Redslo

Comparing the same fixtures against the same opponents makes no sense because they are different teams this year. Comparing the first five games against the first five games makes no sense because they are different teams this year. I, of course, have the correct comparison to make. Last year we had 8 points against teams that had earned 21 points out of 60 in their other games. This year we have 10 points against teams that have earned 26 points out of 60 in their other games. A clear, but not immense, improvement. Of course, if I really wanted to go crazy and I had the statistical knowledge to do so, I could do a full fledged regression analysis that even considers the strength of the opposition of our team's opposition's opposition. BTW, the average team has earned 1.32 points per game so, under my system, average opposition would have earned 26.4 points out of 60--so we have faced average opposition so far--not an especially easy schedule.

Yes and no.

I think this is the article you were referring to. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2609004/MARTIN-SAMUEL-Why-Southampton-sign-stars-like-Christian-Benteke-Robin-van-Persie-John-Terry-instead-sell-sell-sell.html

Shaw--starter when MP arrived, sometimes tried to replace with Chambers Chambers--MP brought through, but was always considered top prospect by team Lallana--Adkins made team captain had a somewhat better year under MP Lambert--MP tried to replace with Osvaldo, then changed his mind Lovren--bought when MP was manager, but we don't know if it was MP's idea or team scouting idea No doubt MP did a good job for us, but crediting him for all five of these players is nonsense.

I had intended to post a link to this article under the heading "Martin Samuel tells Saints Board not to run with Scissors"

I am pretty sure no one is earning 3000000 pounds a week. More importantly, we already have a BPL wage cap. It is just rigged in favor of the teams that have more money and are spending it now. But so long as there are cup competitions, European football, and relegation there can be no fair wage cap because the costs of failure are so high. Teams competing in Europe need to spend more on wages because they need a bigger squad. Anyway, no big team would ever agree to a fair wage cap or anything that might cause them to risk relegation.

Isn't it possible that MS and JR believed that they would be allowed to leave and negotiated deals (in violation of the rules) but were never told by the current board that they would be allowed to leave. Given JR's injury and MS's late return from the world cup, they would not have expected their transfers to happen until August any way.

I just posted a new blog entry entitled “Why I was not Afraid During This Past Transfer Window: A Pollyanna’s Story.” It was provoked by the discussion on another thread when my response became way too long so I posted it as a blog entry.

I started to post a response to this thread but it became too long so I put it on my blog. http://www.redsloscf.blogspot.co.uk

I would hold wanyama back to start against arsenal.

Only half of them need to be willing to sit on someone's lap. The other half just need to be willing to let someone sit on their lap. Even if we could only find 16000 people in each category that would still up the capacity to 48000.

The book Soccernomics discusses the Lyon approach at length. It is not all bad. Their ideas on how to treat/support foreign players are quite intelligent. Their primary flaw (in my view) is their apparent automatic willingness to sell a player when their valuation of him is met. If nothing else, I think you need to refuse to sell some players even when you are offered enough money both to keep the team winning and to keep other teams from trying to low ball their transfer offers to you.

I have posted a new blog article entitled “Swansea’s Transfer Window and Match Preview.” I transcribed that portion of Garry Monk’s press conference where he talked about his time at Southampton.

Its better this way.

Couldn't they just name the next royal baby Ark Royal or Eagle and kill two birds with one stone?

I don't think so. This is an audited financial statement covering from 7 February 2012 through 30 June 2013. I assume the June 2014 statement is not yet available and that is not in any way suspicious.

Thank you

I have just posted a new article entitled “Portsmouth’s Transfer Window.” Be advised that it is not an angry and hostile diatribe.

I tried the advanced search function, but the additional search terms will help. Thank you. And everyone else. Sorry for bringing back the bad memories. My knowledge of Southampton sort of begins just after the bad times ended. Btw my first search attempt resulted in me getting distracted by a thread started by Alpine Saint on 1 July 2010 where he was worried about the lack of incoming transfers and the possible loss of Lallana and Schneiderlin. It made me realize, yet again, how remarkable it was to keep the core of the team together for five years.

For a research project I am working on I would like to read some of the concerned threads that were undoubtedly being bandied about here in the spring and summer of 2009 before Markus Liebherr bought the team. Can anyone provide me with links? Thank you.

I think that the moment we are mathematically safe from relegation or the moment we are actually relegated are the most important moments.

Exactly. It is quite possible to analyze the same facts and come to completely different conclusions. This weeks game offers more opportunity for that. If we beat Swansea everything is good. If we lose we are five points behind the same fixtures from last year. Of course, Swansea looks like they are a better team this year, but that would just confuse the issue with more facts that can be looked at either way. How about this way of looking at things? This year we have 7 points out of games against teams that have 10 points out of 36 in games against other teams. Last year we had 5 points out of games against teams that had 7 points out of 36 in games against other teams. CLEARLY WE ARE BETTER.

I have posted a new blog entry entitled “Where do Managers Come From?” which looks at the Nationality and prior jobs of BPL and Championship managers over the past five years.

Has the fact that he had a concussion been officially announced?

The BPL's new concussion rules do not appear to be being enforced.