Pugwash

That's probably because some moron writing in the local rag keeps telling them the place is buzzing with excitement, they've got the best midfielder in the division and everything is rosy. Or should that be Rosie?

All those empty seats means someone is telling porkies. Perhaps the 15,000 gate figure was inflated, although in this new era of honesty and transparency surely that's impossible. So if that's the case, then the bestest™ must be leaving early in their droves - and we all know that they never do that...

You're certainly not alone. The lad has the full repertoire and is mature beyond his years. Real competition for Clyne. Not had a U-21 call up yet I don't think, but it's got to be soon.

N o p r o b l e m h e r e .

Curious. It was working fine earlier today.

Founded by a bunch of pirates using the stolen wealth from the sacking of Southampton in 1338... and still ruled by them. I vote we go get our money back.

Thanks for posting SG. That interview goes to show that not everyone is driven by the same things and that this area - particularly West of Southampton - can be a very attractive option over London or Manchester for the type of player to fit the club. Like a lot of other people, these very wealthy young men want to put roots down and start a family and would prefer to raise their kids in a pleasant environment. When you have so much beautiful countryside, the local boating/sailing amenities, plus the good weather, who wouldn't want to live here?

Hmmm. Sounds like the 'average' politician then?

Doubt we'll even see the stickers. They'll probably come unstuck, be swept into the gutter and get flushed away. Which is funny really, 'cos that's exactly what's happened to their club. Oh, and the seats will easily be repaired, replaced or simply sterilised. WE have a maintenance budget.

This thread just goes to show that the 'biggest' aspect when comparing football clubs isn't the size of their stadia, the wealth of their benefactors or the numbers of supporters. It's about who's got the best management team.

Outstanding game for him. Shaded Cork for MoM for me.

On reflection you may be right. It's just that every time Villa attacked, which I know wasn't often, they ran at us with pace. Each attack seemed to end with a powerful first-time shot or header, usually on target. We just don't seem to do that. Every attack is measured and slow-paced, with the ball being threaded through small gaps or played in tight triangles around the penalty area. Just 'possession' football taken to the extreme. Significant that both our goals came from well-delivered crosses in the old-fashioned style.

We got mugged by a style of football that is physical hoofball with pacy front runners breaking quickly. Unfortunately we've been undone that way by several teams - even Chelsea showed a bit of that on Sunday. Even with a full strength back 5 we'd have struggled against that sort of play. Our press in midfield leaves the defenders open to the ball over the top and we need to sort out a way of countering it. In attack, we are just not direct enough. Yes we had 23 shots on goal, but usually with about 7 or 8 defenders in the way. Too many times we're trying to walk it in for the 'perfect' goal. Look at Villa's goals and shots on target - most hit with power and pace from distance. We hardly ever try that, and when we do (Jack Cork twice) it's kicked like a rugby penalty. Someone please teach our boys how to shoot accurately. Gazzaniga not at fault for the goals. Weak links were Cork and Yoshida - but then they're bound to be rusty through lack of match practice. Don't know where I'm going with this. Just bloody frustrated.

Or Jed Wallace? Could be they need the cash.

You should know I don't drink tea.

No.

Followed a Bentley this afternoon, down the M3 onto the Eastbound M27 towards the Septic Isle. The car's registration was W1GAN. Is Dave Whelan scouting players or perhaps offering advice to the management team?

Crap. Tea drinking ***ts. Coffee was made for dunking biscuits. I've now got a vision of a bunch of poncy dock shirkers dangling little bags of leaves by a string over their steaming bone china cups. Or do they slurp the tea from the saucer?

I and two others did corporates yesterday as well, John Hollins Suite, with seats in the West Stand towards the Matthew Harding Stand end. Good food, but poor service. Could hear Saints fans loud & clear. Chelsea fans only got going after they scored. Quite a bit of arrogance shown by some of them. Bit like ManU fans, but without that club's pedigree.

Think Chambers is decent cover - at least at right-back. What's happened to Isgrove? Is he injured? Agree we need other striking options. Don't think Lee can cut it, but could Mayuka be recalled?

Tea is juuust too effeminate, what with all that pot-warming and dainty floral china cups and semi-erect pinkies. Coffee is a real man's drink, served in a mug or chunky cup and made with lots of hard sweaty work, noise and expensive machines. And it takes a real man to imbibe a drink made from a product that has first passed through the digestive tract of a wild cat. Agree about the mushrooms though...

Had a very good view of the third goal from my seat. Ba's sharpness and movement in getting a toe to a ball that he shouldn't have got anywhere near to turned a slim chance into an unlikely goal and Boruc wouldn't have down quick enough for that shot, let alone Gazza. For me, that move summed up the difference between our strikers and theirs - both in attitude and ability.

Pretty much agree with this. I had a different perspective from most of the Saints fans being high up in the West(?) stand. Wanyama actually held his own (often on his own) against some very physical challenges and still came out best. He made some crucial tackles as well. Yes, his passing can be wayward, but he also made a couple of 40-yard pinpoint cross-field passes. Probably best of a fairly mediocre showing. Clyne played well, but thought Shaw looked off the pace for most of the game, although he put in some good runs later on in the game. Osvaldo poor and looked lost. Rodriguez, although he took his goal well, ran into too many blind alleys. Second half, the Chelsea players seem to have been briefed to wind up Morgan, so perhaps best he went off, before being sent off. Might be worth giving Ramirez a run out against Villa?

Tea drinking wimps. Bet you stick yer little fingers out when you're sippin'...

Thanks Rorski. For twenty quid it seems a good deal in the absence of the machine at home.