Shroppie

Austin scores for QPR

That's what I read. Agents who don't want to accept the new financial reality

Reported that KWP is not as bad as feared. Ready to resume training.

I think that has come and gone some time ago. I still wonder if we're playing hardball on the AMN one. It was said we want him, he wants to come if he can get playing time in midfield, which he will with our injuries, and Arsenal want him to come. It was said we only pulled out because of "increasing frustration with the agent" - greedy as usual.

This. We were not poor, apart from weak defending for the goal, but even that was well crafted and difficult to stop when the goal scorer arrives late and the CBs are retreating. JWP was out of position, but he's not really a RB. Otherwise we made chances, looked good going forward but lacked the final cutting edge/ luck to score. The officials made all the difference.

DON'T PANIC!

Real crisis at DM now. Romeu, Diallo, Smallbone all out. Romeu is a real blow: I thought he was making a difference especially when back with JWP.

This is a key point. The system is being used to measure millimeters when the margin of error with the lines is much greater, plus the ridiculous confused definition of what part of the arm is offside. But the choosing of the freeze frame is critical, but never challenged. One frame earlier last night and Danny is inside. And the VAR ref chooses. The ball is a blur in the shot of the frame used so it's impossible to be sure. It's open to subjectivity or worse.

When Saints send a player out on loan it hasn't, in recent times anyway, been a good sign for their future. I'm struggling to think of a player sent out on loan who's come back much improved and fired their way into contention. Ralph is on record saying the problem with players going elsewhere for playing time is other clubs don't play the same way as Saints, so they are not getting experience of playing in the system Ralph wants.

JWP won't want a rest and won't be rested.

Quite possible. Armstrong is only now getting back to his best.

Vestergaard, Romeu, Bertrand, Walker-Peters, Salisu, Obafemi, Tella, Smallbone, Djenepo.

Yes, that makes more sense.

Read elsewhere that Ralph has suggested Diallo could be RB. Can't find any reference, though.

My point exactly. We have shown this season we can match anyone. Even with players out we beat Liverpool. Despite the evidence of that, there are some who still insist we can't compete with the "big" clubs. It's time for Valery and Vokins to step up and show what they can do. I'm not sure Romeu is ready for tonight, but even if he is, I personally wouldn't move JWP to full back.

You never disappoint with your deliberate miserable pessimism. Shame it gives you so much pleasure. Really don't know what you're doing on this forum. Clearly not a Saints fan. But we've known that for a long time

Still scares the sh!t out of me most of the time. But credit due for one good save.

I rewound and froze it. Looked onside

Yes there is.

Their team is effectively their Europa line-up. They've won every Europa game

This feels too comfortable. With these teams we should be favourites but I fear a performance from the Arsenal reserves with a point to make.

Is one a penalty expert?

His age equals the sum of the rest of the bench

Understandable. Forster needs game time and the Cup is the only real option.

I'll accept that, if there is any element of interpretation, it's whether Mings had started a new phase of play as he brought the ball down. I think he did, as it was a deliberate movement - the ball didn't just flick off him - and, albeit briefly, he had the ball.