GREAT_BEARD_OF_ZEUS

0-4 Giroud, Metersacker, Cazorla and Gnabry. One of Westwood or Delph to get sent off too - we're due one. Wow I am feeling cheery.

Yet I think hes been the pick of our midfield. Bacuna and Sylla have looked really poor So do I and thats kind of my point. He's great at doing what he does, but he doesn't have the quality on the ball. Ideally he needs to lay it off once he's won it to someone who can keep possession and pick a pass. Most of the time there's nobody there for him lay it off to but when there is it's to players with even less quality than him.

We're ok without the ball i.e. we chase men down, hound the ball, tackle well etc. But with it we're a mess. We appear panicky and lacking quality. We just don't have the same movement to support each other when we're in posession. Ever player seems one touch away from losing it. El Ahmadi is a perfect example. He's got all the energy and tenacity in the world, but once he wins it, either his touch lets him down or he's got no options.

This is a test

Thanks mate, I just had to change laptops and it worked!

You're kidding!!? I still can't see it, b*sterd Netflix.

What time is it being put up on Netflix? I can only see episodes 1-8 still.

shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitt we always lose on Sky. Mind you we did Reading on Sky - I'll cling onto to that for hope!

Right lets continue the positives, heres my take on the 3 teams which are our best bet to finish below us... QPR - for all their new signings and the 'honeymoon period' effect caused by Harry's arrival, have only really performed in one game - against Chelsea. Even though they got a point at Upton Park, they got battered by West Ham (West Ham!) and failed to beat a Norwich team in bad form at home. Wigan - according to a few pundits they've been found out. They employed a 3 at the back (sound familair) system last season which (and here's where the familiarity ends) worked and got them big results. This season sides seemed to have worked them out, plus they've lost Ramis at the back which must disrupt things if nothing else. Reading - are living on confidence right now. They've had a few outrageously good results but this has to end. Take Stoke or West Brom for example - both top of the form table not so long ago, but now are second to bottom and bottom respectively.

Buuuuurn

Yes. It was fine about an hour ago but does now appears to be down. There's still a few left, but they are all single seats - none together.

Cheers Gonzo!!

Just found out that I no longer have to be away for work tomorrow. What do you think my chances of getting a ticket are at this late stage?

Do they both play in the centre of midfield together? If so a comparison of their stats would suggest you are right and that Capoue is the better of the two. Oh hell, sign them both!

**** it, play a front 3 of Benteke, Bowery and Weimann and just have Bannan lump it up to them, the two big fellas should win enough in the air against a weakened Southampton defence and Weimann has the movement and positional sence to be in the right place to get on the end of the knock downs. Everyone else should line up on our goal line and create a human wall.

Not that it will or probably should happen, but I bet you if Dunne, Warnock and Hutton came back into the side, they would likely try and prove one hell of a point... Either that or they'd completely **** us over and pass to the opposition every game like they used to. One or the other.

No fair do's mate, you are right that he would come no doubt come expecting to be 1st choice - and yes it's not a vital area, CB, DM & MF are far more important.

That's ok villan_007, I suggest you sign up to Twitter and search for #avfc - that's a regular conveyor belt of bollocks 24/7.

Folski - if you read my post properly you will see that I'm suggesting this to be a long term plan, so this month would only see a couple of these players come in - but they need to be part of this bigger plan. And regarding Cavanda - firstly he's able to play across the back, so cover a multitude of positions and secondly Lichaj and Stevens are not really good enough and Lambert knows this.

I know what you are saying Omariqy, but I wouldn't like to completely rule out those types of players. I agree that the likes Lescott are very unlikely but Coutinho shouldn't be - I mean look at Newcastle, they've just signed Matthew Debuchy, the first choice fullback for France and they are only a couple of points above us, with far less heritage as a club! And yes that vision is a long term one, but I also think there is a now a need to try and get at least one central defender and and one central midfielder of true quality in to get us out of the hole we're in.

Long-ish post, but whilst the transfer talk is a bit quiet, give it a read… I think if you look at any consistently successful team in the PL, they have 2 things – (1) quality players throughout the spine of the team and (2) strength in depth. We at the moment have neither. I say neither but that is quite harsh – we do have some quality players, unfortunately we don’t have them evenly distributed throughout the core positions in the side, plus of the quality players we have, quite a few are injury prone – which is why point (2) Strength in depth, is so important, to us more than anyone! I think Lambert will have in mind the aim to get a squad of around 25 senior pros – all of whom are solid players at a minimum. He knows he needs to dump the old, bad attitude, high earning/low performers which have blighted us for so long – and the speed in which he can do that will be key to how quickly he can achieve his ideal squad. For me the blueprint needs to be something like what’s set out below – 22 players, one for every position on the pitch, supplemented with a few low earning utility players + youth. The teams below are a ‘what if’ example – some of these players are not going to come (Lescott for example), but they represent the kind of quality we need in those areas. Of that second team I actually think the likes of N’Zogbia (unless he picks up fast), Given (for wage reasons) and Lichaj (quality reasons) could be phased out in the long run, but when you look at the players on the sold/released list, they are not the priority in terms of shifting people! Team 1 ----------------Benteke----------------- Gabby ---------------------- Weimann -------Coutinho --- Westwood-------- -----------------Diame------------------- Bennett --- Vlaar --- Lescott --- Lowton ---------------- Guzan ------------------ Team 2 ----------------Bowery----------------- N’Zog ------------------------ Goufran ------- D. Stevens --- Bannan------------ -----------------Delph------------------- Cavanda --- Baker --- Clark --- Lichaj ---------------- Given ------------------ Additional squad players Herd Albrighton El Ahmadi E. Stevens Gardner Carruthers D Johnson Sold / Released Holman Ireland Bent Dunne Hutton Warnock

I’d play Bent & N’Zog upfront tonight ala Ipswich. Give Gabby half a game with Holman for match fitness but then leave him Benteke and Weimann fresh for Saturday. As important as this game is, I would take a draw or a 1 goal deficit back to Villa park if it meant 3 pts against Southampton. Plus its Bradford FFS, a forward pair totalling aprox £30 million should be good enough!!

I'd start Carruthers in this one - he hasn't had his confidence tainted by the last four games and against a championship opponent he might be given the space to cause them some damage.

@SofaFootball has tweeted that we're in talks with Man City over taking striker John Guidetti on loan and also interested in Dinipro's Daniel Boateng. I in no way endorse this person, but from reading his/her timeline it doesn't appear to be an obviously bullshit one - so i thought i'd post it to spice up the debate (plus we don't appear to have a 'bollocks from twitter' thread this time around. Edit: As Daniel Boateng plays for Oxford and it is infact Derek Boateng at Dinipro (who as someone has already stated is signing for Fulham) - I'd file this in the 'bollocks category' after all.

Just seen a picture of Leerdam - he looks about 15! Not the physically imposing figure we need IMO.