dronskisaint

Agree totally - his interplay with Lallana was just beautiful to watch on occasions this evening & a more all round performance than I've seen so far. On another matter can anyone explain to me how the stats have us with 4% less posession than WW?!

Lambert every time-Beckford is an effective goal scorer in the lower leagues but his all round game isn't a patch on Lamberts'. Aside from goals & assists look at the number of balls he wins in the air & times that he holds the play up for others to arrive. then there's the quality of crosses & through balls. the way he takes the pressure off Lallana & the others around him......it is feeling good to be a Saint just now! :-)

My first thought too ...but to which league?! Foolish optimist that I am......

The tune might test your youth too St Clark - sorry! It was to the tune of 'Give it to me' by The Troggs (good Andover connection!) 'Give it to Ro-o-on' 'Give it to Ro-o-on' 'On his hea-ea-ead' 'On his hea-ea-ead' Not sophisticated but the song will live with me forever sung by an all-standing crowd of twenty odd thousand at the Dell. Tim - I both envy & respect what you are doing - I'd be happy to contribute to a fund to get him back to be honoured by the crowd let alone Solent University. Please pass on my respects to the great man - he provided me with some of my best moments supporting Saints.

Getting behind him shouldn't even need to be said - he's obviously got a lot of talent but like any young player his form while developing is going to have peaks & troughs - particularly given the nature of his injury. Nothing would make me happier than him giving Pards a real selection headache when KD is fit again...get in there Bart - make it your own!

They're not used to spending money in Scotland...it's a difficult concept:)

I have faith in Bart - he's been out on loan a few times & done well, worked with a few different goalkeeping coaches & on the few times I've seen him looks a more confident proposition than previously. I agree - this is his chance, he has the ability so we should count ourselves fortunate that we have a ready made replacement.

I had a frustrating evening on a 2 hour conference call (US time!) so had to 'watch' the first half on the Saints Player text updates...difficult to shout when Lallana's goal went in. The second half I listened to on Saints Player's Radio Solent link (still lots of cutting out) but I just wanted to pay tribute to the travelling support - from what I heard on the radio it was fantastic! Work got in the way of my intention to travel up but it felt like I was there - great to hear!

Ricky!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 3-1

'as was Kelvin's mishandling from a shot so far out' A little harsh...it was a hard shot that bounced infront of him - on a dry day he'd probably have smothered it but I hadn't realised how hard it was raining until I got out of the ground. I watched the ball swirling around in the wind & it must have been greasy as hell. Disappointing but understandable I think.

A good mix of views...I have to say to the doom & gloomers -one defeat in nine is it?Get real - A very few weeks ago we almost didn't have a team! I, reluctantly, accept that a draw was a fair result. We scored two great goals, they scored two rebounds. Kelvin was so unlucky with the penalty - so many places it could rebound to & it went straight to the feet of the taker at a nice pace & height...that happens as does similar sh*t every week everywhere. Naive challenge to give it away from a good young player playing out of position - he looks much happier in midfield but credit him for his commitment to playing his heart out wherever AP asks him to - he'll learn - particularly if the supporters don't turn against him! Norwich were good, make no mistake about it - their run is no fluke. I thought we restricted them pretty well & kept them playing their passing game away from the danger zone...how many shots did KD have to save? We were more than a match for them on occasions & easily as skilful...just a little less organised but I'd put that down to their pre-season being a different proposition to ours....it'll come. Play offs are/were always going to be a long shot - let's take what we have & build on it. What do we have? A mixture of youth & experience working together on the blend under a manager who impresses me more each week. He, in turn, appears to have a supportive board behind him who are putting things right behind the scenes & backing those that know the football side to make the right decisions...on the whole I think they are doing just that. Let's look at who we have...In goal Kelvin Davis who doesn't need me to point out his loyalty, leadership & abilities...Bart came in for the Charlton game & looked good enough to walk in to most teams in this league so we have good & good cover Full backs - Harding has been outstanding since becoming the new regimes' first signing - Murty will (in my opinion) be as good on the right when back to fitness but we're a little short of 'purpose built' alternatives should they be injured. Lloydy has been both good & bad but has filled in without complaining & has grown in stature given that run - sure he's made a few errors but he's young & playing out of position ffs - Thomas too had a couple of good games & is great bench cover for the central positions as well - I fear he could be 'done' by a speedy winger (if he hasn't put them in row R by then) but is adequate for those positions. Fish played left back last year for S****horpe...again not a natural left back but adequate & can cover a midfield position on the bench too...& then there's Molyneux but I can't even recall him playing! Central defence - I have a mate who supports Brum - he was gutted when Jaidi left - reckons he looks laid back & relaxed but leaves attackers feeling like they've been kicked by a buffalo - a great mentor for Trotman who, I thought, played generally quite well yesterday - distribution a bit erratic but learning all the time. For cover we have Perry & Thomas...good professionals with a lot of experience. Midfield the balance is good & can be switched about -Lallana & Hammond should be the hub around which the team is built...Morgan shows touches of pure class & will get better with more games - Wotton fulfils a role when we play 4-5-1 & is a good breaker down of play -Mills & Lloydy can (& would prefer undoubtedly) to fill in where necessary plus there's Simon Gillet who played a big part last year who will hopefully find his way again out on loan & return as a player that Pardew can rate & use effectively in almost any midfield position - I still rate him. Then there's Lee Holmes if we can keep him running - along with Lallana, Mellis & Waigo (perhaps) these are players who can turn a game by bursting through from midfield & opening gaps for the front players as well as providing crosses in addition to being capable goalscorers themselves. Up front in Connolly & Lambert we have the two best strikers in the league we're in, no question. We also have Antonio as an impact substitute - ideal to bring on in the last quarter when legs are flagging & hopefully Matt Paterson will come back from loan having learnt his trade a little more & add youth & muscle alternatives when we need it. So - we have a lot to be happy with, in my opinion - great owner, good executive management & a manager who is experienced & is building a team that is pretty to watch (mostly) & becoming more effective & more of a unit with each game played. The signings (on & off-field) have been very good (again in my opinion) & I feel like we have a club again...we looked over the precipice & now I look forward to every game. Of course I'd like to win every game but we have to remember where we started from...no pre-season to speak of, minus ten, new players to blend with existing...traumatic summer & previous seasons - Life could be so much worse. Yesterday my throat hurt, I got soaked, we dropped a point...we played well, we competed with one of the best teams we're likely to face this year, we scored a couple of great goals, we didn't have to listen to our manager spouting crap & excuses after the game, the crowd was excellent (There's only one Gordon Ramsay:-)...!) & I'm happy & proud to be a Saints fan!

