saint1977

Got back after taking in the game whilst spending the Bank Holiday with the in-laws. Disappointing atmosphere and to see the empty seats. The first 20 minutes were good and Lallana was very unlucky not to score but after we failed to get in behind Wigan we ran out of ideas and the rest of the game consisted of slow, predictable hoofball. Most NPC sides would have taken us to the cleaners, let alone PL. Still, it strengthened Nigel's case to invest significantly in the squad to get the pace and athleticism required. The playing of J Rod on the left is weird and not working, Nigel had it right at Man City. Like Holt and Morison at Norwich last season, JRod and Lambert will probably alternate rather than play as a front two. Looks like we are getting the 4 or 5 five pacy new faces we need to get the best out of the slower, technical players we have. An exception to that is the excellent Clyne, despite some moron on the bus interrupting my conversation to say Clyne was the worst player on the pitch (he had clearly had too much Stella pre-match). Lallana was also very good and Davis had a good first half before running out of steam in the second. Guly was hit and miss but Martinez had done his homework on Fox and a lot of Wigan's attacks came down that side. Their number 17 had oceans of space first half and some of Fox's positioning reminded me of Olivier Bernard. So definately an area to address this week with pace. Not much Kelvin could have done with the goals really and people forget that Kone missed two sitters before he scored the second, showing how vulnerable we are to simple diagonal balls. Sharp and JWP added a bit more work rate and effort, which had been lacking after the first 20 minutes. I hated seeing Wigan first to every ball but hopefully the new signings will raise the bar a bit in regard of sharpness and competitiveness, it's ok knocking 5 yard balls around but if you don't work hard off the ball or to win it back you won't get a chance to play after the transfer window shuts. One or two players might have guaranteed their return to the NPC on loan on Saturday's performance. Not too despondant, as it showed the faults up loud and clear and gave added impetus to get the 5 or 6 new faces with the athletic attributes we need.

It'd be flipping amazing! Let's see what actually happens though. Moses going to Chelsea is a big bonus ahead of tomorrow's game with Wigan so that's one transfer not linked to SFC that helps us out.

He's had a serious injury for the bulk of the time he's been here so could understand any frustration but not sure how that really translates into being the club's fault, if true, which I doubt that it is.

This is pretty similar to the comments of the PSV fans that were on here. Buttner might turn out to be a top PL player in 3 years but it sounds like he isn't one for the present, which is what Saints need so not disappointed there. I won't be too upset if the Ramirez one falls through either, it'd be a very exciting luxury signing but I'd be more comfortable about building on Sunday's display if we got Phillips, Curtis Davies and Scott Dann signed in the next 48 hours. Surely that's the priority?

I can't see Selhurst (Dellhurst) in 1999 mentioned - the Arthur Waite stand went mental as did other sections of the ground. There must have been more of us than the Dell could hold at the time there and way more than the 10k it said on MOTD. Gave me real hope if that we survived a couple more years - and we did better than that in fact - that we could get good gates when SMS was built.

As ever with Lowe, polarised views but I go somewhere in between. Between 1997 and 2003 for me he was a breath of fresh air compared to the carnage of the Askham era with Branfoot and all the old players on big wages we lost a fortune on and the less said about the stock market launch and the few years before it the better. Lowe did build much better infrastructure, not just the academy but SMS and made it a more solid entity. However, although some of his ideas were very good, he needed much greater financial clout to carry them through and he just didn't have the money to undo Askham's messy deadlock of different stakeholders and buying them out with a larger scale investor. I think 2002/3 went to his head a bit and he thought we could replicate that with any old manager in charge. Wrong. The Woodward thing was muddled in its execution and a distraction when the squad had dangerously diluted whilst the managerial swing door kept revolving. By the time he returned, the whole club stank of administration and it was only a matter of time until it did enter it.

