oxfordshire_saint

I heard the name Ryan Mason mentioned between Pardew and the scouts a few times but upon looking him up it appears he's on loan at Yeovil from Spurs, the scouts were raving about him, so we may need to watch him on Saturday. Some more reserve players at Spurs were mentioned but I didn't catch any definite names, I think I may have heard the name Adam Smith, it would appear he's a right back in their ressies who had a month on loan at Wycombe recently. Could come in on loan as cover in the RB position?

Jaidi yes, Papa from the bench, but would give him the last 20-30 mins, not 4 mins like on Saturday!

Got himself into the box and slotted past the keeper with a low finish, from what I can remember! He looked quick and worked hard in the first half, always drifting wide and stretching the defence, liked to chase their defenders down when they had the ball. Like I said in the report, he faded in the second half and got moved onto the right wing when White came on. I think he'll be extremely useful when he's match fit.

Just got back from the same, was an interesting watch, here's how I saw it: Forecast - not good enough, decision making is really shoddy, flapped at crosses, just doesn't inspire confidence in his defence! Argent - Ran raggen by their lightning quick left winger, Mark Marshall, in the first half. Looked a little more comfortable in the second half when Marshall switched sides. Tafazoli - was skinned a few times by their right winger, Lloyd Macklin, in the first half. Gives as good as he gets physically but lacked composure and positional sense, although I believe he's a centreback by trade Lancashire - talks a lot and wins his fair share in the air. Only criticisms I have are regarding the fact that his distribution is poor and also, he always wants to win the ball, sometimes he should just jockey the striker but he's always looking to go through the back of them and gives away some silly free-kicks. Jaidi - what you'd expect, big aerial presence, cut out a lot of danger and did what was required. Sometimes there was a lack of communication with him and Lancashire going for the same ball. Melis - looked bright, showed good pace at times and caused them some trouble. Scored a good goal, was taken off in the second half as it looks like he'll be involved on Saturday and rightly so. Holmes - he had a lot of workrate, always wanted the ball and got stuck in too, but his touch looked rusty. Probably best for him to play a few more ressie games before he gets in the first team, Mills is a better option at the moment. Pulis - I think some of the stick he gets is undeserved. Doesn't do anything spectacular but had a solid enough game, wouldn't have him in the first team though, looks like he'd be comfortable playing in the Blue Square. Gillet - had a really good game, very industrious, always getting in amongst people and contributed in an attacking sense too. As far as central midfield goes, I'd have him above Lloyd James in the pecking order. Paterson - was full of running and workrate, won a few good headers early on and was handful all night for their defence. If he can develop his upperbody strength over the next couple of year, he'll be a good player. I know he ocassionally makes stupid tackles but he needs to get a bit nastier in general. Papa Waigo - gave them all sorts of problems in the first half but faded a bit in the second, doesn't look fully fit. Took his goal well. Was moved onto the right wing when Jamie White came on. Subs didn't really make much of an impact. Pardew and Downes were sitting nearby and seemed to take a keen interest in their winger, Mark Marshall, who could play on both sides, was lightning quick and had stupidly quick feet, really liked to take his man on and get into the box. Would love to see him signed, even if it was to bung him in the reserves and bring him through. Terry Skiverton, the Yeovil manager, was in attendance, introduced himseld to Pardew before the game, not much said, just made Pardew aware of who he was and said "see you Saturday!" A few scouts in attendance, heard one of them on the phone before the game saying: "I like the kid Lancashire, but nobody wants to give us a f'in centreback", not sure where he was from!

Just busy typing a new post with a run-down of how I saw it, will be up in a few mins!

Couple of little grandstands, the rest is just a fence around a pitch! The size of the crowd depends on whether you get wet! I myself will be shunning the Champs League footie on TV and heading down, it's not too far for me. I presume Mr Pardew will be in attendance to run the rule over Papa, Jaidi, Holmes etc first hand, rather than relying on a report from Henderson?

Which hand was Michael Hutchence using on his pecker during his fatal asphyxi-w@nk?

Now that, I'm not arguing! My point was the mindset of the fans, expecting to turn up and watch us coast past Yeovil. I'm all for us taking a positive gameplan and going at them, negativity cost us in games like Swindon away.

