Dougie Freedman - New Manager

[Peter Thompson]

He still hasn't sorted the defence out though, and for as long as he continues to play Knight I'm convinced he never will.

Good point Bruce....

I personally can't stand Knight (I was amazed and shocked when Coyle gave him a new contract) he's still and always will be a liability with a cocky, lazy mistake in almost every game.

Hopefully this is the last season for Knight - and to be honest I'd like a new keeper as well next season as Bogdan continues to make too may basic errors.

[Bruce Rioja]

He still hasn't sorted the defence out though, and for as long as he continues to play Knight I'm convinced he never will.

Since Dawson came in we've conceded an average of bang on 1 goal a game. Going in the right direction you could say....

Indeed, so now all he needs to do is get shot of Knight and we'll better that.

[bedwetter2]

I'm beginning to believe we may be able to get to the play-offs - I know some think it is too late for this season but there are still 33 points to play for. We can probably afford to drop a total of 6 points and still sneak into 6th by my reckoning and using that BBC predictor thingy. Not impossible, but tough, although we do have the momentum.

Does this make me a hopeless optimist?

[gizmothevoomer]

I would say it does make you an optimist but only hopeless if you believe Liverpool will make fourth place in the Premiership too.

[Athers]

Brighton's form in the last 6 is similar to our own, we have to beat Blackburn, beat them and hope they start wobbling.

[SmokinFrazier]

Our defence is still worrying at times. I think we defend too deep and invite pressure, which is the only reason we conceeded two so quickly today. Things are getting better generally though, but I'm not a fan of camping in your own box. We defend better when we aren't playing 10 defenders.

I agree that Knight needs to go. Hopefully Wheater will be fit enough to start the next game.

[thebish]

wheater is always a penalty liability though... unless he's changed!!

[Bruce Rioja]

Our defence is still worrying at times. I think we defend too deep and invite pressure

Exactly. I can understand us defending deep when we're up against speedy forwards that are looking to get in-behind, but we go deep against pretty much anyone.

[Athers]

Palace fans told us he would do this, defend leads rather than specifically look to extend them. A reasonable strategy if you can pull it off. Last two games we have defended the last half hours with a 1 goal lead and managed it. These were poor teams we were playing but at least we 'seemed' a bit better mentally than the old Megson days of 2-2 vs Hull and the Coyle days of 2-2 vs West Brom when it felt inevitable. On the other side - it didn't work vs Derby.

Bringing on Wheater and going 5-4-1 can invite the opposition to pin us back but today having 3 centre backs to head stuff away when competing with the threats of big lads like Harewood & Scotland wasn't a bad idea.

[TANGODANCER]

Palace fans told us he would do this, defend leads rather than specifically look to extend them. A reasonable strategy if you can pull it off. Last two games we have defended the last half hours with a 1 goal lead and managed it. These were poor teams we were playing but at least we 'seemed' a bit better mentally than the old Megson days of 2-2 vs Hull and the Coyle days of 2-2 vs West Brom when it felt inevitable. On the other side - it didn't work vs Derby.

Bringing on Wheater and going 5-4-1 can invite the opposition to pin us back but today having 3 centre backs to head stuff away when competing with the threats of big lads like Harewood & Scotland wasn't a bad idea.

Sounded like 7-3 or even 9-1 in a lot of the second half.

[TKIZ!]

I'm of the 'whatever works that gets us the points' school at the moment. Yeah, it's not great to watch but if he's putting points on the board can't really grumble

[Trotski]

The one major difference is that there is some fight in the lads again.

They seemed to be such a bunch of pathetic losers in the end of the Coyle era.

Now a little setback is countered by fight, before by capitulation.

Must be Dougies impact, and what a difference it has made.

[wonka]

Some of the criticism of Knight is a touch harsh. He's playing well alongside Dawson.

Mind you, would still like to see Wheater paired with Dawson, if only to see if we can manage just one clean sheet.

[Beefheart]

Some of the criticism of Knight is a touch harsh. He's playing well alongside Dawson.

Mind you, would still like to see Wheater paired with Dawson, if only to see if we can manage just one clean sheet.

We managed one against Peterborough.

[bobo the clown]

Some of the criticism of Knight is a touch harsh. He's playing well alongside Dawson.

Mind you, would still like to see Wheater paired with Dawson, if only to see if we can manage just one clean sheet.

We managed one against Peterborough.

Yeah .... but apart from that one ...

[danardif1]

Some of the criticism of Knight is a touch harsh. He's playing well alongside Dawson.

Mind you, would still like to see Wheater paired with Dawson, if only to see if we can manage just one clean sheet.

He has improved a lot next to Dawson, but he is still naturally prone to lazy decisions which can be costly.

I'd like to see Dawson and Ream together as well as with Wheater, just to see if Dawson is just an general improvement and confidence booster to his CB partners!

[bobo the clown]

I'd like to see Dawson and Ream together as well as with Wheater, just to see if Dawson is just an general improvement and confidence booster to his CB partners!

AAssuming an available Dawson will play each game he's here then with Knight & Wheater now available & Mills soon I'm not sure we'll see Ream again this season.

[wonka]

Some of the criticism of Knight is a touch harsh. He's playing well alongside Dawson.

Mind you, would still like to see Wheater paired with Dawson, if only to see if we can manage just one clean sheet.

We managed one against Peterborough.

Yeah .... but apart from that one ...

And Palace away...

[bobo the clown]

Some of the criticism of Knight is a touch harsh. He's playing well alongside Dawson.

Mind you, would still like to see Wheater paired with Dawson, if only to see if we can manage just one clean sheet.

We managed one against Peterborough.

Yeah .... but apart from that one ...

And Palace away...

OK Cardinal Fang ... amongst our clean sheets are ...

... & a fanatical devotion to the Pope, don't forget.

[CAPSLOCK]

Not a Knight fan, but we defended well yesterday

The first goal can be traced back to mistakes by Eagles and then one or both of Alonso/Lee

Second one, down to the keeper alone

Dawson and Knight played well