BallBoy

Quite simply I think Walcott has more class and natural talent than SWP. His final ball is still lacking but Ronaldo was no better at 21. I think we are wasting a world class talent which SWP will never be. I think it's a shame.

I am old enough to remember most of the above. Matty's last goal at the Dell has to be the most emotional football "moment" of my life but for sheer, unbounded joy it is still Mickey Channons testimonial just two days after winning the cup.

I am pretty certain that Wotton will replace spiderman. It makes sense. We have enough goals in the team elsewhere but Hammond cannot hold midfield by himself. Puncheon would be a bit of a luxury in midfield if we play 442. Gillett has not played enough. Hammond is on 9 bookings. If he gets another one will he be suspended or is there an amnesty at this stage of the season? We cannot afford to lose Hammond as well and this an area that needs addressing for next season.

Agree that he showed his class today and that he ran himself into the ground. I just hope he sticks with us in the close season when offers will definitely come his way. Pardew seems to have got the best out of him and Hammond enables him to play his natural game by taking the pressure off in midfield.

This thread is a bit silly but I will reply. 1) We got off to a slow start because AP did not have time to build anything before the season started. We can thank the Pinnacle debacle for that. 2) We had a 10 point deduction. If not for that then we would still be 5 points off the play off places but our promotion hopes and our league season would still be very much alive. 3) We are likely to be in the Wembley final of the JPT trophy. 4) We are in the 5th round of the FA Cup (after starting in the 1st round). 5) Pardew IS BUILDING a strong side. His signings have been astute and the team looks solid. Even a "ruthless" director will look at that and say we are on course.

He is a unique player. A good "impact" player. He looks awkward but he is effective. I suspect he has a better goals per minutes on the pitch ratio than any other player in the squad. Any statisticians?

Absolutely fantastic but a couple of notes of caution; 1) They still probably have a better team on paper than we do. They can't afford to pay them but they still have them!! 2) This is so big that it could distract from the league where we can afford no mistakes at all. Bring it on though.

I'm sure Pards realises that we desperately need a good, solid central midfielder as back up for Hammond and Schneiderlin. Not easy to come by though.

Just watched this. Probably not entirely original but excellent. Really made me laugh. Some great one liners I can use on my pompey supporting friend.

Can't wait to see that free kick on TV. When he lined it up I said he can't score from there. It's too far out. A moment later and it's hit the top corner!! Fantastic. Unstoppable. Rocket propelled. Unbelievable.

Just for a moment I thought there was a chance of 6th place but it is gone now. After a great run in October we were in a situation where a win against Brighton would have given us momentum to go forward. A further win against an in form Norwich followed by several more winnable games against lesser opposition in December would have seen us flying and in with an outside chance. I think that is gone now. Mid table will be a good season now and the problem will then be keeping this squad together.

Just back and I really enjoyed that. Best game I have seen for a long time. We thoroughly outplayed one of the best teams in this league. And as a bonus I have witnessed a miracle - the reincarnation of George Lawrence!!! Those with memories long enough will understand.

Need to get a good start. I don't want to be chasing this one. If we win today then I will truly believe that we have turned the corner. We have had an excellent mini run but, so far, that's all it is and we are still in the relegation zone. Let's not get carried away with ourselves. I believe we have an excellent squad for this league but, ultimatley, the 10 points and a bad start will mean mid table is the best we are likely to do.

Great memories. My favourite recollection of the Football Echo is 1st May 1976!!! I was driving back from Wembley with my brother and a friend. That was a great drive with people hanging off the bridges and all sorts. We stopped off at Fleet Services just as the van arrived to drop off the FE. The man never even made it inside to deliver his papers. Fans just just took/bought them right there in the car park. The man was practically devoured. They were gone in seconds. The headline never to be forgotten. "It's Ours".

As much as I love the little man I do not agree that he would be one of the top 4 servants to this club. If we are to name stands after our most treasured players or managers then they would need to be either: 1) Home grown 2) One club players or 3) A very special manager Bobby Robson was a geordie who started his managerial career at Ipswich and turned the club completely around. He was exceptional. Bally was special to me but I could never argue that he was one of our "own".

Have to disagree. We all think differently but he was my man of the match. I think he is just what we need to direct the midfield and keep things going. He is a magnet to the ball and directs play intelligently. He rarely loses possession. In this league he is probably the closest we will get to an Alan Ball, Jimmy Case or Chris Marsden. I am not saying he is as good as them but he is the equivalent for League 1. I don't think he is there to be our most creative player but he is the one to get the best out of others.

It is very early days but two things worry me. 1) The pattern of home draw, away defeat is all too familiar. 2) If we get off to a poor start then better players will not want to come to us. The money will not be enough.

Glad to be wrong

Not good reading so far. This has scrappy 1-0 defeat written all over it. I hope not though. Maybe Pards can deliver an "Agincourt" half time talk.

People seem to think that finding good new forwards to play for a -10 points league one team will be a cinch for AP. I don't think so.

This one must be right up there in the "lazy journalism" league.

That was a great one. Saints were an up and coming force and in the days when NOBODY beat Liverpool at their home. Anfield truly was inpregmable. This win made people sit up and take notice.

I would love this to be true as well but I have to ask WHY? WHY would swiss billionaire businessmen chooose to invest in a 3rd tier English club who are currently in administration and who are starting the season on a minimum of -10 points?

I would never criticise anyone for trying their best with good intentions. That's what Matty did. He was taken in but then, apparently, so was the administrator, a professional accountant. Thanks, Matt, for giving it a go when nobody else was big enough to even try.

10 points - Maybe 25 points - No way. that's relegation even if you have money. You could never attract good players to a club 25 points down. Not even with Kevin Keegan.