angelman

Interesting comparison of the 2 stadia

Hojbjerg and VVD held it all together at the back. To me, one of those 2 was MotM.

It's always 4 minutes

REdmond likely to have been off side

I wonder how much of this is actually down to BT? What was supposed to be beneficial to the supporter - an extraordinary claim seeing as 2 subs were now needed to watch what Sky/ITV used to provide!! - and the need for Sky and BT to chase the customer. There is a certain obvious mutual inclusiveness with Saints and the PL (at present), but I do dislike the PL but love Saints. Want them to win EVERY game whether it be U18/23 or PL, EFL, FAC, EL or anything else. Of course winning against the biggest teams is more fun, but in all honesty, the Championship is by far the best league. You ask anyone who is going to finish top 6, and you'll get a myriad of answers with I suspect NUFC and Norwich being the most common of the 6. But the other 4? Who knows? The standard, while not the best, is more than good enough to be entertaining. So good quality, evenly matched league. What's not to like about that? Unfortunately I doubt it will remain so for too long, as the parachute payments will make it uncompetitive.

I love the BBC's report..... Cardiff City came from behind to stun Rotherham at the New York Stadium thanks to a Rickie Lambert double. The former Liverpool striker scored twice in five minutes to ease the pressure on boss Paul Trollope

Koeman has a "big club" mentality when Pochetinno doesn't so much. By that, if there is a problem, just go out and drop a large number of millions on a player. If you are going to block the academy from having access to the 1st team, what really is the point in having an academy? To RK prob not much. To the club (like ours) quite a lot. So yes, he is a good manager, but short term success at the expense of long term viability?? And why should he care about the long term?

What's Macbeth got to do with things? Oh bugger! I've gone and done it, haven't I?

I'm sad and waiting for the w.e to start.... English, although many with dual nationality... Chelsea 1(0) - 5(0) Liverpool > 1-5 - Cahill, Milner, Lallana, Clyne, Sturridge, Henderson Hull 7(0) - 1(0) Arsenal > 3-1 - Livermore, Clucas, Huddlestone, Walcott Man C 1(0) - 9(0) B'mouth > 1-8 v- Sterling, Cook, Francis, Daniels, Smith, Surman, Wishere, Stanislas, Ibe Leicester 4(0) - 9(0) Burnley > 4-6 - Simpson, Drinkwater, Albrighton, Vardy, Heaton, Keane, Mee, Lowton, Marney, Gray West Brom 8(0)- 3(1) West Ham > 3-2 - Foster, Galloway, Dawson, Noble, Antonio Everton 6(1) - 4(0) Boro > 4-4 - Jagielka, Baines, Barkley, Barry, Gibson, Friend, Forshaw, Downing Watford 2(0) - 4(1) Man Utd > 1-4 - Deeny, Smalling, Shaw, Rashford, Rooney Palace 9(1) - 6(0) Stoke > 7-2 - Tomkins, Dann, Kelly, Ward, Punch, Townsend, Zaha, Shawcross, Johnson Saints 5(0) - 2(0) Swansea > 3-2 - FF, Bertie, Redmond, Naughton, Cork Spurs 4(1) - 3(1) Sunderland > 4-3 - Dier, Walker, Alli, Kane, Pickford, Cattermole, Defoe Takes it down to 31%. TBH that's pretty **** really. Looking at top 10 from last season and that dips to 24.5% starters being English in Match Day 5. The top 6 from last season were 25.7% English. The 3 from the bottom 6 that weren't relegated (ie 15th-17th) + the 3 that came up, then they are almost twice the rate of the top 10 from last season, with 47% being English. I used to love the national side (back probably in 1990 and 1996) but since then, I find that too has been "killed" off and is turgid.

Gained more interest??? My interest in Saints has never waned, it's football where my interest is waning. That might not make sense to some, but I'm sure it will with others. I had to tell the postmaster the other day, that there really was little point talking to me about some PL game that had just happened as I really wasn't interested unless Saints were involved. And no point going into the oppositions problems either, as I only care about the opposition for 90 minutes. Of course you have to take some interest in the PL as it is the competition that we are taking part in. But all the games over hyped by Sky/BT that are being aired, I don't bother watching. I've given up on MotD as well, and watch the Saints bit on catch up (that is if we have won).

