trousers

What the **** was Pickford doing there?

Cock

A free header from VvD in the 6 yard area goes lamely into the hands of Pickford. Shame And Everton equalise...

10/10 for the theatrical collapse in the penalty area just then though

What on Earth has happened to Lallana's hair?

...

'choccyboxkid' hasn't logged on since 1st Jan so not sure if we'll get an answer today. Not sure why there would be any 'obstacles' though given the definitive statement that it was done and dusted...

This

Hard to believe, I know

The complications with Hoedt's concussion wasn't announced until after I came up with the selection and no, there aren't any Yeovil players in the line up (even if you're referring to Olomola, whom I didn't include, he's now returned from his loan spell). Apart from that, good points, well made....

He has every right to be hacked off. I'd have kept him in the starting 11 ahead of Bertrand, but then again, I do have a reputation for talking "nonsense"

It was indeed...

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/saints/news/15808211.Krueger_s_lunch_to_help_players_as_well_as_Pellegrino/

Pellegrino: "I will try to use my best 11 to try to win this game"

In the absence of a match build up thread, I thought I'd post this here.... I'd go for.... McCarthy Valery - Hoedt - Bednarek - McQueen Lemina - Slattery Hesketh - Boufal - Sims Obafemi Subs: Rose, Yoshida, Bertrand, Romeu, Tella, Johnson, Afolabi Fulham 1 Saints 3 (Hoedt, Boufal, Obafemi)

Hi. Any update on when this week this will be announced? Cheers

Looking back at the replay, our defence did rush out but at the last moment Bertrand slowed down just enough to leave Benteke onside. A fraction of a second after the ball is kicked, Benteke is in a much more obvious offside position. Fine margins indeed. That said, given the lino is a human being, I'm still convinced that he should have flagged offside as that's what his brain should have been telling him based on what he would have been able to see (even though it would have been wrong in retrospect!). Given sound travels slower than light, the image below is what he would have had in his mind (albeit from his reverse viewpoint) when the ball was kicked

Bertrand's heel is indeed level with Benteke's when the ball is struck.... although, from the linesman's viewpoint, he wouldn't have been able to see that - all he would have seen is Benteke looking like he was in an offside position. So, it could be argued that the lino got it right by not going with what he would have actually seen...!

Yes, probably the worst I've seen it at St Mary's

At the game. Scrappiest game I've seen at St Mary's for a long while. Both teams sloppy with their passing. Well taken goal from Shane. Bertrand had a few words with the crowd in the Kingsland after they had a go at him for doing a u turn rather than pushing forward. Bertrand does seem reluctant to overlap down the wing more often than not. (Which is why I'd have stuck with McQueen, but hey ho). Need another goal otherwise you know what'll happen...

He looked half fit and/or half arsed at Old Trafford when he came on, so not surprised to see him not warranting a starting place

Happy that he hasn't made wholesale changes. Only oddity for me is that McQuuen had a good game at Old Trafford and doesn't even make the bench tonight.

I'll kick off the selective quoting.... with this one.... DE: Who is responsible when fans are booing on a Saturday night at 5pm? RK: That’s part of the game. 2017 has been a tough year. DE: But after football everything follows. So who is accountable? RK: That’s us. That’s first me. It begins there. So fans bring it on!

Cheers for the insights VFTT - appreciated. Out of curiosity, do you know whether it was a specific "straw that broke the camel's back" event around the time of the Huddersfield game that convinced the board to sell VvD in the January window (rather than wait until the end of the season, for example), or was it something they had been thinking of doing all along and the decision just happened to be rubber stamped around the time of the Huddersfield game? Cheers