[SaltergateBorn]

I agree, SCO. the `long ball` tactic can work. but to make it work a team needs a) a back who can play said long ball with the accuracy to allow the man receiving it some semblance of a chance to control the ball and hold it until support arrives and b) players up front (ideally a couple) with the technical ability to do that. If you haven`t - and we haven`t - you end up with `hoofball` - which we have; a succession of long balls pumped aimlessly forward in the vague hope that someone can get on the end of it. Therein, to me, lies the difference between the two. Long ball can work, but hoofball can`t.

I`m not one of those screaming for MA`s head at the moment. I think the situation has been forced on him to some extent by injuries and I think you said yourself, Blue, that you can tolerate an unattractive style of play if it gets us back into the EFL. I would go along with that entirely. (Would I have been so peed off on Saturday if we`d won? Probably not.) Sadly, at the moment it doesn`t look as though it is and that`s why we are all wallowing in the depths of despair. I still think MA will get it right eventually, although it dies look as though Jose Mourinho might soon be available if we are so desperate to get back to an attractive style of play.

No, hang on; I may have to think that one through again.