Cronky

Yeah, a good point. There's nothing special about the group of individuals we've got, compared to the rest. I don't think we've been as smart as we could have been in terms of building the team. We could have done one or two more Carroll-esque deals ie selling players who at the time have an inflated reputation (Cisse, Tiote), and bringing in some under-rated ones with the proceeds, but I'm not sure whose fault that is. Some of our purple players aren't all that purple. My hope is that some of the young players coming through (Sammy, Dummett, Campbell, Ferguson) will make the long-term development policy bear fruit in time.

I played with and against a Colin Hardman, who was in the year above me at Junior School. I think he eventually got taken on as an apprentice at Man City, but ended up at Stockport County, and then the non-league at Stafford Rangers, Barnet and Wealdstone. I can remember one informal game in the park, where in order to even the sides out, Colin's team had about 7 players and the opposition had 11. We still won, because all you had to do was give him the ball and he'd just go through the entire opposition and score, from anywhere on the pitch. I also remember that even at the age of 11, he could score from outside the penalty area with a really powerful shot. So Colin Hardman's career became a measure for me of just how talented someone had to be to even get to the lower slopes of the professional game.

It'll be tempting for Hodgson to pick virtually the same team against Poland, with Jones in for Walker, but I think that would be a mistake. It bothered me how easily Montenegro got to our back four when they started to attack. Gerrard and Lampard are getting on in years, and will find it difficult to peak for another game in just a few days' time. We need some young legs in there, and I'd still go for Wilshere. I'd be quite happy to bring Barkley on later in the game, as he doesn't seem to suffer from nerves. We rely quite heavily on our full backs supporting the attack, and in the absence of Walker, we need to do a bit better through the centre. Barry is the best defensive midfielder we have, and we dumped him too early.

Really? He's one of the view that's making things happen. If you're being sarcastic, that doesn't work on the printed page.

Well we should be ahead. I don't think we're getting enough from Lampard, who looks particularly weak in the tackle. Wilshere can get past his man, and that would open things up a bit.

Lampard rather than Wilshere feels over-cautious, and that combination with Gerrard has never worked as well as we'd hoped. Townsend is a bold and probably correct choice. We need some pace in there. Walker looks very nervous in an England shirt, and I don't know how he'll deal with the big occasion. Trouble is, there's no real alternative.

An awesome talent who looked like England's nailed-on future right back at one stage, but he hasn't developed like he should. He makes mistakes with his positioning and doesn't concentrate enough. I imagine that he was so physically dominant in the early stages of his career that he could play off the cuff and get away with it. At the top level, that's not enough. I'd take the chance, because if he gets good coaching and applies himself, he'd be a really great player.

That whole City team is prone to losing focus. They've got the best squad in the country but the drive doesn't always seem to be there.

I didn't think Llambias was working for Ashley any more. Or have I missed something?

The effort is there, and I thought that Cardiff was actually one of his better games. What often seems to be lacking is that commitment to put his head or foot in where it hurts. I can't think when he was last out injured, or when he was even on the deck, hurt after a challenge or needing treatment. Perhaps others will correct me, but for a centre forward he seems very immune to injury, major or minor.

The shot count is usually the most telling statistic, and on Saturday, we had 20 shots, 10 on target, they had 8 shots, 2 on target. It must be a long time since we've produced that kind of stat, particularly away from home.

Campbell is too small to be a force in the PL....he has pace but would find it tough against all but the poorest PL sides. Look at the impact Rooney made at 18 and players like Gazza and Shearer at the same age....if you are really star material it should be showing by that age. The fact that Campbell is not part of the first team scene tells you that either a) He is not rated as first team squad material or b) the manager you frequently defend is a poor judge of a player. The only way I could see Campbell being used properly is if we had a big target man who could lay the ball off for him or take the pressure off him from Centre Backs - and neither Remy nor Cisse are this type of player. Take your choice..... Bit tough using Shearer, Gazza and Rooney as your yardstick. I've only seen glimpses of Campbell in action, but I can see why he's attracted optimistic attention. He reminds me a bit of Beardsley in his style, and of course he ended up playing in Canada before someone took a chance on him. So I don't think his size is necessarily a problem, and I like to think there's hope still. Pardew is under pressure and with the situation we're in, perhaps he feels he can't afford to give younger players the necessary learning curve in the first team. Maybe he's naturally cautious. But I'd put Campbell on the bench, if only because he can offer something different from our other strikers. Why is it tough using Shearer Gazza and Rooney as the yardstick for Campbell ? All of these players were showing star quality at 18 and if Campbell is the player some people seem to think he is, he should be doing the same. Small players have to be exceptional in order to make the top grade esp as strikers and Beardsley was/is bigger than Campbell....a different type of player too, not an out and out striker, more a player who schemed and played off the front striker(s). I suppose my point was that some players are later developers, or have to overcome people's doubts relating to their size or strength. I think Beardsley was a case in point. In the short times that I've seen Campbell, he's looked confident and composed, eager to get involved and trying things. That's something I always look for in a young player - do they really believe that they belong out there. That's one reason I'd like to see him given more chances. Dummett looks to have the right sort of confidence too.