Brilliant from the lads, so proud of them. Will have to defend better, the first one was more about a great through ball than a failed offside trap but the second was silly and Fox needs to look around him more for the third but Nigel will be covering that in his debrief I'd imagine and this squad do learn from mistakes unlike their predecessors from before 2009 up to when WGS left. So many positives though - JWP's composure on his league debut, brave CB, Clyne's quick thinking, Punch and Guly did well, the latter making runs that City CBs did not like one bit, Davis and Lambert were superb when they came on and Adam was brilliant, he'll shine at this level. Morgan had some good moments but will carry on developing. If we can get Ramirz/Phillips and 2 CBs in, we are going to really enjoy this season. Moreover, if JWP can come in and play like that in a place like that on league debut, Shaw may do the same if Fox gets a ban or an injury.

Brilliant innings from Vince, really starting to tighten up and mature now. Katich got a stinker from the umpire, who can only have guessed at a nick off the gloves at best but some of the other dismissals, esp Adams, Ervine and Wood, were reckless. Dawson supported Vince well for our best partnership but this might be a blessing in disguise as with Finals Day in T20 and a promotion campaign to win, three pots on the go might have been too much for your young squad. Still very proud of them this season though so far.

It's hard to make firm predictions until 1 September and the transfer window has closed. If we could get Scott Dann, another CB, Zaha, Danny Rose (people will moan but potential and Harding has gone, Dickson listed) and another pacy offensive player then we'd have more chance of being fully competitive and getting more than 40 points. Based on the current squad without neccessary additions, particularly pace, 17th to 19th as a prediction is fair IMHO.

I think that's a bit harsh - Davis, Clyne, Jos, Fox, Lallana, J Rod and others are capable of playing at PL level. I think Rickie will be but not playing this system and we might be better off saving him for home games. The jury is out on others. However, I think 'happy clappers' and 'bed wetters' alike have reached a consensus that we're probably 4-5 players short still of being competitive and having the opportunity to stay at this level in 2013/14 and that we badly need pace in wide and offensive areas. Nigel said we'd reinforce more heavily if some part of the squad couldn't hack a tough pre-season which I'm sure was selected for a reason. Let's see what the club come up with before the Wigan game which I'm very much looking forward to (and heading the opposite way past the traffic gridlock on the A35!)

Typical Holloway, don't know what his problem is apart from being a brainless idiot. No different to the conversations clubs have had with us in the past and I can even remember Wenger stating on Arsenal's OS that he wanted to sign Chamberlain (clear tapping up and not something we've done with Phillips, well until Ian Holloway had blurted the cat out of the bag). Nevertheless, we need at least two offensive players with pace so we need to act quickly on deciding whether Phillips justifies the hassle or whether Zaha or other pace targets are just as good and easier to get done this coming week. I wouldn't be concerned apart from the fact we still need 2 CBs as well and the manager needs to prepare for playing the champions away opening game. We struck gold with Jos this time last year, let's hope we can strike gold across 4-5 signings this time because our hopes of being competitive fully depend on it.

Me too but then Nigel did say at the start of pre-season what whilst they'd signed some of their core targets pre-season would tell them who could make the step up, what extra buys we'd need before the opener and who would be leaving. Looks like there might be more new blood coming in over the next few days than planned. There have been billions of posts about this for months but we need at least of couple of wide or offensive players with express pace, Holloway clearly has little justification for his whining about our legitimate discussions over Phillips but I'm not too upset as Zaha's raw pace is more what we need anyway. Hope we can get one of them in asap. Feel for Rickie a bit, the system leaves him isolated and neutralises J Rod and Lallana seems uncertain on what his remit is. The big winners seem to be Clyne and Puncheon, plus Sharp, who have probably booked at starting spot for Eastlands. Nicola is in for a busy few days from the sounds of it! I thought we'd only need 2 CBs and a RM but I think that went out of the window. Might be looking at the OS a bit more up to the transfer deadline.

