Matthew Le God

and...

The same as every cup draw... the worst team left in the competition at St Mary's to give Saints the best possible chance of winning the competition.

I don't see why if central midfielders are injured there is a need to switch from one system that needs 3 central midfielders to another system that also needs 3 central midfielders. How is that a solution to a problem of a reduction in central midfielders available?

I'd rather have... Clyne Fonte Alderweireld Bertrand over... Valencia Smalling Rojo Young Its not really even a contest as to which is better defensively and actually offensively as Valencia and Young aren't even particularly great going forward compared to Clyne and Bertrand.

Their defence tonight vs Stoke City is... Valencia Smalling Rojo Young ...that wouldn't fill me will confidence. Two wingers shoehorned to play fullback plus Chris Smalling who is out of his depth at Man Utd. If Smalling was at a mid table club I'd doubt he'd get remotely near the England squad, he is a disaster waiting to happen in every game as he is very limited technically.

Well they won't start, but that is not a surprise as neither of them has started a Premier League game before. Doesn't mean they won't be on the bench and potentially come on as a sub though, which is "playing".

Why would that mean they won't be traveling with the first team squad vs Arsenal? Reed and Targett aren't starters for the first team, but if they didn't play for the under 21's they'd have very little in the way of competitive football to help their development. Saints have used a number of youngsters over the years in the under 21 games and also had them travelling and in the match day squad for the first team. Reed and Targett have done just this on a number of occasions already this season.

Although there is a benefit to that as he is injured anyway for the Arsenal game, there is also a negative in that it adds to his total and moves him closer to the 10 yellow card total which would see him suspended for 2 games.

"Morgan blames Chambers" Is a very misleading thread title! ART, how have you managed to twist that into the thread title "Morgan blames Chambers"? Those quotes do no such thing, Schneiderlin doesn't personally blame Chambers.

http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/showthread.php?51639-Sadio-Mane-Signs-4-Year-Deal-Official&p=2045163#post2045163

Bertrand's last cap was in 2012.

Reed has been on the bench for the last 8 games (since Ward-Prowse was injured). Its hardly a surprise.

Bearsy talked to his "Villa correspondent".

You've made it a bigger name than his actual name. What is your definition of one of our "big names"? Because Davis is a regular starter and important player for the team currently 2nd in the Premier League, I'd say that was a very good signing by the new board.

Which central midfielders of a similar age and play in a similar role are you more impressed with in the Premier League? People forget how young he is and how much experience he has compared to most players in his age group. Ward-Prowse played in 54 Premier League games as a teenager. That is extremely rare in the modern game. He is clearly though very highly of by Saints and England. Compare Ward-Prowse to Chalobah... Chalobah is only a month younger but has only played in 4 Premier League games for Burnley compared to Ward-Prowse's 54 at Saints (would have been higher if not for injury). If he "Truly does not affect games", then how did he win 3rd best player of the tournament and goal of the Toulon tournament (vs Brazil) in the summer for England... He is clearly doing something very right even if a good number of Saints fans can't see it. He is not going to dribble at pace past a player like Walcott, Bale, Oxlade-Chamberlain or Shaw and so many overlook the attributes he has that make him a very good player in his central midfield role. His set piece delivery, passing and crossing is Beckham "like". Of course he still has a long way to go before being in that category, but he has the makings of a very good player.

Portsmouth FC ‏@officialpompey 1h1 hour ago #Pompey crash out of the FA Cup to non-league opponents for the first time - full report on http://portsmouthfc.co.uk soon Thats probably not true is it? Pompey were themselves a non Football League team until the 1920's, surely they lost to another non league team in that time?

CWD's line-up already had Reed in it.

I can list on the digits of one hand all the clubs in world football that aren't a "stepping stone club".

How can the Croatian FA stop people claiming to be Croatian fans taking flares into a stadium in Italy?

Radcliffe to Man Utd made the national press, as did Dodd and Williams leaving.

EA Sports are significantly bigger and richer than SI and signed a long term exclusive deal.

Theo Walcott is back in the England squad after a similar(ish) injury and 10 minutes of first team football for Arsenal. I think you are overestimating the length of time until he'll be back in our team and underestimating how good a player he is and the value of such a player in the current market.

This is an era of Championship going for £11m, Rodriguez scored 15 Premier League goals in 30 games last season. Yes, he has been injured but is English, 2 1/2 years left on his contract is proven in the Premier League and is at a club don't strapped for cash. I think you are underestimating how much that does to raise his price. We got him for £7m as a Championship player, he isn't going to be sold now he has proved himself for £10m.