angelman

FFFFFFFFFFFFFFS

Glad for Pelle. He needed to get back scoring with the Euros coming up.

Ah Kenzie - how can something from Franny look like that??

Am afraid to say that this is correct. Putting it into context, Hillsborough was one match amongst tens of thousands where standing happened, and the ban was the more (in my eyes) to eradicate hooliganism than to prevent another Hillsborough. It took the Dell from, what was it, a 23k to 15k capacity (or if you took the biggest crowd, a 31k capacity). Before my time, but 31k at the Dell - wow!! With new "safe standing", you can get anywhere up to 80% more people in the same space I believe, although I think that the accepted amount is more like 40-50%. It is supposedly safer than the current way that people stand in their seats. So with the benefits as mentioned, I can't see why not. In fact, I can't see any downside to it apart from maybe increasing the chance of hooliganism, not that that has been a great problem at SFC. Bring it on.

So much for "Twenty is plenty"!!

The biggest shame which is also the biggest difference from yesteryear to today at Saints, is that it is an all seater. I asked my nipper (9 years old) whether he would prefer to stand on terraces behind the goal or to sit, and he said the latter. OK, at Saints he has never known any different as he is too young, and I never took him to any away games in the lower leagues (or PL for that matter) but we have a whole generation that supports in a sanitary environment. The terraces brought a completely different view of football rather than it's corporate image of today. Or have I got my rose tinted specs on?

He was grateful to be given the chance here and tried his best. Not much more you could have asked for.

And of course, not having sponsors on the shirts was a sure sign that we were on MotD. God knows when that changed, but I am sure someone will be able to say.

Can't really recall, but do remember going to the Dell and looking to see if the TV trucks were there which meant we would be on MotD, or am I getting confused? Weren't all the games shown on MotD?

Video refs should work along the same lines as cricket. There they have to "proof", not reasonable doubt, to overturn a refs decision

Question, bearing in mind that football is a contact sport, if Delaney's slight brush of his knee against the heel of Benteke, didn't bring him down, would you still consider it a foul?

No it wasn't a penalty - but granted, of course that is just opinion. If the heel had been tapped hard enough which then made his left leg bang into his right and make him fall, then yes. But his thighs didn't touch each other, and his right leg just crumpled closely followed by the left one. Clever though of him to keep his arms down rather than throwing them up in the air. He didn't even try to plant his left leg - he folded it up and landed on his knees.

It was a dive pure and simple and anyone who thinks otherwise needs their eyes testing. I've posted this link already....https://cdn.streamable.com/video/mp4-mobile/nvpc.mp4 Look at 0:47. The left ankle gets brushed and then next thing you know, his right leg collapses as soon as it touches the ground. The left leg didn't make contact with any part of the body or ground, and there was no reason to fall over save for cheating. There was no reason at all for either leg to "collapse". He didn't even bother to plant his right foot properly before deciding to go down. The paying public cannot accept this sort of **** that decides games.

Sandwich - totally agree with you about the "he was entitled to go down". Pundits who were ex players and obviously didn't mind cheating when they played, and still see nothing wrong with it. Us supporters who pay **** loads to go to the games, don't want to see it being decided by cheating. Here's a link to it.....https://cdn.streamable.com/video/mp4-mobile/nvpc.mp4

It was touched. I wouldn't personally say "caught" as that would be the same really as "clipped". I would go more for "brushed". Hardly enough for a normal 6'5, 13 stone player to go down. The thing people seem to forget, and as was pointed out on talkSport when talking with the ex-ref, is that a bit of contact does not automatically mean a foul/penalty. And as others have mentioned, it is ridiculous when comparing this to the Greco-Roman wrestling that usually takes place at corners. You give fouls for Benteke, then give fouls for holding in the box. In fact too many refs will give a foul for this and that outside of the box, but not inside. Inconsistent. If they don't want to give 10 penalties a game, then they need to change things officially.

Now I know it is an ex-ref, but....http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3479239/Christian-Benteke-s-winning-penalty-rightly-awarded-referee-Andre-Marriner-assistant-thank.html Listening to talkSport this morning they had another ex-ref on who said that he was hosting some US refs and all 15 of them said no penalty. Pundits say no penalty. Everyone seemingly said not a pen and then you have Poll. I imagine that the Mail is blocking all comments saying that Poll is, umm, wrong. As I say, ex-refs, but even so, it goes to show the inconsistencies.

Have to agree with you.

Also not much point having a player who is going to be banned through indiscipline for 12 games (at least).

Wanyama - very disappointed with his performances that were partially responsible for us being knocked out of Europe. It might not have been a big thing for him, not least the biggest competition, but some of us fans have waited 12 years for it. He has played better though after the transfer window closed.But there is always that bit about him looking to move on. Rom is good enough, maybe not so physically imposing but offers a lot more going forward. While you couldn't call him particularly creative, what creativity he has shines out as that is what we are lacking in midfield. Was thinking about Mané - his stand out performance was against Chelsea away. He had a good game vs Arsenal at home but can't remember too many more. Is that being a little unfair? He has scored 3 goals this season, the last being the draw at Anfield in October. Pelle as well - too many silly flicks, not enough goals, etc etc. I wouldn't particularly mind selling all 3 in the closed season.

Not sure how you can say we were happy to settle for a point.

VVD for me, not least as he is currently ours and the other 2 aren't. No point looking back. Like he did with Celtic, he did most demonstrably today. He took up position as secondary striker/centre forward ......... and then he scores. I can't remember who he was waving at to take his place at the back - Rom? Not sure that that is something that TA has in his locker. So from that aspect, although we haven't called on it that often, he offers something different.

Everyone going on about how good he suddenly is. Did no one notice all those over hit passes from him that went straight out of play? The way he got knocked off the ball so easily? Sure, the first goal was good position play by him. The second - no idea as I had fallen asleep.

One thing I think today showed is how much of an integral and important part of the team Shlong is.

Gaston scores for Boro giving them the lead.