washsaint

While I quite like Blackmore his hysterical, and OTT, reaction to Spygate will likely cost him any access or goodwill to the club. His reaction was astoundingly bad - calling it the darkest day in the clubs history (conveniently forgetting about Higgins). Reckon he has really shot his bolt on this one - the fact he did not get the interview with SOlak is very telling. Totally hysterical, pearl clutching reaction to what was a very minor infraction with a totally reprehensible and OTT reaction from the EFL and Boro which he was strangely silent on.

You really are thick one aren't you? Results didn't improve until he ditched 5 at the back.....well he won 6 of his first 7 with 5 at the back. Tonda is an excellent manager and should be headng for the top, this incident not withstanding. With the mass hysteria around 'spygate' anyone would think Saints had bribed refs, injured other players on purpose or were making bets on the games. In the great scheme of things what he and Saints did was stupid but minor. This whole thing has been blown out of all proportion. This idiocy and holier than thou approach realy started during COVID times and has remained ever since. It's really quit pathetic.

I hope Tonda stays. Yes he messed up big time but the hysteria and clutching of pearls by Blackmore and co is pathetic. Does anyone really think this does not happen with pretty much every other club? With him at the helm I think we would be top 2.

Yes, Saints broke the rules and got caught. If anyone thinks no other club does this you're mad: they are just not stupid enough to get caught. Yes Saints deserved a fine but the penalty applied is absolutely ridiculous and without precedence. Putting Boro in the final could/should open up a whole can of legal worms from the likes of Millwall and Wrexham. Sainst should go for the jugular on this one. The treatment meted out by the 'independent' panel is utterly ridiculous.

I remember that evening at the Dell very well. The band were absoluely terrible and they did their best to incite a riot with the Leeds fans if I recall correctly. I can't recall if their set got pulled or they finished but I do know the Leeds fans were out for blood!

Always a long shot to win out but a draw afer playing so badly is not to be sniffed at. Play-offs guaranteed that almost no-one would have seen 2 mnths ago. Onwards to the Cup semi....we will have to play miles better to just not get hammered

This is a terrible performance so far. Terrible passing, terrrible defending and just not at the races.

Long, long way to go but very disjointed so far. No attacking threat and looking very vulnerable to balls played over the top

Bloody hell, Wood has been awful so far. His terrible header out started the build up to that goal but Manning's defending was terrible too

Just watched his interview from last night on the Saints website. He comes across so well and seems incredible he is only 21 (and that was last week so happy birthday). I really have enjoyed seeing his progression this season. Charles always gets a lot of plaudits but Bragg's efforts were superb last night. Always in the right place to receive the ball, passing the ball well and some real bite in his challenges. Hopefully, both him and Tonda get big contract extensions in the summer. Bragg is developing into a real quality player and did not look out of place against Arsenal.

You're quite right. Doh!

You do know he is a POmpey fan right?

Not sure what point you're trying to make. That reflects exactly what a remarkable job he's done.

Sorry a couple of us (Dirk and myself) could see immediately that he had something about him. That being said, never expected hm to be as genious as he's turned out to be. No question he will be a top, top manager (and hopefully for Saints for many years to come)

Give him a 5 year contract tonight. This guy is going right to the top - what an amazing bit of luck on our part to have him. I just hope we can keep hold of him as he will be in great demand in the summer (and rightly so). The way he has turned around this club is remarkable. He's a fucking genius

Absolutely fucking amazing. Brilliant. Every player did their bit. Now give Tonda a 5 year contract TONIGHT. The guys a fuckin genius

I fuckin' love this new Saints. SO proud of that first half display - absolutely brilliant and, but for some poor touches, we could have been 2 up. Tonda - we have to keep him. What he has done with this squad is remarkable and I have real confidence if Saints go up his season we would actually do well in the Prem (as in, not in a relegation battle). Long way to go but what a brilliant first half and every player played their heart out. No matter hwat happens in the 2nd half at last we have a team we can be proud of again.

Impressive from Saints so far.....so much better than midweek. Disciplined and Larin holding the ball up well. Coventry the most threatening and hopefully HT came at the right time for Saints. For a game with so few chances that was pretty entertaining. Absolute wonder save from Peretz that looks better every time you see it. Shout out to Bragg who is doing really well just in front of the defence. 'If only' we hadn't had that abysmal start under Still I'm very confident we would have been promoted this season, likely in the autos. Just hoping we can keep some of our better players and go up next season.

He truly is an utter numpty. Him and his alter ego Saints Royalty are quite something. I think too many people believe we should win every game and play like Brazil at the same time. Never going to happen and our awful, awful start is what will cost us at the end of the season.

You really are a cockle aren't you? Bragg offers nothing - really? He's been excellent this season and if you can't see that you need to go to Specsavers

Winning you over? You do realize his record now sits at: P25 W15 D5 L5 which equates to a 60% win percentage and - if all League games - 92 points over a full season. Taking into account the state of the club/team when he stepped into the breach his record is nothing short of miraculous.

What a manager Saints stumbled into! I just hope we can keep him - he is clearly showing he is headed for the top.

He seems like a top, top guy and I think, as stated several times before, he could be an excellent manager for us and I get the impression he won't jump at the first opportunity. It would be nice to have some stability around the club and absolutely no-one (including people like @tdmickey3) can dispute his record since becoming interim manager. A ratio of nearly 2 points per game from where we were for the previous 15-18 months is quite remarkable: and without the benefit of a summer transfer window (dealing with what he inherited)

What utter nonsense......best squad in the League my arse. For most of the season we did not have a real striker fit or available. A weak link in goal. And a scarred squad from an awful Prem season with a club clearly in disarray. 'On paper' Leicester had the strongest squad in the League, with Ipswich not far behind. If you are so blind as to not see that 35 points from 20 games is an excellent return, that's your problem. Eckert has taken a squad with low morale and playing abysmally to, somehow, still being in with a shout of the plays offs and it also looks like the culture within the club is being improved and rebuilt. Seriously, some fans. No doubt they'd prefer someone like Dyche (a 'proper' manager).

Sometimes you have to just say fair play about the opposition. Very limited but defended really well and were obviously keen for payback from the reverse fixture. Thought both Stewart and Larin played well and were a real handful.......shame our geniuses at SR didn't recognize this at the start of the season insetad of wasting money on an unknow quantity who turned out to be pretending to be a footballer. For me both Azaz and Fellows have been underwhelming all season apart from one purple patch. For those saying the Christmas results will be why we don't make the play offs I don't think that's the case: it was the position WIll Still left us in (13 games played, 12 points. Since then we have 35 points from 20 games which would clearly be enough to finish in the play offs at least over the course of a season)