washsaint

Amazing isn't it that we have so many resident 'experts' on here who say how ****e Redmond is. yet you read the journo reports or listen to ex-players and they have a completely different view and are glowing in their priase of him. So who is right? Got to say, talking to the wife while watching todays game we were both commenting on how enjoyable it is to watch the Saints style of play now. Might not be a 100mph 'up and at em' approach but is really enjoyable to watch and some of the 1 touch play today was fantastic. Hopefully we will soon make our superior play count by scoring the goals our play deserves. Hats off to Claude - I was skeptical about his appointment but have a feeling Les has pulled off (yet) another masterstroke!

I actually think Redmond has been good in the very few touches he has had so far and he tracks back well. Some of his touches have been sublime and over time I am confident he will flourish under Puel. 2 mistakes at the back apart we have looked really comfortable and by far the better team. Don't think either Bertrand or Davis have had their best games but overall a solid display by Saints and you can see the team now understands Puel's way of playing and the good news is that it does not expand copious amounts of energy running round like headless chickens.

Agree Old Nick - you look at the dreadful displays against Mijtlland last year. Chalk and cheese. 1 win against Inter (home or away) and we have 1 foot in the next round.

Great interview and his passion comes across really clarly even in the written interview. As a club, we are so, so lucky to have the ownership and leadership that we do.

Love that area Winner - my dad lives out in Tisbury so understand the steep hills and lumpiness round that way! Don't you just love the organized rides where you meet so many different people and have some good chats/company that makes the ride fly by? Sounds like a great ride (in decent weather!) - I know last time I was back in the UK (last summer) I was able to get out round Winchester and while not mountains like near me here, plenty of steep hills to get the legs burning! But was still shocked at how damp it was in summer (obviously had forgotten)!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/09/26/exclusive-investigation-england-manager-sam-allardyce-for-sale/

Nice Winner - been really interested to see if the UK organized rides are like the US ones, in the sense of good aid stations, post ride meals (and beers sometimes) included. Sounds like your ride had better fuel than the ones I do here. One ride does amazing tomato sandwiches and fresh peaches but other than that it is a bit grim. In terms of riding over here, I ride year round. I actually really enjoy the winter riding in the dry as it can be -15C with wind chills but wrapped up warm and no-one else around can be fun! The air is very dry here in the winter so it only becomes icy after snow or rain. Look forward to the next instalment of your ride.......

Really challenging ride to finish the group ride season today - nearly 4.5K feet of climibing in 50 miles with some nasty climbs. Beautiful ride though - esepcially when following the Shenandoah river through the forest. It's been a cracking season and realized a number of 'dreams' such as riding in the ROckies (twice!), big rides in Oregon and really picking the pace up this year. Have my eye on one final century in Anne Arundel in late October and will likely do Skyline Drive again before it gets too cold.

And you're still an absolute idiot who should p**s off back to the UI board.

Really pleased to see results improve and, quite honestly, our style of play is now back to some of the Pochettino era.....exciting to watch and easy on the eye. Despite how well Koeman did for us over 2 seasons you couldn't honestly say the style was particularly joyful to watch for the majority of the time. The squad seems to be really together and it was quite opportune Koeman leaving, as otherwise I don't think Tadic would still be here. Hopefully we are back on an onward march and nice to see press and commentators finally giving lots of praise to the Southampton Way in terms of the whole ethos being far more than any individual.

Superb.....season now well underway. 3 games, 3 wins, 3 clean sheets. Maybe, just maybe, things are starting to come together and with Boufal still to come in. Only concern is number of chances our strikers (Redmond, Long and Austin) are missing. Hopefully Boufal can play as a striker! Looks like Hesketh has put himself well into the mix for a start too.

I would highly recommend a proper compact for the Alps based on the riding I have done out in the Rockies this year: I am just under 14 stone and cannot shift any more weight so I am not built for climbing. I could not have survived some of the 15-20 mile climbs using my standard bike with a standard chainset. Having a compact made life very bearable and meant I did not run of gas - the standard chain set is fine for short sharp hills (for me even up to 20%+) but would not want to try a very long climb using the standard chain set - especially if in places it goes to 10%+.

