Matthew Le God

Even with the bad start, take away the points deduction(which Saints won't have next season) the club was 3 points behind Leeds in 2nd place and automatic promotion.

Here it is.... http://www.sportcroydon.co.uk/footballnews/Exclusive-Butterfield-Lawrence-allowed-leave-Crystal-Palace/article-2363947-detail/article.html From 30th June, long before Richardson signed or got injured.

If you were a juror in a trial which piece of evidence would you be more likely to believe...that of 12,000 eyewitness over 23 days or that of someone in Austria that read about the crime from reports? Again I'm not saying season ticket holders views are infallible. But they do hold more weight that that of those with 2nd hand evidence.

You dismiss it but that doesn't make it any less relevant. Someone that basically is an eye-witness to Puncheon's performances is in a better position to evaluate him than someone that relies on 2nd hand reports. Yes, that doesn't make season ticket holders infallible or always correct in their views and always correct but shouldn't be dismissed as easily as you do. I like to think I have a good eye for a player. I research the club for a game played by many Saints fans and I have relatively few people raising any issues with my view of Saints players. Of course I'm not always right, but going to over 30 games last season puts me in a position to form an opinion of players based on first hand evidence.

I really doubt the two were connected. Beyond Richardson Saints had no senior right backs in the squad to cover him for the rest of the season. I think Butterfield would have signed if Richardson was injured or not. For a start George Burely said at the end of June that Palace had offered Butterfield a contract but another club had offered him more and Butterfield was going to leave Palace. That was long before Richardson signed for Saints or got injured.

You will moan when I say this that I'm being "season ticket elitist". But... What are you basing that on? I have seen far more of Puncheon, Connolly and more importantly them against other League One players than you have in Austria.

Well if mine was a bad answer, what about you saying play Harding out of position at right back and having no cover beyond him? Harding was only ever a makeshift right back. He'd get found out over the course of a season.

I answered that.

lol I can't believe you said that. You moan about the squad, yet are happy to put up with a left back playing out of position at right back. Plus no cover beyond Harding.

Maybe it is the reverse! Saints fans are thin bastards and Umbro/Saints didn't see the need to manufactuture lots of XXXL shirts so any they did make sold out quickly to the small number of fat fans. Maybe Alpine, you are the exception to the rule!

No, I have already said I agree with you that the club needs cover/competition for Hammond and Schneiderlin. In fact that should now be the priority ahead of a winger or striker.

Your first point is opinion and no-one will know under the season is underway thus I didn't answer. Dickson, Butterfield and Richardson all have experience on poor pitches in the English north. You say you don't accept my answers, care to explain why to each of the 5?

He didn't actually say that. You are twisting his words. It is all relative to the levels they are playing. If at 16 Oxlade-Chamberlain is good enough for League One football then he is old enough. If at 16 Rooney was good enough for Premier League Football then he was old enough.

1) Are you calling Jason Puncheon a MK dons reject? 2) I agree with you we need cover/competition for Schneiderlin and Hammond. 3) I see little reason why Lambert will lose his touch. He has 60 League goals in the last two years. 4) I believe Connolly won the fitness tests and was declared fittest member of the squad in pre season. 5) Bialkowski is back training and playing with the club.

The same can be said of your counter position. I have seen Thomas play a lot, and he really is limited. Possibly 5th choice in pecking order for centre back if he stayed. Richardson made League One team of the year as voted by his peers last season. Butterfield played a lot of games in the League above last season.

Team without Lambert, Fonte and Lallana Davis Richardson Harding Jaidi Seaborne Puncheon Hammond Schneiderlin Dickson Barnard Connolly It gets more complicated if you take out Schneiderlin.

Lets see you do a similar list to NickG cherry-picking your points?

Thomas was on a large wage. He really wasn't that good. As a centre back (his natural position) he had Fonte, Jaidi, Seaborne and Martin to compete with and would have been 4th choice at best and probably 5th choice. As a right back he is also not required as Saints have signed two new right backs in the summer. In terms of wide midfield. Lallana and Puncheon are and will remain first choice. Dickson, Mills, Richardson, Butterfield, Oxlade-Chamberlain are all options.

3 left backs (two of which can play as wide midfielder) 2 right backs (both of which can play as wide midfielders) 4 centre backs Hardly a fixation! How do you know they aren't looking for a winger, central midfielder and "Lambert style" striker?

Who is saying put all the pressure on Oxlade-Chamberlain? He is 16 so of course he won't play often. He is still useful to have and use occasionally. Lallana and Puncheon will be first choice wide players. Then you have Dickson, Richardson, Butterfield, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Mills that can all cover the wide midfield role. Plus 6 week of transfer window and even longer of the loan window.

Antonio and Papa Waigo weren't released. They were loans. How many games did Pardew give Gillett? He was deadwood in a Pardew squad. The club has 4 senior centre backs. Fonte, Jaidi, Seaborne and Martin. No need for Thomas to remain on large wages to be 5th choice.

None of those that left were going to be 1st XI regulars. The squad last season had 40 players over the age of 19. The squad was too large and need to be reduced. Those that left were the deadwood, even still some remain e.g. Pulis, Forecast and possibly Holmes, Wotton. A smaller squad with quality additions is much better than a bloated squad.

As for Wotton, yes he is crap but he was the backup last season for central midfield and is also this season. Saints do need another central midfielder I agree. This is a good bench for a League One team... Bialkowski Dickson Seaborne Butterfield Wotton Oxlade-Chamberlain Connolly And have these still in reserve... Mills Martin McNish Gobern Holmes

Lets look at the full back positions. Which is stronger... 1) 2009/10 Mills, Harding, Otsembor, James, Thomas or 2) 2010/11 Mills, Harding, Dickson, Butterfield, Richardson ? Yes, Papa Waigo and Antonio are no longer here and did have useful contributions last season. However Puncheon and Lallana were first choice last season and even if Antonio and Papa Waigo were still at Saints, Lallana and Puncheon would remain first choice. You also ignore that Dickson can play as a winger and Oxlade-Chamberlain will start to be used (albeit not much due to youg age).

You only had to be at St Mary's when Saints beat Huddersfiled 5-0 in March 2010 to see Saints already had a significantly better squad and that they had a long way to catch up. Even with their signings so far they are still a long way behind bridging that gap.