Jack

I heard they were after Cortese instead, seeing as 4-3-3 was his brainchild

Erm, yes.

You can't put a socket in a bathroom, won't comply with the wiring regulations.

I'm really hoping for the rare Aston Villa type performance

It was always going to be an anti-climax this season, barring several miracle results. Nearly pulled a couple off, but it wasn't to be. The Premiership isn't what I remembered it to be, and probably won't be again after experiencing the mental highs and lows of the last few years.

Gets my vote.

Drank at the Royal Oak last time I was there. Walking distance from the ground. Saints fans took over the whole place and it was a top pre-match p*ss up. Was a while ago, it was snowing and I think Kevin Phillips scored for them to make it 1-1.

Fulham, I guess. I don't think the term 'family club' means anything really, just a media catchphrase.

Leighton Baines. Will be a top class LB for years to come.

Very much agree with this. I loved our time in the FL. Yes, it's partly because we were successful, which does mean achieving the ultimate goal of promotion to the prem, but it's the whole feeling actually being in a position to compete for titles that I liked. Plus, you get proper football games in the FL. Passionate fans, brilliant away days, value for money, and much less of the commercial, overpriced and overhyped bullsh*t you get in the Premier League. It just feels like something is missing for me this season (other than points on the board). It just feels a bit dull. 2 out of the 4 games have had a truly shocking atmosphere, as a whole. And I just found myself slightly irritated at both home games. The crowd felt different, so many 'Premier League fans' just there to see their local side play against the best, rather than Saints fans.

Milton Roader has a rival.

Gave up in December having smoked for nearly 10 years I guess. Had a chest infection so wasn't smoking for a week or so, and just thought I'd give giving up a go. I only really have the odd one when right on the p*ss, but I've been knocking that on the head recently too. I know it's really bad for you, but it's the money that is the main deterrent for me. The money I will save by not smoking will comfortably pay for me to have a week in Ibiza every year. Flying from Bournemouth tomorrow evening

NA is a young manager and had no experience at this level. He has made mistakes, and will make more. But he's a good intelligent manager, and will learn quickly from these mistakes, as he has done in the past. It's sad to hear all this talk of who his replacement is going be, after 4 games at this level.

Can't be far off.

Sparsely populated shed, as per...

Could be an ideal location for the Biomass power station they were talking about a while ago. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-17955109 A better option than trying to build at the docks, and would be a nice project for us industrial tradesmen.

Cortese masterminding tactics and buying his own players, not the ones the manager wants, according to some. FWIW, I don't believe all of that.

Think about how much money he makes from Sky Sports and the FA. He wouldn't even give it a thought. I bet plenty of prem managers have thought about this/made enquiries.

Yup. That, and the barcodes look very off the pace. Baines, Fellaini, and Mirallas look quality.

Good spot. P7 W1 D2 L4

On 18/09/2010 Southampton were 22nd in League 1 - P8 W1 D2 L4 (having nearly gone out of business) On 18/09/2010 Portsmouth were in the Premier League. On 17/09/2012 Southampton are in the Premier League. On 17/09/2012 Portsmouth are 17th in League 1 - P6 W1 D2 L3 (and close to going out of business for good) I know, I know, I've mentioned Portsmouth, but I thought it would be a LONG time before they stopped lauding it over us. We've come a long way in a very short space of time, and there's plenty to be optimistic about. I think we'll survive, but if we don't, it's not the end of the world. We've got solid foundations now.

I think we'll be fine once we get going. No easy games, but we'll hopefully have learnt some lessons from these. I fancy us to pick up a win vs Villa.

Agree with that. Just backs up what many people are saying about the lack of call-ups for players outside the top 6 or 7. Even if they weren't in the best form, surely you'd take a 4th striker, someone a bit different to the 3 we've already got. Crouch's record for England is brilliant, and he scores plenty against weaker sides. Perfect for qualifying.

2 goals in 2 years. To name an England front line, for a competitive game, with just Defoe, Welbeck and Sturridge, is madness IMO. None of them have really been regulars for their clubs over the last year.

It's not ideal, but there's Crouch, Holt, Lambert, Bent. All capable goalscorers, and all much more of a threat than playing 4'10" Jermaine Defoe infront of a 5 man midfield.