Pez1974

Tough one. Heart says yes, head says "where would this end". Certainly don't have a #19 for a few seasons and take it from there

I can see the merits of starting him, but he has been very disappointing over the season, so to start him against Sunderland on the back of a decent half is a huge shout. Personally I would go with the formation which has stood us in good stead over recent weeks; a bad 30 minutes against the champions shouldn't change all that good work. For me this guy could be the next Petrov, or the next Berson. Lambert has a big decision in the summer about whether to keep him or move him on, but he see's him in training, and knows why he bought him in the first place. We have way too many 'ordinary' central midfielders and some need to be moved on to make a place (and free up some funds) for a new one or two. Personally, I see KEA being on his way.

Yes and yes. Westwood, Ireland, Delph, KEA, Bannan, Gardner, Herd, Sylla, Holman, plus the kids coming through, and that's not counting Stan who we knew wouldn't play this year, makes about 12 central midfielders on the books at the moment. Keep the kids who look like they can make it, plus Westwood, Delph, Sylla and Gardner, and replace them with one or 2 players who are better than we already have. Save a fortune and improve the team. To stop the rows - If you want to keep Herd because he provides cover at RB, fine. If you want to keep KEA to give him a second season, I am not sure we can afford to. If you want to keep Holman as a winger, you're mad! If you want to keep Bannan, you're Con!

I love stats, I am an accountant, fairly good with numbers and often look such things up for information. But that is it. You simply cannot base football analysis, and in particular player analysis on statistics alone. Didn't Liverpool try it under Camoli, and so they signed Downing, Carroll and Henderson for a massive whack? The problem for me is two-fold - There is always too small a sample size to weed out the anomolies in football (in baseball where they play 200 games a season, it works better; in american football it doesn't). And second, there are too many external factors in that small sample size. In baseball, a fairly stat used is how many times a guy got on base (that rare yes or no question in stats) and it is only the batter against the pitcher (assuming fielding ****-ups even out). In football, you rely on your teammates very heavily (Benteke doesn't score if his team mates don't provide the service, but that don't make him shit). As So, stats are fine to demonstrate an opinion on a player or team, but can and will always be challenged as to whether the stat in question is a reliable one on which to judge the matter.

About right for me. WIgan will get a maximum of 4 points from their next 4 games, taking them to 35 points. Even assuming a win against us last game of the season, they max out at 38 points. That means we need 5 points tops to be 'safe'. I would expect 4 points minimum from the Sunderland and Norwich games. Point against Chelsea at home is certainly possible, and I wouldn't rule us out tonight just yet! Wigan's goal difference is +1 better than ours. I would hope this would turn around a little over the next couple of games too, hence it is critical that we don't get smashed tonight. I really think we will be safe, but it is too close for comfort.

Congrats to him, a worthy nomination. Also nominated for young player of the year are Bale, Hazard, Lukaku, Welbeck and Wiltshire. I can't see anyone but Bale winning, and the fact that Hazard is also up for player of the year suggests he will be ahead of Benteke too (but I don't think he should be). Benteke for me is head and shoulders above the other 3 based upon this season. For me though, this award is a bit odd, as don't the players vote in January? It's the football writers award that matters more.

