Matthew Le God

Slight contradiction there.

I've already said that and given he only played a handful of games last season, he will feel like a new signing.

3rd choice right back isn't particularly high on the plan. Cork and Stephens might even make Butterfield 4th or 5th choice.

Long term I see Rodriguez as Lambert's replacement as the central striker.

With the system we've been using in pre-season it could look like this... K.Davis Clyne Fonte Hooiveld Fox Schneiderlin S. Davis Lallana Rodriguez Tadanari Lee Lambert

I bet you some of them do, there is a large number of scouts at the game today and a number of the players you mention have no future at Saints. Saints are only using 2 overage players more than the Premier League Under 21 league will allow when it starts.

Are you saying Nathaniel Clyne, Steve Davis and Jay Rodriguez are "underwhelming"? Really?

Yep, very unlikely as he has a very disrupted pre-season and this is his first game.

Tadanari Lee is on the bench for the under 21's vs Brighton today.

It also appears Cork might be a "peeping Tom", given that camera set-up...

It is one rule for 71 clubs in the Football League, another rule for Pompey. For example AFC Bournemouth when under a transfer embargo weren't allowed by the Football League to sign Steve Lovell when he offered to play for free. Why should Portsmouth be treated differently to other clubs in the same situation?

So the latter then!

How have they managed to sneak Westwood past the Football League's embargo in a player/coach role where he can actually be used as a player? They'll be signing Brian Howard and Lionel Messi as player/coaches next.

Why so vague with the source? "twitter", what is that meant to mean? That could be anyone from a credible source like the player himself or a random person anywhere in the world making up rumours.

Correct, they can't.

For a minute I thought it was someone else's opinion. Glad you cleared it up! It is possible for Cortese to be in control whilst not in the country, he can use the phone and/or internet.

Because I was making the point to three different people who were raising the same question. Two of them asked the question after my original reply so probably hadn't seen it.

What makes you think that?

They have enough players already. They will have to use their under 21 and under 18 squad like any other club would if in financial problems. Trouble is their fans and management etc think they are a special case and shouldn't have to use the youngsters. To aid this over the past few years they have been releasing youngsters they could have used for the first team so they can go begging to the Football League to sign new players.

He was back in full training last week and was out training with the team on the pitch at St Mary's before the Udinese game. Steven Davis played in the friendlies against Wolves, Bristol City and Udinese. Do they? I must have missed that.

That deadline is only to sign additional players. In any case, they have enough players already, they will have to use their under 21 and under 18 squad like any other club would if in financial problems. Trouble is their fans and management etc think they are a special case and shouldn't have to use the youngsters. To aid this over the past few years they have been releasing youngsters they could have used for the first team so they can go begging to the Football League to sign new players.

Those two games didn't test Saints in the same way they were against Ajax, Anderlecht and Udinese. You've lost me as to your point?

Yes he is. Although I think their owner has said the funding won't continue to anywhere near the same level in the future. I think they may be on the decline now, their form in 2012 certainly suggests that.

Yes, I did. You've even quoted me saying it! As I said...it highlighted some weaknesses, but that is a good thing to expose them in preseason so it can be addressed. Better to find out now than being complacent after thrashing team after team in pre-season.

Stoke City have the 3rd highest net spend in England on transfer fees over the past 5 years. 1: Manchester City - £382.2M 2: Chelsea - £190.7M 3: Stoke - £60.1M 4: Aston Villa - £50.6M 5 Manchester United - £36.6M