Matthew Le God

For those that think he didn't play central midfield yesterday listen to this from 35 seconds onwards... http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/southampton/8627663.stm

What did you think when Lambert played central midfield yesterday for Saints. It has already happened. Did you eat your face then?

If you read my original post you will see I said the most likely option is to play Puncheon in the centre. I then said as a "leftfield" option to play Lambert and ended with a wink. Also you seem to forget that 1) Lambert played central midfield for a number of years 2) Pardew moved Lambert to central midfield against Yeovil when Schneiderlin was sent off 3) Barnard and Connolly with Lambert supporting behind is quite a potent strikeforce for the next 3 must win games.

He would still take penalties and free kicks. Barnard is the League's 2nd top scorer, Connolly is a very good striker at this level. So hardly missing out and Lambert is still on the pitch so can still score and offer a threat, just from a little deeper. When Lambert plays upfront he can in some games drop deep and to the left when he has a striking partner. Hammond would hold, allowing Lambert to do more of the attacking. If Lambert had never played in midfield I wouldn't consider it. However he has played central midfield for a number of years and he know what it entails. Pardew also sees that he can play there as he moved him to central midfield in the Yeovil game. So not really that stunning is it? Certainly a better option than the extremely limited Paul Wotton playing the next 3 games.

He played in central midfield for a number of years earlier in his career so isn't that strange and he knows how to do it. Pardew even moved him into midfield against Yeovil when Connolly came on. It is not as if Saints wouldn't have two very good strikers upfront with Connolly and Barnard.

When Schneiderlin was banned for one game and most times he has been subbed, Puncheon goes into the middle (where he also played on numerous occasions for previous clubs). This is the most likely option imo with Barnard going upfront and Antonio wide right. Perhaps he may do something leftfield and play Lambert in central midfield as that is where he played for a number of years and have Barnard and Connolly upfront.

Odd he thinks it is all over for Saints but not for Colchester, when Saints have a game in hand. Shows he hasn't a clue.

Link to thread?

Well if Huddersfield don't win both their next games and Saints win the next three then the Southend game will sellout as it will still be possible to make the playoffs. What is interesting is that Southend will likely have nothing to play for as they'd be relegated, and Exeter at home to Huddersfield will likely still need to win in order to stay up.

Huddersfield vs Colchester is in 2 weeks time, not next week. But I see your point.

Hopefully Pardew won't play Wotton for the games Schneiderlin misses.

Yes, on for Antonio.

All it takes is for Huddersfield to draw with Colchester and it goes to the final game of the season potentially. Is a Huddersfield draw with Colchester really that strange a set of circumstances? Because that is all it would take if Saints beat Yeovil, Oldham, Carlisle and Gillingham. Then it is all down to Exeter vs Huddersfield and Saints vs Southend on the final day. I think you are the one living in dreamland by dismissing that possibility. Yes, it is unlikely but by no means is this season finished for Saints yet.

Will you be saying that when Huddersfiled beat Stockport and draw with Colchester meaning that on the last game of the season Saints can still get 6th if Huddersfield lose a potentially tricky game away at Exeter? By no means is this game pointless. ffs

Yep, Swindon and Charlton can both in theory be caught due to Saints having a much better goal difference. But only if they get no more than 1 point from the next 4 games and Saints win all 5 games. Charlton do have a tricky set of fixtures(including Norwich and Leeds) so may be possible but very much clutching at straws.

What NickG says makes sense to me.

Of course not. The target/aim/objective of someone shooting is to score. Hitting the bar is a miss.

They are at home where they have only lost once in the League all season. They also have scored the most home goals in League One and have one of the best home defensive records. Thus not really surprising even though Millwall are on good form and in 3rd place.

What does "being a Fulham" mean. They have an old ground that is smaller than St Mary's is currently and debts over £100 million. Read the quotes I posted earlier about how high Cortese and Liebherr's ambitions are. Nicole Cortese has plans for the stadium improvement or relocation within his time at Saints so would be before 2020. Every season in the Premiership at St Mary's Saints averaged over 30,000. That was without investment to the team to make it worth watching yet the crowds still turned up. If the team is improved in the Premiership so it is capable of competing then crowds will also go up.

Cortese has said in interview... Saints in those 27 years he is referring to averaged 12th in the top flight. From the quote above would it be right to assume he intends to make Saints a top 6 side and the investment that would take? Nicole and Markus are clearly ambitious and have also said they will completely restructure the academy with significant investment, create a new training ground and increase capacity at St Mary's or even relocate to a new larger, higher spec stadium. They clearly have big ambitions, resources and the intention to fulfill those ambitions.

I don't have an Iphone so haven't played it. I think it only costs £6 and is similar to the PSP version so potentially very good value.

Listen to the interview above. They have much bigger plans and resources than that.

36:40 onwards http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/southampton/8565161.stm

It doesn't matter you don't need to buy anyone. The selection screen tells you what you need in terms of spaces. If you have 3 homegrown players then only select 24, if you have 2 homegrown only select 23.

Puncheon and Antonio are both starting in games at the moment.