SKD

Fair point about Bellerin forgot about him and I agree with Clyne, but who knows what’s going on with him. Cedric would improve Chelsea, IMO. UTD do have a lot of options, he’s no way better than Matic, but IMO pogba and Herrera are more attack minded. Personally I don’t buy the Pogba fuss.

Stopped reading at this bit because you are 100% wrong on this. Also, as MLG pointed out, the stats you 'prefer to rely on' are wrong. The rest is down to opinion. I think we have a good squad, one that is underachieving and needs a few additions. FWIW, Lemina would easily get in and improve Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal who are all crying out for a solid DM, especially Arsenal. Arguably he'd improve united as well who are lacking in this area. Also, other than walker and tripper, I'm not sure I can name any RB's better than Cedric (Naughton or Yedlin is an odd one....). FWIW, i'm one of the clubs biggest critics so I'm not looking through 'red and white glasses', I just honestly believe that we have some very good, under performing players. Proof will eventually be in the pudding when they move on to bigger and better clubs, time will tell.

No one, literally no one has claimed we are the Brazil team of the 70's. What many have said, which IMO is correct, we fundamentally have a good team (Mid-table PL at the very least) and we are currently massively under-performing. Cedric, Bertrand, Lemina would get into any team in the PL and then you have PEH, JWP (on current form), Tadic, Austin and Romeu who would comfortably get into any team from 7/8th down. We also have a number of under performing, key, players in Forster, Boufal, Redmond, Gabbi & Hodet. I'd actually only say 2 or 3 aren't good enough for the PL Long, Stephens & probably Davis (now). Off the top of my head, I don't think I could name any more than 5 players from Newcastle, Watford, Swansea, Burnley, Stoke that I would take (Richarlison, Doucouré, Heaton / Butland and Shaqiri - at a push probably Andre Ayew as well). Of course, as I said, other PL teams do have individual players better than what we have. West Ham a difficultly one, probably about the same but they have an aging squad. You say that you'd prefer Swansea's attacking options, but would you have said that a month ago when they were dog sh!t under Clement? On paper, we are 2 or 3 players away from having a very, very strong squad (a pacy winger - i.e Promes, a solid CB and a CF (if Austin doesn't stay fit - also yet to be seen how Carrillo performs), you could also argue a GK on Forster's current form, but he is clearly better than that (he's proven that in the past)). What we need is a manager who has the ability to get the best out of what we currently have. I feel a bit for MP as he inherited a squad that Puel left with moral destroyed, pretty much. That has certainly played a part in this season, but he has also massively underachieved - I don't see any way to argue that.

Only Everton and arguably Leicester (i'd say Mahrez, Vardy and Schmeichel aside very even). Other teams have individual players better than what we have, but as an overall squad, with a half competent manager, we should be 10 easy... As Puel proved last seen. That's not to say that our recruitment hasn't been terrible though. We continually fail to address area's in which we need improvement, window after window (CB & forwards most recently).

Fair enough, knew it was bigger than WHL and just assumed it was bigger than most stadiumsas you always hear ‘how big the Wembley pitch ks’. Regardless, playing on the same pitch / stadium week in week out holds a distinct advantage.

Don’t waste your money pal. A running event on the Sunday, so it’s probably the most unlikely date of the lot. Thank me later

No, but they have a massive advantage of playing on that pitch week in week out. An advantage that no other team gets. If you don’t think that matters (also remember Wembley is much bigger than most other pitches), then you’re deluded.

Come on fella, if you’re going to try and argue at least get your facts right. As explained (I’ll do it again as you seem to find it difficult to understand), if losing meant MP was sacked, that’s a price I was willing to pay.. As we now have a good chance of making the final, of course I want us to progress. I don’t know what you’re trying to achieve here. If you want to go round d!ck waving “I’m a bigger saints fan than you are” (which seems like you do, to everyone), then we can compare ticket stubs if you like.

