Saint Virgil. [Done deal]

Agreed! But then what do we know, FLT? Allegedly RK doesn't do detail - did you pick up that comment? So what chance for us?

 

Most sides put their whole team in the box (or all bar one) to defend them and as a result they offer nothing on the break. The only time I remember us conceding on the break on one was against Man City in the 3-1 win at St Mary's two seasons back. There's certainly more to gain than to lose over a season by doing it.

We also used to mix it up . A back post ball to Lambert. Lambert pulling far back post as a decoy and whip it in to Jos and Jose. A player or two show short, pull a player back stick and still whip it in. Whipped in, floated in. There was great variety with Adkins as manager. Now it seems to be either whip it in central or go short. With Pochettino they floated it in more, but not much else different to with Koeman. Too predictable and easier for the other team to defend them. Lambert used to dink the free kicks in, rather than shoot sometimes. The players need to practice them more and have more variety. And get Wanyama in there.

 

Our team relies strongly on defence...I'm not surprised if one of our defensive midfielders (Victor) is not encouraged to run into the box, but rather holds back. Is he renowned for speed....genuine question...if he's not he should definitely not go too far forward.

We have been rightly praised for our defensive training....Gary Neville has demonstrated how one player covers when another moves. Get that into our players DNA and go from there. Footballers are simple folk...best not to overcomplicate things. They are told their responsibilities and to cover for their team mates in defence, but (unless you see a real opportunity) stick to the plan.

 

Last time I saw wanyama run he pulled a hamstring! I'm happy for him to stay back, if the CB's want to go up for headers then big Vic and quick full backs should hopefully be enough. My worry is with Schneider gone when wanyama gets suspended we lack muscle in midfield.

 

Who'd be a manager.......

 

The problem for managers is that their flawless plans are executed by footballers.

 

I have had no internet access for 10 days.

 

Problems or been away somewhere nice and remote?

 

Planned switchover from my ISP to Talk-Talk and they've cocked it up between them. Should have taken 20 minutes. That was last Thursday week. I have no landline phone either. I've been to Pembrokeshire for 3 days, it's true, but during that time my mobile received no emails or any contact whatsoever. My house is a virtual Faraday cage so almost no mobile signal gets in, which means I have a booster box off my normal ISP router which, at the moment, receives no signal of course. I get all my TV off the Net, so that's out too. If it wasn't for the ordinary radio and my mobile I'm writing this on I'd be down to messenger pigeon or the Post Office.

I have for several years wondered what ordinary life was like without the Net, because I couldn't remember how it felt. I know now.

 

The big question though TSS, is was it better? Apart from my Saints chat, I love the rare occasions that I have no 'contact' with the outside world

 

Good question but there's an obvious answer. It's really only better when it is you that is making the decision to have no contact. This has been forced upon me at a hugely inconvenient time. My neighbour offered to let me piggy-back off her wi-fi for the duration, but sadly she no idea of her router's encrpytion code and has no notes or files where she keeps the stock of passwords (basic bad practice if you forget). So basically I have to sit and be patient. If my ISP thinks I'm going to pay for this forced non-service, after it has been sorted, they'll have another think coming swiftly afterwards. I might even give Virgin a shout or go to Talk-Talk independently. We'll see.

 

I was with Tiscali when they were taken over by Talk-Talk and it was No-Talk-Talk for a while. Every time I contacted their helpdesk by message (couldn't get through by phone, Thought they were a phone co) they just offered the same nonsense. Tried to cancel and move and their cancellation line was run by a guy who didn't speak English. They never really fixed it as such it just got better after a time and I gave up. Good Luck

 

TSS, I am a total self confessed IT geek (I work in IT too - do they really pay me for doing what i love?)! But recently, I went abroad and didn't activate my data for a week and it was so liberating! No one could talk to me, email me, tweet me or anything. However, as you say, I chose that. If you pulled away my 2 internet connections (I told you I'm a geek - you need fault tolerance) I would be lost

 

*makes note to self*

Amazing how you can think someone's a good bloke and then you find out what they do

 

Celtic are winning 2-1 (4-1 agg) and Van Dijk is playing. Did we want Celtic to win or not? I have absolutely no idea

 

Yes, then they can qualify and then they can sell us VVD


.



Or


No, then they can sell us VVD

 

If we were fortunate to buy VVD, would he be cup tied in any way for the EL as he played in last nights CL?

 

People here have said no, if he plays in CL qualifiers he can play in riot groups stage. That's not official though.

 

Riot groups stage...wow, sounds dangerous.

 

I'm imagining something like the fight scene from anchor man except with football fans