jam

It clearly is a conspiracy - all the other players are so bitter and jealous of Brighton they rigged the vote. Seriously though, isn't the big thing about Brighton the fact that Poyet is supposed to have coached decent - if not the best - players to achieve excellent results?

Johnno Quick, Johnno Quick Running down the wing Johnno Quick, Johnno Quick he's got boots and everything he's good on the left but ****e on the right Johnno Quick, Johnno Quick, Johnno Quick I'll await all the praise...

No that wasn't it. Try again. Incidently I know you think you're a big club now but it is a little arrogant to thing a team should get seven points for beating you.

He definitely put a shift in but looked to me like he was hopping about a bit. I think Adkins stuck him right up front after that so he had to run around less. I agree about the expectations on Lambert, I think he's put them on himself and whether that and his relative goal drought earlier in the season has taken its toll. Certainly some of the goals he's scored have appeared to mean a lot to him - and the rest of the team. I can't remember the game, possibly Huddersfield over Christmas, when Lambert scored they celebrated in front of where I was sat and it definitely didn't look like the average goal celebration. WHat I also noticed is that it seemed to lift the team - Morgan especially played a much better game after that. As you and others have mentioned above and as per recent threads, we seem to have a really good bunch in this team with a good solid character. For me an example was Butterfield by the end of the first half. As noted he'd had a poor half for various reasons, but he seemed to dig in and get through it without losing his composure.

No worries, didn't think you were having a go. I'm just sat very near the Chapel goal so maybe see things that people at the other end don't (just as I rarely have a clue how well Butterfield plays in most second halves). I was more following on from your post rather than arguing with it.

The clue was this little swiggly thing '?' that I put in my post. We use it to indicate when someone is asking a question. I'd got it mixed up with another game, Bristol Rovers I think. Tell you what, there's a clue there as to how important the Brighton game was to us last season. Can you work out the answer?

That's why it was a question...

In defence of Lambert he was under close inspection from the BR defenders every time a ball went in towards him. For that chance it looked like he physically couldn't get into the right space to get the direction on it (as there was a Bristol player or two already there). That said, I'm probably softer on strikers than many.

Fair observation and definately fair comment after yesterday. I can't think of times when he's run full pout with the ball. His game certainly seems to be along the lines of 'get it, make some space and bring someone else in', rather than the Lallana / AOC, get the ball and run with it style. Again, I think all this adds to the 'play Guly in the middle somewhere' argument.

I hope Dickson doesn't read this... (or her for that matter!)

Interesting you say that about pace; I think he's got quite a turn of speed on him...

He's definitely a central player, either just off the striker or in midfield. Problem is it seems that Lambert likes to play just off the striker as well so if it's the two of them up front together then they have to take it in turns. For my money, he (Guly) is most certainly not suited to playing out wide.

Deliberate handball = yellow card. Today's ref showed consistency with the rules and didn't have a choice as Forte handballed it with obvious intent right in front of Massey. If she hadn't flagged and he hadn't booked Forte then they'd have been in the ****. I'm pretty sure that we won't see anyone on MOTD tonight handball it so blatantly deliberately when it is in play and get away with it. For me, the problem is that managers whine endlessly that they want consistency and common sense, which is contradictory.

How about a dissertation on the obsession of degree students with football hooliganism?

Harsh coming from the guy who thinks that 'better than Fred Dinage' is a yardstick...

I think you're taking him too literally there. When you guys were in the serious **** a few years back, plenty of saints (and others, nothing special about us on that one) tried to help. I think there are a few Southampton fans who are simply getting a bit tired of fans of other clubs (clubs for whom lots of us have sympathy or good feeling for), suddenly decide that we're the nastiest thing since the porno shots of Rooney's last conquest. Regarding the dvd game, are you talking about the 2-3 at our place last season? You might need to watch it again (or just check the scoreline), as I think you have built it up a little.

Risking getting into semantics here but when I read 'not playing very well', I read that as playing poorly or getting through games rather than being unable to say 'they're playing very well'. Anyway - and I'm not trying to pick you personally up on anything here - I think we are actually playing well ( from what I've seen in he last few home games). I think it's really coming together, although not quite coming off. I've got a really good feeling about next season. Providing we're in the right division...

Guly was never going off. Forte was injured, did his hamstring when he had a chance in the box. I think he only stayed on so long because of Lambert doing similar then the Barnard situation.

Don't feed the troll.

I'd even disagree with the not playing very well comment. We are playing some good, interesting football. Not champagne stuff, no real verve but our style of play is really coming together despite losing a bunch of important players to injury.

They'll want to beat us to prove a point.

Yep. And it looked like the ball was in from where I was sat. Lino had no choice so neither did the ref to book him.

I think he went off because they were playing with the fast fella up front an their left winger was not slouch - he felt Fonte for dead at one point. Jaidi isn't the quickest but I wouldn't be surprised if all the recent games were catching up with him.

The racist in front of me wanted him taken off after two minutes.

Well Forte went off injured and Lambert was hobbling for the last half hour.