Chez

were you sitting near the dug out then? I can't imagine Connelly made his feelings known about Gobern (if they actually were his feelings).

boy vomits scarf

brilliant day out in Chiswick and Brentford with more beers than I care to remember. Thought we were terrific in the first half. We could not have been more dominant and it could have been 4 or 5. We took our foot off the gas and Weston (might be a good signing for us) caused us a few problems when he came on. We woke up though and at no point did I ever think we wouldn't win. We are so professional right now. David 9 caught everything and kicking was first class. Richardson 6 solid game but got skinned by Weston Jaidi 10 didn't put a foot wrong and won absolutely everything Fonte 10 bossed things as usual Harding 8 "You'll never beat Dan Harding" is the perfect song for him. Has anyone skinned him since that Bristol Rovers 2-3 game last season? Guly 6 a few loose passes as normal but was playing well until he went off injured Chaplow 7 ran and ran and ran. Battled hard and covered every blade of grass. Hammond 7 Strong and passed well Lallana 8 usual tricks and turns Lambert 8 Bullied their short centre back Connellly 9 tremendous until he tired. A real thorn in their side. Interesting battle with their centre back that almost came to blows off the ball Gobern 6 held an end up, but not much more. He is too cagey with his tackles now. Butterfild and Dickson did fine.

Guly's first touch at Bristol Rovers will live with me for many years. After the monsterous build up it was as funny as **** to see him fall over his own feet and the whole away end/side chuckle to themselves.

likewise and with the chances we create there is always a goal in us. Watching promotion on a terrace. Could it be better?

at the end, Jack said his favourite memory was being nutmegged by Bobby and Bobby laughing as he ran away with the ball

having moaned persistently about the affect the US tour had on the start if their season, why on earth is Cotterill taking them out there again?

Fergie described him as the best player ever, yet the man himself just describes himself as lucky.

we'll win, they will draw.

forget the `pretty much'. If those results take place we are up in my mind and I'll be celebrating as such.

simply can not wait for tomorrow. I just have this feeling it is all going to come together tomorrow and for those fortune to be there its going to be off the scale in terms of joy.

Just watched the BBC documentary on Bobby Charlton. Pretty much the whole thing had me welling up. For such an amazing player you couldn't come across anyone so down to earth and humble. Him saying "I could knock the odd goal in now and then" with the pictures showing him scoring yet another thunderbolt in the background just had me smiling. Anyone met him and is he just the same off camera?

Most people that know me would classify me as a pessimist (I say realist) but I just can't see anyone beating us right now and we will win tomorrow. With Lallana back in the side we have enough to beat anyone in this league.

Messi isn't a fox in the box himself, the point made above was that he got into that danger area and it paid dividend. Maybe Lambert should do that a little more often? He's a midfielder turned striker and for me that explains why he often doesn't bust a gut to get in the six yard box. A natural striker just does that all the time. A midfielder holds back and waits for the cut back or poor clearance. I don't think asking this question is a serious criticism of Lambert. Besides, why can't Saints fans point out our strikers failings as well as praise their strengths? None of our players are world beaters and beyond criticism. They could all improve. I like him a lot by the way. I personally feel that a goal in a game does not mean the striker has had a good game. You could lose the ball all day costing your team several goals and then score a pen you haven't earned. Would that mean you had a good game?

Jaidi was slow when Brum got promoted. He was a rock for them and one of the main reasons they went up. Maybe he can do the same for us. If we let him go I fear for us with the likes of Seabourne and Martin simply not being tough and ugly enough

he's been overlooked. He certainly hasn't been injured all season. Adkins just stuck with Barnard, Lambert and Guly. How many games has he been an unused sub this season? He's like a Woodgate though. Top quality and if he stays fit the side benefits. But there is a serious risk he will miss the season with an injury. If we go up you have to hope we can pick up someone with similar quality but who is in his prime.

maybe, but take a look at what champions Norwich did: Released Kelly, Stephens, Doherty, McVeigh, Theokolotis, Whaley, Stefanovic, Spillane, Renton, Lathrope, Wiggins, Cureton and Russell Brought in: Jackson, Surman, Lansbrey, Ruddy,Crofts, Fox, Smith and Ward and then added Wilbraham, Tierney, Barnet plus Edwards, Vokes and Pacheto in the winter. That's 27 changes to the squad. When we go up we will need to add real quality. centre mid, right midfield, up front and maybe right back all could be improved on.

not just to do with a lack of athleticism, he simply does not try very hard to get into the danger area. He prefers to hold back and wait for the drop down or pull back. He'd get more goals is he got right into the six yard box, but it's just not his instinct.

look no further than Skacel. Cheat.

Carl Cort came on and we couldn't handle him. I spent most of the second half singing the Paul Wotton football genius song

he was utter ****e earlier in the season, he couldn't control the ball and almost every lay off went astray. It actually took a while for some numpties to notice he was terrible and a bad word couldn't be said about him. Eventually these people noticed he was bad, but he improved long before those same sheep noticed the upturn. Oh and he has been back to his best for quite a while now. He got injured just before the season started, which meant he couldn't do a full preseason. Nothing to do with Pardew's failings, everything to do with terrible bad luck and timing. He was brought back too early and he simply never got fit and this had an effect. This was then compounded by a loss of confidence and form that snowballed. He didn't shoot, didn't score and eventually offered nothing. Unfortunately or perhaps fortunately we didn't have a choice so he got years to find his form. It has paid off. He's not perfect. A big centre back often has him in his pocket, but he has the intelligence to shuffle across to bully the fullback instead. Take away the pens and free kicks (a lot less of them this season) and a lot more questions would have been asked this year. But his all round game is decent and his link up play is a huge part of our side. Add his defensive headers into the mix and we have a player that will be vital next season.

My biggest gripe is that his touch has been found wanting. There have been so many occasions when his control needed to be spot in and it hasn't and that has put him and us in biog trouble. He has got away with a lot, but moving up a league will only expose that shortfall more. He can pick a pass, one delightful long ball on Monday had me thinking he might be a Carrick, but I expect signings to stand out in this league and he doesn't at all. He's not quick across the ground, he's not strong, he struggles positionally, not good in the air, doesn't dribble or shoot and I don't see a fella with a big engine getting up and down and putting players under pressure when they have the ball. Having said all that perhaps he just needs time to settle in and find his feet. Adkins must have seen something in him or was he just the last and only option?

Hope so. We need someone to counter the the likes of Jon Parkin in the NPC.

the Dale Stephens loan felt very much like a loan that will almost certainly become a buy. He's not impressed me so far, but there were some glimmers in the last game with one or two wonderful long through balls. His first touch has just not been good enough, perhaps he is nervous.

likewise.