Leyton Lundekvam

Lord Duckhunter is correct I'm afraid. This is exactly how it will come across, and how Sky will report it...

However, if it's true that we're being quoted £20-30M plus £100k per week in wages, perhaps we are dodging a bullet rather than "buggering it up".

It's not that they can't play 50 games a year. It's that they can't do so without inevitably losing optimum physical condition over time. It's about managing effort sensibly. It's about recognising that forthcoming opponents are not playing European midweek games and so are at an advantage.

I agree with some aspects of that sentiment - especially regarding the cosseting and molycodling of modern day players. However, wouldn't you accept that a team with no European or domestic cup games in midweek is going to go into the weekend fixtures fresher that a team that has travelled abroad and played a game a few days before? Often such seemingly small factors are crucial in deciding the outcome of close fought Premier league games. The effects become even more pronounced over a 9 month season. Leicester benefited massively last season from this scenario, compared to Spurs for example. I doubt Puel actively wants to constantly shuffle the pack, however the reality is he has to. 30-40 years ago the professionalism, athleticism etc in the game was (even by the admission of the players from that era) light years behind where it is now, so it's wrong to make the comparison - even though I agree the players were probably mentally tougher, men were men etc...

Clearly you've not played much competitive football at any sort of decent level. You are massively over simplifying.

Excellent post! When my Dad took me to The Dell for my first game it was £4 or £5 for the pair of us. Now my own kids are at an age they would like me to take them to football (and they WANT to be SFC fans), the sad fact is I can't afford it. Football crowds used to be full of youngsters, teenagers, Dads and lads etc. The next generation is being priced out of football for short term financial gain but in the long term the game will be far worse off for it. Of course, no one cares that that the likes of me can't afford to go to football anymore as I'm sure my old seat is still full every game. However I really do think (all) clubs are making a mistake by ignoring the community element, family ties & emotionaly invested fans etc. that Jackanory describes so well. So in short, I totally support football fans taking a stand. Even if much of the hysteria around the specific LFC walkout is actually based on misinformation, the wider point still matters.

Why don't you... Switch off your pc/tablet/phone and go and do something less boring instead?

Nothing says"I have the mentality of a12 year old" quite like this guy.

Ha ha. Excellent stuff and quite right CB Fry, made me laugh...

He's got talent, but does tend to frustrate and needs to contribute more in the final third. I suspect he'll eventually be replaced by Clasie once he's fit?

So, 3 new shirts per season is "justifiable" now? How times have changed! Still as you rightly say, no-one has to buy them.

I think that is a beautiful Saints shirt. Simple and traditional, yet still contemporary. If it wasn't for the fact that (a) I am a grown man, and (b) £50 is a laughable rip off, I would consider buying one.

The Adidas badge really does look sh*t in the middle doesn't it? I wonder why they do that?

Going against the grain but I would like us to persist with Elia. Some of the touches he showed in his first few games were sublime and demonstrated that he's got genuine quality in there somewhere. His form has admittedly been patchy/poor since then but it can't have helped that the team as a whole has struggled for any kind of consistency or fluidity.

That's incredibly harsh. Forster is still a very young keeper and in line with club policy he was recruited for his huge potential to develop into an outstanding (possibly England) keeper. Of course he is not nearly the finished article yet but I'd have thought it was clear he has the makings of an impressive goalkeeper. Perhaps if he was an outfield player (a la Ward Prowse, Mane, Reed) people would be more prepared to allow him the time he needs to develop? Personally I think it's a good thing that he can learn his trade behind a top back four and still conceed less goals that any other team - sure, despite a few cock ups along the way. Oh and yes - hats off to Super Kelv. Great pro and rightly respected by supporters.

Ha ha, yeah. Unless the aforementioned manager was a charlatan who's managerial reputation was based purely on the footballing abilities of Luis Suarez!

It's an interesting point. Personally I think the weight of expectation comes more from his transfer fee. For £20 million the fans at Liverpool are likely to have far higher expectations than we did when Lallana was a youngster first coming out of Saints youth team.

He was at Orient last season and doing well as they got to the play off final at Wembley.

Although I can understand the frustration with Mane (he has been woeful recently) - dare I say it, I think the lad has got great potential. He could be developed into a good player. It's just a shame our squad is so threadbare at present that Koeman is having to persist with him, hoping he'll come good, even though a spell out of the spotlight would be better. Hopefully this won't descend into a vicious circle where Mane's performances provoke crowd hostility, undermining his confidence, and therefore performances deteriorate further...

I couldn't agree less.

This is a good one... http://www.firstevents.us/live3.html

Well, well. What a surprise - give the lad 3-4 games to show what he can do and it turns out he knows how to finish. Give him decent service and he will score goals. Amazing how so many seem to think they know better than Koeman.

I saw the SFC coach pull up outside the back of Waterloo station at approximately 4.30 this afternoon. Seems like a sensible plan to me.

I did think of this comparison too, and it's not a bad thing at all. Long is a better technical player than Brett too. I think he will prove to be a great signing.

You thick ****.