VectisSaint

I see the Beeb still think we play in the green (blue sash) away shirt of last year according to their build up. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/football/39330493 Adam Blackmore speculating that it was Redmond who had the bust up with Puel, either that he was injured in training (unlikely as he is on the bench). Very odd decision, but I guess at some point it has to be done.

He posted today on Instagram showing him doing ball work, so progressed on from the running in the gym, but clearly still a few weeks away from returning to full training.

Nope, Redmond and Boufal. Apparently Tadic is not as good as Gaston. But what is a "dribble"? What is an attempted dribble and how are dribbles defined as successful or not. Seems an odd one to me. I mean I know what dribbling is, but how do you measure a dribble and its quality? Does it just mean beating one player, or multiple?

He's not jumping to conclusions, just considering a real possibility, one that the Club themselves clearly consider to be a possibility, maybe even a probability, given the importance they put on the Derby game. Derby's remaining game is against Chelsea who are very mid table in this League, whereas we have Man City (who Derby recently beat but who are far and away one of the best two teams). Then you have Leicester and Reading below us each with a game in hand, the first of which they play each other. If Leicester win they will go above us and still have a game to play (if Reading win they will be level with us on points with a game to play), a draw would be handy for us. If both Saints and Derby lose the last game it will be down to goal difference, currently ours is better by 2, but with us playing City who knows what will happen. Relegation is still a very distinct possibility, but we can of course avoid it. But should we be scrabbling around on the last game of the season to try to avoid the drop, no of course we shouldn't.

For individual games agreed, but over the course of the season, 22 games this shouldn't be a factor. We played overage players last night in defence, but if anything Martina and Gardos just made things worse. Dropping to Div 2 will have serious impact on our development, because our lads will be competing against poorer sides. It's not all about winning here but it is about ensuring we maximise the development opportunities. Our play had been poor in terms of incisive news which is the aim of the game and with poorer quality competition next season that will of get worse. Hunter and Fleming need to be replaced, maybe Jahdi as well. The Academy structure needs to be examined and action taken.

It is nonsense, in as much as it is plainly wrong. Forget JWP he has been an established first-teamer for a few years now and I don't think Ronald was referring to him. But Jack Stephens has been a regular now for best part of half a season. Sam McQueen has played quite often including recently when Bertrand was injured. Matt Targett was a regular until his injury. Josh Sims has been in the team quite often. So his statement is nonsense. BUT, he is also right that our Academy is not producing good enough players. On the evidence of last night and a few other games there is not much coming through and the teams are not performing well. Slattery looks a good prospect, as does Valery (though he was injured last night), and Alfie Jones will be good enough in a few years. The new kid Tella looked very promising, but otherwise difficult to see any new prospects (and I include Reed here who really is not showing evidence of progressing, might be controversial view on here). It is time that Saints looked hard at the Academy and stopped resting on our laurels, we are not finding and developing the players like we used to under Prost, and it is probably time to move on from the current u23 and u18 management teams, specifically Hunter and Fleming. There was evidence last season that they were not good enough and this season we seem to have regressed further. Its hard to imagine that our famed Academy (u23 side) could be relegated to the 2nd division next season, we should have players and a team capable of mixing it with the elite group.

Not good result for the u23s tonight. Need to get something against Man City on the last day to avoid relegation. Better team, no cutting edge. Gardos and Martina showing why they need to be moved on in the Summer. New lad Tella looked very good when he came on 2nd half, but otherwise not much positive to report.

It goes way back before then. When I first started going to games (1967) Spurs were our "rivals" (I know some people have a problem with that term but they were proper rivals in the footballing sense, not because they were local). I always assumed it went back to the Southen League days but as I am not quite that old I can't be sure. The dislike for Spurs goes much deeper than what came later with Pompey, we used to quite like Pompey (though we did always stand in the away end at Nottarf Krap). So those who think it would be a good thing to have Spurs beat Chelsea under any circumstances is really quite difficult to stomach for those of us with a bit more history. Mind you we used to dislike Chelsea as well.

Tom Jenkins used to get a lot of abuse as well. Even Mick Channon did in his early days. McCann wasn't the worst by a long way, should have been decent, he was good before he joined, just didn't work out.

Excellent, another non-scoring midfielder.

Except you missed Exeter.

That would be the same Sam G who was described by a Rovers supporter on Twitter as the one who has not won a header in 6 months. Sam did well in the early part of the season but has not done much this year until today.

Unless he actually scored a goal as well, that's not possible.

Not much in there actually written by Crook, most of the article appears to be quotes attributed to Cedric.

It really isn't something to argue about o rdiscuss. It is a fact that Academy includes under 18s, and Jack played for us in the u18s (he was 17 when he signed), ergo he is a product of our academy. He is also a product of Plymouth's academy. These are facts. Theo was a product of Swindon's youth system (academy) as well as ours, and yes he was also an under 18 at Arsenal (not sure if he actually ever appeared for Arsenal at youth level). Bale joined Spurs shortly before his 18th birthday, he is a product of our Academy (specifically the Bath Satellite) and no-one else's.

Think I might take Petr Cech as well

More likely that Jason McCarthy will be backup than Valery at the moment I would imagine. With Pied seemingly back to fitness we are overloaded with decent right backs (assuming Cedric stays). We also have Caceres who by all accounts is better as a RB (albeit in a 3) than he is at CB. Would think Martina's departure is guaranteed already, hence his lack of game time even in the u23s.

I wonder if Koeman really is interested, or whether this is just a 2+2=5 link by the Star. He was Erwin's signing anyway, out of contract and frankly not good enough. Lots on here thought he was the dog's dangly bits though. Nice bloke and gave his all, but won't be too sorry to see him go, as expected.

He was clearly fit when he played for the U23s. He just hasn't been needed because Stephens and Yoshida have been excellent. You don't drop players who are playing well for the sake of it.

or not...

Was decided long before Fonte left. He actually wasn' t the obvious choice which is why Davis is now the Club captain.

It was a goal kick wasn't it? You can't be offside from a goal kick(or a corner or a throw-in).

Sad indictment of this Forum that more people think Leicester will be relegated than Middlesbro. That would be the same Leicester that are 13 points above Middlesbro, eight above Swansea, and one point behind Saints.

Only if Hull also get a point at Man City.#falsefacts

He is actually (misreading the most recent results), but you are right as well, and I can see why he might be confused. I hadn't noticed that all the away results in November, December and January (except Bournemouth) are the wrong way round, but all the results before then and since are correct (as far as I can see). Odd that no-one noticed before, or maybe it just shows that few really read the programme these days. [Couldn't reply earlier as my 3 posts had been used]