Chewy

Mane Pelle morgan if we’re talking about scapegoating people 5 mins into their careers, that is. Quashie seemed the focal point of all the anti Harry sentiment but wasn’t our worst player imho. George Lawrence going back a while for some reason

Maybe we should have thought about that when we turned him down as a kid.

I remember (at least I think I do) his red card in some sort of cup defeat away to Port Vale. It is possibly the worst challenge I’ve ever seen by a saints player. And with Benali v Fashanu, Gobern v Bournemouth, jankewitz v Man U and Mark Dennis v anyone and everyone as competition that’s quite some achievement

I can’t say I enjoy it in any way, but it did cross my mind yesterday that the disaster was the result of our high risk football, especially at the back. And while it’s frustrating as **** how it’s still 100% more enjoyable than the Puel era.

Saints v Leicester April 84. 2-2, think Steve Moran (also my first saints idol) scored a late equalizer with a diving header? looking it up, Lineker got their two and our other scorer was Danny Wallace. Those were the days ...

That’s how religions start 😉

Have you been to Doncaster? 😉

It’s impossible not to play the poster when the poster is you. The 🙄emoji is how 99% of this forum think when we see you’ve written something before we even get to seeing how rude, pedantic and/or obnoxious you’ve been this time. This state of affairs your fault, not ours, so why take issue with it?

On the whole Armstrong thing I think he’s been a bit unfortunate to have moved onto the left. He can have an off game, isn’t as quick (and so visibly dynamic as some) and maybe is suffering slightly after COVID, but for me he’s first pick ahead of the other number 10s. Redmond and Djenepo are even less consistent, is more creative and scores more. When he plays well saints tend to win. That said in terms of this game itself I’d be tempted to do any rotation here. Certainly in a normal season you’d pretty much write off city and Liverpool as almost certain defeats so I’d prioritise the other games. And out of city and Liverpool I’d go at the scousers - they have no central defence and quite frankly I loathe them. I wouldn’t go mad but Diallo for Romeu (yellow cards and keep JWP for set pieces) rest Armstrong and probably Adams as well. I’d like to rest a full back but we don’t have the options imho. McCarthy KWP Bednatek Vesti Bertrand Theo Diallo JWP Redmond Ings N’Lundulu Cant be arsed to list subs but I’d be tempted to give Tella some more minutes. He must be buzzing after his 4 goals for the B team

And Spurs dropping points means the title is back in our own hands ... 😂

Maybe he is, maybe he isn’t. But if by sharing his story he helps someone in the depths of depression and/or addiction get help and avoid suicide then it’s worth the bbc sharing, and I’m pleased he and they have done so. Thought the piece itself was pretty good and wish his project every success.

Great story, appreciate you sharing. The Italian number 20 shirt was my first replica kit with a number ever. He was so revered in Italy. To be honest too young to remember how good he was, just remember the name and the goals and that ‘he’ beat the legendary Socrates, Zico and Falcao. Sad to see he’s passed at a relatively young age. RIP

Have to say I’m really happy with this, and pleasantly surprised. Thought he was the most at risk. Just leaves Bertrand to sort this season and, depending on who you rate as critical, Armstrong and Ings next season? Fair play to Crocker and team, they’ve had a load of work to get through, both ins and outs, and are doing an excellent job of it imho.

Because he’s not injured. It’s plainly obvious he has something going on in his personal life. Chatting about issues is one thing, gossiping about someone’s personal injuries is another. You do get the distinction I take it?

Polite request- there are plenty of threads that descend into petty squabbling on this site, I’m guilty on occasion too. But please not this thread. It’s an excellent reference point and has seen outstanding work over a good few years now by OLAS. It really doesn’t do yourselves, the thread or OLAS credit to have that argument here.

100%

Yeah I did wonder about that definition. still, as far as I can work out the team of the season so far would be Mendy KWP Fofana Vesti Fuchs Armstrong JWP Romeu Grealish Ings Vardy 6 saints, 3 Leicester, 1 chelski and 1 villa.

Ideally this, with the Neil Heaney step over party trick to go with it

I actually agree with most of that until the final line. Premier league doesn’t equal Operating profit as I think we and most clubs prove. Growth is the only benefit, but when the required spend outweighs the saving, it’s simple maths. My estimation of Derby’s required spend (wages and fees) together with the period of spending this without receiving the improved premier league income is imho way more than the difference in purchase price. And promotion is far less likely than our relegation. On the balance of risk v reward, the rewards are potentially there but are quite remote, the required spend enormous so the risk is too great. i can accept others will reach a different conclusion. It is not, however, a no-brainer. Now in better news for everyone I’m out for the rest of the day so feel free to tear holes ...

You’re right, you didn’t say exactly. You told MLG “for once you’re right”. And his point was that we had a bigger fan base and better infrastructure. Read your own post! And your spending analysis of League one is made up of what, exactly? transfer fees? Have you considered wages, Marchwood upgrade, stadium improvements, off field staff investment, the black box, the black box room, the people watching the black box, Cortese Corteses cutlery, Les Reed, les reeds pr machine, the special pillows the players slept on, the “we march on” signage? And we were suddenly in profit when we reached the promised land, were we? I thought Cortes was binned for trying to live way beyond our means ... pal, one of us is indeed all over the place.

But you just agreed with MLG when he said he probably bought us because we had a bigger fan base and better infrastructure than those clubs. I think your word was “exactly.” Talking if MLG ... not sure they sold us for £200m? Still have 20% don’t they? And I think their investment was slightly more than the £13m purchase price. We were spending way above league 1 income for those two seasons im sure, and I’d guess at the top end when in the championship, incurring significant operational losses. And we are the best case scenario example. If I was about to invest tens (probably hundreds) of millions I’d look at more normal timescales than our best case example to decide on the likely outcome. But it’s not my money, and despite the play-off nightmare and their manager of the time (forgotten name for the moment ... Billy?) I quite like them as a club so good luck to them.

Exception or rule? How many clubs have invested heavily and failed, leading to financial ruin vs got promoted on a shoe string? And perhaps the lack of squad depth is beginning to show there? Just goes to show sometimes it’s down to money and sometimes a bit of luck ... or good fortune ... or some other definition ...

It absolutely wasn’t what I was implying. Turkish was implying it was bigger than ours in the way ours is bigger to Bolton’s. I was checking that was what he was suggesting because I don’t agree, I think we’re pretty equal. And I made the point a few posts back that Derby have had more actual success than us, being very aware of the world outside Hampshire. They have better history, a slightly better stadium, probably poorer training facilities and a similar fan base who are probably a bit more passionate and a bit less entitled than ours. I think that’s a fair, balanced view but happy to be corrected.

So do Derby have a bigger fan base and better infrastructure than us?

I’ll answer you again, I don’t know and neither do you. what I do know is we were spectacularly lucky at securing back-to-back promotions to achieve it. Some real skill undoubtedly, but definitely a lot of luck. It also took us 2 years to get out of league one, showing even in that lowly competition spend isn’t guaranteed instant success (points deduction not withstanding). Unless Derby get up within a couple of seasons, the outlay in covering income shortfall while spending massively on squad development vastly outweighs any ‘saving’ on a cheaper purchase price. Well done on having turned your penny into a pound, but it cost you 2 pounds to achieve it.