VectisSaint

I support having KWP and Perraud, but note that Livramento is not even on the bench. Injured?

They can't until 2023.

Decent result, it was important not to lose, a win would have been better of course, but makes our hand stronger overall.

Spurs. Its not a hate thing though, just that when I started going they were our historic rivals (which presumably had dated back to the Southern League days, no I'm not that old). That's always stuck with me, yes I've 'hated' others since, Man U especially, Liverpool more recently, but it always comes back to the rivalry that was there when I first stood on the Milton Road terrace back in 67. No one really even cared about Pompey back then, we hardly ever played them, they were just the team down the road that lots of people went to see when Saints were away.

Big game on Wednesday (Oxford away).

Spot on Charlie. We were completely out fought in midfield, torn to shreds by their midfield 3, with Coutinho (usually) completely unmarked. Ralph tried to fix the problem second half but it was too late and their quickfire post half time goals finished us off before we could get the revised system going. It was always likely that eventually a team would do this to us, when we play with two in the middle and two CBs behind with the FBs bombing forward. In some ways it is surprising no one has done us before, perhaps it is just that previously Oriol and JWP have played out of their skins to counter it, unfortunately yesterday they were both well below par. I don't think the CBs actually played badly, and I don't think Salisu would have made that much difference on the day, you cannot expose a CB pairing to what we saw yesterday and expect them to deal with it. Ralph clearly set up to win the game but failed in my opinion to take account of Villa and how they would set up[ and play. Coutinho is a superb player and has the capability of pulling any team apart. Ralph should have started Diallo alongside Romeu and JWP, but the trouble is that we only have 3 effective CMs, so it would have left us with no one on the bench. To me, CM remains the position where we need to strengthen, don't get me wrong, we have some of the best around, but we need more cover in there. None of our attacking MFs really have the ability to drop back into the middle and defend effectively. Yesterday we were tactically out thought and outnumbered, and we lost to a better (on the day) team as a result. Coutinho given a licence to roam (unmarked) with Luiz, McGinn and Watkins all pulling the strings in MF, and with Watkins being very much on form meant we were no match for them. I think Newcastle will be a completely different matter unless Howe suddenly finds a genius in midfield and some other competent players to out muscle us again.

Completely out played in midfield, where we are usually so strong, JWP and Romeu really could not get a look in, and Villa were very strong there. Bit of a reality check, nothing really went right, our passing was off, we lacked energy, our interceptions didn't work. To be frank I think Gerrard with Coutinho just outthought Ralph today, but so many of our dependable players just were not at the races. Put that down to experience, draw a line and go again and (though it grates) credit to Villa.

No Long on the bench, we might struggle. 😉

Why? Has scored very few in last 2 seasons for a reason. More likely that Mings or Chambers will score to be honest (but I know what will happen now of course).

Why Smallbone, having a good game. Diallo is having a mare, Djenepo is just not very good, but he has improved as the half progressed.

Imagine there is complete meltdown on here with that lineup. Think we know what the priorities of the club are now. There is no logical sense in resting Forster for instance.

Sam Gallagher (undisc - thought I read 5m), Jankewitz (undisc), Callum Slattery (undisc), Harrison Reed (6m), Matt Targett (15.6m), Jordan Turnbull (undisc), Dom Gape (undisc), Jason McCarthy (undisc), Obafemi (1.5m). Slim pickings since 2015. Don't know whether loan fees would be included for players we loaned during this period. Did we benefit from any sell-on fees (Alex O-C)? Of course at the beginning of 2014/15 season we sold Shaw, Lallana and Chambers (68m for the three).

You need to look at recent results, yes there was a huge gulf at the beginning of the season, then it was huge between Ipswich/Saints and the rest, but things have changed. The group of teams below the top 3 have caught up (in terms of results/performances, not points). It seems to be the way in Ladies/Girls football, there are a few much more professional sides ready to go at the start of the season and others who need a few weeks/months to get organised properly. It was the same when I coached girls football, the standard of the top few clubs did not change much over the season, but some of the lower clubs improved dramatically over time, by which time of course it was all over (in terms of winning or doing well in the league). Gillingham, London, Crawley, MK Dons and dare I say it even Pompey are all capable of giving the Top 3 a decent game now. Have a poke around on the league web site (Fulltime) and look at the recent results. Ipswich have drawn 3 of their last 6, all against teams outside the Top 3.

Actually it isn't. Apart from Hounslow most other teams have improved since early in the season. Results against those outside the top 3 are no longer foregone conclusions, that is why Ipswich and Oxford remain well within reach, because they have dropped points elsewhere.

We can play Broja in the FA Cup (according to the rules), it is only the Premier League where he is not permitted to play (to the best of my understanding). Whether Chelsea and Saints agreed otherwise is open to question, but don't assume he can't play.

The focus has been on Ipswich all season, but actually Oxford are in a better position than Ipswich, taking games in hand into account. Think we need to win against both to be sure of being top.

No. He pops into people's houses to watch MoTD, never said they were in the UK. You can watch BBC from overseas, if you choose to set yourself up correctly, places like Switzerland for example (or is it just a coincidence that Prof has a profile icon (or whatever its called) that is the Swiss flag, I don't know.

I didn't say that I thought it was a good idea, merely pointing out what (I believe) has happened, really doesn't matter what we think, its a done deal. But this is what a #2 Keeper is for, isn't it? Cover for when your first choice is unavailable, long term injuries to keepers are fortunately fairly rare. McCarthy isn't completely useless, indeed the beginning of this season right up until the game he was injured he was far better than last season (as stated by many on here). What I do wonder is why it is taking him so long to get back to fitness, a hammy for a keeper does not usually take this long to recover, perhaps Ralph lost it with him after his last game and told him he was no longer wanted, he was certainly fairly pissed off at the time.

I suspect Forster already has other plans for next season, as do Saints. McCarthy will be our #2.

Pretty sure that he was offered a new contract based on being No 2, Forster was also offered same but declined. The theory was that we would be bringing in a new #1. So, based on that and that things have developed since the Summer Saints could, in theory offer Forster a new contact as #1, on the other hand his mind may already have been made up and he has plans for next season already in place.

Maybe Prof is not based in the UK.

Very much doubt that anyone (other than Chelsea) can buy him before 2023, without the agreement of Chelsea (it will have been written into transfer agrrement/contract) After 2023 Chelsea get first refusal. Don't actually think Man U specifically would be very interested and seriously doubt Tino would want to go there anyway.

But he wasn't in the form of his life. Last season he missed a lot through illness and injury and scored only 12 PL goals (compared to 22 the season before, in just 9 more games). The writing was on the wall last season, and hence why I think Saints didn't really push the boat out to try to keep him. I would have preferred him to stay but really we haven't lost too much based on last season, and it wasn't too surprising to see him struggle at Villa.

I'm sure you'll manage somehow.

The deal for Bertrand was nothing to do with Saints, he was out of contract.