John Boy Saint

No surprise really first day back at work for many, Christmas is over for many, like you say being pretty pants no doubt has an influence obviously. TV has really pigged up Christmas Fixtures Spurs played Boxing Day then nothing until tonight! then again Thursday!! Think West Ham are similar.

Happy New Year x

That's Baggies wall had more holes in it than Swiss Cheese!!

You would hope that after the experience of that fruit loop Osvaldo we would be steering well clear of another one. I just hope we ain't going to do as Spurs did with the Bale money and run around like fools in the "sweet shop" ending up with square pegs for round holes.

Because everyone loves an old boy footballer who is still being a scallywag who, in the modern game, still sneaks in the little cheeky sly digs on opposition players, how can you not fail to love a little feint to make it look like you have had a shove in the back to mask an elbow in the guts of an oppo player, and having gotten away with that leaving one on Shane Long as you leave the scene of the crime!! All while wearing a Man U shirt is top sport. Thought JWP had a good game, if he has the space to whip one in more of our players should be breaking their necks to get into the box and get on the end of it.

Thought the defence felt comfortable with Alex between the sticks, almost like they could rely on him doing what goalkeepers are supposed to do rather than having to wonder if he was going to actually move.

Just a little bit off the contact with the ball from Long and that would have spooned off De Geas boot and in......a worm popping his head out of the ground would have been handy too. De Gea knew he got lucky.

That was funny

Ex Saint Lloyd Isgrove comes off the bench to whip in a cross that Barnsley equalise from at the death of their game. MK Dons been playing for what must feel like days with nine men 1-0 up and having to play 9 minutes of added time!! PL table looks a bit grim!

I was thinking the same especially as he isn't even on the bench - he did look a bit piddled off at being taken off when the TVs camera picked him out.

Having met him a couple of times I always thought what a nice chap, but also felt Velvet Glove - Iron Fist. I have mentioned this before, but many readers will remember Dennis Rofe - ex player - came out on the pitch at half time sang songs and did the Kenzie bit back then, then he found his way onto the bench on the coaching staff, you always knew he was there as he was the only nutter when the temperature was minus 20°c in a training tee shirt and shorts - memorably squared up to Souness in one game. In the relegation season he was taking turns on the pitch with Kevin Bond to give a pep talk as the players were doing exercises on the floor, pre that fantastic game v Norwich Rofe was whipping them up, couple of weeks later final game Man U Bond was doing the geeing up by comparison, it was weak and weary just like our capitulation. If Kelvin can spark a bit of fire into the team, then seeing as Pellegrino is seemingly living on an extended Honeymoon period, I want to see a bit of fight and if Kelvin is the man to do it then fair play to him. Sammy Lee always came over as a nice fun chap, but showed lots of passion on the touchline, as Koemans said, half the time we don't understand a thing he is saying - but he does enjoy using the word f**k at every opportunity.

Well that's fallen down then because 95% of the time the ball is often played to where the player was when the thought to pass was made or to where the player would be on Playstation. An Arsenal supporting mate, who hob knobs with folks behind the scenes at Arsenal confirmed its been mentioned.

I was about to say Michael "Killer" Svensson hasn't had a mention yet, not only was he a great CB but he also got Claus to stop being distracted by the Butterflies that often fluttered through his mind when he should have been concentrating on his defensive duties at critical moments. Celtic then at Saints he has been a big fish in a small pond, now he enters the big sea be interesting to see how he fairs.

As has been mentioned above it does seem to hark back to days gone by when we seemed to hoover up players who had had glittering careers but were deffo in the twilight of them. Kerry Dixon goal machine at Chelsea, bit tired when he arrived with us, Sparky Hughes rattled them in everywhere he played, scored one I think in a Saints shirt, Barry Venision - Broken before they had taken the lid off the pen to sign his contract with. Obviously we did get some good years out of a few "old boys" Alan Ball and Jimmy Case being the most notable. But in the case of Sturridge and Walcott both have medical files thick enough to put a car up on and have the wheels away from, Sturridge I think will be divisive in the dressing room as he is a bit billy big whatsits and would have others believe he is doing us a favour, Walcott though might work, as well as being a nice chap, he has always remembered where he came from (yes I know he was at Swindon before us) keep him fit and with all his experience gained since he left us coupled with his seemingly good nature could prove to be an asset.

I guess the Captain will be either Tadic or Forster then.

Will we heck as like....Had you actually watched him this season even if VVD was allowed to take a step ladder on the pitch he would still be half ar$ed getting up it to win the ball in the air.

Probably gone backwards like most of the team if they are being told to play in a rigid system by MP, it's already been suggested that Redmond is playing under orders. Yoshida is a far better player than some numpties on here make out, if you actually watch him rather than concentrate on just the slips and errors that all players make you would see that. Like has been said it does not help if the lummox who can actually touch the ball with his hands just stands rooted to the spot, seen Yoshida on many occasions give out the body language of "you have to be kidding!!??", a go and collect the ball in Forsters zone.

When Austin returned to the squad Mrs JBS said after about half an hour, "at last someone on the pitch is making others work telling them where to go".

You never know My first trip to OT was relegation season Steve Wigley stood on the sidelines with his hands in his pockets, we had that Swedish bloke who looked like a flippin scarecrow (and who's name I have forgotten) out on the wing and he decided to wear Gold boots for the occasion. Nowt Golden about his performance thats for sure. Only hi-light was when Rooney scored and some card in amongst us Saints fans pulled out and held up a poster of Shrek, which had many Saints fans bowing down with the chant of "Rooney Rooney" which confused Man U fans somewhat until this lad turned the poster to them, and they joined in with the bowing and chanting.......... certainly cheered up a grim afternoon.

Rather than start a new thread, and with Austin looking like he is going to be out for a while, with Long and Gabbi not being able to be so prolific in front of goal maybe we should be looking to get Sam Gallagher out of the nightmare loan to Birmingham City, at least he has had some game time to keep him ticking over knows where the goal is and Can t be any worse than the inert striking options we have at the moment.....actually whoever decided sending him to Birmingham needs to be on a disciplinary for leaving us woefully short of options. Yes i know that under the current formation we only have one slot available for a striker.

Conte questioned Pelle's descision to make the move to China as it would end his International career which had only just started, £300k a week and a life of old Riley in a country where paying tax is nowhere near as penal as paying tax here or anywhere else in Europe.

This could be a cricket score

We maybe chasing shadows, but the ref also seems a bit star struck being at Wembley and watching the Spurs!

Somebody bloody attack it!!!

He was going to get a ban for that, regardless of the fact that Lossi was still sliding forwards as Austin got there, think it was a bit of Devil and the deep blue sea as to where to put his foot as he was also running at speed. But seeing as momentum into a 50/50 challenge carries no lee way with refs during the game, he was going to get pinged for that.