positivepete

Off there for Barca vs Seville at the end of February, the weekend we are away to Newcastle

Congratulations Bradford

Mark is a physio. I was told (not by Mark) that we have a team of about 40 backroom and medical staff, to Pompey's four, but that was before they lost two to Blackburn this week.

Llorente is on a free this summer! Can't see Ricky going this month, but anything can happen in the summer......

This thread has been an education for a lot of us

This, plus more interchanging between the "three" than we have seen recently. There were certainly more attempts to make quick final passes in and around the area, recently we have tried to take one touch too many. Very encouraging, certainly did their homework on Everton, and but for a 20 minute spell in the second half we really took the game to them

Well put. It is Cortese's gamble, he has been correct so far with his decisions, but if he gets it wrong he will have to face the consequences from the owners.

Are West Brom trying their best to send us down again?

agreed, a big NO to the original question

Spot on

It is a sad way to end the NA tenure, but the episode reminds us of Cortese's ambition for the club. He has taken a gamble changing things now not at the end of this season when it appears that we were on course to stay up. Clearly though the decision had been taken some time ago. We will lose some neutral support from the way this is handled, Mick McArthy was on the radio last night making his views clear, and the press certainly are starting to make their feelings known http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/southampton/9810861/Nigel-Adkins-stabbed-in-the-back-by-Southampton-as-Argentina-Mauricio-Pochettino-steps-in-as-manager.html http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2013/jan/18/nigel-adkins-southampton All said and done though I hope we quickly get behind the new manager for the sake of the team, I want to see Saints successful playing in a good style. I will just have to live with the fact that sadly the future business dealings will be more "clinical" than most would like. We have seen ourselves as club of family values for a long time, but the reality is that we have not been like that for many years. Let us hope that playing and financial success is going to be secured by the current regime.

Totally agree, thanks Nigel and all the best for the future, I am sorry you were not allowed the time to complete your outstanding work.

What, on shore QGC drilling rig? Brisbane Saints got a fair following. Pig and Whistle on the riverside for Saints games

The only game in the country off today!

Off to see Barcelona at the end of February. I have been in March before and it was lovely, I might be a bit early this year...

The (satirical) Rumour Mill in the Guardian getting in on the act about our money........ http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/jan/07/football-transfer-rumours Liverpool have offered Serie A side Cagliari £7m for defending's Davide Astori, according to the Daily Mail, but as things stand look likely to miss out on the 25-year-old because Southampton have outbid them. The same paper reports that Manchester City have offered Napoli £45m for Uruguayan adonis Edinson Cavani; only time will tell whether or not the Premier League champions' bid is torpedoed by a superior offer from the south coast club.

Gone to Hannover on loan for the rest of the season

He was limping badly against Arsenal before being substituted, so probably

Man City signed Wright because they did not have enough English players in their squad. They subsequently signed Sinclair so they one over now!

Did anyone else see Boruc for Poland at Windsor Park? That was a real meltdown.

A key part of the role of the two defensive midfielders is to support the full backs, having three "should" help with that. As you say the threat is out wide from Stoke. So 4 3 3 with seven defending and three mobile attackers who will also close down their defenders when they have the ball may work. No point in lumping it upfield and letting them send it back with interest.

'Arry doing some maffs, has he turned over a new leaf? Did he actually learn from his spending down the road? We shall see.... http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/queens-park-rangers/9763375/Harry-Redknapp-to-sell-Jose-Bosingwa-after-lashing-out-at-QPR-flops.html

Ferguson was quoted in a recent study that he looks at the three (most effective) players in the opposition, and also studies the opposition set pieces. This forms part of his pre-match preparation with the players then after that he concentrates on the strengths of his own side.

I am another of those who follow Torquay virtue of it being the first ground I visited. I enjoyed meeting up with the Brisbane Saints crowd and following The Roar during my periods there this year. Still look out for news of both.