Graffito

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.

Jesus says GR hasn't been fit enough for the first team, or words to that effect. I've no doubt they know excatly what his fitness levels are and lack of fitness could well be why he blows hot and cold. Bit odd though considering he's been with Saints for quite a while now.

We struggle against sides that come to defend. We struggled on Sunday against a side that defended well. A player creates three or four good chances in a game of relatively few chances, in particular the one for Osvaldo which Rodriques crafted and which should have been buried, yet apparently he was rubbish. "Furthermore, Jay Rodriguez will be frustrated that none of his chances created were converted. Against West Ham, he created an impressive four chances, three of which were created inside the Hammers box. If Southampton had their shooting boots on, Rodriguez would have had at least one assist for the Saints. It’s key to note that the former Burnley man also created more chances than the whole West Ham team (3 chances created)."

An unqualified success so far. As someone says above, it will be interesting to see how he goes against the better strikers.

"My life is always about studying the opposition and asking the team to maybe play the same system, but in a different way to nullify the opposition's strengths and expose their weaknesses." Allardyce before yesterday's match.

Nope. Would have been a justifiable penalty.

Shame he didn't play a simple pass to Lambert who was unmarked.

My favourite too but MLT himself does not consider it his best because he says he scuffed the shot. His favourite was the one away to Blackburn I believe. The thirty yarder against Tim Flowers.

Look at the long ball stats. http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/southampton-v-west-ham-preview-team-strengths-tactics-and-stats-8811579.html

If the doubters want evidence of a perceived lack of strength in depth they should look first at England's defence, Cole excepted. I think England is actually relatively strong in attack to which Lambert has added strength in depth.

What do the coaches at Stoke make of Peter Crouch?