Nordic Saint

We've been drawn against them 10 times. Including replays we've played 15 FA Cup games against Man United and won one of them. Even though I was at Wembley in 1976 for that, I'm glad we didn't get drawn against them again. Leicester have been in 7 FA Cup semi-finals, the last one 39 years ago, so it really is a special occasion for their fans, many of whom have never seen their team in an FA Cup semi-final before.

West Ham have only been in 7 FA Cup semi-finals and they've won the cup 3 times. Manchester City have been in 14 and won the cup 6 times.

That was his best ever game in a Saints shirt. He has had good runs of form before but today he really was superb. Let's hope today has restored his confidence and we see him carry that form over into our remaining games. One of his problems in the past is that he's been afraid to shoot. I expect to see him looking to score more goals after that performance.

We've also been in 3 League Cup semi-finals. Surely, as we go into our 16th major semi-final, we are due to capitalise on another one at long last. I wonder if there is any other team that has been in so many semi-finals and only won 1 cup?

At least it wasn't 9-0.

Wasn't there a plan to get the B team playing exactly the same way as the first team so the players could slot right in when called upon? It looks like the plan has worked.

Long before he joined Spurs, Son had a trial with Portsmouth but they relected him. He obviously wasn't their level of player.

Goals v Saints: Giroud 8 Kane 8 Son 8 Lukaku 7 van Persie 7 We always seem to have problems with big, old style centre forwards, who can head the ball in at the near post Ron Davies v Man United. He scored 4 in one game at Old Trafford

That was a very entertaining games of football. Pity that 2nd Adams goal was offside as with a 5-3 scoreline, we'd have come away from it with heads held high. An excellent refereeing performance from Jon Moss too. With McCarthy in goal our defence understandably looked a bundle of nerves but we'll be fine against Brighton as Forster will be back in goal and he brings calmness and assuredness to the whole defence.

Forster has let in 1 goal in his last 6 games McCarthy has let in 23 goals in his last 6 games

Certainly more than enough for McCarthy to have let in another 6 or more goals to add to his tally.

Comfortable win. The whole team worked their socks off. I was particularly impressed by the 2nf half performance. We never took our foot off the pedal. Confidence oozes through the team when Forster and Walker-Peters both play. Another great goal from Adams. He's certainly scored some spectacular ones. Ward-Prowse was back to his best too.

McCarthy let in 19 goals in his last 6 games Forster let in 1 goal in his last 6 games

Portsmouth haven't beaten Arsenal home or away for 63 years and they haven't beaten Chelsea home or away for 61 years, in any competition.

With the right team, I think we can win 1-0. What the club need to do is look at the players who were playing as well as the ones who were not playing when we won games. 1 or 2 of them may be fan favourites on here and even manager's favourites but it's better to field a winning team than a losing one. You don't change a winning team but you need to change one that is always losing. It doesn't require wholesale changes. Just one or 2 changes in key positions can make a world of difference to the way the whole team performs.

The team that beat Wolves 2-0 in the FA Cup:44Forster2Walker-Peters35Bednarek22Salisu3Bertrand17Armstrong8Ward-Prowse6Romeu12Djenepo11Redmond9IngsThe team that beat Arsenal 1-0 in the FA Cup44Forster2Walker-Peters35Bednarek5Stephens3Bertrand17Armstrong8Ward-Prowse27Diallo32Walcott9Ings10AdamsThe team that beat Liverpool 1-0 in the league:44Forster2Walker-Peters35Bednarek5Stephens3Bertrand17Armstrong27Diallo8Ward-Prowse12Djenepo9Ings32Walcott If Walker-Peters is available, we start with the first 2 names in the lineup and at least we'll keep a clean sheet.

Make that 23. They certainly know how to defend a lead.

There's probably another stat that shows without Zaha they never win. A draw would be the ideal result for us.

This statistic is quite remarkable for a team which is in the lower half of the table: Crystal Palace have not lost any of their last 22 Premier League games when leading at half-time (W18 D4)

Yes, I was at all of those games and our away support was tremendous then although there were even more of us at Orient in '66 than there were in '78. I'd say, the late 60s and late 70s were the peaks of our away support. I remember being one of the 10,000 Saints fans filling the whole of the Park Lane End at White Hart Lane for our league game in 1966 and in the 13,000 packed in at the City Ground for the cup match in 1977. !977 was the year our home support was at its loudest and most passionate. All 4 sides of the ground used to sing and visiting sides were clearly intimidated. Gong back to Tony Funnell, as you say, he only really had those 2 months as a Saints first team player and I was disapppointed to see his career here falter after that but the goals he scored in those months were some of the most important in Saints history and I'll always remember them as some of the Saints goals that got the loudest cheers ever.

All those of us who were around during Saints promotion run in 1978 will have great memories of Tony Funnell's goals. This video shows what a wonderful character he still is. It's the best interview with a footballer I've seen for a long time: (42) Flashback Part 6: How Much Did Ex-Cherry Tony Funnell Earn In The Top Division In The 1970's? - YouTube

There is a reason why he has kept nearly 200 clean sheets and it's not just because he has got a world class defence playing in front of him. The thing about Forster is that he is so big and his positioning is so good that he doesn't usually need to move very far to stop goals. But, take your pick from this lot. The one from Mane is a real worldy: (31) Fraser Forster 2016/17 Amazing saves - FC southampton - YouTube

Yes, McCarthy makes himself small at the near post and leaves a lot of space to aim at. Forster stands tall there and leaves no space. There was a similar goal McCarthy conceded recently where he crouched right down at the near post so the striker could shoot into the space above him to score. I think the injustice of their penalty vs our non-penalty took the wind out of the sails of our players though. They've had so many demoralising refereeing decisions go against them recently.

Our penalty shout for a handball was clearer than theirs was. and McCarthy beaten at the near post again. Every striker in the country knows about his weakness there. Forster would have saved that easily.