Chez

O'Driscoll took quite a few Cherry's up to Donny.

well if you take last season, Leeds spent a wedge (after several years spending and failure similar to Forest before them), Norwich spent a wedge (mostly on wages) and Millwall got it together and came through the back door. Strikes me spending just increases your chance of going up, so if you have it why on earth would you leave it to chance that the side will `get it together'? Personally I've doubted for a while that there is big bucks to spend so am not crying for signings, but if there is any money lets not hold back, if the quality is available to improve us get them in.

They had four huge defenders, it looked like the fullbacks were centre backs. For me we played into their hands by crossing the ball from deep so often. We didn't get to teeh byeline more than about twice. To beat a side like that you need to get right down the flanks and stretch these large fullbacks. Play on their weanesses. Putting a right footed winger on the right and a left footed winger on the left is essential. Then you need to get the ball to these wingers all the time. A bit of overlapping and we'd have them on the ropes. This is what we have been doing for the last few weeks, not sure why we stopped doing it yesterdfay.

That is what ****es me off. When Puncheon (or any other current wipping boy - Guly a few weeks back for example) misses a chance and fans are all over him, moaning and groaning and shouting abuse. Anyone else and their name is sung even when missing. Lallana has missed so many chances in the last month or two its not true, but he will nevefr have fans moaning and groaning at him. Other than the slide rule pass to Guly in the first half their was also a delightful inside ball to Chamberlain in the second, from which he should have shot first time, however, he took and extra touch and the real chance was then lost before shooting wayward. Great vision from Puncheon and not a groan in sight for Chamberlain. If the roles had been reversed I don't doubt for a second that half the stadium would have jumped on hs back for taking the wrong choice. Its the same for Davis and Bart's kicking. I too was extremely pleased with the reception given when he was subbed. He didn't have his best game for us by a long chalk, but he wasn't too bad either. I am glad there are fans out there willing to back him. Hopefully at some point in the near future the whole stadium will get behind him. It will be to our benefit.

Sheff Wed have made some astute signings in this window. slightly worrying.

before anone else picks up on this and runs with it, can I say that it is complete and utter ********. The lad gave everything in the second half. Trying too hard in my opinion, often attempting to beat an extra man as he ws so keen to get the win. In the first half he didn't see the ball and was fouled almost every time he did see it. You could see he was frustrated at the lack of ball and in desperation he moved inside just to see the ball. The lad wanted it. He didn't have his best game, but to say he looked like he didn't want to be here...jeez, I despair at times.

the fullbacks maybe, but Kelvins distribution was good today. Numerous long balls right to Lambert. I'm not sure what some of you expect of the guy. OK, sometimes he shanks a few, but there was none of that today. Preconceived match accessments are worthless.

a point was fair, they could have won, but a defeat would have been harsh on us.

Davis 7 caught, throw and kicked well, plus saved what was required. The save at the end may have looked like an error but his initial positioning was to make a save from the attacker comining in to head it so had to re-adjust at last second, which he did brilliantly. Richardson 6 solid enough, but other than one of his nice runs inside never really got forward Fonte 7 Usual solid game, but with some attacking runs. He still dives in and will have to jockey more when we get promoted! Jaidi 7 A few poor passes in the first half but won everything in the air. There was a collision when Fonte and him went for the same ball and the fans moaned as they always do, but I like to see that now and then as it tells me they are both comitted, better that than neither going for it. Dickson 4 Worst game in a Saints shirt. Tried hard, but passing ws not up to scratch and just not on the same wavelength as Puncheon. Chamberlain 6 Did not see the ball enough in the first half, saw more in the second but tried too hard attempting to beat 4 or 5 and it didn't come off. Adkins made a big mistake IMO playing him on the left for large parts of the game. He didn't get to the byeline once on that side. Pointless. As soon as he went back to the right things started to happen. Puncheon 5 Some absolutely delightful first touches, ball retention and crossfield balls, but then followed by a poor five yard pass to no one, non existant tackling and in the end no real penetration. The byeline was a total stranger to him. He had a decent chance in the first half that he was taking at Millwall but did not show the composure required. Sadly he didn't get another to make up for it. Morgan 8 Our best player for me. Didn't do a lot wrong all game. Don't recall a poor pass. maybe the only criticism was allowing a ball or two to bounce. Chaplow 4 very average and could have been subbed even if he didn't take a knock. Ball byopassed him and not enough showing for throws (could say that about all our midfielders today which lead to far too much hopeful long throws and stuff going backwards) Lambert 6 Decent first half with some wonderful weighted passes to release chamberlain, but their centreback had him in his pocket in the second (with help from a great deal of manhandling) Guly 7 Decent gamer, but no chances and less and less space as the game went on. Gobern 6 decent showing, but not quite enough once we crossed the half way line. Not sure he has the class for our passing game, but he is leggy and tall and that helps win loose ball, which we did more of when he was on instead of a poor Chaplow Barnard ran but service was woeful to him I though Adkins had a mare. Chamberlain on the right, Puncheon on the left. ****ing simple. The sub was too slow and it dd nothing but make us look disjointed.