It'll be an interesting test, he won't have long to assemble a squad under tight restrictions from the FL (about flippin' time too I may add) and as we know, that League is not easy. We were also -10 but they won't be signing Hardings, Hammonds or Lamberts and they have no Lallanas, Davis's or Morgans already at the club. 60 points minimum to be confident of avoiding the drop again - not easy. A lot of the best frees at that level have also been hoovered up. Their fans are deluded if they think the skates can finish in the top half and if Appleton does, he'll have NPC clubs queued up. Surviving would be a great achievement, probably more so than Nigel keeping us in the Prem. You look at the mess there though and wonder how some of our fans can get themselves in such a state on the main board!

Blackburn has been a bit of a mess for the last couple of seasons and their fans that I know seem to think he is a confidence player. So the settled environment we have might be ideal. However, I can't see this happening for a couple of reasons: a) Rovers want to ship him out as he's one of their top earners at £50k p/w. That's well above our ceiling but then there are few clubs, except Pompey if they were in NPC or PL, that would pay him that now so Venky's will probably have to sweeten his departure. b) He has lost pace over the last 2 years and that's the one thing we badly need out wide. Blackburn fans reckon he might do a better job at CM but we are fairly well stocked there. His set piece deliveries are a level up on Fox's and Rickie would like to get on the end of them and he offers more of an offensive threat than our current goal-shy midfield but I just think we have other priorities unless we got him on loan at 50% wages as bonus at the end of the window. Decent player, good attitude but not a priority. b)

I tend to agree with this. He was a useful impact sub to begin with, especially at Reading where he certainly showed composure there and also made a difference at Coventry. Connolly's legs were really going October onwards and SDR gave us that ability to stretch defences. However, after Xmas when we all hoped he kick on having adapated to a new league even his sub appearances became poor. Reading home was a prime example - got himself into numerous good positions and looked totally lost as to what to do next. Compare that to Kebe's sublime cross for Roberts that created Reading's opener and it shows you the type of player we actually need down that side. What do we do? I'd see if we can get him an NPC loan, maybe Palace to keep Martin company, until Xmas and see if his decision-making improves with the speed of the British game. If it doesn't work, loan-perm back to the low countries in Jan. Can't see him getting past Puncheon, who has enjoyed a strong pre-season, or Guly, plus Adkins has indicated he wants to a buy a wide player.

Fair enough buddy, no offence meant or taken. Agree on getting someone we want, I do really appreciate what NC and NA do for us so I'm sure they've got some great ideas. They know more than I do, after 7 years of watching NCP and L1 football, my knowledge of CBs at this level is limited!

Read the post again. Did I say or suggest that bids had not been submitted? My point, which you've entirely missed, is that time is ticking down to get new CBs in so that if Jos or Jose have a problem before the first game that any new arrivals are used to our patterns of play and have had time to work with Kelvin, our other defenders and the coaching staff as well as NA. I'm not fussed by the lack of rumours, I've got more important things to do than spend all my time fretting on here. However, I merely expressed concern that getting CB deals done given the time left to bed people in, particulalry overseas signings, is getting tight and therefore we might need to push on with some deals and leave the unaffordable ones be. Not unreasonable IMHO. As for the point about Adkins time, IIRC Everton have put Round in charge of friendlies before when Moyes has been getting deals over the line. Adkins could still do the prep work but might not be there on the day and could watch it after plus the reports he'll get. I've seen your comments on Son of Bob's sensible thread and generally you are one of the posters I've respected over the years but read your reply again and you might see that you've over-reacted. I'm hardly the only poster SLIGHTLY concerned by not having more CBs in, in fact I'd say I'm in a majority. I trust NA and NC fully and know they do their very best for SFC and very often it is very successful.

Read the post again. Did I say or suggest that bids had not been submitted? My point, which you've entirely missed, is that time is ticking down to get new CBs in so that if Jos or Jose have a problem before the first game that any new arrivals are used to our patterns of play and have had time to work with Kelvin, our other defenders and the coaching staff as well as NA. I'm not fussed by the lack of rumours, I've got more important things to do than spend all my time fretting on here. However, I merely expressed concern that getting CB deals done given the time left to bed people in, particulalry overseas signings, is getting tight and therefore we might need to push on with some deals and leave the unaffordable ones be. Not unreasonable IMHO. As for the point about Adkins time, IIRC Everton have put Round in charge of friendlies before when Moyes has been getting deals over the line. Adkins could still do the prep work but might not be there on the day and could watch it after plus the reports he'll get. I've seen your comments on Son of Bob's sensible thread and generally you are one of the posters I've respected over the years but read your reply again and you might see that you've over-reacted. I'm hardly the only poster SLIGHTLY concerned by not having more CBs in, in fact I'd say I'm in a majority. I trust NA and NC fully and know they do their very best for SFC and very often it is very successful.

