derry

I just don't get Southgate. He has always been the same underachiever. I have always been brought up to believe when selecting teams keep it simple. The big picture is really important. The rules are simple, avoid the trap of picking any formation first. No square pegs in round holes. Blend and balance is all important.If two players don't blend, ie Bellingham and Foden then only one selected playing both messes up the blend same with Gerrard and Lampard. Great players but together they ruined the team. Looking at Southgate's selected teams he virtually breaks all those rules. Right footed left back, full back in midfield, two attacking central midfielders, a central striker playing deep. Consequently there is no team, no blend or balance and no natural shape and boy did it look rubbish. Pickford, Walker Stones Guehi Shaw,( back four) Bellingham Rice (midfield) . Eze Palmer (wings), Kane, Toney or Watkins. Strikers. Just a simple selection but passes all the criteria. Other players can be selected to give three centre backs plus wing backs and for example two midfield and three forwards. It doesn't matter about the shape because the selection gives the shape. Up to now England have been a shapeless mess.

Born in London, Danish mother, opted for Denmark.

The West Ham link is interesting. I can see us improving defensively on KWP which we will need in a lot of games in the Premier League. There is no doubting his attacking ability but primarily we need to be able to defend. I can see the possibility of KWP going and Downes plus Ings coming the other way with WHU picking up a proportion of Ings salary. Plus a bit of cash. Personally I want to see three centre backs and full backs that can defend when required.

Foden returning for the birth of his third child.

In my opinion Southgate broke some cardinal selection rules. Firstly to achieve a balanced team all the players must play as near as possible in their normal positions. Secondly bringing one injured natural left back was manifestly stupid. The next best English left back should have been included in the squad. Having selected the best team in their natural positions that would exclude, Trippier, Alexander-Arnold, Foden or Bellingham. Two top players for the same position. So pick the best on form alternatively change the System. Personally I'd play Rice and Bellingham together with a three of a natural left and right wide player and Foden in his natural position with Kane up front with instructions to play off the last defender. As Shaw isn't fit Trippier could at a pinch play as a defensive full back with a winger in front. We were woeful down our left side even when Eze came on he played infield so was inneffective. In addition our tempo was far too slow with absolutely no pressing, just retreating. We need to have a hard press and a high tempo. I don't rate Southgate and feel he is manager because he won't embarrass the FA.

RIP Elijah.

Or even not playing at West Ham.

It looks like FFP is biting. Forest, Everton, Aston Villa, Leicester, Chelsea and Newcastle reported as having to sell players before June 30th to avoid potential points deductions. Apart from the really big fees there could probably be deals available further down the scale. Broja, Fraser for example.

I've noticed in the past where developers for economic reasons exclude affordable housing have to make an equivalent contribution to allow affordable housing to be built on a different site.

If you've got SKY go to 'catch up tv' select Sky, Sports. The highlight program is on there.

I don't see him as physically combative but I do think in the ten years since he has left, six years at Liverpool, four at Brighton, European cups and internationals has battle hardened him.

I remember talking to Lallana's father at St Mary's when the rumours started, of course he catogorically denied there was any chance of him leaving. Then on an England squad he appeared with a Liverpool shirt according to the press. After that it all kicked off and he left. It left sour taste but for me he was history. Until now, a week or so ago around Brighton's last match although De Zerbi had stated he would like him to sign on again Lallana understandably stated he'd been four years at Brighton and wanted to play on nearer to his home. Ringwoodish ?? I thought then really it was us or Bournemouth he was thinking of. Our connection with him doesn't surprise me. Personally I think he would be a good fit for us despite my reservations. We need less youth and a few battle hardened veterans a la Lawrie McMenemy as long as they aren't overpaid. Lallana has been around the block since he left and would give us a bit of knowhow. On another subject another player that performed well in the Premier was Ross Barkley,

I watched the Leeds v Norwich game and until Norwich's stupidity conceding the free kick goal it was pretty poor. After that the Leeds crowd woke up and Norwich just succumbed. I didnt rate Leeds performance as special but I was hearing and reading that they had suddenly morphed into the free scoring invincibles and that they only had to turn up to reclaim their rightful place in the Premier league. I just didn't buy that. Apparently us beating them twice didn't rate as a problem together with their end of season implosion and failure to win through the play offs on five occasions. That's not to say I was confident that we would win through but I just felt we were in better form than Leeds despite the rhetoric regarding the Norwich win. Several games stood out for me as a more accurate indication how the game would go. The away league game v WBA, the away league game v Leeds, The play offs v WBA as I remember we played our three centre backs. For me that was the key. Yesterday proved it. Alex McCarthy had the best game I've seen him play particularly his punching and claiming crosses. The three centre backs gave us three proper defenders plus two wing backs that worked their socks off and nullified the Leeds wide men. the midfield competed and Armstrong was a problem for Leeds all day. It was a shame Brooks was injured and I was surprised that Edozie replaced him. The commentators before the game said that the team with the best defence would win and that happened. Fair play to Russell Martin he got his team selection and tactics spot on. The best thing I can say about Saints is that they gave a sublime team performance and did a proper job on Leeds who could easily have lost by more than one goal.

When I went to the League cup final on a coach there were people around the coach park by the stadium trying to sell Saints section tickets. Might be worth a try.

Interestingly the human vision is estimated to be between 30-60fps however it is thought that there are individuals who can see better than this.

