VectisSaint

True, difficult to argue that Guly actually is in a different league to Forte. But in any case there is no comparison, hard working, talented Brazilian playing regularly in top of the Championship table team, and a very poor, positionally crap player in league one who seems to have had one of those days when he could do nothing wrong, shame about the other 364 or 365 days of the year. Forte has one quality, speed. Sadly speed is no use when you have no footballing brain and always start a run from a standing start, whenever I have sen him he reminds me of the game we used to play at school, statues. But well done to the lad today.

Well this afternoon he was awful, apart from 2 contributions that both led directly to goals. He was also very poor on Tuesday. Doesn't mean I don't rate him as a top class player, but making out he was good today is just a joke. Today Morgan and Lallana were class.

He was very very poor today (and he was on Tuesday as well), but he did make 2 vital contributions to the game, so people will overlook this. On the other hand some players will have decent games and will be crucified by some of our so-called supporters

He was replaced by Cork actually. Apparently NA took him off because he felt he was able to give him a rest as it was a hot day for a big fella. In truth, he was playing very poorly, made 2 telling contributions to the game (assist for Lallana's 1st goal, and pass to Chung for the 2nd) but other than that, he touch and movement were appalling, just like on Tuesday. All players have poor games, but if SRL's name was Guly some of our so-called supporters would be having a field day.

He had a good game today but not outstanding. As on Tuesday his game suffers when Hammond plays alongside. Our best partnership by a long way is Morgan and Cork. Hammond was better today than Tuesday, but he really does get shown up nowadays when played alongside Spiderman and Cork.

Looked talented, but too light weight. Got knocked off the ball very easily, but clearly is very skilful, needs to man-up a lot to make it in England, especially in the Championship. Could not really understand why we signed him, unless it was because Punch was not in our plans.

Home games seem to blur these days, its a lot of years since I have attended so many games as this season.

Thought he already had, goal of the season against Burnley, assist for Lambert against Leeds.

Total class player, has been for some time now. Is hampered though when Hammond plays, becaus their roles overlap, hence I believe why NA prefers Morgan with Cork or Chaplow. It was no coincidence that on Tuesday Morgan had his poorest game for a long time when started alongside Hammond. I'm not bothered about his lack of goals, although its worth remembering that he has scored 2 this season which is more than Hammond has who is considered more of an attacking MF player. The goalscoring MF players should be Lallana, Chaplow and Cork (and Guly/Puncheon), Cork and Punch have not contributed much in this department as yet. I liken Morgan to Oaks, class players not appreciated by some who do not uderstand their crucial role in the team.

I suspect Messi will stay at Barca to be honest.

Seems odd to me that Lambert is nominated for player of the month in a month when he only scored in 1 league game. Admittedly it was a hat-trick, but he was actually going through quite a lean spell in terms of scoring in February until Watford. Of course there are other aspects to his game, but the people that choose these things don't usually look too deeply at what players have actually done.

Alpine_Hammer?

Interesting that the average age on here is probably a lot higher than most would expect. I'm 56, originally from the Isle of Wight but living in Wiltshire for last 30 years or so. 1st home game v Chelsea, 3-5, 1966/67, taken by my Dad (RIP) who was a Pompey supporter, promised to take me once, and never again :-). Kept his word. 1st away game v Arsenal, don't recall which season but Chivers transfer was still fresh in the memory and he was sat a few seats away with his leg in plaster, I think it was 0-0 (wasn't it always with Arsenal in those days). Still have the programme with his autograph.

They say the game is about opinions. Fortunately your opinion is worth feck all. Were you texting or tweeting to Solent on Tuesday night along with some of the other mongs.

Can never understand anyone who leaves early, but in the case of last night you may have made a wise choice. Traffic out of Southampton was fecking awful last night, bloody roadworks on the M27, then on the A34, then on the M4. Sat in a bloody traffic jam on the M4 at quarter to midnight, unfeckingbelievable. On top of that had to listen to Solent with all the Mongs texting in abusing Guly and Harding.

Agreed, Hammond was the biggest culprit last night (if we need to find culprits). It was also clear why Adkins does not play Hammond as first choice any more, because when he plays Morgan is also less effective. Hammond and Richardson were woeful last night in terms of passing and putting their own players back in trouble. For Richardson that was quite unusual, and we don't have much of an option anyway, for Hammond we need Morgan and Cork back in the middle, or Morgan and Chaplow. I'm afraid our skipper is one of the weakest links in the team these days.