Exactly what it was, and the bell end knows that.... I actually clarified on the same thread it was probably a silly comment and that “I don’t care about the result” rather than actively wanting to lose. Ultimately if we go on and win the cup it’ll be great, of course I’ll celebrate. However, there is still a very long way to go and if get knocked out and these FA cup games have kept MP in s job (who, IMO will take us down), then I stand by what I said. For the greater good it would have been better to go out early, replace MP and stay up. Let’s hope we win the cup, win a few of the next couple of games and stay up as well.

There will be an issue - Potential touch points at both Manchester and London, that's without factoring in that may be traveling on the same train. Whilst I appreciate it'll only be a small minority actually travelling on trains with fixtures so close it would be too easy for disorder to break out between us and them (on train or on roads, both will be heading the same way at roughly the same time) - I can't see any police force allowing it, personally. Also, even if the club put on free travel many still wouldn't use it (I certainly wouldn't).

Yes, this is possible, but why would they do that when they (I don't know if any rules due to international week apply) could just move us to Monday and it be on TV? Almost certain it'll be on the Monday.

your heads gone mate. But to answer your question. I do partly agree. We clearly need to improve in the final 3rd (I actually think we have slightly over the past few weeks - L'pool aside), I'd argue what we actually need is some pace and creativity in midfield. But we are also an shambles at the back. If you were an opposing team playing against us, you'd play a big man up front (make him stick on Stephens) and whip crosses into him. To think our issues are just in attack is ludicrous. We've not been good enough all across the pitch, all season. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, it's a football forum, things are to be debated.... don't take it to heart, pet.

And you don't think we need a CB?...... Les Reed, is that you?

With Pompey playing in Oldham on the same day, I will be very very surprised if it's on the Saturday. There is a running event in Wigan on the Sunday, which circles the stadium, so I think we can probably rule that out as well... I'm going for Monday night, but that will be down to TV companies - looking at the draw (unless Rochdale win) we are probably the most appealing tie for TV.

Is it? Still very likely we'd have to play one of the big 6 in the semi final and arguably this is the worse we've been in years. Main attraction for me is the chance to play in Europe again, if that means a couple of years in the championship then so be it as I can't see us getting the chance to qualify for it again any time soon.

Hypothetical and of course everyone would want us to win the cup and survive, but if you had to choose, what would it be? Difficult one for me. Ask me in the early rounds I would have said survival, as I know what being in the PL means to the club. Ask me now, when we have a very good chance of making at least the semi final and I'd say cup.

Could still get him now for a fairly reasonable price - If we stay up, I'd love for us to have both. Would offer genuine quality on either wing and with a fit Austin up top we would have no trouble scoring goals.

Swap Lallana for Jay-Rod (under Poch) and this would be mine. McCarthy / Forster Cedric Toby Hodet Bertrand Wanyama Lemina Mane Boufal Jay Austin With a decent manager is unreal. Goals, Pace and solidity at the back.

Have you watched any of our recent games?

Yep, down by the canal behind the stadium - was a cracking day all round, a proper 'northern away'. If I remember rightly a Saints fan got wrongly accused of beating up a bird in the chaos

Hopefully it’s as good a day as the last time we played there. Pompey have Oldham away on that Saturday, so very slim chance it’ll be Saturday, my guess Sunday or Monday night.

So we haven’t been dog sh!t for the last 18 months then? Take your Red and White hat off and if you were one of the better players in the league, would you be happy playing for us at the moment? No chance. The only one whinging is the OP, slagging on of our best players off.

Has Sunday or Monday written all over it unfortunately.

Did you actually read my post? Haven’t whinged about anything. Purely stated he wants to leave - fact and that if you were on of the best players in the league I doubt you’d be too happy playing for us, atm. He’s a fantastic player, way too good for us. He could have easily thrown his toys out the pram when told he couldn’t leave, but didn’t knuckled down and has in the main had another great season.

Has wanted to leave for the best part of a year now and has to play week in week out with this shower of sh!t, despite being probably the best LB in the country. I don’t blame him for being bit grumpy.