derry

It was nice to see a Saints team actually look like a football team. The team had decent shape and passed the ball well. Importantly it is good to see the confidence coming back. Nearly all the players are getting back to normal but Lamberts mobility is still a bit lacking. It was nice to see us leaving two up at defensive corners and at attacking corners creating movement from the edge of the box and running in rather than just standing in the box. Kelvin Davis now trying hard to pass the ball at the back. The new manager is swiftly sorting out the previously woeful pattern and we are beginning to look like a real football team. If Lambert can pick up the pace we will be a real threat. Today Bournemouth looked like a decent team, with a bit of pace and good passing, but not a powerful one. On the other hand we looked like a strong team.

Are Bournemouth still in the Carling Cup?

I suspect that the biggest issue is the lack of confidentiality by the Bournemouth Chairman during the ongoing negotiations with S****horpe. Due to the timescale alone, Nigel Atkins was offered the job and agreed terms which was the easy bit, it was the compensation negotiations that took the time. It is highly likely that alternatives were explored should the employment of Adkins be impossible. There is no doubt that Howe was interviewed by Saints with the blessing of Bournemouth. It would also be likely that Howe was contacted to see if he was interested in the job if the negotiations broke down. It may well be that Howe then ruled himself out. That doesn't mean that he was offered the job, apart from his real intentions being ascertained as contingency planning. Neither Howe or Mitchell needed to comment at that stage as Howe had ruled himself out and delicate negotiations were ongoing elsewhere. The fact that Mitchell chose to go public and announce that Howe had turned down Southampton, had more to do with trying to get one over Southampton, an inferiority complex, ego, spite over the bar bill/hospitality issues, etc than letting his own supporters know the good news. It is behaviour that reflects badly on the barrow boy mentality rather than on the confidentiality that is adhered to in all the business dealings of SFC.

I don't set out to be contraversial, however I wasn't impressed by Pardew's appointment because of his recent record especially at Charlton. Having sat through every game at SMS since his arrival and been forced to watch some horrendous dross, even if the end result justified the means, I personally want to see more than that. I certainly am delighted that Pardew has gone, as he has done nothing in the time he was here that could persuade me that he was in any way the manager to take us forward. I am delighted by the appointment of Nigel Atkins and have often named him along with Sean O'Driscoll and Lee Clarke as the sort of football manager I would like to see here. I have criticised the narrow way we played and the reversion to hoofball under Pardew which is being dispensed with under the new management. It is significant that Adkins was critical about the reversion to the long ball at Yeovil and the fact he looks for his teams to be balanced, play the full width of the pitch and picks players on their strongest side. All things that I have consistently criticised Pardew for ignoring. In a short time this team will be unrecognisable and much more enjoyable to watch under Nigel Adkins.

Adkins big problem is to get rid of the ingrained Kelvin boots it up to Lambert, but mostly to the centre backs hoofball and narrow crap, favoured by Pardew. Getting rid of Pardew was the best bit of news since Markus Liebherr came as far as I am concerned. As for Nigel Adkins he has certainly over achieved in his last four seasons on 6k crowds.

Pardew has been fired from his last three jobs and is pretty much damaged goods. If there is fall out from his time at SMS, it will soon be common knowledge in the small world of football. He may get a rescue job somewhere desperate, but it would be a surprise if he picked up another desirable job soon.

One thing that can be put down to a lack of match fitness, is the pattern the early season games followed, we played well for about half an hour and dominated, then let the opposition back in the game, followed after half time by the opposition dominating the second half.

The pre season should have been initial fitness work, followed by two or three matches with the first team squad playing together, followed by three or four progressively more intensive matches with the basic first team playing most of the matches working on teamwork, set pieces etc, with a final first team match against good opposition. The playing of mixed development and first team games against poor opposition where most of the players played no more than 45 mins each with nearly half a team that will never play in the first team this year was rediculous. The two early matches were out of sequence and wasted. The first team didn't play as a team until the first league game which again was rediculous. The conspiracy theory is that Pardew wanted out but wanted the compensation. That together with a deteriorating relationship with the chairman led to the team not being prepared in a proper manner. The question has to be asked, the players are allegedly professionals who should know how fit they were, how match fit they were, and how ready they were for the league. If the players felt they weren't individually fit enough, it would have been easy to carry out their own private regime to guarantee they were fit despite the club's regime. I can't believe they didn't know they weren't fit nor can I understand why they didn't do something themselves. Lee Barnard trained himself during the pre season and came back very fit and strong, which has been shown by his performances. Why didn't the others?

