Chez

I've heard it all now. Supposedly knowledgeable Saints fans desperate for more hoof ball.I'll take the overpassing (and while we are at it my own opinion over anyone on here) every day of the week thank you. It's not as though Ricky is actually all that great at winning headers against centre backs. That's why he always pulls out wide onto the shoulder of smaller fullbacks. Connelly doesn't have height to win headers nor the pace to latch on to flick ons, so what's the point? I have no problem with the odd long ball, but only when its a 1 on 1 or 2 on 2 situation done early. If we resort to slowing the game down and smacking it hopefully down the middle it just tells me we have the wrong players that are unable to play the game how Nigel wants it and they will have to be replaced. From what I have seen so far they actually can do it and that's why we've had such a great start to the season.

contrary to what most others are saying on here I hope we continue to pass it short out from the back. Swansea did it to great effect last season and they got caught several times along the way, but in the long run it was worth it. They starved opponents of possession and they were able to dictate games and create the kind of opportunities in front of goal that they wanted, not hoped for. Saints fans are complaining about losing it in a dangerous area, but they are not seeing the benefits it brings. Some of you nou need to relax a bit and see that Morgan, Hammond and Cork are more than capable of taking the ball with their back to goal and get moves going. OK so every now and then we overdo it, but not much.

saw a silver DeLorean the other day. Just saying, like.

night game at Selhurst. Tremendous.

dives in too much for me. He got away with it a lot last season, less so this and in the top flight he would be punished badly for that. I don't think he's having a bad season so far though, just one or two games he hasn't been as dominating as he was last season - but that is inevitable as the opposition is far better.

again I agree with all of this, the only difference being I have a ST so the taxes don't affect me apart from cup game sand away games.

didn't Leo signed a contract when he didn't need to ensure Saints got a transfer fee. Not sure Alex signed his Saints contract for those reasons.

putting that into context they were desperate to sell in order to continue paying the top players wages that are bigger than Arsenal pay.

Aldershot or Arsenal away would be ideal.

Chaplow by a country mile

I am Dickson's number 1 fan on here I think, but he was terrible. His first touch was poor, his distribution woeful, when he did make a run forward he ran straight out of play. He made poor decisions when to let it bounce when not to and overall gave the ball away a lot. If you didn't see any of that you must have had blinkers on.

he came on and caused problems for all our defenders with his strength. They perked up no end when he came on. Showed a decent first touch too. Each to their own.

I love Dickson's endevour (spell) and hard running, but he looked very deflated and every time his touched it it went wrong. I hate people that say a player looked like he wanted out or whatever, but he played so poorly it crossed my mind. He clearly was rusty, but he also looked flat and not really up for it. I thought Jos looked good again. I thought he was excellent on Sunday and there was more of the same here. He even shot from 25 yards with the keeper saving well, so confidence is high. I don't think he is the complete answer, he lacks pace and is not quite nasty enough or sharp enough, but he will do fine till Jaidi/Seaborne come back then we can argue who is the best or worst as they all are going to divide opinion.

I thought he was too, but he looks very comfortable in midfield. He could be wasted at left back, where you need pace IMO. He doesn't seem like an up and down man, he was busy, and neat and tidy and very happy to take the ball with his back to goal and with players up his backside. I want to say Paul Scholes-like, but I know someone will jump all over that, but certainly he reminded me of Scholes when he was first starting out. We may have found a gem - although I know he has been talked about for quite a while now - but not as a midfielder. Aldershot away for me.

terrible, by far and away his worst display in a Saints shirt and that's from someone that has praised him a lot against the tide.

you are quite right of course, it's more about the economy, but the stupid 15 minute parking fees, the 40% price rises on STs, and the 73% rises for the 60-65 years olds just ****s a few more off, and if they don't go perhaps they won't bring their lad or their mate so that adds a few more. Even of its just a few hundred, it might be a few hundred that never come back ever.

we hadn't just got promoted and feel good factor that brings or won the last 13 home games. Crowds should be much higher, although I concede that the current financial climate is probably the biggest factor to our average increase in gates on last season. I do think that you and other fans are just like Cortese if you don't think that some of the policies/taxes etc. haven't put some fans backs up enough that they don't go as often as they used to. Charging a booking fee for online purchases is a sham, especially for away tickets (where they make 5% commission anyway) and especially for those that don't live near SMS.

