Graffito

It's easy to come on here and slag off the manager and criticise the players but how many of us didn't bother to turn up.

Sounds like Saints fans have really got to him. He's set himself up for the return fixture. He'll need nerves of steel at St Mary's

A reasonable summary Brummiehants except I disagree that Fox went over the ball with the challenge for which he received his first yellow card. It was a perfectly good, hard tackle. I think Hughton said he thought the booking was warranted because the tackle was "fairly fierce". Well, if you get booked for fairly fierce tackling then we may as well all go and play beach volleyball.

I'd be worried if, in good weather conditions, we'd had that much possession and created so little but 0-0 to the weather tonight. Sending off, my ar.se.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/feb/03/fans-portsmouth-winding-up?INTCMP=SRCH

Is it Danny Murphy?

You're wrong and the central midfield. It did ok. The reason we didn't capitalise on our possession was poor delivery from the fullbacks. If we go up and continue to play a similar formation we need better quality from fullbacks/wingbacks.

He made one diagonal run so fast I thought he was teleporting.

He's good in the air. Yesterday was a good all round performance and the best I've seen him play.

Should Saints draw Liverpool it would be interesting to see whether Adkins plays his strongest side in the replay against Millwall.

All footballers?

At the beginning of the transfer window Sharp said words to the effect that he was going to wait and see what offers came in. I guess he had hopes of a transfer to the PL. Around the same time Adkins alluded to the fact that we might have to wait until towards the endof the window when most transfer business is done. I think Sharp was the first or one of the first forwards Saints were linked with so Iguess he's been high on Adkins' list. Could all be conjecture but could Adkins have been waiting for Sharp to make up his mind on whichever clubs came in for him? It seemed to be a similar scenario with Cork's transfer. Seemed to me he too was seeing what offers there were before deciding.

Availability.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/spl/2012/01/18/southampton-make-final-bid-to-tempt-celtic-hitman-gary-hooper-south-as-they-offer-to-treble-striker-s-wages-86908-23705411/

Cardiff, Reading, Birmingham.

Seagull, a difference between Brighton's disciplinary record and those of other teams is a deep suspicion that whereas most teams have one or two players who make the most of fouls, with Brighton the "professional" fouls, the play acting, the constant pressure on the referee, the time wasting, are sanctioned by Poyet. Like it or not, there is a perception that Poyet has introduced a cynical styleof play which I suggest does your club no credit. It reminds me of the style of Don Revie's Dirty Leeds. As you say, Brighton have some good players so is all the gamesmanship necessary? The cynical answer would be yes because with the assistance of incompetent officials it won you the game but let's not kid ourselves it's football.

Chaplow has been a big miss because he gets forward from midfield into dangerous positions. We need him back or get someone else playing the same way. I'd like to see Lallana released from the left where it's easier for the opposition to blunt the danger he poses. Move him inside where he can damage the opposition and get him on the ball as much as possible.

Insightful summary but I disagree with the final paragraph. Cork and Hammond may have made a more combative midfield but it would't have moved the ball any quicker to address the problem you identified of needing to match bristol's tempo. De ridder created his own opportunities but his final ball is too often poor.

So how do you account for all the matches we've won this year? Is it because Lambert stayed in and watched Coronation Street?

I'd sign Maynard, he looked good, but not for £5m.

Saints passed the ball ok but didn't create enough and the final ball was almost invariably poor. If only De Ridder could deliver a final ball. The ref was poor and gave Lambert no protection but the ref wasn't the reason we lost. At the end of the day credit the opposition (including James whose save from Lambert was outstanding) who played as well against us as anyone I've seen this season. None of this don't get too up or too down nonsense after that loss. Let's see a reaction against Brighton.

Block 34 sold out. A few odds and sods in Blocks 33 and 35.

Guly does not appear in the top goalscorers list yet has 9 goals. Have they got something against him? Attendances - Saints could conceivably end the season with an average attendance literally double the Skate average. Fair play - Saints are 3rd. Middlesborough and West Ham are near the bottom. This could cost our nearest rivals. Brighton have more than double the number of yellows that Saints have - no surprise there. Saints have no players in the naughty boys league.

Two good headed goals. Pleased for Guly especially as Lallana was mostly at fault for the Skate equaliser last week, though you wouln't know it from some of the comments on here, because he left his man at the back post leaving Fonte to mark two players.

I have the option not to go to any football match. What does that prove? I think you're missing the point. By the way I didn't have the option not to go to this one. I was excluded from applying due to the way in which tickets were allocated. Crowd control is not the same as crowd safety. They are linked but they are not the same.