jam

Interesting article, although quite similar - word for word in places - to this one in the Guardian from January: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2011/jan/28/southampton-alex-oxlade-chamberlain

I've got to say, the enthusiasm of Ben's posts is quite refreshing.

No, but they can grind out a wearing, demoralising draw.

Home, away?

You might be thinking of Le Tiss. There's a picture of him playing in what I think is either Steve Claridge or Alan Knight's testimonial at FP, and he's pulled up his Portsmouth shirt to reveal a Southampton shirt beneath. Claridge is in front of him and the expression on his face is priceless...

Yes, he did the arm.

Guly good. Didn't score but he makes opportunities that others simply can't. The people behind me very quick to moan about him none time they were grumbling about one of his 'bad' passes and had to go all quiet when Harding (I think) ran onto it. Then again, last week the old fella behind me who keeps hitting me on the head judged Forte as 'that useless donkey that he signed from his old club'...

It used to make me chuckle when people on here were speculating that we'd be getting Coppell in as DoF. Surely the wrong way round...

He was very good in the first half. Made a couple of fantastic tackles.

I wasn't a Pardew fan but think he really did well for us in terms of the players he brought in. Fonte, Lambert, Jaidi, Hammond, Harding and Butterfield have all been good on the pitch as player but also seem to have excellent attitudes as honest professionals. It's really easy to support this team at the moment.

It's the only 25 minutes that counts...

You're describing a twisted hybrid of Paul Lambert and Tony Pulis...

Anyone know why they seem to dislike adkins?

I'll go for the obvious - injury to Lallana. He seems to get injured a bit as well...

He's a good left back, decent at left midfield and can do a job in the centre of midfield. Harding's got the spot at the moment but Dickson is not a significantly inferior player by any stretch.

I think Harte played centre back for most of last season but got placed in that position due to him being a left back when he in his prime. I'm sure someone who knows more will correct me but I was under the impression that he only got in as he scored a few free kicks...

That would be a first.

I feel a bit smug as I always thought the JPT would lead to a good day out. I travelled across on the Jubilee line and can remember how the Carlisle fans were pretty relaxed and in good spirits while the all the Saints I could see seemed over the moon to be going to Wembley. So much for the 'we're too big a club for all this' mentality that Southampton are supposed to have.

Would Higginbottom have done in a pinch?

They did for me when I ordered an extra fish fiddler ticket last season.

You're right, I thought I remembered them being lower than that. But that wasn't the point of my reply. And how have we done in that time by that measure? The point was, since Fergie Jr returned, they've gone from being 4 points behind us to 1 point ahead. If we win our games in hand then we'll easily make that back but Walsall hasn't set a good precedent for that, has it?

People only rave about how consistent Peterborough have been since Ferguson returned. They were well out of it at that point.

Like many on this thread I think he'll still be here even if we do blow it. I'm really interested to see what he will do with the team next year having got his feet under the table, got to know the players and hopefully instilled a style of play. I feel that something is definitely developing and although shaky at times, we could be on the verge of something good. Hopefully the fans will have the patience to let that happen... If we do blow it and this season effectively turns into an extended pre-season for next year, then I think he will be next season's Poyet.

Wasn't Dulieu in charge here when SISU came a'calling?

Guly also could play CM (instead of Chaplow, alongside Hammond - the other way around would shorten my life expectancy).