a flash, but £9m is pricey.

Hmmm, its a tough one if we have to replace one of our current coaching staff - on one hand there is Gary Speed, consummate professional, role model for young players, the most experienced premiership player still playing at the top level, a player who works his socks off at very club he plays for, dedicated etc and on the other hand........ Terry McDermott......

Fairly spot on, particulalry about the defence and midfield - we are more organised at the back and the midfield is functional and does lack creativity!

I'd like to know if Smith will ever be dropped or put up front properly as he is gash as a midfielder!

It NEVER pays to have large amounts of debt - ask all those with big Mortgages now that Interest rates are rising ; you can use other more useful choices to reduce Tax... In a company there are many circumstances where it is far more efficient all round to fund the business through debt rather than equity. If the cashflow is there then it is far cheaper to fund it through debt. If the cashflow isn't there then that is another matter. I could regurgitate theory on returns and risk but in real life how the hell do you think a private equity model works?

In a heartbeat

After Ameobi's performance on Monday, it would be scandalous if he ever starts again ahead of Martins.

This

He is absolutely rancid. Can't header, can't hold the ball up and has the first touch of a rhino. He was dominated by the two centre halves. I've thought this for years mind, not just on last nights performance - the guy loves a cameo performance but last night, his big chance, he failed miserably, as he has done on countless occassions before.

Taylor and Roz for sure - Roz is a class act but lacks the physical clout which Taylor brings - Roz and Cacapa is weak for me and will get bullied by the bigger teams, especially away from home.

That comment about players being on international duty makes me laugh - the best player on the park last night - Stephen Pearson - had just come back from running his nuts off for Scotland against France and he looked sharper and more energetic than our entire team put together.

Dreadful performance and the worst was from Allardyce himself! My misgivings about him continually playing Smith on the right aside, his substitutions were truly incredibly awful! 1. Martins for Owen - Granted Owen wasn't getting a sniff but that was clearly because a) Our midfiled was imbalanced due to Smith being non existant and b) Ameobi being completely inable to hold the ball up or control the ball long enough for Owen to get a sniff! But Ameobi's performance was ignored and like most games so far, so was Smith's. 2. Faye for Geremi - this was from the silly to the ridiculous - take off one of our so called creative midfielders, someone who could have replaced Smith on the right side and put on at best a 'defensive midfielder', who after 5 minutes clearly lacked match fitness. Smith by this time had been booked and was still r*bbish - but hey ho, lets keep him on anyway, or at the very least if determined to keep him on, replace that piece of lard Ameobi who too had continued to be awful! 3. And then to cap it all off, he takes Taylor off and puts Beye on, ignoring the fact that Rozenhal had been taken to the cleaners by the front two all night and we had desperately needed some 'muscle' in the centre position. Clearly he thought Rozenhal was more creative and could push forward, slightly too late me thinks but lets reward sh*te performances eh? Aside from Allardyce, the main culprits our there: Rozenhal - he looked so lightweight tonight, someone like Drogba or Davies is going to have a field day with him if he plays like that! N'Zogbia - worked hard but really his first bad game and it was a shocker, his set pieces could have graced the Sunday Church League. Smith - If this guy is a midflielder then someone better let me into the secret, all I saw was some rash tackles and no actual substance whatesoever, on the right he is a sham of a premiership player. Ameobi - his big chance and true to his past - he was sh*t! Overall, quite dreadful - we couldn't pass, couldn't create, lacked a cutting edge and had no shape whatesoever. PS. Hats off to James Milner who continues to work his socks off and also to Taylor, while not being a right back, again worked very hard..