VectisSaint

Not sure how 45-33 is skating on thin ice, we were even ahead of them when we were last promoted. I used to go to Fratton (lived in Cosham for a couple of years), but always went in the away end, but as usual they were in the lower divisions then, 3rd Div if I recall correctly, while we were above them in the 2nd.

Nowhere near. Skates have only been in the top flight for 33 seasons, and that includes the 39/40 season which was abandoned after a week. I recommend you go back and read wiki again, on second thoughts perhaps that is a bit harsh, though it is interesting to note how many times they escaped relegation from the top flight by the skin of their teeth.

cough, Arsenal

He doesn't want to be here on the terms he was (supposedly) offered last Summer (reported in the Scottish Sun). That's the same as doesn't want to be here, unless Saints improve the offer, and there is little sign that they will. I suspect Forster is already set up for next season, he has had 9 months to get something sorted, his performances in the last 4 months won't have done him any harm if he had not already been sorted before Christmas.

Good luck with that, it ain't gonna happen.

All the evidence is that Stephens is out of contract in June. McCarthy is different the rumoured new contract was confirmed as a transaction (by the FA I believe). Stephens has also been completely missing from squads recently which tends to confirm that he is not in the plans for next season. Wouldn't surprise me to see him at Boscombe next year (unless he is going to Man U as an upgrade on Maguire).

The point is though that given it had to be at the home of a professional club, there was no need for it to have been 3 weeks after the regular season finished (which was already about 3 weeks later than originally planned) and also it need not have been on a Saturday, especially given that all League weekend games are played on Sunday. Just smacks of complete amateurish incompetence to me. They should have booked a proper neutral venue before the season started. Shabby treatment not just for Saints but Wolves as well.

Actually Southgate has called both of them up for England, just that one was more recently. As I said, hardly a ringing endorsement, the pool of England qualified keepers is not very deep.

Southgate selects Harry Maguire, its not exactly a ringing endorsement.

Mate's nipper is the Reading keeper. Mate is a Skate though so don't feel too bad.

That was the rumour, but McCarthy's contract was "outed" by the official FA information, whereas there was no evidence of Stephens' new contract. The fact that he hasn't even made the last couple of matchday squads would suggest to me that he is not in the picture for next season. Will please many on here (maybe he is going to ManU as an upgrade to Maguire).

Perhaps they could arrange to play Wolves beforehand, ridiculous situation that the play-off has been arranged 3 weeks after the last league game (especially when you consider the league was originally supposed to have finished about a month ago) and not only that arranged for a 3rd-rate venue geographically distant for both teams. Totally amateurish level of organisation at this level of the women's game. Sooner we win the play-off and move up to the Championship the better.

Cardiff on Sunday (last League game) then 3 weeks of nothing.

As fans "we" voted Chris Baird better than Gareth Bale, suggests he was rather better than you seem to credit. he was outstanding for us in central defence, converted from a LB, had the leap of a salmon.

When will people understand, we (Southampton) have not made a choice that McC is the better keeper. We offered both keepers a deal to remain, one accepted and one rejected. That's not stating a preference.

🤣

And why do you believe the Torygraph? It's a rag, and they have zero information on Saints, a bit like their knowledge of anything.

The trouble is that ultimately they have not won the League and Cup double (yet), that will only happen when the play-off against Wolves takes place. What we have done so far is won the League Cup and the Southern Premier Division. Shame really that the play-off is after our last home match of the season (assuming Liverpool is rescheduled before 22 May which it has to be).

So you do care who we pick.

Poacher turned Game Keeper

Spot on, though I would go further, CM is actually the highest priority. We have been found out, and when our 2 CMs are not at the top of their game we are easily outplayed, not least by opponents outnumbering us in the middle. We need to be able to go 3 in the middle at times and for that we need another 'first choice' as well as a decent backup (Diallo is not that player, good as he is). Our CBs are all mediocre (including Salisu who has shown recently to be as error prone as any), but on their day with good cover in front of them are adequate. Our strikers are not really the issue either, it is the lack of service as much as anything. Adding in CM (not replacing) with quality has to be top priority over the summer, if nothing else we need to have the 2 in every position that is often talked about but for some reason seems to be overlooked in these crucial positions.

Result yes, performance no. That was a shockingly bad performance. The only players that came out of that with any credit were Perraud, KWP and Forster (though Valery got better as the game progressed after a very shaky start). Apart from some very short spells we seemed unable to pass to a teammate and our back three reverted to passing it across the back because no one was making any space or making runs for them to get the ball to. Romeu apart from the 2 sitters he missed was way off his game as was JWP, we desparately need some alternatives in the DM area, on their day the pair are superb but we need options for when they are off form/injured/suspended. Stuart Armstrong had a complete mare, which is highly unusual, though he did at least demonstrate that we have players who can take corners as well if not better than JWP. I'm thinking that we can conclude that Stephens is on his way out after not even making the bench last night, it was a game that he was more suited to than others (for getting stuck in and shithousery), yet Valery got the nod.

Not quite. He developed thigh injury during the Brighton game, but didn't (apparently) inform the coaching staff that he was in trouble and stayed on the pitch while almost immobile. Ralph rebuked him for being unprofessional immediately after the game, though later he appeared to withdraw his criticism. Macca has not been seen in a squad since but does appear to be back in training. It was said his injury was hamstring, but now being reported as thigh problems, which might make some sense since hamstring issues in themselves tend to clear up quicker than this one.

Surely the Skates were a top side when they won it. I' sure they told us they were "massive", maybe I just missed the last word of the sentence. It really is no surprise that two thirds of the finalists are Top 6 sides (assuming this means the current Big 6), though 22 years ago there wasn't a Big 6, and not really sure there is now. Man U, Arsenal and Liverpool have always (well post War) contributed to the FA Cup finals massively, teams like Everton, Leeds, even Villa and Forest and maybe Derby were all top teams in their day. If smaller teams made the Final more than 1 in 3 times then it wouldn't really be a surprise/shock, would it? That said we all know they rig the draw these days so its no surprise anyway.

What happened to the Albanian bloke we were reportedly in for last Summer? Forster is gone, we offered him a contract for significantly less than he is currently on (allegedly) and he turned it down (presumably because we couldn't or didn't want to afford his considerable current wages). It would suggest that we are looking for, or more likely have already agreed a replacement who will be on less that Forster and more than McCarthy. I suggest that what will happen in the Summer is that we will offer Willy a one year contract, Forster and Lewis will bid farewell and go to pastures new that they have already sorted (after knowing for a year that they are on their way) and a new keeper will come in ostensibly as first choice, probably from a European League. The only slight doubt in my mind is whether McCarthy might be sold as well, since he fucked up with Ralph when he was injured, I do feel that his absence since then is a little fishy, it has gone on for too long to be just a hammy, especially for a keeper, Ralph's seeming desire to keep Willy suggests this might be the case.