CitySaint

Rubbish 1st half, decent 2nd. Thought the 15 minutes or so 'Oh When the Saints' was inspiring for the players too. Overall assessment, it was a much improved 2nd half. Lallana and Fonte stood above the rest. Dickson was poor (don't think we will need to worry about those additional tribunal payments) and if Harding doesn't start on Saturday, then I'd be amazed. Puncheon is an enigma to me, just don't think he creates anything, so frustrating. Want to stick up for Seaborne, although first half his distribution was poor, he won everything in the air and gave the Bournemouth strikers no chances. Looked a better, more mobile option than Jaidi based on his performance on Saturday. Let's keep it going on Saturday, with the added addition of a certain Mr Lambert.

In the air tonight won everything (positive), Distribution in the 1st half was abysmal (negative). Not as bad as being made out, potential to be a decent centre half ... given time.

Everyone on this board, needs to get out more.

Rickie isn't even playing (according to Pardew on Saints Player). I've got a ticket but probably another reason to give it a miss.

Really showed the missing of our 'impact' subs we had last year. Pardew's reluctance to change things basically said to the subs bench, 'I don't think you are good enough' as he was unwilling to use them. Really disappointing start, but we didn't have our best player, Man Utd don't play great without Rooney. That raises the question, 'Should Pardew have bought a Lambert-esque' replacement? The answer has to be yes, due to the 'direct' style of football we rely on. Playing without Rickie is bad enough, but having to adapt a different style of play is nigh on impossible, and Barnard and Connolly did not work well together. I have based my positive outlook for the season on a Southampton team with Rickie Lambert in it, but today's game raises more questions about the manager than anything else and I have been a Pardew supporter (and still am!). No Impact subs (antonio, Waigo disposed off) and the common criticism. No Plan B (when Rickie is injured or misfiring, what if he broke his leg tomorrow?). I thought Dickson looked good though, so could be a positive signing and Plymouth defended extremely well, although Puncheon did not make the most of the possession he had first half. 45 games to improve on, and hopefully some additions to the squad, which looked a little bereft of ideas today. 2nd half, the crowd died, but agree with most of the comments that in the Northam stand, we can not create an atmosphere for the whole stadium, whilst also understanding that different people go to the game for different reasons. Overall, frustrating day and so many questions to be answered.

People can do whatever they want. I didn't boo, but if people pay £391 to watch that dross over a season (including myself) they can vent their feelings however they want. Someone who boo's is not a disgrace, and 95% of people who do so, afterwards probably say, 'I shouldn't have done that' but in the heat of the moment, things happen that we all wish to forget. Somebody who wishes to divide and label part of his fellow fan base is a self-righteous 'disgrace'.

http://www.oxfordstreetsouthampton.co.uk/ - Might Help too !!!

Pubs down there are pretty good, live in Mistral (Ocean Village) myself now and enjoy popping into The Grapes, although avoid White Star. Bit ****y for pre-football. The Wetherspoon's at the top of Ocean Village is alright as well, usually a few in. If you are feeling really experimental you could always venture round to the Pitcher and Piano (directly opposite my flat) gets a bit WAGGY at times, but does a cracking pint of Peroni, and it is only a 15 minute stroll to the ground. On that note, without sounding like a sack. My old man has dumped me for this season's games, he's given up his season ticket, so going solo to the games now. So if anyone else is at a loose end for a drinking partner in town on Saturday before the game, let me know. Saints related banter and beer required.

That Wotton/Louie Spence one had me laughing out loud for the first time in a while.

Not working for me, few teething problems. To be fair, it will be the first programme I will have read in about 3 seasons when I do read it. Not expecting myself to pay for the season, but then I have done stranger things. Anyone know why it's not working/what the problem is?

I love this song, on an old Saints CD i have and loved it immediately. Someone start it in Block 41 and I will sing along. Let's just stick to the chorus though, ease ourselves in.

Tough to say but the centre back pairing of Tamafzoli and Martin allowed reading to score 2, maybe even 3 of the goals. You would have fancied Jaidi and Fonte to make more headers than them. Not sold on Oxlade-Chamberlin, he seems to suffer from the curse of modern wingers, doesn't put a good cross in (Dickson can though).

Great book, the football grounds of England and Wales. Have a copy of my own, and look through it quite regularly.

Good Work !!

Purely hypothetically .... We probably 'could' as the footballing world will have seen the progress the club has made, seeing there is a transfer budget and one eye on the direction of the club and it's future. Should we be looking to ... definitely not. I hope we don't have to find out the answer to this question.

Agreed.

I see your point FF, there is not smoke without fire and this is why I said I will support Cortese 'while he has the teams best interests at heart'. This might not always be the case. I think it is undisputed that Pardew is the best man for the job, but I also think in my opinion that having Cortese and everything that comes with him as chairman (debt free, liebherr money etc) is also more important than having Pardew as manager, look at the leaps and bounds the club has made in a year. I believe that all is not well between the two, but surely this should inspire Pardew to create results that make him unsackable. Pressure can be positive. I think you would agree with me as well, in noting key differences between the current club owners/leaders and the Wilde administration? None less so, than financial investment. Please ignore the response from some posters, and continue to share any 'well-informed' rumours with us anyway. I for one, see that as one of the main reasons for contributing to a forum. If we only had firm facts and statistics then this would be the OS would it not?

That's cleared that up then !!

Have Oxlade-Chamberlain who sounds as if he is right out of the same "impact player" mould as Antonio; I think this is a key reason why they haven't made more effort to reach a deal for Antonio. Otherwise I think the squad has improved, but I will be amazed if we don't bring in 2 more players before Saturday or maybe before the window shuts. I think everyone associated with the club, accepts and realises this. Then we will be just fine.

Exactly JustMike, next week is when it matters. I will support NC as long as he has the best interests at heart, which lead to the best playing staff possible representing the club, giving us the best chance of success. I personally believe this to be the case.

Was ridiculous, I can only think they were trying to get some 'overtime' in. I saw them arrest one guy near me in the Northam, he was 2 rows in front of me and I can honestly say he did very little indeed. Cuffed him in the concourse at the end and bundled him into the food area, out of sight. I answered one copper, and he said 'Yes, there are too many of us here'. They all seemed to have an overly officious attitude as well.

Thirded, and close the accounts of the constant gripers. Really puts a downer on what is trying to happen with our club.

This forum is really being undermined, not by some decent (rumoured) information but by the personal agenda of 4 of 5 posters, who can never muster a shred of positivity over anything. Personal attacks and mud slinging over the internet is really quite embarrassing. I don't get the Cortese haters at all, I really can't see the fuss and if people are not interested in rumours, ignore them or just treat them for what they are. Everything is going to be just fine, wait and see.

3/4 of the games Saints looked alright, Barnard being the brightest light. It all got a bit stale after that, but thought Dickson looked creative and a good dribbler too. Butterfield looked knackered by the end, but so did most. Personal highlight was Paul Wotton's 60 yard sweeping cross field ball. Key question though, why was there such a large police presence at the ground? Was ridiculous, costs money too.

I have supported Southampton for an equally long amount of time and I have managed to get a season ticket. Why? Because I haven't presented myself as the face of Southampton Football Clubs fans, I am entitled to my opinion and that is all I give. Illingsworth has himself at heart, as his consistent appearance on TV, in the paper and trying to profit from the fans have shown. Any fan, who turns up, watches the team and does their bit will continue to be able to support the football club. NI has distanced himself from the real fanbase metaphorically, and now will be distanced physically. Cortese has my 100% approval, doing a fine job running the club professionally, in no way has he offended or affected my support.