THat looks like a stunning ride WInner.....I miss hedgerows and country lanes over here in the US. But based on the video I do not miss the damp and grey skies and no doubt chilly weather!!! Proper jealous of the Alps trip you have planned though!!

Quite surpised -that is a well thought out piece from Quinn. I don';t believe he is just talking about the Academy: our recruitment process of buying young, unpolished talent and honing their skills means their resale value is enormous (potentiallY) which, in turn, allows us to reinvest and continue on our path. It is also much harder for younger players to break into a top 6/8 team than a mid-table/lower half Prem team so I would expect it to take longer for younger players to break through now.

How was the ride Winner? Looked like a hilly one.

Apart from in front of goal, we played superbly. Redmond looked pretty good - until he got in front of goal where he was totally woeful. You can see that Hojberg is not yet the finished article - but, boy what a player he will be. Strong, surging runs and not afraid to get stuck in.....offers way more than CLasie I think. SOares was good and great move to bring Cuco on to help cover Montero. Tadic was outstanding and cannot wait to see what Boufal adds to the team. For me, Austin or Rodriguez should be starting every game - they know where the net is and Long is having a mare and Redmond could not hit a barn door from 3 yards out. Bit worried when we started sitting so deep - when we attacked prior to the goal Swansea just could not cope with the pace and movement. Very different style from last 2 seasons - much easier on the eye. Hopefully these last 2 wins will kickstart our season now.

bloody hell......Rednmond is bloody awful in front of goal. Did the hard part and then totally clueless for the most important bloody but: scoring a goal!!

really, really dislike this formation. No width and when we attack we have to hold up as there is no-one supporting the attack. So narrow and defensive: playing a counter attacking formation is all well and good but all teams have to do is sit deep as they know we have zero threat.

That looks like a stunning ride Winner - and glad the weather won't be too brutal. That can sap the fun out of it as it becomes all about just finishing!

Toughest ride I have ever done at the weekend. Civil War Century which involved 8,000 feet of climbing over 106 miles. Ride was hard enough but the extreme humidity and heat really took a toll. Temperature was around 95 degrees with a heat index of well over 100. Very little shade in places and it is not an exaggeration to say there were plenty of ambulances carting people off with severe dehydration, heat stroke and cramp. Looked like a war zone with riders lying down under trees by the side of the road to try and recover along the route. After 50 miles I nearly bailed as pace was too strong with who I was riding with and could feel myself overheating. Managed to nurse myself home but doubt I will ever do this century again!!!!! For all that it was incredibly beautiful ride taking in many Civil War battlefields like Antietam and Gettysburg. Tough, tough, tough!

So long as the good old British weather behaves? That sucks re. the new bike - bet its made you kinda grumpy!

Enjoy the new toy WSS! I'm fortunate enough to be back in Denver for business so rented a bike for the downtime. Stunning ride this morning up Golden State Canyon but bloody tough (7.3 mile climb average 7%) starting at 6K feet and climbing 2800 feet. My route back was washed away so turned into a bike hike and even a lift by the workmen for one section where there had been a landslide and no bikes were allowed. Certainly an experience and absolutely love the Rockies for cycling.....it is pretty much perfect here but I can't persuade the wife to move out unfortunately!

We did actually look a lot better once Redmond moved to the #10 spot and Jay looked very sharp with a lot of pace. If we send him out on loan we truly have lost the plot!

Jay should stay and Austin go.

Perhaps we should sell Fonte - he's been terrible and looks a liability against anyone pacey. This is an utterly terrible side and if we persist in playing like this we really will be in a relegation scrap. Utterly awful and Puel must have real question marks over him already. taken a well drilled, strong side and turned it into a ho, steaming pile of c**p in less than 2 months