Chris_R

Looking at FM (Yes, I know!) he's only played 16 games outside of League 2 in his whole career, for Watford in the Championship last year. Just wish to fuck we'd buy a winger. Those saying we're short of cover at the back have a semblance of a point but we're far more short of cover on the wings.

James Milner

N'Zogbia was (is) a sulky little wretch, but he's twice the player any of our current wingers are. Selling him certainly didn't improve our chances of staying up.

Oh, I agree that management off the pitch was a massive factor too. You'll get no disagreement there. I was merely talking about how to best go about improve the playing staff. I took the off-field shenanigans as a given.

I watched the game last night and I don't think we had anyone playing in centre mid so this could be useful. Very Stupid comment from Chris R..... This football club need midfielders more than anything else. Thats why we are in this league and thats why we are struggling at times. Utterly, utterly wrong. We desperately need wingers. We were doing "OK" until we sold N'Somnia and Milner, both of whom are doing well for their new clubs in the big boys league. We swapped those 2 for Duff and Jonas (Yeah, I know Duff was already here), the first of whom when not injured lived up to his name and the latter, for all his dribbling, couldn't pass water. That's why we're in this league. Though of course now Duff has been replaced with Pancrate which at this moment in time doesn't exactly look like an improvement. We're therefore left with humping high balls up to the strikers, who despite being taller than last year's midget strikeforce of Owen and Martins are massively short of the quality of either of them. And that is why we're struggling at times. More central midfielders will solve nothing, no matter who they are. We need width. Pace, creativity and someone who can bang a cross in so we don't look so hopelessly one-dimensional.

Oh, a central midfielder. Just what we need. Well done Chris, you've excelled yourself with this one. Butt, Nolan, Geremi, Smith, Barton and Guthrie mustn't be enough for us. Thank god we've got 1 left winger and 1 right winger though. I'd hate to see us throw money away by investing in positions like that.

What?

The key word. We won't though.

Smith getting away with GBH there. Has Nolan done ANYTHING at all today? Not watching the best quality picture but the commentary is in English and I can't remember hearing his name mentioned even once.

Yeah, just happens to coincide with the first time we've faced a decent side in ages. Perhaps our much-vaunted defence isn't as good as some would like to make out, it's just that we've been playing against utter muppets for 90% of our matches so far.

For fuck's sake!

Is it just me, or is the assistant commentator on Sky Sports a wittering cretin of the highest order? Who is this utter buffoon?

Not sure what point you're trying to make? If we built a new tier on the Leazes, and extended it round at that height all the way, could make us the second biggest club ground in the world. But it's about as likely as what you're suggesting.

No worries about us signing him, he can't be wanting that much in wages given how much he's figured recently and there'd be no transfer fee, represents a minimal gamble IMO. We desperately need someone creative in midfield, why not? Seems like WBA are in the driving seat for him though now.

Then repeat with next target until transfer window closes.

Can't blame him tbh.

Perhaps a couple of weeks late, but as far as Christmas presents go this was the best one I got.

Pretty straight forward really. Butt's had one half-decent game but he's not good enough anymore on a consistent basis. I've seen enough of him to know that. Pancrate I've seen for probably less than 90 minutes altogether, as Dave says I did point out the jury, for me at least, is still out on him. I won't write a player off after such a short time but Butt has had ample time to prove his ineptitude, something which he has achieved with aplomb.

Generally I'd agree with that. But if we progress, and draw a decent team at home, we could conservatively get 40,000 people paying £25 quid each. It might be hard to turn down 75% (As the home side) of £1m quid. And yes, I know that promotion is worth infinitely more than that. But Ashley will doubtless think he can have both.

But why do we feel we need to protect the defence? Firstly, this is the same midfield that woefully failed to protect our defence last year. We didn't go down because our defence was bad, it was the midfield in front that meant we offered nothing going forward so spent the entire time on the back foot. Secondly, what are we supposedly protecting the defence from? Plymouth were awful today. There's very few teams with decent forwards or any creativity in this league that can really hurt us. Our defence is largely good enough to look after itself. Anyway, I've always believed that attack is the best form of defence. We've got good players (Our league position testifies to this), let's start to make the opposition worry about us instead of us worrying about what they're going to do to us.

Which is why he'll never cut it as a manager. (Not suggesting I would mind!) My worry is if that's his mentality playing against Plymouth and every other twobit team in this league, what the fuck kind of formation is he planning to play away to Man U next year? Assuming we go up of course.

Back from the game a couple of hours ago (Moved down to Bournemouth last month as I've said in the pre match thread). Anyway, my take on things with particular reference to a few key protagonists: Krul had nothing of note to do, can't remember him being forced into action at any point. Kicking was erratic, flapped at a couple of high balls under pressure and got generous free kicks from the referee. Kadar looked impressive, tidy game at the back. Didn't really put a foot wrong so that's a positive. Pancrate I can't defend. I've seen it said that he was "feeding on scraps" so it's hard to judge him. Well I'm going to: His first touch was s***, he couldn't pass water and he seemed completely unable or unwilling to run at his man when given the opportunity. His one chance to put a cross in resulted in him shanking it off his foot and it went virtually straight forward, rather than 90 degrees across his body and into the box as intended. The only positive I could give was that he turned up. Normally I think Nicky Butt should be burnt at the stake, but today he looked reasonably competent. Of our midfield, he looked most composed, picked out some good passes and had a couple of good shots. Yeah, there were the occasional "Oh, FOR f***'S SAKE!!" moments with him, but no more than the rest of the team and far less than normal from him. Ranger and Ameobi got little or no service, unless you count balls punted forward to them either in the air or along the ground which they could do nothing with. Ameobi did look more useful, able to hold the ball up better and more able to run at his man. However the support from midfield when he did manage to hold the ball up was shocking. Our general play was awful, with the us getting possession in midfield then the ball often going sideways, sideways, backwards, sideways, backwards, WELLY! towards Ameobi and Ranger. They'd clear it back to our midfield and the cycle repeats. It's something we're all familiar with I'm sure from this season. The midfield are incapable of supporting the attackers (Nolan apart), and we have no width at all other than Jonas and Pancrate yet Hughton seems unable to play both together (I know this was the cup and we're not bothered about it, I'm talking generally), leaving us with only one outlet. The opposition know this, so they just stick 2 men on our only winger and crowd him out. Guthrie is not a winger, he's put some good crosses in from there that have created goals but he drifts inside for 85 minutes and offers no width to our play. I don't know if that's Hughton's instructions or Guthrie just doing it but it needs to stop if he's to play there. I've no idea when Barton's back, but a midfield of: Pancrate Nolan Barton Jonas Would absolutely piss this league if we can keep the rest of the squad together and fit. Unless Pancrate's s*** (Jury's still out for me), in which case let's get another left winger in as a priority over anything else this window. And yes, I do mean left winger, because Jonas should not be allowed to play on the left. He's right footed, and has demonstrated time and again that he can't cross with his left. Sure, he's had a couple of assists there but if I had 500 crosses with my left foot I'm sure one or 2 would by chance find a teammate. I'm just rambling now so I'll shut up, or I could go on all night.

Just seen that on .com, delighted that we've sold out. I'm driving over with the missus from Bournemouth and it'll be the first match we've been to since we moved south in November, really pleased that there'll be good backing and from what Hughton says they'll be taking the match seriously too. Next one I'll probably be able to make it to is Bristol City in March.

Jonas /obvious

Dyer and Cole were quite nippy.