alehouseboys

"... but still 90% of a first-team squad,” Wenger said Starting 11 may not be as strong but their bench.....

All agent and media bullsh*t right now. When there's a serious approach hopefully the club will band a figure about of around £65m, if VVD says he wants to go I would imagine the club will say if that figure is not met he's staying for another season (ala Schneiderlin and Wanyama) while reminding everyone how long he has left on his contract. He'll probably be worth even more in another year. But the prospect of a change in club ownership could change things.

If there's any truth in that then should have refused to take any tickets for Saints fans. As we've got 6,000 travelling up in freezing conditions then they'd better take it very seriously or they are really gonna p*ss off a lot of people. Again. I think Claude may surprise us...

Very sad . Condolences and RIP.

To be honest, it was more about today in my head, I lost track of the OP. I fully understand Thursday's reaction, my language was quite industrial sitting at home in front of the TV. I was really just agreeing with the post that suggested grown men going "booooooo" is a bit strange.

Particularly when there's only a few doing it. I think the booers should all stamp their feet as well for the full intimidating-tantrum effect. It'll probably come back and bite us on the arse as usual.

I think it's more about the Sparta boss getting it spot on. Most sides like to kick towards their most vocal fans second half, they attacked their Ultras end first and got the killer early goal. They then sat back with 2 tight banks of four and knew we'd struggle to break it down. I'd guess they'd done their homework on us and it went exactly to plan. It was sh*t plenty of times under Koeman, for Hull away and Prague recently, it was probably worse away at Sheff Utd in the cup and last year in Midtjylland. This time last year it wasn't great, Pele and Mane were inconsistent and Long didn't turn up until the second half of the season. There's hope yet, but not looking forward to a trip to North London next week...

Hope you're right but a 0-0 will guarantee progression, so I fear..... And tbh you might be feeilng a bit over optimistic about our 'support', it's usually as dull and boring as our current form, so I'm not setting my expectations too high right now on a 'cracker'.

I'm watching Sparta score in HD on Virgin, Channel 100, also Channel 548.

Don't forget, for those of us who can't get out there and don't have a BT Sport package, the match is being shown live on Freeview Channel 59 (BT Showcase) http://www.a516digital.com/p/bt-showcase-freeview-channel-59.html

Here's a rarity, someone agreeing with Alpine. Anyone who went into meltdown with the summer player departures should be the last ones to slag Koeman, sounds like he's actually onboard with you. In an ideal Koeman-world he'd probably have liked to have seen out his last year (never would have happened) and then moved onto, the likes of, Arsenal/bigger than Everton. It doesn't take a genius to realise the board were miffed at Koeman's reluctance to give more youth a chance, knocking back the 'Southampton Way'. So they may have just called his bluff, particularly once Everton got linked, and offered him an extended contract (that he didn't want) with, possibly, a not very flattering pay rise. His "disappointment" may have been that we forced the issue. I enjoyed RK's time here, he was never gonna stay much longer but as usual didn't end the best way.

Could be we've got the usual Premier League lower tier section and then the same number again upper tier. At best we'll have the lower tier to behind the goal as it's showing Arsenal Family Enclosure from block 26 on their OS (another small family bit probably next to Saints fans in upper tier too) https://www.eticketing.co.uk/arsenal/details/event.aspx?itemref=6431 only a few upper tickets remaining.

But...you'll have a choice. Dead for it myself.

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/10652484/premier-league-to-discuss-safe-standing-next-week http://www.fsf.org.uk/latest-news/view/premier-league-clubs-to-discuss-safe-standing Good news...for many of us...and another step in the right direction.

Barry Beardall wasn't it? The early takeovers, the statue, Amygate, all those golden threads lost forever, what a shame

We've certainly got some useless trolls on here.

Nah, we constantly see what an honourable, traditional club they are down there, the fans would never accept it...well not unless they renamed it "Blue Bull" that is.

You're right he was never gonna see out that last year, it certainly doesn't work like that. I've no idea how Koeman thought the situation could have been resolved without the contract extension, but I'm happy to accept what I heard that he was 'happy' here. Still, the club shifted someone who wasn't towing the company line and got combo and we got Puel, who I quite like.

From what I believe he was happy here, and happy to see out the last year of his contract, much like he did at Feyenoord. 50,000 turned out to welcome him back the following season in the pre-seaon friendly, here he'll get abuse from the brain-dead. He didn't want a contract extension offered by the club that forced the situation of his switch to Merseyside, Shame the way it ended but he won't get any stick from me, that goes for ex-players too.

Is Forbes Phillipson-Masters looking for work? 23 letters.

They averaged around 12,000 when they were recently in League One. They could have fitted them all into a couple of stands down there in the "old girl".

Knee jerk and bedwetting just like it has been most summers in recent years. It will all start again same time next year with the first player sold. And repeat.

So let me get this straight, the Division 4 upstarts were mocking our 21,000 in the League Cup against Sunderland yet could barely muster 7,500 home fans this afternoon with anyone under 17 getting in for a quid. I guess there were thousands and thousands locked out? Did they win btw?

I've got to agree with those that scratch their heads at all the skate references squeezed into so many songs, f*cking tinpot imo. While they might have 2 or 3 songs aimed at the "scummers" they avoid using the name Southampton. Our spotty 15 year olds can't get enough of the p-word, I prefer to do what we did in the 70s/80s for the plucky little 4th Division noddy club, put the on ignore until we come up against them. I share the intense dislike of them but I don't want to give them any recognition if I can help it. Like ericb, I'll never tire of WTFILN for all the reasons given with the added bonus of not mentioning the ****s. As for last night, it certainly wasn't anything special and even quiet in spells but I guess that's all some have ever experienced.

"...and when we get to Stockholm, this is what we'll sing..." If we can't get up for this one, then...