trousers

Forster Clyne - Fonte - Alderweireld - Bertrand Schneiderlin - Wanyama - S Davis Tadic - Pelle - Mane Subs: K Davis, Targett, Gardos, Cork, Reed, Long, Gallagher Saints 2 (S.Davis, Mane) Stoke 1

3 points please

This!

I can't work out if this bloke is a genius or a buffoon. Maybe he's both? re: his answer to the 9/11 question.....he'd make a good politician with that evasive answer.... [video=youtube_share;VqsFp0J22Hc]

"In hindsight"?

Winter came early this year

Anyone else wonder about the sanity of football authorities sometimes....? http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/29753007

Well, that seems quite clear cut that the panel have got it wrong then. Edit: that said, the definition of the phrase "as a rule" is: 'usually, but not always'..... So, maybe not clear cut then....

The defender's foot did deflect the ball but I understood the 'rules' were that they (the 'dubious goal panel') had to be 100% certain that the ball wouldn't have gone in the back of the net without the defender's intervention. Looking at the replay footage, I can't see how anyone could be "100% certain" that the ball wouldn't have gone in, which would tend to suggest that maybe I/we don't understand the rules that the panel are duty bound to abide by. Perhaps they don't have to be "100% certain" and are allowed to use their discretion and/or an element of probability or gut feel? Does anyone know for sure what "rules" the panel are instructed to adhere to? That said, I still think its harsh to deny Mane the goal, whatever the rules might say.

Party!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/eu/11184044/EU-makes-Britain-pay-for-recovery.html

Just watched it again on the MOTD highlights (http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b04mm14d/match-of-the-day-20142015-18102014 ). They showed 4 or 5 different angles and it does look like the defender changed the direction of the ball on one of the angles. The keeper also dives the opposite way to the ball which I didn't notice at the time, which is a bit of a giveaway I suppose. Still harsh to deny Mane though IMO.

No worries dude. Seems an odd decision. No one questioned it on the day.

Premier League ‏@premierleague .@SouthamptonFC’s 8th goal v @SunderlandAFC has gone down as a Patrick van Aanholt own goal after originally being credited to Sadio Mane Southampton FC @SouthamptonFC .@premierleague @SunderlandAFC Cheers, guys. #saintsfc

[video=youtube_share;5ivWM-uaUtA]

So, 20 minutes of pre-match press conference comes to an end and not one journo asks about team news. Still, at least we know that Koeman doesn't care about what Ballotelli does with his shirt and that Peter Crouch is long....

Koeman: "Crouch, he's long"

Koeman: "Surprised by the Kuyt rumour as he's not on our scouting list" Koeman confirms that he would like to manage the Dutch national squad "in the future". Cue meltdown and exodus headlines....

Koeman: "Stoke bring a lot of physical qualities" Careful Ron, you don't want those touchy Stoke fans misinterpreting what you mean by that....

Just started.... First question: "What do you think about Ballotelli swapping shirts at half time?" FFS....

A good sign of how far we've come in the last 5 years when we're depressed about only being 2 places above Liverpool. Happy days

I go to the pub more often since the smoking ban. Maybe I'm abnormal.

3pm [video=youtube_share;89qWe-C8sHk]

*sarcasm glaxon* I've passed your message onto Koeman and his team in the nick of time