Gordon Mockles

Of course they don't play better but it frustrates fans to see a player who hinders the team. Whilst I don't condone booing (unless they display a poor attitude or arrogant disdain) an individual, it can be frustrating to watch a player of Wotton's clear poor quality being carried by a team progressing. The progression is hampered by certain players, Wotton falls into the category. Whilst I recognise Pardew's insight into utilizing a holding midfielder to sit back and protect the back 4 (like an impoverished man's Makelele), I'd like to think (come January) we have identified and captured (or loaned) a key player in this position to push Wotton out. As previously mentioned, Safri would have been incredible in this role at this level but our misguided predecessors saw it wise to move out our best performing professionals in favour of raw and largely inadequate reserve team players. Saturday, Wotton hoofed balls up in the air (very much hit and hope, inexcusable for a professional footballer imho - forgivable once but not continually as part of your game!) and looked clueless in an attacking sense for quick distribution or just simple passing. Whilst not everything he did was wrong, he stops the forward flow of football imho. One strong example being when he picked up the ball (from a pass) in the centre of the field. Whilst he didn't have lots of options, he had some but didn't seem to have the vision and passing ability (like Morgan or a Safri type player) to quickly see a pass, thread it through quickly and maintain the attacking impetus. Instead, Wotton received the pass, the movement stopped while he held the ball up unnecessarily & he did not look composed (panicked more accurate) and looked from left to right, then back again, before rushing a pass through because he'd held the ball too long and the pass didn't amount to much. This happens too often. Also, he gave away an own goal. This was unfortunate and maybe could have happened to anyone and maybe it was unlucky but it did happen and it was Paul Wotton responsible. He was subbed and the team improved. Make of that what you will. Some say it directly correlates to Wotton being exchanged which may be unfair but I do feel he is poor and desperately need someone (a midfield ball winner) to replace him. To be fair, I thought our passing (certainly our finishing) at Orient was very sloppy at times and Morgan had some good but many bad moments. I don't dislike the guy. He has a good attitude and I support him as a Southampton player when he is on the pitch but I think it says something when a life-long club player like Wotton is released by his former club (Plymouth). If Pardew favours this 4-1-3-1 system so much, we really, REALLY would benefit from having the right personnel and a ball winning, play making midfielder should be top of the agenda.

4-0 Saints, Lambert to score 1st (155/1) or Scott McGleish to score 1st/Saints win 3-1 (170/1) En-route to London. Noticed 1 poor lad in his Saints shirt stood waiting on Platform 1 @ Central (with his bag of beers) as the London train left from Platform 2. Hope he was waiting for another train/wasn't going to the game. Feel bad for him otherwise. COYS

P*ssed myself laughing. This season just gets better and better and BETTER!

Wasn't that all part of a wind up? Casual dress but the lads told him it was formal. Bless him!

I expect a big clear out in a few mins, I'm going to the toilet! (sorry, juvenile I know but couldn't resist it. Childish humour is often the best!!)

Well said and something I'd bleated on about for ages but each of our previous managers have failed to address. Redknapp tried to bring in leaders (and spoke about it) like Quashie amongst others but this momentum was short lived by his departure. Claus being our captain for so long spoke volumes - good player for us but not the best captain imho. For too long we have lacked leadership on and off the pitch. Pardew needs to be commended for coming in and instantly addressing this, along with many more in-ground traits (defending set pieces, lack of pace, aerial weakness, losing mentality, strange mindset of squad players, lack of self-discipline, etc.) within the club that have gone ignored and hampered our development for many years. It fills me with confidence to have a manager that has seen and addressed problems within the club that many fans have noticed (and all the things we are not aware of behind the scenes, of which I am sure there are PLENTY) for quite some time. Onwards and upwards.

Parliamentary procedure? What, put in expenses and then defend the divisive claims with a 15 minute monologue, justifying the fraudulent claims with an inane, sycophantic verbosity?! Sorry - couldn't resist! I'm with you, different management achieve different result. Some management are great business heads with no people skills and zero motivational influence, others aren't so concise and shrewd with business decisions but have tremendous people skills, displaying leadership and good results through motivated team players/employees. Overall, you need a healthy balance. Good business sense and competency in the said field with astute decision making and a well chosen management team. Combine that with well selected employees (i.e. squad) and a motivational leader (Pardew) and you've a winning team...no pun intended!

Bummer! Had a bet on Lallana to score first and Saints to win 2-1. Have to rely on the Lambo first and Saints 3-2 bet. Doubt either will come off now anyway but there's still hope. Just proves, don't make bets like that until late in the week when you know the squad fitness.

Paddy Power had Saints at 10/1 for promotion. I also registered on Bet365 last night & had a dabble with the in-game betting feature (cos of free bet promotion) but made a fortunate mistake. It confused me slightly & I put down too much money. I had Lyon to win 2-1 as I felt it could go either way. Instead of betting once, I made the same bet 3 times (i thought I needed to confirm it which I had done for £5, £5 & £10 @ 7/1). £150 later, what a lucky mistake to make!! About time I had some good luck! GTFI! Also did a 2-1 Saints or 3-2 with Lallana/Lambert to score first consecutively.

I agree with all the above but also think Harding has been a revelation at left back...& free! (much like Jaidi & Murty - ironed out our defensive weaknesses, along with loaned Trotman, at little cost). Despite being ran ragged against Bristol (with no cover & Mellis leaving him totally unprotected), he's a hard working, tenacious little full back & one of my favoured players. A class above League One & brought it for free. I like having a scouting system once more.

