SmashedCrab

Well, I think thats the strongest team we can out there. I hope Mirallas finds his form and Deulofeu has a strong cameo. Liverpool have got alot of central midfielders, might be a bit difficult to get our short passes going through the middle. Should be some space up the flanks, questions marks over both their fullbacks. Really pumped for this one.

Garbutts apparently played a blinder in the FA cup against Sheff Utd. Whipped in a Baines like ball for the first and a fantastic touch and finish for the second!

I think we are definatley losing Johnny in the summer, hopefully Bill can work his magic and we get a decent fee. I think Jelavic might be pushing for the exit too, he is going to want first team football leading up to the WC. I can see us being quite busy in January.

Worth starting ossie against crystal palace?

I don't think there would be much difference between pienaar and deulofeu's percentages. When deulofeu came on he missed with most of his patches and handed over possession with a few loose first touches. Pienaar looked the most likely to open up spurs but he was also the one underhitting the most passes and turning over possession with bad touches. I gave it to mccarthy, thought he was the most consistent over the 90.

There is just such a brand price premium on young english talent, its stupid business to go after them, especially for a team in our financial position. I think Zaha will turn out to be very good tho, just not the player I would want us to be looking at.

did jela touch the ball?

have to say, hes looking much better this half, he is so good at using his body. I just hate when he goes for a dink or a back heel when a simple pass would suffice

really? I feel like the play is breaking down everytime it goes through him

The thought of Lukaku going down injured and ask having to rely on Jelavic for goals is terrifying. I really can't see him staying past Jan. In the summer of 2012 who would have thought we would get a bigger trasnfer fee for vic than Jela one season later? crazy how far he has fallen..

Clearly in the minority, but I love it, looks like we have a lumberjack between the sticks. He is in his best form for a couple of seasons to, some may say it has to do with competition, I'd say the beard as added another dimension to his game.

The bigger question for me is what happened to our strikers? Yak, AJ, Beattie, Radzinski, Jelavic, Jo all came here and played the house down for about a season and then all fell in a hole? Can't be coincidence that they all followed the same pattern. Which striker under Moyes was in consistently good form for more than 2 seasons ? Tim Cahill was the only player we consistently got goals from

Still can't believe we've got this guy! You have to think he would have finished off at least one of those Chelsea opportunities on saturday. Fantastic bit of business

its a moot point whether he expects to be starting or not. If he does sign for us he'll only be playing if he better than the alternatives, we currently have barcelona's next big thing on the bench.

Even after that screamer against sigma or rounding the united keeper? I

I am in 100% agreeance with whoever said he was a slow and underskilled. However he has got some england caps and got a big money move to city, theres no harm letting him sit on out bench, there must be something there.

Barkley today and its not even close, some of his passing today was phenomenal! He brings a level of vision and execution to the side that no one else has. In saying that, a game like this where we dominate possesion is perfect for him, its when we are under the pump that I fear he may still be a liabilty. Just as a sidenote, are people more or less excited about him as a prosect than they were Rodwell??

To be fair, wannabe managers, critical analysis and educated opinions is why I venture on the internet. I could get enough of the 'we were unlucky' and 'I'd take a point from that one' from the lads at the pub

Happy with the performance if not the result. Im a little suprised by the subsitutions tho, I think you need to keep a player like mirallas on for the 90, and I don't agree with a striker for a striker when chasing the game. Plenty of positives however, most notably barkley and coleman. What a first goal from ross, just wish it was in front of the gwladys! The defence looked comfortable for the most. But I still think we are giving to much space away in the midfield. I really want to think of felliani as the dm enforcer, but I'm just not sure he has the attributes for that role. Maybe there was a reason davey always played him so forward. I was a little suprised bob didn't pull the trigger on 3 at the back,still felt like like a very moyes structure (especially the subs!)

Really disappointing performance! Deulofeu, barkley and gibson in particular were very disappointing. I would have expected a midfield with gibbo and felliani to be watertight, but valencia seemed to have acres of space to push forward into. After that passage of play between oviedo and naismith in the first half which resulted in naisy forcing a really smart save, they showed a replay of barkley and victor bombimg forward to try and keep up with the play and Deulofeu was literally just strolling behind. After the save the ball fell harmlessly towards an unmaned far post, where ideally you'd want your right winger to pushing up into. infuriating! I also didn't like the way he was sticking so vehemently to his touchline, alot of our best play seems to happen when the wideman cut inside opening space for baines and coleman. I'd be happy with a young, first gamer having an off night, but the effort has to be there! The thought of him and barkley playing together in the same defensive unit is a bit scary. Talking of scary, Robles distribtion..! I can see it being like in under 7s, when you have a defender taking the goal kicks. Positives were definitely naismith, ovideo and the spark mirallas provided (really think he can have a balesque breakout season)! Would any of you consider trying baines in front of oviedo?? Or is it don't fix it if it ain't broke? and own up, which one of your is stu from bootle watching the game with his cats?

I'm a fan, blue shorts seem a little odd tho. is there any word on a third strip yet?

I never thought I'd say this, but the flanks is one of the few places we don't need anymore more bodies!

To come out the back of aresenal, city and tottenham and be in 4th place is fantastic. We really need to consolidate our position now in our next three games against weaker opposition!

Any word on the injury yet? Also, do you know what his injury record was like at his previous clubs?

Coleman for mine. Comoing back into the team after giving away that penalty, he looked really comfortable defensively and going forward. Cemented his place as the number one RB imo.