Saints 6 Derby 4

Saints have provoked many emotions in me over the years but this is the first time I've experienced shame.

Well said sir

Unlike us, they have no obvious weaknesses. Unlike us, they have a strong leader on the pitch.

It's dreadful. It's not Saints and I have yet to recognise us in any of the post match TV review programmes before the item finishes. What about the prospect of Stoke or Sunderland playing at St Marys in red & white stripes?

Is Maggie Thatcher your mother?

Punch had his chance at Hull and spurned it. Guly's stats speak for themselves.

Excellent characters they undoubtedly are and Rickie and Kelvin have got us out of some deep stuff through acts of individual brilliance but none of them or the rest of the team have galvanised the team into turning things around when it's not working. But I guess they are only following orders in a disciplined way.

There is one element which this team lacks - a Leader. Usually our skill gets us by but when teams (quite a long list of them since Christmas) nullify us there is nobody on the pitch to take the game by the scruff of the neck. Go back as far as you like, we have always been at our best when we have a Leader. Alan Ball was the best even when he couldn't run to catch a bus.

What was most ebarrassing was that none of the more senior players (e.g. Oakley) had the backbone to step up.

Harding is a reasonable quality (Championship) LEFT back who performs best when given cover from his mid-field partner and is able to get to get forward to put in crosses with his favoured left foot. Puzzling that he was played at right back last night when you consider that we had Richardson on the bench.

Should truth and justice only be available to literate and articulate people then? What IQ would you propose for a cut-off?

Having seen the thread on Steven Davies' injury (http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/showthread.php?33313-Steven-Davies-injury-against-us-last-week), it would be perfectly understandable if it had disturbed JF somewhat. It would explain a) his loss of form and, b) why he has taken to challenging for high balls with his hand in the air rather than with his elbows extended.

IE wouldn't work but Firefox is OK for me

OK, you've prompted a lurker to post. I'm surprised that you erudite regulars have missed Beckett's 70 year old prediction of the cause of our current malaise "More *****s than kicks"

I recall the incident but I'm not sure it was Tiny who I remember as an old fashioned bobby who was often to be found around Bitterne in the 70s - a few times too often for my liking.