lickierambert

They were so much a part of what we did well. However, Lallana especially had the habit of going missing in the second half of the season, save for a few games against poor opposition (Fulham A, Newcastle H) Seeing what Tadic and Alderweireld, their replacements, have brought, has made me realise we could have done better. Lambert was definitely holding us back though

8th was above my expectation but it's clear now that squad could've done so much more than 56 points and 2 meek cup defeats at Sunderland. Spurs and Man Utd were awful and I think we coasted from this time last year for the next 7 months. Those 4, in my opinion, contributed to that

Of the 12 players that featured for us on Nov 2nd 2013, only 4 played yesterday: Fonte, Clyne, Wanyama and Schneiderlin. An amazing response given the turnover of players

My view of Lovren, Lallana and Lambert as players and Pochettino as manager has radically changed over the last 6 months, to the point where I think they actually held us back to a large extent last year. The issue is that I think they were ok with competent mediocrity. They didn't have the quality or single-mindedness to go back on a winning run after the Arsenal and Chelsea losses in November. 8th place was decent, but last year we could have been much better. It still annoys me a bit that we didn't finish above a dreadful Man Utd.

We'll get Liverpool away and Chelsea will get Sheff U at home. Watch it happen

Mental, and fun. Surely we're due a home tie now?

If we get through, we'd potentially be looking at one of: Liverpool Sheff Utd Bournemouth Chelsea Man City Spurs Derby Some fun ties in there!

For geeks like me: Combined points after 9 games for Chelsea, Arsenal, Everton, Man City, Tottenham, Liverpool and Man Utd: 2013-14: 129 2014-15: 104 Suggesting that the number of points to break that top 7 might be fewer this year

Most important win of the season for me. After last week's high, a really tough game. Really impressed by whole back 5

I think he will do, in a super-sub role. Maybe next summer

Absolutely ****ing mental

He'll be gone next summer. The bottom line is we were 25 points off the champions league, and most of those 25 points are going to have to be made against the top 7. We've lost both of those tests so far. As good as we are, we're miles off that

Not so much a defectors watch but ex-Saints watch: Went to see Dagenham v Exeter last night and Matt Oakley and Danny Butterfield are playing as centre-backs in a funky 3-4-3 formation for Exter. Was very weird to watch but good to see them again

Few thoughts: -Pochettino and Spurs don't come out of it well. If we were that bothered we could have gone after them for tapping up given the obvious private offer made to Poch. -We did very well out of the Shaw deal. United are fools really. -Still think we could/should have kept Chambers. Can understand the others but not this one. -So disappointed in Lallana. I don't begrudge him the move but to act in that way as captain was poor. -This won't be the last summer where something like this happens -Overall, we're in good hands

Oddly enough I don't think I've ever been really depressed post-takeover. We've had some awful results (August/September 2009 and the 2 Rochdale results spring to mind) but I've always thought in the 5 1/2 years that we've been going in the right direction (slight wobble this summer!). The worst part for me was away at Notts Forest last game of 2008/9 not knowing if we'd ever be back to that level or even ever play again

Averages 21 with the bat, which is not good enough in generally low scoring CC games. A shame considering how good he is behind the stumps.

The only order that matters...the Premier League table

Quietly grown in stature, which is slightly odd considering he's captain, and has been brilliant this season so far. Not the first man you think of when reeling off our best players but is pretty much the first name on the teamsheet. Incredible to think he was bought in League One from an average championship club and is now a Premier League captain. Was also part of that defence that struggled so much when we first returned to the PL. No doubt I've put the mockers on him, but he's quickly becoming a genuine Saints legend in my eyes. Portugal honours could well follow.

I've seen the future, and it's depressing. Here's the highlights: Before game-muted boos for Redknapp 1 minute-Clyne touches ball. Crowd unanimously shouts shoot. 15 minutes-Rob Green saves tame Tadic free kick 37 minutes-Literally nothing is happening. Crowd silent 56 minutes-Charlie Austin scores inside the box after Fonte mistake 69 minutes-Long scuffs half chance wide of post 73 minutes-Wanyama gets sent off for second bookable offence, after reacting to Karl Henry's late challenge 90 + 1 minutes- Pelle shoots from 25 yards. Ends up in row Z, crowd leaves en masse. Post game-MOTD purr over Redknapp, Ferdinand and Austin. Joey Barton posts blithely on twitter, Alpine turns up on this board. Sunday-everyone tries to take their mind off the awful Saturday by watching the golf. I collect my winnings by betting on the above. Sorry guys.

I still don't think we've seen the last of Lambert in a saints shirt. Expect him to come back in a super-sub role in a couple of years

Was brilliant today, so calm on the ball

Warwick Davis. You must've missed his signing. Actually, replace Warwick with McCarthy and you've got my pick

Wanyama came to mind. Forgot about McCarthy. Would be a heck of a place to make your debut if he was called upon.

Think we might line up like this tomorrow: Forster Clyne Fonte © Gardos Targett Wanyama Cork Davis Mane Tadic Pelle Subs: Davis, Bertrand, Schneiderlin, Long, Davis, Reed, McQueen. With Alderweireld and Yoshida out, god knows who our reserve centre back is

Ticket sold