suewhistle

It's a point I've made that the young players will develop and improve and it'll be a fascinating (and frustrating) process to watch. I saw some good signs on my recent visit to the UK and hope to see even better at Christmas - certainly better than last year when I saw two home defeats. I know money is tight for many, but I'd like to see Lallana play again, so come on peeps, get along if you can please.

In Italy pretending to lesson plan. I'm going to feel inspired at footie training tomorrow night!

I think you must have a better memory than me.... Still, the scrappy win at Donny seems to have helped their confidence. I do think the kids are slowly getting better....

how much extra time? Don't think we can blow it now, but I've been a Saints supporter a long time..

or irrelevant

Can someone edit the thread header, or would that be risking it?

I think you're thinking of Dobbin the donkey....

Have you seen the muffin man, the muffin man, the muffin man Crackin' new chant...

S**t, so many new names that hear someone has scored and you immediately think it's the opposition!;-) I'm going to have to get a proxy server so I can listen to UK radio. Why the heck I can listen abroad I don't know - it's not as if they'd lose money on me.

Let's hope he listens to Stuart Pearce then: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/chelsea/3101263/Chelsea-guilty-of-stockpiling-young-talent-says-Stuart-Pearce-Premier-League-Football.html

Got back from the UK on Tuesday but yesterday was the first day back on this board as I really can't face the negativity and in-fighting as epitomised on this thread. I saw two games on my visit to the UK - both the draws at SMS. My previous visit at Christmas I saw two losses and from that perspective we are now showing so much more effort and not a little skill at times. We lack experience, Surman is no full-back and we need someone who can score. In the formation we had against Barnsley SJ gave the ball away a lot so how we integrate him into the team I don't know. It's a worrying time for us but I think that with a young team you can expect improvement whereas with past-it old pros you sometimes get them just going through the motions. Having said that I'm sure Thomas, Euell and Skacel have a contribution to make but people seem to ignore the fact that they are injured/unfit (and possibly unmotivated.. Skacel anyone?). I even feel that JP is not given credit where it is due: you can't criticise him for having a crap boss, and what he says in the press seems sensible, and he's not afraid of judicious criticism of the players either. A scrappy win will help morale, but a thousand or two more on the gate would help too. It was so sad seeing only 15000 on my visits to SMS. I'm sure many of you have good reasons not to go, but I just wish you didn't use Lowilde as your excuse. I dislike them and Askham and have voted my shares against them but I don't let this spill over into some of the more depressing negativity that comes out here.

Patronising as well, as if us girlies don't really like footie and have to be persuaded somehow, or perhaps don't have our own money. Sod it, I drove back from the UK on Tuesday and went to the first of three footie training sessions this week.

That seems to fit so well.:-)

bugger

bugger - lots of delay to my internet relay

penalty!

'Rovers at 6s and 7s at the back' - not just us then...

Yesss

not a brilliant commentary from donny... nerdelin?

Ta Art, getting it here in Italy. Not sure I want to hear it though.:-(

I'm losing it here.. you mean for Heather Mills?

Watched it on a poor p2p servcice. I had a horrible feeling we'd lose 1-0. The inexperience and naivety in defence showed, as did Svensson's rustiness. Why do we never cope with big strong frontmen? Still far more effort and movement than I saw in a few games last season and I have far more optimism still than last season. DMG has improved but perhaps should have had SJ alongside him earlier. Blackpool had done their homework, and I think it's significant that a couple of their players went down with cramp they worked so hard to counteract Saints midfield. It's not the end of the world. Anyway, must dash: of to play against Juventus women and it won't be 1-0.:-(

I'd seen the link before Waggy, but thanks again as I just had another look!:-) Just look at how many players we had in the box for the second goal, and the knock-back for Holmes didn't give him just a tap in as I assumed from the first report I saw.

That should be posted on the dressing room wall!

Small gestures like the one JP made are important. It's a team game and not only did he want to include everybody, he noticed who he hadn't shook hands with. Detail can be important, it's not just the big picture. A small but good sign.