sandwichsaint

I have a mate who is a big Arsenal fan and he asked me last week is he really that good? Reckon where he's in a little bit of an unseen role (even though he's consistently near the top of these sort of stats) he's probably gone a bit under the radar for neutrals, and for Didier Deschamps too. He's got every chance of staying in the France team now and if he continues that sort of form I would have thought he would be nailed on for Champs Lge somewhere next season; keeping him will be Koeman's biggest challenge.

Been terrific, international debut in the Maracana in a world cup finals and he's hardly broken sweat, England don't have anything close in this type of role. Ecuador goalie has a touch of the KD's about him!

Shearer Dixon Speedie Slippery Slope.

Danny Murphy (member of the FA commission and one of the best pundits at the WC) on Radio 5L last night was questioned about the FA aim to win the world cup in 2022 (stop s******ing at the back) and he made a diplomatic, not-impossible-but-a-long-way-to-go type answer. He spoke about potential and improvement: 'players like Barclay, Shaw, and Nathial Clyne will be at their peak by then' (he mentioned one other but can't remember who it was, possibly Stones?)... he's clearly on the radar and, rightly, he is appreciated by those ITK.

No point, that sort of gesture would go right over his head.

I wouldn't be so sure, agree the big money and the big TV is mainly in the European leagues/Champs league but I think this WC has been an absolute breath of fresh air seeing new players and new teams, what it does show is that there is intelligent life beyond the PL and the CL. Players and fans love the WC, unfortunately it's all overseen by one of the most corrupt and dysfunctional bodies on the planet and it's now all up in the air what we do with Dubai - summer/winter/re-run? Forget England, the PL, and the CL for a couple more weeks and enjoy what we are seeing in Brazil (refs need to tighten up though, ridiculous officiating so far in too many games).

Pretty much this

Clearly we need a 5-a-side game between Liverpool and Saints to sort out the proper champions of English football: Johnson / Gerrard / Hendo / Sturridge / Sterling v Clyne / Cork / Lallana / J Rod / Lambert Liverpool win on big names/experience/pace Saints win on team spirit/technique/rhythm/tempo/tactical awareness

Canterbury is a massive student town now, not sure what you are really looking for? In the big scheme I'd say it was a pretty quiet/safe/pleasant place to live, would imagine accom is dearer than some other areas. Not over-much going on, strong pub/music scene, limited choice of clubs but always full, usual regional theatre/galleries type set-up Big ratio of girls over boys; Christchurch College (the old teacher training college) is massive now and has a ratio of something like 80-20 F/M. Not particularly central for going anywhere else, London an hour by train. SMS two and a half hours by car or train. Not sure if you are looking for any sports opportunities? Club cricket and hockey are both very strong in Kent (and very sociable), there is some football but a lot of it isn't very good. Can't comment specifically on the courses but UKC and Christchurch both have very good reps.

Still think my team would beat tonight's team: .............. Hart ................ Clyne Jag Cahill Shaw .......... SG... Barry .......... .. Ox ...... AL ...... Raheem ... ........ Sturridge ........... Liking Smirking's 4-3-3 above, think the left side would be far more solid with LS/LA over LB/WR Happy to play Wellbeck over Ox if that's the fitness situation, also quite happy to see Hendo in midfield. Think there will be goals and think we'll win, 3-2 possibly.

Pretty much this, co-commentators are a bit like goal music, if you're involved with the game and the game is entertaining you then you don't even really notice if they are good or bad. I really enjoyed the England game Saturday and although I was aware that PN was doing the co-comm it didn't stand out to me that he was particularly 'bad' nor did it cross my mind that something over 400 people would flood the Beeb with 'complaints'. Haven't these sad-sacks got anything better to do with their time?

Haven't seen the video but reading between the lines, a touch of the Mark Wrights perhaps?

Sash good, Dan Seaborne HeadingHats less so.

Agree .... v. entertaining so far!

Lambert?

Don't agree, nothing like the same old same old, we used to have a reasonable defence and a limited attack, we now have a pretty good attack and a very limited defence. I saw more flair from England going forward than I did from Brazil the other night.

I'm not missing Lawro one little bit.

I'm a bit insulted that you even had to ask, didn't you see me in the Northam after the last game of the season celebrating our momentous 8th place finish? The players waving up at me and me celebrating with a badge-kiss and a chest -thump? Surely no fan that's off to another club next season could be that shallow could they?

Thank the Lord that someone's got their priorities right.

I'd take either, 81/82 is an astonishing conversion rate. What's the 'average' conversion rate in the PL? It can't be above 90% can it? FF, what's David Peach's record if you have it to hand?

If all this comes to pass, and it looks plausible, then can we start to say that the board will have made the best of a bad job? I'd take this scenario now.

Really, months and months? I'd have thought that over the last 12-18 months Saints have had some of the most positive PR of pretty much any club in the country ... reams and reams of positive stories and quotes and articles ... loads of positive TV coverage etc etc. Guess that was alright by you though? No awkward questions were ever asked of who was paying for it, how much it was costing, how sustainable it would be when big clubs come calling etc etc. Now the boot is on the other foot and the wheels appear to have come off you cry 'foul'. What are the papers supposed to do? Super-success-story-Southampton hit a bit of financial/managerial/want-away players-type turbulence, it would be astonishing if the papers didn't want to write about it wouldn't it?

Much better when Lallana comes central, he's a far better play maker than Rooney (who's not a play maker at all). Shaw and either of Clyne or Chambers would add massively to this side. Bet Welbeck lives in a cul-de-sac.

The Spanish de Canio, that's a name we haven't seen yet, which in the current circumstances is one small silver lining.

In Liverpool presumably? (good news wherever it was).