1989, Kuala Lumpur, Saints beat Liverpool 4-0 with youngsters brought in. 2002, Easter Island, Lima, Guayaquil (Saints live beating Liverpool. Riise own goal), Phomn Penh, Ayers Rock, Agra, Goa. Otherwise all over the world and whilst airborne on BBC world service on the a/c HF radio any Saturday etc that Saints were playing.

I thought the reason for being out was the surgery.

Thanks Duncan. It does seem to be doing the rounds including the UI. I think along the same lines as yourself, Canada, Teddy and Clifford. However as Colin implied logic isn't much use in football. I'm relaxed about NC, happy about the owners, pleased that Pardew is no more and look forward to the sort of football Nigel Adkins believes in. I think he is one of the very best outside the Premier.

Various rumours, plus it's on the ugly inside, but that appears coincidental.

Worryingly my information had nothing to do with the UI rumour and was told to me on Tuesday morning. I would think Duncan's hint was from a similar source. I'm pretty sure that Cortese and the Liebherr family have been disappointed with the reaction regarding Pardew's demise. I hope though that it isn't true because we could be bought by chancers and placed heavily in debt to finance it. I am happy that Pardew is gone and whilst I think Cortese could have done several things differently I fully support him and like his integrity.

Firstly it was a question, secondly worryingly, I have heard from somebody who knows a lot of people connected with the club at the top end, that it is rumoured the club is for sale. Thirdly Duncan is likely to know these same people, fourthly I was looking for a confirmation whether he had the same information. Logic says it isn't true but since when has logic been any use in football. Finally when you own or run the forum you can make sanctimonious posts and instruct members what they can, or can't post, until then STFU, or post on the subject like most people on here.

We are prime candidates for a leveraged buyout by opportunists on borrowed money guaranteed against the assets. Before you know it, we will be £50m in debt.

Ron, I get the feeling that they have had enough of the criticism.

Have you heard what I've heard?

How much are the Leibherr family asking for the club? Anyone ITK?

If we are going to play a passing game, then what question does Puncheon answer because he hardly ever passes without trying to beat men first? Holmes has a football brain and his crossing, corners and free kicks are spot on. We looked a better team with him on. Not quick but sharp.

It was the words freeloader and parasite that bemused him. It was ironic that this was a week that he had given up his time on two evenings to raise money for charity.

Two of his brothers post on here and will be pleased to read these comments.

No problem, Mike told me during the exclusivity that he thought Pinnacle couldn't raise the money and although he didn't know who the Swiss people were, he did know that they were blue chip. His worry was that the Swiss would walk away. I and his brothers talked to Mike about this thread which he looked at and to say that he was upset would be an understatement. He was at a loss to understand why people would think he was a free loader and a parasite when he gave so much of his time to charitable causes free of charge, he was that upset that he felt it just wasn't worth it. I have talked to Mike quite a bit about the club and never once has he voiced any criticism about Cortese or the club despite me being obviously critical of Pardew. It is understandable that LM and MLT because of their SFC background could resent the new organisation that they are no longer part of.

If we are going to play a pass and move, high tempo game unless Schneiderlin plays like Scholes as a midfield fulcrum he will have to involve himself more. If we played a nominal 4-5-1/4-3-3 and played a holding midfielder it would really need two attacking in the hole behind the front striker. If we do that and pass the ball Barnard could be the lone striker with Lambert and Lallana in the hole and Schneiderlin behind. But if it's 4-4-2 we don't need one sitting, we need to to get both midfielders rotating, covering each other but at least one getting in amongst the strikers.

He gave the ball away quite a few times yesterday. More than anyone else. It's the same every match. We need to move on now. He either has to put this right or he will be discarded, because possession is now the name of the game and giving the ball to the opposition will be an issue.

Mike Osman gave up a day free of charge on Friday for a golf day in aid of the Oakhaven Hospice. Although I know Mike quite well I saw the real Mike Osman on Friday night. Mike was going to run the fundraising, draw and auction plus a bit of comedy but things didn't go according to plan. The son and daughter of the person whose anniversary it was, were going to do the prize giving after a thankyou, in the midst of which the lad understandably broke down in tears. Before anybody else had a chance to move, Mike got up and put his arm around the lad's shoulder and told him it was no problem. led him to his seat saying that he would do the raffle and when he felt better the boy could carry on with the prize giving. Mike put on an absolutely marvellous performance which ended up with the lad coming back with a smile on his face and doing the prizegiving. For anybody to criticize Mike Osman calling him a free loader and a parasite is totally out of order. This year alone Mike, LM and MLT plus others have given their time willingly for many charitable events totally free. Without them the events couldn't have happened and if they did certainly wouldn't have raised the thousands of pounds for causes such as helping to fund the care for Kevin Moore and Oakhaven Hospice.