Gallowgate Toon

He's just not aggressive, he doesn't take the game by the scruff of the neck anywhere near enough. Top footballer but his mentality stops him from being a top player.

Today we saw why he's not a full back. I didn't mind him starting for the experience factor but he's pulled the wool over Pardew's eyes with those last couple of performances.

He just played into their hands. I thought the half-time sub was rash and we really lacked protection when playing 4-4-2. They came to break and did, we shot ourselves in the foot.

Got done today. Some rank amateur decisions, unbelievably poor.

Was in stitches at that Properly over-killed it as well.

If Kilgallon and O'Shea are his markers... Howay from Longstanton spice museum!

Our lads will know what he's up to, they're just sound bites. If he said we're going to stuff them, our players would be at risk of becoming complacent while there's fired up. We have the better team, no doubt, but the mentality needs to be spot on here. I think he wants to surprise them, perhaps indicating he wants to get at them from the start. We did at their place this season.

The point is to make them complacent, or at least to put the pressure on them. He has previous for this, he's said this week that they're favourites.

that bad it's already gone ? Looks that way. Probably been merged into this: http://www.readytogo.net/smb/showthread.php?t=774040&page=1

Classic http://www.readytogo.net/smb/showthread.php?t=774054

The only thing we have to fear tomorrow is ourselves. It's in our hands, of course, but we look far worse in games where the onus is on us to break a team down.

Think that's a load of rubbish really. He'll have had them in for tactics today, he's too meticulous to leave it to chance.

It seems he wants them to be more attacking, suggesting that he wants 3 or 4 players in the box when they're going forward. If that's his plan then I think we'll get them on the counter, I'm far less confident against teams that come here to contain and counter us. Their defence is full of ponderous players, who've been given a lot of protection thanks to O'Neill's style, I imagine they'll not do well against direct pace. Gouffran, Marveaux and Sissoko against that back 4, we should be looking at getting a few. Unless he's bullshitting of course, he seemed to have a reputation for dull football at Swindon.

I think his overall play has been solid for a while now. He's moving the ball on much quicker, I think it's something he's been told to do, pop the ball off and move. He played a lovely over-the-top ball for Sissoko last night. He has a bit of vision.

Guff about Cisse/Fletcher and Marveaux's better than Sessegnon but can't complain with Rose or Mignolet.

His link-up was very good again, he's absolutely great at one-touch football.

Still think the position he played at Ajax is his best and it would work here too. He had a good game last night, better than Cabaye in the time he was on.

Glad Haidara's starting, looks like he's going to be a very good player. He should be able to keep that unfit mug, Johnson, at bay.

Sissoko Cabaye Ben Arfa Marveaux Gouffran Cisse Hell of an attacking force.

Think it's been said that he can't handle so many games in a week. He should've been the player on at half time though.

Gouffran would be a miss, I don't buy Marveaux and Ben Arfa in those 2 wide spots. Apart from Cisse, where's the goal-getting instincts? The team needs balance, we need someone other than Cisse running behind and between defenders, that's where Gouffran can be lethal for us. Give him supply and he'll get goals.

He is a bit top heavy, saying that, his acceleration was still very good, as was his touch and assurance on the ball. An excellent option to bring off the bench, no matter what the score on Sunday.

I thought he played well tonight, tenacious, persistent and progressive with his passing.

Is he not offside a lot because of the running he's doing? He's been chasing defenders around like a blue arsed fly for weeks

His passing ranges from the sublime to the ridiculous, it has to be said. I'm sure it'll all click into place for him on the distribution front, he was very assured on the ball in his first few games here, it's probably a confidence thing.