VectisSaint

I thought we had received everything already for Bale (including a dodgy keeper). But there is article on Beeb today about Bale that suggests otherwise: "He (Bale) cost Tottenham an initial £5m to sign the Welsh international from the Saints in the summer of 2007 - a fee that could rise to £10m." http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/tottenham_hotspur/9262190.stm Anyone any idea of the conditions still outstanding?

Walking the League might be stretching it a bit, perhaps we will limp or hobble this League with all these top class injured players we are about to sign.

Well it would be difficult to be busy on here! Marie Celeste would be in good company here this weekend, anyone would think there was no game on.

Perhaps the Cheltenham game didn't happen, figment of our imagination, or perhaps it didn't matter as it was only the FA Cup, and we should be concentrating on the League. I'm joking. I got 10 points as well, so equally miffed about lack of update, but I guess in the overall scheme of things this is not as big a problem as world hunger.

Was Bignall a figment of my imagination? Admittedly not with us long, but the Club did actually bring in backup.

But this sums up some folks attititude in a nutshell. Probably only aware of football since the Premier League existed (or is it the EPL?) and think that Blackpool are a noddy club. They are frankly as big as us, have a similar record and before the world as some know it post Sky were for a while a massive club. No sense of history or of the magic of the FA Cup. Just because it was before you (and me for that matter) were born that Blackpool were one of the biggest clubs in the country, does not make them noddy, only that they have had a lean spell, much like we are experiencing at the moment. We need a few more seasons in the top flight to match their record, so who is the big club? In my view, we are actually very similar in terms of our historical success, and as things stand right now, they are 2 divisions above us.

This! Very sad how some people just seem to have lost the idea of the magic of the Cup. It is still thr best cup competition in the world and yet some so-called football fans on here seem to think it is some sort of pennance to have to play in it. This is the same competition that brought us our greatest ever moment (and some other near misses as well). So we may not be in with a chance of winning it, so what. It is something a bit different and gives us a chance to play a game with no real fear, go out and try to win against a better team and not care about grinding out 3 points against a top team like Dagenham & Redbridge. Still, guess you won't please evryone, but still some real saddos on here. Of course Blackpool are no mugs in the Cup, they have a tradition similar to us (one win) and for many years were a much bigger team than we were (they have spent more seasons in the top flight than we have). I suppose some of the kiddywinks on here have probably never heard of Matthews, Mortensen & Perry. I only recently found out that Bill Perry was the husband of my cousin - he scored the winning injury-time goal in the famous 4-3 win over Bolton in the Matthews Final (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article2562756.ece). Blackpool of course beat us in a 5th round replay to reach that memorable final. I should add that the game was actually before I was born (just) but was folklore when I was a nipper. Still if all the miserable sods who don't think the game matters stay away it will be better for the rest of us who support Saints and want to see us do well in whatever competition we are playing.

Aldershot at home would have been nice, top 2 Hampshire teams, but not to be, we could have sung you dirty northern bastards at them LOL I would be happy to get someone like Reading, Leicester, Brizzle City or Hull at home. Someone to compare ourselves with from a higher division. Please not the Skates, we do not need the distraction of a meaningless local derby against them. We will probably get Scunny.

Not in CM they don't, very few CMs are near the finished article at 21+3 weeks. For example Scholes only broke into Manure team regularly when he was 21. Not comparing Spiderman and Scholes directly, but different positions demand different types of player, and different qualities. Experience and physique are important in the role that he is asked to play.

But they would probably struggle playing CM, especially in the defensive MF role. Bale might be good enough now as he has the physique and mental toughness, but Walcott no way, can't tackle for toffee. You can't compare wide players like Walcott and Bale with CMs like Morgan. Completely different type of player, and CMs need a completely different physique.

OK, thats enough, Prediction League points await

I think you completely misunderstand NA if you think he will encourage cloggers. It is exactly cloggers that NA would have no time for, his style is very much players with ability on the ball, a quick passing game. But like you Morgan is one of the few players we have who would cut it in the Prem, if we can keep him that long. He did join on a 4 year contract, so is with us until end of next season at least unless we decide to sell.