You can only aspire to half fill that toilet that you put manure on every weekend -ask somebody with an SO postcode to explain that to you...attendance proportional to IQ by the 'literacy' displayed

Thank you very much - I enjoyed that report. I'm half way through the book (fittingly bought at Southampton Airport while fog-delayed on a flight to Guernsey last week) & the elaboration would have been fun. Sadly work caused my absence from his appearance in Porwich (I'm exiled close by) a few weeks back so it's good to catch up on what I might have missed then.

'not to mention legal costs that I assume he must have endured when the police took the case to the CPS.' There would be no legal cost to MLT while the police went to the CPS - Had they found that there was a case to answer then it would have become very expensive - possibly even enough to put a dent in the revenue from the extra sales generated by the publicity over it! Not defending the issue but applauding the sales initiative :-)

Interesting takes on management styles - certainly one person's top guy can be his neighbour's nemesis. Generally, in my experience (I run a medium size company that has both added to & unloaded companies in it's folio) when a new company is taken over we have a reasonable idea of how it has been run & a reasonable idea of where it fits in to our own structure & plans for the future. As the takeover process rarely can involve all the management (many would only find out when the deal is completed & announced) it makes sense both for continuity & evaluation to work with the staff until it's clearer what needs to be done. I'd be pretty sure that is what is happening in this case. So far the record of appointments is exceptional (in my humble opinion) so I would continue to have faith in the ability of senior management to make good decisions. As Dubai Phil says - the Lawrie debate is a totally separate issue but I'd also have faith that the management of a company that relies on the goodwill & continued custom of its' fan base would be sensitive to those fans - & the commercial value of it's icons! Lawrie, MLT, Franny & their like are, in addition to being heroes of mine & most clear thinking Saints fans, have huge commercial value & provide a 'good feeling' link with the heritage of the club. I'm thinking they know what they are doing & loving the results of that - I haven't felt this good about being a Saints fan for years!

In defence of Dell Days to ask that question you must have very small fingers!

'mummy/wife/teacher/sister/brother' Keeper?

+1:)

Press will have a headline....battle of the hamptons....doesn't bear thinking about!! Southerners, southerners, southerners.....:-)

Absolutely no argument with that...feel privileged to have seen so many good players over the years but these stand out for me too - can only claim 50 years since first supporting:)

To paraphrase a historical quote 'There are lies, damn lies & Sun exclusives (or editorials..whatever fits)' It's a comic...expect journalism to suit:)

and buy Kaka Think that may be part of the problem :-)

I wish him well & always thought that he had more in him than he showed BUT - in this league & formation I'd pick Dan Harding every time - he's one of a number of key players that are making this team tick at the moment...like a well-oiled Swiss clock!

Phil Boy-er, Phil Boy-er...first division's top scor-er... We used to sing...! I remember a 4-1 win against Forest at The Dell, can't remember which year but they were a top side with Clough in his heyday years with Shilton in goal (so pre our era with him). We were magical - I can't think how many Boyer scored & am too lazy/thick to look it up but I think it was two or three. Bally was magnificent setting up perfectly weighted through balls & making one of Europe's top sides look very ordinary. Can also remember Chivers, Sydenham, Big Ron (£55k)...we did well out of Norwich for VFM forwards with Ted 'score with my ass, knee, elbow, anything' McDougall as well, Tory Paine as we called him then...never seemed to have a bad game & as he slowed up became masterful at planting Hoddle-like passes over 40-50 yards from midfield. I loved Brian O'Neill for his commitment...Gerry O'Brien - remember him? Micky Channon in full flight was guaranteed to raise the sound level in the ground, Jim Steele...never knew when he was beaten no matter how ****ed, David Peach...Denis Hollywood, Tony Knapp & John McGrath - now they were real frighteners...Jimmy Gabriel...I remember him scoring with a rocket bicycle kick but can't remember who against...? I can go on but think I've qualified myself for old gitdom...I remember the old gits from my era who used to fo on about Huxford etc. Amazing how players come & go but loyalty & fanaticism is constant...I still get as big a buzz now when the team takes the pitch - or did I not grow up at all? If so f*ck the old git description!