spineynorman

I think I would go with that too but I doubt it will happen. And if Jack is fit, Davis won't get a look in which would be a shame. For me, Ramsey and Davis need to be in to bring some energy and attacking intent but I suspect we may err on the side of caution and get duly punished.

Freudian slip - and I was referring to Hinchcliffe !!

I find it interesting when Leeds fans say we were "anti-football" and "defensive". Leeds thrashed us earlier in the season playing as they always do with fantastic energy and work rate and a high press, the approach which always causes us problems. To me that approach is designed to stop the opposition playing football and to get possession so the opposition is never going to be able to play free flowing football unless they can bypass it, which we have struggled to do. I expected the worst earlier in the season and we have been off the boil since the Burnley game so I wasn't exactly confident about last night (Pundits - it's the not the loss of Jack, crucial though that is, we have been struggling for a while). So I was pleasantly surprised when we started so brightly and the same when we defended so well that Leeds hardly created anything. I didn't think it helped them that they seemed to want to do everything at 100mph. So I was very impressed with the setup (Dean and team - take a bow) even if I prefer flowing silky skills football and by the disciplined play and particularly by El Ghazi, a confidence player (see McGinn's interview on that) who might have felt low after being dropped after a good run earlier in the season. Somehow, someone, or more than one, have changed his mindset and, to me at least, he is beginning to look the part where I have always had doubts before. Nice touch by Bielsa to "acknowledge" him also. OutByEaster? is spot on about Hinchcliffe. He's ok but he sometimes fails to engage his brain before he speaks or actually look atwat happened. Oh and can someone explain to me how Llorente's actions were much different to Bamford's (other than being more comical)? (and other than the part of the body he claimed to have been mutilated by the "challenge").

There are various possibilities but one thing to factor in is the fact that we could be talking a late Sunday finish and getting back to stations in central London in time for fewer trains could be tiresome. In the past I have driven to Gerrards Cross (big car park) and picked up a Chiltern train to Wembley Central but they are less frequent on a Sunday (I assume they will run extra services ?) and a pain to queue up for after the game. Whilst the tube is a good idea, another possibility is driving to Watford and parking at Watford Junction station, or nearby if it is full (unlikely on a Sunday ?), and then getting a local train (25min) to North Wembley, a further walk from Wembley stadium but not too far and a lot quieter.

Going back to previous semi finals, am I the only Villa fan who went to the away leg at Tranmere but missed the home leg ? As I'm in Manchester and will miss the 2nd leg of this one, perhaps that's an omen ?

Only seem him play briefly but he looked very good to me. Skilful, quick. In style, rather than current playing level, like a cross between Nathan Ake and Tyrone Mings, less "relaxed" in style than Mings but good left foot. I'd like to see more of him. When I saw them, him and Revan looked more like they had a future than some other young centre backs we have had recently who have looked a bit shaky to me. Those two look promising but it's always difficult to tell how they will progress. Look at Mings back story !

For me there are four possible reasons to keep him in the team at Norwich:- He is playing well individually ? No He is adding to the team's play ? No, in fact the reverse is true, I think It will improve his confidence and long term improvement ? Maybe but only if he gets lucky I suspect It will ruin him to drop him ? Maybe but if he is dropped and sulks, as has been suggested as a possibility, he probably isn't what we want. It could be the last two are why he will be retained but it generally for me doesn't work. It could be that he is dropped and, like many before him, "becomes" a better player out of the team in the fans' eyes and when he gets sub or full appearances going forwards, both he and the fans are more "up for it / him" and it works better. We can maybe think of examples from the past where that has happened ?

And the Arsenal winner should have been ruled out too because of the new rule about the attacking players not allowed to be within one yard of the defensive wall. Don't suppose VAR can check that either ?

Did Heaton have any save to make ? I thought it was a really enjoyable game to watch - end to end stuff with some good attacking moves from both teams and we created the better chances I thought. Echo most of what the "positive guys" above have said. What worried me was the way we really ran out of steam in the last quarter and West Ham seemed still full of running, despite the man short. We also began to "lose shape" at that time. Not a phrase I like but it seemed more like a schoolboy team attacking towards the end. Down to the manager to sort ? Like Nakamba. Seems to have the ability to look as though he is about to lose the ball and then recover but that was a very promising performance. I thought Mings looked a bit off for the first quarter but then back to normal. Guilbert's run to recover the ball (off Anderson was it ?) in the second half was remarkable. At the moment, I am struggling to see how Wesley justifies starting ahead of Davis. Davis is criticised for not looking like scoring but Wesley didn't really look like scoring to me last night and I'm not sure Davis would have been bullied off the ball as much. It would be a brave decision to drop Wesley and maybe there is more to come but his general play with the ball at his feet or strength doesn't seem as good as Davis to me. Worrying. I was not a great fan of El Ghazi last season ( a bit of a fan but not great) although he shows flashes just as he did last night. Perhaps we expect too much of wingers and consistent brilliance ? I am hoping the number of misplaced passes in good positions was a one-off last night. It seemed everyone was at it. Not just a bit off but straight to the opposition. Perhaps when you are prepared to try things they don't always come off but at times it was downright dangerous. Still I'd rather we play on the edge than play safe all the time. Speaking of Taylor, why doesn't someone tell him that when he is within say 30 yards of the goal, just run outside the defender with the ball and he will either get fouled, a throw, a corner, a cross or dispossessed, probably in equal measure and it might work better for him.. Hutton used to do that to some effect and as their skill levels are similar it might be a good approach rather than dragging it back all the time. I reckon I could do that. Mind you, I reckon I could do a lot of things and obviously can't otherwise I wouldn't be sat in the stands like the rest of us. One thing I can do is referee (I have the badge) and I thought Dean was decent last night. Tried to let the game flow too, a rarity these days and didn't book Grealish when he went sprawling into the penalty area in the second half unlike that guy with the big red nose and floppy feet masquerading as a ref at Palace.

