VectisSaint

I looked it up after I posted, this season the southern section (Football Combination) has 11 teams, including 2 non-league, split into 2 sections, north and south. Bit pathetic really, but reserve team football really does need some proper reorganisation. Even the Northern section is down to about 20 teams. The Premier Reserve league still has 16 teams.

I think its clear that NA knows how to work the cups. It is not as much of a distraction as for some other teams because of the depth of the squad. NA knows he can play several different players and rest some of the recognised 1st XI while still putting out a team strong enough to deal with anything teams from the Football League can throw at us. It also gives some of the players a welcome competitive game wihtout really having to put out the kids. It might be different if we draw a top PL team but otherwise I don't think its incompatible to have a decent League Cup run and continue to battle for promotion.

I sort of see what you are saying, but I don't think it was particularly outstanding. It could have been improved by Kelvin not lumping it, but passing it out from the back in a more controlled way, we got a bit lucky with Lambert winning a coupld of these balls. It was also clear that Forest had completely lost their way by the 90th minute and some of their players were dead on their feet. But fair's fair, in the past Southampton would have backed off and backed off inviting the opposition to attack and our defence would have panicked and conceded a soft goal, thats an area that we clealry have improved massively. It also shows that our fitness levels are now very good that we can still play like this and even threaten from the 90th to the 95th minute. It was interesting when the 4th official put the board up for 5 minutes (where did that come from) that McClaren initially looked delighted, 3 or 4 minutes later he was trying to hide down the tunnel as he saw his side being completely outplayed. Is this the best 5 minutes of football ever? Nah, doesn't even come close, but good stuff nonetheless. Probably not even our best 5 minutes this season to be honest, ask Ipswich.

Last year it was usually referred to as the development squad, but seems to be called the U21s on the OS. In any case, given the matches are all friendlies there are no set rules. Both teams today played several first-teamers. Does the Reserve League still exist? We withdrew a couple of years back, as did some of the PL teams, there seem to be even more teams now not playing competitive reserve team football.

I was quite shocked during, I think, the Wales v South Africa game, they were addressing the Referee as "Sir". Maybe thats what football should do. I don't agree though with the comment that rugby players do not try to cheat, they do freuqently. But rugby also had the sense to introduce citing (I saw it first in Aussie Rules, not sure which came first), so that cheats who get away with it at the time still often get found out later thanks to the TV cameras.

Should you be getting drunk if you have to go to school next day?

Very strange view of Madejski. Tight-fisted he certainly isn't, he is a major benefactor for arts and education, and has taken Reading from a small-time club in a run-down "stadium" to a PL/Champ Club in a nice new stadium. He is still a very wealthy man, self-made of course all from his beginnings with Auto Trader.

Not many would have even seen him play (not sure whether he made total of 4 or 5 appearances for the Skates, depends on the reference source) - so thats 5 appearances watched by perhaps 20 skates (average home crowd?). His first game was home to Manure so not many skates would have seen him that day, only plastic Mancs. Apparently he only ever started 1 league game for the Skates, plus 1 sub appearance.

Don't forget Carroll as well. No wonder the kid has continued to go off the rails with all those angels around as role models (though he was clearly in a lot of trouble before he joined Newcastle or even for that matter before he joined us).

Agreed, but unfortunately I suspect Kelvin is not blessed with a huge amount of what you might call common sense. He is a great shot stopper, no doubt, but his distribution has always been **** (if it wasn't he would probably be playing regular in the Prem), and he is clearly now under orders to play short whenever possible. Actually after I posted I watched the highlights from Forest's player, and note that for the 2nd goal (I think) KD did actually roll the ball out to Cork who set up the goal down the right. Still, we will continue to play it short most of the time, and we should get used to it, on balance it is more often than not the better option, especially when possession is the primary aim.

Think you'll find a lot of people have heard of Pulis, though they may initially be confused with his old man. As for Tommy Fourpast, was highly regarded at Spuds, has not fulfilled the potential that he must have showed, given that he cannot even get a gam in non-league these days.

Its a great shame when a talented young player goes off the rails like Nile apparently has. Clearly needs some serious help and a good role model to harness his talent and keep him out of trouble. Unfortunately Newcastle Utd was/is not the place for a kid like him.

The list should be updated, and then Claus would no longer get a mention (of course he is not one of the Top 50 anyway, together with Killer he formed one of the best CB partnerships in the PL). Also very harsh on Dowie and Hurlock. No, today we would probably be close to having the Top 3, Ali Dia, Anthony Pulis and our very own Mr Nice Guy Tommy Fourpast.

What a crazy "what if". We will never meet Pompey in the play-off final. They will never get in the play-offs and we will be promoted automatically. But if it did happen either would be fine. RL missed a sitter against Swindon so they are both fallible, but against Pompey they would both equally step up to the mark.

Connolly was instrumental in both the first half goals, blocked shot for RL to get the rebound and great cross to Lallana who headed on for the other. Not sure what you think was a "flick on for the goal"? To give a 5 is ridiculous imho. RL has DC to thank for 2 out of 3 yesterday, quite unusual for DC not to score himself, I guess that was why he was so irate when he was subbed.

Kelvin keeps ****ing around with the ball at his feet as you put it because that is what he has been told to do. Previously he used to lump it upfield and hope that Rickie could hold it up. 7 times out of 10 the ball goes to opposition and they come straight back at us, which is far worse. It is about possession, and you ned to get used to it because that is our game now. I would prefer to see Kelvin rolling out to the right or left backs a bit more as an option but frankly very pleased that he is no longer lumping it up to Rickie every time.

Seems some people have some sort of mental block about the Swindon game. We have not had a 2 week lay-off. Richardson appeared to be quite badly injured in 1st half against Swindon, looked like he had dislocated his shoulder again, but miraculously carried on even though he was clearly "carrying" his shoulder. This may not have been the reason he didn't play today but it was only just over a week and half since last game. Butters has been injured all season apparently.

Is it just me, but there is something distinctly odd about this picture. It does not look real, like it has been badly photoshopped or something. NA looks like the kid who always pulls faces when photos are taken. He needs to chill.

To be fair that wouldn't be too difficult. He was always complete ****e as a striker

Absolute ******. [i usually like to post something a bit more thoughtful but that is the only thing I can come up with in response to such twaddle (rhyming slang for Hoddle)]

Clearly doesn't seem to realise that with Mr Puncheon he now has a full quota of 25 players for his squad, so the QPR idea is total ******. TF should stick to racing.

Selective memory I think, Claus was always getting mentioned on here or predecessor forums for his smoking and drinking an dnight clubs. Personally as I never saw him I don't tknow if true or not, but to suggest this would never have happened in WGS day is like saying everyone was perfect in Lawrie Mac's day.

Don't know why, Claus played for him didn't he?

Pedant alert: I wonder if he had to look up the word vomitary? If so he should have checked the spelling.

It seems that some people do not realise that not all CBs are the same. Playing 2 CBs you need one predominately right and one left-footed. Why would we play Martin on the left when he plays on the right. Burley used to get (rightly) lambasted for playing players out of position, yet many are suggesting just the same thing. If Jaidi is still injured then it is a no-brainer to play Jos. Martin would play if Fonte were injured.