andoru

Given our form, and that of the likes of Man Utd, Arsenal and Man City, do we go into these games as favourites now? If those teams were playing well, we wouldn't expect a great deal from playing them. But with City only managing a draw with QPR, Utd struggling to beat Palace at home, and Arsenal losing to Swansea, maybe defeat to these sides would actually be points dropped. The way we are playing, I'm starting to think anything less than a 5 point return from the City-Arsenal-Utd games would be a kind of failure, especially as City and Utd are home fixtures. In a way, I'd almost prefer that they were on form, so we can play them with lower expectations. The fact they are there for the taking brings an extra kind of pressure, don't you think?

To those pointing out we have Targett coming through in left-back, remember we actually have two back-up CBs as well in Gardos and Yoshida. We haven't seen much of the former, but Maya is capable, if inconsistent. I wouldn't want to be left with only Targett at LB, plus Bertrand's attitude has been terrific (not that Toby's has been bad, you understand). He's playing like a man revived, and clearly loving the chance to be playing first-team football again. I think Toby is arguably the more 'mercenary' of the two. By that, I mean he probably doesn't mind too much which club he's playing for, not that he's a money-grabbing arse like Lovren. I have a feeling Bertrand would be more committed to Saints long-term, because he's grateful for the club rescuing his career. So, while I hope we can get both, if push comes to shove, I'd go with R.B.

What a way to open your PL account for Saints! On a hat-trick now.

Finally!

Well the journalist was obviously smitten with him! He comes across very well. The only concern is his admission he has "soft spot" for Arsenal - hope that's not a nod and a wink to Wenger to come and turn his head. Haha.

How about "Keep on scoring til the close of play" or something about 'the Southampton Way'?

Enough with the cow-based puns, please. They are complete and udder ****e.

Most important for me would be to get Bertrand and Alderweireld signed on permanent deals. Don't want to have to replace them in the summer because they've gone back to their parent clubs.

I see goals like Lallana's most weekends. It was well taken, but nothing out of the ordinary. Have to say, I didn't think much of Di Maria's either. Again, well taken, but he was facing the goal and under no pressure. It was quite a straightforward chip in my opinion. I thought both Pelle and Austin's volleys in the Saints-QPR game were both much more technically difficult, and far rarer than lobbing a keeper standing miles off his line.

Mane needs to work on scoring from three yards. That's the second one he's missed somehow, the first being at Spurs.

Hull look well on top to be honest. We got pretty lucky with the goal, and haven't shown much else since. Need Koeman to give one of his half-time arse rocket speeches.

Well, well, well ... similar to Tadic's against Sunderland.

Looks like all our goals went west this week. Bournemouth are winning 8-0 at Birmingham.

I think Chelsea just won the title. Have to say, while Saints have been getting all the plaudits for how we've started the season, West Ham are arguably doing better. They've beaten both Liverpool and Man City now, while we lost to Liverpool and Spurs, the two sides we've played that finished above us last season. Not sure what WH have done with the real Sam Alladyce, but this new one seems to be doing the job!

My only concern about our excellent defensive start to the season has been that two of the back four are loanees. I hope we can get both Bertrand and Alderweireld signed up permanently, and keep them in the summer. They've both been superb for us, and more than capable replacements for the two that walked out.

Wait for them to do the same for Cork's goal next. Then it'll be four own goals, and a shot into an empty net after a mistake by the keeper. They'll be saying we only scored three on our own.

99% of Man Utd fans are reading that story and thinking, "So? I travel that far to see them every week."

And yet, depressingly, they're only one win and two places below us in the table now. Undeserved win against QPR, and lucky to play us on the first day of the season. They've fluked their way into 13 points and 5th.

I'm no fan of Harry Redknapp, but be fair, QPR were by far the better team. They hit the woodwork three times and only a couple of Mignolet saves kept them out. They deserved the win.

What do you all reckon are the best own goals ever scored for Southampton by other teams? As well as Vergini's brilliant opener in the Sunderland game yesterday, I'm nominating Gareth Barry's precisely placed pass into the bottom corner against Man City last season.

Have one for me.

First of all, I know this is a ridiculous complaint after such a bloody awesome result, but is anyone ever so slightly disappointed we fell just short of matching the record for the Premier League's biggest winning margin? We were one goal shy of equalling the Man Utd 9-0 Ipswich result, and it could have easily been achieved. There were a few moves in the final ten minutes that could have ended in a goal. As much as I loved the 8-0, sharing a record with Man Utd would have been extra sweet. I doubt we'll get this close again. Oh well - says a lot that my one negative takeaway was only scoring eight goals!

I was sitting on a train from Nanjing to Shanghai when this game was on. I only had a crappy old Nokia with no internet, and two bars of battery left at the start of the trip. I had my mum send me text messages about the score to keep me informed. My battery just held out long enough to get told of the fourth goal. I did a little dance in the train aisle, to the bemusement of the locals.

Yes, it is. Not sure the point you want to make. My point was that the old tired argument about maximising earnings over a short career is no longer relevant. That one comes from an era when players really did need to do that, but now they earn enough for a lifetime in a single year. The argument is still being made, repeatedly, but the game has moved on significantly. Le Tiss never made more than £4k a week, so he earned less in five years than even our average players are making every season now. He probably couldn't stretch his football earnings over a whole life, but that's no longer true in football. I've always argued that if money is going into the game, it should go to the players, but the problem is that too much of it is going into the game, from the pockets of ordinary people. Also, as a fan of a 'smaller' club I have an interest in seeing wage rises curbed. I don't support an individual salary cap, but I'd like to see a team cap that the chairman then decides how to spend. That way they can still pay some players £250k a week if they want, but they'd have to balance it with cheaper players around them. Teams like ours can't compete with ones that can afford a whole squad of guys on £70k+ a week. I want to see things more competitive.

Actually, I don't think I claimed it wasn't okay, just that I don't accept the "short career" excuse. Call it what it is – greed.