pingwing

Exactly this. Also I like the club comment at the end "declined to comment" seems a good way to deal with this sort of nonsense as it sounds like Arsenal could have let this slip to unsettle the player...

---------------Sharp----------- Sharp---Sharp-----Sharp----Sharp ------Sharp---Sharp---- Sharp---------Sharp------Sharp -------------Sharp-------- Sharp enough?

I don't think we could have really asked for anything more, 3 top quality signings (Lovern especially), not a doubt about any of our quality players leaving and a decent number of the hangers on moved on. Would have been nice to wrap up the deals a little earlier, maybe get one or two more of the hangers on moved on and maybe even that elusive 4th signing but it seems madness to let our expectations spiral out of control after a couple of frustrating league results and say this transfer window was anything other than a resounding success.

I don't think we could have really asked for anything more, 3 top quality signings (Lovern especially), not a doubt about any of our quality players leaving and a decent number of the hangers on moved on. Would have been nice to wrap up the deals a little earlier, maybe get one or two more of the hangers on moved on and maybe even that elusive 4th signing but it seems madness to let our expectations spiral out of control after a couple of frustrating league results and say this transfer window was anything other than a resounding success.

That loophole still exists, there is a gentleman's agreement between the 5 home nations not to poach from each others youth teams but it can still happen, NI/ROI do it a fair bit. Bearsy covers why it can't happen between other nations though, need to have a UK passport when he's playing in France U17's (or at least eligible is the more likely interpretation given uk players getting into ROI's squad willy nilly)

Saintsweb is primarily for wetting the bed and telling everyone about it. I'm surprised we don't have a picture thread about it.

Just read they have sold their top striker as well, sounds like a decent move if they are going to stick him out every week for the rest of the season.

How long for? Not a bad idea for someone who hasn't made a massive impact here.

Meh it was going to be 1-0 either way, we had a few chances they had a few. Readmond beat a very poor JWP/Chambers combination to score the only goal and its not the end of the world. Loveren still looks class, Lallana is getting back into it properly and everyone else has someone waiting in the wings to come on and play. West Ham will be a much better affair when we get the few knocks sorted and have little more confidence. Am amused to see he meltdown though

Heard it also has unattractive women in there!

Anywhere that isn't on the high street...

We're not bigger than Everton! Get it right...

"I'm not sure Mauricio Pochettino knows his best XI yet and has to decide where record signing Dani Osvaldo fits in Urm we have started the same line up for our first 2 league games and he's managed Osvaldo before...

Better chance of singing something like this and pretending its a football song

33 appearances in the champ season isn't a fair chance? He was unbearably cack in the champ and Ali Dia bad in the prem, surprised it took him so long to accept that his wage would NEVER be paid by any club playing at his level and take the cancelation of it to go somewhere he actually had a chance of playing.

I expressed this view on the first page and got called "the general dumbass fan". I don't think he's anything special, put him round a lot of good players he's bound to score the odd goal like pretty much any player...

Does no one remember when he signed for Chelsea last year and was met with a "Wigan have mugged them" reaction? He's quick and scores the odd good goal but I don't think he'd be any better than what we currently have or provide a cutting edge. From my stand point he would only be a very over paid super sub...

Lads the rule is wrong then, how can someone be offside for leaning into a run, that's madness. Worse still it's not something the linesman was even in the right place to see, let alone call in the split second he made the call. From where I was sat the linesman was 2 yards behind the play and called it on the off chance he was, just like Newcastle at home last year, he was in no place to call it again and it is criminal he was allowed to give it as offside when it basically isn't (ok technically any part of the body being ahead of the play of the back line counts as offside but that in its self is sickeningly stupid, it should be based on the feet and when you actually run not leaning). If it was given on the basis of tv replay and tech, yeah I wouldn't be angry about it, but in the situation the modern game is in there is no way in hell the linesman could have given that without guessing so it is a wrong decision because it isn't based on what he can see.

Just seen it on MOTD, I don't think that is offside. His shoulder is but his feet are on, linesman cannot call that without being lazy/unattentive and HAS to give the benefit to the attacking player. For me a clear cut, legit goal chalked off for poor reffing yet again.

Oh gutted! I was going to wait for it to turn up on MOTD but if there is some sort of consensus I may have to temper my anger. Or more likely shout at at him more...

I don't think he got a single call right today, which is impressive. I have seen plenty of people sacked for a lot less, look at Phil Bardsley....

MOTD made him look a real threat last week. Today he looked like an utter donkey. Sunderland to go down if he's all they have.

Most frustrating ref performance at St Marys in 3 games? Why do we always get pathetic refs at the moment. Not one of his decisions was right. Handing out cards for nothing then not sending Osvaldo off for a clear yellow. Just embarrassing that he is a professional ref. Other embarrassment is it's been 3 managers and we still can't seem to walk out of the changing room and start playing for the first 10 mins. Year after year we concede early and make things a million times harder for our selves and something needs to be done as it is costing us points. Today we dropped 2 points badly. Sunderland are awful! Organised but just awful. Alteador was their main threat last week and looked abysmal today, no idea why he got 90 mins. Other complaints are levelled at Rodriguez putting in yet another infuriating display of clear potential but being unable to deliver at all (look but don't touch strip club rules seem to apply to him) and also the struggle to play ward-prowse. I like JWP, clear potential but he's not a player who can comfortably go out wide (like Steven Davis) because he's not big enough/confident enough and although this week dropping him into holding midfield worked (because no one would press him from Sunderland) that wont work against bigger teams. He needs to bulk up a bit, it'll take a few years, but I think he's a little rushed (though I am trying not to take away from his fantastic dead ball deliveries all game). Positives though Lambert really suits the deep lying striker role, he commanded the hole and will really be an asset as we get someone else scoring. I thought Lallana was wrongly subbed (Rodriguez should have gone) as he was having one of his best games in the prem. Osvaldo really looks class, so long as he doesn't get sent off he will win us points. Lovern was my MOTM today just with Jos in the same situation it looked like it could have been 2 or 3, all of their chances (after the corner) were lucky niggly ones that relied on someone being thick on the ball, which isn't Lovern. Final frustration is Wanyama. Amazing at winning the ball, amazing long ball distribution, just can't pass 6 yards to save his life! It wasn't too bad as he is committed enough to then win it back but it really broke up the play in the middle. Also Gaston doesn't look 100% fit yet, they looked scared of him, he looked like he was going to fall over or implode when he was on the ball, not quite ready and really wasn't the game changer we needed. Oh well should beat Norwich if we can go forward and work on the finishing all week.

He needs someone holding a gun to his head to teach him how to place the ball into the net, other than the "offside goal" (sitting in block 3 on the line it was NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS offside) he was pathetically wasteful and needs a proper shouting at for that performance. Could have won it from 3 or 4 other chances and just decided to be gash, again. I really hope the manager throws a boot, chair and everything in the changing room at him for just not delivering on his potential. It's like going down on a woman for 10 mins then falling asleep there, she's not happy you haven't gotten up and finished the job and you look a mug.

2-1 win for me with Alteador to score first (120/1 I got on it as well) We'll start complacent then boss it after they score and then win it