suewhistle

The line up is to make the fans happy: they all like a good moan. To be honest any line up would serve that purpose.. Personally I'm not sure, but I can see that there is a rationale behind it (if we forget Bazunu and Stephens). It's been an intensive period, some of the players were looking a bit tired in the last game (eg Jander), the subs played well and Archer needs to maintain some momentum. Plus there is motivation for all the players, and those benched are available but have been given a little jolt that they need to improve a bit. I do apologise if some of you think that is too optimistic a view, and you may well turn out to be right, but I can't quite manage the level of universal pessimism some of you maintain.

Substitute Man City with Spurs, and scream! One for the older ones..

Bless, the younger generation do have attention span difficulties..

It was freezing briskly walking over the Itchen bridge just now. Let's hope the cold makes the team keep moving too.. I suppose I should add, not just across the back..

I'm not happy that Bazunu and Statue Jack are playing but I can see some rationale for Scienza being on the bench. We all know he's targeted by every defender going so perhaps today Robinson can get the full back booked and unlike against Oxford we can then put pressure on them with a fresh, and not battered and bruised, Scienza. Either way, PingPong has it right with their depiction of the lawks-a-mercy brigade. Disagree by all means but overly dramatic attacks of the vapours could probaly be toned down a bit.

Whilst I agree with the sentiment both with regards to Oriol and the collie, I can't help thinking there must be a more humane way to do it.. Definitely Bragg first, I'd agree..

Did he talk about actually using that physicality and marking people?

Oh, absolutely, but once you make a mistake you bust a gut to recover and he was just ambling.

Sod the stats, just look at Cov's goal at the weekend; static central defence marking no one and Manning trotting slowly back in no man's land in some surprise that the winger was behind him unchallenged for the cross. As for Edozie, isn't he (still) injured?

Traumatised? Like us fans..

If I recall well, the Cov supporters were very graceful about it. We were just all thankful not to have been taken over by SISA. In the end we got SR..

The story I heard was that Rupert asked the scouts/goal keeping coach (?) about him and they immediately replied 'He's crap'. So RL asks 'how do you know?'. 'It's my business to know'. And as we know, Rupert ignored any such advice.. You do wonder if that still happens?

I've only read a few posts and they seem to chime in with what I saw, but points in no particular order of merit: - passing it around at the back.. it's ok to try and draw players out to make space behind but not all the time please and do it well when we do. We just invite mental pressure on our players and add uneccesary risk. - Ryan Fraser. Someone point out to him that there other directions he is allowed to pass in. I really don't want to shout at the telly so often. - Second halves. Why so bad? - Subs. Experience can be good but what we lack is energy. Bragg was OK, but can we other some other exuberant young player with energy and effort? Not Aribo. - Penalties. Both my friend and myself called it that he was going to miss. Poor body language, predictable and telegraphed. Try someone else please.

Morse! You'll have his Russian friends after you.. I was chatting the other day with someone who'd just got back from Florida; London prices, he said and we chatted about the appalling wages and the associated tipping culture. It's years since I've been (had a great time) but have absolutely no desire to return at the moment, especially not for the WC. I'm hoping Infantino gets the South Park treatment: another one with a brown nose..

How about late career Claus Lundekvam, particularly in the Portsmouth game?

Mate with a boat, or paddle board or kayak? Soton ferry-->IOW hovercraft-->Southsea?

Last time I was at Fratton was in September 2013 for England Women v Turkey and not an experience I particularly want to repeat. The loos were appalling and a seat collapsed under a team-mate, and she wasn't big by any means. The previous time was Alan Knight's testimonial and dodging lumps of concrete chucked over the wall and then kept in for an hour. I persuaded a nice policeman that NO, didn't want an escort to the station as I live in the opposite direction and had my car, so I just smiled sweetly and went off down a back alley towards to my car. This time it's on Sky so I shall go down my local village pub for the full on Pompey experience. The regulars are fine and we have some banter, but it's the occasionals that might be an issue, but probably not.. I have to say that if what I've read on this thread is all true it seems designed to alienate the fans and cause so much resentment and frustration that it could cause problems.

When it happened I wasn't entirely sure but wouldn't have been surprised with a red. I was certainly muttering something to myself like 'Aribo, you idiot!'..

Scienza who was coming back from illness and also the target of many fouls and Armstrong who was also injured a bit. They were both fairly obvious choices and Robinson and Archer decent replacements. I was annoyed that Aribo came on though..

Using those tenses implies that it's already been announced? As for Eckhart, whatever his status I just hope he learns quickly. Aribo's performance hopefully told him something, that the player has an infectious case of lethargy. Hopefully Matsuki will at least offer energy, and from the written report seemed to feature a fair bit for the U21s in their last game. Although we lost some of our best players over the last couple of years the disappearance of JWP and the others being mainly bench fillers at their new clubs perhaps underlines that whoever the manager they won't have too much to work with.

Balls through the middle to AA coming deep again.

Well, that was satisfying and a good atmosphere on the train home for the first time in ages! That was a comfortable win, even leaving aside the sending off. A well managed second half, often camped in their half and with subs getting minutes to rest tired legs in what is a really busy programme. The movement and support for the player on the ball is so much better and it's not just Jander who wants the ball: they are all quite happy to receive it. I anticipated that AA wouldn't get as much space as at Charlton but he continued to drop into space very effectively. Quarshie grew in to the game and such a good player to have for potential breaks, but beyond the standard Saints' fan default assumption that the opposition will soon score there really wasn't much to worry about. The Downs chant was mildly amusing the first time you hear it, but it can't help the player, and once was enough. There will be a great roar when he finally scores though!

Bastard! What about a forum poster?

Just gone past St Mary's on the train with the sun glinting off the water. Please don't let us down Saints, and can I see a win and a few goals for the cost of my season ticket? It's been PP value for a few years now.

Yes, when he has been substituted he seemed to be visibly tiring to me and that's when you are more likely to get injuries. It was regretful given his quality but I don't blame Still and the coaching team for that.