suewhistle

Well, when we went longer the ball came straight back. General observations: there was a definite pattern to our play and a fair bit of courage on the ball both in midfield and defence, although the latter may cause me to up my blood pressure tablets later in the season. Stephens and Lyanco look like an accident waiting to happen, although the goals didn't come from their mistakes, and at times they were very cool. Bree looks at a lower level still. Meghoma I hadn't seen before but was impressed, and Kid AA showed no fear and will be a greater asset than Djenepo given a little more experience. Dibling looks a bit gauche and awkward, but another youngster with growing to do - a touch of the Sam Gallaghers. Smallbone looks like a bigger asset than Elyounoussi; he actually gets to the ball ahead of opponents and can tackle. It was interesting to see Livramento drift into the middle: quite a number here have thought he might do better further forward. For a first run out against such quality opposition I was happy enough, a good learning experience. Still no real penetration in the final third and you can see how we'll miss Lavia, but there is a nucleus of a decent side there and two new arrivals this week as well.

I can be quite cynical too about the use of language, but it does say "watch live"..

But decision making isn't just based on one element but a weighting of all of them. That one could play a part and possibly a significant one. Would they appreciate more money? Yes, but he probably doesn't _need_ it. Does he want the disruption of a house move? No, but what are the practical alternatives? And so on... I haven't got any gut feeling on this and haven't a clue, but it would be nice to see Edozie and Sulemanna drawing free kicks from Championship defences and having someone to take advantage of them.

Perhaps they're reflecting the distance fans have to travel compared with many of their more local rivals. It'll be interesting to see Plymouth's category..

More disappointed by Hayes really, we know Levy is a self-interested shit. Ellen White,amongst many others, disagrees. I have only been to watch them a couple of times as although I watch and play football I only have so much time to devote to it. As the article says, at the moment there's a large element of grassroots players in the crowd so it's difficult finding a time which doesn't clash, which is my personal experience as well.

Or The Mutant Mile, as I've heard some refer to it.. Just to reply to the obvious wind-up OP, I get similar comments when I watch Saints on TV in a local PO area village pub; the landlord will lose a bit of trade next season with Saints not being on the box! It's all friendly but to the question 'why don't you support Pompey?" I reply "Haven't you ever left the village?".

Don't patronise me, Duncan. I've never voted Tory but I can distinguish between a specialist football forum and the rest of the world, immerse myself in a novel without guiltily debating whether I should increase my food bank standing order..

A stool? That reminds me I need to get my bowel cancer test in the post..

Don't be silly. He'd never heard of some of the competitions the trophies were for and had to spend half an hour googling.. I'd forgotten how depressing this lace gets during the close season.. Not as bad as the end of last season, but enough to remind me of the old stock market adage: sell in May and go away. Think I'll give this place a miss for a few weeks to allow things to happen in their own time..

Yep, mine's already updated..

I'm going to offer SW11_Saint some of my HRT, it might calm him down a bit. For those who don't like betting sponsors you can always get a Starling Bank version: I reckon that might sell out..

Are we sure he swam across The Channel? He wasn't just going through the motions?

They put in a new washer..

Comes on against Scotland and Norway then concede two goals to lose...

Teams did learn to foul higher up the pitch though... I still think he would be of considerable value to a better team. One thing I've noticed over many years is that the better players are always moving into space to support others, and when a team is playing badly with confidence shot this doesn't occur. But JWP has always worked his socks off and I've often been surprised where he has popped up to offer himself for the ball. No pace to chase a break, but he does his job well, even if the movement around him hasn't been great.

Not that cheap if you're in Hampshire FA.. Last season my team had the crippling cost of getting across to the bloomin' Isle of Wight!

Yep, no booing from me, just a weary sigh when I saw him in the starting line up. I'm not a booer but if I had to choose it would be Aribo. At least Tall Paul would come off blowing through his arse with a muck sweat on.

He said 'prospect' of a win, not winning per se. It's been awful going this last season as even for us optimists the hope for a win was pretty forlorn, plus dire football into the bargain.

After Nottingham Forest and similar games at home last season I'd take either..

Perhaps if we dominate a few more games in the Championship he might find himself in more goalscoring positions, which I presume was the case in Belgium? But here he has looked unfit, no pace, looking lost in the position and role he was asked to play, then lost any confidence and any touch he might have with it. Whether the reset of a new pre-season, new manager and new league might help I really don't know. It may depend on how big a hit on his value the club are prepared to take.

It might be the end of my life though, I'd be laughing myself to death at TCWTB. Gawd, your constant sarcasm is really tiresome.

When the railway is running (barring staff shortages and strikes) it's not too bad, although late midweek kick offs can be a pain. Maybe because I'm young and fit (cough..) that I don't find the walk from the station too bad, and I far prefer a city ground with the option of a pint in town. Transport links could definitely be improved though, and the planning permission condition that required free bus transport to the ground seems to have been quietly dropped. When you consider we only held 14K at The Dell our attendances aren't too bad. When they planned the ground I heard that they were budgeting for approximately a third of games at 18K, a third at 24K, and a third at 28K. Let's see how we do in the Championship: they say sales of season tickets have been OK. Maybe if we start to see wins crowds will hold up. I seem to recall leaving the ground after a win is quite a cheerful experience, but I may have dreamt that.

... and Elyounoussi..

I believe Benrahma has been booked for diving, according to the MBM I'm reading..

Physio!?....