mrfahaji

I know it's still a big if at the moment, but if we do finish above Liverpool won't that be the first time in our entire history we've managed to do so?

Thanks, I'll look into it!

I'm sure Portsmouth are going to get promoted sooner or later, there's only so long the world's biggest club can stay in League Two, but every season that passes that they make a mess of it is brilliant - come on you Pilgrims!

Sorry for the novice gambler question, but how do you place this bet? Is it only available with certain bookies? I can find accumulators and obviously the individual games, but not sure where to bet on "West Ham AND Liverpool to win"?

This. I don't even mind United anymore. Would be an amazing end to the season if, in the process of us grabbing sixth place of course, both Chelsea and City miss out on Champions League and Guardiola has to manage in the Europa

The idea of 'luck' in football is a strange one. David in sweden above says Man Utd have been lucky because they have played dull football and won. That doesn't make them lucky, it makes them boring. If a team has 30 shots on goal and doesn't score, then maybe their dreadful finishing doesn't merit winning a game of football. Or perhaps the opposition goalkeeper put in such an immense performance that he deserved to be on the winning side more than any other player. Don't get me wrong, I share the same frustration and have blurted out "oh my god they're so bloody lucky!" many times, Lambert's Villa beating us 3-2 at St Mary's springs to mind more than any other! But even on this occasion, I think there is a difference between deserving a win and being technically lucky in getting it. The only obvious times of genuine bad luck that I can think of is when refereeing decisions cost you goals and games. Because that really is a factor outside a team's control (allowing for the "don't give the ref a decision to make" argument). Possibly deflections etc, but even that is only tinged with luck as presumably the deflection has come from a shot or a cross in the first place.

Following ladysaint's post a while back I pointed out that it was flawed and that actually Saints were, albeit bizarrely, beating all the teams they hadn't managed to beat first time around and vice versa. This trend has continued nearly all season whereby only three teams have been a repeat (in terms of win/not win). Maybe I should have started an anti-hypothesis after all! Hopefully Palace doesn't become the fourth game... An impressive feat to beat nearly every team in a season. We used to be Palace's bogey team I think, but this has turned round recently, time to get back to old habits!

Even though I was only skim reading, I'm a bit ashamed that it took me until "Southampton were fortunate not to be dealing with the same conditions" before I clocked...

Don't sell to Tottenham please. Anything else I guess I'll be ok with, writing has been on the wall for a while.

So basically if we do qualify for Europe again, we're screwed.

I believe so, plus we also won a round v Vitesse which counts towards it. Think our standard coefficient last year was approx 16, and by beating Vitesse we would have gained a small additional value, so maybe next season our coefficient would be closer to 17. Won't make a huge amount of difference but if we're in the qualifying rounds in could make a significant difference between being seeded or unseeded, as I think this year we were on the cusp!

Really hoping I spoke too soon, would be lovely if City don't get on top 4

Typical Arsenal bottling it when a win can achieve something, they only ever do it under pressure when they're trying to avoid disaster. You'd think they would have been buoyed by our result.

That result means everything. A huge release after so many months of having that pit in my stomach every time they are mentioned. GET IN!

Or maybe Stoke had their kit designed while they were still in the hunt for Europe? Whereas Sunderland... I expect their designers were more likely to be checking the Championship kit guidance!

I would like white socks again, and I find white or striped sleeves to look a bit sleeker and fresher than red ones. Not sure why, and I guess it's probably just personal preference. Since I've been watching Saints (91) I think my favourite kits have been 2001-3, 2003 Uefa (not the red back so much), 05-06, 11-12. I like the most recent two seasons but a fleck of black (esp on the collar), more white in the sleeves and white socks would be even better!

I know it's unlikely, but why is it impossible for us to finish 9th? If Chelsea win their last three games 2-0, they will be on 57pts with a +13 GD, and if we lose both even by 1 goal, we will have 57pts with a +12 GD. Am I missing something?

Can't blame West Ham for getting such a deal, but it's outrageous it was allowed to happen.

In the same way that Leicester fans must be thinking "of all the clubs this has happened to, I am so lucky it was my club", I feel like that with Le Tissier. Supporters from all over comment on what a player he was, and I had the fortune and privilege of watching him play every week.

I knew there was a cut off for the 5 bookings but thought it then became 10, and didn't realise there was another cut off. I agree about it being a Clattenburg failure, but was just giving my opinion on why (albeit incorrectly) he didn't send him off.

This is too controversial even for the controversial thread.

When Dier was booked, it came up with "10" on the yellow card count display. Isn't that a suspension? Shame if not - can only assume Clattenburg didn't send him off at the end because once the second free-kick (following the advantage) had been given he knew there was only 5 seconds left and didn't want to produce a red in that scenario.

Both games I've seen live this season when Romeu has played, he was one of our best players. I think it's fair to say that he has often been in the mix for MOTM when he has played most of the game. I recall Clasie having one game where people said he was our best player (I didn't see it), but generally the consensus seems to be "is Clasie even playing?" Or "what has Clasie done today?" It feels like we are persisting with Clasie because he has demonstrated a high level elsewhere and the hope is that eventually it will click for him. I'm not convinced but won't write him off as there is clearly ability there, it's just whether he can do it in this league. Romeu is looking like money well spent but his drawback may be that he is not dominant enough to replace Wanyama, but not box-to-box/agile enough to complement him either.

Just watched those highlights. I think Darlow does get the ball (not saying it's not a foul). Mitrovic deserves some stick for our third goal. Turns his back on Fonte's shot, then does the same thing for Wanyama's. Pretty pathetic defending/desire.