Minsk

An 11% increase for the MPs is fine by me, so long as the armed forces get at least double that.

FFS, we fielded a team against Sunderland which SHOULD have been capable of winning. Resting some senior players was vindicated with our impressive win a few days later. It is highly unlikely we would have won the cup anyway, as to do we probably would thenhave had to beat both Manchester teams and Chelsea. As for the OP and article, an excellent read. It is such a pity there are some on here who have to try to ruin every speck of good news with their BS. On the plus side I have finally cracked and used the ignore feature for the first person ever (not CB Fry - clue is above).

Some of my all time favourite players, who I had the pleasure of watching, are: Ivan Golac; Mark Dennis; Mark Wright; Steve Williams; David Armstrong; MLT; Mick Channon, Steve Moran, Kevin Keegan, Rod Wallace - to name but a few. In keeping with the OP and choosing 3, I think I should decided which of our current 3 are, IMO, our weakest links; thus identifying which positions to strengthen. Fonte is definitely one, then it is 2 from Big Vic, JWP and JRod (IMO). As much as I would love to replace Wanyama with Steve Williams, I think it would be more effective to bring in: Mark Wright for Fonte (I honestly believe a Wright/Lovren partnership would be amazing); MLT for JWP; and, KK for JRod.

This. Absolutely. If you have honestly decided now is the time to stop you are half way there. However, you still have to take t one day at a time. Get through the first day then, the next, keep telling yourself not to ruin your good work of going without for a day, then repeat every day. I gave up by going cold turkey simply because I just decided one day that I would never smoke again. It was hard going at times (especially parties when my usual smoking mates went for a tab) and I still get the odd craving more than three years later - but I feel a lot better for it. Good luck!!

Leeds was my first thought.

Maybe I am an unreasonably cruel man, but yes I still feel they haven't been sufficiently punished yet. Not one single points deduction actually hurt them. Had the minus 10 they received, after already being relegated, last season been carried over to this one - putting them bottom of the 4th division - I might have felt differently (but would probably be saying it should have been at least -17).

And his 2 PL outings last season were both defeats: 3-0 to Sunderland and 5-1 to Arsenal. So, another 8 goals conceded to 1 scored. Great effort!!!

Sorry Trousers, I just checked Soccerbase and he has 5 league appearances for WHU (4 starts) plus 3 FA Cup and 3 League Cup. So, unfortunately, we have to give Factless this one. However.......................... What is very amusing is his loan stint at Colchester last season. Between 22 Nov and 03 Jan he played 5 times for them. These are their results for those matches: MK Dons 5-1 Colchester Colchester 0-2 Oldham Bompey 1-0 Colchester Colchester 1-3 Brentford (Potts picked up a booking) Crawley 3-0 Colchester Yep, they lost all 5 of those matches conceding 14 goals and scoring only 2. Let's hope he has the same impact for the Phew.

I can't believe the posts on this thread so far! How easily placated you lot are, FFS!! Who gives a toss about beig 3rd in the league? We all know there is no chance in Hell that we will finish in the top 6 come the end of the season. We should have played this team, and given this performance on Wednesday night. Those goals should have knocked Blunderland out of the cup. We would then be only a victory over Chelsea, followed by two more against two of Man Utd, Man City and Spurs, away from lifting the League Cup - a nailed on certainty had we gone for it - as we are much better than all of them, except in the league, nor are we as good as another 4, as yet unknown teams, in the league either.... but....anyway...... what a waste of an opportunity.... we should have gone for the cup and forfeited today's performance, and points.... at least, that's what many on here have been saying for the past few days....................

Thank you. I keep thinking this too. But sill keep coming back. Just don't post much nowadays, as don't like feeding the trolls.

Well said. Especially points D and E.

What a bunch of tarts we have on here. We were never going to play our first team tonight, just as Sunderland did't play their first 11 either. The high pressing game we play takes it out of players. They need good recovery and preparation time. The younger, fitter, ones such as JRod, JW and Al all played a part tonight. SRL is vital to our team on Saturday and so was never going to travel up, especially with a doubt over Osvaldo. As for the bed-wetting, wrist-slitting over the 11 who did start - what did anyone expect? It is a SQUAD game. SQUAD players NEED game time. Let's look at the 11 individually: K Davis - Our 2nd choice 'keeper. Needs match time or will be too rusy if called upon should something happen to Artur Chambers - Started the season as first choice RB Yoshida - Japanese international. Was widely expected to be Lovren's partner in the first team this season. Only isn't because not fit at start of season and Jose has played so well. Jos - Understudy to Lovren and usually plays well in midweek matches Fox - No1 hate figure on here (just behind Guly and Gaston) but our backup LB. Shaw is young and not yet strong enough (hence his string of niggling injuries) so wise not to risk him today. Cork - Runner-up for PoS last season. Needs game time as will definitely be called upon for the first team when Morgan or Vic get a knock or suspension. Reed - Excellent prospect. Had a good game today. S Davis N Ireland captain. First team player. Gaston - Uruguay international. Great ability. Needs game time. JRod - First team player. Only one to play a part in every competitive Saints match so far this season Lee - Japanese international. Just back into the fold. Needs game time. Pro only there today due to Osvaldo's injury All in all we were not shown up or completely outplayed. We didn't just roll over and not bother competing. We were just found a bit lacking in the final third and got aught out by one scrappy goal and a good strike on the break. We lost. It's a shame. But we were highly unlikely to win the cup anyway, seeing as we would likely have had to beat 3 of Chelsea. Man Utd, Man City or Spurs to do so. Get over it you tarts.

Many thanks

I only got one player wrong - Reed vice JWP

Team I would put out: Boruc Chambers, Lovren, Yoshida, Clyne Cork, Wanyama S Davis, Ramirez, JRod Osvaldo If Osvaldo not fit JWP in mid with JRod up front. Team I think will play: K Davis Chambers, Jos, Yoshida, Fox Cork, S Davis JWP, Ramirez, Lee JRod

I agree with the majority, Artur was not at fault. If anybody was, I would say Lovren should have cleared it, not left it. But yes, a freak goal. However, I wonder if this thread would read the same had Kelvin been in goal yesterday (obviously swapping all the mentions of Boruc for Davis) - I think not....

We really do need like buttons on here.

'No truth' or 'No, truth'? Punctuation is everything in written communication.

Jamie, Fulham didn't win; Saints did. HTH

Spot on!!

If, as I understand it, he is referring to the husband of his wife's sister - that would be his brother-in-law. And, on topic, I think we were all aware they would have been toast if not for the extra, extra, parachute payments they have received due to the new TV deal. They really have been soooo lucky with the PPs. relegated the season they got a huge hike, increased payments, etc. Had they merely received the PPs we got they would have been dead long ago.........

My nephew (brother's son) was born and raised in Wales (English father, Welsh mother) yet he has always supported England over and above Wales and has always said he would far rather represent England at any sport. My daughter is also half English, despite being born here in Minsk. I guess, going by Wilshires wishes, neither of these could represent England at any sport? Nor, in the case of my daughter, Britain. Wilshire can do one!! However, I do have concerns about athletes in general doing a Zola Budd or Greg Rusedski - and would find it difficult to cheer on an English team with non-Englishmen in it. Although, I guess I would learn how it feels to be an Eire supporter.

I hope he fails big time. He is almost a odious at his predecessor. Also, the worst match I have ever seen was Saints home to his Brighton where they started time wasting, and diving, from the very first minute. I really want Sunderland, Wet Sham and Palace to go down this season.

Fully agree.

Shaw was ill this week. 2 weeks until our next match, but expect he will play for England U21s before then.