Saint Albert

This kind of nonsense is what happens when politics becomes the main driving force in decision making. Infantino knows he requires votes from the tiny countries, each with the same voting power as Germany or Brazil, to get re-elected. To accomplish this, he swells up the World Cup like a giant throbbing gangrenous appendage. The same thing has happened in UEFA as well with the Euros. I am really starting to lose interest in international football. It admittedly does not help that England are awful.

I wonder if the disagreement between Les and Jose is semantics. Fonte: I did not receive a new contract offer. Reed: we offered him a raise and an extension allowed by his existing recently-executed contract. Both can be construed as correct depending on your point of view. You could certainly argue that what Reed offered was not a new contract.

This was a really good read thank you. I never thought that I would get a primer on Canadian defamation law on this forum.

I'm starting to think that Fonte has been getting bad advice from his agent.

Getting lucky with the ladies is probably the least of the Swans' problems. Sorry, couldn't resist...

Posters on the RAWK site seem convinced that 20 million is the asking price for Sakho. That would put Saints out of the equation.

i'd be content with top half. We've enjoyed a decent run in the league cup or whatever they call it nowadays. One distinguishing feature of this year over last year is all the "big" teams are playing much better, i.e. Man U, Liverpool and Chelsea have all improved significantly. It's a whole new ball of wax this year. The "glass ceiling" as Les and the Evertonians like to describe it, seems to be have been reset firmly in place.

Both Saints and Spurs are sniffing around Mark Uth from Hoffenheim, but with a view to a summer transfer according to 90mins: http://www.90min.com/posts/4376482-tottenham-and-southampton-set-to-battle-it-out-for-6m-rated-hoffenheim-forward-mark-uth

According to Dave and Big Adam, Saints bossed the game and again fail to pull out a win. I'm a little concerned about our defending at set pieces, and we do seem to have problems defending a lead, lately. Still, it's a home replay against Norwich so it's not the end of the world. We certainly got a better result than Bournemouth...

2-2 FT

A free header according to Dave.

2-2 Naismith

Sims off for Redmond

"The second goal goes in, we all cheer up": Big Adam.

Yoshi!

Long off for Jrod, Harry Reed off for Romeu

1-1. Sounds like Lewis gave up the foul on Jerome after the keeper's heavy touch on a VVD back pass.

Pen to the home side.

0-1 at the half.

Sounds like a nice little volley from VVD. Come on Saints!

He started the season well but he looks to be in one of his midwinter slumps right now. Also is developing a track record of falling out with his coaches (Serbian national team, Koeman). For a team that has scored 19 in 20, I'm not sure we can afford to let him go.

Money can only be a huge factor for him. I'm not particularly inclined to criticize a long-term Saints player for seeking a last significant pay day before retirement. It's not as if he has spent his whole career in the top tier earning top tier money, he's spent a fair amount of time in the Championship and L1. I know that professionals make ridiculous amounts of money but he has every right to seek the best deal possible.

VVD is most likely- he stood in as captain recently when Fonte has not started.

Perhaps it could end up with one of those big money Chinese moves. He seems to fit the bill. It is at least comforting that he won't go without a replacement being lined up.

There has been some public petulance. Boufal after being subbed, Hojberg after being subbed. J-Rod had a bit of a moan in the Mail about playing time. This whole business with Ralph addressing the team at Everton. The performances over Christmas. You just can't tell for sure if this particular rumour is true, but if it is I would not get hung up on the conduct of the players. The club should be pragmatic, pull the plug on the manager and bring a new one in while the club has time to participate in the transfer window.