NickG

If on ability when with us rather than popularity think some of those off; Wouldn't have Pearson as high and hoddle was superb for us, in pure ability to improve the team you need him towards top...not much thought but few quick tweeks... A: McMenemy A-: Hoddle B+: Adkins, Ball B: WGS, Nicholl, Pardew, Pochettino C: Pearson,Jones, Burley Others: Souness, Merrington Gray, Wigley, Wotte, Poortvliet, Branf**t F-: Saggy

Think it maybe to sell remainder of loan as we won't want him back and he is their liability (financial)

Maybe wants to feel he is more part of the future of the club, or feels there is always possibility that club may be offered someone else for the long term place? Get your point though, he is hardly likely to be short of offers from us or anyone else.

Would Chambers have got any game time if he had stayed? RB Clyne, Toby both better, yoshida doing well. CB all four we have are better currently. Midfield - 1) Morgan 2) wanyama 3) jwp 4) read 5) Cork - all better. Imagine if we had paid 16m for him and not used him? Still good enough to get into England side before Clyne Clearly a very good player, and will find his position but not missed at all.

Some moaned about his form. Many showed their ignorance and wrote him off, questioning fee (you) etc.

Thought it was never a red card offence from in the ground, but thought I would wait until seeing motd before posting. It was the correct decision, a yellow. Graham Poll has described "clear goal scoring opportunity" as more likely than not to score. You need to consider control of the ball, direction of travel, where ball and players are etc. Yes he was running at goal but was outside the box, had Forster and Fonte well positioned and so would likely had, if not fouled , been driven wide with Fonte covering. Maybe could have scored but we missed 3 or 4 easier chances . wasn't more likely than not he would have scored - so if this is how refs are briefed you can see why never a red. Didn't hear it mentioned on the radio on the way back, didn't feel contentious. The only person other than youo, making issue is a manager famous for deflecting blame.

Looking at their fixtures, spurs will be disappointed if they don't overtake us by end of the month. Would hope to stay above arsenal and west ham. Can't see any of the others overtaking us by the Ned of the month. Top 5 by end of January, and having played Man U, Newcastle and Arsenal twice, with two possible rivals (Liverpool and Spurs) still to come to St Marys, wouldn't be bad place to be.

Is that the same everyone who knew he would go last summer? Think its more likely he will leave but I think we have seen enough to know the club are trying to build, keep the best players or at very least get a good price.

Quite, didn't suggest he had insulted any posters (numerous insults aimed at a young saints player however)

Iol, if it makes you happy, of course you were correct and we are hovering above relegation zone. Far too many people have already tried to make in simple enough for you to understand so I won't bother (if you want to just read through again). I do find your interested in me a little disturbing..... Try giving my posts less attention, you give them more thought than I do when writing them...they aren't that important! Have a good new year.

Totally agree, forum needs mature knowledgeable football debate without insults

Certainly doesn't sound like the broken bone hypo said. Although been about our best player this season , we do have options. I don't know enough about the U21 players to comment but.. Toby play RB for Belgium, - CBs or back three of Fonte/ Gardos/ yoshida Jwp was used there last season, particularly if a back 3 behind him. Playing a more attacking winger with three behind. I thought in Everton game it was a clear 3 at the back Rarely looked like 5. Although Chelsea may demand different!

Well done

Adding to my summary (as balance to strange wade Garrett/ toe punt ignorant attacks) these are man u views after playing us, suggesting they buy him... "I was really impressed by Mane - not that we need him. Shame on me, but I knew very little about him before the game - and he was a constant threat to us (who wasn't, though). Incredibly gifted and has an eye for a pass. Not that we need him at all, of course." "I've seen a couple of matches of him in a Salzburg shirt and he impressed me. Tricky little player with loads of speed and an eye for a goal. We haven't seen much of his goalscoring exploits in Southampton so far but I'm convinced it will come. On a side note: I added him to my fantasy team after he was signed. So far I haven't recouped much, but he was cheap and listed as a midfielder, so the potential for a high-scoring player that "no-one else" got in their team is there." I was more impressed with his natural ability and not actually his performance. At first I thought that he was another one gifted but stupid player like Ben Arfa, but he picked some neat passes closer to the end of the game (the one to Pele, if I'm not mistaken, was simply brilliant). Nowhere near top-class yet, but I can see him getting there with the right management. "I've seen Mané for Salzburg and he ripped the league apart, wasn't sure he'd be good enough for the Premier League, but he's proven me wrong, let's see if he can show good performances on a regular basis." Of course there will be views to contrary, but young fast wingers are most inconsistent players there are. He clearly isn't as bad as some are making out.

Why? Similar age players, both useful squad members. Could be argued that Yoshida is closer to first team as played 90 minutes when all CBs were fit. When Schneiderlin, Wanyama, JWP and Davis are fit they are ahead of Cork - possibly Harrison Reid as well now. If we sign a midfielder before one departs it maybe that Cork is not required. However, without any new signings I hope Cork stays as a very good level and reliable squad player.

