SouthportSaint

I don't think it was always a case of choosing to play out from the back when a hoof was the wiser option. But if we choose to play out it has to be done properly. In the first half half hour the back four seemed to have the jitters and they were passing to the opposition, falling over and generally making the Saints fans anxious every time they were on the ball. They stuck to the passing style (although I was shouting for them to hoof it more than once) and once they settled down they were fine. I thought the distribution from the back was good in the second half - particularly using Harding to start attacks, and I was pleased they did not start hoofing when we were chasing the game. It is a new style of play for Saints and we won't get it right straight away. Let's be patient. Some of it felt like Russian Roulette but if they don't keep playing that way they won't get better at it.

Just in from the game. My first of the season so was expecting much more from Saints. Agree we overplayed at the back but the real problem was a series of very basic individual mistakes. I thought it was much better in the second half (don't recall Huddersfield having a chance). Looked more threatening playing 4-3-3 in last quarter which brought Lallana more into it. Sad to say I agree we looked more potent without Lambert- much more movement up front. I would not pick out Chaplow and Hammond for particular blame and don't agree with earlier comment about lack of effort. The Saint's players kept going to the end.

I agree with the original post although I think Cortese does understand what a fickle bunch we football fans are. He knows that if we had lost to Swindon with Pardew still in post (which could have happened) and then drawn 0-0 with Rochdale (which could have happened) many of the fans chanting Pardew's name last night would have been calling for him to be sacked by 5pm on Saturday. That is just the way we are these days. Equally, he probably knows that if he gets a decent manager in and we win 2 or 3 games in a row then within a few weeks we will all be happy bunnies again.

Condolences to the Liebherr family. A rare honest, modest and unselfish club owner in a football world sadly infested with greed,and selfishness. I hope the club honours his memory by winning the title in style and with a smile on and off the field.

Whatever the rights and wrongs of this move it is certainly NOT about press freedom. The Echo claim that it challenges "the freedom of expression and of free press" is ridiculous. League Football matches are events held on private property which the public have to pay to see. There has never been a right for press photographers to take pictures where and when they like and the press have no 'right' to stand behind the goal at St Mary's with a camera. The real issue here is about who distributes the photos. Yes, the press might argue that the club will censor pictures showing the Saints in a bad light. The club could equally argue that some parts of the press would deliberately select pictures that harm the club. There is no absolute right and wrong position. If the press are that concerned about fighting for their freedom to report why do they turn up at endless, stage managed press conferences which tell the public only what the clubs want them to know?

Watch again the first half incident when Carlisle launched a quick counter attack down the left. The winger avoids an attempted rugby tackle by Wotton and runs clear. Who are the first two Saints players getting back into our box to cover? Antonio and Waigo. It says something about their pace and willingness to work for the team.

Just in from the game. The 10 minutes before half-time, after we took the lead, was the best period of play I have seen from a Saints team in a long time. Walsall could not get a touch. Overlapping down the right was superb - at times the overlapping full back was being overlapped!

I don't think we ran down time as well as we could have - considering we had been generally keeping possession quite comfortably. For the last couple of minutes of injury time we were content to kick the ball into touch or down the field - inviting them to put another long ball into our box.

There was certainly no tired legs or panic this afternoon. If anything we were maybe a little over confident. We had been dealing comfortably with high balls into the box and I don't think we thought they could hurt us.

Just in from game. The guy behind me kept saying the ref would even things up by giving another pen - so it turned out, although we were too far away to see if it was a correct decision. Sometimes you know Saints are going to concede an equaliser but this came out of nothing. The game had drifted away from Stockport but we just dropped too deep for the last couple of minutes and let them hit long balls into the box. Much better performance than the last one I saw (at Huddersfield) albeit against weaker opposition. I thought Lallana looked like he is going to start delivering on his promise at last. Wayne Thomas looked a natural at right back (my MoM) and we now look solid dealing with crosses, even though Kelvin stays on his line. Agree that Mellis is not quite ready - had a few chances to run at his full back but never really looked a threat. Much better shape and energy in midfield although the back four and Kelvin are still too inclined to play long balls over the top of them to Lambert and Saga. I hope fans don't get on Pardew's back. Stockport won 4-2 away last week but we really looked a class above. When we win one I think we could easily win three or four on the trot.

I agree that the mobility of the Huddersfield forwards was a big difference today and we probably need a Brett Ormerod type as a foil for Lambert. Incidentally Huddersfield did play very well today. Accurate passing and good movement that was, I thought, a better quality than many sides we met last season. Let's hope they are not typical of Div One sides.

Just back from the game. Completely outplayed for 90 minutes but don't think there was any lack of effort, just that they seemed to have better players all over the pitch. Felt sorry for the back four who had no protection (a big centre-half would not have made much difference today) and the Lambert / Rasiak combination did not work - just encouraged us to miss out the midfield with long 'passes' forward. Only bright spots were the goal (power in a header that brought back memories of James Beattie and even Ron Davies), the save of the season from Davis (there will not be a better one before next May) and Mellis looked to have a bit of pace and skill from midfield when he came on. Words like 'spineless' and 'gutless' do not apply today - we were just not good enough!

I was living in London when Saints signed Keegan. I think we played Arsenal at Highbury in the second or third game of the season. There were massive queues of Arsenal (yes Arsenal) supporters wanting to get in to see the Saints and Keegan in particular. I think it was 1-1.

Thanks for idea. Can't go tomorrow because of family wedding but just bought two tickets to donate. Ticket office sorted it out in two minutes.

Live in Southport so back home for my tea already. First away game for me this season. Nice one to choose! First half was typical of this season - nice passing but no real threat. Their forwards looked overweight but still threatened in our area. Thought Lancashire had a very dodgy first half, lucky not to give away a pen and frequent mistakes. Second half the Saints fans started to create an atmosphere and it started to feel better. Cork was excellent at right back and Scneiderlin and Surman bossed midfield. Some lovely passing and the first goal was no surprise when it came. Pearce, I thought was outstanding and inspiring at the back. Gobern made a difference, nice touch and got in danger areas. After the equaliser we just kept going for it and could have got a winner just before when Gobern's header was stopped on the line by a defender. I have never seen a Saints team react like that to a winner! A huge heap of players while PNE were waiting to kick off! We never looked in danger of letting it slip. I think every player through their shirts into the crowd at the end. They looked like they had won the cup! Great day.