spyinthesky

First of all credit to the Manager and his assistants in bringing in a quite different type of play in a relatively short time and to the players who have embraced the system. The concern going forward is the likelihood of losing JWP, KWP, Tella and Adams from last nights lineup. I am also concerned about our lack of height both in defence and attack. The former allowed their big defender to outjump Smallbone (who has done well for us so far this season as a 'new' recruit) which led to Weds equaliser. I would like to see more height and physicality up front to provide options for our wide players. Ideally someone in the mould of Mitrovic who scored for fun at Fulham when they were in the Championship. Overall though a decent result against a team who wont go down but unlikely to feature in the top half of the table. Norwich will be an interesting challenge especially as our home form has been dire in recent years.

I remember Ian Branfoot (our esteemed Manager at the time) reckoned that the Speedie/Dixon partnership would score more than Shearer. To be fair many people (including myself) reckoned that this may happen as both were proven goalscorers whilst Shearer had potential. However that opinion changed fairly rapidly. Shearer scored a cracker at Palace in his first game and went on to score regularly for Blackburn whereas our Chelsea investment was in line with future striker investment ie pretty poor.

I wonder if anyone on here went the the U21/B Team game at Weymouth last night. A Terras fan I know went and said Weymouth were far too good for our youngsters and walloped them 5-0. Apparently we gave the ball away quite frequently and whoever played in goal often stood with the ball at his feet for some time trying to find someone to play a short pass to. Seems that the Russell Martin style of play already affecting/infecting the youngsters. No idea who played for us and there doesnt seem to be any detail on the Saints website

Why? I thought he did OK although his distribution could be better

I have family in Liverpool and have visited the city for many years. It took quite a while for improvements to be put in place post the destruction after WW2 and then the Toxteth riots. UK and EU money worth between £1 billion and £2 billion plus some money put into developments financed by shady drug money from the city gangsters and Irish speculators has seen vast improvements in the city centre but not so much in the suburbs. I would say that 50% of the population are funny, decent people with good hearts. 20% are OK whilst 30% are quite a nasty bunch with criminal backgrounds. The city centre is full of imposing buildings, well worth a visit. Some of the outer areas are a bit like Beirut. All in all though I have always enjoyed my visits but have a fair idea of places to avoid.

We were by far the better side and should have scored more. Our passes were crisp and the movement good. However we were playing against a team in League 1 with a host of trialists so it should have been more comfortable than it was. It is quite understandable that playing the 'Russell Martin' way will see goals at either end. Our system appears to leave us lacking at the back as and when the ball is lost in midfield. Apart from the two breakaway goals Baz's foot prevented a third. It will be interesting to see the team performs against much better sides ie Bournemouth on Tuesday and Alkmar on Saturday.

Re Trams and Trolleybuses. Trams were in Southampton and many other cities until just after WW2 and Trolleybuses soldered on in Pompey, Reading and Bournemouth until much later. However they were not particularly 'clean' as the electric power came from local authority power stations all of them coal fired.

There are a whole host of pronouncements with regards to pollution. One I have read, ie research from Cambridge University, reckons that the highest levels of PM2.5 in London is to be found on the Underground system. For example the Jubilee Line has pollution levels of 220 particles per cubic metre. This is massively more than recorded above ground. And yet millions of people use the Tube every day and suffer less from pollution when they are above ground. Another form of pollution is in the house especially from wood burners, once promoted as a 'clean' fuel, air fresheners, deodorant sprays etc etc. Not so long ago Southampton had a coal fired power station next to the central station, all homes, businesses, ships, trains etc were powered by coal and yet all my family lived long and hearty lives. Make of that what you will. Millions of people use the Tube each year but this has never been headline news in any media outlet

It is generally promoted that the UK produces between 1% and 1.5% of the world's emissions. However these figures do not include the emissions produced in country's of origin for the likes of consumer goods, cars etc etc and things like biomass which has to be burned in this country to provide power. I think any reasonable person would agree that emissions should be monitored and reduced but there needs to be a frank debate on how this will affect our lives as a consequence.

Agree Good interview. Also so impressed with Saints Training Ground. Shame it's not possible to visit When I turned out for the A & B teams many years ago we had to lap round the Dell Tues and Thurs night, play small sided games on the asphalt car park or in the smelly gym if you were lucky. Also our gear was hand me down kit from a few years previous!!

IS GB News the channel that seems to primarily show adverts of companies based in Wales?

Or Great Uncle Bob, the part time Docker and Car dealer!!

Report in the Echo , via the club, is that season ticket sales are up on the numbers this time last year. Doesnt stats actual numbers> Anyone have any ideas? Gone are the days when we used to sell over 20,000 plus 43 boxes at 10 apiece and a similar number in the hospitality suites.

...and Strachan

Anyone on hear read 'The Light'? I am told it is a free newspaper that is not controlled by media magnates and posts 'The Truth'

According to Swiss Ramble, the Premier League's revenue @ £5.5billion was nearly twice that of La Liga and almost 1 Billion euros more than Bundesliga and Serie A combined. The Prem's wage bill is 81% more than La Liga and considerably more than the combined Bundesliga and Series A and these pay gaps are growing. However over the past 10 years Premier League clubs are becoming more sustainable as it is the only League where the wages to turnover has improved and it is closing in on the Bundesliga for the best wages/turnover ratio. So I guess for our foreign players, a wage cut of 40/50% may not be so bad bearing in mind this may be less than they would earn by returning home.

Theo and Shane Long spearheading a striking force without parallel in League One. Enough to strike fear in our friends along the M27!!

I watched the whole game on the recording. Good atmosphere and lots of commitment. However skill level, compared to the modern game was limited. Lots of hoof ball and passing pretty diabolical from both sides. In my opinion only four players would stand a chance to get in to last years team ie Claus, Svenson, Niemi and Beattie. Perhaps Delap as his throw ins were infinitely better than the current excuses which generally give the ball back to the opponents.

Wonder how Tall Paul got on with the pre season 'Bleep' tests?

My view. Leicester Champs, Leeds runners up and us in the Play Offs to lose somewhere along the way on penalties as we did v Derby in 2007?

I dont follow Twitter so what is he saying. I have met him a few times and he seems to come across as a bright, down to earth individual. Seems to have been influenced somewhere along the line which is a shame.

Agree, Can see quite a few of our once friendly neighbours turning up to gloat about the Prem/Championship divide. If I am correct the last time we played B'mouth in a pre season friendly (At Dean Court|) Graziano Pelle may his debut and a young Jack Stephens played in mid field. 1-1 draw I think. Jack could return as a B'mouth player, I guess

Yes it is embarrassing. Martha Reeves was on Jools Holland a year or so back and she was dreadful. Lionel Ritchie is another one doing the rounds who has lost the edge. However I saw 80 year oid George Benson recently and he was top class.

I was there that day too.

Looking at the fixtures makes me realise it would be easy to return to the Prem but perhaps I have been beaten down by last season or two of despair and last seasons abject performances against lower league sides