Yeah, not been this season but it was around 12ish, then an hour after the game - around 6. Weird how quickly you pile into your drinks, half p*ssed, then look out around the stadium and everyone's gone in such a short space of time. Mind you, after a few drinks, much slips you by!

I've been a fair fews times but now they've gone downhill a bit from what I hear so I realise why so many are vacant. They used to be good until they stopped doing shots (80 in a match was excessive, to be fair) and heard they've now stopped doing shorts. Pretty sh*t when one of the main benefits was free drinks. Not everyone wants wine, cider or draught beer. You expect a bit more when you're forking out quite a price for an exec. box. I think it was better value in the Premiership!

Talking of which, not done myself justice on this thread with a few stati errors. I'll never make a statistician! Having counted the goals from our last 5 games on my ifooty application, the useless software printed the Southend result twice (under Fri & Sat) so I accidently added the goals as 15 in our last 5 games when it was in fact 14. Easy mistake to make!! Trust the internet & it lets you down. Pahh!!

I'd play Murty every day of the week. As for Wotton & the article, complete pile of poo! Wotton did ok against Gillingham but they hardly set the world alight & Wotton wasn't troubled much, despite even me thinking he had a better game. It may be the poor opposition flattered him. I'm not taking away that he's done better since but I don't think you can attribute much of our success to his floaty, mi**** passes & neck high tackles! Either way, we need a recognised full back to compete/learn from Murty & a decent holding/defensive midfielder. I can't help but ponder how good Safri would be in our current squad, sat back, slotting passes forward & wide, marshalling the middle of the park to great effect!

Think she may have bought new ones along with a few more career nips and tucks!!

You saying my assessment wasn't! PAHH!! What do you know. You supported Lowe! LOL

You're dead right. Thought I'd been so thorough too. I actually saw Millwall (and omitted Norwich who are on the same GD) and then somehow must have gone blind and omitted Millwall in my OP. Still, same point applies. It's good to know that we've an added advantage, despite the -10 to start the campaign. Every cloud...

Just a minor, probably obvious but happy point worth mentioning (apologies if it has been mentioned) which will serve us well this season if we keep scoring so freely from open play... I'm turning into a stato - Other than the 14 goals in the last 5 games there is also another interesting and beneficial element to our campaign... Seeing as Saints started the season (abnormally) on minus 10 points, it's well worth considering that all the goal differences of the teams around us are far inferior (Tranmere on -17, Wycombe on -9, Carlisle -6, Exeter -9). We are on +5 goals difference. Only 5 teams in League One have a better GD than us - Huddersfield and the top 4 teams in the league (Leeds, Charlton, MK Dons & Colchester - Makes you feel good, doesn't it!) So, if we draw level with any teams around the foot of the table (on our climb upwards), we'll automatically leapfrog them (i.e. Tranmere draw Saturday, we win - we're straight past them!) with our positive GD. I think that may come in handy on our rise from the ashes left by our predecessors. Obvious I know but league places & points mean prizes. Just thought I'd share that as it cheered me up. I've not scrutinized tables, stats, points and GD in so long as it used to depress me. Not any more!! YAYY!!!

To be honest, even reading The Sun (judge their target audience mental age - children and builders!) is the main mistake of your ways. It's drivel of the lowest common denominator and everything they write (Well, 99%) should be ignored!

I'm there, along with a few work colleagues and 8 of our gang on the train Saturday morning (31st). I, personally, cannot wait! We will take over that ground. I just hope they have better marshalling and catering than Swindon. Need to eradicate that terrible memory which I'm sure we will with our current form and new and improved squad. COYS!

Too many of our past players have had more than adequate time (despite being pushed out under Lowe & more recently not playing much - this could be down to temperament) and just bring up "ifs" and "maybes". He's played enough games for us and look at his scoring record. Good when he was playing for a contract, complete sh*t thereafter. He may do well elsewhere but I think we're flogging a dead horse with him residing at St Mary's. Too much has happened and it's time for him to move on, start afresh. Not too much sympathy. After all, he's earned a lot of money for not that much work. Good work if you can find it. I much prefer the new influx, fresh start, mentally solid acquisitions that Pardew has brought in and kept in the right frame of mind. It's nice our management team now seem to pay attention to every detail (looking after players, astute training, fitness, mental well being, team spirit & not piling too much pressure on individuals) and nurture the squad in reasonable expectations (i.e. not telling an inexperienced kid he has the weight of the entire club on his shoulders and he's starting every game, regardless of performance). COYS - Long live the revolution!

FANTASTIC RESULT! I demanded Connolly to score & he delivered. Love him already! Love being a Saints fan at the moment. Amazing the difference a competent managment team with a few shrewd coaching appointments, some free transfers twinned with some key player purchases make! Lol [ps. Knowing about football helps] CAN'T WAIT FOR ORIENT!! Shame about Tranmere but who cares, we're on the move now! COYS

To be fair, there's probably been loads but none can beat Lowe for disdain to the fans twinned with such incompetent football decisions & blinded arrogance. Link that with his divisive, self serving nature & total lack of respect & humility to fellow man, then you can understand why he's such a hated figure!

City councillors unveil Al Faim's plans for the new home to Portsmouth Football Club while Fratton Park makes way for affordable residential homes!

I'd love to say play off position but not totally convinced despite the recent run so I've gone for the safer "just missed out". Heart says maybe the play offs but this may be overly optimistic as, despite having done much good in transforming a bewildered and diminished/poor quality squad, Pardew's done so much but still has some way to go. If we don't hit the play offs this season, I expect us to storm the League in 2010/11.