adrian lord

I blame the parents. And Roma immigrants.

The coaching, especially at Academy level and immediately above, must be subject to intense Industrial Secrecy measures given the £ involved if the "R+D" comes up with a real star. It's the equivalent of, say, a pharmaceutical company and it's R+D department labs looking for and developing the next blockbuster drugs.

I always knew Clatts was a rum 'un.

Sadly this is the truth. And I have been as guilty as the next man for getting initially star-struck at the fee, simply because it was so out of our previous league. Young and very talented but unproven: £8-12mil Older (mid 20s-29) and proven talent, BUT with a track record of either: 1) temperament flaws or 2) injury - prone: £10-15mil (Osvaldo comes to mind here!) Proven talent + sound temperament + no fitness fragility: FINISHED ARTICLE £20mil and upwards, ceiling £mils dictated by the sheer talent component, moderated only for age.

Seem to remember the same. What was more telling for me was Nicola's expression as he witnessed the defeat on Saturday - he visibly seethed in that way only he does that we all recognise: scowl furrowing his brow, eyes narrowed to fiery slits, and lips pursed and puce with rage.

A damned if you do damned if you don't dilemma re team strength for this one. Potential banana skin tie if ever I saw one. Put out a nearly full strength side and they lose it then confidence will suffer. Putting out a weak side lacks courage or conviction though. Got Tranmere written all over it.

A legitimate question from the OP, especially given the record of Cortese's hiring policy, and one I posed in the Chelsea match thread, to a torrent of abuse from some quarters. I think NC will stick with 'Tino for the problem lies in squad depth, not the manager. NC will not be happy though presently, and will in part be revising his own appraisal as much as anyone else's.

Not quite: I've only got 2 of chromosome 21.

'Tino flopped after a bright start at last club.

I really can't see Cortese standing for this much longer - question is, what shall he do? Back 'Tino and spend, or pull the trigger?

'Tino's got a job on his hands raising the lads' spirits after this dire run. I can see us finishing up in the bottom half quite easily unless we get Big Vic back soonish and some reinforcements in the window.

Crap.

doesn't sound like Clyne has stabilised the defence!?

Oh, ok then ! Are you his mum?

He's certainly cementing a place in the pantheon of Saints heroes.

I am a shrink, and believe me, there's enough material on one thread here for an entire conference.

I've seen and read it all now. It's a parody, surely?!?

Christ, I'd sooner contract leprosy.

Thatcher's famous Belgrano argument.

I agree - but I'm afraid we are already some way along the road to the perdition that is American soccerball.

Aaah...I think we need to refine things further: the squad overall is top 10 - ergo our ninth presently. The second string team out of the squad per se is decidedly bottom half and indeed would be flirting with relegation were they fielded for the duration. Thank God they're not.

Our first team is top six with the wind behind it, top 7 without. Our squad however is top 10. We have been fielding our squad the last month or so and the results reflect that. Overall, 7/10

Copy clearly filed just after our England odyssey media love-in and well before our recent run of poor form rendered us mid table.

Well observed. The chap who commits the hand-ball does so in a very camp fashion. Maybe ****tenberg wanted to enhance his LGBT credentials?