DamsonwoodVillan

Sunderland will already be looking at this and games like it as 'must not lose' games. Don't know how great that is for us. We got away with it against Cardiff, need it to drop for us in front of goal. Guzan Bacuna Vlaar Baker Clark Westwood Delph El-Ahmadi Weimann Benteke Agbonlahor Think we'll do it 2-1.

If we have our personnel back I'm quite positive about this game. Guzan Lowton Vlaar Clark Baker Sylla Westwood Delph Bacuna Benteke Gabby Weimann and Kozak could make an impact from the bench. I would drop Kea for Delph. 1-2 Villa.

Guzan solid as always we are so lucky to have him. I was really pleased with all three of Vlaar Clark and Baker, I may sound harsh on Luna but I have no problem with those three playing full time with either Clark or Baker at left back. I am so hopeful that Lowton can now get his run in the team and get his form back. If Lowts can do that then I think our defence can go on to achieve very good things this season. Sylla was hit and miss today for me. Looked uncomfortable at times having to cover the wide areas. I think overall he is an important player for us and should keep his place. Westwood did ok, not great, but I think that the partnership he and Sylla form with Delph is still our best combination going into the near future. El-Ahmadi again I was left thinking he was aggressive which I like, but didn't really offer any quality. I think if Sylla Westwood and Delph are all fit for Baggies then they should all play. Overall I was pleased with Tonev today. He was also aggressive and gave us more today. He made a terrible decision first half choosing to shoot and not play Benteke in but over 90 minutes he was ok. Against the Baggies I just think Gabby has to come back in, and I suspect it will be at the expense of 'Atomic'. Kozak and Benteke together looked very disjointed I thought, although you know the two of them together will cause anyone a headache at times. Kozak improved second half and probably deserved his goal. Benteke missed a couple of half chances but I feel he could easily hit the target again any time soon. Kozak at least gives Lambert some kind of selection headache which is always a good thing. For me Bacuna is our main man just at the moment. You just fancied when Lowton came on to play behind him he may be able to make something happen and so it proved. Like someone else has said, I think the combination of Lowton and Bacuna on that side could be important to us. For me if Gabby and Delph are back fit our next line up should be 4-5-1: Guzan Lowton Vlaar Baker Clark Bacuna Sylla Westwood Delph Agbonlahor Benteke It's getting there.

Surprised so many would have KEA over Sylla. Still not convinced by El-Ahmadi, still never seen what I'd call a consistently good 90 minutes. Think that Sylla in the role he has offers a lot more to the team. KEA and Westwood must be doing very well in training and Sylla must be disappointing because I can't work out these selections at the moment. If we went 442 I would slot Lowton in at right back and play Bacuna and Tonev in the wide midfield positions. Personally I'd go with Kozak over Helenius at present as I believe the combination of him and Benteke looked decent last week. I really think Cardiff will offer a stern test and I just never fancy us at home at the minute.

Think we'll go Guzan Vlaar Clark Baker Lowton KEA Westwood Delph Bacuna Kozak Benteke Would like to see Sylla for KEA but don't think it will happen. 1-1 draw.

We were dreadful but we came up against a very decent team regardless of who they had missing, and the changes we made meant there could be no continuity to whatever we achieved on Saturday. I would have said that towards the end of the first half a few of Lambert's choices looked like they were going ok. Bacuna was having a decent game in midfield, Baker and Lowton looked solid to me, Albrighton was ok... The goal just before half time really kicked us in the teeth after we'd done ok until then. It changed the whole atmosphere. Then obviously the pen incident followed by the 2nd goal effectively killed us. I do defend our manager just because I'm that way inclined these days after moaning so much about our previous chaps, but I do think we have to judge him on full team, Premier League matches at the moment. The circumstances going in to tonight's match made it hugely difficult.

2 of the goals tonight came in the last few minutes when the game had already largely petered out. Spurs were superior no doubt, and no doubt on paper they have an altogether different quality squad to ours, but these moments like the penalty/red card incident and the save from Tonev's shot can have a significant impact on the tone and complexion of a game. Don't get me wrong Spurs were/are the better team and they deserved to win of course, but if it had been a pen and red card on 48 mins, or if we had put it back to 2-1 with 12 mins left, who knows what would've happened. This thread for me only becomes viable if we get nothing on Saturday as expected but then go on to get nothing away at Hull also. We have to believe that our big players (with the exception of Beast) can come back in for these next 2 games and make a difference to us. We've had quite an unkind tough set of fixtures to start the season don't forget. I'm sure that by end of December/early January this week will look like it was the low point before things started going ok for us.

Maybe Bowery will get a run out. Don't think Lambert has forgotten him yet.

I would give him a game tomorrow night and on Saturday if I'm honest. I think he looks like the kind of lad that needs the minutes to settle in on the pitch, chucking him out however bad he's been won't do him any good. He badly needs one of those 25 yard-ers to go in. I'd play him tomorrow and Saturday in the hole behind Kozak.

