Chez

I don't think he did.

I have to say giving Lallana a free role enables him to shine but unless he dominates the game from that position we effectively are a man down. If we are going to continue with this formation lets play Lallana on the left, Peckard or whoever in the middle and Dyer on the right. That will enable us to play Gillett, Schneiderlin and Surman in the middle. If we are going to stick as we are then: Davis Cork Perry Svensson Mills Schnerlin Surman Gillett Dyer Peckard Lallana

it was 15k by the way, but I agree that it is embaressing to see more empty seats than full. I'd like to think that Lowe et al would reward the 13,500 `hard core' saints fans should we ever make it back to the big time, but will they ****. I have to say the decision to keep the family centre corner open is just laughable. There were about 25 fans in that secition last night and probably less than 1000 in the Chapel. That whole end should have become the family section. Overall the atmosphere in the ground is poor. Closing the Itchen corner was a big mistake and totally ruined my `match day experience'.

Both opponents had bad days at the office.

amazed at this post. BWP looked excellent when he came on. He immediately got involved, worked hard and made things happen. Are you just another of these people that have preconceived ideas about players - perhaps ideas that are not even your own - and even if the performance of the player totally contradicts `your opinion' you still refuse to acknoweldge that they played well?

I said before the season started that there are not three sides worse than us in this division so 21st would do me fine.

Dyer clearly relied on his pace in the youth team but that is not enough at this level. I'm not going to write him off just yet. Playing a totally one footed player on the wrong wing is always going to force him inside. I doubt he could kick the ball 50 yards with his left foot if he tried. I don't think there is a player in the league with less strength. The formation (which I think causes us problems) is ideal for him and he florished at Burnley when asked to play as a winger. But he needs to be on the right. McGolrick and John are a total waste of space at right midfield so get Dyer in the right position.

I agree with the original post and have said from the first game that he looks poor in that position. He lacks pace and he doesn't have a clue positionally. I have to say for a central midfielder I am surprised at how bad his distribution is. Anything he hit over ten yards went straight to the opposition last night, either intercepted or overhit. How John is meant to control a ball at pace at head height is beyond me. I suggested Wotton and Perry in the centre with Cork on the right and I stand by that. When fit I'd rather Thomas than James. Last nights performance was not down to James but he certainly didn't help. I don't feel sorry for any professional footballer.

perhaps maybe just maybe Jan felt that Perry had not performed well enough and felt Lancashire and Cork deserved their starts.

Can I point out that even the great Dario Gradi couldn't keep Crewe up for ever - and he certainly knew about playing youngsters. If the quality is not there, as it wasn't in the 05/06 season, it doesn't matter how good the manager is you just go down. We look like we have a little more than that Crewe side (Lallana for starters) but we must ensure heads don't go down and we actually get what we deserve out of games.

Its hard to evaluate the side when you are down to ten men for an hour, but the fact we got back into the game showed the positives of a passing game. What a ****ing goal, one of the best I have seen for years. But yet again the shortcomings of our lack of quality showed up. It's not youth that is the problem, no one has a problem playing Lallana, the problem is we do not have enough top class players throughout the side (young or old). I think some minor tinkering could help improve things though: James is not a fullback. His positional play needs to improve massively (and no doubt it will in time) as he has zero pace. Either play Cork there or get a fullback on loan. McGoldrick is not good enough to lead the line on his own. He is tricky, but he lacks raw pace and doesn't have the strength required. IMO he doesn't bust a gut to get in the six yard box. He is just not a threat. Either play him with somneone else or play JOhn. Gillett has not been good enough. His first touch is constantly poor and he is not getting hold of the game. Perhaps he needs more time to settle in. I wonder if Pulis will be better? Why take Schneiderling off to play McGoldrick in midfield - he is **** there. In fact why is he being taken off full stop, we go to pieces after he goes off. The side lacks height everywhere and add to this we do not have ball winners at full back either. Not sure how to solve this one.