Top 6 secured for Christmas, unless Arsenal humiliate Liverpool then top 5 for Christmas.

Stoke 2, west ham 1, wba 1, Chelsea 2 (inc both CBs). Hope that helps. Virtually every prem player played less than Tadic ( not checking more but looks like only one or two at most clubs).

Appreciate there is a good chance you haven't played decent level sport, but I don't think Koeman is talking about he needs a lay in. As well as niggling injuries there is allowing the body to recover to be considered. I'm sure he is still lively and more energetic than all of us but it is the comparative performance level against being fully recovered players. BTW, just had a look to see how he is coping with the premiers league... Tadic has played more minutes than every Man U outfield player, every Liverpool player except Sterling, all except one Newcastle player, all except one Aston Villa player. So as he has lasted more minutes than the vast majority of players, then maybe he is better suited to prem than virtually all others?

The ignorant knee jerk way posters chase a scape goat on here shouldn't surprise me , but always does. I don't know whether you have ever followed a pacy singers career before, but rarely are they consistent - even during one game! He is 22 years old, a new signing who has already settled and contributed but , shock horror...has had a few games when his play hasn't worked out. How does his season compare with Courtinio, Markovic, Townsend, Phillips or zaha? His debut he won us the penalty at arsenal. Next game he set up a goal with a back heel (would a consistant worker midfielder have even tried that?) BBC decscribed his game as impressive. Spurs missed a sitter. Sunderland scored. Stoke scored and man of the match Leicester played well. Was one of better players in two manchester games. Yes has performed worse in last few, and I share others concerns about the balance of the side with him playing. However, that is not a bad start at all for a 22 year old winger. But those who predicted we would lose and plummet down the table are in shock and looking for someone to blame when we do lose ?!

http://www.statto.com/football/teams/southampton/2013-2014/table/2013-12-01 Shows that table on 01/12/2013 had us in 7th, 5 points of 2nd for me. After our bad recent run, comparison with last season; 14/15 5th with 26 points from 16. Points behind 4th - 2, 3rd - 5 points. 13/14 9th with 24 from 16. Points behind 5th- 7, 4th- 8, 3rd - 9 points. Hopefully do better over the next few weeks than we did last season but are still better off than we were.

Think one aspect that isn't being discussed is the relative characters and the impact they have on team spirit. Many posters have raved about the togetherness at the club. I've previously heard positive things about FF. I have met KD and seems a very decent guy, very well liked within the camp. Then there is AB who had tantrum with fans at start of his career, sulked rather than competed when FF arrived and who our manager has said we are better off giving him away than having him at the training ground. Is he disruptive, a pain etc? I do like characters in the club, and we've had a few over the years, but its a lot easier as a fan than working with them. Boruc is a good keeper, gold enough for top championship , or many prem sides. He isn't gold enough for a top 6 side. IMHO, FF is good enough for top 6 sides. Although the purpose of this board is to analyse and debate, it is dangerous for keepers, they all make mistakes, they all let in goals, misjudge corners etc - often leading to goals. My memory of shilton is that he didn't, but that is probably a bit of a romantic exaggeration! Hart, seaman etc all have had nightmares. If he wanted out I bet fans at most prem sides, bar united, Chelsea, man city, spurs (although even heard some mixed views from spurs fans this season)

Not just few years ago, think was less than year ago (maybe longer) that he was excellent at St Marys, probably one of the best games a forward had against us last season - strong, direct, hard working, good in the air - thought we couldn't cope with him. If can play like that easily good enough for squad, probably a starter, but he is a player who rarely performs to his excellent ability. I'm sure he still could, but how and for who?

Sounds like bunch of girls arguing over who is biggest one direction fan! Not proper fan unless have at least five posters, badges ...!! Does it matter? Isn't it better to have more people going, even if not from city, not dead keen, worried about traffic etc? How can where people sit be a factor ffs?! Unless I have missed it grounds tend to have 4 sides they need to sell? I know people who never go but follow saints, or who have little interest but takes their children are they allowed to go?! Surely supporters are anyone who would reply 'saints' when asked who they support, and nothing else? Reading some on here, they don't fit in definitions of "fan" - fanatical about, biased towards. Many on here seem to be biased against us! Relishing anything negative, criticising players and performances - see more balanced judgements of our players and performances on other club's boards. There are some really insecure posters here.

Sorry for typo with points to guarantee top 5

Think you will be wrong. Playing Burnley and Everton - 3 points from those guarantees top 5 at Christmas. Both Arsenal and Newcastle need to gain 4 points on us over those two games to overtake us. They can't both get 6 as playing each other. Arsenal - playing Newcastle and Liverpool Newcastle - playing Arsenal and Spurs Swansea need 5 more points than over 2 games and are playing Spurs and Hull. Liverpool and Spurs can only be ahead of us by Christmas if they win both of their and we lose both of ours. Liverpool playing Man U and Arsenal Spurs playing Swansea and Burnley. Which 2 do you see overtaking us? I think we will be top 6, probably top 5 at Christmas. If we lose 5 in a row, with one point from 6 games then we are likely to drop!