One very important missing stat: Age 21 + 3 weeks Morgan is just getting to the age where a decent midfielder starts to come into his prime. We will regret forever letting him go. I think people forget how young he is, like centre halves CMs need experience and maturity before they become the finished article. Sure wingers such as Oxo can blossom at 16/17, and full backs to, but CM, CB and GK are not usually for kids. Really his only fault is his temperament, silly niggly fouls that get unneccessary bookings, but not so worrying now we have 3 decent CMs.

Excuse my ignorance, but what has the great man been awarded? I thought he received an MBE a few years back, is this something new? Queue comments from ****s soon who have no sense of what this fella did for our club.

It is information about one of our main promotion rivals, it is interesting because they had owners that managed to avoid 10 points deduction unlike our ruddy-faced idiot that thought he knew how to beat the system, it is related to one of our favouritist people, and finally at least it is something to read, there is **** all on this board interesting about Saints at the moment. By the way, I thought Dave Allen was dead, great comedian. Goodnight, and may your God go with you.

Holding the play-off final for 2 lower league teams from England in Wales would be ridiculous.

Would be good, perhaps he could bring the other Matt with him as well

Could have been 3 dropped if KD hadn't saved the pen

Sounded to me quite likely that he will be bringing someone Into the Building this week, and I would guess it is someone from L2. As long as it is not Elvis I will be happy.

Never one fair maiden in Pompey perhaps :-) For those saying don't change a winning side, do you go with the starting XI or the team that finished? I assume Barny will play, seems like he was taken off as a precaution to protect his on-going "pelvic area" issues. Personally I would start with Holmes and be prepared to bring on Oxo as an impact sub. Otherwise start with the team that started yesterday. Question is whether Jaidi is able to start 2 games in 4 days. Have to keep plugging away with Lambert, his link up play with Barny is excellent and eventually his luck/form will return

Maybe true, but we idolise players who are loyal to the team they supported as a kid, Stevie is no different. He supported the Arse from an early age, and remains loyal to the team he always supported. Maybe he played more games for us, but to hate Steve Williams simply because he is a loyal supporter of the team he grew up watching is to say the least a case of double standards. I have personally never heard him slag off Southampton, and I wouldn't be too bothered if he did. He was a professional footballer who gave everything for us and was arguably one of our greatest players ever and our skipper, and certainly when playing with Bally formed one of the best midfield partnerships, not just for Saints but In English football. To put someone like Steve Williams on a list of players to hate really beggars belief. I really don't agree with hating anyone, but there are many more worthy candidates for vitriloe than one of our greatest ever players. Very sad that he even got mentioned on this thread in my opinion.

Oh dear, while I can empathise with the 1st paragraph (although I don't really agree about Jamie), the second paragraph is just so wide of the mark. Stevie Williams and Lawrie Mac, 2 Saints legends. It really is sad that for all they did for the Club all someone can recall is this sort of rubbish. Still they say football is a game of opinions. Now if you really want to dislke an ex-Saint, Jelle van Damme fits the bill extremely well. A total tosser.

Perhaps he was ****ed off having a whinging Puncheon around. Now that he's gone perhaps Ricky will cheer up and start banging them in again.

Would suggest without any inside knowledge that JP has become something of a disruptive influence, so shipping him out either temporarily or permanently makes a lot of sense. Teams cannot afford to have players in the squad who are not pulling in the same direction as everyone else. JP is not an Adkins player (same as everyone else), perhaps JP doesn't get on with him or vice versa. Who knows (maybe leftback). Won't shed any tears though.

I'm not going to give any players names. But what will happen, I am sure, is that NA will try to offload players who are not buying-in to his methods. That could be anyone, from Pulis to Davis, whether they are fans favourites or not, but only NA will make the decision. He will also try to bring in some of his own players to put his mark on the squad, and get the team playing his way. I cannot believe that NA will not have any funds in January, I am sure he just would not have joined us if he had been told no funds available for the jan Transfer window.