SNSUN

For me, it'd be a modified first team, thus taking the cup seriously but giving fringe players a run out to prove their worth. Boruc Clyne Yoshida Jos Shaw Cork Wanyama JWP Ramirez Guly Osvaldo ...something like that, but with first team players on the bench if needed like Lambert, Lallana, Morgan etc etc (It won't be the above team, that's just a suggestion.)

Having a look at the table, it seems like the top 8 (thankfully including us) is starting to break away from the pack behind. Is this your view on the table, or is it still too early to tell? Can Saints stay there? [TABLE=class: table-stats, width: 336] [TR=class: team first, bgcolor: #F5F5F5] [TD=class: position]No movement1[/TD] [TD=class: team-name]Arsenal[/TD] [TD=class: played, align: center]10[/TD] [TD=class: goal-difference, align: center]13[/TD] [TD=class: points, align: center]25[/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: team, bgcolor: #F5F5F5] [TD=class: position]No movement2[/TD] [TD=class: team-name]Chelsea[/TD] [TD=class: played, align: center]10[/TD] [TD=class: goal-difference, align: center]8[/TD] [TD=class: points, align: center]20[/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: team, bgcolor: #F5F5F5] [TD=class: position]No movement3[/TD] [TD=class: team-name]Liverpool[/TD] [TD=class: played, align: center]10[/TD] [TD=class: goal-difference, align: center]7[/TD] [TD=class: points, align: center]20[/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: team, bgcolor: #F5F5F5] [TD=class: position]Moving up4[/TD] [TD=class: team-name]Tottenham[/TD] [TD=class: played, align: center]10[/TD] [TD=class: goal-difference, align: center]4[/TD] [TD=class: points, align: center]20[/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: team divider, bgcolor: #F5F5F5] [TD=class: position]Moving down5[/TD] [TD=class: team-name]Man City[/TD] [TD=class: played, align: center]10[/TD] [TD=class: goal-difference, align: center]17[/TD] [TD=class: points, align: center]19[/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: team divider, bgcolor: #F5F5F5] [TD=class: position]Moving down6[/TD] [TD=class: team-name]Southampton[/TD] [TD=class: played, align: center]10[/TD] [TD=class: goal-difference, align: center]7[/TD] [TD=class: points, align: center]19[/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: team, bgcolor: #F5F5F5] [TD=class: position]No movement7[/TD] [TD=class: team-name]Everton[/TD] [TD=class: played, align: center]10[/TD] [TD=class: goal-difference, align: center]4[/TD] [TD=class: points, align: center]19[/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: team, bgcolor: #F5F5F5] [TD=class: position]No movement8[/TD] [TD=class: team-name]Man Utd[/TD] [TD=class: played, align: center]10[/TD] [TD=class: goal-difference, align: center]4[/TD] [TD=class: points, align: center]17[/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: team, bgcolor: #F5F5F5] [TD=class: position]No movement9[/TD] [TD=class: team-name]Newcastle[/TD] [TD=class: played, align: center]10[/TD] [TD=class: goal-difference, align: center]-2[/TD] [TD=class: points, align: center]14[/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: team, bgcolor: #F5F5F5] [TD=class: position]No movement10[/TD] [TD=class: team-name]Hull[/TD] [TD=class: played, align: center]10[/TD] [TD=class: goal-difference, align: center]-2[/TD] [TD=class: points, align: center]14[/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: team, bgcolor: #F5F5F5] [TD=class: position]No movement11[/TD] [TD=class: team-name]West Brom[/TD] [TD=class: played, align: center]10[/TD] [TD=class: goal-difference, align: center]0[/TD] [TD=class: points, align: center]13[/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: team, bgcolor: #F5F5F5] [TD=class: position]No movement12[/TD] [TD=class: team-name]Swansea[/TD] [TD=class: played, align: center]10[/TD] [TD=class: goal-difference, align: center]1[/TD] [TD=class: points, align: center]12[/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: team, bgcolor: #F5F5F5] [TD=class: position]No movement13[/TD] [TD=class: team-name]Aston Villa[/TD] [TD=class: played, align: center]10[/TD] [TD=class: goal-difference, align: center]-3[/TD] [TD=class: points, align: center]11[/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: team, bgcolor: #F5F5F5] [TD=class: position]No movement14[/TD] [TD=class: team-name]West Ham[/TD] [TD=class: played, align: center]10[/TD] [TD=class: goal-difference, align: center]0[/TD] [TD=class: points, align: center]10[/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: team, bgcolor: #F5F5F5] [TD=class: position]No movement15[/TD] [TD=class: team-name]Fulham[/TD] [TD=class: played, align: center]10[/TD] [TD=class: goal-difference, align: center]-5[/TD] [TD=class: points, align: center]10[/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: team, bgcolor: #F5F5F5] [TD=class: position]Moving up16[/TD] [TD=class: team-name]Cardiff[/TD] [TD=class: played, align: center]10[/TD] [TD=class: goal-difference, align: center]-5[/TD] [TD=class: points, align: center]10[/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: team, bgcolor: #F5F5F5] [TD=class: position]Moving down17[/TD] [TD=class: team-name]Stoke[/TD] [TD=class: played, align: center]10[/TD] [TD=class: goal-difference, align: center]-4[/TD] [TD=class: points, align: center]9[/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: team divider, bgcolor: #F5F5F5] [TD=class: position]No movement18[/TD] [TD=class: team-name]Norwich[/TD] [TD=class: played, align: center]10[/TD] [TD=class: goal-difference, align: center]-14[/TD] [TD=class: points, align: center]8[/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: team, bgcolor: #F5F5F5] [TD=class: position]No movement19[/TD] [TD=class: team-name]Sunderland[/TD] [TD=class: played, align: center]10[/TD] [TD=class: goal-difference, align: center]-15[/TD] [TD=class: points, align: center]4[/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: team, bgcolor: #F5F5F5] [TD=class: position]No movement20[/TD] [TD=class: team-name]Crystal Palace[/TD] [TD=class: played, align: center]10[/TD] [TD=class: goal-difference, align: center]-15[/TD] [TD=class: points, align: center]3[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE]

