The Left Back

I think I read today that in the 50 years after winning the World Cup before Southgate we won 6 knockout games in major tournaments. Southgate won 9 in 8 years. Hope I remember that correctly, I'm sure someone will say if not. Regardless of any opinions those figures alone say he is a better manager than most give him credit for. Add to that the 'club feeling' he has clearly installed in England, the connection wit thew fans the team now have and the way he conducts himself in his job and I think he's done an excellent job. On the other side, there's no doubt in my mind he's struggled with the creative potential at his disposal, and the recent evolution of the high press that most big clubs have adopted. He seems a more conventional coach and has an instinct for defence more than attack. Many feared England's ability to defend in this tournament but we were actually very well drilled and Guehi arguably our best player. I think we may have lost anyone on Sunday anyway, but I would have liked him to persist with wingbacks and a back three so that Foden and Bellingham could both have been given more chance to shine. Setting up a back four against a 4-3-3 is a safer play, which where I think criticism of him is fair. Overall, the second most successful manager in our history and I wish him well.

I don’t get this attitude. It was a 50/50 pen call , soft but ‘never in a million years’ WTF. ’worst performing side in the tournament’ - really? You sound like you have a chip in your shoulder. Jammiest team in the tournament? I’m just occupying a different planet to you.

I watched in Majorca with Spanish commentators, so no aural influence. Not sure if it was for this reason but I thought we deserved to win. We played better than in previous games, much further up the pitch and more fluid. The subs were all good and great to see Shaw back. We should have enough to win the semi, no matter who it is momentum is important in sport and we have it. Spain/France will be favourite to win whoever they plan, which will suit us if we can get there.

Expect the new government to go large on eye catching policies that don’t cost money (and could actually save a few quid). Justice, and prison sentences in particular, qualifies as low hanging fruit. And if it upsets a few of the Daily Mail crowd then even better.

One thing I haven't seen discussed much so I thought I'd bring it here, and that is the unlikely and frankly mind-blowing prospect of the Lib Dems winning enough seats to become His Majesty's Opposition. How much more swing, or tactical voting, or margin for error would it take for that to happen? The You Gov poll just out has Tories on 102 seats, Lib Dems on 72. Before I get jumped on for being a fantasist, I'm not predicting it, and expecting the result tomorrow to be closer than the polls are saying. But the possibility of this must surely be at least there in the background? On a related subject, this shift to the left in UK politics seems to be at odds with shifts to the right going around Europe. The Lib Dem renaissance is an under-reported feature of this election. If you add in SNP, Green and Plaid the progressives could take nearly 550 seats. What's causing this? Is it simply Tory incompetence or something else? Perhaps we might have stumbled on the first benefit of Brexit?

Looks like he's signed. I'm pleased. He's a very good left back and I think he's just what we need for the way we play.

I thought Turkey was in Europe? Austria will be pleased with their bye tomorrow evening when your revelation reaches UEFA.

I think Bednarek has improved a lot since those early years in the Prem. and I’m hoping THB will be as good as the potential he’s shown. I’m not as down on Stephens than you but agree he’s probably not good enough to start in a back 4. But he’s good for the squad and will get plenty of minutes, especially if/when we play 3 at the back. i agree with you re creativity as Stuey going leaves a hole that no one else fills. Lallana is the nearest but I'm not sure if that is going to work (I wouldn’t have signed him). We may well end up sacrificing some creativity for solidity in midfield and rely on wide players to be the source of chances (wing backs or wide forwards in 433). at the end of the day I’d be delighted if we signed a top notch CB and creative midfielder. My broader point was that I’d like to see the core of our side start the season as first choice with only 3/4 new faces at most in our first starting 11.

It's been said by several on here before but I'll have a go. We have not left this club. ECHR membership is 46 countries (EU only 27 I think). When the country voted for Brexit it didn't vote to leave the continent of Europe. I think I read the only European countries not in this club are Belarus and Russia, the latter having been expelled for invading a fellow member. Are we really wanting to be joining those two? I believe this is merely another populist sabre to be rattled to shore up support among the (thankfully) aging isolationists we have in our midst.

As I said, I realise I'm swimming against the tide. You've mixed in some stuff I agree with and some stuff we part company on. I've highlighted the latter. I meant that the last four games, two v Leeds and two v West Brom, after the massive disappointment of missing out on auto-promotion, we actually looked relatively comfortable and by far the better side

I might be swimming against the tide here but I'm hoping for fewer signings than most appear to be on this thread. Some of the shopping lists seem to suggest seven, eight , even nine changes to the starting line up. To me that is an incredibly high risk strategy in terms of the tightness of the squad but also learning the way we play. There was a togetherness about the squad last year that I think is worth more than we might imagine. And a resilience to bounce back from two poor runs of form to get promoted - with some ease it has to be said. So the only upgrades I'd hope for are probably goal keeper, left back and striker. It's great we got THB and hopefully Downes and Fraser to follow. We've already signed Lallana which I was a bit 'meh' about but happy to trust RM's judgment on. Che will need replacing (assuming he doesn't stay, which I am ambivalent about). I don't think McCarthy is the answer either as first choice or (because of wages) back up. I'd like to see if ABK has matured (physically, technically and attitude) because there is a cracking player in there somewhere. And I'd be very happy if Alcatraz can be reintegrated. Sulemana is the big unknown but as others have said, still open to improvement and likely to fancy the Premier League more than a proper English division. Obviously if KWP goes he needs replacing.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cxwwzmn12g9o I think this is more likely to materially effect our fossil fuel evolution than Just Stop Oil

