derry

I'm surprised everybody is disappointed at what the game was like. Almost 100% of the membership here have been working themselves into a lather about the importance of not losing this match. The idiot management buy into that and import LeTissier and Benali to emphasise the importance of the game to the players. I bet most of them had the mindset any result except a loss. So Portsmouth played well, bollocks, from the kick off their main tactic was launch the ball into our area, very occasionly Murphy had a run but about half the times played the ball into the box from about thirty yards out. Most times it was the keeper launching the ball. We played four at the back and looked better for it, making the full backs more defensive was correct. The two midfielders weren't positive enough mostly sitting back whilst playing Archer on his own was counter productive. The two wingers really had no target. If Archer really wanted to help he could have marked the keeper because that would have stymied Portsmouth's back passing and then a launched ball . He'd have caused them a lot more problems than he did up between two big centre backs. That result was the predictable outcome of an overhyped game. Now we need to get these players incorporated and move up the table.

Last 98 years P28 W15 L6 D7

From Tuesday they have been working on shape. The video on the OS shows the new players fully involved.

Personally I wouldn't piss about. I'd put all the new signings in against Pompey. I've had enough of defensively poor wing backs. KWP was a myth, a dynamic winger but a liability as a defender, often never in position or wrong side of mark. Still has two weeks to integrate the new players. Azaz has already played so if we want to play wingers so we can play a back four there's no point in wasting time. All he has to do is decide who plays up top, who will play alongside Jander, (Downes is training), along with the two central defenders probably THB and Stephens. We've been substandard attack wise so now we can turn this around. Time to ditch the timidity and get on with it.

I think it has turned out to be a pretty good transfer window. We have shifted about £25m in salaries for a start. Lost a load of players that either weren't good enough or didn't want to be here, that alone was a result. As for the transfers in, they have been outstanding. The key for me is the new engine room, Fellows, Azaz and Scienza. They will put a whole new attacking output for the lucky strikers that are used, Downs should thrive as and when used now we have proper creators and scorers in attack. Jander will give us a new dimension from midfield with his passing and driving runs. Lastly providing we play four at the back the two full backs should improve us. Add that to the players that are still here and we have the basis of a cracking team.

Smallbone rejoins Ex Stoke manager Alex Neil who managed his previous loan. a good move, good luck to him.

Reported signed but now doing the media requirements.

Florian Plattenberg reporting deal now done, on his way for medical.

Reported waiting for a UK flight at Stuttgart Airport around one o'clock. Presumably to LHR or LGW

Unlikely that Scienza was on a/c from Munich as he was reported waiting at Stuttgart Airport around one o'clock for a flight to UK.

Citation just landed from Munich. If Sky has coverage we should know if he's on it.

Citation B now not arriving until about 1550. That was an amateur cock up this is a professional German corporate jet operator.

That's because it's over 100 miles to Munich and close to Stuttgart. Corporate jets do pick ups at the most convenient place although based in Munich.

Stuttgart or Nuremberg nearest, Munich is a fair distance away. Possible though.

I think Saturday was the last time we will see us play that formation. It looks likely 4231 with wingers stretching the width and covering the back post.

Possibly a rival bid.

He comes over as well educated and clever. Speaks intelligently together with his career record I think we might have struck gold.

This has all come from Everton. Southampton always never disclose the fee or comment on it. It could also be a lot more and this is an ego look at us signing a bargain attempt by Everton. It wouldn't surprise me if it eventually turned out to be higher.

I'm sure it was Lawrie, I flew them in to Norwich and then had to fly the aircraft back to Southampton so didn't get to the match. I remember the loss by one goal. My feeling it was a Herald not an F27 on 12th Jan 1985 1 - 0 to Norwich. i also flew them to Amsterdam for a pre season friendly. Lawrie gave me Peter East's History of Southampton signed by the Saints party including Kevin Keegan.

1986 I was flying BAC 1-11 from Aberdeen so didn't fly the F27 after February. It was my second stint on the F27 the first was 80 - 82 before that it was the Herald and back on the F27 about March 85. It could possibly have been on a Herald. More likely 12th Jan 1985 before I went onto the BAC 1-11.

Personally I thought Stepens was a prat. Firstly he's the Captain. Secondly the minimum number of defenders in that position was two because diagonally the second defender gives one depth and allows the first defender to stop the runner without being the last man. Thirdly he wasn't bright enough to recognise that our kamikaze attacking was leaving us vulnerable to a break. A sending off against ten men wasn't too much of a problem and secondly having allowed the situation to happen through his lack of captaincy it was really the only thing he could have done to prevent the goal. I don't think he's the sharpest tool in the box and shouldn't be captain.

Still says ankle injury he's had trouble with previously.

In three league matches 5 goals 4 scored by defenders. One solitary goal from Robinson. Nothing from anyone else. It is a given that Armstrong can't play up front on his own. Downs and Stewart are a long way from being an answer. BBD has never been tried there. Archer looks lost. Bring in a dynamic big centre forward to lead the line. Unload a couple of the above. I'm not sure Azaz will come now, we really do look poor playing this way.

Playing three at the back with the players we have is a nonsense. Their slow passing sucks the life out of the team. Sideways sideways sideways diagonal to full back back to centre back into midfield lose the ball to the press. When we conceded the first goal we were caught on the break FFS with three centre backs all lacking pace. The second goal needed Stephens to be hard headed and take a last man red. Play a proper back four and counter the break. We don't need two holding midfielders and one striker or no wingers. The side lacks balance. Get back to basics 5 defensive, 5 attackers, 4 1 3 2, 4 3 3, 4 4 2, I don't care. certainly not 5 3 1 1 it's garbage and slow. Speed everything up there is no tempo or cutting edge especially with the ball continually being crossed hail mary style no wonder we lost.

About 40 years ago I flew the Southampton team to Norwich in a Fokker F27 of Air UK. If I remember correctly they lost.