benireduk

Apart from the assists for Gabbys goal at Stoke last season, I can't think of anything positive he's done.

Not his fault we signed him, but he doesn't do anything to justify a place in the squad, let alone the bench.

Not for me. He's damaged goods with his diving. We had the best years of his career and I doubt he'd take a pay cut to come back

I really wanted him to do well but he's just not good enough, like several of our players. I wouldn't give up on him just yet, but he shouldn't start v Palace. Bench him and bring him on for 20 mins if we need to.

Very very poor again today. He doesn't look half the player from last season. Doesn't look a threat at all and I don't buy the argument about not playing in his preferred position. He's playing the same role as last season.

He's got the traits of the next Luke Moore for me, worryingly...

I'd acknowledge the fantastic away support at the end of the game instead of shuffling down the tunnel scratching his nose.

Bottler

Thought Kozak was decent today. Thought big John was a harsh in the comparison to Heskey. Emile would never have scored the goal today, and at least Kozak stays on his feet.

For how we play at the moment, Kozak is doing as much as can be expected with our turgid hoof ball.

I'm struggling to see how we've progressed under Lambert to be fair. Under McLeish we were awful and everyone complained about his negative tactics. Just to put it out there, we've scored 6 goals at home and 3 of them were in one game. I'm not saying id want McLeish back, but you've got to ask questions of Lambert. As a so called attacking manager, he needs to sort the home form out, but we've been saying it for years. We're just so easy to play against and he doesn't seem to be doing anything to change that.

Great win!

We owed Southampton after last season. Still haven't forgotten Rodriguez diving at our place for the penalty that won them the game.

3pts against Fulham and we're comfortably mid table for Christmas

Stop whinging, keep spending your money, and get on with supporting the team.

Oh OK then. Thanks for that comment.

One question, did you go today?

Yep! Why? If we had lost I might have thought differently! But we didn't, we got another point and a clean sheet.

Just didn't think you had from your previous post. Was such a patronising statement especially after watching that dire performance

I'd drop him, not only for that non performance today, but for his stroppy body language and throwing his arms in the air if he doesn't get the ball. It must rub off on the other players.

Stop whinging, keep spending your money, and get on with supporting the team.

Oh OK then. Thanks for that comment.

One question, did you go today?

I agree with Rugeley. Today has been the straw that broke the camels back for me as well.

I challenge anyone who went today to say that was entertaining. It's not the first awful game this season, and on current form it won't be the last. I sit in the lower North and we haven't even had a villa league goal up our end yet this season.

Wish lambert would forget 4-3-3, it nearly got us relegated. We're so predictable and don't have any spark in Midfield.

Final word on Benteke, I'd like to say........nothing. A bit like his performance today.

Quite enjoyed seeing City dismantle Spurs. Defensively all over the place and can't buy a goal. Not looking good for AVB if he doesn't sort it soon.

Interesting to see how many of their big names will stay if they don't finish top 4.

A mate got me a ticket today and was told we wouldn't get anymore allocation due to trouble last time.

Awful game, awful ground, awful performance.

Only good thing was keeping a clean sheet. Only player that stood out for us was Vlaar.

On a side note, as much as I hate him, didn't think Downing looked too bad for them first half.

Some stats since Lambert took over

P 47

W 13

D 12

L 22

F 56

A 81

Doesn't make brilliant reading. I don't want Lambert out, but if we're still hovering around the bottom half come Christmas, I think he'll start getting some serious pressure.

You just can not ignore the amount of goals we concede. You can argue just under 10% of those were in one game, but it's a problem that he hasn't addressed.

He's not good enough as a CB. He's our fourth choice behind Vlaar, Baker and Okore. Makes too many mistakes and his been around the first team for long enough to have learned by now.

At fault for the first goal today.

I don't agree with anything here. If anything he's too careful with his passes forward and easily passes back to Guzan, but I can live with that.

I don't know why he didn't start today. Baker being better against more physical opponents is bull in my mind. And Baker surely wasn't good against Spurs.

Generally I expect next season's CB duo to be Clark - Okore. With Vlaar added every now and then. Baker is the fourth choice.

Clark being 1st choice worries me massively. He has made costly mistakes and personally I think he's too slow and clumsy to be a decent CB. I think he could be half decent in midfield though.

Baker would star ahead of Clark all day for me. No nonsense defender and you know what you're going to get from him, which you can't say about CC

Sorry for my overly defensive post above benireduk.

BTW, how big is Clark's foot? Looks like a massive canoe.

Maybe that's why he lost Lukaku for the first goal?!?! Lol!

In hindsight, Clark might have been better off filling in at left back for Luna and we should have left Baker to stick to Lukaku. Agree that Clark was at fault for the first goal (as well as Tonev and Bacuna switching off to allow Baines and Pienaar to rampage down the left), but it's the first mistake I've seen him make this season and I'm not willing to write him off again so easily after he's proven me wrong.

 

Clark at least has some attacking instinct, and he's a much better passer, which is why I think he'd have been better at left back today. Baker should never play left back again, and if he must, out of necessity like today, then he should stay back and defend. He is awful going forward and much much too slow to get back. However, if Baker had stayed in the middle I kind of doubt he'd have left Lukaku wide open for that first goal.

 

When Okore, Vlaar and Clark are all fit, and when Okore challenges for a first team place, I would like to see Clark move into defensive midfield again. I think with his improved defensive game (today's error notwithstanding) and his ability to pick a decent pass he would be good insurance to sit in front of the back four and allow our other midfielders to get forward more.

THIS

He's not good enough as a CB. He's our fourth choice behind Vlaar, Baker and Okore. Makes too many mistakes and his been around the first team for long enough to have learned by now.

At fault for the first goal today.

I don't agree with anything here. If anything he's too careful with his passes forward and easily passes back to Guzan, but I can live with that.

I don't know why he didn't start today. Baker being better against more physical opponents is bull in my mind. And Baker surely wasn't good against Spurs.

Generally I expect next season's CB duo to be Clark - Okore. With Vlaar added every now and then. Baker is the fourth choice.

Clark being 1st choice worries me massively. He has made costly mistakes and personally I think he's too slow and clumsy to be a decent CB. I think he could be half decent in midfield though.

Baker would star ahead of Clark all day for me. No nonsense defender and you know what you're going to get from him, which you can't say about CC

People hiding behind the money again when Swansea and Southampton spent the same and play better football with better results.

They've both spent way more than us this summer

Because they got into  good positions in the league playing great football and strengthened..Doubt they spent that much more than us anyway.

Southampton have signed the following

Osvaldo = £13m

Wanyama = £12m

Lovren = £8m

Swansea have signed the following

Bony = £12m

Shelvey = £6m

Source www.transfermarkt.co.uk

So in summary, they've both spent way more than us. End of argument

People hiding behind the money again when Swansea and Southampton spent the same and play better football with better results.

They've both spent way more than us this summer

He's not good enough as a CB. He's our fourth choice behind Vlaar, Baker and Okore. Makes too many mistakes and his been around the first team for long enough to have learned by now.

At fault for the first goal today.

Completely frustrated with PL today.

Luna going off can't be helped, but why disrupt Baker & Vlaar's partnership? Clark should have gone LB instead of moving Baker. Clark is not a CB and I'm fed up with seeing him turned/outmuscled. No surprises that Lukaku bullied him for the first goal.

£39 is steep (don't forget the £2 booking fee on top as well)

My logic was it's the only derby of the season. There's not the usual travel costs for an away game and there's bound to be a belting atmosphere.

To be there when we beat them will be quite nice as well!

Sorry.....just looking at Alpay does my head in......