pete165

albirghton is **** sensational.

Lots of positives - Albrighton looks good, Young exceptionally up for it and playing really well. Carew winning plenty up front.

However, I'm really quite concerned about how empty our midfield is when we get the ball. I know that's the price of playing 4-4-2 and 2 out and out wingers, but we NEVER seem to build up anything through midfield.

Infact, I can't remember the last time I saw us pass it more than four times in a row. It's all Ashley's runs, breakaways, the odd free kick lumped forward and feeding off Carew.

Having lost Barry, we look desperately short of anyone that can put their foot on the ball and pass it. I wish we could pass the ball properly.

Still, doing well so far. I just fear that we're going to be very limited if Ash, who is due an injury, is out for a couple of months next season.

Defensively ok, but why can we not pass it?!!!!

the worry for me is that we look like conceding, can't pass and can't create.

if I didn't know any better, I'd question if we were any better than a championship side.

now we're behind. I am right behind us, but we are DREADFUL.

for the first time in years, I'm starting to really worry.

oh, and now petrov might have dislocated his shoulder

for anyone not watching, we're sluggish, can't pass and no creativity - just lumps to the big two - and the mexicans are playing all of the football, making us look like we have no class. which, of course, post-barry, we don't any more.

good defending cuellar, but we CANNOT PASS THE BALL

we look unbelievably limited here- I pray it's the heat because we look second-rate.

finally a corner

can't string a pass as yet

don't underestimate the heat here - will really play a major factor due to the way we play - our usual style of pace and crossing is not really suited to 80 degree heat. I have a horrid feeling the mexicans will pass it around on the desk patiently and grind us down. let's hope not.

And I know it doesn't belong here, but for the first time in ages, i've got a decent stream to watch it!

I would compare the Champions League chase to a game against one of the traditional 'big four'. We're currently a goal up and have played around 65 minutes. Chances are, quality will eventually tell and we'll be pegged back. But there is still hope that we just dig in, despite other teams having better quality than us in truth, and hold on for that win. The same could happen here - we aren't going to play like Arsenal did today, but 3 points is 3 points and if we beat Spurs tomorrow, it'll be the equivalent of another big four attack being pelted away to the half-way line. Withstanding 9 more of those will be tough, but not impossible.

What i'm trying to say is that you don't need to be a better football team than Arsenal to finish above them. Chances are, after 38 games, or 90 minutes in my analogy, the quality shows, but sometimes your opposition hit the post a few times and you grind it out. That's what we need to do, and can do. It's just going to be, in the word of MON, 'exceptionally difficult'.

Am I talking nonsense, or does that make sense?

For some perspective, remember the games others have had recently:

Arsenal= Sunderland, Fulham, West Brom and Blackburn.

Everton= Newcastle, West Brom, Blackburn and Stoke

and we've had Chelsea, Man City away, Stoke (ok, fair enough, but we should've won easy), Spurs, Liverpool, Man Utd. etc.

No reason to think we've imploded, it's just about who you're playing. It will be swings and roundabouts.

With the amount of teams wondering if they'll even BE in the prem next year, us being up there with 6th as a minimum is great in my opinion. We haven't gone out and spent stupid money and I think we are about the 5th or 6th best team in the league in all honesty. If we go out and strengthen with some 'Arshavin-quality' players, we'll have a right to expect more. But as things stand, I think we're doing about as well as we possibly can. That's why I get so angry when people get so angry at the team when we have an off-day.

I think some people simply don't want to get their hopes up too much and are a bit pessimistic.

Let's not get on each other's backs. We all want the same thing.

What it fantastic is the fact that we're even contemplating 4th considering where we were a couple of years back.

We're a top club again.

I think we will finish 5th. We'll beat Everton at home.

Slightly confused by some comments. Yes, we're not performing great right now and Arsenal and Everton are on fire. But two home games against sides right at the bottom of the table we surely expected them to win. We are still in a great position.

If we get anything tomorrow, we're 4th again.

And although we play Man Utd and Liverpool away, so do Arsenal later.

No need to panic.

Unbelievably consistent. Great signing from MON, considering some people were underwhelmed at him signing. Well worth the 6m we reportedly paid.A great example of MON's judgment.

----------------------------Friedel----------------------------

--Young--------Laursen----------Davies--------Shorey---

----------------------------Petrov----------------------------

-----------------ReoCoker--------Barry----------------------

------Milner/Gabby-------Carew------------------Young----

?????????

Petrov, Barry, Sidwell and Reo Coker competing for two spots is absolutely ideal.

Gabby, Carew and Harewood competing for 2 isn't. Get to work MON.

it was indeed worth a debate - no consensus to be found, which is a good sign for our club.

Lots of people saying Milner should've started today and we've paid enough money that he'll definitely play.

But with most people saying that Reo Coker and Petrov were our best players today, who are we going to drop?

For me, I'd be playing

Young-----Barry-----ReoCoker----Milner

purely for the energy side of things. Petrov was very tidy today, broke things up and he's definitely a tidy footballer. But although he keeps the ball better than NRC, it all gets a bit 'sideways' for my liking. The energy of NRC would get him the place for me.

Or is there another solution? Can we afford to play with two wingers?

General, to reiterate the sentiments of others, we're currently watching Spurs, a club that was well below us last season, spend multilillions on Bentley, Modric, etc - guaranteed top class players. And some of us are wondering why we're not doing the same. I trust the manager to get the most out of what he has, but I'm starting to question the ambition at this moment in time.

Spurs might still finish 5th at this rate

I thought Knight did really, really well today. He was good on the head, and looked comfortable to be honest.

Nope at fault for their goal - and went missing a few times especially towards the end.

But do I give a monekys now? NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

actually it was Mellberg who lost Forsell, Zat was marking Jerome

Nope, Zat came out to try to win the ball high up the pitch, missed it tioally and got turned - he then laboured back and was still jogging in when forsell scored.

thank goodness it didn't matter. But I still think he's a liability