These forum topics tend to become a little bonkers, and despite there still being plenty of time ( ), I think our expectations are about right. Spurs over recent seasons have broadly set up the model for us to follow: Get in good young players who can develop and either be sold at a profit or become first team regulars (Walker, Naughton, Huddlestone, Andy Reid, Defoe, Carrick, Bale, Dawson, Lennon). This is what Lambert is trying to do. Look abroad for players with potential and lower fees/salaries (Modric, Gomes, Berbatov; ). Lambert is doing this too. Have a youth team which can supplement the first team (Andros Townsend, Caulker, Livermore, Danny Rose, Ledley King). He inherited this. Take advantage of others where appropriate (Parker from WHam; Defoe, Crouch and Kaboul from Portsmouth; Friedel from us; Gallas from Arsenal; Dempsey from Fulham; Lewis Holtby from whichever German club he was out of contract at). When finances permit, start to look at picking up a few big name signing - Van der Vaart; Adebayor; Lloris; Vertonghen) All of this can be done with a fairly low risk to the clubs finances; the key is having continuity at the top, which we have sorely lacked, a scouting network which supports this approach (which Houllier saw was crap and Lambert is clearly still working on) and the balls to accept that picking up a load of kids and unproven players from 'inferior' leagues comes with the risk that some will fail. Our problem this year is that we had to throw the kids in because our established players were sold/shit/injured/hated. Next season we should continue to pick up the Westwood's, Lowton's and Bennett's; we should look for the next Benteke, and even if he turns out to be the next Bosko Balaban we still have Benteke for less than we paid for Darren Bent. We should consider raiding QPR, Reading and Stoke/Wigan/Sunderland* for a player or 2 (not getting into names) And once that list of names we all know need's shifting is sorted, we can take a punt on a couple of more proven players to take us to the next level. I really don't know why I didn't think of this earlier.

So, if it stays 0-0, that'd be the 80th minute then?

Exactly this - it's what I come on this thread to post. Their midfield looked poor against WHam, and although they have the attackers we need to try and nullify the service. Oh, and Vlaar to hit RVP like a train and not get booked, but Baker breaths down his neck gently in the 80 minute and get a second yellow.

Can you get insurance for being fat and unfit? If so, I could rich!

I think most people can agree the principles here; it just the degrees of cutting that were required and the speed that causes debate, and who's to blame. Certainly having so many managers over recent seasons has resulted in any change process being stuttering at best as Lambert is not only getting rid of MON's, Houllier's and MacLeish's shite, but 1 bloke we signed between managers as well! I 100% agree with your last point. So many 'overpaid' players will have gone by the end of the season that the wage bill must have come down to managable levels now. We will need to give payrises to the deserving - Benteke, Weiman, and maybe one or two others, but those costs will be covered by the loss of Stan, Dunne and Warnock who added nothing this year (although I promise never to mention Stan in the same breath as the other 2 again!). Shifting on just a few of Hutton, Bent, Ireland, Given, Makoun, plus a couple of the squad players who won't make it (Stevens? Lichaj? Delfouneso? Bannan (easy Con)? Albrighton? KEA? Herd? etc) will free up another load of salaries. In fact, looking at the 15 players I have mentioned in the last 2 sentances, there must be over £25m a year in salaries, for a very limited return this season. If we can peform the mircale of shifting that lot and only reinvest £10m of that in salaries we can add £200k per week in salaries on new players next season - 10 Benteke's according to reports! Also, we have the best youth team in Europe, so some of them must come through starting next season to take the place of the fringe players in the squad from the previous generation. As I have said before, I don't think transfer fees are the problem, it's the wages; if things don't change this summer - we've all been had!

He is registered this season, but seems nowhere near to being able to get on the field. My point was that is would be great to get him on for a few minutes when his health allows. If this means registering him in August 2014 for the first home game, chuck him on for a few minutes, then don't include him in the final squad for the season that we submit at the end of August, great. Sorry if my comment confused - I would really love to see him back in the shirt for just a few minutes; the details don't matter!

Keep him on as a coach / ambassador / anything. When he is healthier, register him for a week and bring him on for 5 minutes. Oh and get the stadium roof insured, as it would be 'raised'!

I suspect there is nothing 'odd' going on. He is out of a job next month, and has barely done a days work for almost 18 months. If he has been frozen out, he would have spoken up to let any potential employers know he is OK and that it is something personal. The fact that he hasn't spoken up tells me that he ain't fit and ain't close. He had a very good first season, and put in a shift for a couple of key games at the end of last season (after injuring his shoulder in a dumb-ass challenge earlier in the season which really hurt us), but otherwise, he was a disappointment. I remember at the time we were looking at him and Distin, and being happy with who we got. Shows what I know!

