chestersaint

As City made that final attack 35 seconds + after the injury time was up in the first half, I just watched the referee continue with the game until the ball ran to one of our defenders. At this point the ref lifted the whistle to blow until the ball went back to a City player, the whistle was immediately lowered until the ball was lost again to a saints player, where upon the ref blew up. Either time is up or it is not. It should not depend who is in possession of the ball. Now most of what the ref has done in the first half is subjective and a matter of opinion - that passage of play is not. If anyone gets a chance to review the game then look out for it. Something should be done because that without a shadow of a doubt is cheating.

I think it is largely to do with our inability to defend against the high ball. Whichever team we play, whether it be Man Utd or Wigan, they will largely go for a more direct route if they are searching for a winner or equaliser in the last 5-10 minutes. Once they go for this more direct aerial route, we know the writing is on the wall whereas when we play against a team offering a more cultured style (generally in the first 80 mins) we have aquited ourselves fairly well. We have not helped ourselves when for instance when we took off Lambert and Lallana in the home match with Utd and thus handed the incentive to the opposition either. When we do this we invite the opposition to try and break us down and stop playing to our strengths. Unfortunately, as we have seen, the opposition invariably do break us down. We can feel it as fans in the last few minutes and the players must feel it too and thus drop back more and so it goes on. I think it is less of a physical issue with tiredness but more of a physchological issue. We just don't have the quality of defenders to mop up long balls, we are not decisive enough or have any true leaders and we pay for it IMHO.

I think Davis looked edgy and Fox was poor but overall very happy with that. We should put Wigan away on the back of that performance, lets hope so. Nothing to fear on that basis in this league. Well done Saints!

Just thought I'd post a topical comparison for you all that occurred to me. Today, Wimbledon centre court will host the final watched by 15,000 fans. Last season (2011 - 2012), the average home attendance for Pimply was 15,015. In a nutshell, the blue few command the same attendance as a tennis match between a Scotsmen and a Swiss. At the end of next season we should probably expect Pimply to see a comparison to.......?

Everton without a shadow of a doubt. Cannot stand them. Late goals against us always but it isn't even that, I just mind bogglingly hate them.

Looking forward to - Ricky and Adam's England call ups Smashing Everton (can't sand them)

We will go up and of that I am certain but that pile of ****e today was woeful. Worst thing we could have done was score early. As soon as teams really come at us we adopt deer in headlights mode. Miltonaggro has it right, 'surrendered with a whimper'. With the title at stake, that was a disgrace. If we had been level with Reading with them away at Brum and us at home to Cov with a greater GF, i'd have fancied our chances. The players knew that Reading had left the door open and still could not step up to the plate. Just no excuse for that post 1st minute performance.

The fookin bottling bast ards can fook right off now. Reading leave the door open so what do we do? Smash through it? No, tamely stroll up and gently fookin shut it for them. This is certainly my lowest point in 30 years. Fookin LAME. No excuse. Wan kers.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/bbc_radio_five_live_sports_extra

Endorse the sentiment on here, their run is reminiscent of ours last year and how can you vouch for that? Looking at their stats for the last 3 games tho, they could easily have got no points whatsoever! Still, don't wish to sound bitter, if they have used their luck then maybe it will desert them in final 2 games as I still think we deserve to be champions. If it is not to be then hats off to them and see you next season. Well done.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/bbc_radio_five_live_sports_extra

So far it is going exactly to plan. A draw tomorrow for Reading and you will be calling me mysticchestersaint. As I have said, relax.

Saints v Palace (doubtful they are seriously playing for anything play-offs/relagation - 3pts), Reading (6 pointer either way - 0, 1 or 3?), Peterborough (as per Palace probably - 3pts), 'Boro (Tricky as should still be in hunt for play-offs - 1 pt), Coventry (in all probability will already be down - 3 pts). Total 10, 11 or 13 pts. Reading v Brighton (chasing play-off place - 1 pt), Saints (6 pointer either way - 0, 1 or 3?), Forest (in a bit of form and should be clear of relegation by then 3 pts), Palace (doubtful they are seriously playing for anything play-offs/relagation - 3pts), Brum (should be vying for decent positioning in play-offs 0 pts).. Total 7, 8 or 10 pts. West Ham v Brum (should be vying for decent positioning in play-offs - 1 pt), Brighton (chasing play-off place - 3 pts), Bristol City (fighting for survival and tricky on their day - 1 or 3 pts), Leicester (good side that could well be in play-off contention by then - 0 or 1 pt), Hull (will probably be out of the play-off picture by then - 3 pts). Total 8, 9 or 12 pts. Going off the maximum points given in each example, I think the we will finish on 92, Reading on 89 and West Ham on 87. Yes I know Saints and Reading cannot both get 3 points next Friday but you get my drift. We can all relax now.

