The Kraken

Doubts have been expressed in some quarters that RL won't be able to dominate centre-backs in the PL as he has done in the lower leagues. Its something I very much disagree with; I think he'll be just as effective in the air. As you say he was up against one of the best defenders in the whole league yesterday and still came out on top in the aerial challenges. Also with the ball at his feet; too often Guly wasn't able to hold on to it with his back to goal. Rickie can do that, and also has the vision to bring in other players around him with his quick feet. I'm hoping that yesterday is an exception rather than the norm. Rickie needs to be on the pitch for as long as possible. We were a much better side yesterday with him up front rather than on the bench.

So we need half a new team then?! I don't necessarily disagree, but that kind of puts it in perspective.

If I'd have been at the game I'm sure I'd have come away feeling absolutely elated. I watched on Sky and felt delighted afterwards. It wasn't until watching the highlights later on BBC though that I actually realised just how many glaring opportunities we gave away to City. They're obviously a class above almost every team in this league, but to give away so many gilt-edged opportunities still really worries me. We'll score goals in this league, I'm pretty confident of that, but our propensity for being undone at the back is a definite concern.

...are we not guilty of going a little over the top with the merits of the game? Firstly this is not an attack on the team; I was really surprised by how confident and comfortable we looked at times. Our two goals were well worked and well taken, and overall there was more to be pleased with than not. However, I think we're kidding ourselves a bit that, on another day, Man City could have been well and truly out of sight before we clawed our way back into the game. They scored 3 goals in the game, missed a penalty, Silva was guilty of at least one miss of a virtual open goal, Clichy blazed over from 6 yards out, Balotelli somehow put it wide from a similar distance. 3 goals scored plus at least 4 where you'd put your money on a goal, and it could quite easily have been a very different scoreline and story. Of course that's mitigated against the fact we were up against the champions, at their home ground, and we were expecting nothing more than a complete hammering. And I know that you need an element of luck to get anything from these games. But I'm hearing things like "this was our best performance in years" from some people and, well, and I think we're in danger of playing the plucky losers card too much. IMO the Wigan game will tell us much more about our team than this game has. That's when the real pressure is on, and the level of expectation goes right up.

Agree with this. The other settling in factors are also relevant but it makes it doubly difficult for him to do so while being played out on the left. Shouldn't judge too much from his performance in yesterday's game but it's quite telling that we started with Guly up front and Rodriguez left rather than the other way round. Makes you wonder what'll happen if we do sign Ramirez and Phillips as planned, £7M seems like an awful lot for a club like us to spend on someone who may sit on the bench.

Racist.

I assume you mean Kelvin? In which case I'd say no chance at all. Joe Hart is a very young and very well established number 1 keeper. Jack Butland seems to be being fast tracked. Rob Green is playing top flight football again, but I see that the ngland squad are looking for younger players, hence the call up of John Ruddy. Allied to the fact that Kelvin just isn't anywhere good enough at international level, I'd simply be astonished if he got anywhere near the squad.

I'm not a critic of him at all. I just don't think he'll make the step up to international level, its a huge leap. I'm confident he'll do well at Premier League level (though I don't think he'll score anywhere near as many goals as he did in the lower leagues), but I don't see an England role for him.

You sound very ungracious in victory.

Ward-Prowse needs to get into the under-21s before he can be considered for the full squad. As good a prospect as he is, we looked better with Davis on the pitch. Clyne perhaps has the best chance; young, quick, and England are not exactly over-run with quality right-backs who can actually defend as well as get forward well. Lallana is miles away from the national side.

Racist.

1 pint.

Carry on with that nonsense if you wish. Guly is the type of player that will divide opinion. Calling people a racist just because they don't ascribe to your view of him is childish and silly. How did Clyne get on today? I suppose all the racists are out in force saying how poor he was.

I was having a chat yesterday when out; I stated that there definitely isn't one Saints player that would get in the Man city first choice side. Added to that, its debatable whether one of ours would actually usurp any of their next 11 best players.

Dry your eyes FFS. Its a message board and people have opinions, which may be different to yours. Agendas; bloody hell, how paranoid do you want to be? I'm sure you'll be massively missed if you choose not to post too often.

I think that's miltonroader's "thing", he seems quite desperate to be seen as controversial and edgy.

If RL was not deemed mobile enough to play as the lone striker, I seriously doubt NA would play him in behind the main striker. I'd much rather see RL up top with JRod coming on to replace him if required, Rodriguez on the left doesn't seem to work very well IMO.

Why not?

I wouldn't say he was excellent. He put in a great shift and worked really hard for the team; but he never really looked a threat in front of goal. When Rickie came on he looked much more the genuine article up front, his link up play and deft touches really are quite sublime and he made and took his chance absolutely brilliantly. I also thought Guly and teh team in general were better when Rickie came on and he moved away from the main striking role. The formation in general worked well, but in future I think I'd prefer to see Rickie in the striker's role and Guly in midfield. I thought JRod looked lost out on the left and didn't get in the game at all.

I read it, thanks. And I stand by it.

IMHO you're as ignorant as he is for carrying on with the ridiculous racism accusations.

Why are you shouting, you incoherent clown?

Why not? What are you basing this on?

Davis - 4; very shaky, distribution very hit and miss. Clyne - 8; rarely beaten and got forward well, worked well with Puncheon. Fox - 4; gave the goal away, although didn't get a huge amount of support from Rodriguez. Distribution not brilliant and didn't get forward as much as would have liked. Fonte - 7; did what he had to, strong in the air and well composed. Hooiveld - 5; poor penalty to give away and I didn't feel confident with him at all. Schneiderlin - 5; kept it simple but needs to keep posession much better, was brushed off the ball at least 2 or 3 times. JWP - 7; really promising performance, a few rushed moments but otherwise he was always looking to play and support the attack. Good range of passing. Lallana - 6; often seemed to lose control of the football at the vital moment. Playing in the centre will suit him but his touch looked off on occasions. Puncheon - 6; put in a good shift but rarely offered a threat going forward. Too predictable with cutting in, would have liked to have seen him attack the full back more. Rodriguez - 5; never really got in the game at all and looks well out of position at left wing. Didn't do much going forward, didn't help out Fox as much as he could. Guly - 6; put in a decent shift but never really looked like he was going to threaten. Subs: Lambert - 8; what an impact. Such a classy player with his touch and deft flicks. Great finish for the goal. Davis - 8; looks like a classy player, when he's fit he'll give us a lot at CM. I wonder if JWP or Schneiderlin will make way for him, on this showing its up for grabs. Sharp - 5; not long enough to make an impact.

Loads then :lol: I saw Alex Rae, chatting with Claridge. Aside from that the comps seating was not even half full, hardly any scouts there from other clubs.