Chez

he misunderstood the initial question. He thought the interviewer said/meant that some people had called in and suggested that fans don't celebrate goals. Ridiculous suggestion, sadly for him not one that anyone had actually made.

jeez we 4-4 fecking two.

no we don't. For some time now we have played 4-4-2 with Ramirez as the second striker. He does drop deep, but so does Lambert - is he not playing up front too? Check Ramirez' starting position when the ball is in the opponents keepers hands. It's him and Lambert closing down across the line. He is playing up front. Add to this Lallana and Puncheon have since WBA played as proper right and left midfielders rather than wingers. It's a subtle difference, but they are deeper and have much more defensive duties. They are not playing as three behind the striker, although they do cut inside and float when we have the ball. When we don't they are right there in front of their fullback.

no we ALL weren't. I actually thought Adkins might have brought him on for Lallana earlier, seeing as he played left midfield at West Ham earlier in the season and did a good job. Ramirez on the other hand was **** poor when moved out wide at WBA. Not every Saints fan is surprtised or disappointed when he comes on. When he has slotted into the middle of midfield (his actual position) he has done a good job, keeping the ball and passing it well.

no nagging thoughts that it might all go tits up?

he was badly misjudged by the majority of fans, failing to see what he can and can't do, what he is trying to do with the ball or how he could be effective. I still think even now many don't realise he's left footed or hasn't got pace. The lack of understanding or appreciation of the game dumbfounds me at times. He certainly has upped his work rate, although he always did try and often got stuck in. He's a proper team player, tracking runners and getting goal side.

This is exactly what I have been saying for months now. It's good that we have a settled back four, that is very important, but if Jos has to come in I won't be concerned at all. He will be fine.

Interesting. If the season ended now he'd be my player of the season (Cork will get it if he continues as he is doing) and he's a vital player in the side especially as we have no right midfielder cover at all unless you count de Ridder.

I don't see an improvement in that department at all. He's always had a great touch and upper body strength. He's upped his workrate, but for me the main difference is that he now has the confidence to really take his time and when he does he hasn't got fans on his back moaning at him for holding on to the the ball for too long.

better than Bridger, but not as good as Bale? How much do you think he's worth seeing that he's English, left backs are hard to find and their is crazy money out there?

are our "play off hopes [still] hanging by a thread"?

they all saw that goal at Fratton Park though on the TV. Amazing how mistakes made in TV games shapes opinions of players. Fonte's error at Boro on TV swayed the general opinion on here that he had a poor season last year, which of course he didn't.

some of us have backed him phantom jeans and all. Wonder if he will sign a new deal?

The Ref wised up pretty quickly to Roberts' pathetic attempts to cheat. Shame the one at West Ham didn't do the same with Carroll. Lets not encorage our own big man to cheat

two pacey fullbacks, it's like all our christmas came at once. Clyne is not the finished article either.

I blame it on the beer.

we continually used to get caught out like this in the Championship, but we seemed to have worked it out that two players need to go across if they are taking a short. Very strange that forgot all about this today, twice, right after each other. Crazy. I thought it might have been because Lallana had gone off but doesn't he usually stand on the half way line these days?

Good display from us and it could easily have been more than 1-0. We dominated possession, draining the life out Reading and we also really got to grips with the middle of the park, something we failed on both occasions last season against them. Roberts was the usual thorn in our side, but we dealt with him pretty well. Apart from totally switching off at two corners we defended well. Going forward I thought Rodriguez radically changed our attack. He played on the shoulder of the last defender turning their defence round, pushing them back and providing space for the likes of Puncheon to do his stuff. Only Lallana's injury took the shine off a top top day. Davis 7 very little to do, but caught and punched a couple of crosses and just looked more confident than Gazza. Clyne 7 forging a decent partnership with Puncheon. They now seem to know each is going to do. A couple of errors that could have been very costly though. Get some longer studs. Fonte 8 strong display. Some ropey passes that Rodriguez turned into good ones Mayuka 7 I have criticised him a lot, but he was good today. He was mugged by Roberts on one occasion (but what defender hasn't been?). Some ropey passes forward like Fonte, but only one poor choice of pass (to Morgan who subsequently mis-controlled and we were in trouble) all day which is good. Shaw 9 composed on the ball, strong off it. What a talent. £4m? Not a chance. Hope we can keep him for a long long time. Lallana 6 didn't see enough of the ball. Worrying injury. Cork 9 Terrific right to the end. Morgan 6 quite a lot of poor passes from him. Not his best game by any means. Puncheon 8 another great performance. Just does not give the ball away and that's why we are controlling games. Having so many dribblers in the side really makes us a decent side with the ball. Lambert 7 I didn't notice him in the game too much if I am honest as my eye was taken by the Rodriguez runs, but he bullied Mariappa a fair bit Rodriguez 7 great movement and work rate. Didn't really look like scoring and that perhaps is the one criticism of him. His touch let his down on occasions and that worries me a tad, but he more than made up for that with some direct running Ramirez 7 I don't think he is a winger and certainly not a left midfielder, but he did a very good impression of one causing their right back loads of problems. Defensively he is not great though. Close to carving open several chances for himself, but just didn't quite run for him today. Guly did well. Neat and tidy and posed problems. Kept the ball well and helped us over the line.

they weren't as bad as fans were making out. The ref got a lot of decisions right, although I'm not sure about the disallowed goal

1. Moving to 4-4-2 and having left and right midfielders (helping the fullbacks) rather than left and right wingers (leaving us exposed) 2. Jack Cork playing out of his skin 3. Ramirez and Shaw back after injuries

fair enough. We've improved the first team so he's a squad player now so you won't have to suffer as often. If he is playing it's because we need him, so just get behind him when that times comes and perhaps he'll make a crucial difference in a game that keeps us up. I am not sure why I am defending him. Drink drivers like him should be hung drawn and quartered in my book.

and everyone is entitled to one, but with that comment my opinion is that yours is worthless when it comes to Guly. Davis apart, he was our best player that day, so you quite clearly so blinded by your hatred that it is effecting your judgement.

but why boo the decision to bring him on? I don't rate Fox, you didn't see me booing the decision to bring him on a few weeks back.

has he played the last 28 as a striker?

worrying. We don't have any cover there at all IMO. I thought Ramirez did well, really driving hard at the fullback, but he's not a left midfielder and left Shaw exposed a few times.