SaintBobby

We had some (Spanish?) keeper for a pre-season friendly at Reading when we were still in the Prem. 2003? 2004? We won 3-2 - with Fernandes scoring from the halfway line. Our keeper saved a penalty, but it was retaken and scored by Reading. Never saw him again. The others I could picture but couldn't remember until reading this thread were Almeida and Pekhart.

The hospitality in the club lounge (season ticket = £1,100+) and the "upgrade" package (sit in your own box for an extra £30 per head) is utterly, utterly woeful. Avoid. I will not be renewing next season.

Seems on the face of it that he was rightly suspended and removed from payroll.

If we want to be inventive, we could considering fielding Forren as a forward sweeper. Or something.

Is he better than Puncheon? :-)

Puncheon has surprised and impressed me. But if we go another spending spree in the Summer, I'd think he was on our starting XI we'd be looking to replace.

Worse than that, I'd have thought. You were bang-on right that we'd lose 3-0 to Wigan and struggle to hold Man City to anything better than a 4-0 defeat. Why the new found optimism? A 2-0 defeat would be a major improvement.

With Michu and Arteta already mentioned, I'm inclined to concur. Although I do think we probably have a good sprinkling of the best English players without caps.

Yep, the thread is about players WITHOUT caps. Plenty of uninspiring players WITH caps. But who are the best player WITHOUT caps. The suggestion isn't that Lallana is better than MLT - just that MLT isn't even considered as he was a full international.

Hmm...well, all our goal scorers that day were full internationals, no?

If we play 4-2-3-1, Gaston fits in the slot behind Lambert, right? The formation seems to fit him perfectly already. Also, the new pressing tactics should work for him too. He has quite often won the ball back for us high up the pith. I remain very hopeful, although am still slightly disappointed with what I've seen of Gaston to date.

If I was Adkins, think I'd have my eye on Leeds United.

That has to be true - but no names sprung to mind. I definitely think if you tried to name the best English starting XI with no caps, a fair few Saints players would make the cut.

Pahars/Beattie Ron Davies/Terry Paine (not really a pairing in the traditional sense - but worked incredibly together)

Very true - but our best players back then were full internationals typically, no?

Was put to me by a (non-Saints supporting friend) that Lambert and Lallana are, in his view, the best players on the planet not to have won a cap. He added that he thought it wouldn't be long before the same applied to Shaw and Clyne. Flattering stuff - which I obviously didn't seek to contradict! - but is it remotely true? (And could Schneiderlin and Cork be close to being considered too?)

I'm telling myself this is a good result. Although I haven't yet persuaded myself we're going to be safe. West Ham are now a general 12/1 to be relegated. About the same odds for Man Utd ;-)

how the hell have West Ham got to the near safety of mid table? They are utter toilet.

I worry that the Europa League does eat away at you as the season progresses. But I've never really worried about the games in July/August. Given every year we tend to play pre-season friendlies against fairly good continental opposition, isn't it just a bonus if these games lead to progressing in Europe. Just treat them like friendlies with a bigger prize if you happen to win them.

I'm starting to feel confident enough to look at catching the teams above us rather than keep clear of those below us.

Shows how amazingly good our midfielders have been that we can even contemplate leaving out a fit Lallana and Ramirez from the starting eleven.

Slightly unfortunate wording on Saints player. [h=2]Pochettino Hails Players' Belief[/h]Mauricio Pochettino says Saints bet Manchester City because the team had the belief they could win going into the match.

Poch: "One second, Nathaniel, I know we're f**king them up the arse - but is Roberto right that you're THAT well hung?"

Abysmal display by all the officials. A blind man can get 50% of the decisions right by tossing a coin. 2/10.

Just think, if each of them bought ten pledges at £1K each, the Trust might be viable. Beyond laughable.