suewhistle

There were positives in there from somebody who remembers quite a few dire pre-season performances. Perraud has decent pace and we may benefit from a younger pair of legs in that position, and not having all our wide attacking from KWP. A few more goals like his would not go amiss. Salisu really covers the ground when he needs to as well, and he's definitely becoming more effective. Mo was better than I remember him, but still not quite there, although physically he seems stronger. Tella continues to impress and beyond a few over-ambitious misplaced passes Diallo played well on the turn. When you consider who was not there, and that we finally have a (little) bit of money to spend I'm going to be very cautiously optimistic. Partly because it is so effing depressing to be a pessimist and there are more than enough of those on these boards..

It's a motivational move: " come on lads, let's finish above Villa".

Yes, you win some and you lose some. If I drive to the home game tomorrow it'll be pence in fuel but by train it's £10 + pub cost!

It helps having a cheap to run electric car, and, as I say, stopping off to see friends. Rail (with card) for the final leg from Darlington is £15. I'll have a look at the Premier Inn, they sometimes have chargers too..

Cheers. It says 'somewhat walkable' but that is for the general decrepit population, not football fans! If I can't get a ticket I may not head North but the match is always a useful peg around which to arrange a trip.

Well, playing for Saints u23s should be more of a test..

Good point. I know young fit sports people are meant to shrug it off (see also Valery with glandular fever), but whereas you and I probably just have an extra 20 minute snooze after lunch any impacts are slightly more visible if you playing elite sports.

I suppose it gets him playing, he can regroup and presumably he's established in the area and will be happy outside of 'work'. Edit: I hadn't seen that..

I'm interested in Newcastle, make a small break of staying with friends in the Dales and train from Darlo or even a cheap hotel for a messy Saturday night. Any recommendations?

Ooh, naughty mods! 🙂

It's even made The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/aug/02/southampton-poised-to-sign-chelsea-tino-livramento-for-5m

Funnily enough in the last game the subs helped..

Firstrowsports say they will be showing it.

Well.. every time I wander into my village and look in the estate agents' windows I mutter the same about the prices, but somebody is paying them. I'm going to leave a decent whack myself when I pop my clogs (care home fees permitting) and that's for an ex-council terrace! But £25m is a dodgy estate agent trying to con a confused old pensioner..

Yes, just seen an article and came here to post. Well done the club.

Chortle.. The response from the Ipswich fans in that article could have been written by Trousers or Rallyboy.. they know the history too!

Nah, it doesn't work like that. We've all known some brilliant professors/coders/subject expert in something random/etc. who have been absolutely awful at teaching and imparting knowledge. Remember it's show and not tell. In his case showing that you can make a decent living in football but if you want to get the best rewards you have to ally work to your talent. "This is a mistake I made earlier".. 😉

'Ow would you know, Ron? ;-)

The clubs don't know as the covid protocols for attendance still haven't been decided.

Your analysis on this matter is so far off the mark it's a bit worrying. Now if you said they were scaremongering about immigrants or 'benefit scroungers' you might be more accurate, and if you had pointed out how our PM was ignoring parliament I'd have agreed. But are you really saying that a government that has all along been blase', playing catch up, reluctant to act, with a PM who didn't go to the first 5 Cobra meetings, who went around shaking hands and making glib statements, has done many u-turns, has overseen a generally incompetent response, is trying to raise fear and hysteria?? The government who had to be dragged kicking and screaming into action by Sage? Let me give you a personal illustration.. Yesterday I took aged parent to an eye clinic. The records showed that the last check was back on March 17th last year which reminded me that we drove back past a local pub which was advertising a St. Patrick's night event. I play a bit of Irish music and normally I'd go but commented "I shan't be going to that!". I sometimes read the foreign press so had seen the progress of the virus elsewhere and the measures they had put in place. Similarly I did a bit of online language teaching for a student in the EU so had another source of information. I knew we'd have to lock down and that we'd left it late. The response in the UK was lackadaisical in comparison and playing the whole thing down. Plenty of PPE said Matt Hancock in recorded public statements, but then of course they saw the opportunities for their mates and took action, using the virus as an excuse to get around usual procurement procedures, and overpaying. So I really think you should look more widely before expressing your opinions and perhaps change your target. I've found the Private Eye medic give a very useful two page commentary in every issue, and he has been very open about where he has had to change his mind on aspects of the situation. In the meantime I hope to go to St. Mary's and my training for the new season starts tonight amongst an age group who are showing the highest rates at the moment. No hysteria from me, but maybe a bit of exercise would do you good too.

JRM sounds a bit like Sajid Javid - "mustn't cower in front of the virus..". I've bought my season ticket, and with due precaution will be back. Maybe I'll regret it, but at least I won't have these regrets: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/26/covid-patients-tell-of-regrets-over-refusing-jab-vaccine-intensive-care

Hmmm, this has all gone a bit quiet. Time to ignore forum speculation and wait for the OS - and that's a general observation!

I abominate the PM who is a narcissistic, lazy, unempathetic liar, and a populist who wants to be liked so he's far more likely to shrug his shoulders and say 'whatevs" and "so what". It's the "and co" behind him that are even more dangerous. That said I'm not sure what the answer is to mass events. We already have a high resurgence of cases and mutterings from the medics, and the rest of the world thinks our "Freedom Day" opening up is a recipe for disaster. What we don't need now are more people who are against vaccinations. The anti-vaxer (MMR) loons have already led to a resurgence in measles cases, and the last thing we need is a cohort of people saying "I'm not going to have one because you told me to".. .. Ah yes, the Yellow Fever vaccination, it's a doozy. Had it in my buttock when I was 4. Couldn't move for days..

Interesting and relevant article just published this afternoon..: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/25/seriously-ill-young-people-in-current-covid-admissions-expert-warns

It was a pre-season friendly, the first of them. The aim wasn't to give B team players a chance (apart from Olufunwa?) but to give everybody in the first team squad 45 minutes. The presence of Djenepo at the back doesn't mean he's going to play there, but given that all the forwards have to come back to defend at some stage or another during games it was a useful exercise and learning experience.