Matthew Le God

They were lucky they didn't have a player sent off and a penalty against them for a lunging two footed tackle on Rodriguez early in the first half. That was a potential game changing moment.

I think that is harsh on Fonte. It was behind him, at an awkward height and had to be volleyed with his weaker left foot.

Redknapp in court - ‘I can’t work a computer, I don’t know what an email is... I’ve never sent a fax and I’ve never sent a text message.’ Exhibit A your honour... I know its an advert, but he doesn't look a stranger to a keyboard when he types does he...? Lying in a court of law!?

Peter Galindo ‏@pgalindo16 Bologna have reportedly set the price tag for Southampton to sign Gaston Ramirez. €15m in 2 installments.

Based on what Adkins said after the game, it sounds like it might be.

He is our 3rd choice centre back. Had Fonte or Hooiveld been injured who would you have put at centre back? We were always going to play relatively defensively today. If Fox or Clyne were injured the defence would have been a mess if we didn't have Richardson or Shaw on the bench, they are the second choice fullbacks. Hammond and Chaplow are 6th and 7th choice for central midfield. They are squad players this season and won't make the matchday 18 very often unless an injury crisis. Answered your own question. He is low on the pecking order. Guly Do Prado, Jay Rodriguez and Jason Puncheon ahead of him for wide positions. With the three of them playing it allowed for Lambert and Sharp as strikers to be on the bench. We are even looking to bring in one or two new wide players which will put De Ridder even further down the list.

Not the same system as today then.

Every matchday people ask this. Bookmark... http://www.thefirstrow.eu/sport/football.html

Well you could call it a 451, 433 or 4141. Changes depending if we have possession or not.

Which club's in England do you think a) would want him b) would have a vacancy c) he would want to leave for? The number of teams is shrinking all the time, especially as it looks like he has a big budget at Saints and a very ambitious chairman investing in the academy, training ground and in the long term the stadium. Man Utd, Man City, Arsenal, Tottenham, Chelsea, Liverpool are all more attractive, but would the likes of Newcastle, Aston Villa, Everton, Sunderland, West Ham, Fulham etc etc offer more than he can get at Saints?

Why? We came within 1 point of winning it, so hardly an unrealistic. I very much doubt he is overly bothered about not winning the league anyway, promotion was the key goal.

We're more likely to play the formation we have been using in the friendlies... Lallana and Davis in central midfield, Schneiderlin as the holding midfielder with Rodriguez on the left and Guly or Puncheon on the right.

I'm going to blame Jeff Stelling for that, he said it was Carlisle on Tuesday.

Time to loan Rickie Lambert to Colchester United on Monday, ready for Tuesday's game...

Time to loan Rickie Lambert to Colchester United on Monday, ready for Tuesday's game...

Man City played 19 home Premier League games last season - winning 18, drawing 1, losing 0.

Paulo Gazzaniga Cortese has these things planned out long in advance, signed a similar aged Spanish speaking South American, got him settled in England and now bids for Ramierez with Gazzaniga ready to help him settle in. Cortese is one step ahead of everyone!

Jason Puncheon is clearly a big Douglas Adams fan.

3 may be free because Fox might like his number 13 form last season. Adkins stated he was happy with Fox and Shaw as left backs in the press conference. Plus Clyne can also play on the left if needed.

10 kept free for Gaston Ramirez...

I agree, but if all fit he is likely to be behind Lallana, Schneiderlin and Davis for a starting spot in central midfield. Cork should still get a good amount of gametime though this season.

That only makes sense if you are currently selling out Fratton Park, you even struggled to do that in the Premier League. Pompey didn't sell out in their Premier League relegation season and some games had attendances of 14,000 home fans, Southampton averaged over 30,000 in their relegation season from the Premier League.

I doubt he would start for us even if fit. Midfield three in new formation will be Schneiderlin as holding midfielder with Davis and Lallana in front, with two wide players and one central striker.

There are direct quotes from the player saying... "It's the classic offer you can not refuse. I have 4 years of contract figures important. They give me so much money that I put in my life and the whole family." Sounds like personal terms already sorted to me.

Or he went on a family holiday with his wife and children in the school holidays. Now he is back and it's business time! [video=youtube;-GpTTf175aE] And Cortese means BUSINESS!