dubai_phil

What is doing my head in (and I AM old enough to remember the Channon Keegan Ball years) is not ONLY the way the media now talk about us but how PEOPLE talk about us. I got stick from Turks when I met Bayern fans earlier this year who knew all about our style and that they had started watching us. But in recent weeks, down the pub, the numbers gathered around our own "Dubai Saints" Telly have grown, locals and ex pats, some English, some wearing obligatory Barca/Real shirts are now watching OUR games. So many after game comments now and discussions with them whereas last year we were that sad bunch in the corner stopping others watching Manarseski Citeh And just normal mates. People who have no great club or even football affinity but who have seen the odd game or are reading the stuff in the press or watching MoTD or Highlights shows. Christ I even had a call this week from a mate who is exclusively and egg chaser to say "Bloody Hell, you weren't talking sh1t when you said your lot had some England quality players down there" I have a horrible feeling that the day will come (in the not too distant furture) when one of our local Asian taxi drivers recognises our shirts coming home from the pub and says ah Eeenglish Football fans? Southampton? Christ, at this rate we may start seeing fake Home Kit back on sale on one of our trips to Bangkok! So, what do we think? Should we put bids in for Ozil, Kompany and Townsend in January?

You want them? No probs

One other plus point vs Wellbeck Sturridge and Young. He has a footballing brain in him

Turned down free tickets to see Nile Rodgers & Chic, Rudimental, Basement Jaxx & The idiot in the hat next Friday to stay in and watch the game Honestly think he might start with all 3, he IS trying to get England to play a pressing game similar to Germany & Spain and will not have a better chance. Would not expect any of them (or maybe AL) to get more than a sub appearance against Germany though

As the ratings start to fade on Strictly, Crouchie's influence has been felt as a new Wild Card couple get into training for the next season

I stand by my criticisms of him at the end of last season and the beginning of this. He DID take too many touches. I found that to be frustrating as it slowed us down. Now, with such a sense of belief and confidence flowing through the entire team it seems he now has full belief in his own ability and as someone posted elsewhere he knows what he can do and goes out and does it. I am happy to say my criticism of him is no longer valid. His speed of thought has always been exceptional, now his body is keeping up with him and (barring more knocks) maybe our Messi song won't sound so stupid when it is sung in Brazil. Now, once JRod reaches that same supreme confidence ability as well.............. Jesus H, we could still get better

So again, as with Fulham almost double the number of passes. That is truly impressive by any standards

Ah, so maybe he does read this forum

How do those numbers compare to Hull?

Let's be honest. You can imagine his mates. "So who you gonna play for in England Dani?" "Southampton, it's happening there" Collective ROFL and WHO? Yeah, he's entitled to a massive smile on his face playing for a team in 3rd placein "The EPL". Just imagine, he could have joined some no mark team, like Man Ure........

So, that's possibly a half of our current first team off on an extended season, playing in Brazil. That after a very heavy season playing the physically demanding Pressing Game. They then only get a very short break and are back at SMS playing in the PL again, and of course, now, having to play an extra 10 or 12 games as they make it through to the CL final next season. (Still at least they won't have to play in the qualifying rounds having gone straight in to the group stages) #worriedforthem #somanynewplayersneededinthesummeratthatlevel #wishihaddrunkasmanybeersasohio

Gutted to miss the game on telly today. (Bloody Golf Tournament Training blah blah) When all the powerpoints were over & we could check the score we let out a woo hoo. And the REALLY strange thing? Half the room asked us "Have you won AGAIN? Brilliant/Well Done/Keep it up/You guys are great this year" (And none of them were German Turk's me old mate) It is really like the expensive shoes analogy, I simply cannot get my head round the fact that everyone now knows about us and knows we are playing good football and FFS DESERVE to be where we are. Gotta wait for the highlights now but thanks for the GIF OP - wow that was MLTesque but at real pace!

@dubaisaints You'll keep up with all of us that way

Well, we have had snow down here 3 times since 2003 (over in the Mountains)

Considering I have no idea about your politics these days 50% Conservative 25% Lib Dem 25% BNP

Great OP. And yes, panicked when the lucky cargo shorts (to annoy Turks) were in the wash for the first time in weeks - we still won. Panicked when Begovic scored. Panicked that our Internationals may burn themselves out or get injured doing some new weird sh1t training with England. Panicked that Eric was coming to a game in the pub. Panicked that Damascus Saint was coming to watch a game having only ever seen us lose 4-1 For us it's simple, we've broken it down into easy chunks. Firstly the Twitmeister is holding the 40 point party. We've already invested in a 4.5L bottle of Sobiersky Vodka for that. Then the 50 point party is at our Lucy Pinder clone's flat. Eric is panicking about cooking Thai green gurry and having enough Bottled Real Ale for the 60 point party he may have to host in March or April. I'm panicking about having to buy 10Kg of Prime Aussie Rib Eye for the 70 Point party BBQ and wondering where the hell I will get all the Krupnik Honey Vodka And then Barasti have promised to host the 80 point party with free beer. So, the ONLY person sweating is the Twitmeister, but hey, we got the booze and Easter looks good. All the rest is just pie in the sky dreamland bullsh1t. And MP says the same. We dream, we plan, we don't EVER expect

Meh I know you never bother to click any of the links I post to the annual Reality Splurge that comes out of the US each winter. Sob stories and no hopers and Simon searching for the next 1D now they are reaching Retirement Age. This year, there is something different and IMHO uplifting happening. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXLPZQ1w79E&feature=player_detailpage She won't win she won't bore everyone with Simon Cowell bland music. But last night she sang that song and wow it came from a place beyond the heart

Hmmmmmm http://www.sport360.com/football/blatter-2022-world-cup-could-be-held-across-uae-and-gulf Just to show how he has lost his grip on reality the bit at the end about holding some games in Iran

Next Academy keeper has already been in various USA squads

My Golf is next week Turk's. It's your personal event at the moment, glad to see you can get 3G in Anatalya. Impressed you could stump up $1.5 million to get to meet Tiger.

Already noticed http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2491758/JAMIE-REDKNAPP-Big-day-Rodriguez-perfect-reward-impressive-performances.html?ico=sport^headlines Another good article about JRod but this part is the sweet spot

That's our season jinxed then..... But well done to MP may this be the first of many with us, after all we seem to have broken all the other Jinxs this season

Only seen once on Juddervision but heard DM's glowing praise on Saintsplayer. Certainly would not be concerned if he had to sit on the bench in the New Year as cover for any PL games from now on, but not yet ready for a start. We're going to have a very strong spine of young Academy players as the back up to the first team squad for next season And let's not forget young Sinclair either

Martin Keown in the fail The WTF comment comes right at the end So Woy is maybe copying the way we play.....

With a brief gap in practice for his upcoming concert in Dubai next Friday, Jay Kay made a surprise visit to Staplewood to get practice at entertaining an International audience