Hopkins

Who's the nipper who gets followed from the coach into the building by the camera?

Think far too many people go to games and read too much into poor performances against terrible opposition. We up our game against better teams IMO. Last night especially the atmosphere and opposition was truly terrible. I defy anyone to play last night and be at 100% tempo for the whole game. We were much better 2nd half when we went to a diamond. It meant Lallana and Chambo couldn't be followed round and nullified the whole half, which opened them both up to move freely and dominate the game. We were in full control last night in what seemed like a reserve game. Fully expect us to up our game against better teams and better atmosphere not only because the players will respond to it but because better teams will be slightly more open and confident in there ability therefore allowing us to pick them off and dominate. Yesterday they attacked on the counter and even that despite was incredibly poor. We dealt with it, we dominated, we scored 3 and we walked away with 3 points. Saturday will see an improvement.

Think Huddersfield fans will disagree with you on that one. "Utter gash" is the term my Huddersfield supporting mate used recently.

Really? I'd say bar Forecast and Gobern, they'd all by name get into the majority of other teams in this division. Gobern looked pretty good when he came on too, he'd certainly get into Yeovil's team. Think people are becoming slightly greedy and over expectant with regards to the transfer market. When at full strength players like Dickson can't make our bench, he'd walk into alot of other teams in this league. We've had an injury or two but the only position i'd be worried about as long as we didn't get more injuries is central midfield but I'd certainly be willing to give Gobern a chance over a loanee. Otherwise what is the point of having young players? Sure, if we get injuries to players such as Lallana and Chambo, we are going to be stretched but no doubt given a good run in the team and good backing N'Guessen and Forte could do a job for us. The problem being people are quick to judge when they fill in for 20 minutes here and there. We have the luxury where players like that are not going to get a good run in the team because Lallana and Chambo are so good and so important for us.

Amazing how bitter some people can sound with hindsight isn't it. Pretty sure fans were raving about the signing when it happened. Signing didn't work out shocker!

Didn't think we lost control of the game at all really. They had a 5 minute spell after the goal where they had their tails up and we defended well and rode the storm to get control again. Think obviously Morgan helped with that. His pass won the free kick that led to the first goal. Barnard was good when he came on but I'm not sure I agree Guly didn't play well. Thought his touch and link up play was good, he's missed a couple of chances but that will happen. He seemed to pick up an injury which helped lead to the sub. Barney was good when he came on. Chased down everything and unlike Guly he stretched the game by looking to run beyond the defenders. Which was ideal at the time because they were obviously looking to attack, so the goals and subs were perfect timing really. Chambo was poor imo. He got better 2nd half, but first his touch was poor as was his decision making. He got better when the game opened up slightly in the 2nd half. All in all though, fully in control, passed it nice and quickly at times, good reaction to a good goal by Swindon, 3 points gained on Brighton and still in full control of our own destiny.

Some cracking exchanges in here at times but lets point out a few things shall we. We sounded poor and by accounts so far we were poor. We are frustrated with the result today due to both wanting and knowing we can do better. BUT and most importantly imo... We are in a position that every team in this league apart from 1 would swap us for. Some people need to realise that although yes its a frustrating result on paper, that football isn't quite as simple as it being on paper. I've seen some people claim how "this is league one" and used that as an excuse for us to be steam rolling teams like Hartlepool. Well how about we twist that a little and be a bit more realistic...This is league one, it isn't quite as simple as spending money and running away with things, there are teams like Hartlepool who are dogged, determined, and actually shock horror, have some good players themselves. I believe they got a result against Brighton at home too. If we win our home games and continue our pretty decent away record we'll be more than ok. So I highly recommend people get real a bit, back away from the frustration of what is a poor result and enjoy the fact that we are in actually a very good position in this league with promotion in our own hands. If in a month or two time when the games in hands are gone its not in our own hands anymore i'll begin to worry, be annoyed, and start to question players/managers maybe. But for now, can we just not enjoy the fact that these players/managers have us in a situation where we have things in our own hands, with some massive games to come (which I suspect will suit us a bit more, because big games bring out the best in players).

Defintley a harsh 2nd yellow. AOC clearly holding onto the defender just as much, but just lets go earlier and therefore goes flying when the Carlisle defender lets go.

His goal away to QPR summed him up perfectly. Viafara runs the length of the pitch skinning (well, marauding) 2 or 3 players on the way, gets the edge of the box and manages to lay it off to Rasiak before being chopped to the floor, Rasiak taps in and while every players runs over to Viafara to check on him Rasiak celebrating runs off like he's won the league.

He had a good 70 minutes against Exeter, where he was our best player by most accounts. Wouldn't be surprised if all the people cheering yesterday are fans who don't go to the away games and therefore have this complete lack of awareness that away game performances count too. Almost as if they think the only games that players must be judged on are the ones they watch at home. He's clearly going to have moments of frustration. Moments of unpredictability. But in the classic Saints fan pessimistic spaztastic way we take those moments of unpredictability and moments of frustration as signs that he is guff and refuse to even look at the positive side of the player that he is clearly going to rip full backs to pieces on his day. If he was fantastically consistent he wouldn't be anywhere near a league one. We should learn to love his frustrations because with some encouragement there is no doubt in my mind from yesterdays showing he is going to give us some awesome moments over the next few months. Maybe not just in the form of goals as such but he is definitely going to skin full backs for fun when he's at his best and provide our strikers with some good chances.