I too live in Chester and born and bred here. I know another who posts on here and lives in Chester too. Add my dad to the mix and an ex misses (courtesy of me) and we have a good little saints community going on. Anyway, i'm 40, didn't go to any match at The Dell but first away match was Utd in about '86/'87 when we won 2-0 with a brace from Colin Clarke. Plenty more North West games followed. I get down to St. Mary's as often as possible.

Alright mate. I'm an ex Sapper. Don't get down too much to the games but will gladly share many bevvies with you next time i'm down. Lovin' the avatar - ARRSE! REgards.

He's from Chester (Buckley to be precise, just over the border) so he must be good! He was raved about as a youngster and turned nto a steady prem performer. I am happy, he deffo adds depth and adequate cover.

It's getting a bit heated in here eh. I agree with some points in the original OP. A blind man would understand that our away form has been really poor so far. Only our outrageous home form is keeping us ahead of the pack. It may be a blip but that superb form looks to be waining so the natural question is; where does that leave us? A couple of signings in January and who knows, our away form could pick up. ChesterSaint is making the assumption that our away form will remain poor and our home form continue to drop and subsequently we will slide out of the reckoning. It is a reasonable assumption to be fair. However, nothing is set in stone and I believe we will ride this blip and with the return of Chappers, a couple of astute signings, a hopefull return to form of Lallana, and an improving De Ridder, we have what it takes to maintain a challenge. Just for the record, those posters calling each other ****s and cocks etc because they don't agree with other, need to get a grip. You wouldn't speak like that to each other in the pub so how is it acceptable whilst behind a keyboard? And to question someone's 'worth' as a saints fan based on their beliefs for the rest of the season is as sane as Anne Frank having a drum kit.

Sufficiently patronised thank you. Come on Saints FFS!

Why the necessity to stipulate 'Northern ****hole' - would '****hole' alone not suffice?

Brompton Barracks - Chatham, Kent - is the home of the Corps of Royal Engineers. In that you are correct. However, over the years the Corps have trained elsewhere and everywhere including Aldershot to a large extent. Sappers by nature are everywhere hence the motto 'Ubique' (latin for 'everywhere') and subsequently train everywhere. Hope that helps.

As an ex sapper myself, I just love this. REgards to all. Ubique.

Better than Chester? Surely not??

Allow me to have my tuppence worth. My dad is outhampton and I still have an awful lot of family in the city still. The original point about 'slagging' 1 area off against another is commonplace. If I watch a comedian in 'Blacon' (a deprived area of Chester), he will undoubtedly take the p^^s out of someone from the'Lache'(another deprived area of Chester). A comedian will do whatever he can to get a laugh whatever the venue. Surely that much is obvious? Perhaps everyone should just chill a little. The bloke does a lot for charity and the forces (which gets my vote), so so what if he uses one Southampton estate astate against another? It's all done in mirth. It is only people on here calling others 'scum' which is intolerable to me, that is the only thing reprehensible about this entire post.

Excellent post Site Agent. A quote I think is rather apt for some on here - 'Every man thinks meanly of himself for not having been a soldier, or not having been at sea' Samual Johnson.

Just as an aside and really nothing to do with the original post as per 90% of this thread, when the fire brigade go on strike the Engineers in the good old green godessess's have to cover. Bare in mind we have received a small percentage of the training and a fraction of the money yet do the job cos that is what we do - get on with it with no bleating. As per some things posted previously, comparing squaddies with nurses? Yes they both have to deal with trauma injuries (for example) the latter do not inflict those injuries on their fellow man and then live with that fact. The 2 trades cannot possibly br compared. Here is something you should perhaps consider when begrudging a couple of fookin football tickets to some squaddies - you are 50% more likely to suffer mental illness if you have served in the armed forces than ANY other job. This thread was not started as a competition between soldiers, nurses etc so how as this gotten so far? Lads and lassess that get paid not an awful lot yet can see some ****ty things to be dealt with for the rest of their lives get a couple of free tickets here and there and some of you tw£ts think it is out of order? Seriously? Bunch of fookin tw£ts the lot of you. My old regiment have just lost yet another young lad (20 years old) and you c^^ts are arguing over free tickets. Get a fookin grip, dry your eyes and man up.