I've been very impressed with who we've brought in so far but the CB situation is really starting to worry me and we only have 2 fully fit ones. We need to stop enquiring about CBs and get fees agreed for 2 or 3 from our shortlist that are within our feasible price range and get talking with a view to bringing at least one in this week or very early next. In fact, I'd put Crosby in charge of the next couple of friendlies and make that Nigel's number one priority over the next 5-7 days. Then once those are in the bag we can focus on RM. If Fonte or Jos get injuries pre-season we are in big trouble.

I've been very impressed with who we've brought in so far but the CB situation is really starting to worry me and we only have 2 fully fit ones. We need to stop enquiring about CBs and get fees agreed for 2 or 3 from our shortlist that are within our feasible price range and get talking with a view to bringing at least one in this week or very early next. In fact, I'd put Crosby in charge of the next couple of friendlies and make that Nigel's number one priority over the next 5-7 days. Then once those are in the bag we can focus on RM. If Fonte or Jos get injuries pre-season we are in big trouble.

The News is the Skates local paper so you'd expect them to be more partisan than Solent but they've over-stepped the mark by quite some distance. Feelings are running high and if any of these players had been or are attacked physically then the local paper is going to have some difficult questions to answer and a few job losses including that of Mr Allen may result. I'm glad Jordan Sibley showed Neil Allen for what he is earlier in the season though! Doesn't look like Kitson is trying to incite anyone, I expect he simply didn't understand what the mass of people was and went to speak to their fans afterwards which he wasn't obliged to do. Very naughty reporting to suggest otherwise but post-Leveson, who is honestly surprised?

I agree Rob, this was an appalling post and sounds as if it is being dealt with appropriately but the Pompey friends I've got would be disgusted with what he's posted and would want no association with it. They clearly have a hardcore of morons like that - Bates silence, songs at Dave Jones first game for Wolves - but equally there were a lot of Portsmouth fans going public and asking the club to take action and ban the people concerned. If Saints have fans like that, I don't want them anywhere near SMS. I can't see that Markus's family would take much notice of it - it's on sad inbred loser behind a keyboard commenting on one of the world's most successful business families with glasses of pure hate being worn. We're Saints, we are proud of Markus and we rise above it.

They were probably distracted by the latest Princess Diana conspiracy article that the owner was dictating to the work experience or some rabidly far right article on the UK leaving the EU with quotes from the Taxpayers Alliance. The Express - a family newspaper - except for the fact that the owner has also allegedly had a number of 'blue' channels in his business portfolio. Says it all really.

The summer recruitment has gone well so far but I would have more conviction on finishing upwards of 14th if we get a couple of quality centre halves and a pacy RM in. V.happy with J-Rod, Davis, Clyne and the new goalkeeper. The centre halves issue I'd imagine will be next on Nigel's to-do list, we've only got 2 fully fit centre halves (Seaborne is on a long recovery although great to see him feature) and they will get bookings/injuries so we'll need 2 minimum. One will compete with Jos and Jose, the other I can see being experienced competition like Upson on a shorter contract to allow Martin to compete next season if all goes well at Sellhurst (which I believe it will judging by his terrific progress with us to date). The basic mix is there and the hard start might mean some clubs underestimate us. The club seems united and a far happer place than our last season in the PL which must help us too.

That's what I think as well, means we can bed Shaw in without rushing him or needing to loan him out. Left side is a specialist position and to have the quality of players we'll potentially have could give Saints a real competitive advantage next term. Would definately push ahead with this deal but still not 100% sure it'll happen.