toptoon

I firmly believe we got nothing out of the game because we played in that spirit. For too long we've played away from home with fear. Souness tried to combat it head on by playing the likes of Butt and Bowyer together but it didn't work, it's effectively waving a white flag, almost like damage limitation. We need to go to these places believing we can take all the points, a draw should be seen as acceptable. You could see at Man City, they wanted it much more than we did. Both teams got what they deserved. Of course, a number of factors resulted in our defeat, but it gets up my nose the way we play with fear against average teams just because we're away from home. Man City look a decent outfit fair enough, but for every Man City there's a Derby or a Middlesbrough and we've been doing this for years. 100% agree with ohmelads. The most important thing is that we pick points up away from home, however we do it. If we manage that BSA's way by tightening up further, then all well and good. But i look at our attacking talent and look at Citeh's Boros Derby's etc and think why shoulden't we just have a go at them and attack more rather than sit back and invite them to have a go at us. Play to our strengths. With the likes of Owen Martins Viduka Smith etc we have better striking options than all outside the top 4 imo Milner, Zoggy, Emre, Barton and our new fullbacks should be able to create enough for them if we played them together and let them off the reigns a bit more at times especially when we have the ball.

Yes very cute...care to tell us any more about the tactics?

Agreed.

This is very good news. Good to know we are on the lookout for young talent.

I hope they both stay and do well with us personally. Shola has alot to prove still, although he isn't quite as bad as some make out and i'd be gutted if Taylor ended up at one of our rivals as i'm confident he will become a top class defender.

Owen is class (although ijury prone)i'd keep him, its not like we are desperate for the money and have a much better replacement lined up. If we were to look to replacing one of our strikers i'd look to replace our 'big man' striker Viduka with someone alot more mobile/quicker.

Smith was very good on Sunday, he linked the midfield so well with with the attack, better than i've seen from anyone do for us in a long time. Very clever play, held the ball up well, picked his passes well, brought people into play superbly and very mobile puts himself about alot, brave as you like in the challenge and basically tries his heart out. One critisim is, he needs to shoot himself more, he opted to pass a few times when he probably should have had a go himself. Shame he's suspended against Spurs.

Would definately work work well in a 433/451 and i'd love to see us try them in a 442 as well, as they could prove to be our best midfield pairing! Not so sure Sam will start both in a 442, though might try them if we were behind.

Stop being a moody cretin and lying/making things up/over exagerating things again wullie i haven't ever said that Ameobi is more prolific (and certainly not profilic whatever that is) havei ? Please point out to me where i have ever said he's more prolific (or profilic) ? + last time Viduka played aginst Lescott it was 0-0 dec 26th 2006 so i don't quite know how you figured he scored, quite a feat considering the score line. I'm not a boo boy or unessesarily having a go at Viduka, as i hope he is amazing for us come sunday has another West ham type stormer, gets another couple of goals and rams my words back down my neck, i'd be delighted. I just find him very unmobile at times and if he's not getting any Joy against the very impresive Lescott i hope Sam at least tries Smith in his best position. Wullie accept that people may sometimes have a different point of view to you, you don't need to be such a cnut about it. Tip for you - Don't open your mouth that way what can't speak can't lie. Viduka is a better but very different player to Smith. Both are better than Ameobi. Think Willie was talking about Oct 2006 when Viduka did score against an Everton side with Lescott in it. To be fair you have rated some complete planks in your time. Such as?

Is Smith suspended for Spurs?

Two mistakes. He had a poor game by his usual high standards thats for sure. Every keeper has them, luckily for us they are once in a blue moon from Shay.

If a really top quality player becomes availiable then yes i'm all up for strengthening the squad. i.e. SWP , Lennon etc I don't think we are desperate for a RW though as Milner is a top quality player imo and will get better + Geremi, Duff and Martins can play there if need be. Who could be availiable who is better ?? I very much doubt there is anyone availiable, plus once Duff is fit again if he can recapture some form, its going to be hard enough deciding who plays and who stays on the bench as it is without adding to that problem, BS seems to have the balance correct when it comes to healthy competition for places imo. As has been mentioned, the thought of Enrique being injured scares me more. Owen/Martins Viduka/Smith/Shola Zoggy/Duff Milner/Geremi/Martins * Some very good players and very good options there. Not many playes (who we could get), are going to force their way in above those lot!

Agreed. Smith had a canny game for us on Sunday in his preffered position, linked the attack and the midfield well, very good passing, committed as ever in the challenge! He's been up and down in midfield, poor against Man City though i thought. He's had some other not good games too Derby on the RW springs to mind, but is it his fault he's played out of position though and still does his best? important squad member imo and i'd like to see alot more of him up front this season.

Stop being a moody cretin and lying/making things up/over exagerating things again wullie i haven't ever said that Ameobi is more prolific (and certainly not profilic whatever that is) havei ? Please point out to me where i have ever said he's more prolific (or profilic) ? + last time Viduka played aginst Lescott it was 0-0 dec 26th 2006 so i don't quite know how you figured he scored, quite a feat considering the score line. I'm not a boo boy or unessesarily having a go at Viduka, as i hope he is amazing for us come sunday has another West ham type stormer, gets another couple of goals and rams my words back down my neck, i'd be delighted. I just find him very unmobile at times and if he's not getting any Joy against the very impresive Lescott i hope Sam at least tries Smith in his best position. Wullie accept that people may sometimes have a different point of view to you, you don't need to be such a cnut about it. Tip for you - Don't open your mouth that way what can't speak can't lie.

