CanadaSaint

Dead right. Every year there are (tops) two teams like Norwich in this division and about 15 teams like Wycombe. We won't win promotion unless we can beat the Wycombes consistently, and we haven't even come close.

Cortese is not going to be happy if things stay this way.

They have no choice but to push on. A point here, in our position, is next to useless.

Dave's doing his semi-whisper again. No usually a good sign.

That probably says it all, though.

Did Harding just get a yellow?

From the sound of the game I think it's a great move. There won't be much dipsy-doodling on that pitch. Roll the sleeves up, fight for central midfield, push the ball though the gaps and shoot on sight. Screw sophistication. We need these points.

You're right! Who is Stanley now, I wonder?

We talked about plants once last year, and Saints ended up scoring. Curry might loosen us up at the back.

Especially if we continue to accumulate stupid yellow cards - as we have all season. Pards needs to address this. It's one thing losing players to injuries but there's no need to compound the problem with avoidable suspensions. That only pees away the advantage we have over other contenders.

What a difference a week makes! Saints win and Pompey (with the news about Farton Park) are one step closer to oblivion.

And that sounds like they want the land but not the club. Oh boy, here we go.

Has anyone heard Dave say "clean sheet" yet?

But you're doing it on a discussion forum for Saints fans, which suggests that you might have a problem with hostility.

I think the "eighteen months" was - as it usually is - on the proviso that we're making satisfactory progress. After the expensive buying spree, I could understand it if Cortese is yet to be convinced. Another thought. If we had a DoF (someone who knows more about football than Cortese) I think AP's position might be a little dodgier than it is, because he has made some rather questionable line-up and tactical decisions. TBF I'd hoped we'd be a little farther forward in the league, but I do think that the cups took us away from the plan somewhat. That might be Cortese's point.

I whistle bullsh*t on that one. Nothing will ever "expunge the memory" of that goal will it? After all, you just brought it up again. It's one of our gifts to you that keeps on giving. But, if HMRC has their way, memories will soon be all that you have.

The old adage about a keeper needing to dominate his six-yard box is just that - old. The lively modern ball makes going for crosses a very risky proposition, so I'm not going to be hard on KD for that. For those who would leave him out because of that failing, list some keepers who consistently do "dominate their six-yard box". And BTW, Bart's not going to be on that list, is he?

Does anyone suppose that there might be some government influence in the background to HMRC's position in this - as in, "this whole football thing has been getting out of hand for years, and we need to rein it in and leave a clear lesson behind"?

He'll stay if he's happy, which he appears to be right now. However, I think he's ambitious, and we must be moving up - this year or next. We must also play to his skills. I'm not sure how happy he'll be if we continue to expect him to take attacking free kicks from the touchline, rather than wait for them in the middle. That's an experiment that needs to end. Now.

Dave, I sat here ready to scream at about 7:00 am because the recipe for the loss was there for all to see. We're a better side playing on the front foot with width and support, and that showed in the first hour. We're a very vulnerable side when we allow people to push forward with abandon when they can't get back, and we have a few of them. I used the word "naive" in the second half thread, and Pardew used it after the match. But he didn't seem to do anything as it unfolded in front of him, so who's naivety was it? Yes, put the Pompey loss behind us and play like we did in the first hour and the rest of the season is going to be fun. Play like we did in the last fifteen and it'll be a nightmare. Thank God we have some back four pace coming back for the league games.

Srry to hear abut yur baddies, Kip. Hpe they dnt hurt t much. Imagine hw bad it wuld have been if we'd scred fur. At least yu didn't hit yur cck n an advertising harding.

Absolutely. And that suicidal trend unfolded right in front of Pards but he didn't seem to adjust. Sure I'm proud of my team but I'm not going to let that blind me to the fact that we weren't "beaten by a Prem team" so much as threw it away with missed chances and defensive stupidity.

Actually, I thought KD threw the dummy at Belhadj, trying to force him to shoot that way, but Belhadj was too good and too quick for him. As far as the KD vs Bart debate is concerned, I'd stay with Davis for now. Bart's confidence can be very fragile and he tends to fall apart after a mistake. Also, I don't think he's better on crosses and distribution. To be honest I think we need to spend on this position but there aren't that many really good'ns around.

That's one of the nastiest posts I've ever seen on here and it says a hell of a lot more about you than about the person you were trying to aim at. You should hang your head in shame but somehow I doubt that you will.

It's very telling that his big saves are nearly always instinctive, reaction saves. If he has to think about it he's screwed. Just as England would be if he played for us. Frankly, I'm hoping it's a persistent groin injury that doesn't heal until after the World Cup.