I remember the George Davis is innocent damage to Headingley - dug up the pitch and poured oil over it. As a 10 year old I was a bit miffed that I couldn't watch any cricket that day. But I think the protest worked because the publicity lead to a case review, which lead to his release on the basis his conviction (for robbery?) was unsafe. I guess also the Poll Tax riots worked? Protesting can work but I'm guessing it's hard to get it right. I saw a couple of the early Extinction Rebellion disruptions in central London and they seemed to have the tone and message about right but they ended up losing their way as well. The Just Stop Oil thing is getting publicity but I'm not convinced it's an effective protest.

I'll risk being accused of mansplaining (my least favourite modern mash-up word - it just doesn't flow). I think this thread is mixing up 'tax take' and 'tax burden' and confusing contributors. If I understand correctly...tax take (the amount of tax received by a government) going up would be a generally good thing as it would indicate economic health/growth/wealth creation. Tax burden going up (the amount each person/household/company pays in tax, often expressed as a % of income/revenue) is what the Conservatives have caused and what they predict Labour will exacerbate. It's the more divisive topic. At least this is my understanding. I'm sure I'll be told if I'm wrong.

Given the state of the polls I think it's understandable and legitimate that our next PM gets an increased level of scrutiny and particularly from those who don't instinctively trust the Labour Party. Keir and crew have an enormous job trying to repair the toxic, divided, hollowed out mess they will inherit and so any lines of attack, whether from genuine curiosity or cynical dislike would be expected. The Tories are getting less scrutiny in part because the scrutineers are their mates but more because their track record is there for all to see and also because almost no one expects their manifesto to be executed. Personally I'd have liked Labour to have given itself more wiggle room in terms of fiscal policy, Europe and the climate but they've chosen a safer route to victory and I suppose who can blame them for that.

I see there is a large gathering taking place in Dover. A 14 hour drive-in party to celebrate Brexit.

It’s going to be like this. We can’t have all 8 rivals lose every week. It’s so close I’m not sure who we’re going to be most wanting to lose for another 5 or 6 games. For now that looks a decent set of half time scores

80% according to salmonsi. My 2 years is up, I’m living on borrowed time. Sadly the salmon is no longer with us (on the forum I mean)

On what basis are you making this claim? That doesn't really count as a prediction unless the game gets abandoned for terrorism, snow or a more likely a waterlogged pitch Agree with this. It is indeed.

Looking at the post L1 era signings, for me it has to be Steven Davis at £1m I think. Obviously the maths answer is Van Dijk but where’s the fun in that?

I've long since given up predicting how this season will play out. In terms of Saints we are better away than at home. We are better against better teams. We've had about 10 'must wins' in a row. We're only 2 points off safety and 4 off 12th. We're the bookies favourites to go down and they're not often wrong. None of the others has more points than us from the last 6 games, and only Wolves and Forest more in the last 10. And that's just us. Palace and Forest are in freefall. Wolves, Leicester and WHU bumbling along. Bournemouth, Leeds and Everton are up and down like a yoyo. Anyone of the nine teams could put a run of three wins in a row together and disappear from the equation, but no one does. There's nine teams trying really hard to get relegated but only three can be successful. If we run this scenario 10 times I reckon we'll be relegated in 7. So who knows? I feel liberated from the fear because we should be buried by now. Selles has given us something to cling on to and I'm grateful for that at least. As for this Sunday, who the fuck knows? Defeat looks pretty terminal. A draw might look ok or it might see the gap grow, but impossible to say as 6 of the bottom 9 play each other. A win and we can all get a little more excited. On thing I would wager. 36/7 points will be enough to stay up this season. 9 teams are averaging less than a point a game. They won't all rectify that from here on. No predictions here for Sunday just COYS

A brilliant day. Very fond memories. I know it was only a tin-pot trophy but that wasn't really the point. It was a celebration of the corner we had turned. We didn't know we'd go on and get consecutive promotions and have 4 top-ten finishes in the premier league. But it did feel like redemption after a depressing slide downwards. We also didn't know our saviour would soon be no longer with us. Looking at the team I think there's only 4 I'd have in our current side - Fonte, Antonio (based on what he became rather than the very raw talent he was then), Lambert and Lallana. Perhaps Davis if it prevents another Bazunu-based onslaught.

This is utter bollocks. Are you seriously saying that those of us who voted to remain and who are still waiting to see any benefits from Brexit are 'desperate for the country to go to shit'? I rarely agree with you but can usually see where you are coming from. This time you just sound bitter and twisted.

I see the mighty toffees have been referred to the bean counters. If they act quickly could we see a points deduction and one of the relegation places snatched away from us?

I think you might be mixing up two different points. The 'tsunami of bile' is coming from you, Crabb and Goyle. By contrast Soggy's stream is clearly contained by his inability/choice to post more than three times a day. You might like to try that level of self-constraint; I think we'd all benefit. PS I think this is my third and final post of the day, so apologies for not being able to respond to your next oh-so-sharp-and-witty response.