VectisSaint

Alpine's comments as usual are a bit hysterical, need to bear in mind only Arsenal, Chelsea and Everton have better defensive records as Saints and we are now into the 2nd half of the season (so we have played every other team). Our defensive record has not gone "tits up" but we have clearly lost some of the solidarity we had due to the huge injury list we had to critical players (not just Boruc, but also Clyne, Shaw, Fonte, Lovren, Wanyama and Schneiderlin at various times and in various combinations over the last 6 weeks). It is still a valid question to ask whether we can return to our previous defensive solidarity, but lets not beat ourselves up that we are somehow now the crappiest defence in the league. We aren't, we concede on average marginally more than 1 goal per game. It is perhaps more concerning that we are not scoring enough. i still think when we have a back 7 of Boruc, Clyne (or Chambers), Fonte, Lovren, Shaw, Schneiderlin & Wanyama (or Cork) that we will be fine defensively. Other than Wanyama we are not far off having this until available again. do we need better back up, of course we do.

How badly injured would you have to be to not be able to view a house? Even if he had to be pushed about in a wheelchair or hobble about on crutches he could still look at buying a house surely. Most footballing injuries don't prevent you living a reasonably normal life.

Although he has played for Poland 4 times this year since he picked up his ankle injury last December/January.

Presumably you don't have a problem with it because you are so used to being called the same it is like water off of a duck's back.

Not sure if you were being serious, but he hasn't been injured most of the season. Has played 18 times so far, including 16 of their 24 league games. So has not been injured most of the season. he also wasn't injured most of the time he was with us, as he stated himself he was available for selection much of the time but was not selected (by Pardew or was it Adkins?). Another myth perpetuated on here. Have a lot of time for DC, clearly just wants to play football in the twilight of his career. Along with Saints legends Channon, Stokesy and Big Ron has even played for the Skates in order to continue playing. Yur comment about Mellis below is also completely wrong. He has played 22 times for Barnsley this season, not struggling at all. Unfortunately for Mr Mellis he rather blotted his copybook at Chelsea by letting off a smoke bomb at their training ground and was sacked. Not very clever of the lad, bit like Nile Ranger in terms of intelligence, although the latter is far and away more stupid than Jacob. It was reported round here that Swindon were planning to let him go on account of his continuing inability to turn up for training, but doesn't seem to have been released as yet. Complete waste of talent, he proved a few times that he was actually not a bad player.

Its also about who plays in front of the back 4. When we have Morgan and VW or Morgan and Jack Cork we have a solid defence, and the number of shots on target against us is very low (just as well when Gazza is playing). Glasgow as usual posts his agenda-biased tripe without actually checking facts. Fox only started 6 games under Adkins, and surprise surprise these were at the time when we leaked like a sieve. Jos and Yoshi only started once together under Adkins, it was always Jos and Jose or the better combination of Yoshi and Jose. Yoshi only came into the team about 3 matches before Cork and it coincided with the tightening up of our defence. Neither Fox nor Hooiveld played in Adkins last 10 games, Yoshida did play with either Boruc, Davis or Gazza, so claiming that Adkins' mainstay in defence was Davis/Gazza, Fox, Yoshida and Hooiveld is just plain wrong, but hell that doesn't stop Glasgow Troll from posting bull****. Truth is we definitely miss Boruc, that is for certain. Also not having the Schneiderlin/Wanyama or Schneiderlin/Cork combo does hurt us (lets not forget Morgan has missed a few games, in last month or so).. We've also missed Clyne (though I think Chambers is at least as good defensively), Fonte, Lovren, Shaw at various times. Yoshida came in aplyed on the right side, his weaker side, Lovren had to switch to the left to acommodate Hooiveld, and was noticeably worse for doing so. Gazza just destroyed the confidence of an unsettled, fragile back four. Then we could look at the opposition, Arsenal, Chelsea, Man City and Spuds were definitely a step up on most teams we had played earlier (except Liverpool and possibly Manu although they were poor). Finally don't ignore the conditions, yesterday was atrocious weather wise, it is much harder to defend in such conditions. I perceive that we have also been playing a more open, attacking game recently, although often this has been because we have been chasing games after falling behind, trying to get back in a game has left us open to the counter attack and we have been caught several times in this scenario (Spuds 2nd and 3rd, Villa, Chelsea,) and so we are bound to concede. I have little doubt that when we get our preferred first XI back fit (or even without Wanyama) we will see a return to a tighter defence We do need a back up first class keeper, its obvious, but somehow doubt this will happen if Artur is close to a return. We do need better backup for Sicknote Shaw (or we ban him from Nandos). We need another backup for Fonte/Lovren - when these two play together there is no problem, Fonte has several times this season outplayed Lovren but Lovren gets the plaudits, but the two together are a great pairing. Yoshi is fine as 3rd choice but in my opinion only as backup to Lovren, i.e. on the left. we need a right-sided backup for Fonte. That maybe our target this month, but I suspect with everyone now back to fitness we may stick with what we have. I suspect our target is another AM or even a striker. No need to panic, and the stats are easily explainable to anyon who does not have an agenda or who is not a troll.

Worth remembering that he is only just 23. By the way did we wish him a happy birthday in December? Maybe he is sulking because we forgot. He is by no means a bad footballer, still don't think he is a bad signing. But he is finding it a struggle to fit in with the MP system (as opposed to the NA system when he joined).

