Cabrone

Before the game I thought we'd get a hiding but afterwards I'm dissapointed not to have picked up a point which could be vital come May. We should have gone for their throats at 2-1 but I think we were surprised to be in that position and went deep. However, the performance will have given the team + fans confidence that we can challenge in this league. They now know that if we play like that most weeks we can steer clear of the bottom 3 and that is a huge psychological boost.

Great performance but dissappointed we didn't go for City's throat when we were 2-1 up and looked like we could open them up with ease. A point dropped in the end. Still, heads held high and a performance like that must surely give them the belief that they can mix it with the best.

Quick question - Is this the first Uruguayan we've ever signed? Can't think of any others.

Man City to dandy around the pitch in complete disdain of us until Ricky smashes one in the back of the net from a Fox cross, then they wake up and give us a hiding without actually scoring untill the 93rd minute when the ref gives them the dodgiest of penno decisions and they equalise. 1-1 and NA causes a row by using the post match comments to accuse Citeh of being a bunch of overpaid disrespectful cheats. The Saints coach speeds out of Manc land rather sharpish as the locals go ape. Then again.................probably be 5-0 to Citeh.

Well it's not as if we haven't done it before. Off the top of my head players like Glenn Cockerill, Colin Clarke, Mark Wright and Brett Ormerod were all plucked from lower leagues and did a great job for us. From a technical perspective I see nothing wrong with the club signing quality champ\lge 1 players + hopefully they won't act like billy big boots when they arrive.

I think it would be best for all concerned if the club folded. It's never been properly run in my lifetime, a 50 year old tragedy in the making. Maybe their fans could re-start a new club and this time make sure the sharks stay away. Out of curiosity where would a new PFC start in the league pyramid?

As long as Saints give it their best shot I'll be happy. Remember it's a marathon, not a sprint and 17th is the target. Just bear in mind that we have a really tough intro so we may be playing catchup for a long part of the season. The plus side is that we get 4 of the toughest games out the way before October. FWIW Citeh to underestimate us and take their foot off the pedal, 1-1 final score (JayRod)

I'm neither. I have realistic expectations and will be happy if we hit them (stay up) but won't be down if we don't (relegated). Whilst I'm braced for a few pumellings I think this season is going to be interesting. If we can stay up then I think we'll consolidate and be much stronger next year so this season is a big one for Nigel and the team. COYR.

I think its because they dared to predict that we would come bottom. Anyone who predicts that gets attacked by the one eyed lot on here. Reality is this is going to be a tough season. The Reading match gave us an early taste of what we can expect, razor sharp finishing which sank us that night despite having most of the possession. Seriously, some of our fans need to reel in their expectations as they are setting themselves up for disappointment. Survival will be a great achievement.

Another reality check for the one eyed on here. 17th was and still is my expectation, if we survive we'll have done well this season. Keep on thinking we should have bought a quality keeper, KD is going to get beaten a lot this season and the team are going to have to show some real grit.

17th would do me just fine. That should be a bit of a reality check for the more one eyed on here.

3-0 SRL hat-trick.

Par for the course will be 17th. Mid table would be an extremely good season. Relegation would be dissapointing but not entirely unexpected.

Best of luck to him. He's going to need it if he wants to get paid at Pompey.

I think more fans are realistic than this BB would let you believe. This is going to be a tough season and 4th from bottom would be a result IMO. Need a class GK + CB to keep the goals against as low as possible.

Very overrated + media hyped player IMO. A couple of good goals against the Germans but against England he was pants and got nowhere against the Spanish. Wouldn't mind if he does play against us.

Don't know much about the guy but if he's captained Rangers and played international football it sounds like a decent signing in a position that we badly needed some strength. We haven't had a really good box to box midfielder since Quashie so pleased to have filled that role. Chaplow is attacking and Dean\Morgan are defensive but no-one really covers the whole pitch. Get a top quality GK and then a quality CH and we'll have enough to survive IMO.

MLT, arguably the most naturally talented footballer England have (n)ever had. Glad I was around to see his entire career, what a pleasure it was too.

I hope this guy turns out to be good but the Dutch LB at the Euro's was really dodgy and was still called up before Buttner.

From the day we got promoted I thought that 4th from bottom would be a result for us. Fans need to have realistic expectations for 2012/13. As it stands the current team would be likely relegation material IMO but we still have the transfer window to strengthen in key areas like GK, CM, CH so it all depends on who we we buy. First up is GK. We need a class keeper.

Me too, nothing against Jack Butland who may turn out to be a quality keeper but we are a newly promoted prem team who need better players right now if we are to survive. Being as no-one knows how Butland is going to turn out I'd go for a more established keeper. It's too crucial a position to experiment on IMO. £6M can get you a lot of good GKs.....

Whilst a new GK has been my no.1 issue since we got promoted £6M is a huge gamble on a GK that hasn't even played for Brum let alone in the prem. Being as this is our 1st season back in the prem shouldn't we be looking at more established\better\safer\cheaper GK options? Rob Green would have been fine with me and quite a few have mentioned McGregor who also would do a great job.

Yes, I think RL is good for at leat 10 goals next season. We'll soon find out. PS I thought Carrol was decent last night despite the fact that England starved him of service. If you are going to play a battering ram of a player then at least give him some crosses!

August Sat 18 15:00 A Manchester City PREM Sat 25 15:00 H Wigan Athletic PREM September Sat 1 15:00 H Man Utd PREM Sat 15 15:00 A Arsenal PREM Sat 22 15:00 H Aston Villa PREM Sat 29 15:00 A Everton PREM ---------------------------------------- Gulp.......if we could get a couple of home wins out of these fixtures I'd consider it a fantastic return. Emphasizes even more that we need a top quality GK, KD would\will have a torrid time against that lot. No big expectations this season, 4th from bottom will be a decent return for me.

Your bitterness clouds your judgement but if you feel that everything that went wrong with the club was all down to Harry Redknapp then that's your issue. Redknapp inherited a bloated squad full of journeymen caused by years of managerial merry-go-round, bizarre tinkering and injured players like Delgardo signed against managerial wishes. I saw most games of 04/05 and we were dire almost from day 1. Wasn't Redknapp our 3rd or 4th manager that season? You can't undo a mess like that with a click of your fingers. Most managers can't turn a squad around and gel a new team together in weeks. Like the pilot of a stalling plane falling out of the sky he wrestled with the controls but eventually ran out of height. The lesson is if you want a well run club then don't chop and change managers every other month and don't tinker without the full buy-in of existing staff. Thank goodness we have what appears to be a rational guy incharge now.