Steer Lowton Clark Baker Bennett Sylla Gardner Albrighton Tonev Helenius Kozak Not holding out any hope for this. I think whatever tinkering AVB does, Spurs will still be able to field a stronger 11. Would love to see us progress as I think Saturday is a write-off whatever happens. Just can't see us having enough to do them. 1 -3 Spurs

I much prefer Sylla, but like Bacuna in Lowton's position if KEA is playing well then keep him in there. It will be interesting to look at the starting line ups for the Spurs and Man City games. We need to get some sort of run going at home but these are not exactly the two teams you would wish for to start a good run. I'm happy as long as KEA is keeping his place on merit, like any other selection.

No one can deny Gabby is a real handful. I always felt he was when he played up through the middle, I thought he looked particularly good playing the lone striker role a few years ago now. Of course when he played there though, people could justifiably point at his goals ratio. Playing in the position he does now though, I would rate 12 goals last year as a very decent return from him. Yesterday his threat and the effect he has on us became a lot more obvious after he went off, as others have said. He is still a very important player for us. On his day he can make things happen against anyone, and he turns up in big matches. All I worry about for now with him is if Lambert decides to go with both Benteke and Kozak playing as a pair up front. Because then Gabby would need to add a lot more crossing, quality wing play, and protection to the left back to his game.

He reminds me somewhat of Allback. Did well making good runs and looks like he can put the opposition under pressure. I don't know if it was a pre-arranged tactic for him to peel off wide to allow Tonev to run and shoot, but in any event it didn't work out today. Having said that, if one of Tonev's drives had hit the top corner we would all be saying it was a tactical masterstroke!... And the old line "he can be dreadful for 89 minutes, but he always has that threat, we need him"!! I personally think that this will happen for Tonev soon enough, and this is what will get him going.

I don't go with this Lowton at right midfield idea. We shouldn't be changing our ways just to squeeze players into the team. If Bacuna came in and did well in that position then he stays in for me. Let Lowton battle for his place like Bennett and Sylla are having to. Lowton playing right midfield would probably have a knock on effect on Weimann, which would be wrong.

I actually think we'll struggle here. They're better in possession than us. I just hope that the game does offer some evidence that we can look to Gabby Weimann and Kozak, and not just rely on Benteke the whole time. 1-1 or 1-2 Newcastle

Shawcross won't happen surely. Too old too expensive. Doesn't fit Lambert's model at all. I'll be very very surprised if we spend any more than £5m before the end of the window.

Isn't Benteke suspended?

Yeah would be quite happy with Knockaert. Think he could grow into this attacking group of players we have now.

Harsh. I thought Sylla coming in made a difference for us from the Reading away game onwards.

For me Weimann's main strengths are his finishing and his link up play. Playing him out wide weakens him a bit. Gabby as well is a real thorn in the opposition (on form) playing through the middle. He hasn't got the skill or creativity for the wing. Lambert settled on that 433 last season I think because it allowed all 3 of those guys, our main threats, to be playing. I agree we will need to mix it up next season and I think we may see a bit of a shift towards the new signings Tonev or Bacuna playing out wide, and one of the strikers playing more centrally behind Benteke. I think Westwood Sylla and Delph compliment each other reasonably well but we still haven't got that strong player who can go past people and make things happen in the middle of the park.

In all competitions the front three got 40+ last season didnt they? Benteke 23, Agbonlahor 12 and Weimann 12 I thought?? I'd be disappointed if any of them were unable to make an improvement to be honest. For me our strongest team would be Benteke through the middle with Weimann in the number 10 role just behind, then Agbonlahor left and Tonev/N'Zogbia right. Sylla and Westwood in midfield. From that point of view maybe a CAM isn't needed? I guess realistically Lambert is planning on Benteke up top, Agbonlahor left and Weimann right again, and is looking to an improvement on the midfield three.

We won't really know until the season is about 8 matches in. As it stands I suspect this squad can certainly score a goal or two, but will still be so suspect in defence. I reckon a lot of Premier League matches this year (as always) will be closely contested and decided by the small details. I'm hopeful we can go for top 8/9, but we could easily get stuck in lower mid table depending on the small details of each game. I still think we need an attacking player who can make things happen in the middle of the park and a bit more steel at the back.

Last night was kind of a 4411 I thought... Bacuna Westwood El-Ahmadi Agbonlahor Weimann Benteke Worked well after we got the early goal and the confidence came, against a poir Crewe side. Weimann looked very dangerous throughout.

My ideal scenario would see Tonev come in on the wing and form a pretty lethal combination with Agbonlahor, allowing Weimann to move inside just behind Benteke. Realistically will be September October at the earliest before we see the best of him in the Premier League though. I've missed any games he's played so far, what kind of player is he? Quick? Technical? A goalscorer? Have high hopes for him.

I actually think that position he played last night just behind Benteke is his best position. Dangerous to anybody as well with Agbonlahor one side and Bacuna the other. Has a great understanding with Benteke to put teams under the cosh. The worry would be our central midfield being too weak. I still reckon we'll start the season with Sylla, Delph and Westwood in midfield and Andi wide on the right. Last night was interesting though.