A few points on tonight

[rangertillidiedan]

Cisse should never play up top without Zamora. He can't play as a lone striker.

Mackie should be used as an impact sub. Love the guy but shouldn't be starting.

Nedum looks very average at fullback. Would rather have Hill, Dyer or even Mackie there (did a top job in the championship)

We need to give Hughes more time. I agree it's been frustrating not getting results but apart from tonight and Swansea performances have been fine. Having said that we need to stop this habit of losing quickly.

[Cookie Monster]

Criticising the performance but not calling for the managers head?! people will think your mental!

I agree though...

[HammersmithR]

Totally agree about Cisse. He is woeful as a lone striker. Makes you wonder why we sold Helguson and didn't put Bothroyd in the the squad. If Zamora gets injured then we are f**ked for someone to hold the ball up top.

[Ginger Ninja]

cisse didnt play as a lone striker tonight, hoilett was up front.

[HammersmithR]

cisse didnt play as a lone striker tonight, hoilett was up front.

Hoilett played in the hole and roamed around like he did at Spurs with Zamora.

We played 4-4-1-1 tonight to start with.

[LA Ranger]

Hoillet may have been up front but he is better playing off a striker that holds the ball up and lays it off which Cisse is not. We look a very unbalanced side at times and so is the squad.

[rangertillidiedan]

Hoilett played in behind. Even so Cisse needs to play with a target man. Hoilett is definitely not that.

[Ginger Ninja]

my bad, thought it was 4-4-2

[stainrod10]

and didn't put Bothroyd in the the squad

I can answer that one - he's useless.

[12321]

I dont know why everyones obsessing about the striker situation; we scored two goals which would have been plenty for a comfortable win! It was the three we let in (I know stating the obvious) that did for us, it's the defence that needs sorting out asap as a matter of priority.

[Bluehoop]

I dont know why everyones obsessing about the striker situation; we scored two goals which would have been plenty for a comfortable win! It was the three we let in (I know stating the obvious) that did for us, it's the defence that needs sorting out asap as a matter of priority.

Bosingwa, Ferdinand, Fabio, Traore all out, Nelson rested, M'Bia making his debut (and certainly not 100% match fit) Neddy playing as a left back with no left foot. Yeah, the defence needs sorting out but based on these facts it's not really surprising is it?

[Busheyboy]

Agree, I've said on several other threads that we have to stop conceding goals so easily. We're too soft and need to man up at this level. Off the top of my head we've let in 4 v Bolton, 6 v Fulham, 6 v Chelsea, 5 v Swansea, 3 v Spurs, 3 v Reading. That's 27 goals in 6 games. There are more, I can't remember all of them. We went 20 something games last season without a clean sheet. I believe we have players who will create and score goals, but if we're going to keep conceding, we will always struggle.
Simple as that.

I dont know why everyones obsessing about the striker situation; we scored two goals which would have been plenty for a comfortable win! It was the three we let in (I know stating the obvious) that did for us, it's the defence that needs sorting out asap as a matter of priority.

[W12hoops]

Fair points. I'd like to see Dyer play full-back since he did a decent job at Spurs. Should be given another opportunity there on monday.

-------Cisse----Zamora

Hoillet-Granero-Faurlin-Park

This is how it should look like.