Graffito

"I'm all for bigging up our players when they deserve it, but I can't be arsed with all this anti-big club players mentality just for the sake of it. The players you mention may not be world class, but then again none of ours mentioned are either." It's not about "world class" it's about the best players available.

I agree with your comments about Sturridge for Liverpool. He's learnt to play with his head up and links well with Suarez. I don't agree at all about Wellbeck. Since, as you say, his first touch lets him down he shouldn't, imo, be in the England team. Berkamp was interviewed on the BBC today and was saying its all about the first touch. Lallana's first touch is good. Has to be to give him time on the ball since he doesn't have pace.

Loads of them phoned up 606 moaning about Moyes. Only one of them with a Manc accent (actually he was the only one who was, as they all ought to be, supportive of the manager).

The fundamental requirement of a full back is to defend and Clyne is in my opinion a better defender than first choice Johnson. He has no international experience (at senior level) simply because, obviously, he hasn't been picked. Would have been a major risk to have put him in against Poland and quite right that he wasn't selected but there are two friendlies coming up. He should be given a chance in those.

Here it is. It includes a poll. 40% odd for the donkey. Unbelievable. http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/showthread.php?12867-Schneiderlin-Saints-Biggest-Waste-of-Cash-Ever/page3&highlight=Schneiderlin+Wotton#.UmLhzcu9KSM

He's always been quality. I recall a thread comparing MS with Wotton and incredibly many people preferring Wotton. Surely France can't continue ignoring MS.

“We live on the sea and a lot of Portsmouth boys go out fishing my way. I’d be out in my garden and I would hear the unmistakable accents. ‘You ******* scum, Redknapp.’ “I’d hear the abuse every day ringing out from the boats, even from our kitchen. They don’t hold back, the fishermen; they’re a tough group. Fishing for skates. Portsmouth to Sandbanks is a long way to row, or do they have a fishing fleet in Portsmouth?

Well it's all about opinions. Needless to say I saw it very differently. I don't see much of Swansea but when I have seen them they play through Brittan who is a neat player or as on Sunday through Shelvey who mixes it up with long as well as short balls. He's not Steven Gerrard but he stood out for me and I tend to be myopic when watching Saints.

The groans were low key. It was the sarcastic cheer when he passed to his own man which I found harsh. Sadly it was spontaneous.

That would be quite cynical. How often has a full allocation gone beyond ST holders though?

The away allocations are selling out to ST holders.

Shelvey was on the ball constantly. I thought he was very good for them. We just didn't close him down. I think he was able to run things for them mainly because their pace pushed us back and created space for him. That and the fact that they seemed to have an extra body in midfield until JWP came on.

A few comments on Fox. He was rusty. He lacked confidence. Hardly surprising given the "support" he gets. He stays tight to the two CB (has always done so) because he lacks pace. The coaching staff see this and must condone it. His ability to put in a good cross is largely redundant because PL sides target him so that he's penned back.

I would add that Ward Prowse not showing for the pass contributed to Fox giving the ball away. He had no other passing options. He coud have tried to retain possession but he didn't have enough confidence on the ball.

The last thing a scandal prone FA needs is a scandal prone football manager.

His Championship experience might be useful to them next season.

Good point well made. The bigger picture. I see that now.

It doesn't't actually say we just lump it forward but that we play more long balls per match than any other team. It doesn't reference any stats to back what it is saying. Without the evidence the author is just making an assertion. I wonder how the long ball stats, if they bear out what is being said, fit with possession stats. What do the stats say about number of passes and pass completion. Having seen most of our games live I don't accept that our football isn't pleasing on the eye nor that we aren't passing the ball around.

Agree with this. Clyne at left back significantly diminishes our attacking threat. Its a makeshift solution in an emergency. I personally don't like full backs playing on the opposite side. Skilled as he is Clyne's no Lahm. Targett's untested and if he's not ready I question why Fox is going if indeed he is going.

What does a dyslexic, agnostic, insomniac do? Stays up all night wondering if there really is a Dog. A Buddhist Monk goes up to a hotdog stall and says "Make me one with everything" A Roman walks into a bar, holds up two fingers and says "five beers please"

http://sportwitness.ning.com/forum/topics/pochettino-says-he-shares-principles-with-che-guevara-and-is-inte And I thought Nigel was slightly bonkers. Whatever works for him I suppose...

A good read. He was very frank about his dishonesty in playing all those games for Ireland when he didn't qualify.

Could be. Safety first. Football second.

He's the right man to keep them up until they move to the Olympic Stadium then he'll be replaced by someone more in tune with the kind of football their supporters want.