coalman

There's also the consideration of dressing room harmony. If, and it's a big if, Armstrong is part of the problems Alfie House was talking about better to take the money and improve the squad cohesion. On Saturday they actually played like a team rather than a group of individuals strolling about. Sample size of one, I know, but we actually competed and made life hard for the Stoke players from start to finish.

I am very willing to eat some humble pie if he turns out to be mustard. Knowing Saints we'll let Feyenoord put an obligation to buy in the loan so we can add him to our stable of world class finishers to be loaned out in perpetuity.

Which turns into the portmanteau of "Canadillo"

Our scouts aren't trying to watch him to find out if he's good. We already know that.

To counter balance that... here's a video showing him be absolutely lethal from 3 yards

Most players get a YouTube highlights video that makes them look like Messi. This one looks like somebody managed to create a cross between Joe Aribo and BBD.

It's been a while since we've been mentioned in the same breath as AC Milan 😉

This only works if they can procure the services of a manager who is going to get the best out of them. Fortuitously, Russell Martin is sniffing around his next gig at the moment.

Or buying Kerry Dixon with your Shearer fee.

I get we want to extract maximum value but there is such a thing as playing too hard ball over Armstrong. I for one never want to see him easily knocked off the ball or lashing one from an impossible angle again in a Saints shirt.

He's got a real spring to his dives that Baz simply doesn't have. Baz just sort of flops sideways instead of launching himself sideways like a missile like you'd want. Great extension of the arm into the save as well.

Manning doesn't play at left back.

I can see that. On the team sheet you write *Cameron Archer * do not select this player

On his day, capable of looking like a footballer for whole minutes at a time. Nobody can remember what day that was.

Wait a second. Did MLG have something to do with FM26? I'd never have known.

Bookies favourite now at 2/1. Good to see. Martin has been out of the game for long enough. Was also reading the he's a target for West Brom and Charlton as well.

Stick with today's team. 15/15 easy

He's young. He'll learn. Not to mention we need to create game situations like this if we're to give him a chance to make the step up. Our approach earlier this season made it nearly impossible to bring new players through.

Free with your next Saints striker purchase 😉

He's great with the ball at his feet as well and always busts a gut to give an option of the overlap.

A big shout out to Peretz there as well. He made two saves that he had no right to get to. Makes such a difference. A bit flappy in places but he was there when it counted.

The big question is how do we offload Manning to one of our rivals before the window ends?

Were Stoke poor or did we compete and make it hard for them to play?

Have to say that Tonda was spot on with his team selection today. I've been critical and my big fear was he was another SR manager wedded to a system but he's actually adapted over the last month.

With Leo on one side and Fellows on the other we're actually an attractive proposition for a striker if we play like this.