lickierambert

It's worth reiterating that in the next 7 months some players who would make that 23 will get injured, it happens every time. 7 months ago Andros Townsend was a lower league loanee who had a few decent performances for a terrible PL side. Now he is an automatic squad member and 1-3 on to make the plane. Yet none of this would have happened had Walcott and Oxlade-Chamberlain been fit. With reference to Lambert I think he needs to hit double figures in the PL. It's one of him/Defoe/Carroll/Agbonlahor etc to go.

31 Boruc 02 Clyne 03 Yoshida 05 Hooiveld 13 Fox (Shaw - 78' ) 04 Schneiderlin Booked 10 Ramirez (Lallana - 46' ) 18 Cork 42 Puncheon (S Davis - 46' ) 07 Lambert 09 Rodriguez This was the team that played at Old Trafford last year. Interestingly, only four of the starters (Boruc, Clyne, Scheiderlin and Lambert) are likely to start this time round. It shows how much the team has evolved over the last 9 months.

Cortese says plan was 1 year in League 1 and 3 in Championship. I wonder how much his plans were changed by the rapid rise through the second tier

Made after Morcambe v Newcastle on Sky Sports this evening Tranmere at home please

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2402287/Roy-Hodgson-decide-select-Daniel-Sturridge-months-World-Cup-qualifiers.html Roy picks his squad tomorrow. This article suggests a larger-than-usual squad will be selected. It will be very interesting whether Lambert is selected.

I think Hodgson is coming round to the idea he needs Rickie/Carroll on the bench to complement Rooney, Sturridge and Welbeck. I see Defoe a little way down the pecking order, especially with Soldado coming in at Spurs. With Carroll currently injured and unlikely to get more than 2 games in beforehand, I genuinely think there'll be a public backlash if Carroll is selected ahead of Lambert. The rags-to-riches story peddled by the media is genuinely engrossing.

Reductio ad absurbum

In a week that has seen the gassing of the Syrian people by it's own government, the painting of a hashtag on some red bucket seats seems somewhat inconsequential.

Newport are a great shout too. For a similar example in Scotland, I'd have rather been a Ross County fan than a Celtic one over the past 4/5 years. Such domestic dominance just wouldn't excite me in the same way as it has done for the Hoops. I bet a lot of them now want Rangers back.

From administration, -10 in league 1 to an exciting, vibrant, Premier League team in 4 1/2 years, including: A trophy 2 promotions The continued development of local academy talent A likable, unified group of players Committed, ambitious and well meaning owners Taking an overweight, journeyman striker from League 1 to England match-winner Recruitment of international class players I know I'm biased, but I genuinely wouldn't swap my supporting experience in recent years for the continued dominance of Man Utd, or the success of Man City or Chelsea. Norwich and Swansea are the only two clubs IMO who can boast a similar journey, but I'm not sure they can offer all of the above, despite winning more illustrious silverware over the period. I think we may all look back in 20-30 years time and realise just how lucky we were/are to have had an emotional investment in Saints since the final dark days of of the Lowe era

Already had a Pochettino-Osvaldo training ground bust up. Both have to go.

Won by 5 wickets tonight, another excellent knock by Carberry. This all feels quite empty without County Championship success, though