Lazlo78

Now we can blame Guly!

He was offside - but the ball wasn't played to him. If Mata had scored directly it wouldn't have been offside either. When Mata crossed, Ba was back onside.

Nope, when Mata crossed the ball, Ba was behind him. No offside.

Rafa for not fielding a reserve team. Cork didn't look too good either in the build up, but he does his very best in a somewhat unfamiliar role - so I wouldn't criticise him too much...

I'll take that as a no and find Astori news elsewhere. Enjoy the discussion...

Maybe time for a more general thread about our transfer dealings and then leave this one for stuff about Astori?

Both started out badly though, so you could say we have grown a pair!

I asked some Danish Serie A fans about Astori - here are a few quickly translated comments:

http://football-italia.net/28997/silvestre-or-astori-napoli

I love this Saints team. They've become a team of real battlers. COYS!

Amazing stuff, Rallyboy

Annoying to lose when up 3-1, but we it should have been a penalty and sending off against Fonte, which would most probably have meant a defeat... also Jerome's goal was brilliant. Our players did their best against Jones and Crouch and kept them away from goal, but a strike like that is difficult to defend against when under heavy pressure.

Fox on for Shaw. Good call!

Fresh legs on soon?

Would have expected us to fold today, so pleasantly surprised. However, our element of surprise regarding our lineup is nullified by the half time talk, so now starts a new battle. COYS!!!

Yoshiiiiiida TACKLE *booom*

Can't blame the Saints team for lack of effort. Shaw, Puncheon, Guly etc. all working hard defensively...

Weird game - quite entertaining in it's very own unsexy way. Adkins has totally moulded the team towards today's opposition and I really hope it pays of. It's a bold move anyway!

Just invested in the FM Handheld 2013 for iOS. A watered down version of the desktop game but it suits my schedule and temper better than it's more advanced cousin Took Saints to 13th the first season and 8th the second season. Have some blips where I go on a scoreless run for 5-6 games, but then I pick up unexpected victories against top teams. Boruc, Fonte, Yoshida, Shaw, Clyne, Schneiderlin, Cork, Lallana, Ramirez, Sharp and Rodriguez in an attacking 4-4-2 works quite well for me. Hooiveld, Davis, Ward-Prowse and Mayuka are good reserves. Lambert I hung on to for half a season before I realised he's really bad in this game... I have no idea how training etc. works so I will probably never advance to the top of the league, but it's good fun playing a more laissez faire approach...

Sorry, the main board is just unbearable at times. Militant, bedwetting trolls droning on about the same old tired things... this place is a happy place

League One beckons

Rumours of their new coach must surely be fake: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2253948/Blackburn-Rovers-appoint-Judan-Ali-Henning-berg-sacking.html Right? Right!?

Best case for Pompey now is League Two next season... Best case!

I see. Interesting...