Golac's Iron Gonads

Not the national sport in 2 of those countries, granted Russia's disappointing record is a conundrum, I chose those countries because they are European, have similar sized populations and historically strong domestic league competitions. Since England last graced a semi final 4 of those 5 have won the competition, Italy, France and Germany have been in 2 finals each. Other national teams that have made the world cup semis since England last did include Sweden, Bulgaria, South Korea, Turkey, Croatia, Uruguay. We are not performing as well as we should be, I don't expect us to be all conquering but it's a similar record in the Euros, it's poor stuff!

The Netherlands has a population of just 16.8 million, Germamy 80, France 66, Italy 59, and Spain 47. England has a population of 53 million we haven't made the semis of a world cup in 24 years that is not achieving what we should do. Something is very wrong with the game in this country, well not something, many things.

Christ! When was the last time that happened?

well he doesn't run around like a headless chicken (sterling, Januzaj etc etc) that makes it difficult for English pundits to understand what he contributes to a game, unless he's scoring goals.

It's hard to say really, I watched Saints in the early 80s and there was great technical skill on the field, any number of our goals of the month would show that, but it's so much faster now and that makes it far more difficult to show technical skill, yet we still see it. I do wonder how good technically some one like Giggs would be viewed now had he began his career 10 years earlier, or how would John Robertson fair in this day and age.

and Sterling is bloody awful, I'd rather take Bolasie, Zaha or even Puncheon back than have that overrated speedster, shisha smoking div at Saints. Not that we'd be able to afford the wages he seems to think he deserves.

and a thousand Liverpool fans simultaneously press 'delete video' on their phones after that free kick

Hahahaha bloody ha, hang on Pardew and Puncheon, hang on. No, actually go on and get another, ****ing Liverpool and Gerrard.

No doubt winning the league would have been bigger than getting 4th. However, the way football is now with the disparity of wealth coming 4th this season would be a far bigger achievement. Far harder to break into that top 4 now than it was to win the league back then.

That's pretty much how I remembered it as a 14/15 year old. Liverpool had games in hand as well if I recall correctly, and they rarely dropped points back then, so I would tot up the points I assumed they'd get and forget about thinking we could win the league at any point.

City have shown an ability to lose to anyone away from home. We've a chance of catching them but it's bloody slim.

Excellent!

I'll always have far more respect and affection for Nigel than for the git that replaced him.

Much maligned on this site, but I like the fella. Good attitude, never a problem wherever he's asked to play, head doesn't go down brings in the occasional Japanese cutie. He'd have to do something bloody spectacular to make the banner, but he's one of my favourites at Saints. http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/maya-yoshida-interview-unfortunately-some-japanese-players-are-lazy-10107108.html

Clyne should be allowed to wear those goggles during games, it'd be like having one of the X-men at full back and would certainly put the sheet up Hazard in a couple of week's time.

I'll weigh in and say that Schniederlin's heart isn't really in it with us anymore, said when we lost to Sunderland away last season that Pochettino's body language was that of someone that didn't really care anymore, sadly Schniederlin's looks very similar, still looks a decent player but just looks like he's not bothered if we win or lose, bit like Ronaldo in his final season at Man U.

Sure it's not that Consortium11 fellow? The garrulous commenter found on the Guardian match reports?

Please beat these cahnts!

Also to add to Pochettino's delusions, earlier in the season he claimed Spurs fans only wanted Kane in the starting eleven because he was English, at a time when Kane was only being used as a late sub for Adebayor and spurs were struggling to score.

I'm pretty sure at least 2 of those wins were against 10 men, too. I think I recall Villa being 1-0 up before some idiot did something stupid and they promptly conceded 2 goals.

Is it not possible that Pelle had a different role today? One that involved him winning the ball and laying it off or playing in to the 2 speedsters getting behind a slow Rangers defence. Great win, happy to lose 12 quid the goal went in just as I stuck 15 on us not to beat West Ham. Hope to lose that,too. If it costs me 200 quid to see us get into the champions league I'll consider it money well flushed.

someone block that ****ing keeper at corners!!

was there with the old man, as a 14 year old from London I knew nothing of the rivalry, my dad was from North Baddesley, but he never mentioned Pompey. We'd never played them since I'd been going (March 79) so to me it was just another cup tie against lower league opposition, though I did notice it was far more passionate an affair than any most I'd gone to. Do remember them throwing stuff at Danny Wallace I think, some old bloke in the Saints end yelling 'kill the copper' as a copper went under a seething mass of pompey fans to our right. Don't recall any trouble leaving or getting home, but do remember the press going on about the fighting etc the next day, but that was par for the course with the british press back then, they ****ing hated football and its fans. When the goal went in the place went mental, well not the whole place, I'm not sure how 3/4 of the ground reacted because a massive surge carried me a few steps down, and the noise was unreal, a primal ****ing howl from 10000 odd saints fans. Have to say though, not being a local boy the wins against Liverpool were always sweeter for me back then. They were a real team, not some nobody mullet up front bunch I'd never seen play before.

Yep, but I'm rating him compared to other Prem keepers, not international, not all time, just this seasons premiership keepers. He's one of the best, I think I'd only take Lloris, Courtois and possibly De gea over Forster, none of the others.

8/10 great improvement on Boruc and has years ahead of him.