InvictaSaint

Very pleased with the 3 points. Butterfield played very well, as did Lallana and Guly in patches, but after keeping going and getting the equaliser at just the right time, the real game-winner wad Adkins substitutions; we played SO much better when Oxo and Barney came on, we really did. Passing and interchanges were so much slicker and more creative. I worry about Rickie, I really do. His demeanour and general play are both so lumbering and predictable. His partnership with Guly just doesn't seem to work, but Barney comes on and hey presto, instant chemistry. We have a problem here, and either it gets solved or Rickie needs a time out; he is definitely not himself at the moment. However, we are winning 'ugly' - something we have not really done since last season, and even then not brilliantly. D'Urso was absolutely appalling, reprising, and adding to his disastrous handling of Saints v Blackburn in 2004. We are on the move; now to keep it going.

....has scored a hat trick for Spuds at Inter Milan.

Sky is reporting that Bignall has just signed a new contract with Reading. Doesn't change anything, I know, as he is only on loan, but odd that he should choose to re-sign for Reading mid-loan.

For 20 years now, as a Saints exile in Kent, I have parked on Cemetary Road, just off the Avenue, below the Cowherds. It's a 20-25 minute walk to the ground, but when you get back to your car there is very rarely much traffic to contend with as you leave town. Presumably if you live in Cambridge, you go M11 - M25 clockwise - M3. If so, this could be the place for you. Parking is free on Saturdays and there is always space.

Now, I could be wrong here, but... do you think Cortese expects Adkins to get us promoted this season, without fail? ;-)

Has Solent broadcast any reaction from Adkins?

How does getting better "not matter a damn"? When Wilkins held the fort after Pardew's dismissal,we didn't score once. Since Adkins' arrival we have stopped conceding (1 in 5 prior to today) and we are now scoring again (4 in last two). A defeat to a team with an exceptionally good home record is not the end of the world, as some seem to be painting it. I still firmly believe that we will get promoted and nothing that has happened today has changed my mind. Others may choose to see a defeat away to Huddersfield as the indisputable evidence to the contrary, which is their right, but I would suggest that they are being somewhat short-sighted and should keep the faith. It will come good, of that I am sure.

But the key words in that summary are the three at the end - at the moment. Prior to this game we were unbeaten in 5 and the overwhelming consensus was that we were improving. I was at Tranmere last weekend and it was a million miles from the dross we served up against Swindon and Rochdale. So to base the future of our season on the entirity of the first quarter is not wholly fair or helpful, given the time Adkins has actually been here. Huddersfield was always going to be a tricky fixture given their home record and on this occasion we don't seem to have been able to match them. However, defeat to them is no more an indicator of our demise than last weekend was an indicator of our impending dominance of the league. We are getting better, we will continue to get better and we will be there or thereabouts at the end of the season.

This. Apart from the bit about Peter Clarke. I have no idea who he is. :-)

At least we don't have to listen to Burley's post-match drivel anymore. I am just grateful for that....

Yes, interesting. Nothing at all about it on Sky Sports mobile site either (and given that they are carrying a story about somebody in the lower German leagues, you would expect a League 1 player getting arrested to make it into the news).

Yes. What is the point in completing the season? Let's just give up now and end it all. FFS.

Yes, amazingly. Don't quite know how he has progressed this far as his Saints commentaries were always littered with mistakes. One game of ours was being refereed by Howard Webb and for the whole game Will Cope called him Harry Webb (Cliff Richard's real name)...

Clyde down to 9 men as well....

Ha Ha! Yes - kept thinking his mum was going to run onto the pitch and drag him off by the ear for his tea!

I think I am going to differ from most other posters by saying that I thought that the first half, whilst not sensational, was also an improvement on recent games. You can see the impact of Adkins' philosophy already; players passing and moving! Harding started to go on the overlap, and - best of all - we are now getting players to the byeline so that they can put in a cross. It was so much better than Rochdale (the last home game). As for the second half - well, what a difference! Passion, commitment and energy right through to the final whistle. Dickson, and Holmes in particular, were a real breath of fresh air, with little give-and-gos and attacking threat towards the bye-line. Holmes put in some great corners and one wicked ball in from a free kick, which was just begging to get a touch off somebody. I applauded the team off at the end, because their effort and commitment deserved it; there are real signs that things will turn around and we will climb the table, quickly. As others have said, a couple of loans will make a big difference - one or two with pace but, after today, not necessarily wingers - and I think, most important of all, Adkins will make a difference. Hammond said on Solent that NA has "put a smile back on the players' faces" which is very telling. All in all, I am in the positive camp tonight; it was an improvement, and the gree shoots of recovery were definitely there. PS - A BIG thank you to whomever caused the M25 to come to a standstill on the way down today, and for the subsequent cross country dash leaving me with a 4 hour drive to the game from Kent and a late arrival at SMS!

What has he said?!

Anybody with access to Solent able to let us know what Adkins has said? Ta muchly.

Sincere condolences Darren. Having lost my father recently I share your sadness. All the very best to you and your family at this immensely difficult time. Take care mate.

Perhaps Egg thought we were going to poach a different manager?

Good to see we are already making plans for Nigel.... ( Oh come on - somebody had to say it!)

Why, thank you kind sir... :-)

....Brentford, the bottom team in League 1, has just beaten Sheffield Wednesday, the top team, by one goal to nil. All of which means we are only 6 points off top spot, with a game in hand. Get the new, "wow" manager in this week and it is still perfectly possible for us to be riding high in the very near future. This weekend's results have been kind to us - Huddersfield only drew with Bournemouth, Carlisle drew, Peterboorough lost - but we cannot afford to wait much longer to get the new chap in. Still, reasons to be cheerful (even after having witnessed Saturday's fun and games....).

Bizarrely, the BBC Breakfast weather chap has just focussed on Southampton v Rochdale as the game to focus on from a weather perspective. No PL or Championship games, I suppose, so perhaps not so odd. Maybe a clue as to how much time we will get on the FL Show tonight?...

I'm available.