suewhistle

I think he's not very good, but it might at least increase his confidence! It will also be interesting to see if having a new keeper behind them means our defence will actually be brave enough to leave the goal line and actually mark the opposition as well!

I took my nephew and great nieces to the Saints womens game last week which they won 4-0. I lost my mum a year ago and I took her to one game at St. Marys which was a cold day against Hull for a 3-1 win. Either would do tomorrow and I'll be having a little prayer for the win.

Armstrong also works his socks off closing down and chasing lost causes. A shot scuffer, to be sure, and not a game changer but a very useful player to have in our current situation.

Yep, it's most odd. I played in goal for a bit: "We've lost our keeper. You can go in goal as you're the tallest/bravest/nuttiest/slowest* in the team". *More than one may have applied. But my team at my low level had reasonable confidence in me, more than Saints' defence had in Bazunu anyway. Plus nobody else at the time wanted the bloomin job..

Gave us Captain Smith.

Season loan confirmed on OS.

I was going to say that Saints looked fitter, stronger and more physical than Portsmouth and was going to ascribe it to them being professional, but checking just this instant I see that Portsmouth went pro at the beginning of the 24/5 season. Either way, it does give an example to the men that being fitter and stronger does have an impact on games.. Good to see a crowd only a hundred or so below that at Doncaster, and definitely worth playing that game at St. Mary's.

Well, it will be our last opportunity..

Headline in the paper: "Tottenham’s Mathys Tel open to loan for more game time as World Cup looms". We could certainly offer him that!

I sometimes disagree with your opinions, and sometimes with how you express yourself, but I definitely can't improve on that.

Good crowd on a freezing night. 7500+ and a good atmosphere. My great nieces enjoyed it too, which is what it's all about out.

Yes, 9 and 12 year old nieces might get a bit lairy after their milkshakes..

Ridiculous! Sideways, surely?

Not sure about the summer off thing. All the good players are off at international tournaments, er.. like Irish internationals Manning and Bazunu. Um..

Obviously the writer is on our side because he's taking the piss out of the idea..

As for the 'boro game, where do you start?! Haven't read much of this thread as it would probably depress me even more, but leaving aside the coach for a moment, when are the players going to take some responsibility. Our defence is static, never anticipates, is always in a line deep in our area and not near the attackers, marking is dire, unfair to pick individuals but Manning can't stop a cross, jogs back when caught out, Wood is as ponderous as an elephant without the intelligence, JS ball watches.. I haven't even mentioned the goalkeeper! Further out our movement and passing has degenerated, we never get to the second ball, decision making largely appalling and slow, shots scuffed or skyed, far too much turning back into the middle congested area when we have the ball in space on the wings, and so on, and so on... Only bright point is that Stewart is no longer two weeks away.. except to his next injury.

Interesting article I read today, in The Guardian I think, about if somebody is just a coach then the manager/football directors should be taking questions from the press and not just sacrifice the coaches on that altar. I believe this happens in Germany. At Manchester United Jason Wilcox only raised his jhead after they'd won 3 in a row, some while ago..

The line up is to make the fans happy: they all like a good moan. To be honest any line up would serve that purpose.. Personally I'm not sure, but I can see that there is a rationale behind it (if we forget Bazunu and Stephens). It's been an intensive period, some of the players were looking a bit tired in the last game (eg Jander), the subs played well and Archer needs to maintain some momentum. Plus there is motivation for all the players, and those benched are available but have been given a little jolt that they need to improve a bit. I do apologise if some of you think that is too optimistic a view, and you may well turn out to be right, but I can't quite manage the level of universal pessimism some of you maintain.

Substitute Man City with Spurs, and scream! One for the older ones..

Bless, the younger generation do have attention span difficulties..

It was freezing briskly walking over the Itchen bridge just now. Let's hope the cold makes the team keep moving too.. I suppose I should add, not just across the back..

I'm not happy that Bazunu and Statue Jack are playing but I can see some rationale for Scienza being on the bench. We all know he's targeted by every defender going so perhaps today Robinson can get the full back booked and unlike against Oxford we can then put pressure on them with a fresh, and not battered and bruised, Scienza. Either way, PingPong has it right with their depiction of the lawks-a-mercy brigade. Disagree by all means but overly dramatic attacks of the vapours could probaly be toned down a bit.

Whilst I agree with the sentiment both with regards to Oriol and the collie, I can't help thinking there must be a more humane way to do it.. Definitely Bragg first, I'd agree..

Did he talk about actually using that physicality and marking people?

Oh, absolutely, but once you make a mistake you bust a gut to recover and he was just ambling.