I see where you're coming from, but we've done nothing to justify that attitude yet, the only reasons we'd have for that mindset are our history and the size of our ground, which if anything, count against us at this level. I'm not saying we should approach them without any confidence, if there's one thing we need at the moment it's confidence, but in my experience, it's when you end up getting ****y and not giving respect where it's due that you end up falling on your face. Remember all the teams we chanted "you'll never play here again" to when we first got relegated to the CCC?

Don't get me wrong, there's every possibility they may be on the end of a hiding, but I just get this feeling that the majority of people are going to be going to this game expecting a guaranteed 4-0 victory or something along those lines, which is dangerous to assume and also why some people decide to boo when it doesn't happen. We're a scalp for people this season, team's aren't coming to St Mary's to roll over and have their tummy tickled, they'll be up for it, coupled with the fact they'll probably be well supported, I think it'll be a tougher game than people are making out. That said, I'll happily eat my words if we dish out a spanking

Whilst I'm not predicting doom and gloom, I'm not buying into the theory that Yeovil are lambs to the slaughter on Saturday. Against Stockport at the weekend they had their keeper sent off but still managed to come from behind twice and draw 2-2, they've clearly got a bit of belief and spirit. I expect them to be a well-organised, solid team that come to try and stifle us, as many so called "smaller" teams will this season. So although I expect 3 points from this game, I'm fully expecting us to have to work for it. Let's not get too over-confident beforehand though.

Will they rope in some poor schoolchildren to join the protest, to boost numbers?

I'll be going. I played there 5 years ago and if it's anything like it was then, it's crap. The pitch was on a slope and apart from a couple of very modest "grandstands" it was basically just railings around a pitch! It'll be amusing watching player's who've played internationally set foot on it!

Only player to be sent off for 5 different football league clubs? Carlton Palmer

Crosses are the key, now with Holmes and Mills fit, we should get this on the left. Hopefully Papa Waigo can produce the goods on the right. At the moment we play too many long balls down the middle to Lambert, he wins flick-ons but they just run through to the oppo keeper because Lambert's always the furthest man forward. If that's the way we're going to play, he needs to hold it up more, but most of the balls are launched towards his head.

I hear ya! Last month I drove down through Austria into Italy via the Brenner Pass to Verona. From there I drove along to Milan then up past Lake Como and into Switzerland. The roads I used were of awful quality, the signposting is rubbish and everyone drives like they've just necked a bottle of vino! Also, driving and trying to park in the centre of Verona on opera night isn't to be advised!

To be fair to Van Persie, did you see his face afterwards? Certainly didn't just get caught on his hand!

How can their fans criticise anyone? I thought it was rather ironic that they sang "you're not singing anymore" when they scored, because they only made noise for about the 5 minutes following their goal and that was it, the rest of the time it was all our lot. Perhaps they shouldn't blame Pardew for last season, they should blame themselves for their uninspiring, lifelessly crap support

The stamp was bang out of order. As for the celebration, brilliant! I hate it when players get booked for inciting the crowd, if they've had to take dog's abuse from the opposing fans, they should be allowed to give some bag. The Gooners deserved that for how they abused him when he was still at their club. Has it been confirmed what type of sandwich was thrown at him as he slid to his knees infront of them?

How Charlton are top, I don't know. Shelvey, Racon, Sam and Bailey can all play but the rest of them are garbage. Although the lad with the scrum-cap was dominant in the air, he couldn't make a 5 yard pass without having to lift the ball at least 40 feet into the air. Thought it was rather comedy when 3 of their defenders in a row all hoofed the ball straight up in the air one after the other. It's a shame we didn't make more of our good first half. My only worry today was how many times Charlton got into 2-on-1 in the wide areas, despite people's praise for Harding and Thomas, which was deserved in their 1-on-1 battles, but we were opened up down the flanks at times.

As controversial as it sounds, I have nothing against players giving it back if they are getting abuse. I quite enjoyed seeing Adebayor rile the Gooners by giving them some stick back. Burton is still a c**t though

The nearest I saw to trouble was the banter between a group of gobby yoof and their sub, Izale McLeod, who was just laughing at their goading!

I looked into that last year, but there was so much crap out there I gave up. If you were able to do a superpack for FM10, I would be eternally grateful! I'm sure it's some form of OCD, but I enjoy it more when I'm playing a league with a license. That said, the first game I play is always with Saints, so no problems there

Any idea if any additional licenses have been secured this time around? A very minor thing but it always bugged me if I was a side who had badges etc playing against a side who didn't, or vice versa. Bundesliga licensing would go down a treat

To be fair, I've tried to banish most of last season from my memory!