LOL - waste of time. Now why not adjust things for inflation and see how you're doing. Put it all on red and see whether you can double it.

It all started going wrong when Nicholl got the sack

I'm sure Leeds, currently on 16, will soon join and surpass us. In fact I am surprised that they aren't way out in front as Celino seems to get through one a week. Having said that, the Grauniad hasn't included Eddie Gray who with 26 matches in charge, out does about half a dozen of our permanent managers.

Wasn't there always a concern over his fitness and growth? Or was that the "justification" in selling?

I seem to recall the Northam singing for him to come on soon into 2nd half. And when he came on, to me at least, there was a fairly big change in the game. We seemed to have a focal point, of someone who was an out and out striker who liked to inhabit the box. Give me the choice between him and Long. and I would probably say that I would use Long as Plan B.

SO by your logic he was playing left back then??

Palace/West Brom surprised me having so many. I knew Burnley and Bournemouth did (inc Irish as they seem to be inc as Home Grown). But it's more the bigger teams. The league is set up so that basically those who spend the most, get the best squad and can pick and choose from across the world. Chelsea, Man C and Arsenal all starting with 1 each is pretty **** poor really. There was a good article saying that it's no longer the English game but a game played in England, and this sort of demonstrates the point. If a club has a problem area, ourselves included, they'll just go and drop scores of millions to rectify it. There is no working to make it better through your own endeavour, just go and buy a ready made solution. That's the reason I put the academy figure in brackets, which is the real shame. These clubs have these academies, yet seem to not be able to produce anyone of significant calibre. So while 42% of starters maybe British/Irish, 2.7% came through the academy and started for that teams first XI on Saturday.

One of the other reasons I am losing a bit of interest is that the players aren't generally British, and few play for the senior side having worked their way up from the academy. Below is the starting XI from the British Isles (ie inc Eire) and in brackets the number that were in that club's academy even if they went away and then came back. I do think ML's ideal of half the team or whatever being from our own academy was very worthy, but I guess the game is different. Chelsea 1(0) - 5(0) Liverpool Hull 7(0) - 1(0) Arsenal Man C 1(0) - 9(0) B'mouth Leicester 4(0) - 9(0) Burnley West Brom 8(0)- 3(1) West Ham Everton 6(1) - 4(0) Boro Watford 2(0) - 4(1) Man Utd Palace 9(1) - 6(0) Stoke Saints 5(0) - 2(0) Swansea Spurs 4(1) - 3(1) Sunderland

He did not play on the wing in the slightest. Left channel and up the middle, but definitely not the wing.

Great posts on here. Striker that we brought in to replace one that most people seemingly disliked scores 3 in the last 2 games, and he is complete and utter ****. Unfit. Tired. Can only finish and doesn't offer anything else. Great one lads. Well done.

Pesa were there as official betting partner a while back. B de B going will not be missed and club should learn to do due diligence a little more thoroughly in future.

Long's runs....they seem to not be being fed. All season so far the ball isn't played over the top, but passed around. One of Long's hugely important bits of play is of course his speed on the break, yet we seem to be not using it. Last night the same. All those pretty short passes in midfield. Austin and Long making the runs, but the ball not coming, and getting caught offside as a result.

We are trying to fit lots of players into the team up front... Tadic, Long, Austin last night, and then subs with Redmond and JRod. We seemed to be playing Long up the middle when I think Austin would be better there, not least as a goal scorer, he is likely to get more than anyone else.

Sorry Steve, don't buy that argument. Other leagues haven't had the money but seem to have survived and modernised - say for example, the Dutch league.

I would be very surprised if we don't sell out. Maybe disappointed rather than surprised would be a better word. If we can have near sell outs for Watford and Sunderland, why not Sparta? Or is is people buy a ST so that they can watch Man U and Chelsea play (and a few other bigger teams) so as they have a ST they might as well use it. Pricing for EL was IMO a bargain, or as much of a bargain as you are going to get in football. To me the Europa is this season and I have been looking forward to it since May.