Torrent Of Abuse

Gerard to get a penalty in a 1-1 draw whilst we win. We edge away from Liverpool, drag Chelsea into the pack too and Liverpool get Gerard still in the team until Easter. Win-win-win.

Kids, stars, journeymen (well guys who used to be): everyone gains something from going through the club. As SRL said, "I owe Southampton everything". Good words for ANY potential signing to consider. We're Southampton, not Stoke or Sunderland :-)

I take it back. I'd have SRL back in January :-) And will always love how MLT says "us". Sometimes it's good to be reminded of how high the regard is for the club and academy these days. Very proud of the club.

I would love to have seen him get a goal that keeps us on track for a remarkable season (maybe qualify for Europe or win a cup or both) but I'm not sure he'd want to come here to be back-up or that Liverpool would release him to be back-up or that things would be the same coming back to the club he left. Someone else made the best call in that he'd stay up north and just get game-time. Alas I think his best years and best opportunities ended when he left St. Mary's. Just hope he doesn't get a decisive goal against us. Think we may get a loan right-back and short-term cover for Pelle and Tadic/Mane though. Just not SRL.

True. We have a chip on our shoulders the size of a small tree. Never mind the press noticing how good we are, when will Saints fans follow the team's example and simply let the football do the talking? All this "little Southampton" talk only works if deep down you believe a little too much of it yourself.

How can you fail to be impressed and proud of your team when the captain talks like this? (from DE): I can't ever remember having a team so focussed on their performances and supporting one another. We've had good performances and good runs before but they seemed to fade away as soon as they'd started as players went out to celebrate this win or that win. These guys seem to be imbued with the spirit of winners. It's not enough for them to win an important game or achieve a club record. They want to keep achieving for the sake of winning as a team. I'd go as far as to say that this team deserves to win something this year - be it a cup or qualification for Europe. They have something which is pretty special.

It's their own fault. They only buy ones which are at the end of their working life, ones which aren't too bright or ones with bulbs that are just too big to fit.

http://worldsoccertalk.com/2014/10/30/fraser-forster-beginning-to-make-his-mark-between-the-sticks-with-southampton/ Not sure there is much meat in this article but this point caught my eye: "Forster’s calmness has been infectious to the Saints’ backline, and his gigantic frame – he’s over two meters tall – makes the goal look tiny. Having saved 76% of the shots he’s faced, the England international has one of the best saves-to-shots ratio in Europe." Sounds impressive. What is everyone's opinion of him?

They are the media. There are no simple stories. Everything needs an angle. We'll stop having references to the summer departures when a better storyline comes around. Maybe the next one will be "Despite winning one domestic honour (in the form of the League Cup), Koeman's young saints want more cup glory and are even still in the hunt for European honours via the league. Neil Ashton reports from Staplewood. From the safety of his car. With his collar turned up so no-one knows it's him." We can but hope.

That is a ****ing wonderful article. I must say that, in spite of all the unwanted point-scoring threads we've had on here these last few months, Turkish did get it right about Reed being an invaluable part of what is going on here - and you can probably add in Hunter and Mitchell. I'm proud not just of how my club is getting the results but how they are going about it. If other clubs don't do things our way then I don't really give a ****. It's their loss. They can keep poaching our players (at a price) if they want but we'll survive and thrive. We just need to keep this back room team together and deal with the inevitable departures from there just as we always have. Top marks, Saints.

For three days, FFS. He obviously needed the break because after he came back, he was on another level.

If we do by some magical wonder end up in a European place and Spurs don't, it will fill me with such a warm feeling. Especially when Pochettino (or whoever comes after him) has to face unrest from players who want to go elsewhere to fulfil their ambitions :-) Best revenge out there.

He'll give you a straight answer to that question - but only in May.

****ing hell, so we could go second with a draw or a win. That's a pretty prize right there.

Now I see that last season, rather than being the raging success we thought, we were clearly being held back. Lovren's head was weighing us down. As soon as it went to Anfield, we rose up the table and Liverpool sank down. It's pure elementary school physics.

Results have been going our way but I'd say Schneiderlin's willingness to keep his head down has a lot to do with the spirit in the camp. We seem to have bought very well for a number of years now in terms of bringing in players who buy into the team spirit and don't rock the boat. Jos Hooiveld and Jose Fonte are big players in this but it's good to see regular Instagram posts from that central group of key players. Personally, I'd like to see Jose lift a cup this year and maybe in time he'll find a place up on the banner* * Ok. Big ask. It's not as if Peter Rodrigues is up there.

Strong today as it was last season - even despite the departures. It seems Fonte is a key figure in the squad. Superb choice for captain.

To be fair though, no-one particularly pays attention to Alipne whereas the Daily Mail is read by literally dozens of people.

If last year's final run-in is anything to go by, you can bet Adam Lallana is watching our second place from afar and thinking "one day, I could play for that great club".

First one to talk to Pardew on the bus home gets a headbutt.

As you've pointed out once or twice, there's a bit of a difference in size and status between us and Everton.

When J-rod is back, would we move Tadic into the centre and put J-rod out left? That would potentially unleash havoc on rival defences.

Agreed actually. I've never considered a 3-4-1-2 as I just feel it leaves you exposed not having 4 at the back - but the idea of such pace at full-back, solidity in the middle, creativity behind a front two that has pace and power does seem exciting on paper at least. You could also swap Wanyama for JWP in games where more solidity was required.

Given the way the window started, that's an excellent finish. Congratulations to everyone at the club. Not only is there potential there but I'd say there is more cover and yet still room for the youngsters to come through - which is just as important as I feel we have to still be a club that brings on talent. Looking forward to this season much more now. I'd say that when we look at the 4 candidates for CB (Fonte, Yoshi, Alderweireld and Gardos), we can see there is actually some depth at last. Well done. Sheets bone dry :-)

Currently both teams outside the top four. Stay at 3-0 please.