Lush Vlad

Well, this is the same man who took Ben Arfa off for Shola Ameobi at half time for no apparent reason. When did that happen? Not sure it was for no apparent reason, but Chelsea. Hope Santon is fit to play on Boxing Day, looked really dangerous going forward, didn't seem keen to punt it 70 yards all the time and has some nice skills. Fucks me off how often he was getting ignored on the overlap, he had so much space it was unreal. Was the same against Swansea. Has similar frailties to Raylor defensively, but he's far quicker, taller, stronger and he's actually a defender by trade at least. Positionally he's a bit suspect, but he is only 20 and new to the country.

Can certainly hit a ball, had two great efforts and two ok ish ones. Seemed to drift in and out of the game though, which is understandable given his age, inexperience and lack of competitive playing time. Still a pretty decent full debut and there is a shit load of potential there. Checked on chalkboard stats and he attempted and completed around half the amount of passes as Tiote, 30 odd to Tiote's 70 completed. Sort of backs up the theory that he went AWOL for long periods. Looks more of an attacking midfield player, wouldn't want to see him in a 4-4-2 again unless needs must. Promising.

Quite and edgy crowd last night, really tense atmosphere and desperate sounding. Playing useless knackers like Obertan hardly helps like, offers nowt and the fans don't like him, negative vibes around SJP whenever the ball gets anywhere near him.

Agree with Ronaldo. Our back line was more of a scattered zig zag, than a flat compact unit. They were just playing average through balls that totally carved us open. There was acres of room any time WBa wanted to make a forward pass. No coincidence that we look all over the shop and concede a lot more goals when Perch plays. Perch was getting applauded quite a bit in the first half for his last ditch tackles, if he wasn't so far out of position in the first place, he wouldn't need to make a last gasp sliding tackle FFS

Poor tactics last night. Let's bring on a #10, continue to play long, aimless balls that haven't been working all night and see what happens.. Showed why he should be starting out wide for us, everytime he beat someone in the middle of the pitch, he just got crowded out and lost it. Yet in wide positions once he beats his man, he is going to have room to work the ball. Obertan is so shite and Jonas has gone right off the boil. But Pards' knows best, HBA hasn't got the 'relish' to play out wide

Funnily enough i watched the Swansea game again and Besty was making runs that go unnoticed, creating space for others, vital part of team play that but one worry was when we had the ball out wide he kept moving into the same spaces as Ba, if and when the cross came in. There were 3 crosses where Ba and Best made exacly the same run, if one just held back they would have had a chance to score from about 10 yards. Must be difficult trying to guess where Obertan and Joans are going to cross it though, I don't think even they know, they seem to just hit it and hope.

Sorry to piss on your chips, but aren't the papers just picking up the "he hasn't said no" and various other comments from AP and just reporting he might sign the new deal?

Due to his wages, I can't see him leaving the country. Liverpool I reckon

Spot on. Sadly I think we're going to have to accept that he won't get gametime out wide. Seems mental though, severly restricting the chance of him playing. If we need a goal, Is Pards going to take off one of the strikers and put HBA on to play the #10 role? I doubt it.

Hurt his shoulder quite badly when he was put through, brought down and inexplicably didn't win a free kick or force a red card for the defender. He won everything in the air, chased and harried and generally made a nuisance of himself. Was that the challenge from Richards, should have been carded, it's an off the ball challeneg and he pushed him over He got booked later on as well I believe. Despite the fact it was a yellow, it made the Cabaye booking harder to take. Mason was so inconsistent and leniant to start with it was unreal. Was very impressed with Besty, still holds on to it a bit too long for my liking and struggles to see things developing as quickly as others. We went to s*** after he went off though. Were the crowd OTT with their abuse aimed at him? Stopped sitting with me mate in the Leazes as some of the negative comments about him are ridiculous. No praise for ten good bits of play, one f*** up and "Oh there's Best again, f***ing s****" etc. No abuse that i heard, ithought he played well and thought that Richards should have walked for that challenge which was similar to Luiz on Ba the other week. Thought he was possibly going to challenge for the ball in the air, there was also another defender in the vicinity. He got bundled over before he got a chance to jump, might be the wrong challenge but I thought it was never a red, yellow at most. If it is the same one, all I remember watching it was the ridiculous jock commentator saying "nothing wrong with that, it's a contact sport" that's all very well, but pushing people over off the ball is still a foul

