Eric The Red

The main reason Adam is that you won't be more than a bit part player in Rodgers' attacking system vying for a place with Coutinho if/when he decides he can do without one of his ball winning midfield players. Do you really want to go from first name on the teamsheet to second name on the subs list?

Sissoko being on the list blows out the comments about needing to play for a 'Big 4' club out of the water. It seems to me Deschamps has his favourites and Morgan isn't one of them, end of Personally I'm delighted, less games, more recovery time and less likely to be seen as a top buy for money bags clubs like PSG

I was at the game yesterday, was not particularly disappointed by the side (though I would have preferred Jose to Jos) but like everyone really disappointed by the performance. However as some others have pointed out we still did enough to get a replay and we were definitely trying. I was very upset to go out of the cup yesterday but just as upset today reading the utter c*** posted on here by the bedwetters and the wums and by the lazy comments by ex pros and no mark ITV voice over commentators about how our 6 changes meant we were 'disrespecting' the FA Cup whereas Sunderland (having had no game midweek) were not by making their 9! I agree we have blown our best chance for ages for a great cup run but I really think that the main reason is the impact of our midweek trip to Hull (and Rickie's glaring miss)

Well done Fulham. I think they deserved it for working their socks off over the full 95 minutes. I would be delighted if they managed to stay up - and even more happy if we ended up sneaking past MU!

I was there in 81, Kop End with my Liverpool supporting mate - I managed a 'yep' as the ball hit the net and I was in the away end in 03. But I've also seen us lose (in the cup in 90) and draw in the late 70's. I think it was Phil Boyer for us to go 1 up and then hanging on for a point as we got battered in the second half

Thanks Chappers and good luck with your new club (when you get one) I thought he always gave 100% , seemed to be a really nice guy who was someone you would want as part of your team. Sadly not quite up to PL standard week in week out but we know he can do well in the championship.

I had the dubious pleasure of seeing his Saints debut at Barnsley. I thought his performance was of Ali Dia proportions and (iirc) he was incredibly lucky to stay on the pitch. Somehow we won the game but it was one of the last highspots in a season of abject failure which was typified by the acquisition of Mr Molyneux.

Just looked up the odds and it appears that Stoke are 500-1 with Bet 365. I know they are nearly safe but were so bad tonight 0 points from their last 2 games must be on the cards, worth a bet?

I don't disagree with the sendings off but he never had control of the game at any stage was inconsistent and just seemed to forget what he was doing for the double sending off. He first of all indicates a foul to us then sends off Ramirez runs around and sends off the WBA player and then gives them a free kick in a totally different part of the pitch to the first incident! I thought he was totally out of his depth and that it should have been pretty to obvious to anyone by half time that he shouldn't be refereeing in the Prem.

Good read as always Billy and now we only need 5 points for safety

The idiot on Facebook just shows how delusional they still are. The club will be majority owned by a bunch of not very rich businessmen. If they try to spend their way out they will get early success and then the money will run out and it will be begging bowls and threats of administration all over again. If they try to run it properly the 'natives' will quickly get restless and then they'll be dreaming of getting 10k crowds and getting in the draw for the FA Cup 3rd round on the off chance the can play us again.

Brilliant , spot on with your comments and made me laugh

Absolutely was a midfield player. Somewhen about ten years ago some bellend must have decided he was a striker because he scored so many goals! Any stats compilers after that are just copycats. Can we mount a campaign with SKY (who are of course the sole fount of knowledge on any matters Premiership) to correct this major error?

Re the Forest game (post 10) I was there and at the rearranged game. The thing I remember about the abandoned game was the steaming tea urn going round the pitch at half time. I swear it looked like a fog making machine! Forest were hopeless in the first game and if they had lost the 2 points dropped would have caused them to miss out on promotion. That would have meant no 1st Division championship for Forest in 77/78 or successive European Cups in the following 2 years, and it was all down to that tea urn.

Well oldsarum I'm impressed and a little dubious On Saturday i went to my 100th ground but I've only seen Saints at 80 of the current 92 and for at least 3 of these (Rotherham, Wimbledon and Oxford united) not their current ground As well as those three there are 11 teams who I can't remember us playing a competitive first team game at their current ground. These are: Crawley Town Bury Cheltenham T Burton Albion Fleetwood Town Chesterfield Morecambe York City Accrington Stanley Aldershot Barnet Which of these have I got wrong or are you counting friendlies/reserve games?

THERE'S ONLY ONE NIGEL ADKINS Top man, I've really enjoyed the last two and half years as much as any of my 40 plus years supporting the Saints. Shocked and bitterly disappointed at the way you were sacked. All the very best for the future and if you ever get the chance to manage a team at St Mary's again I'm sure you will get the warmest of receptions.

Looks to me like this story is coming from the Blackburn end. I think they're trying to generate some interest as they probably need to offload some expensive players. I certainly wouldn't have him over Yoshida who I think is settling in well

Re Reading having to pay for the tickets - that's just standard practice isn't it - and the reason why we often only take a smaller initial allocation and if they sell go back and get some more. More important as far as I'm concerned is why Reading's tickets for Man City away are £40 whereas ours were £51 and £49? (IIRC)

I was there! Tedious coach journey, leaving the day before the game, got 'kettled' in Hamburg by the police so saw nothing of the City and had to sit on solid bench seats which were so hard you needed to get a foam cushion to sit on. Oh and had golf balls thrown at us All in all a really great trip (not)

Yep, also just got three, minimum of fuss and plenty left

Hoping for 14-16, happy with Dalek, fear it will be 18-20 unless we do something about our defence

I think lower mid table (that's 11th to 15th btw) is perfectly feasible as long as most of our new signings come off. If Rickie and Adam can perform as well as I hope then even top half is possible. BUT its a fine line (just 2 or 3 wins) between comfort and being embroiled in the relegation battle.

Actually we weren't 'officially' promoted until the last game in 66, 78 and 11. Each time it would have needed a freak result to stop us going up. Hopefully we will make absolutely certain tomorrow. By the way I was there in 78 and 11. My brother was there in 66, does that count?

Lallana's always going to be the sort of player who is brilliant one minute, frustrating the next. As long as the brilliant bits keep coming that's fine by me. The really BIG failing is not scoring enough goals. He has/makes himself enough chances to score as many as Rickie and his failure to score in the last two home games may be the difference between being Champions and also rans this year.

Lots of names on this thread I agree were much better than expected, special mention to Case and Crouch but the all time winner has to be: Chrissie Marsden Football Genius