VectisSaint

So who should we support? Athletic Bilbao, the team that was allegedly supplied with Southampton replica kit purchased in Southampton by Juan Elorduy in 1909 or Atletico Madrid, the team that was also allegedly supplied with the other half of the Southampton replica kit purchased in Southampton by the same fella. Think I will go with Bilbao. Well, it makes a change from fretting about Saturday. ....

This is simply the start of the process that will result in Premier League 2 in about 3 years time which together with the PL will become a virtual closed shop, possibly with 1 team being relegated to the Football League, but probably only after a play-off. PL2 will include Celtic and the team formerly known as Rangers FC. My crystal ball only works in the distant future and is no good for seeing what will happen on Saturday.

That was the original prognosis, but it was modified to say it should not take as long. Still won't be ready for play-offs or the Japanese WC games though, but should be OK for pre-season. esepcially as that should start later this season because of the Lympics.

Got to say that was painless, really can't see what the fuss is about.

Its all a smoke screen and Coventry will play their full first team. Just trying to confuse NA by making him change his tactics to cope with the new players being included in the squad.

Has this been developed by aap3? If so not very good advert for our main sponsor, if not why are we using someone else? Will give it a few days, standard testing technique, chuck it out there see if it works, get any feedback from the punters who have time on their hands to act as beta testers and then put out a new version. Works for MS, looks like aap3 use the same techniques.

Do you have an old membership card? If so that would be the number, its what they always use with me.

Maybe by getting out of the Championship in the next 2 seasons. Doesn't come in until 2014-5, so really not that relevant to us, as we should have yo-yoed down and back up before then.

Ex-footballer in "thinking that means he knows what he is talking about" shocker. Schneiderlin a stroller, you must be bloody joking. I guess you weren't watching when he got injured the other week. One of the most fired-up 5 minute cameos I have ever seen. Sad that he was injured because he is so important to us, but he would probably have been sent off before half time if he had not. I know its the done thing to criticise Guly, but anyone who actually knows about football would also see the amount of running and effort he actually puts in, again no stroller for those with real insight into how the game is played. The only problem with Guly is that he is out of form, lacking in confidence (maybe because ****s keep having a go at him) that is why I wouldn't play him, certainly not because he is a stroller. The only stroller there should be is the one that you should be pushed around in by your Mum.

KO - Kick off or Knock out?

There was already a thread on this that I posted yesterday: http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/showthread.php?37497-Least-successful-Premier-League-manager The real point was that our own Jimmy Gabriel was No 1. I guess most would have put Wigley there anyway. Also honourable mentions for Shearer and Dave Bassett who has 2 entries.

Probably several names would come to mind, but sadly the honour apparently goes to Jimmy Gabriel (according to Yahoo). Must admit I don't even recall him being manager at Everton. 1 point from 7 games. A few other Saints connections in the Top 20, including the inevitable Wigley, Reed, Bassett (twice) and Shearer. http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/the-rundown/least-successful-premier-league-managers-113441372.html

Good stuff, stupid web site has wrong date. In that case good omen, looking forward to a Guly hat-trick.

Don't want to put a dampener on this, but it clearly says this was on 27th, not 28th.

No, its a must win. Simple. I know mathematically a draw or even defeat may be enough, but quite frankly we have to win for it to be in our hands. Really don't see why we need to have Bart on the bench. What we need is 5 strikers on the bench, and keep attacking even if we go 2 up. If we try to sit on a lead we will sit further and further back and in the end will concede and then we will panic. Attack is the best form of defence.

Chung. Oh, player of the season, not goal of the season.

And last time it was Division One, so what. Of course we should not tour around the city to celebrate being 2nd best. Bus tours are for winners.

Maybe not, but he clearly takes great delight in having a go at us.

Not much to do with keepers, fact is many of his recent free kicks have not hit the target. We saw yesterday again an aspect of SRL that is a bit of a concern. Very occassionally he loses his rag, and when he does his game goes to pot. He was very luckly not to get booked yesterday with his anger (justified) at the referee after the Boro player was not booked. He should learn to shut up and get on with it. He lost it at home earlier this season (can't remember who against, possibly Leicester?) and also away at Brighton of course. Not one to criticise SRL often but this aspect of his game seems to be creeping in a little in the last few months.

Poor analogy, tugboats tunr very quickly and have very tight turning circle. Jos is class and your observation is crap. Great header of the ball. Martin is also a great header of the ball (in defence) but lacks some of the skill to play the Claus role. Jose is not a great header, seems to have lost his way since he got his hair cut, the Samson effect. We will need 2 new CBs for next season whatever league we are in, because Jaidi and Danny will not be here.

and we've not lost a match that we took the lead in since September 2009, oh!

Actually some of us have incredibly long memories and maybe thats why we are not confident that we will wrap it up next Saturday. Also people are ****ed off because we blew the chance to be champions. I know all the Sky generation think promotion to the PL is all that matters, but that is crap. Its the "we're second in the league what more do people expect" dry fannies that really get up my nose (rather have a wet fanny any day)

Don't agree, there would have been even less reason for him to go if we were in the same league, would have disliked him (or really his old man) more than I do now. Actually don't think we missed him that much, although he would have been just what we needed yesterday - why wasn't SDR in the squad?

Why? He didn't do us any favours at SMS a few weeks ago.

Just wish it was as simple as that. This is Saints. Another week of nervous tension, not knowing if we will go up or not, and after tamely surrendering the championship as well, that hurts. Boro have a terrible home record, hardly ever score 2 goals in a game, but we gave it away. Silly foul by Fonte. Don't agree about the 2nd yellow, yes it should have been but it doesn;t mean we would have won (or even drawn), teams often play well with 10. They were simply more up for it than we were tonite, but can't put my finger on why. We were poor in CM in the 1st half, Boro completely bossed it, but Adkins turned it around 2nd half. But CM is definitely area that has to be strengthened, only Morgan is consistent enough to be auto choice. Anyway ********, nail biter next Saturday I guess, thought we could have a nice relaxing game still hoping that we could nick the Championship.