Hurt his shoulder quite badly when he was put through, brought down and inexplicably didn't win a free kick or force a red card for the defender. He won everything in the air, chased and harried and generally made a nuisance of himself. Was that the challenge from Richards, should have been carded, it's an off the ball challeneg and he pushed him over He got booked later on as well I believe. Despite the fact it was a yellow, it made the Cabaye booking harder to take. Mason was so inconsistent and leniant to start with it was unreal. Was very impressed with Besty, still holds on to it a bit too long for my liking and struggles to see things developing as quickly as others. We went to shit after he went off though. Were the crowd OTT with their abuse aimed at him? Stopped sitting with me mate in the Leazes as some of the negative comments about him are ridiculous. No praise for ten good bits of play, one fuck up and "Oh there's Best again, fucking shite" etc.

I've thought this, there seems to be about 4 obvious variants, obviously there will be a lot more, but the ones I've picked out so far are: Front post, lofted to the back post, drilled to the edge of the box like we did last season with Colo (yet to see it work this season) and just the old fashioned whipped in corner into the danger area, that normally ends up being a front post corner though, rarely beats the first man

Could also switch with Jonas during the game. Would be nice to actually have a left footer on the left hand side for a change.

I missed this, what happened?

He beats the full back quite well and does well to get a few yards, but he hesitates when he wants to put a cross, as if he's trying too hard to look up and pick someone out. Most of the time, you can just launch in it into 'the danger area' between defender and keeper and Ba or Best will have at least a chance of getting to it. He ends up looking slower than he is because of how hesitant he is. When he just gets his head down and runs he is fucking lightening, quick off the mark too. I know what you mean about the looking for the perfect pass/cross. Annoying thing is, he usually ends up giving the ball away or playing it in to nobody in particular

Both wingers were pretty poor I thought. Jonas flattered to deceive and kept slowing up play at the wrong times. Obertan was decent enough first half, few ropey crosses, but beat Taylor easily on a few occassions, created chances and caused a bit of havoc. Totally anonymous second half though and looked uninterested. If only he could sustain a decent level of performance for 90 minutes!

One positive to come out of that shower of shite today. Keep it up Davide

Second week in a row where AP should be taking most the blame. Horrendous second half tactics, Obertan goes from best player on the pitch to worst, Ben Arfa still sat on the bench and the donkey brothers somehow manage to get on and do sweet FA yet again. We were too direct and lacked any sort of creativity or cutting edge whatsoever. Swansea are utter shite and have a terrible away record, feels like a loss.

Still so shocked at the can't play out wide comments, obviously not trusted to help out our full backs. Perhaps once Santon has settled and we fetch another in to replace Simpson, he might get a go out there, although I doubt it. Just a bit worrying at how rusty he's going to be, barely played in over a year.

Worried about Tiote against their midfield, going to be so rusty, can see him giving the ball away quite a bit and getting at least a yellow. Still, needs must and he'll probably play a blinder now I've said that! Glad to see Best in for Shola, hope HBA gets at least half an hour off the bench, out wide would be nice, but it aint gonna happen.

That would mean Perch playing though Not sure how Ryan Taylor's injury effects Perch's inclusion. Assuming Colo is fit it would mean Simpson to right back and Perch at centre half. Of course I am assuming AP has finally realised Perch is a bag of tripe and he was planning on dropping him. Should have said "it would mean Perch definitely playing"

That would mean Perch playing though

Need one or two defenders and cover for Ba when goes to the ACN. As others have said, maybe we will move for Giroud now, although he will no doubt cost too much for our liking and we will be linked with him until the end of jan and then sign no one.

Can I just say I'm from the South East and we're not all wankers. Well me and Colocho are, but don't end up tarring us all will you