suewhistle

The only problem with Manchester Utd being tonked tonight is that it sets up Saints for their role as the team you want to meet when on a bad run. If we could win well it would be a very interesting table!

Payne, Vokins and Simeu (FWIW) played tonight. 3-0 to Saints, Bellis 2, Pearce, unless Stoke score in the last few seconds..

Are @DT and @Chris cooper in some sort of competition?

Alternative analysis, given that as a top level club we have a whole fitness and conditioning department, that it was better to bring them on as subs - the ol' impact sub thing from years ago. Given the reservations many people expressed about players from Ligue1 and the Scottish league is this way of introducing them to a new club and a new league so radical? Ralph having a fit of pique; really? Now many of us would prefer he introduced subs earlier, and not just these new players, but however it was done last Saturday had an impact. If only our defenders could defend aerial set pieces, and Bednarek be a bit more awake we might have got three points.

Steady on, let's not go overboard and throw the baby out with the bath water, even if you do have a point..

As pointed out all the new signings look like an improvement on what we've got, although it wouldn't be too cynical to say that most of us would say that's not too difficult! For all the talk about 3 CBs not working, and I'd prefer 4 at the back myself when Perraud/Tino are available, both of their goals seemed fairly straightforward bad individual marking and general sloppiness. Some would argue that that was due to a confusion in roles but marking in the box is basic technique not strategy. If Bednarek really did have a strop after being taken off as I couldn't see it from my seat, he really needs to have a look at his own performances. I'd be happier with ABK and Salisu, and allow for the occasional ricket their inexperience might produce. Lets hope the players take on board that St Marys really can rock if they give us something to cheer about.

Well, I'll be taking a sports water bottle and would be prepared to escalate it, in a polite middle class way :-), if they try to prevent entry with it, but I'm sure they wont. I shall just claim a medical issue (which is true) and Elf and Safety, with the accent on my health!

I’m getting confused…..I thought morale was dogshite because RH, Semmens and Toby haven’t got a clue what they’re doing?? Now do keep up, it's because they're continually being told on here how bad they are and forumites complaining that we _aren't_ off-loading them..

I would add that when we are given something to cheer the crowd is very willing to do so. That buzz around the ground when we leave with three points is great but I can't remember it very often last season.. For Semmens to criticize the fans (and I haven't listened to the forum) shows he must be losing it. What is needed at these events is somebody sharp enough to follow up an answer by changing their own planned question: "You've just said that we are lucky to be in the top division: how can you attract decent new players with that attitude?"

You don't keep up with the news much, do you? They'd probably be strip searching you after having tasered you. Anyway, having read most of the thread with the usual unrealistic expectations ("yes, I agree Bednarek is utter sh*te") and misrepresentation, I've yet to read what the situation is on a new striker. We all (club/fans) know we need one, so what were the responses and vibes regarding that? Were there any specific questions as to when we will see ABK or Mara, and how far are they off being up to speed, etc.? Much as I'm interested in beer, women's football and JWP's testimonial there needs to be more time to address those issues.

The 'Largest Football Bankruptcy Amount Cup'? Anyway, commiserations on living in Gosport. Played football there on Sunday and I can understand the hard pitch but did they have to cut the dry grass and leave it there? It was like playing in a hay barn.

Has Mara received his clearance/work permit yet? Might he come off the bench to maintain the press? I suspect it's too early for him and it would be Redmond, who I can't see starting.

When you're sat in row Z, and the ball hits your head, That's our Mara..

Sod the changing rooms, any player would love to play on that surface! It'll be interesting to see how many they get. One of the biggest issues is that one of the biggest groups who'd like to watch are playing amateur football themselves on a Sunday. I'll try and make the odd game depending on my other commitments.

Can we geolocate that seat - is it a club hospitality one? As for the game, I enjoyed it. I thought Romeu looked a lot better than the end of last season, he retains and uses the ball so well. Nobody had a bad game although I thought Redmond and KWP didn't look quite sharp enough, and I presume that was why the former didn't go on the pre-season tour. Valery's positioning was a bit slack occasionally, but his forward runs can really open up a side. Everything looked so much sharper than the previous friendly match footage I've seen, so let's hope the last friendly on Saturday shows equal improvement, and it's a shame I'm missing it through other commitments.

I might make the effort to go tomorrow as hopefully we'll get to see at least cameos from all the new players. I think Saint_clark is right.

I like this bit with JWP in the side..

I believe so.. an end to freedom of movement.. of workers, goods, capital and services.

I think what marks out the players we have bought is not just how young they are but also their pace and physicality. One thing the top sides buy is experience, a high level of skill allied to pace, and it seems we are getting some of those elements in our purchases, although obviously not the experience and accompanying decision making! My cautious optimism is partly because it's better for you than the Eeyore negativity some display on forums such as these. None of the players will be the finished article and we have to accept that. Broja had a physicality which beat CBs on the ground but curiously not so well in the air, Livramento's positional play was sometimes lacking and so it goes, but I was happy to have both of them last season. Some people express opinions like insurance bets: they don't want to win them but they ease the pain of losing, so let's not take opinions expressed on here too seriously!

Please Kraken, don't end up as Turkish's dupe. "Dungarees" is pretty much a standard offensive lesbian stereotype, and I can't recall ever wearing them unless I did when I was four. I'm not too bothered about such juvenalia myself, coz I'm not up for being bullied, but it is so, so wearisome to see. And by the way, on a more general note., the problem is, all those spaces in the ground tonight weren't available to buy.. So don't some of you use it to beat women's football over the head. Have a go at Uefa's ticketing policies.. Anyway.. Holmes_and_Watson is far more sensible than me, as he just ignores the prats and comments on the game. I thought Spain were the better team in many respects, but as against Germany didn't make their possession and inter-passing count. Tournament football for you.. I suspect my team's football training won't be on as normal next Tuesday..:-)

Ah yes, could be. Either way as useless as ever.

I didn't see the second half but of the first half team I thought Smallbone showed promise. Small has pace but not really ready I think, although playing so far forward and wide gave him quite a job to do, and as somebody noted he did make an effort to get back. Diamond Edwards has something about him, particularly bearing in mind that it was his first game with the first team squad. I'd have to find a recording of the second half but the opinions of Elyounoussi and Djenepo come as no surprise. There'll have been a few lessons learnt from that, and useful mileage in their legs three days after the previous game, which what this is all about. We know they are looking for new forwards and this will have underlined the need.

There's a few significant points nobody has mentioned: the number of vacancies particularly of doctors, nurses and specialist medical staff. Nursing is now a degree level course with all the costs that entails, they've sold off the cheap accommodation and wonder why it is difficult to recruit. I was chatting to a nurse the other day and we both agreed that our local MP was a gurning idiot who was basically lobby fodder who voted against pay rises for nurses, and they told me they hadn't had a pay rise for 5 years. There is also the issue of an ageing population so we should be increasing the comparatively low level of spending which has already led to a low number of GPs based on population. Related to that is the level of bed blocking in that older patients can't be discharged for lack of care options. So whilst I'm sure there may be an excess of middle managers common to all large organisations, it's a bit simplistic to say that getting rid of them will be more than a minor saving, and lack of cost controls may well end up being shafted by suppliers. PPE anyone?

I suspect it's the dread hand of Uefa and their usual corporate shenanigans, which happens at every tournament. At least they reminded me what a tasteless beer Heineken is as it was the only one available at the ground and fan zone. A single pint over three games was enough to remind me.

Last penny stock I had was Saints shares...