bloody hell that's harsh. The lad showed some great poise and one touch work in the toughest area of the pitch. He wasn't as smooth as Morgan, but there were one or two times when he allowed the ball to roll across himself creating time and space for himself that reminded me of him. I'm not fully convined he can take a game by the scruff of the neck but he's hardly played over the kast few years so he'd need an extended run to find his feet.

I've seen so many worse this season alone. The game was killed by the number of times he blew up but in his defence it was tough as both sides committed so many fouls.

Kightly is injured - ankle operation. Lee Cook is the perfect loan is Lallana is out for a couple of months.

Ankle operation in December out for several months himself. Cook from QPR please.

I thought Bartley looked very good in the game at SMS. Defensive midfielder that looked to be a real athlete and made Hammond look especially slow that day. I was amazed when they took him off. I'd need to see him more often to know if he could play at a higher level, but on that showing alone I'd say he would offer us a fair bit in terms of a strong midfielder that can cover the ground quickly, providing a barrier for the back four.

I don't see that on this thread. I saw a post from GM saying you post a lot because you don't have the opportunity to see the side. Nothing about expats being bad people. If I've missed something, point me to it as my best mate, and a big Saints fan is living in Stockholm these days so I wouldn't be impressed by that.

even if it is in Southampton people sitting on the jury will treat him like any other defendant. You listen to the evidence and if you are sure he did it you will find him guilty no matter who he is. If he comitted this crime he deserves everything coming to him. I don't wish him luck, I just hope justice is served.

the rohypnol seems to taking effect already.

those figures seem a tad small?

will he make 6 though?

I posted this on the ABH thread, but now see this one is more appropriate. Amazing how many threads end up taking about the same thing. I'm with Alpine. We need to working hard to bring in the best available talent and we need to be doing this all the time. Resting on your laurels and thinking this squad is the best we can do is folly. It can always be improved, it may not be,but we should always be trying. I think also what Alpine means is that we should be actively chasing players right now not waiting till ours have left the building. Of course in answer to that, Adkins has said that they have made bids for players, so in effect they are chasing talent. I think the question is Alpine, what more do you want them to be doing or once again do you think that our efforts are half hearted affairs? Genune question by the way. I must say that we do seem to have this this same discussion/arguement in every window. (you) Alpine bemoans the apparent lack effort to make signings and others point out that no one knows how much work is going on in the background and how many offers are being knocked back.

have any posters actually suggested that `being an expat makes them a bad person'?

I'm wth Alpine. We need to working hard to bring in the best available talent and we need to be doing this all the time. Resting on your laurels and thinking this squad is the best we can do is folly. It can always be improved, it may not be,but we should always be trying. I think also what Alpine means is that we should be actively chasing players right now not waiting till ours have left the building. Of course in answer to that, Adkins has said that they have made bids for players, so in effect they are chasing talent. I think the question is Alpine, what what more do you want them to be doing or once again do you think that our efforts are half hearted affairs? Genune question by the way. Imust say that we do seem to have this this same discussion/arguement in every window. (you) Alpine bemoans the apparent lack effort to make signings and others point out that no one knows how much work is going on in the background and how many offers are being knocked back.

nice try, but actually that £22k figure (which I don't neccesarly disagree on seeing as I said £20k) has just been bandied about in the `fans responses at the bottom of a Portsmouth News item on their website' - see post 28 on: http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/frattonlatest/Familiar-faces-could-provide-an.6659835.jp?CommentPage=3&CommentPageLength=10 Richard Hughes has at no point revealed to the papers his wage.

Happy with that. In terms of trying to get there in time after work, it will be a damn sight easier for me in April (lighter and less chance of rain) than it is in January.

no, he was sacked by Hart not long after he asked him to bring Alex across to PFC.