Patches O Houlihan

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/saman-ghoddos/profil/spieler/204294 Suggests he is 30yo, born in Sweden with Swedish & Iranian nationality. Played 88mins in Iran’s last game (11th June) Hopefully he’s the kind of ‘widely underrated and undervalued gem’ that moneyball Brentford and Brighton have been built with. Rasmus will love this signing. Potentially a grafter?

I spoke too soon 😁

I can't help it 😁 Scots singing Flower of Scotland as the fifth goes in. All those times the sweaties have wound us up. 🤣

Earlier someone suggested that Che might be £1m more expensive after tonight... or maybe not

I believe my line to the missus while watching the opening ceremony was "The Scots are going to get humped"

This game reminding me of an infamous night for Saints fans at Old Trafford...

He's quite tidy. Based on the 'getting the band back together' strategy I say lets get him on the bus

Scots are up sh..t creek without a paddle

Adams and Gunn are starting for Scotland against Germany. Stu is on the bench

Just remember that this is a real life person who plays for a team we all support, and who had a stellar reputation at Sunderland. Can we not give him the benefit of the doubt for pre-season friendlies and a couple of months of the season before completely writing him off?!

Here’s a thought: Last season we bizarrely extended Charley’s contract, his play didn’t really fit us, and then he went on loan to Juve. He’s super determined, and talented, but still very raw. What if Adam Lallana’s key role this year was to teach/coach Alcaraz how to be a young Stu Armstrong - therefore considerably enhancing the value of a club asset and our AM options? Also I bet RM has got to know AL through Brighton connections. So to him the transfer might seem like Ryan Fraser’s - bringing in a black sheep that you personally trust?

But Saka did get on the pitch. Hence only 2 changes from the ideal starting side really, and both very reasonable. It's worrying, but I don't think starting team selection was the cause of this. I guess I see managers endlessly abused on this forum, and sometimes feel some sympathy for them: It's a tough job, with big decisions and no guarantees. Did we need a Grealish or Maddison to bring some creativity 2nd half - maybe? Would we have been wise 18 months ago to have blooded a new CB partner for Stones, or tried to bring Tomori into the squad - maybe? But given the players in the squad I don't think the starting team choice was seriously at fault, hence my query.

Saka not fully fit, Shaw not fit. Bellingham needs a break after the Champions League final. Which team would you have put out?

Correct

Painful that night. Watching Tall Paul running about with no hope of being able to get a touch, being completely bossed by bloody Gillingham. My Liverpool supporting mate was down for the evening to watch and gave me heaps!

Not if he was on loan.

Also at this point it is clear that the England ship has sailed for JWP. So then it just comes down to how much he valued the European games with West Ham. It's difficult to imagine him fitting in well at any other club besides Saints. Russ likes him too.

If ever there was a player who will pull a James Milner and play on forever it will be JWP. I would love it if we loaned him for a year, he broke Beckham's PL free kick record in a Saints shirt, and then let's see where things end up at the end of the season. Downes & JWP would not be so far removed from Romeu & JWP...

Everything I've read and seen suggests that Stewart would have smashed it for us at Championship level if he hadn't picked up that second injury. 😔 Of course the jump to PL is a worry but from what I've seen there is a possibility he could work out there. We've seen strikers from the lower leagues go up in un-fancied teams and do well. Lambert, Vardy & Ivan Toney immediately spring to mind. He also seems to be the kind of player who is determined, quietly good, and just what we need. KWP style if you like. I really hope it works out for us and him.

I think Perraud at LB might be a good option for us. He works hard, has PL experience, and probably has a relatively low sell on value. He can get a good cross in which Stewart, who seems to be a monster in the air, might really appreciate. Quality airborne crosses aren't really something we have seen from KWP. He might also get 2 or 3 goals across the season. Would give us Manning, Larios, Peraud and potentially Ryan Fraser & KWP & Stephens who could play there, so potentially overstocked... That said we know that there was friction last season between homegrown players and the European contingent. The only time RM played Perraud was at LCB in the Gillingham game. I was sat right behind him for the first half. I think he was recovering from an injury, it was his first game back, and he is just not built to be a CB against a League 1 side - he looked like a fish up a tree, and I felt really bad for him. Charlie was the only player who impressed that day, and Tall Paul couldn't get onto any of the crosses that were lumped in at the end.

Wait are you telling me that the exhibits won't be genetically modified chicken/monkey hybrids?! I'd set my heart on that 😠

Oddschecker has us as only 4th favourites to go down at the end of the 24/25 Premier League season. Bookies think Leicester, Ipswich and Everton are all at higher risk

Spotted this video which ~38,000 of us won't have seen. It's worth a watch, and it was clear to me that every Saints player gave everything and left nothing out there. Credit to Martin and the recruitment team for finding the right characters. Troy Deeney questions Leeds desire - Yep we Freed them from their Desire 😁😁

Maybe we could loan Charles to Leeds? They really need a midfield! and would probably be there or thereabouts at the sharp end of the season.

Franny in tears at the whistle - you love to see it