The Kraken

I'd say it was a 4231 against Man City on opening day though. JWP and Morgan as the two, Lallana ahead of them centrally, Puncheon and JRod out wide.

I don't disagree. 4231 even. But Nige had been calling it 433 all pre-season and early season. And as I say, apart from the personnel changes I don't see an overall change in formation. We tried a "true" 433 (JWP, Morgan and S. Davis) a couple of times, and also went with a 442 a couple of times. But the formation now is IMO pretty much exactly that to which we kicked off the season with.

Hang on a minute; when was the 4-3-3 abandoned?? As far as I can see; while we're now playing different personnel (and not playing players out of position) we're using the same formation that started the season against Man City.

That's probably why the switch is taking place as a short term measure; the training ground developments are only partway through and will probably soon start impacting upon the main pitches.

An anagram of Eastleigh is Eagle sh*t. Then again, I went to college there and my brother and his family live there, so I shouldn't be too harsh. Crikey, I even lived there for a while as a young Kraken. Scary stuff. Forza Spitfires.

There's a good point made in that thread; Eastleigh call themselves "The Spitfires" but the Spitfire was made in Woolston, they just took off from Eastleigh Aerodrome. What a vicious circle.

Sorry, you're correct. I'll rephrase. A bit of a shame in my opinion that there was an accusation from the Eastleigh chairman at the time that SFC had gone back on an agreement between Saints and Eastleigh, which (from the Eastleigh chairman's point of view) led to the club not being able to monetarily capitalise as much as it had previously expected to on the previous agreement.

Slightly humourous that the term "airport stealers" is prevalent; yet their own football club itself is "stolen" from Swaythling, and debatably not within the true confines of Eastleigh. Still, I don't mind Eastleigh. Good to have seen them rise through the ranks, and a bit of a shame we stitched them up in previous years following the Aaron Martin deal, so its nice that's being put to rights. I may well pop along to one of these games.

Twelve quid certainly doesn't buy you much in the modern game.

You're absolutely right about that one Perce; I'm not even sure what it was.

I think you've outdone everyone with your sh*t punnery on this occasion; have a biscuit!

Hooiveld has scored at the wrong end more than once, does he count? You didn't specify which team they had to have scored for...

Nope, still not there, in fact that's even worse.

That gag just doesn't work on any level.

This will work out well; I can't forecast any problems at all. Previously they could only get stumpy and 15 of his chinless wonder mates to attend their demonstration outside Fratton Park. This one could be utterly hilarious.

A revolutionary tactic, that one.

More accessible than Staplewood, I'd have thought? Unless this is the first little step in the move to the 50,000 seat Cortesedome.

Joseph Barton‏@Joey7Barton In my defence, it is very difficult to do a press conference in Scouse for a room full of French journalists. The alternative is to speak like an 'Allo 'Allo character.

I preferred it when they were called Swaythling Athletic.

Totes on board with that.

They enjoy their blue-themed fancy dress days down at Fortress Fatpipes. First it was the blue smurfs. Then, against Coventry, it was "dress as a blue seat" day. Now its blue Santa day. They really are the bestest, most passionate football fans in the world.

I did take it back and apologise for it, Bearface. Still mates?

Is it by design? MOTD2 made a point at one stage during the match of focussing on NA, who had run to the touchline shouting "play, play, play", as if we were hoofing too much.