SaintDonkey

[i know this is being discussed on other threads but I reckon it deserves one of it's own] With Preston refusing to allow Trotman to play on Friday who do you think should stand in for him? Perry has the best footballing brain but I don't think his legs are up to it alongside the similarly aging Jaidi so doe sthat just leave Thomas? Or maybe a surprise inclusion for the Martin (assuming he's signed in time and isn't cup tied already!)

New manager syndrome really does have me worried. On paper we should beat them easily, but on paper we should have beaten Orient easily. Having said that I'm hoping that the Orient game will have been just the kick up the complacency arse the players needed. And I'd rather have the complacency kicked out of us by an away draw than a home defeat!

That actually makes a lot of sense. I wonder how far down the injuries would go before they recalled him?

Sorry Alps but that is nonsense. What the last 2 games have shown us is we're too slow off the mark and we don't tuck away enough of our chances. Conceding goals isn't a problem if you're converting them at the other end. The way we're set up we're always likely to concede the odd goal here and there but it wouldn't matter if we were scoring them at the other end. Of our attacking players I would only really trust lambert to stick away his chances consistantly. Maybe Connolly as well but I happen to agree with Pardews strategy of not playing him for the full 90 minutes (although I might have questions about which 45 minutes he plays).

Can't say I disagree with you on that front Nothing against Wotton - he does a job. I just think James could do that job better given a run in that position.

Which is another reason why he's a useful player to have on the pitch. His adaptability can allow for a tactical switch without a personnel switch I know I'm ploughing a lonely furrow here but I do think James gets unduly slated on here. The guy behind me at Orient shouting 'James you're a c***' everytime he came near made me resolved to stick up for him. edit: Not sure you're right anyway according to the Beebs text report he got an assist in both the Oldham and MK Dons matches when he was at right back (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/8295508.stm and http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/8306863.stm) Further edit: The 3rd assist was against Northampton when he was indeed in CM (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/league_cup/8188512.stm)

True but James has weighed in with at least 3 assists this season (not sure how they calulate these, but that's second only to Lambert) so it's a balance thing. You lose a little defensively, gain a little going forwards.

No they didn't score two goals. We scored their second one for them when they weren't looking like scoring at all. The goal they did score was a well worked move down to our left hand corner with a rare slip up from Harding leaving Meligan in acres of space to put in the cross. You could say that they were exploiting the fact that Lallana doesn't track back as much as he might. But would you honestly swap Lallana out for Mills or Holmes to sacrifice the attacking threat for more defensive awareness?

Funny that Orient's goal came from a cross from our left Their second was from our right but it just a fluke - the cross wasn't going anywhere dangerous before Trotman got a foot on it.

Orient did their homework only in the sense that they followed the tactic "pack your box with defenders and the opposition will find it tricky to score". I'm not sure how much homework that took!

Full strength against Charlton - JPT we can win. Against Rovers obviously play for the win, but rest any players carrying knocks like Hammond, Connolly and possibly Lallana and Trotman.

Agree entirely - I think one of the reasons left backs have looked so poor against Antonio (making him look good) is that they're knackered after trying to keep up with Papa for the previous hour.

I'd say James has been as much of a whipping boy as Wotten for some on here. The thing in common between James, Delap, Telfer and Wright is that they were all frequently asked to play out of position (all central midfielders asked to play right back). I guess the thing is that they are all adapable players who can slot into different positions. They never shine but they get picked week in week out because they permit the manager a certain amount of freedom with formation changes and injuries. Hence more skillful, but less adaptable, players get dropped and the 'whipping boys' keep getting selected.

Great come back and great atomosphere (only slightly spoilt by the bunch of middle aged Saints fans who arrived late and drunk then proceded to pick fights with everyone in sight. Mostly other Saints fans! Crap stewarding didn't help). Their first goal was obviously a planned home advantage thing - run the ball into corner where the low afternoon sun blinds the defenders. I missed their second so can't really comment. We should have won by a mile. I'm not one of the 4-4-2 zealots but I really do think we need to start with Connolly up front with Ricky way next game. Got to ****ing love Ricky.

Seems that something is coming up with the Academy - investment? Poaching some players from Arsenal? " [Comment From John John: ] Hi Adam, I'm interested in the Saints Academy. It has been hugely successful and without it we would have undoubtedly sunk. Have you any knowledge of the what the future holds for the academy ? Friday October 30, 2009 12:22 John 12:23 [Comment From David David: ] Adam, we all know the academey isnt what it once was. But have we any stars of the future coming up? Friday October 30, 2009 12:23 David 12:23 Adam Leitch: The academy has been a great success - also in its previous format going back over many years with Lawrie and Dave Merrington. The future looks bright. There will be investment in this area. Watch this space "

The problem is more that if we don't extend the loan he's going back in a week anyway (I think Orient is scheduled to be his last game?). McClaggon might be the long term answer - but we need a short term one that lasts longer than Saturday

The guy is our best option down the right when we play 4-4-2 and we should be moving heaven and earth to get Antonio's loan extended until January at least. Unless you're a visiting Reading fan in which case he's crap.

So 2.34 points a game needed for automatic promotion? While it's remains at less than 3 points a game I'm still hoping Although I think if we do win all the rest of our games this seasons a certain gentleman with horns and a forked tail becomes the legal possessor of my soul!

Players can indeed be cup tied. I would imagine Chelsea wouldn't get a **** about Mellis but Reading and Preston might want to keep Antonio and Trotman freed up. I'm really hoping they do play though since it will more or less confirm that their parent clubs are happy for us to keep them!

Yes of course the way he kept a clean sheet in front of the Chapel and then conceded three when he was in front of the mighty Northam... Wait what's that? It was the other way round? I'm not so sure that it was the crowd that got to him as much as the Saints team mopping up every clearence he made so he couldn't relax all match.

If Lallana is injured (as intimated in the training session thread) we might yet see it on saturday.

If AL is injured we might see it

I don't think we could seamlessly switch to a 4-4-2. Both Waigo and Lallana are too attack minded to be wingers in that formation so we need the extra man covering in midfield when they're coming into the box to support Lambert. When we went 4-4-2 against Oldham Papa had already gone off for the more orthodox wide man Antonio. With Lallana on the left it was a no brainer to sacrifice the more creative Morgan instead of the more defensive Wotton when Connolly came on. However if Mills had already replaced Lallana at that point I think it would have been the other way round.

Glad I sorted out my Orient ticket out. 3000 thousad of us packed into Brisbane road? Their average league attendance is only 5019, this should be fun!

Until he misses a couple then it has to be Lambert. Taking away the duty without reason would just undermine his position and perhaps his confidence. Lallana may have got more goals - but he wouldn't have done without Lambert on the pitch playing out of his skin.