Rich102

We look like a solid mid-table Premier League side that's (currently) failing to score goals. I'd take that over any of the Saints teams I've watched for the last 20 years or so. If we're still under-performing at the end of the season that's another matter - but there's no indication that'll be the case. We've got (on paper) the best strike force we've had in years.

Looked like a young Beckham on the right, and a young Scholes in the middle. Scary.

Ok so a frustrating 90 mins - but unlike last season, a team came to sit and we still found plenty of ways through (just didn't put them away). On another afternoon it could have been 4-1. JWP is going to be a star, and Osvaldo looks class.

Brilliant performance - thought we tired towards the end so great to dig out a result. Wanyama and Lovren look immense signings. Shaw even better than last season, and Chambers and JWP looked very assured too. Really optimistic.

Got through to 01271 (cheers warsash!) but only after pressing re-dial 40+ times. Persevere!

Lee Molyneux is almost single handedly keeping Accrington up though. Something like 8 goals in 7 games playing left wing. They rate him.

Is it not in Chanrai's interests to string them along for 10 days or so and then use the threat of FL expulsion as a negotiating chip? What contractual force does the current agreement actually have, given that it's not finalised?

Goal difference would suggest we've found about the right position in the league. A great achievement.

Reading at home, new manager, and desperate for points. Of course this is going to be tough.

The chairperson is arguably the most important figure at a (decent sized) football club, and IMO we are very lucky to have Cortese. I don't for a second agree with everything he's done (or the way he's done some things) but if you look around at the other chairmen in the PL, I see very few that I'd rather have instead.

Also, 3 points off 10th.

If there's any justice the next England squad will feature Clyne, Shaw, Cork and Lallana.

J-Rod for England!

Uncertainty about who is owner ≠ uncertainty about credibility of owner. And no, it's not their sole fault. But if they managed Chelsea by prioritising big signings, and showed no interest in the youth set up, training facilities or long-term future of the club then I'd be happy to say they'd been irresponsible in this regard. And this is Chelsea after all - an established premier league club with a large fan-base. The case is even stronger with QPR and P*mpey.

True, but where there is uncertainty about ownership, that seems a pretty good reason to spend in a way that develops the capacity of the football club, and doesn't over-expose the club in terms of debt and wage-legacy. Unless of course the only thing that mattered to the manager in question was his CV and reputation for results.

Redknapp in the Telegraph: “I don’t know the situation of the [QPR] owners any more than I knew the situation of the owner at Portsmouth, who was a young Russian guy who was a friend of Roman Abramovich. “When they buy the football club, you don’t know whether he is richer than Abramovich, so when they want to spend money on the team, what do you do? “You don’t say: “I’m sorry you can’t spend that money because I don’t know if you’ve got it or not.’ ” This explains a lot.

Great tackle Morgan

Why blow the transfer window by waiting until halfway through it? Why destroy the good feeling around the club that has taken 3 years to cultivate? Why jeopardise the team spirit which is our only hope of staying up? Why appoint someone with no experience of British football, and a less impressive track record than Adkins? What happens to Pochettino's youth and attractive football plan if we get relegated? Why think that any other manager could get substantially more out of our decent but not world-class set of players?

Pochettino was sacked alongside sporting director Ramon Planes at Espanyol. Would make sense of the "two of the cleaverest guys". This would be a disaster all round. Sacking a manager popular with the players and fans, just as the season is turning round, and replacing him with a mediocre name at best.

J Rod anticipates contact (the Villa player made to take his leg) and falls. I'd rather our strikers did this than missed chances and penalties by not making the most of contact. He doesn't claim for anything either. It's never a penalty, but it's a refereeing mistake, not out and out cheating.

We might still throw this away, but Villa look like good candidates for the third relegation place.

Saints = Dagenham Saints > Brighton Dagenham > Brighton QED