VectisSaint

If you want to trust Wiki, then just look for the References (source citations) for any stated fact. For this one its [44] which takes you to the BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/34110297 Unfortunately the BBC does not cite their source, unlike Wiki.

Think its pretty well nailed on that Caulker will be gone very soon, most likely to Palace on a permanent. That's probably why he wasn't in the squad on Saturday. We don't have any say in the matter, Rangers are looking to sell and there is allegedly interest from a few teams.

Gary Monk, nice bloke, former Saints, but really not the type of manager we need. His coaching abilities are very questionable, hence why Swansea were trying to get people in to back him up. If we are looking for a new manager, someone with great coaching credentials and the ability to long term improve players is essential for the way we operate. Monk is not that man and would be totally unsuited. Moyes isn't a bad shout if we can't get Guardiola.

Our record without him in the League so far this season in P2 W2 F4 A0 Pts 6. We also beat MK Dons 6-0 without him. Maybe it will be a good thing. The only blot is the Midjyttland game.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/crystal-palace/12080462/Crystal-Palace-set-to-bid-for-Swansea-Citys-Jonjo-Shelvey.html

Steve, the meeting was at 1pm, 2 hours before kick-off. Ronald says this in an interview. It has to be just a short meeting to go over tactics again before they travel to the ground, the team would have already been selected (again Ronald said the team was already selected). How can you run such a meeting when one of the players isn't there because he doesn't have respect for his team mates or the manager? I don't really agree with how Ronald deals with this however, like Ian Wright said (I think it was Wright) deal with it privately and after the match, the Norwich team must have been cock a hoop when they found out our most dangerous player was being dropped. By the way I think Mane has been poor several times this season, they really have been short of "fine" on a number of occasions.

Déjà vu?

Hopefully Fraser was walking slowly so that JWP could keep up

OK, see what you mean, not really cup-tied, but I think you are right that he would then be prevented from playing for another team. I would think that based on the wording of the news item on the OS the Club may have already decided that he is not going out on loan again this season, as they have said he is available for the Palace game.

He's been back with us for about 3 weeks now, I guess Ronald has a decent idea of his capabilities. He also played him in the summer, pre-season, at CB (played 3 times). Bit different playing RB (or LB) and CB, as Yoshida demonstrates regularly. He almost always played CB for Swindon last season, though more often than not they played 3 at the back. He was originally a RB, and can also play LB or as a defensive mid.

Ralph reading the riot act He gave them a motivational speech the day before the game. I'd need a beer or six as well if I had to listen to one of those

I think people are just putting Stephens in because they see he is back with us and the OS says he is available for Palace. He is not generally a RB anyway, usually plays CB or midfield. But I don't think being cup-tied would be an issue, if he were to be loaned again it would be to a Championship or L1 club, and only a few of those would be still in after the 3rd round. Being cup-tied is really only an issue if loaning to a club at same or higher level. I don't think he'll start. I would go: Forster (seems like the ideal game to bring him back, he was clearly pretty close to being ready last week)? Cedric, Fonte, VvD, Bertrand Clasie, Romeu Ramirez, Davis, Tadic Long Subs: Stek, Targett, Martina, Stephens, JWP, Seager, Reed (assuming Juanmi is going/gone)

Continue to bury your head in the sand and pretend that we are better than teams below us, even though the evidence is clear for nayone to see that it is not true Losing by an odd goal is still losing and earns zero points. We have only played well once since we played Bournemouth, and even then they completely outplayed us in the 2nd half. The thing you don't seem to take into account is that we have regressed and at the same time other teams have improved or started to improve. You are of course welcome to your view. Still I guess you might be worried now that SOG has agreed with you and called your response "post of the day". Given his predilection to be contrary to everything anyone posts it is a ringing endorsement

It was stupid because they already had the players in place and it was reasonably clear that he was not needed, i.e. they already had alternatives in his position. I know you enjoy just being contrary for the sake of it, but sometimes things are done by the Club that really are not very clever, and their policy with loans is sometimes a bit questionable (whatever the policy is these days, given that last year Uncle Les stated categorically we do not do loans because its better for the young players to train with the Club).

No. Though it was based on him being a Southampton player rather than his performances at Boro. Trouble was that he was sent off in that game :-) Has played a few time at various England youth levels. His 41 games for Swindon the previous season were much more positive in terms of his development. He would have been better being with them again this season than being sat on the bench at Boro.

Unless their behaviour is at least in part due to the way the manager is "managing" the team of course.

Who has said he was not good enough for Boro? He wasn't played because they have permanent players in his position already, and have not had injuries or suspensions to give him a chance. It was a stupid loan, to a club that really did not need a loan player. He has been given the chance in the League Cup and done very well. He is certainly good enough to cover for Caulker leaving (which seems likely) until Florin is fit again (whenever that might be). It is easy to argue that he was better than Caulker in the first place, but our manager is reluctant to use youth this season.

Well, as you ask, yes it is, at least to a large extent. That's why he is the manager of the team. He could easily have avoided the Wanyama issue by taking him off when he got the yellow, which would be a fairly usual thing to do if you see that your player is being rather reckless. Koeman also didn't have to take the action he did against Mane, he could have used his judgement and dealt with it in a different way without affecting the match.

LOL. None of the teams below us are as bad as us, are you serious? Chelsea for example. Norwich, didn't they beat us? Bournemouth, are they really worse than us now? That just leaves Newcastle and Swansea (forget Sunderland and Villa). Can they get 7 or 5 points more than us in the remainder of the season. Well, yes on current form they probably can. Will they? Don't know, but unless we make some serious changes very soon then the odds are that they may be less bad than us.

Hadn't realised he got a 2 game ban. Apparently its 2 games because it was his second dismissal of the season. We should not be looking to sell. He is still a high class player, just needs to get his head sorted. Don't believe Arsenal or Spurs will pursue him anyway, at least not in January. Can't see anyone else coming in for him either. The Club need to do what they are paid to do and get him back into shape, mentally.

Given he made only 4 appearances for Boro (3 in the League Cup), he might as well sit on our bench as theirs. Badly planned loan move, wasted half a season of development/experience for the lad.

He's on his way out because he isn't getting enough playing time, allegedly. It seems like its his call, not the Club's. But clearly Ronald does not think he is good enough, otherwise he would have got more games. Frankly, from what I've seen its no great loss, I'm sure we would do better giving Seager more opportunities (or even Isgrove).

Hardly news. He has been back at the Club since before Christmas, appearing in all the training videos, but needed to wait until the transfer window to be allowed to play for us again.

Yes but presumably Juanmi didn't travel, and therefore him playing was not an option. The Mane fiasco happened in Norwich (assume at the hotel/team base), not at Southampton. In my view in the circumstances it would have been better to play Seager (or even Ramirez) rather than JWP.

Juanmi and Caulker left out, both rumoured to be leaving.