SNSUN

I'll leave my reservations about him until I've seen him play. Naturally I'd rather have a "name" in central midfield, a player like Stock or Danns or Scholes (!) that could immediately come in and have an impact. Would Arfield? If Pardew thinks so, then I bloody hope so.

I almost feel sorry for him. No, I think I feel sorry for all the players that played for us for the few years until the beginning of this season. Either way, he won't go down as a Saints legend, but has his hundreds of thousands of pounds, so someone's happy. (I still think we're a striker light by the way...)

I'd keep Poke for another season IMO, losing Forecast and Poke could find us scratching around for keepers next season. Gobern could potentially have a future with us, and Holmes seems currently back in favour, but I agree with the rest. I'd be suprised if Perry and Wotton were kept on next season even if they don't retire, for that matter will Jaidi have another season?

I get in from work, turn to Sky Sports News and get hit with this bombshell. Now I come on here and have to read through 5 pages of stuff! You lot talk too much! Great that we're linked with a player of Puncheon's calibre. I watched him play against us and he looks dangerous. Reading about whether he could join us now or in the summer, whether we'll sign him at all, or whether we'll give the Dons Gobern, I don't know what to think! If we do give them Gobern, I hope it's only a loan, as I think he may have a big future. It'd be good to rid them of one of their best players before the second leg of the JPT, but more of a shame that we couldn't play him. If he signs, great! If not, Sky becomes even more unreliable for Saints gossip. As has been said on this thread already, I'll believe it only when it's on the OS. (Or perhaps has a Sticky on this forum!)

There could be ten teams on the pitch - Kelvin would be equal to them all!

Hartlepool fans really won't know what they're letting themselves in for... TBF though, two games in one day WOULD solve fixture congestion. Amen to big squads.

If we sign him and he does play poorly, that's one more player on the pitch performing poorly. In a season where every point counts we can't be seen taking risks. Signing of a player of a calibre of Stock or Danns or even the guy that just left Wycombe for instance, wouldn't be seen as taking a risk because these are experienced pros. I wouldn't mind us trying a player like Bostock in the summer, but it would unsettle me if we signed him now. (Of course if we sign him and he plays well, I will happily eat my words!)

I am ITK.

If Brentford, a team that plays at our level, don't rate him, I don't see why we should risk trying him. It could also mean he has an attitude problem. We need a senior midfielder to come in and start performing straight away, a player like Stock or Danns who have quality and could come in and immediately have an impact on how we play. Risks on players with potential should be kept until the summer, not now when we need instant results.

From what I've seen this season (although I didn't go to tonights game), it seems we're more effective as the 4-5-1 than the 4-4-2. Since Barnard joined, Pards has played both strikers. If Lambert is going to be rested, do it against Stockport, have BArnard up front and play Holmes and Waigo/Antonio. (Granted, we've also gone to 4-4-2 due to a lack of midfielders...)

Very handy! My missus (Norwich fan) wants to go to this game, but I said I may only get one ticket for it, and leave the others for true Saints fans. Had it been on Valentines Day, I'd never have heard the end of it! I'll still be in the dog house (if I get my ticket), but at least I'll be able to dig my way out of it by Valentines Day!

Think Brizzle Rovers scored a pen against him in the FA cups early stages...

There are two choices for Bart. He must be really, REALLY good.

Has this Barry Scott bloke signed yet? :-D

That decision has saved my relationship! Now to kill everybody until I get two tickets...

Poor draw. If Davis had to make save after save, then we're allowing teams too much space. We needed a win to kick the play-off push into gear - we could've been in 11th place tonight. If we can't pick up our form in the league soon, we may as well settle for a mid-table position now, and put all our effort into the cups. A point is a point, so it could've been worse I suppose, but 3 points against Stockport, and a much improved performance, is a must.

My missus is short sighted, so I got my arse handed to me when I booked tickets for us at the back of the Kingsland. I'd rather be high up, but she needs to be sat towards the front. Against Exeter I tried the Family bit in the Chapel, but my personal favourite was on Saturday, sat in the second row of the Itchin. I'll sit at the back of the Kingsland again If I'm on my own, but with her in tow, it looks like it'll be the Itchin. Incidentally, you can't beat the viewpoint of sitting in the middle, but then that's why you pay more.

NOW can we sell them Pulis?

Incidentally, my favourite type of boat is also my favourite thing to do in the shower.

Brian Stock? Never heard of him.

At St Mary's, if the action is in an area I can't see, I'll watch the big screens. I tend to ball watch a bit, but I'm 100% concerned only about the Saints players. At the end of some games, if you asked me to name 6 of the oppositions players, or how good they were, I couldn't. How our players are doing on the field is the only concern for me. (Weirdly though I'm not a manager, I'm guessing that's what managers do).

I know you have a vendetta against Antonio, but he is far from crap. He is raw. Seeing him play against MK Dons, and again at the weekend, shows me that he could have a long term future is we hang on to him. His work rate is brilliant, his passing is a lot better than when I first saw him this season, and his throw ins are a threat. He definitely freaks out the opposition defence with his pace, and is developing a poachers instinct. He can be crap, sometimes even in the same game as when he's brilliant though. His touch can desert him, and he tends to drift out of his position. Don't get me wrong, I like Waigo, and I hope we keep him, but he's not being used, Pardew prefers Antonio, and currently I can see why. The same thing goes with James. I'm a critic of his, having seen him before only in a right back role. He never looked at home there, although this season he looked slighly more comfortable in that position than last season, but in the last two games he's been in midfield, I've been impressed. His passing is very good. He's a better midfielder than he is a defender that's for sure.

Good news. Until a new central midfielder comes in, we were looking a bit short in that area, although full credit to James and Wotton for Saturday.

No-one in the entire club will be underestimating how important playing Pompey is, but we have 4 or 5 games to play before then, and that game must be put out of our heads. For now.

Good against MK Dons, good against Ipswich. Automatic cover for Harding,perhaps even challenging for the slot permanently. (For example I wouldn't drop him for Harding tomorrow.) Which is annoying because Harding has been my favourite player so far this season.