Upper Doug Ellis - same old service at bars - whatever the skills and qualities of those serving, they are not in the catering industry. I gave up as usual. I wasn't prepared to wait 15 minutes in a queue of about 8. Why not just serve bottles at some service points and get the throughput quicker ? They should get some private operators in as guest suppliers, similar to the "real ale" guys & girls at Wembley. Strangely they seemed to know what they were doing. Only plus point was I could watch a bit more of the Test match. That was a plus - good idea.

Agree totally, especially on the excellent KP comparison and, to be fair, Jack was trying to keep the ball for more than 5 seconds which seemed beyond most of the team by that stage, as did stringing two passes together which, for me, was the most disappointing part of the performance. He could maybe have tried to go wider but it doesn't worry me. Personally I'd rather have Davis than Wesley if we are down to clearing the lines and looking for someone to fight the centre back for it and maybe that's a better option than Kodjia for some away games in particular. In those games we are going to need a stronger defensive midfield, I think, and how that may need to change the shape of the team, I don't know but, if you can't get the ball out of your own penalty area for long periods and we are incapable of getting the ball to the wingers releasing the pressure, we may have to rethink the shape. Not a route I'd like as I'm a football romantic but pragmatism may need to be used unless our game management improves.

I recall the header he scored at Barnsley the season before last where, for once, he was in the right position and finished it decisively. I can't claim to prove anything with that but, at the time, having seen him in a few matches and generally been impressed with his overall play, I wondered if he was the sort of forward who doesn't get into the right positions to score because he naturally drifts towards receiving the ball in the build up and also that, when given an opportunity, if he doesn't have to think about it, he is a decent finisher but if he does have to think about it, he can be indecisive and lacking a calm approach. I've always thought it must be possible to teach positional play and calmness under those situations but clearly some never learn so I don't know with him.

Yes I believe Bob Mortimer's time as a referee is in the next series of "Would I lie to you". My mate and I often recall and smile about Leighton's "two fingers" salute to the ref at SHA. I believe (or it may be my memory) that he was walking off the pitch before the referee actually informed him of his sending off !

I've only seen Ramsey a couple of times but he seemed to flit in and out of the games, a bit like Gary Gardner used to when I saw him as a youngster. It strikes me that the transition from young with a lot of potential to good first team player is one which requires thoughtful management. You can look at a lot of players who have come through at various clubs and the route often varies. Most require a variety of experiences, which may mean loans, others take a different route. How the management of this is done in terms of that football education is more complex than I think many realise and has got a lot more difficult as this supposedly simple game has developed. For me it's about thoughtful management and the player's mental strength, physical development, their own personal drive and learning ability (football wise). Some don't seem to learn anything and think they don't need to, some learn quick. Fast youngsters often don't learn because their pace gets them out of trouble (that to me is why Gareth Barry was so good, he was so slow he had to develop techniques to overcome that issue). Some overseas players, particularly those from poorer backgrounds in Africa and South America seem to develop quicker, perhaps because of tougher backgrounds with less of a sense of entitlement perhaps and more of a determination to learn fast and work hard. Ramsey could well have a future but I think the jury's out howeverSmith and his team seem to have more nous than many previous management teams in getting youngsters out on loan at an earlier age and developing players so I am hopeful.

Coldplay ... mmmm ? Paradise I can go for. I have to say I cannot remember a season where there have been so many dramatic games. From the thrashings of Derby and Boro away to the incredible Forest 5-5 to the remarkable 3-3 against Sheff Utd and the home displays against Derby in the first half and ...... what a season. Sometimes it seems to come easy and sometimes you have to dig deep against niggling unsavoury opponents and last night was one of those for sure. There are times when you look at other teams and think you wish you had characters who step up when the going gets tough and take responsibility. Well last night there were a lot of them. McGinn stands out because he simply demands the responsibility, demands the ball, demands that others follow his example. But I was as impressed with Elmo. If there was anyone in that ground who thought he would pull the ball back for Jack for the goal, I want their number for this week's lottery. For a man I could cheerfully have seen walking away with his head bowed and not to darken our ground again after his complete brain fade in the last minute against Leeds, he seems like a completely different guy. Someone will probably point out the number of minutes Jedinak and Tuanzebe have played together as centre defence but it can't be many and yet they looked solid last night. One header Jedinak won was that of a man possessed. Kodjia came on and seemed oblivious to the wreckage he was trying to salvage, just a guy who looked committed and that penalty is as good as you will see. No pressure eh ? Jack's goal was poetry in motion. I don't know how he glides past defenders at times with them unable to move. Is that something he has picked up from Star Trek ? Final word for the ref. The last time I saw an official that incompetent was in the parks and the card for Dean Smith was beyond laughable. It was almost as if the players got an extra edge from knowing they were dealing with a complete ..