Gis

Playing almost a full team at Millwall in midweek seems to have played dividends. From the kick-off we played like a team that are coming together quickly, and that's both the players on the pitch, and the supporters in the stands. The highlights for me are that Forster is a solid keeper that should do us for the next 5 years, in Bertrand and Clyne we have two top full backs. Even missing Wanyama we bossed the midfield, and Tadic, Pelle and Long are a handful up front. Gaston could still be a special player, when he is on song he has more ability than anyone else in the team. Oh that he comes good this season. Morgan's first goal was replayed @ the match and looked a class strike as there was little to aim at. He will score lots of goals if we play with this formation all season. Support was good and Pelle and Long's efforts this week seems to have won at least the support away from St.Mary's around. Lots of chants for Jack Cork and Morgan too. If there were things that could have gone better then Tadic needs a bit more discipline, he could have argued himself into the book, and he should realise that actually JWP takes a far better free kick than he does - so shouldn't be so keen to grab the ball. I wasn't certain I would enjoy this season like last but I'm feeling pretty optimistic tonight.

Just back from the match. Thought Targett played really well and showed a lot of promise tonight against a decent Millwall side. Looks like we are well covered in this position.

Pelle got some real support from the fans at Millwall tonight. Another rubbish first half but he kept plugging away and played much better in the second. Missed at least 3 great chances but eventually scored in extra time. Wish someone would show him how to jump for the ball, but all in all he and the rest of the team might be showing a few signs that things are coming together slowly.

Lovren will be hard to replace without a doubt. But was he really so great after that mid season injury? Looked like he was living on the reputation he had built in the first part of the season to me. I also got a bit tired of his rolling about on the floor in agony routines in front of our fans that started at Palace away, and then got repeated in many games at the back end of the season. £20+ mill from Liverpool would seem like a good price for a flat track bully. I guess the only trouble is that we need good 2 Centre Backs and I can't see much change out of £30 mill for that, even if they are available.

Great option for the either a job alongside the Koemans, or as a replacement Dodd/Williams in charge of the U18s or even perhaps for Martin Hunter's U21s. Hope the report has some basis of truth, and is the start of a week of rebuilding.

What's with all the empty seats? Amazed that this isn't a sell out.

Great video. We've watched some really good football this season!

Looking forward to the report in the Daily Mail.

So, if he is so disinterested what was he doing sat watching the U18s on Saturday morning ? I would imagine as long as he gets a clear indication the 'project' will still be supported, he would still see this as a great opportunity. And by supported I mean actively encouraging players to stay like Luke Shaw and Calum Chambers, with sensible offers in the Summer reflecting their progression, and investing another couple of players of the standards of Lovren, Oswaldo, and Wanyama.

Thank you Nicola, you took the club from near extinction and left us in a brilliant position. And OK, whilst the Liebherr backing was the foundation, there have been many examples where money spent at other clubs has been wasted. Saints are well prepared for the future, even though things are uncertain now. Two massive regrets. 1. that I never made it to one of those famous dinner parties 2. that it looks there won't be the chance to reprint that 2010 Leeds programme cover from 2010(?) .......... with the subscript under the picture 'who the **** is laughing now'...........when we made it back into Europe Here's to success for you and your family in the future.

Probably in a minority of 1 but, yes please.

Liked the way Callum grabbed the ball from Nasri who had somehow figured that kicking the ball out had made it a City throw-in. I reckon it is always a good sign when a youngster shows an appreciation of the opposition, but not too much respect. Reminds me a fair bit of Mick Channon for some reason, although Channon struggled to run across a muddy pitch when he first started, Chambers, like Shaw both seem to be units already.

The rumours that Morgan signed for Arsenal really and was just with us for a few seasons under a gentlemens agreement were true after all. But he will join the Gunners only when he has finished his playing career with us, and as Arsene's replacement. (Seems a bit more clued up than yer average footballer, or perhaps I'm being unkind).

Thought he had a strong first half myself, and played a couple of short passes that split Hull's defense wide open which I haven't seem him do till now, and Morgan seems to have sorted out how to play alongside him. Bad mistake for their goal though, and good on MP to sub him when he did. I'm so looking forward to seeing a fully fit VW against Arsenal and Chelsea in a few weeks - fully expect him to boss both games.

A strange thread this is turning into. It sort of sums up what most people still find great about supporting your team though, good friends, a few scrapes and lots of memories.

Oswaldo's gonna score three

At last a replacement for Fabulous Frank Worthington!

4 brilliant signings (let's not forget Luke Shaw) make this the best ever transfer window for Saints. Glad I've got a season ticket, if we get a run going I don't expect there to be much 'walk up' this season. Time for some 2nd tiers for St. Mary's next please NC.

Missed the game after getting stuck in traffic in Karlsruhe on the way down. Gave up trying to make the match just past Salzburg, so we just headed for the mountains instead. Austria is an amazing country, Alps is a very luck bunny to live there. Roll on pre season 2014, I'll leave a bit earlier next year.

Loved the clip of him charging across the hot coals with the arrow. Has a great chance to come good this season, glad we kept him on.

The 'Marcus Liebherr St Mary's Stadium' would be a great and fitting tribute. A renaming of the Itchen Bridge to the Markus Liebherr Bridge might be more significant though.

Always remember one match where some whirling dervish wearing a sheepskin jacket kept re-appearing in the middle of mayhem in the Archers. Don't know if the police were being particularly lenient that day but after about the 3rd foray the rest of the ground had forgotten the match and was just laughing at this spectacle. Does someone remember was that Dougal?

Any of them would be brilliant. If pushed I reckon Wanyama would be a great purchase as he might be with us longer term than the others, and steady group of players seems to have worked so well for us since L1 And to think I was hoping we might get Liam Trotter last year!

Dance of the Knights by Prokofiev up at the Stadium of Light is pretty intense.

Simon Gillet, Lloyd James, Olly Lancashire ??.......,Alan the Llama, David McGoldrick (who owed 70% of the goals he scored in the youth team to AL)