John Boy Saint

Be madness to bin him off now, we have lead a pretty charmed life since getting back in the Prem, Adkins was just getting to grips with it when MP took over, then when he got on his bike we pick up Ronald who kept us going in the same upwards direction we had been on since clawing our way back from the edge of the abyss. Everyone asked once we started flogging off the family Silver every summer how can they keep doing it. Well it appears that chicken has come home to roost this season. Un fortunately we have a manager at the helm who isn't an all singing and dancing fruit loop like Jose or Klippety, but a quiet considered chap. Those of you attending the game today just take a moment to watch him on the sidelines, and watch him when the players decide to play the ball in field into a congested cluster of players when the ball to play was the free player on the wing with acres to run into is very free. He has caught my eye a few times in the technical area, handing out words of wisdom and at the same time doing his nut when the players persist in not doing what they are told repeatedly (Sparta away springs to mind) position McQueen in space and knock it up the line to him repeatedly it went right into trouble and both Sam and Claude were getting pretty ****ed off with it) then you will see the passion that's missing from the press conferences. Like I, and many other have said too, You can't get away with selling your best players and get away with it every year. I would prefer to stick with Claude rather than become the manager merry-go-round that put us in the clart before Leibherr saved our bacon.

Said to my mate Wednesday night, at least it's only the goalie who has acquired a slice.

Despite all the hoo-ha that was a spectacular miss by Kane...... In all the celebrations there was a voice behind "...... Surprised he isn't going to make him take it again".

So someone in the suites above did decide to opt for the very special Vindaloo!!

New Years Eve getting back to Birmingham at 9:30 I would expect a bit of family pressure creeping in.

I hate losing to Spurs there is a spawnyness about them always has been. Having slept on it, a few personal observations of the game. We were good for the first 15 and if Redmond had sent his shot a foot further to the right to make it 2-0 the evening might have been different, from that moment it seemed a combination of us just switching off and Spurs going "blimey that was close we need to pull our socks up". We seemed to suddenly be in last 5 minutes of the game defending a lucky 1-0 lead, playing so deep, and in doing so when we did get a crumb of relief and get the ball away it was coming straight back, ball comes over Fraser Forster the tallest man on the pitch just seemingly stands and watches it fall onto Ali's head who just plops it in the net when he should be getting across plucking the ball out of the air and wiping Ali out in the process. From then to half time I thought both sides looked like teams that had had the last 10 & 11 days off. The game changed in my eyes (yes I know a no whatsit Sherlock) when the second goal went in, in reality there was no need to give the corner away but Fraser thought he was still back playing in Scotland against Stirling Albion and dithered waiting for the ball to meander to him, as a result Jose spotted the danger of a Spurs player bursting towards the ball came across and hoofed it behind for the corner from where Kane scores. From then on we became easier to play against for a team like Spurs. Being at the other end of the ground I didn't have the best view of the goings on which saw Redmond heading to the showers early, but when you saw the skirmish you instantly thought Dean is going to love the theatrics of pointing to the spot here, and sure enough he didn't let me down. I always remember a cup game against v Chelsea he officiated in, Chelsea had run us about and the game was pretty much done, Super Frank bursts forwards with the ball but instead of shooting at goal he deftly plays the ball at the running arm of a closing Saints defender, now if that defender had moved his arm away the ball would have hit the Northam Kinsland corner flag Mike Deans body language was almost "oh goodie I can blow my whistle and point at the spot". Anyway its done. With 10 men we did carve out some opportunities and 2 gifted free goes at a pretty much empty net, first the "wonderful" Tadic who the numpties sing the name of when he is not on the pitch, gets passed a ball that all he has to do is hit in a goal wards direction, nope he receives the ball and as usual Eff's about and powder puffs the ball, Lloris goes walk about again the ball falls to PEH who also pats it goal-wards...... Ffs 2 of you get paid shed loads just to kick a bloody ball of air and 2 of you fluff it up. I don't get the swapping of Boufal for Tadic because to my mind they are the same player, beat someone then spin round to go and beat them again........ and try and repeat. They are both gifted players but for goodness sake someone please tell them to keep it simple, last night when the sub was made we just substituted Fabrice Fernandes with er-um Fabrice Fernandes!! Spurs did what they had to do and did it well, their attitude I thought was summed up by Danny Rose who in added time was still going after the ball like Spurs were 1-0 down. As always its 2 steps forward 1 step back.

See we have. Mark Clattenbergs Dad........... Mike Dean on the Whistle.

Yup may be 22 years ago, there is no doubt the responsibility certainly focuses the mind, you grow up. Embrace it, enjoy it, and as has been said already they grow up really fast, and make the most of them when they are little because the day they become stroppy buggers will be upon you before they know it. As for the tiredness there is no doubt there is nothing to match it. We had number 2 pretty quickly there is a year, a month, and a week between our girls (2 was the plan but a "oops we shouldn't have done that" moment brought things forward). Friends who had their first at the same time as us thought we were barking mad, but being in baby mode when number 2 arrived, it was frighteningly easy. Interestingly when the same friends decided on having another, when it arrived, jeez, you just watched them age before our eyes. Both of ours were fully operational and you could see our friends looking on with a thought of "you weren't as mad as we thought".

