VectisSaint

I don't see how it was a poor showing. It was a friendly, what did anyone expect? Friendlies are for players, part of the getting fit for the season. Until recent years we hardly ever played a home friendly, usually just one against a top club and that was it. I have been to pre-season friendlies in the past and they are usually a waste of time for supporters. Season starts in 2 weeks, thats when supporters should be and will be at games.

Yes we still need a new striker. People look at numbers and think we have enough, but thats not the full picture. We do not have the right balance. We have RL and we have the others. Most can play with RL, but if he is not available there doesn't seem to be another combination that works. We know LB and DC do not work together, maybe Guly with DC is OK, difficult to say, but we do really need a big bustling striker rather than the little 'uns we seem to be collecting. I think Doble needs two half season loans to gain some good experience. I will be disappointed if we don't bring in someone up front, as it was quite clear it was one of Adkins' target areas. Once we have the new CB which seems to be a done deal then new striker will finish things off nicely.

It was meant as a way of ensuring that clubs were able to bring young players into the squad. It has been suggested seriously before, part of the squad has to be under a certain age (whether it is 18, 19, 20, 21 or whatever). If all clubs are bound by the same rule it is not an issue. It is artificial but something that has to be considered if clubs are going to continue to produce young players. Nothing to say you have to play the untried youngster, but having to have one or two on the bench means that it is possible to bring them into the squad. It was simple with 7 subs, sit a kid on the bench, get him used to the big match atmosphere, knowing that there was no way he was going to play, but with 5 subs, this option is very limited, given you nearly always waste 1 sub having to have a keeper. Still, bring back the good old days I say, no subs at all.

We used 29 players last season, 36 the season before. Currently have 23 or 24 that could be considered 1st team (not counting Mills or Punch). Is squad too big? No, probably just about right if we add new CB. Expect 2 or 3 players to go out on loan. Injuries and suspensions will mean most will get in the matchday squad often enough. Agree that dropping to 5 subs is bad news for bringing in young players, but even 5 subs is too many. They should have made the rule that at least 2 subs should be under say 21.

2-0 Guly

Nearly half-time, would be good to go into 2nd half in front

Your grasp of the written word is equally baffling. I'd love to know what a pedastool is. I guess it is something you use to climb on to a pedalo.

Having some sort of bad morning, get of wrong side of bed and hit your head on the wall? No evidence here of anyone fawning over Adkins, a doff perhaps to his slightly amusing side, nothing more. No-one has said on this thread how brilliant Adkins is, or anything about his style of football, only commenting on the OP who doesn't seem to understand the difference between being comfortable on the ball and the usual English style of kick and rush. Nothing that says we are any good at being comfortable on the ball, simpley an acknowledgement that this is what NA is clearly trying to achieve. Whether he does or does ntot achieve it will remain to be seen. No-one creams themselves (what a completely purile, childish phrase that is by the way), there is some evidence that NA is doing a good job so far, not much that he isn't, but the jury is still out whether he can do the business at a higher level, although he does have experience at this level with a crap team with no money.

Comfortable on the ball and opening up are not the same things. Comfrotable on the ball, passing the ball around with good control, not being panicked into a long ball or an attack, having the patience and confidence to knock it around until an opening occurs. Championship, fast pace, direct play, speculative balls, losing possession cheaply, the normal English style. There will be some exceptions, I suspect Sven will instill this way of playing with Leicester before he gets fed up and moves on half way through the season, Brighton too are known to play this way. But the style of play Bremen and Bilbao will adopt is much more akin to what Adkins is trying to do with us, and will be somewhat different to the majority of Championship teams.

Christopher Reeve, not Reeves.

Generally too early for PL loans, they will happen in August. We may take one at most. More likely to take another loanee from Serie A as we have done for the last 2 years.

Why? We had a decent rail service in this country before the 1960s. It would be quite easy to find the date of this match, there is a web site that gives dates and results of all fixtures. I had a cousin who lived in the East End, went to see Blackpool play West Ham on Good Friday in 1935 or 36 (haven't got exact year to hand) and died of a heart attack at the match. I found the date of the game online, and happened to look at the fixtures for the following day and found that West Ham played again against Saints (unfortunately we lost). Players and supporters of today don't know they are born, but in fact it was relatively easy to travel to matches given the railway network of the time, and football specials - probably took less time than it would these days by car

I spy the Invisible Man in the yellow Nike boots just by the white cones, wonder why he is not joining in with training.

Does 6'0" really count as "big" these days for a centre-half? Another player who was allowed to leave Saints before he could mature enough to achieve his potential, strange decision by WGS. Hopefully we will learn that CBs really only mature in their mid 20s, apart for an exceptional few. Bit like Mike Williamson.

Funny I thought we just signed Jack Cork. We a rebuilding a side for the NPC and beyond right now. If we don't sign players for the medium/long term now when do you expect that we will do so? We already have the experience in Jaidi at CB, what we need now is a string backup or even replacement for Jaidi for this season and beyond, because whatever happens Jaidi will not play for us after this next campiagn, unless he finds the secret of eternal youth. I was just expressing surprise that we would sign a player like Monk now as he is not in my opinion what we need, unless as expected Seaborne is on his way out. I know GM could do a good job for us. Anyway all sounds like a wind-up.

Maybe the new trend is to sign players with 4-letter surnames ending in K. Expect Ji-Sung Park next.

Although he had already played in the League for Torquay before we signed him as an apprentice. I know we need a new CB, but don't really see GM as the answer I was expecting, was thinking more of a medium to long term Jaidi replacement. Still Monk could certainly do a job for us next season if he does join, has been top drawer for Swansea in last few seasons.

Why do you think that's a polar bear? They are usually white, that one is red. The MALI Group have always used a bear as part of their corporate logo: Just a different perspective.

Ivan Golac at RB, thats what we need. Bally in MF as well.

I think then you'll be surrised then. A new CB to eventually relace Jaidi is almost a certaintly at some point, even if its in January. We would be mad to go into a season with only 4 CBs (even if Cork could slot in there). You have to cover injury and suspensions, Seaborne has also been linked elsewhere. Jaidi was given a 1 year contract extension because we need his experience as much as anything, by the end of season I am certain he will not be first choice, and I don't go with Martin being ready yet, but will be soon. We are also still short up front, and given we don't know if Barnard will be available, we will strengthen there as well, I have n doubt that RL can perform at this level and we know DC can, but more options are needed. I think there will be another wide MF as well, probably another loanee from Serie A/B.

Can never forget what the man (and Nicola) did, was best birthday present for me ever. I was thinking yesterday they should have held off the Cork announcement until today, but then again maybe something else is on the cards for today.

Maybe she's singing it about Hammond. At 4 she might not have spotted the difference between the Saints captain and the Top Gear presenter.

Still expect that we will sign a new CB for this season, 4 is definitely not enough, especially with Jaidi getting a bit long in the tooth. He may have been given a contract extension but that doesn't really mean NA expects him to play 46 games this season, will initially be first choice because of his experience, but expect him to start giving way to others by mid-season. Pleased for Martin, he is still maturing for a CB, even more so now that I have discovered he is a Caulkhead like me (thanks to BBC, not mentioned on OS).

4-year contract, I suspect only Brighton were prepared to give him that, not bad for a 27 year old with no experience at this level, this may be why CMS chose BHA supposedly over other possibly more attractive clubs.

They have schools in Portsmouth. I always think its a good day when you learn something new.