VectisSaint

So who would you pick that has goals? No one in the squad has goals in them at the moment.

or not, it was "as if".

4 actually (apparently)

Harsh on Stevens, reasonable for Sophie Ann.

This is the crux of the matter. The Northam is almost empty a few minutes before kick off. Can't see it changing but needs to be packed 20-30 minutes before kick off and making a lot of noise and the stadium music switched off. There's no incentive to be in your place well ahead of time, used to be you had to get in early to ensure you got in and could get a decent view.

You do know he stated this was for 90% of games, that means in 3 or 4 games he will start with something different. Shows he is flexible. Maybe tomorrow is one of the 10%.

We've been drawn against Man Utd 9 times in the FA Cup plus of course once in the FA Cup final (where there is no draw), with 3 replays. First time we were drawn against them was in 1963 (and then we were drawn against them again the next season). We were also drawn against Newton Heath in 1897 and that game also went to a replay (which we lost). Otherwise the most are Nottm Forest, Sunderland, Liverpool and Newcastle (8 each), Everton and Palace 7, Spurs 6 times plus a final, Blackpool and Millwall 6 each. We've only drawn Arsenal 3 times plus a final. Skates 5 times. We also got drawn against Reading a few times in the 1890s and twice since. [sources Football Club History Database http://www.fchd.info, and "Saints", Chalk & Holley]

But he was back training at Staplewood yesterday.

So basically your argument is that JWP is too good for Saints. That's a cracker.

You are entitled to your opinion, even if it is wrong.

So that's gross then. Arry doesn't pay tax anyway, his accountant (Rosie) sees to that.

Unfortunately he also gives us problems when he gives the ball away so often, and in very dangerous positions. Amply demonstrated again yesterday.

Fair enough, he said in the Presser (1st part) everyone was available and fit. Must have forgotten about Chas.

Has he? Manager says everyone is fit and available, except PEH who is away because he has just become a father.

He got the chop last game, so why would it be harsh now? Personally don't think we will see 3 CBs unless van Dijk plays, then it will be Jack, Virgil, Wesley. Saw nothing last week to suggest Wesley is a significant improvement on Yoshida. Maybe we should play Yoshida up front, wouldn't be any worse than Charlie and wouldn't be offside as much as Shane.

That Oliver Barnard was rubbish when we got relegated, silly hair-cut as well. No sympathy.

The usual excuse when a team is not very good. It's not the winning but the taking part ********. It's really all about developing players with a winning instinct and providing the best level of competition possible to help with the development of players (who incidentally are or are not necessarily teenagers). We are poor and there is no excuse. Our development of players at this and u18 level has been falling now for a few years and we no longer develop players good enough for the first team.

Played 90 minutes in Gabon last Saturday and 76 minutes in the Ivory Coast on Tuesday. Don't know much about flights to/from Gabon to the UK, but he didn't get back until Friday, so expect they were not direct flights. At least there would not have been much jet lag with both countries on similar time zones to the UK (+1 hour for Gabon). Probably had to fly via France. Clocked up a fair few air miles, though not as many as Yoshida, who was also rested of course.

There is no-one blocking his view for the 2nd goal. It was also a poor shot. He is just ****. Sorry, but that's how it is.

If after that performance our manager doesn't give McCarthy a go then there is no hope. Cost us the point we didn't deserve. Hopeless, once again two shots (one not very good) on target, 2 goals. Please drop the useless lump.

Clearly you didn't actually read the article, at least if you did you didn't comprehend it. I know the article (as opposed to the study) was written by a numpty so doesn't explain things very well but it clearly states that it is based on "expected goals, rather than actual goals". There are also a lot of other factors in the study itself, it is not just based on goals or expected goals scored. I don't think the data reflects very well the actual influence of some players, i.e. the model is flawed, but can be used together with loads of other data to help analyse what is actually happening. It is not the be all and end all on its own. Most of the numpties commenting on the BBC don't seem to be able to grasp that this data was not devised by the BBC, and also unable to deal with the fact that their favourite player does not show up as the best even though their rose-tinted spectacles say they should. Still it does show for Saints what most people think that the most influential players for us were Romeu and Davis and that Tadic is a waste of space. Davis top of our list despite being **** poor for large parts of last season, probably reflects more on how poor we were as a team last year more than anything.

I did wonder when he was playing for England, whether his mind was elsewhere a bit. He was one of the most prominent players who pledged to support the Grenfell Tower cause, and he probably felt a bit torn at the weekend that he could not be involved in the event at Loftus Road.

Don't know why people think Stephens is behind Hoedt. No-one has really seen Hoedt play, and especially not in the PL. He is younger than Stephens. He is also a left footer (left sided) so isn't really competition to Stephens anyway. I don't expect either VvD or Hoedt to start Saturday, it would be rash (and MP doesn't do rash) to drop both Stephens and Yoshida. VvD will surely come back in for the next game, assuming he is fit, but Wesley may have to bide his time. Still reasonably certain that MP will go 3/5 at the back at some stage, hence why we now have 6 CBs in the first team squad (not forgetting Bertrand is perfectly able to play there as well). Gardos and Bednarek will be lucky to get much of a look in, but an injury or two may change all that. When (if) we go for a back three I expect it to be Stephens/Yoshida, VvD and Hoedt. It will be harsh on Yoshida but I get the feeling he will be second choice to Stephens initially. We'll see, perhaps MP will surprise and play one or both of our Dutch CBs at the weekend.

Look forward to hearing this sung (with or without Ulster accents) at the weekend, with the singing lead by Verlaine and Derry. Sure they will know the words and the tune.

LOL. You're right, I'm ancient (62 actually) . But I'm not particularly anti Les Reed. I'm not a great fan, he has done some good things and some bad. His problem, for me, is that he tends to blow with the wind, one day making out his philosophy is one thing, contradicting it the next (for example sending young players out on loan). A lot of people who have a problem with him are those who have a problem with Cortese, which I don't particularly (nasty piece of work that he was). The only reason I posted here was that Ultimatt was making arguments using data that completely contradicted his point, and he didn't seem able to see it. Apparently the wages data was out of date though. Its still ******** to believe that everything is completely down to money as he seems to. Its an important factor, probably the most important but it isn't the only factor. Kids today... I also only have 3 posts so could not respond sooner, alternatively I was not allowed out of the old folks home sooner...