John Boy Saint

Oooo-errrr! I was at the game too with a very good view of the whole field, just as doddisalegend said we were better than Norwich from the off. When they went down to 10 men, Hoolihan was sacrificed and a defender brought in to plug the gap in defence, so the game plan from them became play for the draw and hope to hit us on the break now and again with the pace of Redmond and Jerome, which has been our soft underbelly in the Newcastle and Everton games from our own corners especially. The thing with Norwich is many of those players have been together for while so they know each other's game, and whilst they are not the household names of the big teams they do work as a unit which is often as effective and solid as a team of Millionaire players. Managers always talk about playing against 10 men is often more difficult than 11, just look at the mighty Barcelona (who at times will make most football fans drool with their style of play) v Chelsea in the CL semi, Chelsea lose Terry, an influential player to them, through stupidity and Chelsea dug in to hold on against a team with players capable of opening up any defence in the blink of an eye. As I said in my initial reply, on the same weekend Stoke went down to 9 men with a half and a bit to play Tony Pullis who is a ruthless manager decided to go for it but Stoke dug in and kept the loss down to only 1-0 and not the avalanche of goals they should have conceded. I have watched enough Saints games in person over the past 30+ years to know how adept we are at blowing a chance when the odds are stacked handsomely in our favour, add to this our less than swashbuckling performances so far this season and faffing about in the final 3rd. Without doubt on Sunday the players had space to shine a little more than they possibly had of if it had been 11 v 11, and they hadn't taken off the tenacious Hoolihan but they had a full compliment of defenders on the pitch protecting what we have been shy of hitting the back of this season, but still Saints had to get through a fully manned defence and one slightly more determined having lost a team mate. I think anyone who thinks we have turned a corner after 4 games and an indifferent start, by beating a 10 Man Norwich is indeed living in cloud cuckoo land, but to say that our players only shone all over the park just because they were missing a midfielder is a bit negative, which was my point. It would have been interesting to hear your thoughts if Ruddy hadn't saved that JWP free kick in the first minute, and at 1-0 down Norwich had gone down to 10 in the same circumstances, and we had gone on to batter them. Just as an aside a few numpties are back on Yoshida slagging, especially when he had the ball in acres of space and Jerome sprinted in Maya's blind spot to nick it off him, if you went to most other grounds in the land the home side fans would have screamed Man On! as one. We as fans just sat and let Jerome sneak up on him without squeaking a peep.

When Saints were in Palafrugell for the Llagostera pre season game, we were sat in front of Jos Maya and Mayuka and they were happy to chat, especially Jos. During the first half MoPo was obviously tinkering with formations, I was surprised to hear Mayuka asking Jos "what formation are we playing now?". Not the sort of thing you would expect to hear from a player who had been with us a while and played the game at a decent level. As has been said already he had a good record at Young Boys and had enjoyed a very good ACON so had ticked a few positive boxes to take a punt on, hopefully he can get himself going again.

Didn't see the imaginary card waving until last night on MOTD, but on Whittaker when he got his first yellow for silliness I said to my mate that is a silly cheap booking to get especially for a defender, if the ref is on his game that could be like Coutinio yesterday............... Ooooops silly boy.

He made one tackle this afternoon that summed up what a great game he had, he bent his foot round the ball and whisked it away from the Norwich player. After the 3 yellows he has picked up so far he seems to have gotten his sights calibrated: the Chelsea game will be interesting.

That's what happens when the Septics get involved....... Just look at the bloke who bought London Bridge but was amazed when TOWER Bridge wasn't there when he opened the parcel!!

Blimey Charlie, Christmas must be bloody miserable in your house................. WBA playing a whole half against NINE man Stoke couldn't get more than one bloody goal and they sent on the big guns!!................. Jeez!

