Matthew Le God

The opposition have no idea how we will line up, how to counter us at set pieces etc etc

The Villa game is a week away. Villa play in the League Cup semi final on Tuesday, they will be more tired than us. Looks like we might have Astori to replace Fonte.

Ramirez still has a higher PA. So no need for a song.

If he signs, he will be our best player on Football Manager 2013. Above Ramirez, Lallana and Lambert.

I'd imagine Adkins has been aware of his budget and the ambitions Cortese has for a long time.

Why when the current system is working well? In any case that would then just mean a midfielder/attacker being dropped instead. Astori will come into the team with us playing the same system, in place of Fonte or Yoshida.

What is the point in that? He is never going to be a Premier League player, he simply isn't good enough so we may as well sell him.

We didn't just buy one keeper, we also signed an experienced top flight/international keeper.

Nigel Adkins thinks he is the "future for Southampton Football club" and also says he thinks he could represent Argentina at senior level. He is in a more informed position to make such a judgement than anyone on this forum. Of course you could accuse him of lying and not really believing in such a statement, are you?

From what Nigel said today, it seems unlikely Clyne will play. They'll probably save him for the Villa game and keep Cork at right back or bring Richardson in.

Before the start of the 2nd half against Arsenal he hit himself in the face 3 times.

As I said from the day he signed, although Boruc is clearly crazy I think given a run of games he should be more than good enough. Adkins agrees, so put some trust in Nigel and Artur.

Rodriguez in recent games has played as the striker, with Lambert in a deeper role.

Looks like it will be Boruc for the rest of the season and Gazzaniga in the future.

Adkins said today "I won't be making wholesale changes" on Saturday.

Southampton's system uses one real striker with Ramirez behind, Lambert hasn't been injured or suspended and has scored 8 league goals. In the summer how much quality did we have in the striking department beyond Lambert to work at Premier League level? Had we not signed Rodriguez or Mayuka, who would you suggest play if Lambert were to be injured/suspended? To criticise Rodriguez for only scoring 2 goals is daft, he has been used out on the left and come on for brief cameos. Rarely has he been played as a striker. As I said, he is 7 years younger than Lambert, he is his replacement this season in case of injury/suspension etc and in the long term can be groomed to be his successor.

Do you have any evidence for all of this?

Why is it a waste of money? We don't just need 11 players, we need a squad. Mayuka and Rodriguez are 22 and 23 years old respectively. Rodriguez in particular is the replacement should anything happen to Lambert, plus he is his long term replacement given he is 7 years younger.

Kasper Schmeichel is 7 years older than Jack Butland! For a keeper of 26 years old, Schmeichel has hardly had a glittering career.

As others have said, if in self defence from serious harm then yes. But I'd expand that further to include the defence of other innocent people from serious harm.

I'd be intrigued to hear you explain the logic behind that. Are we always going to be a newly promoted Premier League club?

Why would you want to move away from the 4-2-3-1 system that has been working so well?

If Juventus don't make a bid and Southampton do/have already then it isn't quite the choice you have stated.

Unlike Oxlade-Chamberlain, Bale and Walcott who were sold having only played League One or Championship football, Shaw already has shown himself to be more than capable to play at Premier League level aged 17 for Saints. Plus when Bale, Walcott and Oxlade-Chamberlain were sold were either in the 2nd/3rd tier and/or didn't have the Liebherr estate funding the club. Things are very different now, as I'm sure Cortese will tell any club bidding for our players.

The (ever reliable) Daily Star say Arsenal want to sign Leighton Baines to play left back.