Think the 451 was in reaction to us being so poor in the first half. An extra midfielder meant we could out number them in there and hopefully getting Hammond and Guly dropping deeper in an attempt to start passing it. First half, the CB's and Keeper were getting on the ball and having to go long because nobody was picking up the ball off them. The idea I think was right, but in reality it didn't work.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/feb/05/the-secret-footballer-players-wages Can't blame the lad really. As the above article debates/explains, can we really lose respect for someone for making as much money as he can from the game? His contract here is better he'll get anywhere else and playing or not can be argued doesn't really come into it. The person/persons who gave him the said contract should be the butt of the jokes imo.

Literally all 22 players would "DAJFU". Hth.

Can you ask him if the highlight of his career is nutmegging and putting John O'Shea on his arse in the cup match a couple of years ago.

Wow, my bad. I have that all wrong. Suso is Fernandez. Who once again is probably too good to come here.

Suso is Dani Pacheco. He's ridiculously good, Spanish U19 striker and top scorer in the recent Euro Championships I think. Would be immense but I doubt very much it is true.

If Lallana hadn't have scored i'd have been pretty miffed. It's about 8 yards out or so, unmarked and a kinda half volley/bicycle kick. The bicycle bit came after the shot really but like I said, not bad. Well taken yes. But it was hyped up by commentators and posters as some sort of wonder strike. It was a 7 yard finish. Decent build up and a composed finish but not quite as good as it was made out. A lob from inside is harder? Thats debatable and certainly not something you can claim as fact. It depends on each and every goal. It was pretty impressive to lob from so close (As I said!) but once again it was made out to be some sort of wonder lob.

Christ. Those goals were hyped up to be alot better than what they actually were. A bicyle kick? Not quite as impressive as I imagined. Not bad though. Was expecting Guly's to be out side of the area thanks to quotes like "he cut in from the right and finished superbly" and "the Dag crowd were just in awe of the quality". It was a 7 yard finish. Lamberts lob - Pretty impressive to lob from so close but once again I was expecting it to be outside the area.

I don't think we should be getting him back, simply because if he does come back he'll be on the bench again which was probably part of the reason he got the hump and also he does force his way back into the side the crowd will just be waiting to jump on him again. Imagine he comes back and has a bad few touches and blazes one over early on. There'll be moans and groans all over again, his confidence will drop and he won't be backed by the fans like he is at Millwall. He's made a bit of a name for himself over there, the best he could do is play on these recent performances and stay there. Adkins goes out and gets someone he wants as a replacement and someone who will be given more of a chance by the fans. Bring Punch back doesn't suit anyone really. He's a winger, he'll have ups and downs wherever he is but the best option all round would be to let him stay if they can afford him. He's obviously enjoying the responsibility and confidence he's got from playing at Millwall, and I doubt he'll fancy coming back much.

This post is horribly wrong in so many ways. His footballing education was always going to be better at Arsenal. I'd much prefer to be working at Arsenal with Henry and Co than I would at a Championship level Southampton. He would have played more here yes, but the idea that would enhance his footballing ability is wrong. Just because he's playing games doesn't mean he develops better as a footballer, he would have developed better at Arsenal, working under some amazing coaches who haven't done too badly in bringing through youth. Also the idea that Theo struggles with kicking a ball properly is just absurd. His technique has improved massively at Arsenal, hence some of his goals this season have been awesome. Chelsea last week, what a finish. I also point you towards his goal against Shakhtar Donetsk which is just ridiculous composure and technique. If AOC gets the chance to go to a higher team, you can't blame him for taking it, it would give him the best opportunity to improve as a footballer.

Not really and No. His pace is obviously a huge asset but he's got quick feet. Depends. For us a wide player, can see him becoming a centre midfield player if he worked with Wenger though. Not sure, which probably means no. No.

In a toilet with Nathan Dyer. In a pub with Andrew Davies and Adam Hammill. Hammill was taking the **** out of Davies by singing "theres only 1 Andrew Davies" but quietly because that's what he said the fans were singing at the game the day before, so me and my mate started belting it out and the top of our voices. Started off slightly awkward, ended with me telling him Euell was **** and Hammill agreeing.

Seriously? Trust me, the only player on the pitch that will even be given a thought by Liverpool would be AOC. Lallana, Morgan, are nowhere near the quality needed to play for Liverpool. If they were, they'd be snapped up along time before now. Hence the reason you very rarely see clubs like Liverpool sign anyone from League One that is over 20. Your criticism of Wilshere and belief that Liverpool might be interested in Lallana or Morgan are right up there with the most ridiculous comments seen on this forum this year. Right up there with Torres not being able to do a job in League One.

Pretty sure Chaplow said himself that part of the decision to drop him at PNE was due to pressure from the chairman because of clauses in his contract regarding appearances. So as said above, I doubt the new manager will even get the chance to look at him.

2 assists. and linked up brilliantly with Lallana and Chamberlain. Thats not bad for a player who won't ever fit in. Seriously, you say its about opinions but you've still yet to say anything about todays game that suggests he deserves slating? He missed some chances...so what? Why does he get slated and Lallana doesn't? I don't have a first 11 by the way. Neither do I believe we should have a first 11. It's a squad game. He's ideal if we need someone to drop off and get Lallana and Chamberlain into goal scoring positions because he draws defenders out, and allows players to go in, hence Chamberlains goal, hence Lallana missing sitters. Barnard and Connolly are good if we need poachers. Have you got any insight as to why he doesn't fit in? He fitted in perfectly today.