He's a liability that man. I can't understand what Mike Ashley was thinking. Newcastle are currently surviving in the Premier League on one good transfer window in January. Without some of the players they signed, and the ONE player they signed in the summer, they'd be doomed IMO. I wonder how hard they'll resist moves for their better players in January. They're just the sort of screwed up club to sell Ben Arfa, Cabaye and Sissoko and not replace them. (Or in Kinnear's case, replace them with tat.)

Hey all, I've been doing some scouting and found us a new goalkeeper... :-D COYR, let's go second...

I've done a prediction for the bottom nine clubs in the Premier League in 2018: Blackburn Everton Arsenal Reading Sunderland Yeovil Ipswich Sheffield Wednesday Grimsby Town Aston Villa York City EDIT: Sorry, wrong thread...

True, Sky curse has gone. Last Manager of the month for Saints in the Premier League? Twitchy Redkrapp.

Yes I'd perform sexings on her. Perhaps without telling her, you know how much the ladeez likes a surprise. She'd love it too.

I agree I'm a little worried about this game, Stoke are notoriously difficult to beat - but with Hughes coming in and changing their philosophy, which is still in the early stages of taking hold, there isn't really a better time to play them. Play as we know we can and we could surprise them. My money is on a draw but I wouldn't bet against us winning.

Man City Chelsea Arsenal Liverpool but my God is it hard to choose this year. You could make excuses for Man U picking up their form and enough points to get in, Spurs with their "much improved" squad, and yes even Us, little old Saints, if we really can continue something resembling our current form all season. (Which would mean routinely picking up points from bottom half clubs and sneaking the odd win or three against the "top sixers".

Palace will be bottom, Sunderland will improve but not significantly to avoid relegation, and the 3rd team (which is most difficult to choose) will be Newcastle, who will implode when their better players are pilfered from them in January. Honorary mention also to Norwich, who despite a good transfer window are a team 'rotting' under the guidance of Chris Hughton. Nice bloke, just not good enough to get the best out of those players. (IMO). This is not said to annoy my wife, who actually agrees with me about Hughton.

This link just popped up on Newsnow, and I must be tired because I've read it twice and still can't make heads or tails of it. http://www.bsports.com/extratime/leaderboard-crossing-success-in-the-premier-league I think it states that James Ward-Prowse is the most accurate crosser of the ball in the Premier League this season, which if true is a hell of a stat for an 18 year old that's considered more of a central midfielder than a wide player!

I personally think Sunderland might put out a stronger team than us next week (in the hope of resurrecting something from their already poor season) and win, meaning being in the next draw is moot, but should our "B" side get through then I'm not too concerned who we get. It'd be nice to play at home, it gives me more chance to see it live, but otherwise not too fussed. If we have aspirations of winning the cup, then of course you hope for the likes of Leicester, or perhaps Stoke or West Ham, but with a virtually all Premier League line up, it won't be an easy cup to win this year.

