The Kraken

Seriously, you need to stop biting.

We're yet to see Davis or Cork. I'd be utterly amazed if we brought in another CM. We also have Gazzaniga, any other keeper we may bring in would IMO only be a youngster. High on the agenda is at least one CB, Adkins has suggested it may even be two. And they can't come soon enough, Saturday showed us just what will happen at top level if we continue to make stupid, basic mistakes at the back.

Can you let us know the extent of games you've seen that you're basing your appraisal of JWP on?

Divided loyalties for you now we're back in the same division as Arsenal, I'd have thought?

Well of course that's entirely true. Judging a lad's potential entirely from one previous first team outing and a pre-season game or two is naturally the correct approach. I take it back. I almost wish I played FM or its ilk so that I actually had a counter argument to make in the face of such logic.

I think if this lad is turning us down with the promise of a 50,000 seat stadium on the horizon, perhaps we should be looking at making it 60,000 or 70,000.

You're joking, right? The Trust are absolutely desperate to get their shot at fame, whether they drive the club further into the financial mire or not. If they were permitted to do it I reckon they'd take it on even with the hige wage earners in place. They have a desperation to be seen as uber, plucky fans saving the club from oblivion and there is very little that will stand in thei way to achieve that. Saying that, I'd p*ss myself laughing if Chinny decided it wasn't worth the effort and then the trust failed to actually raise the funding required.

Contrary to previous answers, I've been bussed to the plane when flying with EasyJet from Gatwick; so yes, it does happen. Sometimes what they'll do is let the priority boarders onto the bus first and get you to stand at the front. On arrival at the plane they then open the front doors first, so it kind of works. In any case, I've given up paying for priority boarding. There's no real need, and even if you are sat on your own its only for an hour or so, just read a book or the paper until you get there.

I don't think anyone has pointed it out but the story is not a fake. The extra "m" stands for machine. HTH.

I agree; I just don't think NA will take that approach. As a player you can learn as much from a heavy defeat as you can a victory; playing for a team like Saints we're going to get battered at some point by one of the top sides, and there's only so much protection you can give young players. I think its a redundant argument anyway as Cork will very likely get the nod with JWP on the bench.

There's a reasonable chance neither Cork nor Davis will be up to it if they keep missing games. The longer Team GB go in the tournament, the worse for us. Davis I simply can't see being match fit for the start of the season, he's not even in full training yet and hasn't played a game. cork I would imagine would be much more likely to be fit, but its just a case of him learning very quickly how to fit into the new system. I don't see Hammond getting much game time at all, perhaps just the odd 10 of 15 minutes here or there. I agree throwing JWP into a Man City cauldron is far from ideal, but if NA thinks he's up to it then I guess he'll do it. I think we'll get utterly thumped by Man City whatever team we put out anyway.

It looks like 4-3-3 will be our choice formation, so we'll very often have 3 CMs. I can see that being with Lallana playing more centrally and JRod left wing in some games, whereas we may look to keep it tighter for some games with just one striker and for those potentially play Lallana on the left and 3 of Cork, Schneiderlin, Davis, JWP, Hammond in the middle.

Ordinarily I'd agree, but I think its telling that JWP started against a side as good as Ajax while Cork was unavailable and Hammond and Chaplow started on the bench. I imagine Cork will come back as a starter and JWP go back into reserve, but if he keeps putting in decent performances then he's still in with a chance, what with Cork missing out on so many games for us and with us now playing a completely new formation to last season.

Naivety and Saints over-enthusiasm at its very best.

Sorry for your loss Vince, and full credit to your Dad for such great service to the game.

Adkins has said he wants to bring in "1 or 2 new defenders", and before the Man City game. Those were his own words; I doubt he was lying. Especially so as I don't consider either Fonte or Hooiveld to be good enough first choice options for an upper to mid-table Premier League team, so its an area that very much needs improving.

You don't half talk some cobblers at times, Dune.

Looks photoshopped to me.

I love living here whilst also accepting its actually a pretty sh*t city, really. Our city planners have done us no favours whatsoever, going way back to when half the city was levelled in the war. The Common is genuinely brilliant though.

Adkins has said that he plans to bring in 1 or 2 defenders, so its by no means at all a given that Hooiveld will be the fist choice. It's entiely possible we could have a brand new starting CB partnership for the season.

Tsk, such a dell-sized mentality. Believe.

I certainly would. I actually think we'd be better off ignoring The and tempting The Ox back. Now we're big time and Champions League bound he'd surely be up for a return.

I can't believe so many people are being negative and ruling this out. If our chairman says we're going to qualify for the Champions League then, dammit, we will. What has he done before that suggests he can't come through on his promises? If NC says we're signing Theo, then we're signing Theo. Welcome home, son.

I may or may not be there watching

I'm not sure if that would have been either tuneful, or decent family viewing.