Londonblue

Some rumours going around that he's been offered the Scotland job. Please God let it be true!

Frankly I thought we were pretty dire. A great result aside, the fooball we play is dross. West Ham had about 70% possession. Why why why do we continually hoof the ball out of defence. Apart from VDM no-one kept ther foot on the ball for any length of time. We play kick and rush football. Its got to change!

Good article here in the Telegraph. I assume he's going to invest in the club, (players/new ground), otherwise what's the point of him buying Gregg's stake? http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtm...21/sfnbon21.xml

An entertaining match to watch but more due to the mistakes being made by both sides rather than anything particularly skilful. I thought Lescott had another good game. I love defenders like him! It was frustrating because we seem to miss opportunities to use the through pass to AJ for him to run onto. Cahill tried it once but it was too heavy. Our build up play in midfield is still usually too slow and predictable. AJ at times needs to run towards the ball carrier as well or run into space to create opportunity for the through pass. Come back Peter Reid! He was great at setting Lineker up. The Toon look ok going forward but crap in defence. We do seem to be making progress and a point away at Newcastle is good providing we win our home games against the likes of Man City!

Xavier did you hear about his bust up with Terry McDermott in the tunnel after the match with Newcastle and what McDermott said about him after, 'already rocking the boat at Liverpool'.

I don't want to drag this up again but I don't like being misquoted. For your information goldfish memory, I'm not retracting anything I said. Its ok to get all excited about the Spurs result but some of you go well over the top. I suppose your reaction to one great result clearly demonstrates how bad our football has been generally. Expectations have been ground down so much that this result has got people reacting in all sorts of ways. Calm down! There's a long season ahead. The game changed after Kilbane got sent off. It was not due to a Moyes masterplan. Lets just wait and see how the season pans out. It 'll take a lot more of that type of performance for me to retract anything I have said about the quality of football we generally play I assure you.

Its good having a serious debate about the club I love. I feel seriously isolated down here. You are right I have seen them win silverware. I remember the '66 cup final and I don't mean the world cup! I became a serious fan during the days of Billy Bingham, through Gordon Lee and then Kendall's first spell. The best match by far was the Cup Winners Cup semi Final against Bayern Munich at Goodison in '85. The atmosphere was electric. We were up for the treble and then Norman Whiteside ruined it for us in the cup final. We were equal to Liverpool, Man U and players were choosing us over Arsenal, (Tony Cottee). I saw his hat trick against the barcodes, on his début! Things change.....and I do accept its a different world now. I do respect Moyes and what he's trying to do. It is hard though to adjust and be patient with what I see. Perhaps we are gradually improving overall. Results wise I have no complaints. I like everyone was sick of us being in 15th place with 5 matches left in April. Hopefully we've moved on from that. Now the question is can we kick on again. Remember a few years ago we were on the same level as Arsenal. Our clubs then moved in radically different directions. Bruce Rioch left Arsenal and they appointed a little known guy called Wenger. I'd lived down here for a few years by that time and was taking the piss out of my gooner mates about their prospects under their new manager so what do I know really!

Goldfish, You make good points about the financial background Moyes is working in but this is not as limited as you imply. Moyes has been given quite large amounts of cash. I agree he has stabilised the club generally, (apart from the season we finished 17th), but his tactics are very negative. You wanted pointers, look at Pardew at West Ham, look what Curbishley achieved at a much smaller club that were sharing with Crystal Palace for years. Its frustrating because on occasion we play some really good football. The second half on Saturday is a good example. However the team seem scared to retain the ball and pass and move. Moyes generally plays the percentage game. Ask anyone about what we are like to watch and that's all about coaching choices. I'm hoping that AJ makes a difference to this because he will provide an alternative outlet instead of the usual long ball. We'll wait and see as the season progresses. I just hope to god that Moyes doesn't play five across the middle at home to the red shite in two weeks time!

no, our midfield wimped out. every loose ball in midfield seemed to go to watford. that was the biggest improvement against spurs, the loose balls were going to us because we put up a fight for them. tactically moyes was spot on against spurs, and theyre a tough team to beat at wh lane. Its good to celebrate a great victory but to say Moyes tactics were 'spot on' is rather strange. I think you are getting carried away by the result. So Moyes planned for Kilbane to be sent off then did he? Also after the game Moyes said in an interview, 'after Kilbane was sent off we had to change our tactics to a passing game'. He therefore admitted his initial plan was to stifle Spurs with five across the midfield and play hoofball from defence. I was at this game and can assure you the first half was rubbish, it was like watching paint dry. Moyes planned it that way. He had five across the middle to stop Spurs playing and it was working for a while but it was crap to watch. Spurs then started getting on top and wearing us down and it looked like we'd go down 1-0. Kilbane's sending off changed the game. I still don't really know why. I think Spurs looked increasingly ragged and frustrated that they couldn't break us down. We were well organised as a 4-4-1 and Spurs were worried about AJ hitting them on the break. Don't get me wrong Moyes deserves some credit for that. However you should also remember that Moyes' tactics were to have us playing the whole game like we did in the first half. Lescott looks like he's settling down and AJ will provide us with more options. Let's see if Moyes has the tactical nous to take advantage this season!

Fantastic, just got back home. I live couple of miles away from the Spurs ground. The first time since I've been down here. I hope they carry on proving me wrong like this. Osman was brilliant

I've seen West Ham play some lovely football and Spurs also. Moyes is happy for his back four to knock long ball after long ball. You hardly ever see the back four use the ball well. There is no control of possession in midfield and no shape to our play. Just because I don't like Moyes tactics doesn't mean I'm not a genuine supporter or red shite in disguise. I just like bang for my buck and I'm not getting it from him.