Will just go to prove once and for all for anyone that doubts it that you are a troll and not a Saints supporter. Its about time the Mods (I'm told they exist) ban you and all of your alter egos.

Yes

Good idea, plead guilty to something you believe you are not guilty of. Potentially miss 3 league games. Put your case and at worse miss 2 league games. Will be available again after 19th January.

The Sun reported this at the time, using the term nuts rather than balls. Looks like we got off lightly, could have been 5 or more games, now he will only miss 2 league games pronsbly wouldn't have played in the cup anyway as he is only just back in training.

Good, we don't want any of those rouge threads here. Nor any bleu ones for that matter.

Just wrong in so many respects. The only thing I will agree with is the number of tackles per game, which is quite low (1.2 average), but then even Morgan is only 3.something and he is our highest. The truth is tackles are actually quite rare these days, on average we make maybe 12-14 tackles per game throughout the whole team. It is all about pressing and interceptions. Davis having played less games than some has the third highest assist rate, and also very high in key passes per game (i.e. passes that actually lead to something). He also seldom loses possession and has plenty of shots. He has a great engine and is all over the pitch. He took a few games to get going this season, but he has been MOM or close to it a few times now. Maybe you still remember the Steve Davis of last season who struggled to make an impression after he joined us with an injury. He is really becoming the unsung hero of our team, not exactly the most creative but one hell of a worker.

But we have only lost 1 of our last 2 games, whereas Liverpool have lost both of their last 2 games, so clearly we are twice as hard to beat as Liverpool. Stop being a WUM, we are all fed up to the back teeth of you on this forum. Try using a bit of sense and either don't bother replying or at least contribute something meaningful.

Recent, 25 June 2012. One bad review. I guess you would not want to mention the three other older reviews: “An amazing stay” “Stay for the view” “One night and it was bliss!” 4 reviews is several years just shows what a load of ****** these review things are anyway. Try finding any hotel with no bad reviews and people who have a good stay generally don't bother to leave a review. I think what people are trying to find is some information on what he is doing now, not 18 months ago, and not some indirect link that he may or may not be able to influence.

Really. I seem to recall we were 1-0 up in 13 seconds and continued to frustrate them completely during the first half. Only when Mourinho changed their system in the 2nd half did they start to have any joy. Their second and third goals also came after Artur had gone off injured and been replaced with Gazza. From what I recall Mourinho was quite rattled during the first half, but did make the switch to two up front that ultimately undid us.

Yes, he is "closing in on (a) return". He is injured, hence why he is not in the training pictures yesterday. "Nathaniel Clyne and Dani Osvaldo are closing in on returns, but Guly, Artur Boruc and Victor Wanyama remain on the road to recovery. Read more at http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/news/article/everton-vs-saints-preview-1259266.aspx#J7dkCgKSEUgMpMcD.99" Perhaps you missed this because they spell his name correctly. I thought he damaged his toe kicking the Beordie keeper coach in the nuts. But maybe that was just ******.

Doesn't say it all though does it. Where was Clattenburg at the time and the lino? If they can't see it they won't give it. Doesn't matter how obvious it is (and it does look obvious). Need to see the bigger picture, literally. Never expected anything from Everton and so it proved. They have been one of our bogey teams ever since I have been following Saints. 8-0 in November 1971 always sticks in my mind (whether its relevant today or not is not the point). Never expect to get anything from them up there and seldom disappointed. Sounds like we played well, was listening on 5Live but did not have the cutting edge up front. Tators were glowing in their praise for Gaston, not because he scored but because he changed the game. In the bigger scheme of things 3 points from 2 away games is a decent return. Pity about the Spuds dross.

Think its just you. He is 18.

He has never managed in Holland (other than at youth level in the early 1990s. Surely he was appointed more on the basis of being Fergie's assistant for 6 years at Old Trafford. A year or so at Brondby in Denmark as well. Not sure you can really call him a complete non-entity.

Do you wear keepers gloves for cardio training? Looks like he is not far off. Pictures don't show much evidence of a leg injury for Osvaldo. Lovren looks well. Clyne looks to be fully engaged. No sign of Guly though, even though he was training last week.

Usually only happens if the appeal is fatuous. Given that the length of the ban is undecided, it may be difficult to say if it gets extended. I would imagine if Dani has appealed and requested a personal hearing that he and the Club must believe he has grounds for a successful appeal.

Good start to your post, actually can agree with you on something. Pity you continued to add your usual drivel.

Please enlighten me on which parts are hope, which parts are dreams and which parts are fears? The whole thread is based on some trash from the trashiest of trashy red top rags which if they said anything else would be dismissed as rubbish. Lallana is not number 1 target of Moyes, just the ****ty journo would like to think he is, Reus and Koke are much more likely, and who knows whether there is any truth in them either, the Mail and Mirror are hardly better than the Star. The post is based on facts and realism I'm afraid. Your posts are based on drivel, so not planning to take any lessons from you. Like the journo you are living in the past if you continue to think that Manure are the draw they once were, some of us remember times when they were not the biggest club in the world. The days of Manure are over, at least for a while, a new age has dawned. His ticket for Brazil is already booked. I doubt he wants to go anywhere but if he did it would more likely be Man City, Arsenal or Chelski, or even Real or Bayern.