Tom & Gerry

Tend to agree. When we've played it at home in the past it always seems we've got a wasted player at the back.

Seems he's injured so may be out any way.

Maybe

Maybe could be a non commital answer to a question from a journo about whether something might happen on the transfer front in January which gets twisted to being VVD is agitating for a move. It's how the press work. VVD should know if he wants a move he needs to play well, and that is easier done with the fans not on his back. He should also know Saints don't sell in January and they won't sell to Liverpool.

I'd much rather watch a skillful player than a runner but Saints lack energy going forward and Long, for all his faults provides that in spades. Hopefully that helps the likes of Tadic, Redmond or Boufal to produce more alongside Austin or Gab.

We don't seem to get the ball to him enough in positions where he can be dangerous. I'm not sure if that is his fault or the team's. He doesn't appear to read the game very well and he maybe another Walcott in that respect (He's not as good as Walcott at the minute). He definitely has ability and potential and maybe 1 day it will all click in to place but at present Long would be a better attacking option in that position.

The decision not to start with him was a disaster. Watford must have thought it was Christmas.

He's not as good as Messi I agree. Mere mortals can be marked out of games though. Perhaps we have someone as good as Messi that I don't know about to replace him.

If Tadic isn't playing well it's because the opposition have identified that he is our most creative player. They will go all out to deny him space and to stop him getting his passes away. Don't drop him, that's exactly what the opposition want us to do. It is up to the manager to devise tactics to help Tadic and get him in to space and it is up to the other players to take advantage of the room created by him being tightly marked.

To be honest - yes, To do their best as they see it for the club- yes, To get every decision right - no (they are human)

At his best he makes it look easy. I personally prefer his type to a smaller jack in the box type keeper. He made some good saves on Saturday, go on give him some credit...........thought not.

I suppose it's good that a few of our players want to take a penalty. The time to worry is when noone wants to take it.

There's only one position on the pitch where arguably we could not do better and unfortunately he doesn't want to play for us at present.

I think some are being incredibly harsh on Fraser. With the first goal he had a fraction of a second to deal with a hard shot with a light ball at full stretch. Try to turn it round the post and there is a danger you will get too weak a hand on it and it will end up in the net, get too strong a hand on it and it can go back to the opposition, it's really down to luck and every goalkeeper can and does get it wrong sometimes.

Does this mean we no longer have to bow the knee to Liverpool?

I must admit having Pompey as rivals is a bit like Man U having Oldham as rivals. I know nothing about them or what players they have. I'd imagine the Liverpool game should produce an atmosphere of at least similar bitterness and intensity but that's up to you the fans.The authorities and Liverpool have done nothing to dampen the situation.

Dear Liverpool, You can buy the whole club for £200m. Just build a bigger ground and pay the transport costs for us season ticket holders so we can carry on watching our team.

Dear Virgil, I'm so glad you share the club's ambitions We would have achieved them by now if it wasn't for players like you, Lallana, Lovren, Clyne, Mane, Wanyama,Schneiderlin, Alderweireld,etc,etc. And why would you want to go to Liverpool, a team we so comprehensively outplayed over 2 legs last season?

And of course we comprehensively deprived them of a little bit of silverware last season. They couldn't score against us in 4 games in which we made them look bang average, which they were in most games when their ex Saints players were not playing. Still VVD wants to go there because they are in the Champions league (allegedly). They might only play 1 round and there is no guarantee he would play especially given his state of fitness or do the players choose which games they play at wonderful Liverpool. In future seasons given the strength of Utd, City and Chelsea there is only a 33% chance they will qualify as they fight out 4th place with Spurs and Arsenal, and with Everton improving the odds on qualifying are lengthening further. Why would you go there?

I'd sell to Liverpool but it would be for £20m more than I'd sell to anyone else. Actually on second thoughts no I wouldn't sell to Liverpool.

The trouble is Saints are on their own on this one. The Premier League could help by taking action against clubs that illegally approach players or introduce a wage cap. They won't though because they are too afraid the big clubs will break away and form their own European league.

It's very funny in parts and grim and sad in others. A great read.

Wonder who they are working on for next season, Bertrand, Romeu, Cedric?

So VVD expects to be a Liverpool player by the end of the window. Teresa May expected to have a bigger majority by the end of the last election and look where that got her. I don't expect Saints to sell another top player to Liverool. We will see where that gets me.

If the rules had been applied in the past we wouldn't have to sue and if they were applied now there is a good chance we wouldn't lose anything now or in the future.