Ameobi does bloody loads of them too! That one for Shearer when he broke the record was class if it was ronaldinho ......... Viduka just doesn't do enough for me, in saying he may prove me wrong this weekend, i just have my doubts over him.

Agree with most of what you say. There's no way that i'd start Smith on the wing either, possibly midfield but i think we have better options. I may be wrong but i just don't rate Viduka all that highly and i'll be surprised if he has another good game for us come the weekend. Viduka was outstanding against W/ham as they stood off him and let him play, I don't think Everton will do that, they'll be tight on him as most teams have been and he'll imo contribute next to nothing again. i.e. in every game this season barring W/ham and the ONE addmittedly top class goal V boro. I'd like to see Smith given a go. Perhaps start with Viduka and if its clear its going to be another one of those days bring Smith on or vise versa.

Justifying my team v Everton GK Given - He's the best around, Harper's bloody good too though so either or. RB Beye - The best RB we have looks pretty good too so far, we've been crying out for a decent RB like this for ages especially considering Car! CB Taylor - He WILL get better! Cacapa is injured anyway and we need the defence to start gelling so no Faye just yet imo CB Roze - Good on the deck and gets forward well seems to be weak when challenging for headers though. LB Enrique - The best LB we have and looks very very promising/exciting imo RB Milner - The best RW we have, think he's great myself and don't understand his critics at all. DM Geremi - seems to be the better one better than Butt and smith, covers lots of ground and passes better. AM Emre - We are crying out for more creativity and he could be just the man to provide it. (fingers crossed) LW Zoggy - Our player of the season, we need to let him play to his strengths much more i.e. attacking the opposition down the flank/cutting inside. CF Martins - Hard working, quick as you like, can score goals from nothing and a real livewire/handfull for any opposition. CF Smith - Clever player, a real grafter, much more mobile than Viduka, will hold the ball up well and bring others into play well. Woulden't be gutted if we did start with Viduka or at all surprised i'd just like to see Smith in his preffered role, as i think Viduka will not get any change out of Lesscot at all just like he he hasn't with most decent defences barring West ham this season. Harper - Unlucky not to start Faye - Like the look of him could be good, but we need some stability at the moment, bring him on at some point. Butt - goodish but not great Viduka - He'll probably start but i'd preffer to see smith. Owen?? - Could he be fit enough?

Sounds promising, hopefully BS can see what we think and start Emre v Everton. As long as BS gives him a license to go forward and doesn't instruct him to stay back.

If Robinson and James are curretly No. 1 and No. 2 he certainly is imo

I found these comments quite astonishing. The biggest frustration in the defeat on Saturday was not our Adventure but our Ultra defensive centre three (Butt, Smith, Geremi) which gave us nothing in balance going forward nor creativity to the isolated Viduka and the too deep and wide Martins along with the ridiculously high line by our back four. You simply don't play 3 ultra defensive central midfielders if your going to play such a high line because as seen for there first goal its very easy to get threw the ultra defensive midfield three with one ball over/threw the back fours high line it wasn't only for the first goal but after when Shay Given had to pull of a one on one save due to the high defensive line and non productive defensive centre three in there duties. 4-4-2 is a must with the squad and players we have if we are to make the most of our best players, Martins needs to play high up the pitch alongside Viduka and not deep and wide and N'Zogbia now must be given license to go attack teams high up the pitch on the left side with Milner returning to his favored right side role. I realize Big Sam is never going to bring back the Keegan or Robson times in terms of adventure and flowing football but the ultra defensive line ups and not getting the best out of our attacking players by giving them un complementary roles is very frustrating. Maybe your guilty of taking him out of context. But totally agree with what you said about our formation. I see what SA was trying to do (i.e. totally dominate the midfield) but in hindsight (yes wonderful thing i know) it didn't work as our midfield were pretty poor all in all, lots of stray passes and created precious little, we certainly need to be more positive now especially with some of the quality players we have at our disposal. At our next home match v everton we need to really attack them and have a go more. Emre needs to be tried. Yes he will need to get back and dig in when we do not have the ball, but when we do he needs to be able to push forwad linking up play with his passes and vision and have a few shots himself and he he can't do it try Barton or buy someone to give us the creativity.

I know that there is very little chance of this as BS will probably play Butt, Smith and Geremi but V Everton at home i'd be positive and play: Harper Beye Taylor Roze Enrique Milner Geremi Emre Zoggy Viduka Martins Subs; Harper, Faye, Butt, Smith, Owen??

The away support is going the same way as the home. As the old guard supporter gives way to the new generation spectator the SKY generation brought up on 'EASY, EASY' s**** are coming to the fore. One fucker yesterday had a pink shirt on FFS - the Citeh mob slaughtered the feckless moron. . Crumpy, why do you want Ashley out?

Seems to me that he gets a disproportionate huge slice of abuse/blame every tiime the team plays badly with him in the team. You really don't think that he is some people's scapegoat on here? Really? Scapegoat - referring to someone who is blamed for misfortunes, generally as a way of distracting attention from the real causes. i.e. A non creative midfield.

So far so good! I think he will given time to get it right. We are in the main a propper impatient bunch though in all fairness, expecting miracles straight away some of us.

Incredible debut at LB from the lad - Man of the match and scored in a 2-2 draw v Champions Man u!! Doesn't get much better! Did well against Villa too at CB. I just don't understand why he didn't get more of a chance, especially as he was at the time easilly our best LB and a decent looking CB too. Glad he's still here hopefully he'll get more chances.