The9

Great shout, helped drag us to safety in Championship and only 4 appearances in 2007/8 (1W 2D 1L). Ditto Richard Wright, 7 appearances in a similar timescale with him in goal. W2 D3 L2.

Theo Walcott. Thirteen total League starts for Saints. The only thing that made August-December 2005 even remotely watchable. Dale Stephens and Oscar Gobern - bit part players at the critical end of the L1 Promotion season, when the midfield had a few injury and suspension concerns. Gobern played in the win at Brighton of his 5 league starts for Saints (and of course there was his tackle at Bournemouth), Stephens played 90 minutes in the crucial win at Plymouth of his 5 starts for Saints (bizarrely I've just noticed that Palace's Yannick Bolasie scored for Plymouth that day).

More of this kind of pointless sh01te required under FFP if we want to finish 7th. All hail the forthcoming Official Broccoli Partner...

Didn't know that, v. handy, cheers.

I have no time for him whatsoever, he's an easily-defended stepover merchant with no end product who runs in Jenas-esque straight lines. Shepherd him to the corner flag and get out of the way when he tries to bounce the ball off you for a corner. Or force him inside and let him shoot, you'll be fine 95% of the time. Then again, he may well be a better option than Isgrove at the moment.

Is this on page 1973 or what?

Very perceptive, but he also played at St Mary's on Saturday for his new club.

They could also put out 10 of their starting side from their long winning run towards the end of last season if they wanted to ensure stability. And their Suarez-less side which played the first 6 matches of last season won 4 and drew one before we beat them at Anfield. Here's the side that beat Man City 3-2: S Mignolet, M Skrtel, M Sakho, G Johnson, J Flanagan, R Sterling (V Moses, 89), S Gerrard, J Henderson (s/o 90), P Coutinho (Lucas, 89), L Suarez , D Sturridge (J Allen, 66). Only one of those players isn't available. And they've only lost 2 League matches in 2014 so far out of 22.

They only posted accounts for 11 months up to May, IIRC. Try the Pompey Takeover Thread in the Lounge, if there's a link it'll be in the last 10 pages or so of that.

I think you're the only person that's said this - possibly because it isn't true.

Quite.

Given the number of people on here who've seen him play there and STILL insist he can play right back, I don't think this Forum is much better. He's a very good defensive midfield player, who works well in tight spaces, and plays short passes very effectively. He can't shoot for toffee, isn't THAT great a tackler, preferring to intercept and jockey (that's not a criticism) and he's not much cop at playing passes over 30 yards with any pace - but I'd definitely want to keep him.

As I mentioned on the Pre-Paid Food thread, Vodafone 4G was available and actually useful at the Leverkusen game, first time my phone's delivered the scores consistently when in the ground since WAP.

I really don't see the benefit of selling him for £3m, even if he would go for nothing at the end of the season. He's worth paying £3m for based on how he's played over the past 2 seasons and I'd keep him on that basis. "Seven players" is pushing it a bit - we've got no guarantees re: Schneiderlin, even Wanyama was quoted as "wanting to play CL football" early in the transfer window, and good though he looked in the 20 minutes I've seen of him, Taider might not fit in over a longer period. Reed's got everything to prove, Ward-Prowse is getting to Cork's level but isn't there yet, and of course Davis has been excellent. I just don't think getting rid of Cork is a good idea at the moment. Give it til Xmas when we know how this works during matches, and if we still want to move him on then, there will be a club in the bottom 6 desperate for his type of player.

Having looked at the recent Prem matches v Arsenal and the line ups, I assume you're referring to the 1-1 draw at St Mary's on New Year's Day. Seems strange that a "Man of the Match" would only be mentioned in a match report for a potential handball to concede a penalty: http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/jan/01/southampton-arsenal-premier-league-match-report

He is and was an abysmal right back and should never, ever be played there. He was dire every time he tried it for Saints (and also for England U21s at St Mary's). I wouldn't sell him though.

That's good, or I'd be battering him for not being able to spell "our".

Bit harsh on andoru, tbf, he only said "it really does feel like asset stripping" - though I heartily endorse the mockery of anyone who uses the phrase "laughing stock", so I'm torn.

FFS where's Djimi Traore nowadays? I also hear David Ngog is available?

They did indeed, and what a massive difference they made to Reading's results... : Matches with S Long and R Bertrand W9 D6 L8 As a %: 39 26 35 Matches without S Long and R Bertrand W10 D10 L11 As a %: 32 32 35 (Sarcasm)

Wibble. Hatstand.

I think it's remarkable that nowhere in the "Lge Cup R2 draw info" on the OS have they bothered to mention WHEN the next round is being played. Depending on my availability, I'd want us away to one of Burton Albion Crewe Alexandra Port Vale Mansfield Town because I haven't been to any of those grounds. Shrewsbury Town I'm going to in a few weeks anyway, and Rotherham United, Bradford City, Doncaster Rovers is probably a bit too far to be bothered on a week night (and yes, Mansfield and Crewe are also close to that line, which has to be drawn somewhere). Obviously the Skates are an exception to both my "been there before" and "going there in a few weeks anyway" rules.

A 1:24 chance of drawing the Skates then, with the draw not regionalised. Also, in theory, as there's a pre-draw for the unseeded teams, they'll know if they are home or away before they actually find out who they are playing - though in practice I'm not sure if that information is revealed before the team comes up in the draw.

Depends what you want to do. I don't think Shane Long could right a rolled car, but I reckon 24 Billy Sharps could. I think part of the concern here is that some people don't actually think Long is much better than Sharp.

Loony.