SNSUN

After getting in late from a curry, I sort of sped through the first half on double speed and have caught up in the second half. From what I've seen, Lallana is involved in a lot, JRod hardly involved at all. As I expected. One bad corner apart, I still think Lallana was born to play for England. JRod needs a little more time and experience at the top level IMO.

It's good to hear the rumours about them both starting. For me, Lallana is a must for England to take to Brazil because he offers something different. Of the two of them, it's him who I'm hoping shines more, although of course I hope both do well. I can't see JRod going to Brazil though - as a Welbeck replacement (if that's really what Woy is seeking) I think Lallana would do the better job, as he's shown playing on the left in our rise through the divisions.

We'll find out when we sign Baines in January.

Or we're now considered a big club...

I think this is as important to Saints fans than anything else. When JRod, Rickie and Adam were picked to play for England, my colleague's first quote was "that's bad, what if they get injured?" I see it as a positive thing - all the England lads with a will to go to Brazil, and I include JWP, Shaw and even Clyne in that, will all be playing hell for leather for the rest of the season to try to force themselves on the plane. Better performances on the pitch should mean better results, and would stop us from "doing a WBA" and capitulating our league position in the New Year. (Add to that the other players from other countries that wish to go to Brazil too.)

I think he was hyped up way before his time. Players at the top level don't get a proper chance to develop - as soon as they show any talent the media pounces upon them. Look at Lallana and Morgan - both young and gifted players that were allowed to develop under the spotlight in the lower leagues while honing their craft. Now we see 17-19 year olds like JWP and Shaw who are thrust straight into the spotlight of the Premier League. I sometimes think that some of the younger players believe their own hype too. Zaha would have been wise to stick with Palace for another season IMO.

This test is highly flawed. A lot of it is "clicking on things" and I'm using a laptop with a dodgy mousepad. Nothing to do with brain age at all. Hmmph. EDIT: I see others had this problem too. The best test to find out how old a brain is is to look at the date of birth on the birth certificate of the child you decapitated. :-)

Anything I was given as a child and liked, I ate thereon. I didn't eat curry until 7 or 8 years ago either. Boarding school food was very bland. I once poked my fork into a mini kiev and it squirted it's juicy goodness into my eye, and I was temporarily blinded. I didn't eat them for years afterwards, I love them now.

Never tried it. Up until a few years ago I was one of those people that didn't eat anything that looked gross. I've changed now - so it's only a matter of time until I try it!

I still can't believe JRod's in the England squad! I'm delighted for him of course, but he wasn't in the best of form at the start of the season. I hope Woy persists with him, as I see him as a long term option. Lallana and Lambert I'm not surprised about. So excited for Friday, and for once I'm not working and can watch it.

At least the good old St George's cross is in the right place!

With our academy, and the class of player they've been producing lately (Shaw, Chambers, JWP) and the youngsters who've had game time in the cups (Reed, Isgrove, Gallagher) and with the other youngsters waiting for a chance (Targett, Turnbull, Stephens, Rowe etc), you could argue that we're covered short term with injuries.

With Poonchen still here, JWP wouldn't have been getting the game time he has, so in hindsight it was an excellent decision to ship him out. My biggest concern at the start of the season was that we lacked creativity - but I didn't reckon on the form of both Lallana and JWP - both have been outstanding. I'd still bring in a Ramirez replacement in January (if he's really not going to play any games) but as for Puncheon? We don't miss him one jot.

Telling people you're a crack filler while walking around Soho could make you popular...

No. If Ramirez being dropped because he doesn't work hard enough, in spite of his natural talent, is the truth, then MLT with similar qualities would have been dropped in favour of someone like Davis. Ridiculous though it sounds. The question would be - how professional would MLT be if he was playing now? Could he get himself fit enough and introduce a work rate to fit? My guess is No, but thankfully we had the joys of MLT years ago when it didn't matter.

I thought it was the case that he couldn't play for England as he'd not been a scholar for five years (or something along those lines)?

-10 rep points for your 6000th post being too sensible. With no humour, and not a hintage of Yo. :-)

Clyne, Clyne, wherever you may be, You play right back for the Saints fc, And to think we nearly got you on a free, Now we hope you'll play for your home country. To the tune of "Lord of the Dance". Ok it sucks, but I think there's something in using that tune for Clyne...

6/1 to beat Arsenal is the only one of the bets listed by the OP that I'd be tempted to have a punt on - the others are a complete waste of money IMO.

A great example of where we are. I'm usually glass-half-full but with such elation on this board I'm keeping a realistic, slightly pessimistic, view on our situation. We're not even a third of the way through the season at the moment, it's not even halfway through November, there's a fricking LONG way to go yet! Our start has been amazing, and I'm loving every second, but I'm not getting carried away. I do, however, think we'll end up closer to 4th than WBA got. They just disappeared after the new year after such a good start to the season. We hope it doesn't happen to us like that.

Ha! Coincidentally I was trying to work out the other day whether we could field an all English team - we can but it'd get beat a lot. The team I came up with was virtually identical to yours, but with Reed in midfield in place of Chambers. You can't deny though, the future's bright, the future's English! As for Friday, I just hope the Saints lot get decent game time. Fingers crossed.

Danny Higginbotham! :-D I actually thought a good transfer link in the summer, however weak it was, was Spurs's Kyle Naughton - a player that can play both left and right back. (Like having another Clyne really!) Plus he's English and doesn't get regular games for Spurs, although perhaps he wouldn't come cheap enough for a squad player...

Before the start of the season, I think the majority of fans would have said we were one top class centre back short, but Fonte has really stepped up his game since being partnered with the excellent Lovren. If he continues this form, would you drop him? I know I couldn't, and with Yoshida and Jos as back up, short term I can't see a centre back being brought in. Long term perhaps, as Fonte gets older and our aspirations for World Domination grow, but short term he's doing a bang up job. Agree with the AM though, we're one short with Ramirez out of favour - though it has to be someone special that can turn a tight game into victory. Imagine finding a Ramsey or Lampard - a goalscoring midfielder would be an immense acquisition if we could find one; if not, just a creative one would be enough. I agree with other recommendations for a back up Keeper and back up left back - but who would sign for us knowing they'll probably sit on the bench a lot of the time?

Good point. Both ins AND outs, though hopefully the former rather than the latter...

I'm enjoying every second of the ride, but we will simply not win the league. The top sides are struggling to string together consistancy, but that will come. Likewise we will have a bad spell, as all clubs do. If you offered me 6th place now, I'd snap your hand off, but I'm more realistically seeing us finish in the top 8.