SaintDonkey

Assuming Perry's fit... -----------Davis Cork---Perry---Lancashire---Mills ------Wotton Thomson------Surman----Smith -----------Lallana --------John

'A decent experienced manager'. Now while I agree with tha description of Brown I would point out that he's primarily a decent and experienced coach and his previous foray into management with Derby ended in failure, taking a side that had been in the play offs into the relegation spaces over half a season. What Hull did was stick by Brown because they believed in what he could achieve rather than his past record, despite the unpromising start to the season. Now does any of that sound familiar? Obviously a few bob would be handy at the moment, but that's the only real difference.

Pearson brought moderate success with expensive loans and a lot more experienced players than we have at our disposal at the moment. And remember that sucess was exceedingly moderate - if Leicester hadn't managed to self-destruct at home against Wednesday before failing to score against an already promoted Stoke while Coventry tried to commit footballing suicide at the Valley we would have been relegated ourselves. Yes it's a big if but some people who seem to be hailing Pearson as some kind of messiah who would have led us to glory are forgetting he came within an inch of being reviled as the manager who took us down.

Why do we have to have this every week? A baying mob comes on here and screams Lowe out, a couple of clearer thinkers point out that we need a viable alternative first, and perhaps we would be more attractive to potential investors if attendances were better. Then the more rabid anti-Lowes accuse anyone who doesn't agree with them of having their heads stuck up Lowe's arse and it degenerates into a slagging match. Lowe out - but not until there is a better alternative (and no Crouch was no better)

Chris Nicholl, just edges WGS for me. I think he was seen as an underachiver mostly because of what preceded his tenure, what followed showed that he wasn't (although Branfoot did reach a final).

Positives - the first 15 minutes and the postive effects of the substitutions - BWP actually looked good! Surman was far more effective in the centre. Negatives - pretty much everything else. James was targetted mercilessly, we have to start Cork there next match (although he was pretty poor today). Strikers? four of them on the pitch, none looking like they wanted to have a shot.

high scoring draw 3-3

Not the worst player but certainly the most vilified on here.

mea culpa - Mods feel free to do your thang

Well we are Saints fans - we're all a bit daft

Normally the day before an away game this place has a thread entitled "Who's going to [insert name of opponents here]?". This is standardly populated with a few dozen "Me"s and "Me too" along with the odd "I would be there but the wife's mother's canary just died". However today nothing - am I the only one daft enough to travel up for an awkwardly timed away match that's on Sky anyway?

I think that's mostly to do with the availablity of a photo of him wearing a red and white striped shirt. Okay it's a Stoke shirt rather than Saints but if you're just givingf it a cursory glance. Since Strasbourg play in blue I don't think a photo of Gasmi wearing his old club strip would go down very well - hence possibly his absense from the squad page. I imagine the injury news was constructed by giving the physio a ring and asking for an update, he isn't treating Pulis or Gasmi so no update on them Aye the Thomas case is the odd one that deserves being mentioned.

I'd guess Dyer was on relatively high wages - one out two in?

The Guardian seem to have a bit of an obsession with our Jan at the moment - check out the multiple choice answers to win a pair of Manure Celtic tickets... http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/competition/2008/oct/03/1

Well there are plenty here who blame Lowe for the current financial situation - one that has arisen through the club 'over extending' since relegation Having said that I agree the author is conflating the issues of relegation and over spending in the Championship.

A pretty fair assessment of the sate we're in http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2008/oct/03/southampton.championship Particulary like Does he mean us?

Manfred Mann - saffer Mike Hugg - Andover Mike Vickers - Southampton Paul Jones - Portsmuff Tom McGuiness - Wimbledon (god I'm bored this afternoon - roll on Saturday!)

Aren't they both recovering (and being paid by) their old clubs and only coming to us when they're fit?

From that FA article I posted the link to... If he can recapture that promise he could be perfect while Holmes is out.

I've got a sneaking suspision that Smith will come strainght in at left wing so that's ------------Davis James----Perry---Lancashire---Mills ---------Cork-----Surman -White-------Lallana------Smith ------------Robertson Subs: Forecast, McGoldrick, Paterson, Wotton, Thomson With just maybe Skacel on the bench instead of Paterson

Just found this as well (never quite trust fan sites ) http://www.thefa.com/TheFACup/TheFAYouthCup/NewsAndFeatures/Postings/2005/01/FAYC_4P_Arsenal2Barnet1.htm

After much googling he's a leftie! http://arsenal-mania.com/player/Ryan-Smith/39/profile.html

Someone to play left wing in place of Lee Holmes sounds ideal -I've given up on Skacel ever being picked and think Surman is stronger in the centre. I agree about cover at full back to a certain extent - but we have Cork to cover Lloyd James at right back and Surman to cover Jospeh Mills at left back so we're not completely out of options there. Of course if he turns out to be right winger then why!?!?!?!?

Can't see another thread on this so let's get the ball rolling... ------------Davis James----Perry---Lancashire---Mills ---------Cork-----Surman -White-------Lallana------Skacel ------------Robertson Subs: Forecast, McGoldrick, Paterson, Wotton, Thomson Of course the inclusion of Skacel is probably fantasy land but really I can't see who else could be effective on that side with Hlmes out.

200 million quid = Newcastle United + vitriolic hatred for life from 'the best fans in the world'™ for not being a Geordie or 200 million quid = Southampton FC + 150 million quid transfer kitty to get back into the top flight + vitriolic hatred from alpine saint