angelman

He did something that I haven't seen for a while. 2nd half, corner came in......he CAUGHT it. Can he really have had that much of an affect on the team? Certainly the defence know that they have a good keeper behind them. The performance vs Arsenal sums Stek up for me. HE didn't command his box at all. Can't recall whether it was Jose of Virgil who left a ball for him to collect, and he was stuck on his line. I wholly understand why we brought Stek in, but he isn't very good, and certainly in the long run (and with hindsight) giving Gazza the game time might have been better. Thank God FF is back, and long may he stay fit.

No, nor can I. We have been told by those ITK that Shelvey is a **** of the biggest order, so maybe it was affecting the dressing room so best option was to get rid of.

Some time ago, I said that we would finish above Leicester, which I guess meant we would finish above Watford and Palace. I think that we still could, but only just, or is that being ridiculously optimistic while not giving Leicester enough credit? I feel, like we did and so many clubs our size do, that they have hit a sticky patch. The big clubs like City can replace someone not firing on all cylinders with someone equally capable, but Leicester can't replace Vardy with someone who is going to score the same amount of goals. As for going down.... Villa and then 2 from Swansea, Norwich, Newcastle and Sunderland. Think Swansea are going really tits up at the moment and then I would say given the NE spending power and manager in Fat Sam, that it would be Norwich.

As he said, family outside of football is important. I think too many fans over look that, save for when X wants to go to London not least because their Mrs wants to. He's got a 3yo (?) kid, his parents are in B'mouth. Nice enough area to bring your kid up in. He's local-ish. He will be well paid and as the top 4 didn't seemingly want him, we seem to be a pretty decent option for him. I think it was Ferguson who often looked at whether a player was married, and often went for those as they were more "mature".

As others have pointed out, £4m for him vs Bournemouth's £12m & £8m signings!!!!

The knee I think is an issue for many, although I remember last year him pointing to it after having scored somewhere, in a "**** you" gesture to show that it wasn't an issue. Anyway, if it was, then surely the medical would have picked it up.

Makes a change to sign someone in demand, rather than be selling them!!!!

CAn't believe he tweeted that about RK. Has he not thought that RK might not have wanted to show his hand?

Wonder if it is tied up with the Caulker loan to Liverpool, where we agree to cancel so that QPR could charge and make a lot more from LFC than us (as well as LFC paying us to cancel). If so, then I am not sure much gazumping would/could go on. Caulker really puzzles me, so can only think that that is involved somewhere along the line.

Seems to have upset a few of our rivals (if this comes off). Presentation before KO would be nice! Fingers crossed.

£4m is about right isn't it? A free agent in the summer, but worth paying that to steal a march on others as well as to get his services this season.

LOL. These journos are mad if they think that. Not only do we not want to sell, but if LFC were interested it would show how desperate they are and the price, not least because it is January, would be much higher (or so I would have thought).

The odds only reflect the position the bookies take having had money lumped on it, rather than them being ITK. Of course some ITK might have lumped a lot on him coming here, but that's not for sure.

Clever of Sunderland to try and weaken an opponent who might be battling relegation.

http://www.thisisanfield.com/2016/01/liverpool-keen-on-acquiring-southamptons-shane-long-this-january/ The bit I really love is "Whether Klopp would be interesting [sic] in a loan or a permanent transfer for the 28-year-old is unclear." The arrogance of some up there is unbelievable.

True, but a knock on the door with a "Are you coming down to the meeting, mate?" is not really being a carer, it's being part of a team. Maybe he has had an adverse influence on the team, as apart from Arsenal, he and some others might have had their focus elsewhere.

Fact remains, regardless of how clear cut the situation was or not, that everyone else seems to have managed to make the meeting. What surprises me in this, is that team mates aren't looking out for each other and knocking on the room door to make sure each other are awake etc.

The only thing that annoys me is that the bloke who sat in the row in front of me last season has moved a dozen or so rows away. He hated Long, while I always sang his praises. Shame I couldn't ask his opinion on Boxing Day (couldn't be bothered) or last night (he wasn't there).

Must have been offside as if not, then being contentious, MotD would (or maybe that should be "should") have shown it.

Short ones here: http://hoofoot.com/?match=Southampton_2_-_0_Watford_2016_01_13

Anyone know if there are any stats available, as wanted to see if Long did run a lot further than everyone else. Seemed that he did, but stats can paint a different picture.

The main reason for me to think he was not worth £12m was the fact that Hull signed him for £7m only 6 months earlier. I understood the reason why we were prepared to pay that much. The question really was who else with PL experience was seen to be capable, available and at that sort of price? Not that many. And then look who Hull signed to replace him.

I think we do have the players to play like we did last night every game.

IF we play like we did last night and on boxing day, then I'm not sure we need any signings.

Well, as Saints player's go. from the past, this is hard to beat. It's the hair....