I was wondering if she was still about the other day when they showed the Royale family where Nana died.... That was only triggered by seeing Caroline Aherne who left us earlier this year.

1665 was pretty damn grim too

Just as an aside the Arsenal game last Boxing Day kept coming up on social media today, and especially Cucu Martinas opener, even now that was one hell of a strike....... Not sure why I hadn't noticed it before but not only does he bend it inside the post but right round the back of Monreal (I think).

Nobbles the Jay Rodriguez song a little if he goes on a little run now after the brace at Bournemouth.

Merry Christmas to all my fellow posters................ You can all get well oiled today cos you don't have to be up tomorrow till at least lunchtime.

The technical term is crowned. If you are unfortunate enough to catch highlights from Nottarf Krap their crown is more like Everest running down the middle of the pitch. When St Mary's first opened one of the claims was that we had the only totally flat pitch in the country. ........ Hood down - Anorak off!! Mate who is a Man U fan managed to get tickets at OT and ended up on the front row at the Stretford end he said he was glad him and his son were taller that 5'8" as his eyes were literally level with the pitch.

Nice fix Sir!.......... Merry Christmas

7th for Christmas, ahead of Koeman in the table, Merry Christmas Sadio Máne............ Still putting a smile on Saints fans faces.

If Jay & Shane were doing their job this thread wouldn't exist.

Ah Bless their cotton socks

See we have (cue Geri Halliwell hit) "Look at Me " Mark Boody Clattenburg on the whistle tomorrow, so expect some shonky decisions.......... The most bizarre interpretation on advantage ever seen v Liverpool a couple of weeks back springs to mind.

Still bang out of order not having a Boxing Day game. I thought getting dicked around last Boxing Day with a 19:45 kick off was bad enough (smashing Arsenal did temper the ire quite a bit at the end of the day) but no bloomin game for us this Boxing Day!!!!! Grrrrrrrrrrr.............. Bah! Humbug!!

Would like to see him played more, personally I think he offers more than Clasie for starters. Always remember MP bringing him on v Citeh it was like a Jack Russell let loose in a field of Postmen, he only fancied a nip of one: Aguero. After being harried (no pun intended) for about the 3rd time Aguero just gave the ball away with a look of "will you leave me alone!!". This season v Sunderland in the cup, playing in the Romeu position he was up against a wardrobe and an American fridge freezer in their front line, he couldn't give two hoots about the size differential, more "Give me the ball" "bye boys". He commented recently that Claude had a word with him, about his temperament, seems, as he said himself, to have taken that on board and is now pushing his way right back into the frame.

That's a bit cruel posting Oriol up wearing the shirt, because unless I miss-heard or lost count he ain't going to be wearing it on Sunday because he racked up his 5th Yellow on Wednesday so misses Sunday's game. i stand to be corrected obviously

I like the fact that Premier league away tickets are capped at £30 and these robbing gets feel the need to cream an additional £3 & £1 off us to guarantee a decent view of the pitch, hiding behind the league cup as an excuse.

Once matey was sent off you knew we would be pushing water up hill. Second half we laid siege to the Stoke penalty area, what is worrying is that with all that dominance box we hardly fashioned anything of note. We have all this blathering on calling for the head of Puel, having watched him a few times now on the sideline he has been doing his nut at some of the decision making. But at the end of the day the players on the pitch are supposed to be doing a job they are paid handsomely for, most have been playing football since their Mums were wiping their backsides. Many have been in a professional footballing environment since they were about 8, and have taken a journey that has seen many other very capable kids cast out of the club system, they have made it to be Proffessional Premier League footballers. They train and play football every day, yet tonight with so much pressure being exerted in the vicinity of the Stoke goal, it was like they had forgotten the objective of the game being to put the ball into the back of the net, which for so many years of footballing experience as a collective on the pitch was pretty poor show, not being able to fashion many decent chances needs the finger to be pointed at them. You are playing Stoke yet knowing they are good in the air play loopy balls into the box for the Stoke defenders to see away with glee. I don't know, it's almost like the penalty box lines have been painted with Kryptonite! Right now it feels like the selling of our stars is finally catching up with us. Pelle Mané Wanyama that is a bit of a presence. That said who would have guessed as the season started we would find both Long and JRod unable to hit a Cows @r$e with a Banjo as we approach the half-way mark. They are now getting fed sitters on a plate which they defend better than attack. Other players know they need to take up the goalscoring slack but also know in doing so they leave a gap for the Oppos to exploit, just as we saw last night towards the end Puel changed the delivery option taking off Cucu and bringing on McQueen all of a suddened the new chap on for Stoke is running into Martina's empty space. Right now we are playing with pretty much no strikers and that I believe is what is producing pretty turgid performances.

Don't forget to add in that other winkle, who played at Man Utd Ravell Morrison, gifted beyond belief the ability to have played at the highest level and be paid a kings ransom, SAF tolerated him because of his ability. Allegedly when he had finished his training he was out with his mates mugging, thieving, and generally being a little scrote.