Perry has been pretty average to be honest and his lack of height causes us all kinds of problems. Those problems didn't seem to have been solved as we still looked very vunerable to the crossed ball.

spent the entire evening in London thinking Niemi had scored at Fulham. Even now I still prefer to think that is what happened. Still makes me smile the feeling I got from those marvelous last 8 minutes...the guy is a legend despite his Fratton **** up.

All Lowe is doing is cutting the wage bill back as far as possible (because quite frankly it had got out of control) whilst at the same time ensuring there are enough players to fill a team sheet. If he could he would have sold BWP, Thomas, Skacel and Davies but obviously there were no takers. Every player we have signed is a gamble because we simply do not have the funds to buy tried and trusted.I would imagine Barclays are more than happy with this approach.

Jan is not going to say he thinks the club has signed a few duffers is he? I make it 11 signings by the way. Killer - looks a long long way from his best days. Struggling to win headers, lacking pace and sharpness. Certainly hasn't forgot how to foul. Can only play once a week. He will be a good signing is his current fitness is not his top level of fitness. Perry - lacks pace, offers decent positional play, has struggled in the air and gets stuck in. Fairly happy though feel him and Svenesson together are nto a great partnership. Wotton - looks very average to me (not seen a lot to be fair though). Not particulary mobile and lacks guile. Need to see more. Schneiderlin - very composed on theball, decent first touch, two feet, can he tackle though? Decent start but needs to keep improving. Holmes - decent left foot, willing to have a go at the fullback and get the byeline (yippee). Only downside is that he lacks real pace but he has done well to date. Forecast - How good can he be if he is 3rd choice? Dyer - usual quick but no end product stuff so far and worrying that he has not made the bench in some games. Cork - decent prospect and offers cover at fullback and CB. Is he any good in either position? Too early to access. Pekhart - lots of goals in the youth team, but then again McGoldrick did the same. We wait and see. Tony Pulis - injured Romain Gasmi - broken foot! It is very important to take into consideration that we had zero transfer funds available and were offering peanuts in wages when you look at the signings. I'd like another ten games to make my mind up that they have been decent signings.

is it because once again we are forced to play the full 90 minutes plus additional time every week rather than the maximum of 60 that Skacel can offer? Seriously we kept him wrapped in cotton wool as we attempted to sell him. When the deal to Ipswich dissappeared he went into the reserves and promptly got injured. Once "fit" he will go back into the reserves to get his match fitness up and then he will have a chance of making the first team. Unless of course we loan him out should someone be interested.

perhaps the bank says we can't afford to keep him

I kept thinking of the Rooney situation where he coems too deep adn does too much work in areas not required. McGoldrick does the same only with far less work rate. Time after time he dropped off to recieve the ball and then failed to bust a gut to get into the box. John certainly takes up better positions but everything is back to goal. Perhaps thats what you need playing one up front but we need to turn defences once in a while and John is just too bone idol to make the type of runs. Why on earth did we bring John on only for McGoldrick to drop into centre midfield. Pointless and clueless move by Jan.

Our big pitch is not helping Killer. He will come into his own when the pitches get muddy and passing football becomes a little tougher. He was terrible yesterday but not the time to right him off.

funnily enough I thought it had been widened. I thought Pearson had it reduced last season and now we have increased it.

year on year the side has less quality and over the course of the season that usually means less points. I don't rate Cardiff, Brum were simply terrible by their own standards in the first 30 minutes of the league game, Derby are suffering terribly and Blackpool are a very average side that nearly put 5 past us. Its early days but I sstill think we will do well to survive this year.

tremendous news. He looks a great player to me.

I raved about Marsden long before he ever signed for Saints. I struggle to find anyone singing Pulis jr's praises. I welcome him to the club and hope he can blossom here. No idea why we signed another midfielder though.

Ask me nicely and I'll allow the deal to go through.

upper tier offers zero leg room, and some views are restricted. We are not talking about pillars in the way restricted, its just that you are so close that you can't actually see the corner flags at yoru end...its difficult to explain, all about angles and poor design. Anyho its not that bad a view but £30 is a rip off.