Goldfish, I don't get paid huge amounts of wedge to find solutions that's the Managers job. That's what he's paid for and he has had lot's of time. I call a spade a spade. I don't question the effort of the players but the strategy of the Manager is questionable. To ask me what my solution would be is to assume I would have made the same buys as Moyes and used the same tactics as him. He's in charge of the team so he's responsible for the quality of football we watch. Last season's goals difference speaks volumes. Are you seriously telling me that the quality of football you see is good enough?

OK we've only played two games but I'm already getting angry. Fair enough a win and an away draw at Blackburn is not a bad start to the season. However look behind the statistics and its not good. We are bad to watch. We can barely string two passes together in midfield. Beattie is too slow/unfit(why?). Kilbane, Naysmith should not be in the squad but are because otherwise there is no cover. Cahill and Davies are not good enough. Cahill's goals do not compensate for his lack of ability in every other department eg passing! Osman works hard but come on. Arteta is class but he can't do it on his own. Van the man...need I say more. So I can't be pigeonholed as totally negative I'll say Johnson has added something, ie pace. Lescott needs time and Howard looks good potentially. What is really getting to me though is Moyes. How much longer are we going to have to put up with football like this. Its supposed to be an entertainment. This isn't, there is no shape or pattern to our game and we seem to be going to have another season of nicked wins, draws, defeats. Ok fair enough we probably won't be fighting relegation, (fingers X), but Moyes is dour. When was the last time you enjoyed watching Everton? West Ham away last season, that's all I can think of.

Read Downtowns comment on the Aberdeen game last night. It's a familiar story. We have some average to good midfield players who don't know quite what they are doing. While Arteta is in the side we can compete with most teams. But who is going to take over 'the creative midfielder' role when he's out. Cahill is a scrapper and gets goals but can't pass and will get suspended a lot. Davies is infuriating, he's got pace and can look dangerous but he disappears for whole games at times. Neville is a strong tackler but not even his biggest fans would say he is any good going forward, same for Carsley. Van the Man has 'issues'. Kilbane, is just not premiership standard. Osman is skillful and creative but lacks pace and seems lose possession due to lack of strength. Gravesen is a creative midfielder but remember, he was great for half a season, what about the rest of his time with us. I can't think of anyone off the top of my head who would be a freebie or loan signing and make a difference but then again, how many of us realised the impact Arteta would have?

I think people above have all made good points but it also has to be acknowledged that we generally don't play entertaining football and the media will pick up on that. At times we've looked strong under Royle and Moyes, but the football was still not good to watch. There was one game (against West Ham 2-2, I think?), where we played really good football. Last seasons goal tally says it all really! <_<

Good points above Goldfish. I'd say that we have fallen behind Spurs and Newcastle though as well as the big 4. Craccer to say it was all shit is just too simplistic, here's why:- There are signs that Moyes wants them to pass the ball instead of the big hoof up field. We have problems in midfield in taking advantage of that because Arteta apart there is no-one incisive and quick enough to make it count. Davies is one of the most frustrating players I've ever seen. He seems to have the class to do it but it never seems to come off! The defence looks stronger and more mobile. Remember Yobo, Valente and Hibbert were out and we still look better than last season because Howard looks big and strong and mobile around his area and Lescott will be class, he looks comfortable and unhurried on the ball, always a good sign! A forward squad of Beattie, AJ, Anichebe, McFadden, Vaughn is potentially better than we've had for years. Granted none of them has done anything yet but there is a lot of potential there. The problems are in midfield. Carsley, Kilbane not good enough for the premiership. Van - never fit. Osman - good squad player but lacks strength and pace. Cahill leaps like a salmon in the box but can't pass or get past players. Davies- see above. We don't seem mobile enough to me. The ball carrier doesn't seem to have enough options available so they end up tapping it around in midfield and the chance of a break has gone. We are good enough to compete with everyone apart from Chelski, Man U, Arsenal, Liverpool, Spurs and Newcastle. I'd place us 7th to 10th in the league depending on injuries!

A bit too negative Craccer. Remember Yobo, Hibbert, Van the man, Valente, didn't play Cahill(had 10 mins). We had chances. AJ some nice touches. Beattie still too slow and Naysmith, Carsley, and Kilbane not good enough. I thought Buckley should have been given a longer run out. I think he could be a good signing! Midfielder needed!

Could this happen Does anyone know if Arteta is in the camp in Devon. If not, why not? Could he be seen as a replacement for Ronaldo?

The fact is England are just not as good as what the media seem to think. I saw no evidence during this world cup that England were a top international side. There are six top international sides, Argentina, Brazil, Germany, France, Italy and Spain. England are in the second division, along with teams like Portugal and Sweden. You look at their history of performance over the years and that's pretty obvious. What we have in Britain is a media that builds them up into something that they are not and people start to believe it. The teams with more reason to be gutted are Argentina and Spain because they are obvious class acts that didn't make it because it was a knock out tournament and they played two of the other top sides in Germany and France. The FA threw 4 million at Eriksson hoping he could push England into the first division. He couldn't do it. I can't see McClaren doing it either but we'll see!

A rumour that we've signed Carlos Edwards T&T right back has been kicking around on the internet over the lat few days. Anyone heard anything. I thought he looked good in the group games.

Who does Valente think he is. He's done nothing for us yet. Him and VDM are the type of players who find it hard to adjust to the premiership and then try to hide that fact by using the 'lack of ambition' excuse to try and get away <_< Swapping VDM for McCarthy may be an option but 1. He doesn't want to go to Porto 2. I'm not sure that McCarthy is the player he was.

Thanks for that. He's class but i can't see him coming to us.

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Seems our fears may have been realised? http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/tm_...-name_page.html