He's only 22, there's a lot of life in him yet. But whatever his talent, he's failed to show it on a regular basis for Southampton, which for the money we spent on him, is poor. I'm one of the party that desperately wants to see him prove us all wrong and suddenly come good and take the league by storm, but I can't see it, with Pochettino preferring the likes of Davis, JRod, JWP, Lallana, Guly or even 2 strikers over him, it seems his days are numbered. I agree with the £10 million figure IF it means we go out and sign a quality replacement for him immediately. In my mind we're already 1 creative midfielder short.

In five years time I'll have just turned 38, though God knows what I'll be doing, as in that time I aim to start a family, buy my first house, and become a millionaire. (The first two are achievable...) What the OP's team shows is where we need the signings in the future. We'll need a new top class goalkeeper before long, another top young centre back, one or even two top attacking midfielders and a new striker. And that's before we consider losing the likes of Shaw or Morgan. Keep the core together, really fight to keep the best players, and the majority of our team could be together for years.

I was chatting to a colleague about our recent success, and he said that we're doing well because we have the luxury of owners that are wealthy enough that we can pummp money into player transfers. This got me thinking that two of our biggest signings aren't even the ones making the difference at the moment. So I came up with two Saints first teams based on how much they cost us, or didn't cost us, to show him: Expensive: Davis, Clyne, Lovren, Yoshida, Fox, Cork, Wanyama, Ramirez, Rodriguez, Mayuka, Osvaldo Cheap: Boruc, Chambers, Fonte, Jos, Shaw, Morgan, JWP, Lallana, Guly, Davis, Lambert. Obviously you could mess about with the formations, and include players like Martin, Barnard, Lee and Forte, as well as some more youngsters like Rowe, Isgrove, Stephens et al, but I suggested the cheap side would currently beat the expensively assembled side. What do you think? Which would win?

Incidentally as crucial as Lovren has been for us this season, we ended up doing pretty well last season with Fonte/Jos and Yoshida, so Lovren is further down on my list, after the three named above. (...and maybe even Morgan.)

A good thread topic, although asking for trouble! There's two players we would struggle to replace long term if we lost them to injury, Boruc and Shaw. With Boruc, we have Davis and Gazzaniga as back up, and while both can do jobs, neither are close to being as good as Boruc, and I'm convinced our form would take a noticeable dip. That said, if you look back at how many shots Boruc has faced since the start of the season, it's not many, and that's due to the solid unit of 6 in front of him. Ergo Davis or Gazzaniga wouldn't have to face that many shots either, unless their very presence unnerves the players in front of them. Losing Shaw would be perhaps more worrying, not only is he an outstanding youngster, but his replacement is Fox, who most of us rate as simply not good enough for the level we are striving to achieve. Ok, perhaps Chambers would fill in at right back and Clyne would get pushed to left back, but I'd still rather we didn't lose Shaw. The only other player I'd not want to see us lose for any length of time is Lallana. He's been key for us creatively this season and while there are players who can fill his positions, I'm sure we'd lack a cutting edge in attack without him. For me though, we cannot lose Shaw for any length of time. The January transfer window will be a blessing though, as any bad injuries before then can be rectified. God help us if we lose anyone in February though! *Touch Wood*

8, although Barry is probably beyond an England call up. He's joined by Fonte, Lallana and Morgan on the next page too. What a turnaround for Fonte!

He's keeping good company - he's the fifth best player (in any position) in the Premier League this season according to this linky: http://www.whoscored.com/Regions/252/Tournaments/2/Seasons/3853/Stages/7794/PlayerStatistics/England-Premier-League-2013-2014

It's either Mourinho's or Pochettinos, and while Chelsea won all their games, they were lucky to beat City on Sunday and for a club the stature of Saints to go to Old Trafford and get a point, is very good. I agree, Pochettinos.

The wife likes me in John-Paul Gaultier. I get a bottle every Christmas. I prefer Hugo Boss. My brother-in-law swears by Paco Rabanne. Just go into Boots, try a shed load of them, and come out smelling worse than before you went in.

Some of the crosses he put in were exceptional. He has a great delivery of the ball, both in play and from set pieces, and is a bundle of energy that can run after the ball all game but still has the discipline not to lose his position and the sense to cover his teammates if they bomb forward. Give the lad a run in the side.

See, that's another one!

The storm affects some people worse than others...

The calm before the storm? Incidentally, some pictures of the storm have hit Twitter...