Nah I think he had to go to the danger, he had two men to pick up, the immediate danger is where he had to go. Had he gone outwide they would have scored anyway. He took the risk of blocking it. Made the right choice imo mentioned that on the thread after it happened and while everyone jumped on Willo we had plenty opportunities to clear it and arguably Santon fucked up big time there . No doubt Mr Neville will give us the answer soon.

I can't help but think that half-time at Everton may be a watershed in Pardew's thinking, and HBA will have to really get his act together to get back in as anything but an impact sub. Up till now, it feels like our team-building has been based around trying to get a formation that will accommodate HBA, with all his individual brilliance. Hull and Everton part 1 represented a major failure in that strategy. Everton Part 2 and Cardiff seemed to show a more fluent team. The difficulty with a player like HBA is they don't always turn it on, and you've ended up putting all your eggs in one basket. It can also be difficult for his team-mates, knowing where and when to make a run because they don't know when he's going to release it (if at all). I suspect that things haven't worked out for him at other clubs for similar reasons. If he's going to get back on track, he needs to be making better decisions on the pitch.

Campbell is too small to be a force in the PL....he has pace but would find it tough against all but the poorest PL sides. Look at the impact Rooney made at 18 and players like Gazza and Shearer at the same age....if you are really star material it should be showing by that age. The fact that Campbell is not part of the first team scene tells you that either a) He is not rated as first team squad material or b) the manager you frequently defend is a poor judge of a player. The only way I could see Campbell being used properly is if we had a big target man who could lay the ball off for him or take the pressure off him from Centre Backs - and neither Remy nor Cisse are this type of player. Take your choice..... Bit tough using Shearer, Gazza and Rooney as your yardstick. I've only seen glimpses of Campbell in action, but I can see why he's attracted optimistic attention. He reminds me a bit of Beardsley in his style, and of course he ended up playing in Canada before someone took a chance on him. So I don't think his size is necessarily a problem, and I like to think there's hope still. Pardew is under pressure and with the situation we're in, perhaps he feels he can't afford to give younger players the necessary learning curve in the first team. Maybe he's naturally cautious. But I'd put Campbell on the bench, if only because he can offer something different from our other strikers.

Willo did slip up for their goal, but Santon's defending was also questionable. Easy to say as a spectator, but it looks like we'd have been better off if he'd stuck to his man out wide instead of dashing inside. Colo was back to cover the centre. Santon's lack of composure worries me. When danger comes, he seems to be have no middle ground between reckless and indecisive. On a positive side, I noticed that on a couple of occasions, we were able to keep the ball much better when being put under pressure near the touchlines. That's been lacking. Previously we've just hoofed it and / or lost it.

We looked like a team today. Everyone seemed to know what they were supposed to do. Well, the exception may be Santon. He worries me. There are times when the play just seems to pass him by. I'd give Dummett a go.

Willo was doing a lot of talking and directing of his team-mates. In one case, he actually manhandled Santon into the correct position. It's what we've been lacking recently.

Januzaj-Cleverley-Carrick-Nani is a very flimsy midfield by their standards. That's as poor a Man U performance as I've seen in ages.

Benny seems to have gone mentally AWOL in the last couple of games. He started thinking and talking of becoming a Club legend and lost focus IMO. Dropping him to the bench will hopefully get his feet back on the ground.

He's absolutely full of shite that bears no relation to reality, to give some balance. This forum's David Pleat. Well I think Ronny's closer to it (thanks, mate), but people can make their own mind up about that. PS - I think Pleat is one of the better pundits, FWIW.

Or he's, I dunno, young. Nah he's not very good.... i saw him a lot over last couple of years at Palace and not on Youtube like everyone else. His hype is not justified, he was not even the best winger in the Championship during his time at Palace. Its not something i have just decided to come up with because he plays for Man Yoo either, never rated him. I thought at first he was a really good prospect. He seems to have gone backwards this last year. Good athlete but technically deficient. That's how he looks to me now. You could just admit you didn't watch him and fell for the hype mate. No, but I will admit to not being a perfect judge of a player and now and then I'll make the wrong call. Happens to us all.

The way their back line functioned was incredible. There were a large number of times when City were caught offside in situations where you wouldn't expect it to happen. Their back four operated like they had one brain.

I thought at first he was a really good prospect. He seems to have gone backwards this last year. Good athlete but technically deficient. That's how he looks to me now.

Barca had a bit of a weakness in the air, in attack and defence. The opposition rarely had enough of the ball for it to make a difference. But with Bayern, it's hard to spot any weakness at all. They look the perfect combination of brains, organisation, flair and fitness.