washsaint

Very early days still but......... - RK looks like our best manager since Lawrie Mac already. Highly articulate, does not suffer fools gladly and has Saints fighting for everything - Just got only our 3rd ever win over Arsenal at Arsenal - We have now won 2 away games after coming from behind: I cannot remember another season when we have been able to do that - Team is still bedding in but we still look threatening and with pace and trickery from the wings - RK has a Plan B, C, D and E unlike Pochettino! - Incredible depth in defence with 2 quality players for every position. Good luck keeping them all happy! - Schneiderlin appears to be content and happy here again (for now) - When Mane gets up to speed and ROdriguez gets fit we will be frighteningly good up front and will scare teams to death - Spirit in the camp seems superb: from the Board all the way down - Money in the bank to spend if needed in January Truly a great time to be a Saints fan right now - particularly sweet after the start to the summer! Meltdown, what meltdown?

As others have said, maybe opens the door for Reed to get some minutes and show what he is capable of. Very disappointing for JWP - many on here don't seem keen on him yet he keeps getting lavish praise from ex-players, managers, etc. so he is doing more right than wrong

Amen to that vftt. Also have a Boardman that is now only used for family rides. Addictive....absolutely, now several century rides are under the belt want to start looking at double centuries and challenges like pikes peak. Don't understand how it became so addictive

yeah come on crab lungs...#itshappeningbutnotasyouthought Is the sky still falling down? Are we still doomed and when will the club be sold? You've been exceptionally quiet lately....wonder why?

FFS....what is it with the arrogance of some posters on here? The fans "forced" the Board to stop the sale of Morgan - what a load of b*****s. Re-reading this thread, some posters look like utter p***s!

Is that a promise?

Squad so thin....are you having a giraffe? We are blessed with so many options in midfield. Toby out but Yoshi did pretty good and Gardos looks like a unit, Mane still to come in and Rodriguez back in a couple of months. This is the strongest squad depth we have had for many a year.

Backroads Century this Sunday out in Berryville, VA. Never done it before but meant to be a beautiful ride with great tomato sandwiches at the rest stops! Shame, as this is the last organized Century ride of the season and soon enough it will be a case of trying to stay motivated enough to bang out the winter miles - and it gets cold here! Don't know where on earth summer went - flew by this year.

what a top bloke Morgan appears to be.....some of our departed (but not lamented) players could well learn a thing about how to conduct themselves. Really hope Morgan means what he says - interesting bit in that is 'fulfil ambitions with Saints'. I.e. been told we are looking to get into Europe and aiming for CL (however unrealistic that may/may not be). Although I'm probably reading way too much into that.

gotta say........Franny is such a legend and it is to NC's eternal shame that he tried to airbrush our history. From afar, it feels like the club is working hard to be more inclusive and Kruger continues to come across exceptionally well. Question for those going to St Marys.....is the corporate area fuller than for the last couple of seasons (i.e. is commercial side on the way up)? Truly hope the feel good factor remains in place all season. Thank the lord we have the Liebherrs in control of our club.

yep and crab lungs......interested to see what they have to say now (early days and all that)

good thing about that game was that (despite Newcastle being awful) it looked like Saints were playing well within themselves.We really look a threat and have true competition for all positions now - something we have not had for many a year. Could be a frighteningly good season if we continue to improve and Mane and Rodriguez to come in. Full credit to Koeman - commentators were talking about how RK changes it up all the time so other team doesn't know how we will play next as opposed to 'Plan A' Pochettino last season. Early days but hugely encouraging. Certainly don't see how we will be involved in a relegation battle and really think we could challenge for 6/7 this year.

See franny is nearly there - what an unbelievable achievement and what a guy. How could anyone associated with Saints ever have tried to ban this guy? Huge heart and sitting here with a tear in my eye at what he has acheieved. LEGEND

epic ride last weekend - civil war century in Thurmont, MD. Beautiful scenery , challenging climbs, great rest stops and brill ice cream at the end! Only downside was the horrendous heat and humidity (got up to 100 degrees at one stage) with people dropping out like flies. Huge storm towards the end of the ride and was quite something cycling down country lanes with torrential rain, big winds and lightning landing in the fields either side of the road! If you ever get the chance to do this ride in Maryland I would recommend grabbing it with both hands - and only $40! Truly the most scenic ride I have done - and certainly the most challenging. Out of interest, what are the organized rides like in the UK and does anyone from here do them?

Great article on ESPN ( http://www.espnfc.co.uk/southampton/story/2026875/morgan-schneiderlin-i-owed-it-to-southampton-to-stay? ) from Morgan. Truly hope this is true and that he will remain committed but it is very nice to see a player not act like a mercenary at the drop of a hat. Total respect to the guy.

errrrrr....all the U18s/U21s are on the squad list. Not much to read into that I think.

A simple yes or no would have sufficed you buffoon FC. gave up reading your illiterate reply after about 5 words.

Soccer in the US as big as American football or baseball.......not in our lifetimes I think! here in the DC area it is very popular and the kids soccer coaching is outstanding - especially for girls. Portland and Seattle are well supported in the MLS (which is dire and none of my American friends watch it but do watch the NBC coverage). Since NBC have been showing the Prem more and more people in my area have been talking about Saints as they now get the chance to watch them and last season there was a buzz about Saints with the style we played. Be interesting to see if Saints do a US pre-season tour next year. But Fox was, and always will be - including for baseball - absolutely awful.

dear oh dear FC.....so your personal insults at Kruger and the Board (and they were petty uncalled for insults) was just you letting off steam. Yet when someone posts a well thought out, logical, neutral post they are "naive". You - and many others on here - threw the baby out with the bathwater and acted like self-indulgent and entitled brats. The level of bitterness and bile towards people related with SFC that you don't even know was disgusting and you all jumped the gun. Sure the season might not be stellar but we now have better governance at the club, a potentially superb manager and a stronger squad. So - simple yes or no will suffice - do you now think we are in a better position than the end of the season with better foundations across the club as a whole?

I wouldn't tar all Americans with the same brush Wes. Yes Fox are idiots (especially their studio with Barton and Wynalda - clueless) but on the flip side NBC are absolutely superb. Way, way better than ITV and BBC and better than Sky (when I left the UK 4 years ago but can't comment now). The coverage on NBC is outstanding and they know what they are talking about - admittedly it is pretty much an English studio. Fox were a joke when they had Premiership coverage and they are an even bigger joke now.

VFTT - say what you really think, don't sugar coat it! There are 3 or so posters who seem to think they played a part in "forcing" the Board to do various things. reminds me of Spike Milligan's "Adolf Hitler: my part in his downfall"

Oh dear Crab Lungs - your missive turned out to be a crock of s**t did it not? Or do you still think we are doomed?

why was it a monumental messup OldNick? Did the players not hold all the cards? Have you not seen Bertrand, Tadic, Pelle, Forster play for Saints yet? Why cannot you admit you were monumentally wrong re. asset stripping comments, Kruger, et al? We have 2 loans - and are you not prepared to say we have stronger squad depth and that the Board lived up to their promises?

sits back and waits for the bites.....very good Turkish All in all a good window for us and we are now stronger in depth than last season. Kruger and the Board have delivered: excellent manager (likely to be an upgrade on old one), strengthened considerably and kept MS and JR too

not good news if true