Never had much of issue with JWP overall, probably remembering he is still a nipper, thought he has gotten a bit stronger this season. Today I thought he had a great game with Romeu, with all this Victor cobblers maybe he has done what all of us want from our players when given the chance and that is grab it with both hands. Build a good partnership with Romeu and create a problem for the management. Just a shame he has U21 duties as an afternoon meet up Gareth Bale on the free kicks might just give him that quarter of an inch to make the difference.

Their coaches left Norwich at 7am this morning.

Seem like the Referees watches have been let loose no longer the standard issue 4 minutes all the "big teams and Leicester" have have been given hours to get a leveller 5, 6, 8 minutes added!!! West Ham go I "I thank you Mr Friend" and rattle in a 3rd!!

Mrs JBS has gone to this with her Brother (mad Chelsea for years) Sister (same) Niece (same) Nephew (ditto) She is going to be the only one in the car coming home without a face like a smacked backside.

Noticed that Billy Sharp is sticking them in the back of the net for our Nige at the Blades. Just made it 0-2 at Swindon

Think he was always under the newer subheading "Osvaldo" within the Black box, only the numpties who believe FM is real had him high on the HCDAJFU list.

Bit of a stalemate for Saints away at the Gills on this weekend in 1920.

I see we have Jon Moss on the whistle tomorrow, what joy.

If that's the case sod Charlie Austin lets get in Charlie Adam, he's good at them and we aren't short of a few bob to fritter on a "special team" player. ........... Him, Romeu and Vic, that would be a nasty midfield! Players like Hazard would be doing their fancy dribbles back towards their own goal, and glass Jack would just pull up with a twinge in the warm up.......... Diego Costa would just say sod the wages I want to play with them 3 down the Saints................. Who put Whiskey in my kettle this morning ;-)

Sssssss Lllllllll Ooooooo Wwwwww Lllllllllll Yyyyyyyyy

Feel a bit like I did after going to the Sheffield Utd away with Everton looming on the following Saturday......... Hopefully the outcome from then will happen again, just being a Saints fan of many years experience it never quite seems to roll like that. Roll on the International break and hope that the fire gets re lit.

Bunch of strangers out there

Band of brothers

Blimey Samaritans must have gone into meltdown tonight going on the comments since the team was announced.

Was I the only one to notice Clyne lifting his foot off the gas towards the end of last season, he had an England place and knew he wasn't staying with us, fear of getting a silly injury to scupper all of this was in the back of his mind. It would be no surprise if VVD is of the same mindset...... You are off to the Premier League to sit in the best shop window outside of the usual top 4 and the possibility of untold riches to come.

Pig of a car park to get out of.

As was said years ago when the definitive edition penned on the back of a pack of 20 Benny Hegehogs in the snug of the Slug and Cabbage was inadvertently leaked. FFP instead of curbing the excesses it was meant to control, it kicks away the ladder for any team with the notion and wherewithal to break into the top tier of The League. Citeh had a close Indiana Jones'esk escape as they got through the doorway as the Million ton rock door sealed the way back. City got pinged but their owner just shuffled the loose change in his pocket and paid up, Liverpool were teetering on the knife edge and seemingly fast talked their way out of a fine......... Hull City got caught, fined, told off, and that was just financing their effort to get out of the Championship (I know different rules apply to the League) I am sure someone said that no other team could do what we did in the time we did it in the way we did it because of the restrictions now in place. Still bringing it back more on subject, can anyone recall our purchase of Lee Barnard ace Southend sharpshooter from under the noses of the mighty Leeds!!, apparently Leeds had a welcome Lee feature editorial in their matchday programme for the midweek game but instead of the Elland Road reveal he was in Southampton signed sealed and ours. The pure and simple solution to the open post question................. Blackmail: couple of cheeky little Treacles, some farm yard animals, bit of fruit, and a Polaroid camera, jobs a good un!!

Bury to beat high flying Leicester and we get a trip to Gigg Lane to get more revenge for them smashing us in the 1900 FA Cup Final 4 to zip!!

Harry Reed seems to have his card marked.