He wanted to do that in January by bringing in more experience and he was denied the funding to do it. Can not see Lambert thinking otherwise in the summer, as for Lerner and the gimp, well im nor so sure. If we stay up, then they might think their policy was a success, then i foresee a BIG problem coming between them and thier manager. Lambert will not want to be fighting relegation next term. Might be a bit harsh on Lerner and Faulkner. I understand your concerns, but don't share them. We all know the squad had too many overpaid players who contributed little, and this had to change. Consider the merits of Benteke, Guzan, Lowton, Vlaar and Westwood, and the fact that between them they probably earn no more than £80k per week; then compare them to Bent (who is OK), Given (ditto), Hutton, Dunne and Ireland who probably cost the club well over £250k per week. Things had to change, and they have. I genuinely believe that transfer money isn't the problem, as our spending since Lerner came here shows; the money being pissed up the wall on average to dross and being paid massive wages is the problem. My view is that the changes have saved the club from a fate worse than a few seasons struggling, and although Randy and Faulkner should never have let it happen in the first place (or did they not 'interfere'?), they have at least had the sense to make sure it didn't continue like it did at Leeds and Portsmouth, and is doing at QPR (who spent big on experience in January, and are now screwed).

There's an update on him on the OS [i'd put a link here if I wasn't so crap, but I kinda figure you all know where it is]. I really hope he can make it to the ground for a match before the end of the season (health depending) - it would be great for the fans who have shown their love for him, and give the team a massive lift. Keep fighting and stay strong Stan.

Oh yeah! Just done the predictor on the BBC, and a few goals from ManC would help both in keeping Wigan below us and evening up the goal difference a bit. I still think our key game is the one v Sunderland (pretty obvious really), with the Sunderland v Stoke outcome being the other biggie. I think it's 1 from Stoke, Sunderland, Wigan and us for the final relegation place. Stoke have got to get results against QPR and Sunderland to have a chance in my opinion, otherwise they are done.

Lambert was at Wembley for Crewe's final there a week or two back, and Crewe's manager, I seem to remember, mentioned him being there and that Westwood had clearly put in a good word for his mate. Their manager also said that there had been no offers, unsurpisingly. I would imagine he is exactly the type of player Lambert would want (and Clayton too), and I can only guess that Lambert wasn't on a jolly, so although a bit of a guess all round, I think it is safe to say he was 'looking' at someone, and Murphy would make the most sense, and Clayton second, given the names on the team sheet.

I've changed my vote to No (just come back off holiday, so I am a bit late). We are picking up points, and see us picking up more than Sunderland and Stoke, and reckon that Wigan are unlikely to get more than us, as in previous seasons they relied on a few freak results, which I don't see being repeated. We will be OK - believe!!!

I have just read that Dave Ismay, a huge Villa fan, and ex-announcer at the club has died. RIP - Holte-enders in the sky.

I think Guzan also gave Baker a 'hug' after the cock-up, but Vlaar really does seem to be someone who the whole squad look to in times of difficulty. I think that even if Clark had done the same, the ffect would have been different. Ron ain't perfect, and always seems to be committing fouls that he gets away with, but we are better with him in. And I love the picture above - he really gives a shit about this club already.

You've let the club, the supporters, and yourself down. Now go on - back to the Sun's headline writers office.

I thought he did pretty well today, as did Sylla. However, Reading are terrible in midfield, so I don't think this proves him worthy of a regular starting place. I just don't get what his role is; he can't tackle, doesn't bully the opposition (quite the opposite), his passing is no better than Westwood or Delph (but no worse) - he wlways seems to make up the numbers to me. But he does give a shit - his reaction at the end of the game was excellent, and players who care should never be hated by fans.

Thought he did a good job today. Reading's midfield was shite, but he made no mistakes, got around the park well and had a couple of go's at goal. Let's see what he can do against better players, but I was really encouraged today.

This. Thought Sylla looked comfortable, knew his role and did it well, albeit against a pretty shit midfield.