Tom & Gerry

Why do people think the manager and Director of football being at loggerheads would be a good thing?

It's not easy and is down to fine margins. If Man U with their forwards and Manager can't score at home and can't beat Bournemouth how are we supposed to be brilliant all the time, just saying. Taking an extreme view may make you a passionate fan but it doesn't make you clever.

Surprised no one has mentioned David Webb. Saints would probably still be in the Championship and never have tasted top flight football if we hadn't signed him when we did. His enthusiasm transformed that 66 side.

When Lallana said " we're leaving" they all left. If VVD says "we're staying" the rest will stay. If Barcelona come in for VVD though there is nothing we can do and it doesn't matter who is Chairman or Executive Director.

I'm expecting a similar game to the 79 final with 5 goals. Our finals, apart from FA Cup and Charity shield usually have 5 goals. Just hope it's 3-2 to us this time.

We probably kept him because he has always done well on loan, but if he doesn't get the chances to play how can you know how good is? It's difficult for fringe players to come in when not surrounded by the better players unless you are exceptional. Also some young players look good and don't develop whilst others don't mature until their mid twenties. It's not a case of him not trying or doing the right things. He now needs to try again at a lower level club and good luck to him.

This is the 8th (major) semi final that I have been to and in my lifetime, starting in 63. There were 4 in the 70's and 80's but typically you have to wait about 13 years for one to come around so make the most of it. I have no great expectations that I will see another one. So far we have won only 3 of them (Palace, Leeds and Watford) but they were all great moments in my football watching life, no my life so trust me it will be amazing if we do win.

We have lots of players with potential at the moment. Results will improve if some of them start to fulfil it.

I'm not sure we should be judging a manager by how good he is at press conferences otherwise we'd have a statue of Harry Rednapp outside St Madys and not Ted Bates. What is the point of them anyway? They give the media a few sound bites but if anyone gets near the truth managers lie. Puel has his good and bad points just like every other manager we've ever had. If he can improve on the bad points - high priority scoring goals, low priority being good at press conferences, we'll have a good manager.

It's all about margins really. Arsenal won the league once winning 1-0 most weeks. I expect that would be too boring for some Saints fans.

Missing from a couple of yards out has nothing to do with his fitness or ability. If he had the ability to score those goals before he was injured he has it now, that ability has not some how miraculously disappeared. It is a matter of confidence and luck. If he can prove his fitness his ability will return.

I know people have given up on Rodrigues and every time he shows a glimpse of his old self he gets injured, but he did try his heart out on Sunday, lasted the 90 minutes, had no luck and in my opinion wasn't a million miles away. If he could get a goal or two, get his confidence back and stay fit by the end of December we might not need another striker. Maybe a big if but it does show circumstances can change in a very short time.

There is no vacancy for Southampton song. If one should arise in the distant future we will let you know. Thank you.

His best game was Leeds away. It was on Match of the Day and for some reason Kenneth Wolstenholme called him McFarlane. RIP.

We don't sell in January. Surely everyone knows that?

Bobby Stokes. Steve Williams was pretty good to.

Yes. 1) trying to stay up 2) trying to get in to Europe 3) trying to beat the the big teams 4) great matches 5) great players 6) great wins 7) hoping for a miracle I've supported this team for nearly 60 years and never once did I think we had a chance of winning the league. Should I and thousands of other Saints fans ,and fans of clubs apart from the mega rich few give up. No because miracles do happen, and I'm sorry to have to break this to you, it would take a miracle.

For me it was all down to the awkward last year of the contract thing. I think he would have stayed but I don't think we wanted him to if he wasn't going to sign a new contract. He didn't sign a new contract because he had his ambitions and we had ours, and they were different especially regarding youth and money for transfers, and yes he got a stonking offer from Everton. Sad but that's football. Boo him if you want and it makes you feel better but it won't make any difference. We've all moved on.

I'm not sure the Chapel should take all the blame. I was sat in the Itchen for the Sunderland game ( I know it wasn't a normal situation) and to me it seemed quieter than the Chapel. Isn't it that whole half of the ground that is quietish. I think the age of the spectatators has a lot to do with it. When you get over 60 singing songs about young men less than half your age does seem a bit weird. Older people may have the same passion for the game but they do not have the same exhuberence, thats just the way it is. As has been pointed out cheering can be as effective as singing but people only cheer when there is something to cheer about and that will never change. It is significant that these threads usually start after a defeat. So at the end of the day, sorry Northam but it's all down to you.

Reminds me of the young Walcott, with more skill, less pace and the same finishing ability.

Oh ye I'd forgotten that. There's no hope then, the game's doomed.

Not sure the Telegraph have proved anything other than people in football are greedy B'stards. If we get rid of all the greedy B'stards in football then Matt Le Tissier will still be playing for us.

5th - would be very acceptable.

Just a typical Saints first game of the season. It's traditional near us for someone to say "It's going to be a long hard season" long before the end, and they did.

Resources are limited. Saints have taken a long term view that this season they will spend more on improving wages and giving long term contracts to key players so they stay longer or we get more for them. It has been mentioned that we can't keep our best players, Saints are trying to do something about that. In the short term this means we can spend less in the transfer market. I do not think the quality of the team has been seriously dented given that Waynyama was sent off 3 times and Mane's match winning performances though wonderful were limited. I also think Redmond has been seriously underestimated. It is also unfortunate that we have had to change Manager and he needs time to assess the players we need. No doubt he will have done this before the end of the window and the club will meet his requirements within the budget.