The Cat

Just being realistic.

I'm going on Saturday fully expecting us to lose to a Champions League team who spend millions on players and have one of the best strikers in the world. I won't be disappointed if we do because it surely has to be expected?

McCarthy won't start. Djenepo might do but he's done quite well in pre season so what's the problem there? Bednarek is nowhere near as bad as people make out. He's an average CB playing for and average team.

That was a good test against a technically superb team. I was quite pleased with how we played, like the way we were progressing the ball through midfield and the move away from safety first passing from defenders to midfielders and back again. Quite impressed with Bella-Kotchap, especially his passing. He put in 2 of our most dangerous crosses of the whole game. Djenepo did well again until he got anywhere near goal and Aribo's goal was superb. Surprised Adams didn't get a run out, seems to have slipped behind Armstrong.

MLG doing MLG things.

Maybe I'm watching a different game but I think we've done alright against a very good team. We have a bunch of new players getting used to playing with each other, especially through the spine of the team. It's going to take a little bit of time for them to start really gelling. I like the way we are trying to play, taking risks to get the ball out and break quickly with pace. Rather that than pass it around the back for long periods of the game which is what a lot of people were moaning about previously. Their goal came from a good run but a very lucky deflected cross that sat up perfectly for the header. Other than that Bazunu hasn't had a save to make. Another thing of note is that we are now a bigger team and also have much better collective hair styles.

Bracing myself for someone posting "a hat tick for Kane today and I made him triple captain!!" next Saturday. Saying that I think we should have one just so anyone saying similar can be instantly banned.

Any idea how many tickets we have sold for tomorrow?

His bedroom?

Ralph cult ✅ Pony ✅ Classic Lord D.

He was at Sholing.

Ralph seemed to be turning around and chatting to them more than I have seen previously, they didn't get up and join him in the technical area that I noticed though. Agree about the stewards, all seemed a bit unnecessary

He definitely did get a touch, we were sat pretty close. Maybe one of the top keepers would have saved that but it was hit low and hard and he would have been partially unsighted until late. I get that people don't like him but you have to try and be fair to everyone regardless of pre-conceptions. His kicking was gash but then it always has been and he doesn't have the luxury of just being able to launch every kick down the park because of the way he's being asked to play.

No, they were in Block 9 I reckon. We were in Block 8 and I saw the Mason brothers looking for their seats which would have been with him. For those who don't know they are Sholing legends and have played 600 odd games each for the club.

Yes. He played for Sholing as a kid before Chelsea picked him up. I saw Dan and Byron Mason wandering up and down the steps when they came in, turns out they were looking for him.

Great performance considering it was largely our reserves. Even first half we were ok, not great but also not bad either. Second half we stepped it up from the off and it took about 15 minutes for Monaco to even vaguely get a passage of possession. Some good performances from a few of the fringe players like Valery and Djenepo. Then the subs gave us even more impetuous and we scored a couple of excellent goals. An enjoyable evening back at St Mary's.

I'm at a gig, between bands was reading about this amazing goal and then I watched it and it was something a 5 year old should have saved.

Hamble and Folland are separated by Hamble Primary School bit I think AFC Totton and Totton & Eling backing on to each other probably win.

Which of the options would you pick from the ones listed above? It's more than likely we will have a new striker soon and maybe another attacking midfielder which will increase our threat going forwards.

Do we need to buy a LB when we have KWP and Perraud who can play there? I would imagine we'll loan a full back to cover the injuries.

The medical team would have had to say he was match fit to play or he wouldn't have been picked, so your beef really falls with them rather than Hasenhuttl. The only way I'd agree that he was being overplayed would be the games when he tired with 20 minutes to go and could maybe have been subbed off earlier. Other than that I don't see where the issue is. The bad injury at Brighton was just one of those unfortunate ones. Nothing anyone could have done about that.

What's your preferred option from those below, because this is essentially the choice that's being made: 1: 4 at the back and play Salisu LB with KWP at RB 2:. 4 at the back with KWP at LB and Ward Prowse at RB 3: 4 at the back with Djenepo at LB and KWP at RB 4: 4 at the back with KWP on one side and a youngster on the other side. 5: What we have been doing pre-season. All of those scenarios other than 2 mean we'll probably get brutally exposed down one flank. And option 2 significantly weakens our midfield. 3 at the back allows for cover behind Djenepo because a CB can pull across into any space he has vacated and keeps JWP in the middle of the pitch. I don't think there's a perfect answer to the choice. Certainly it's very unlucky to have 2 of our FB's injured for the start of the season, and none of that is Hasenhuttl's fault unless you're one of the weirdos who blames him for Tino's injury.

Against a conference team with 4 trialists in their squad. Bit different, but don't let that stop you.

Adkins was only a "tad" likeable? Wow. He's the nicest bloke we've had as a manager since Lawrie. I think you should draw a blue line under this and move on.

I don't understand how you read that avoiding risks at all costs? He didn't say anything about not wanting attacking midfielders to drive with the ball? Pretty sure if that was the case we wouldn't have bought Aribo and Mara who both like to do that.