I agree with you on a lot of this, but I have to say the Carling Cup has just got a bad rep these days which has put off a lot fans.

not bad game all in all, but boy is it depressing watching Saints in such an empty stadium. I'd like to see fans allowed to go up the other end at half time. I thought we weren't as good passing out from the back as normal, but with the extra man in midfield we dominated possession and passed the ball pretty well in midfield. Forte worked hard up front on his own and looked OK at times, but didn't do enough to force his way on to the bench on Saturday. Holmes got to the byeline a lot (some good passing got him in as well as him beating his man, but with few in the box his crosses never found a man in the first half. Thankfully Lallana got in where it hurts in the secod half and Holme's right foot cross was not wasted. We deserved to win. Thank god there was no extra time, not sure I could take much more. Bart 5 very average kicking and I thought he should have gone for a couple of the very deep crosses as he had years to get under them. The one real chance he saved but not well enough. I thought he could have done better. Butterfield 7 solid, a few very good blocks and usual calmness and good positional play. Never really overlapped, perhaps just as well with the wingers pushing up a lot. Not enough to dislodge Richardson Martin 7 good display, looked very solid. Passing OK out from the back, perhaps needed a little more options to help him. Jos 7 also solid, good in the air and didn't give them much on the deck either. Dickson 3 I like him a lot and have backed him on here continuously, but he had a shocker. Almost everything he did went wrong or was ****. The lack of games can't help him, especially fitness wise, but he'll never get back in the side if that's what he is doing on the training ground. Very dissapointed as I really wanted him to prove Adkins wrong. Reeves 7 Excellent prospect. Extremely busy and has good feet and plays with his head up. A little too much in tight areas, but showed great composure. He's small, but he looks looks he has enough about him. I guess the 5 man midfield may hide his weaknesses. Very impressed. Chaplow 9 I'm not sure what more he could have done other than not tread on the Preston player who tried to foul him. I think he might have been a little lucky the ref didn't see it, but he took plenty of kicks afterwards as punishment. Fantastic workrate and made countless tackles and cut out so many passes. Top stuff Morgan 6 Not bad, not great de Ridder 7 some really good stuff, but just lacked a little end product. I still don't think he is quite as quick as we might like, but he does dribble very well. Holmes 7 some excellent dribbles, beating his man all ends up, although many crosses failed to beat the first man or were too deep. Not much to aim at mind you. His deep cross set up the first goal in a planned corner with Reeves heading it back, and his nice byeline run and cross set up the second. There was some bad, like failing to control anything on his right foot and bottling one header, but even a non believer like me can see he had a decent game. Forte 7 meh, some nice control and hold up play, but some crap first touches, woeful attempts at headers, missed half opportunities in the box and even a failure to really get into that six yard box to give Holmes a target to aim at. Lallana Forte and Lambert as you would expect, no more no less. One more thing, I thought fatty Mellor looked a real handful when he came on and really perked them up. Never liked him, but he looks on top of his game and could do a job on loan if they need the funds.

glad to hear he's playing tonight, I've missed his 50 yard headed clearances.

perhaps they hoping to find most of it left in a store room somewhere

most expensive ticket price is irrelevant. Norwich ST holders didn't have to pay more because they got promoted.

very interesting point. I wonder how many supporters that don't go every week and say its down to money spend £500 a year on Sky?

they didn't at Norwich because they went on sale December 1st the previous year.

kinell that's an away following and a half.