sandwichsaint

I was on the ugly from about '97 onwards, migrated to S4E in the early noughties, and been on here since it started. 15 years on a mong board, does it get any better than that? Used to like Tonesus and SaintIan, loved their punk rock like they loved their team. Don't think my user name will ever change, not sure I evn know how to do it; another 15 years and I might see about getting an avatar!

One of the most spectacular bike rides I've ever done.

I have him in the loft in a sticker album and I haven't been in my loft for a good 12 years. It's a 'no' from me.

Sorry to agree, we did Mallorca in Oct (first time) and stayed in Alcudia. Very relaxed, there is a strip, but it's all very laid back, ideal for families. We went for the cycling and were based in Pollenca (10 mins away in hire car). The whole of the north coast is a mix of mountains and beaches, nice weather, nice people, nice food. What's not to like? If you like it a bit livelier the south coast has the big 18-30 type resorts. If you want something a bit more cerebral, but still with nice food and nice weather, nipper went to Sicily this year, looked awesome on his photos and now on my to-do list.

Not sure your sums are making sense? If we beat Utd and then lose to Wigan (your original post) that gap stays at 4 points, both us and Wigan gaining 3 pts? If we lose both games Wigan will cut the gap to 1 point (ignoring their other game). We could get to at least 7 clear of Wigan if we beat them (plus anything we get from Utd, minus anything they get from their extra game). I think what you're trying to say is let's get what we can from the Utd game and then win at Wigan, that will then open a decent-ish gap over Wigan in the table; it's a sound plan but too many variables to quantify the actual points difference me thinks.

I'd have thought the opposite, ignore the top end, at the middle and bottom I'd say IT types are very modestly remunerated for their skills and the responsibility they have. Doesn't help that they have zero people skills and that their work goes pretty much unseen until there's a problem.

I don't have a problem with the vision; watching the first half on Monday evening you could really see this team has the potential to go a long way. I loved NA and he could have been here 10 years for me, but if NC has gone for an upgrade, what the hell, let's hang on and enjoy the ride. I saw us out-play Arsenal, compete very well at Chelsea and totally outplay Everton for 45 minutes .... starting to grow the feeling that we could be on to the start of something really good with this group of players. Great response from the players and the fans on Monday night and if NewMan can bring in a couple of Michu-style upgrades in the window, AND BLEND THEM INTO THE EXISTING GROUP, that can only be for the good. Realistically most rational people could see that NA was never going to be a big enough name for NC's ambitions (irrespective of his actual ability), the bit that most people would quibble with was the manner of his dismissal - totally gutless of NC to inform him via the media and he deserved far better. I'm over it, I will never forget NA and there's many happy memories but onwards and upwards.

Awful. Wish people would lay off Telfer a bit, HDAdecentJFU on balance and a really top bloke off the pitch too.

Telfer once hit the big screen at the Chapel end, but can't remember who against though. Some of the names on this thread make it seem a lifetime away from some of the stuff that we saw first half last night.

Stoke didn't play very well against us and were lucky to get a point. Arsenal didn't play very well against us and were lucky not to get beat. Chelsea weren't great against us and didn't deserve any more than a point. And now Everton don't turn up for the first 45 minutes, then pick themselves off the floor, and just about earn themselves a point. How come teams keep playing badly against Southampton?

Corners were schitt, so no change there then.

Forecast doesn't look great for those that have to travel. Snow is forecast right down the M3/A3 area from 14-00 onwards, I don't know how much but it doesn't take much to snarl the M-ways down to 30mph (if you're lucky). If you do get there you then face a miserable trip home with freezing fog forecast across S. England from 21-00. I won't decide till lunchtime but if it's still looking like that you will have to take 3 of us off tomorrow's anticipated attendance.

Business as usual ..... good to see.

He would have been a good fit at Forest.

Fair play to those that went and fair play to those that didn't. I got a freebie, thank you football God.

Shaw, Ramirez, Puncheon, that's as good a goal as you will see all season. Anywhere.

What control is he looking with that body shape and foot position? The space is all to his front right (towards the goal), if he wanted to control it he would have played it with the inside of his left foot, no?

Ramirez has laid that off to him! What else is he trying to do? He knows exactly where Punch is, heturns and looks to see what Punch is going to do next! Awesome !!!!

Deep joy! From posting I wasn't going 'on principle' LOL on Monday morning our school football academy leader rocks up in my office Monday afternoon, Chelsea been on the phone (we have a Chelsea academy at school), we can have 40 tkts free(!), do you fancy taking the boys up? Do I! Coach booked, tenner a head, decent seats, high in the upper tier up next to the away fans. Weird watching the game from the other side of the fence, 40 of us in a mixed group and near the away fans so still able to give it a bit though! Sat in front of some teen wanna-bes, mixed Chelsea/Arsenal/Palace/Ipswich fans, absolutely drooling over our players. They reckoned Clyne, Shaw and Schneiderlin would all start for Arsenal at the moment. Our support last night, just unbelievable! Don't know how many we had, must have been 500-600 in the upper and I couldn't see the lower from where a I was. Sung from first to last, plenty of variety, bags of volume, bags of spirit, straight back on it after both their goals. I really do believe we have got a team that are really feeding off the support, a real 12th man last night. Home fans? Unbelievable, heard them for 90 seconds after each goal and for a little bit in the last 10 minutes. Don't anybody post up for the remainder of the season about the atmosphere at SMS, Chelsea fans TRULY shocking last night. Good to see NA getting it so right, tactics-wise, why do people get so uppity when RL doesn't start? He's not been 'dropped' FFS, he's been rotated, it's a 16 man game and NA ****ed all over Benitez last night. Top team spirit we've got at the moment, the players genuinely playing for the manager, each other and the fans. Take the first games out of it and I think we have lost 2 out of the last 12, we are right back on that winning mentality, 'together as one' stuff. Massive respect to: NC for sticking with NA, a lucky general or a football genius? NA for his starting line-up and the positive attacking football we play. Clyne for his pace, he makes mistakes but he's quick enough to fix most of them himself. Shaw, are there any words left? He could take us anywhere at the moment. Big up for Jos! Decent effort the last two games, always a squad player at this level, but looks like he's getting into it now. Joshi, loved him from the first game, massive heart and just loves playing football, joy to have him. Punch, starting to look like the finished article, I forgot Ashley Cole was playing the last 25 minutes, gave him a torrid time. Morgan, what's he worth this morning? Cork, he's always been good, he's now added the consistency he didn't show last season, England calling? JRod, so much more confident than when he started, looks like he is starting to believe he belongs in the Prem. RL, turned the game. Does so much off the ball, their back 4 just fell to pieces once he came on. Still buzzing now!

I sat about 4 rows away from Cortese in the Northam corner when he was on his fabled scouting mission/fans-eye-view, can't remember which game it was but it might have been Yeovil on a Tuesday night. Didn't recognise him at all, he didn't offer anybody out though.

I heard it was touch and go.

Or we could just take one game at a time?

Top of the mini-League I see. Would be a very reasonable first season if it finished like that.

Would never have happened with Zebra finance.

Burley? Strachen? Hands-off Nige, I say.