Cabrone

2-1 Saints, Gabbi and Ings. Time to get the season up and running.

Solid manager who will steer us to safety this season. Compared to the last 2 appointments he's a breath of fresh air. He needs to stay for at least the whole season.

So much OTT negativity, yes we lost but it's Everton away. Is the pope a catholic etc etc.... Feel a lot more positive about this season than last - a few tweaks to CB'S and get Gabbi in from the off - and we'll be fine. For one thing we look actually capable of scoring goals at last and Ings looks like a very decent bit of business. Sure we aren't going to get a european place but I see us comfortably steering clear of relegation and that in my books is a definite improvement on the utter dross of the last 2 seasons.

I'd like to see Hughes go with a 4-4-2 and start building a good partnership up front right from the get go. At the moment I'd probably opt for Gabbi - Ings with Charlie as an inpact sub but that could change later on in the season if the combo doesn't work. Vital that we get our goal potential cranked up right at the start of the season. It's an area where we spectacularly failed on last year because of stupid selections and almost cost us. Get it right now and I think we'll have a comfortable season.

Fair play to Hughes, he changed it when he had to and it almost paid dividends. Compared to that one dimensional muppet last season he's a tactical genius. Hope it's a lesson learned, quit the negative crap and attack. Last 35 mins showed we have the players to do OK this season, just need to be taken off the leash. Gabbi and Ings looks like an interesting combo up front.

Plus if I remember (and I'm trying to block it from my memory) it took the fool almost half a season to realise that Charlie was a goal threat and when he finally selected him he got an instant goal impact. We have a lot of fans on here who rate running around more than scoring goals. Shane Long - who has a litttle fan club on here - could run around till his legs dropped off but still won't score but that doesn't matter because he runs a lot. BTW I don't dislike Shane Long, he can be a useful player still for us but he is no spearhead and that is what he was continually being selected to be. The guy is a mid\winger IMO. I don't care if Charlie is immobile (he is nowhere near as bad as is made out on here) - he scores goals when no one else was (Gabi was the closest - another player who was treated appallingly by whatshisname) . Why is that so hard to understand?? Give me a lump that scores (and Charlie is a lot smarter than a lump) over a runner that doesn't, at least you have a chance of 3 points with Charlie, you have no chance of a win with a guy like Long. According to this site last season he played 1029 minutes and scored 7 goals, more than 1 every 2 games he was selected\available and the mongs on here are still knocking the guy. Unbelievable.

Brighton, Cardiff and Watford but TBH there is a list of teams that could go down including Saints so bottom 3 could be anyone. 'Surprise collapse' nomination is Leicester under Puel.

Useful signing if he stays fit obviously. Finally a player that can challenge Charlie as a spearhead. IMO a fit Ings\Austin\Gabbi is not a bad combination to select from. I hope all 3 play prominent roles for us this season. The medical staff at the club are going to have an important job to do this season.

Burnley have just signed Joe Hart so let's hope he's playing this weekend.

Agreed except ..... Lemina for Hoj (assuming Mario is fit), he's a class act and needs to be on the pitch. If he's not producing then Sparky needs to kick his butt but at the moment he's the best mid we have. Also Charlie must be the spearhead. Goals win games and right now Charlie is the only one we have that is a proven scorer. Feed him and he'll produce.

If Charlie stays fit and gets the service he'll get 15+ this season. Too many knockers on here - if it was that easy to score goals how come the rest of our squad aren't banging them in left right and centre? He's an extremely good goalscorer and that makes him very valuable to us.

First goal was powder puff defending, 2nd was McCarthy not getting to a ball he should have and the 3rd was a total carve up of our defence. They'd better shape up right now else we are going to be torn a new one next week, and the week after, and the week after............

Always thought Climbatize by the Prodigy would create a good atmosphere just as the players came out.

If Sparky plays him from the off - and if we don't sign a goalscorer I think he will - then I don't see any reason why he couldn't get 15-20. He's an excellent finisher who will produce if played correctly. His fitness needs very careful management though.