That was a potential banana skin avoided. Martin seems to have a screw loose. Picking the innocuous Mara was ludicrous. No pace, no dynamism, a stroller no place in this match. Personally in the circumstances Sulemana would have caused WBA problems with his pace if Mara had to be the choice. KWP backed off after he was clattered. Manning passing backwards instead of driving forward negating his only use because defensively he is poor. I prefer the three centrebacks because we need them however Stephens needs a kick in the backside to cut out the casual giveaway. I thought Downes had a good game, Aribo was Aribo and Smallbone passed well at times but unloads the ball unecessarily and needs to sprint at times rather than stroll. Armstrong worked hard so all in all it was acceptable. McCarthy had his best game in years. Brooks was poor. Stewart looks a decent player finding his way back in.

That was a decent display. It was a shame that Stephens blotted his copybook dwelling on the ball and losing it followed by a shank from THB allowing their goal. The three centrebacks worked really well together which released the full backs and kept them wide. We played forward much quicker which caused Leeds problems. Downes was imperious whilst Aribo, Smallbone, Adams and Armstrong worked hard. That was McCarthy's best game for a long time. The right time to put in a good performance. Personally I think this is the way for us to play with three at the back.

Stephens wasn't alone in a lack of determination to sprint back, Smallbone, Brooks, Charles and Mara were particularly lacking so it was really half the team, no wonder we looked so hopeless. The goal had directly nothing to do with Stephens but Bree wasn't goalside of both Campbell and THB so once he sold THB the dummy he was free to get his shot away. If Bree had been goalside he would have been able to challenge. Bree was in a poor position and should have been goalside of THB, that was his fault and choice.

Because Bree took up a stupid position and wasn't goal side of THB therefore in a position to block the attacker. As for Stephens he was sloping back rather than busting a gut so was never in any position to help. He might even have got back if he had sprinted flat out. His lack of effort was glaring. Martin should stop trying to fit him in.

I watched Hull v Ipswich last night. Both teams were relentless with their urgency and effort. Saints yesterday were appalling. While a few players showed some urgency the managers tactics of slow rotational passing has bred a lack of urgency amongs certain players. Yesterday Smallbone, Brooks, Mara, Charles and especially Stephens not busting a gut to get back for the goal were examples of strolling players. That is not acceptable. I'll say that again, NOT ACCEPTABLE. Martin needs to address this tempo issue. These players obviously think the way they play is enough in itself, it isn't and they need to be given a wake up call. Leeds are on the back foot now and if Ipswich get anything against Coventry with Huddersfield next at home Leeds will need to beat us. Make no mistake they will be giving everything but will we. Leicester had a third possession against us and hammered us 5-0. Leeds could to the same. All our players need a big wake up call. Possession without urgency and effort is useless as we have recently found out. Tossing it aound aimlessly in our own half doesn't cut it. Unless we grasp that, the playoffs will be a humiliation.

H&W quote above was excellent. Personally I'm spitting chips. The penultimate game of the regular season and tinkerman messes it up again. He might be a possession obsessive but he doesn't still know his best team, worse the slow own half possession is mind numbing. Brooks and Smallbone are strollers, Mara has no idea, Edozie is a one trick pony and usually the move ends with his possession. Anybody who thinks that playing this way we are going to win the playoffs including the manager is deluded.

I thought that game last night was appalling. The manager selected a poor team for a start. McCarthy, Rothwell and Brooks don't fit in. Secondly as Leicester were a counterattacking team with two good wide men and a decent striker plus Dewsberry-Hall we had to have a plan to protect against breakaways, we didn't. Our possession statistics are a nonsense. 68% with probably 60% around our own penalty area. Not only that it was pedestrian with no pass and move. We gave the ball to Leicester on numerous occasions. We couldn't even play long. With Brooks wide we were very light. Personally I thought of the players available Armstrong, Adams and Fraser up front. Smallbone, Charles and Aribo. Then we come to the back four. I prefer Bree at left back and KWP on the right with THW and Bednarek. Give Lumley a go in goal. The fullbacks when we conceded the goals were KWP and Manning both poor defenders and incapable of closing down and even more so with the Kamikaze tendency to both get so far up the pitch they are incapable of getting back. Last night four Leicester breaking THB and Bednarek on their own and Aribo lacking the pace to keep up with both fullbacks well behind another simple goal. We had to play a proper back four and a compact midfield and play on the break. Martin made no sense in the interview because he was in denial. He must think people are stupid. We need two results now, beat Stoke and a narrow defeat to Leeds so that we can get both Leicester and Leeds out of the playoffs.

After joining BOAC/BA Eric lived for many years in Camberley however his mother lived in Testwood. After retirement in 1996 at some point he moved back to the area. He lived in Chilworth for a number of years and a couple of years ago he moved to Romsey. I knew Eric, but not that well when he was at Peter Symonds, I met up with him again at BALPA in the early eighties and have been in contact with him ever since. Although I've spoken to his wife a couple of times since his death I haven't yet heard the PM result. It was a terrible surprise, so unexpected.

That was hopeless. Far too slow, no shape, where is Brooks supposed to be playing, looks like anywhere but on the right. Rothwell is anonymous.

Eric was a good friend of mine. We both had season tickets in Block 5 along with Weston Saint and his brother Mike, He was real Saints supporter and even after giving up his season ticket he continued to watch all the Saints games, Eric was very much a local, a Testwood lad who lived in Sylvia Crescent as a youngster. He went to Peter Symonds in Winchester, thence to Hamble and BOAC which along with BEA became British Airways. I knew Eric when we were both going to School but not that well. However years later when we were both involved in the pilots union BALPA we met up again. For me, Eric was a great bloke who said it how it was. I will miss him RIP Mate.