The9

Your point being that they showed the worst case scenarios, but that doesn't change the fact that these things actually did happen, and it's therefore not unlikely that they could happen at the Euros. As for the nazi apologists, hooray for the trolls, because trivialising or ignoring racism and violence against minorities has NEVER caused any problems, nosiree.

I think most of us were pretty shocked to see a bunch of Ukrainian yobs wade through the crowd to lay into some Indian students watching the same team as them and the police and stewards do absolutely nothing about it. Firstly it was shocking to see people get hammered just for having the temerity to have different coloured skin, it was shocking to see it from people supposedly on the same side as them (at least from a footballing perspective), and it was shocking to see the authorities stand around and do nothing. The stuff they also showed with wooden knives and rubbish tactical brawling was ridiculous and mildly comical, but the actual crowd footage and the reporting of it was far from patronising, lazy or cliched.

I probably agree with that, though Guly does quite often take a "long" first touch into space to allow him to get up to speed with the ball, which a lot of people mistake for a poor touch - he only does it when he's got space though, and usually kills it dead when there are opponents around, so I like to give him the benefit of the doubt.

I couldn't remember which season, but it was the final one at the Dell : http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/southampton/1111795.stm That was the one worn in the last league match at the Dell and in the 2001-2 and 2002-3 season (and therefore the first season at St Mary's and the FA Cup semi-final too). I didn't vote, wasn't able to get in for most of 2000/1...

And they'll NEVER know. Hopefully.

I am referring to Which I think are all pretty decent, apart from the long sleeved shirts were too short in the sleeve.

It's nice that we're all shocked by it to be honest. Just shows the massive change in attitudes in the UK over the last 20 years... and how out of date certain posters are on here.

Maths, eh ! I actually had £6 as the original cost (misremembered) then checked it and changed the cost, but not the calculation. I would point out that the inflation rate has been nowhere near that much in any year since 1988 with the exception of 1990-1992 when it got as high as 8%, and was below 3% for the whole of the 14 year period between 1993-2007. So in comparison, an average of 7% (more than double and often treble the inflation rate for most of the intervening years) looks bloody ridiculous.

One of the people on this site DID design the kit(s) in 2006/7 remember ? And people moaned like hell about that too.

I hope he's not planning on jumping the queue when it comes to loyalty points next season...

It's just Barclays winding me up by putting next year's logos on last year's kit. (See earlier in thread).

I can see him sitting in the hole popping a few passes about against some teams, but it's a bit of a luxury role when Guly does the same thing plus he runs a bit...

I'm perfectly aware that I might be wrong about it again, but in the back of my head is that nagging doubt that everyone else was wrong about all those League One players we had who everyone else was unaware were actually Prem players in disguise. Even if Lambert turns out to be a perfectly competent Prem player, which I'm not really debating actually, I still think Sharp is going to get more games than him.

To bring this full circle, that's why I think Sharp, who could score against anyone, will play more matches in the Prem for Saints next season than Lambert.

I'm off to soccerbase to fight fire with fire. Well, Holt scored at Chelsea, at Liverpool, at home to Man U, twice home to Newcastle and at Arsenal, but that means he only scored 9 in his other 30 matches which were mostly against Prem dregs. So ok, the Prem's crap and Lambert has every chance of scoring pedestrian goals against the likes of Wigan and Stoke.

Interesting stat, Saints' critics might say that's because we're a "one man team". Did people say the same about Norwich ? If it's any help, same goes for Kelvin, and I have doubts about him in the Prem too. And to get this back on track, I'm by no means convinced about signing Rodriguez either, though he certainly seems to have potential.

In League One, where he was facing League One markers, with League One flaws. He didn't do it in the Championship because there was no point. I don't argue that he's a decent linkman, he might even be the ideal "false nine" due to his passing and holding up the ball, but that's not the way people get 15 goals in the Prem. I've long questioned his ability to get into the box early and get on the end of low crosses, which Holt is very good at. We can't be waiting to get our strikers into goalscoring positions in the Prem, it has to happen instantly or the chance just doesn't manifest itself.

As someone that used to run 11 second 100 metres and is now 39, I can assure you it makes it a damn sight easier if you do have it though. This doubter is more than happy to say "I didn't think he'd step up to the Championship either", so not sure what your final point is based on?

And I think if he does that game in, game out then he'll be a talisman. Can't argue with that, but expecting his very best in every match is rather optimistic.

Evidently Roy Hodgson doesn't think so.

I agree he was excellent against Reading, I said at the time that was his best game for Saints, even though we lost. And yes, more mobile than before, but I just have doubts his best will be enough. Then again, I said the same thing coming into the Championship.

You weren't watching very closely then. Sharp is pretty nippy and makes great runs which Lambert just can't do. Lambert hasn't missed that many matches, but I think we've been pretty lucky with that (along with having some excellent player monitoring equipment apparently), and everyone knows your recovery rate slows significantly as you get older. Sharp's got 3 years' advantage in that particular contest. Also, he's been bought recently to fill a specific role in Adkins' head, whereas Rickie's a legacy player, who has been essential but might not be any more.

Because I think Holt's MUCH more agile and mobile and still able to take a ball past players, as well as being physically stronger (though as he's 31 now he'll be on his way out soon). Plus he's already proved himself in the Prem - I doubted Rickie last season, and I'm doubting him again, but I just don't know where he's going to find a further improvement on the season just gone. I can see how, say, Sharp can get better, not sure how Lambert will as I think he's as slim and strong as he can get, but he hasn't been taking the ball past people because he's just not that agile. As for "2nd highest English scorer", big deal, it's a global League.

Because I think Sharp is more mobile, has more pace, makes better runs, creates more space and as a result, offers more of a threat at the top level. Also, he's less injury prone. Lambert's skillset and aerial ability will be very useful in some games, but I can't see us (for example) sticking him up front against Man U away and expecting him to chase down everything for 90 minutes, whereas I can see Sharp doing exactly that. It will also depend on who else we sign though, if we get someone mobile with aerial ability in, Lambert will be less used, if we get more nippy finishers in, Sharp might get phased out. I'm also looking at when we signed them and how the evolution of the team might progress. There's not going to be much room for one-paced, relatively immobile players who can't beat anyone in the Prem side.

Have you SEEN the price of petrol ?