Actually he can, very well, as he demonstrated on numerous occassions last night. Several times he tackled to win the ball back from Ipswich, passed to Hammond who then promptly gave the ball back to Ipswich.

2 out of 3 I agree, Guly was not a problem last night although he did run out of steam in 2nd half. Actually did some very good work breaking down Ipswich attacks and making good passes. Harding, I have no idea what anyone sees he did particularly wrong, 1st half especially was very effective and I never felt even the slightest anxiety when ipswich were attacking down our right. I don't believe he was directly at fault for goal, it was due to a slip by Morgan I think (but as i was down other end of ground could not see). Saints fans need to realise how unbelievably fortunate we are to have a backup of the quality of Harding (and backup both on left and right). Personally i don't think there is a lot to choose between Harding and Fox, although Fox has looked much better of late (better than before not better than Harding). But I do disagree about Hammond. He was appalling last night, guilty time and time again of giving the ball away cheaply after others (Lee and Guly especially) had worked their socks off to win the ball back. Also it is evident that when Hamond plays Morgan is not as effective. It is clear that their roles are slightly different when they play together. Morgan with Cork is a top class player, Morgam with Hammo is closer to average. I can see now why our management team prefers to leave Hammond on the bench and play Morgam with Cork. I know this won't go down well, but also have to say, that take away his goal and SRL was completely rubbish last night (I know, I know, he's in the team to score goals, and he is brilliant at that). But last night he did nothing else, his touch was bad (unusally), he did not win any headers and generally looked out of sorts. The worst aspect of last night (apart from the fact we dropped 2 very important points) was how often we put ourselves into difficult situations by sloppy passes at the back, much of the Ipswich pressure was due to our sloppiness, its happened before and it is something NA needs to address. Very ****ed off with the result, don't agree with those who think it doesn't matter that we dropped 2 points, its not the number of points that are important it was the timing, this week we needed to make the most of our home games. Reading will clearly not win every game for the rest of the season. They will probably win their next one though, and it gives them a massive pshycological boost to be effectively level with us on points (given the game in hand). When you are on a run of 7 or 8 wins and you still haven't made inroads into an opponents lead you begin to sense that it is not your year.

"They've got the Japanese lad whose name I can't quite say". It's LEE, quite easy really, even for a scouser. Apparently tried to sign Connolly as well.

Chaplow is the guy with no hair, right? Just making sure we are talking about the same bloke. In that case he was utter ****e in the first half, as were all of the MF except Spiderman. 2nd half I'll grant he was good, but to call the whole performance magnificent is a total joke. He should have been subbed at HT, fortunately I guess NA thought otherrwise. Just because someone runs around a lot does not mean he is magnificaent. His passing, his touch and his vision were all abysmal, perhaps he was still jittery after the morning flight.

Only by younger supporters. Mick is much more of a Saints legend in my eyes, always was, always will be.

Reckon 89 will probably just be enough, but could be more.

I suspect that all three top teams will pick up 6 points this week. But we have the hardest game tomorrow against Ipswich. But if either West Ham or Reading do slip up this week, then we cannot afford to have not taken advantage. Not being melodramatic, just realistic, I can easily see Reading getting to 10 wins on the trot, but probably not much further. It is about confidence and pshychology at the moment. Win the next 2 and stay clear and this will start to play on the minds of the Reading and West Ham players and staff. Dropping points this week while not seeming too critical actually is in the grander scheme, you are right that all teams slip up against opposition they should beat, but I just don't think they will yet. You could be right, fine if they do, I will feel better. At the moment I feel this week is critical.

Given they still have to play each other at least one of them will fail to win all of their remaining games, and hopefully we can beat Reading at SMS. They both still have some tricky games, but expect both to win 8 or 9 of remaining games, and thats what we will have to do as well, just like at the end of last season.

Hopefully the team won't be thinking the same. Ipswich are no mugs, they are in very good form, but make no mistake 6 points this week is a must. If we don't get these then the good work of Saturday is all a waste of time. We desparately need to maintain the pressure on West Ham and Reading this week. We will have some room for manouevre later when they have tougher games, but it is all about confidence and maintaining the gap to Reading. Let them catch us and their tails will be up and we will find it impossible to regain the momentum. Home wins are vital, and Ipswich and Barnsley are 2 that we should get, even if its not pretty. Still having supported Saints for 45 years hstorically these are the games we throw away, so nothing will surprise me.