Don't get the flack that Charlie gets on here, he's a genuine goal scorer who cost something like 4M and has never let us down when fit. If the Pratt had actually played him from the start of last season we would have been ok and the prat.might still have been a premier league manager. I don't think Sparky will make the same mistake. Charlie should be the spearhead with Gabbi in a free role,. that's a good attacking combo to me.

As long as he scores goals that's all that matters. You don't need to socialise with the guy so why have a moan? FWIW the team needs personalities like CA, we've been anonymous for too long.

We'll be bang in the middle in a dull but comfortable season. We'll score a lot more than last season as we finally have a manager that appreciates that you need to score goals in this league. Citeh to win the title and the champs league. Pool to spend most of the season whining about 'cheque book success' as Salah fires blanks. Bournemouth survive - just - as Brighton, Cardiff and Everton (would be hilarious) are relegated. Mark Hughes leaves Saints to become England manager at the end of the season and manages to persuade Gareth Bale (and FIFA) that he's really English and the whole Welsh thing was a bit of a misunderstanding.

Don't disagree that from half time onwards our midfield imploded a bit and we couldn't keep a hold on the ball. Give a team like Croatia the amount of possession that we did and eventually they will hurt you, it was so ball achingly predictable. However - the biggest culprit in England's loss was our forward line esp Kane - if you miss chance after chance then you won't win. Even in the 2nd half the flagging mid and full backs still managed to provide quality but there was no one there to stab it in. When Trippier supplied a couple of superb balls from the right that flew across the penalty area our no 9 was nowhere, Kane should have gobbled them up. A guy like Suarez would have. Midfield did get ragged in 2nd half but we would have won if we hadn't ignored so many good chances. Where was the hunger from Kane? Was he carrying a knock or is he a bit soft?

Should have put the game beyond Croatia in the 1st half, made some good chances but where was our no 9? Everywhere except where we wanted him to be, in the penalty area. Good service let down by no-one in the box. Overall the team played pretty well and with some half decent finishing we'd have won. It's been a great world cup for England, let's be honest - no-one ever thought they'd get this far. Trippier my pick of England's players and really warmed to Pickford as the tourno went on.

Frogs look a complete team, if England get past Croatia they have a puncher's chance. Hang on and land a knockout blow at the death is England's best hope. However got to get past Croatia first, a real 50:50 for me.

It's too close to call, England are better up front but Croatia are better in mid. Defences are close, gk's are also close esp in a penalty shootout. Croatia are older and have been through a couple of tough knock out games whereas England are younger and should be fresher. Both look the same standard from the penalty spot, i.e. capable of at least 1 miss from 5 pens. However if Subasic is out on Wed then that's a huge plus for England, he's a damn good shot stopper in pen shootouts. When England played Germany in 1990 I always had the background feeling the Germans were going to do it but this time round I really have no idea. If their GK is out though then that may swing it towards England.

Well done England, confounded my predictions again. First penalty shoot out win in 22 years, first semi in 28 years - this team is breaking records. Got to admit it wasn't the most scintillating but no-one expected it to be against a defensive team like Sweden, they got the job done and that's what matters. Really starting to warm to Pickford, makes me wonder how much of a hindrance Hart was in goal. How many games did he cost us?

Agreed, Sterling winds me up but he is causing them problems and asking the questions. My gut feeling is still a draw though, think we'll flag and the Swedes will pop one in, then on to penalties.....

Pickford is looking like a real penalty shoot out asset to me, the guy was like a grasshopper last night leaping across the goal. If he guesses correctly he's always got a fair chance of making a save. I can't help but think Sweden is going to come down to a shootout and with Pickford the human grasshopper and the fact that England's confidence will have been boosted after last night's shoot out it may be the way to get through. I don't think it will be a thriller for the neutrals, very few chances but with what's at stake and with few scoring opportunities I can see it getting very tense as the game goes on.

Great to get a first penalty shoot out win since Euro 96?? Got a bit lucky there though, big concerns as team was mentally weak after conceding. Too many players just wanted to turn backwards to the GK, players must step up - need much more attacking resolve and strength. Still, we're through so job done. Sweden looks like a draw all over and another shoot out IMO.