Crazy Diamond

Man of the Match without a doubt.

Name me a league that isn't tough - for example, in the Championship it's often said that 'anyone can beat anyone' - which is something I think they said about League One when we were there.

Ricky Holmes might want to remember that he's spent most of his career in non-league. I remember him playing for Chelmsford only about three years ago. They have a sh*t squad and sh*t management. Not difficult to see why they're in trouble.

According to the bloke sat behind me at Stamford Bridge his performances aren't a problem - and I quote: "I don't care if Osvaldo is sh*t, he's a lad"

lulz Yeah I didn't think it was. Cabbie told me it was, must have been a strange joke.

Slightly different to the thread, but is the Marriott in a red light district? Was told by a cabbie recently that it is - was unaware of that when I booked my stay, I assure you... Need to brush up on my Glasgow geography, will be there for about a month next year.

'Only' £75k. Christ...

I'm going to be working with Team England at the Commonwealth Games up there next year. It's going to be fun decked out in red and white walking through the streets of Glasgow a matter of weeks before the independence vote... Not.

Sing it after five minutes. That's how many games he won in the league.

Whoa whoa whoa. You've yet to make good on the foam hands. One thing at a time.

Andy Awful in charge is great news. This is the bloke who said Marc Wilson was a Champions League worthy player - that fine player judgement led him to become their academy boss. Just think of how good he'll be for the first team!

I really hope his sacking means the end of this chant. Really, really hope.

Been around for ages hasn't he? Seem to remember he also scored against England for 1 - 1 at Wembley, maybe the first game there? Steve McLaren was on camera and quite clearly said "sh*t".

The stock market. Does it actually work as it was billed to? As in, invest in a company, mess up their rival, your share price rises? I've yet to see it and looking at forums the popular opinion is that no, it doesn't actually happen.

Are we seriously suggesting we should consider breaking up the best defensive partnership in the league? The country, even? Almost the best in Europe.

Dave Kitson, apparently. He let it slip in an interview with Danish television, in which he spoke of his fondness for Denmark because of holidays he had there as a kid - something that's in the book...

That first goal is brilliant.

Beyond me why they keep referring to the 4 - 1 victories - for the reason Wes points out, but also, haven't we done them by four or five in the past? If it's relevant to bring something up from eight and a half years ago, is it not also relevant for us to bring something up from 40-odd years ago? Moral high ground - we're on it, looking way down below...

I think the reality is that, typical of football, he was loved in places, liked in places, disliked in places, hated in places. He was in the third category when it came to Wimbledon. I'm not saying I agree with it by the way.

An acquaintance of mine is AFC Wimbledon's resident hack - here's what he wrote about the blue few after the game: "Them: Portsmouth were one of my least favourite clubs growing up in the Plough Lane days, and they definitely had that air that Luton did in the Conference You know, the high and mighty attitude, the what-the-****-are-we-doing-here-in-this-****hole-Wimbledon-are-crap-it’s-their-cup-final mentality no doubt many of you came across yesterday. Here’s why Pompey are playing **** teams like us : it’s because they spunked every penny up the wall and welched every time they had to pay it. In truth, they’re lucky to still be around, let alone be in the Football League. And I won’t get into the press facilities at Fratton Park… Still, it’s a shame that World Cup winner, former Pompey boss and ginger pubed tosser Alan Ball isn’t still around, as I wonder if he would have really stuck his head around the dressing room door yesterday and squeaked about “here endeth the first lesson”, as he allegedly did in the 80s? Not that anyone would have understood him, bar the residents of Battersea Dogs Home. As for Pompey in 2013, they really aren’t very good. One of the worst teams your editor has seen play us this season, and perhaps going to the Conference isn’t so far fetched for them? They’re also “fan owned”, although interestingly it seems that they have a certain percentage of non-fan ownership that shouldn’t (in theory) cripple them. Which may not go down well with some of our fans, but any side looking to go down supporter-ownership routes – usually because things have gone pearshaped – would be wise to look at their model rather than ours. Of course, this being Pompey, they’re bound to have yet another financial crisis before long. And no doubt they’ll try and wriggle their way out of that, too. To be fair to Connolly and Wu-Tang, they seemed appreciative of the applause beforehand, and one wonders what they really thought of the events up to and including 28/5/02? Though I accept that the vast majority of footballers say what they’re told to say, and as such I can dismiss any ill-judged comment made by any player back then. They had a trumpet player who was consistently out of tune – so bad it was almost funny. Oh, and it was also very funny sitting in front of the away directors and seeing one of them getting very, ahem, animated…"

Connor Wickham did a similar thing for Help the Heroes. http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/sheffield-wednesdays-connor-wickham-donate-2719834

Similarly I spoke to someone who works within Crystal Palace. In a meeting with Steve Parrish, he said that he has never worked somewhere where someone can suddenly approach him and say 'oh by the way I need another half million for XYZ'. The first thing they did at Palace was cut that out - there is a budget and not a bottomless pit. Can you imagine someone like Redknapp working there? "Yeah I know there's a budget Steve but I need another £12m in cash for Chris Samba, he's triffic, and he'll need £100k in wages a week." It didn't do Palace any harm. Living within their means they went from administration to promotion within a few years.

Why would anyone make that comparison?

Best I have ever seen us play in the near ten years I've been attending Saints games - I realise to the more seasoned of posters on here that ten years isn't long but there we go. I've always been one to judge after ten games and one game short of that, it seems we're going to have a great season. Fingers crossed for more performances like that. The transformation from this time last season is quite remarkable when you think that starting XI last night only had two new faces - Lovren and Wanyama (Boruc has been with us just over 13 months now). I think individually we have some good players, but as a team it's so, so strong. Compare that to Fulham who have some very gifted players but as a team they don't pull it off. All in all, very good.

Hope he got what he wanted, if not, a decent amount of it. He did a great job for us and one that should never be forgotten. The way we dispensed with him was less than fair but unfortunately this is modern day football.