Cronky

I'd like to give the front six who started the second half against Spurs another go.

Didn't he win the ball for our second? Yep. His tackling is a bit hit and miss though. When he can slide in from the side, he's okay. If someone runs straight at him, he just seems to dangle a leg and they usually go straight past. Still, he does open a defence up two or three times a game, so I reckon he's worth it.

I've been impressed with Lallana, last few times I've seen him.

Both teams are committed to attack. Real are just better at it.

Let's see if he's still starting games in December then. Hopefully, there'll be a better option in the near future - either Cabella finding his feet, or Sammy finding consistency, or a new arrival in January (unlikely) But in the meantime, let's admit there's been some improvement in his attitude and make use of that.

Obi is still quite a limited footballer, but at least he's now playing with a bit of heart and commitment. He does have the pace and strength to hurt defences in the right situation, and that made the difference on Saturday.

It's Lee Bowyer man. And Dyer was and had clearly wound him up. A few minutes before Dyer chooses to not pass to him - he should have but it didn't look like a major deal but you can clearly see Bowyer shouting at Dyer in disgust. A few minutes later, the same thing basically happens - it looks like Dyer chooses to not pass to Bowyer because of the previous needless aggro to piss him off and it kicks off. I have no doubt Dyer was very rude and expletive but I imagine the gist of it was - "you can't tell me what to do, if I don't want to pass to you I wont, and it's because your shit so eff off." An already irate Bowyer isn't going to have that. Maybe you're right, but I think that kind of exchange happens quite often on a football field, and between professionals it usually gets sorted out in the dressing room afterwards. Like I said with the Speed incident, Dyer did seem to have a way of getting under someone's skin.

Speed was not an easy player to rile, but I can remember him nearly coming to blows with Dyer over something he said. I'm not convinced that Dyer has given us the full account of what he said to Bowyer. Would Bowyer have reacted like that just because someone told him he was shit?

I'm not sure that Van Gaal has adjusted to his new situation. If you're managing Bayern, Ajax or Barca, you can afford to be a bit gung-ho in most away games. It's different in the Premiership.

Has moaning become an involuntary reflex on here? We're playing quite well.

I feel sorry for Chambers, a young centre back having to try his hand as an attacking full back. Delph has looked very good. Bring on the Ox for Henderson.

He looks so composed for Arsenal, but he was a nervous wreck out there tonight. Lallana and the Ox improved us a lot. I thought San Marino would have trouble containing Sterling, with his pace and power, but we actually needed players who can work the ball in tight spaces and that's not Sterling's strength. Likewise Henderson.

They won't be able to handle Sterling.

Guaranteed to lose the ball in his own half at least twice a game as well.

I'm quite sure Ashley was taking the piss, but yet again he's undermined his manager.

Armstrong showed some flashes of real quality, including a long range shot that would have burst the net had the keeper not made a good save. Like most young players though, his decision-making needs to develop.

He became the captain for want of any better alternatives. Outstanding last night though.

He has the raw talent (decent pace, technique and dribbling) but your assessment is probably very close to what will happen. Hard to see him getting the minutes he needs here. Hope he can find a good team in the Championship and get back to the PL that way with a smaller club. That article is ridiculous though, last time he had a run in the team he was easily one of the better performing players. Pardew is a joke. Pardew "sees him every day in training". As for his career path, SanToon is mostly correct, imo. I do rate Sammy as a player, but I think he'll end up spending the next five-six years or so performing fairly well (though still lacking end-product which is quite obviously never going to be a part of his game), eventually get his way back into Premiership through being bought cheaply or promoted, score a brace at SJP for another team, record a few hilariously shameful appearances for Nigeria, and end up back in obscurity, probably abroad. That's some detail! I don't doubt his talent. What I'm unsure about is his determination and ambition. He seems quite a laid-back, happy-go-lucky character and I wonder whether he has the drive and the aggression to really push himself. Either that, or the gap between what Pardew thinks he could achieve and what he does achieve is creating a bad impression, regardless of the actual value of his contribution compared to others.

Any chance of more detail?

Loses the ball a lot, but I like his energy and I think he'll continue to improve as he gets used to Premiership football.

He seemed to be enjoying himself out there, which is a change from more recent times, when he hasn't looked fully committed. The first goal was crucial, and was Cisse at his best. Hits it hard and early and not where the keeper's expecting.

He's playing poorly, but I'm not sure to what extent nerves are playing a part in that. He's making some poor decisions, and he tenses up when a chance comes his way. He's also probably not used to the speed and physicality with which he gets closed down in the Premiership. He then ends up seeming to do everything in a rush. But no, it doesn't look promising at the moment.

You can't say that this kind of action is never the right thing to do, and in fairness, I don't think the guy was saying that. What you have to weigh up is the risk of making the situation worse, against the chances of making the situation better. Telling yourself that you can't possibly make the situation any worse than it is, is just a way of avoiding that consideration. We've seen two previous meltdowns in recent years. Once was when press and supporters turned against Sir Bob, and the other was the attempt to force Ashley out after the Keegan departure. Food for thought.

This will all end badly. Same as when the press and the supporters turned against Sir Bob. I know the protests are on a different scale here. But the result will be the same.

I loved watching Ludogorets' attacking play. Such assured technique shown by so many players. Defender rather than the keeper to blame for the final goal. It was a daft passback that was always going to put him in trouble.