Beckenham Saint

Horrible memories watching that B'pool game. Still, how things have changed for both of us since then! I've just noticed that this one being on the Beeb means that all three of our away games next week are on TV, as United / Newcastle are both on Sky Sports 1!

Billy Sharp. I remember watching his face before the run up knowing he wasn't going to score. One of the few games Lambert missed that season and my god did we miss him!

Haha sorry, couldn't resist!

He's definitely not worthless. I'd say he actually has a very high level of worth. He has consistently been our best player for years, and if we want to seriously end up in the CL we need players of Morgan and Toby's level across the whole pitch. As Morgan has been one of the best in his position in the Premier League for 3 years now, and we are financially OK, I personally wouldn't take a penny less than £40m, I genuinely think he is worth that to us, and the sort of teams that he will suit and fit into will be able to pay it.

I hope that does go through as my next game is Swansea at home, and they would definitely be weaker without him!

http://www.caughtoffside.com/2014/12/29/man-united-target-martin-odegaard-advised-to-sign-for-southampton/

Last season Boruc was the greatest keeper we had had in 10 years and now he's at Bournemouth it seems most can't say "Boruc" without attaching "the erratic" to it. Boruc's reflex saves and shot stopping are a lot better than Fraser's, he's a more enjoyable keeper to watch as some of the saves he pulled off were amazing, and he's still doing it now a league down. Forster is more of a long term option though and will only get better than he is, although I don't think he will be better than Boruc. He seems quite slow getting down to low shots and those that come straight at him are never parried out to the sides like a decent keeper would but back into the central areas. I do think though that once he gets command of his box we will have a very good keeper on our hands.

Great name, sign him up. Is he any good with crosses?

Should be, he got 6 goals in the Prem for us, the same as Ramirez and Pelle!

Will come through at 7...still, only 2hours and 20 minutes to wait!

Bought tickets for this this morning. Will be my first long haul away day, so am absolutely buzzing!

Well at least if ITV get the highlights I won't be so tired on Sunday for staying up late to watch them!

Wenger is regulary criticised by fans and questioned by reporters about Arsenals squad depth. There are loads of articles about how small their pool of options in defence and attack they are. The Arsenal fans in the office are always moaning about how Wenger failed to sign a "proper striker" (although they're keeping quiet while Sanchez is free scoring) and how they needed to sign a CB this year but didn't. The media do write about their lack of squad depth (and there was a lot of talk about the imbalance in United's squad) - I think you may just not notice it as much being a Saints fan who, I assume, focuses mainly on reading about Saints.

Thought Lallana had his best game in an England shirt last night, annoyingly. Fraser made a good save when called upon but his distribution wasn't great *****il Lambert came on, as he was the only England forward capable, and therefore willing, to fight for the long balls forward.) Shaw looked like a competition winner at times, didn't look half the player we saw in red last year. Clyne excellent, but then, he always is! Pleased the internationals are over now, just a shame we have to wait all the way until Monday now to get to see the mighty saints back in action..

Sorry for dragging this one up, but we're a year on now! Happy birthday Matt

Paul Mitchell is likely not too involved in negotiation process, that's down to others, namely the club secretary. Read the article about her in the QPR programme (Ryan Bertrand on the cover, it's near the back) for more info on her role. She oversees the completion of transfers and that sort of thing.

I reckon it feels better because the players and manager are more personable. As good as Pochettino was at times, he was very difficult to warm to, unlike Koeman, he seems like a genuinly nice bloke and has a lot more charisma than Poch, making it more easy to enjoy his success and wish him to do well. Cortese was similar, arrogant and egotistical by all accounts, would he have ever finished Benali's Big Run with the great man? Would he hell. Lallana and Lovren were walking ego's too, although Lovren seemed OK at the time he has subsequently revealed himself to be a tit - it's easier to get behind people like Ryan Bertrand, Dusan Tadic, Toby Alderwireld and co who are all playing, it seems, for each other as opposed to just playing for themselves. Also, we're scoring more goals this year which makes it more enjoyable!

Not all of the stories about player sales came true either, Fonte, Schneiderlin, Cork, Rodriguez, Wanyama and Ward Prowse were all linked with moves away this summer. All of them have subsequently played for Southampton this season

What about David Marshall? Was very good last year. In our first season in the Prem, Rickie, Lallana and Schneiderlin were all pretty good and we were in the bottom half the whole season, James McCarthy was great for Wigan in the year they went down, Charlie Austin has been good for QPR although they're struggling as a team, and as mentioned - our very own Matt le Tis....

No it didn't! There was no firesale, the club wasn't sold, ralph didn't wreck anything, and it turns out Katherina might even like football a bit! Stop saying things turned out to be true, as they didn't...

Well there is one...

£6.8m deal agreed if Athletico want to sell. Absolutely ridiculous that we could get a player this good for that little.

And now you're gonna believe us! ♫

We won't go bottom three, didn't you hear the Northam on saturday? We are staying up, we are staying up!