Rebel

The Commercial department at Saints aren't that good to be honest - Andy Oldknow brought a different approach to things but had a tendency to upset people with his manner I expect someone who is better in both aspects will be brought in eventually

Cranie still in the England U21's isn't he. Given the time to develop slowly and fully - as well as the opportunity to play regularly in time I think Blackstock, Best, Mills and Cranie could all have been first team regulars for us in either of the top two divisions.

Jaidi is 32 I think!

I can't believe I decided not to go today after Tuesday! That will teach me!!

even if we get another striker in we still need a right winger with pace and a first choice right back Waigo is obviously still adjusting to the pace and style of League 1 football but looked promising on Tuesday night some of his one touch football was level or two above this league - and he's got pace to burn he also gave us some width - but it was obvious his natural position is upfront I'd like to see us bring in another striker - Vokes would be good as he's a Saints fan but I think he's on his way to Coventry. Tom Craddock at Luton could be worth a punt . He has pace apparently and a good scoring record in League 2. Max Gradel at Leicester apparently did very well in League 1 last season - and with pace and creativity would give us what we need on the right wing. Perhaps we can persuade Leicester to swap him with Saga for the rest of the season! The only people I can think of for right back are Phil Ifil (young and pacey) or Chris Baird (solid and experienced). Would Chris step down to League 1 for a homecoming though!

its easy to celebrate when you win a game like that if we'd scored the final goal and not them St Mary's would have well and truly rocked I was bit disappointed though as some bald four-eyed in-bred Bristolian OAP had offered to meet me after the game - with his 10 or so mates along for the ride of course - and he never showed up that's what happens when you hang around on street corners (outside the King Alfred's) before the game waiting for your mates to turn up with the tickets! all I can say is its lucky for him I was outnumbered 10 to 1 - and lucky for me the bouncer from King Alfred's scared them off although according to one of his mates I was OK coz I was a 'shirt'! I think he had a bit of a strop on coz the bouncers wouldn't let him in the pub!

more thought less running around would be a good start! we certainly didn't help ourselves - or our energy levels - by using the long ball from the back when it went to 2-2 it was crying out for a bit of 'keep possession' football - and playing it out from the back Davis' distribution of the ball is awful - whether it be kicking or throwing it out. There were numerous times in the second half when he should have passed the ball out short to Harding or James - openning up the pitch and working the ball forward through midfield there were also numerous times we should have switched the play from right to left - particularly when James was taking throw-ins in our own half in the second half and no one seemed to want the ball it was crying out for the ball to be thrown back to Trotman or Davis - rather than aimlessly forward - and then played out wide to the left bringing Holmes on instead of Mills would have given us some width, as well as an attacking threat down the left although I have a feeling Mills was supposed to do this and cover Harding - but I think he completely forgot his instructions from AP and drfited into the middle like a headles chicken

I think there was a bit of that to be honest - I'm not convinced he really wants to be here at the moment. He never seemed to attack the ball - seemed to want it on a plate if at all. And if Davis' long balls got anywhere near him he didn't seem to win them anyway! He's not the big centre forward - dominant in the air we hoped he was. He's got no pace either! We need to change our style of play - keep the ball on the ground, get some width and pace down the wings and pass it to Lamberts feet if we are going to get the best out of him We

No width on the left all game - from either Mellis or Mills - and no cover or support for Harding (which is why he looked os bad - he was knackered for the last 10 mins after having to do it all on his own for the whole game) Jaidi seemed to hit a brick wall at about 70 mins and just ran out of steam - seemed to affect Trotman as well too many players stopped tackling or wanting the ball for the last 20 mins Kelvin was a disaster for the first goal and his long kicking off the ball was a complete waste of posession all game (why don't we feed the ball to our fullbacks, play it out from the back and stretch the play) Lallana and Schneiderlin were good with the ball at their feet Mellis, James and Schneiderlin all chickened out of 50/50 challenges in the second half which gave Rovers the scent of or blood Hammond seemed to give up on defending after 70 minutes! Lambert just doesn't attack the ball - seems to want it on a plate - I'm starting to think he's a bit lazy! and no one seemed to want the ball when James was taking the throw-ins - particularly Hammond, Trotman and Kelvin Rovers deserved the win as they outplayed us for the 95 mins and wanted it more we desperately need some width on the left and right - and some more pace all over the pitch!

the one advantage Perry would have over James is positioning and reading of the game - personally I think Perry would do all right at right back unless he was facing a winger with real pace James is better in central midfield than right midfield or right back. He can pass the ball and has put one or two good crosses into the box - BUT he's not the best tackler, doesn't read the game that well defensively and cannott mark his man or cover the space with his positioning sure these things may come in time - but he needs to be coached in them and spend time in the reserves learning them he does seem to lack a bit of pace and strength as well though I'd take Murty, Thomas and Perry over him at right back (in that order) every time however a 20-something first choice right back should be a priority signing before the loan window closes or in the January window

I heard he eats Skates for breakfast.... ....and then has 3 weetabix!!!

take him - but make a really special day of it! I challenge anyone to beat this though! I recently took my 6 year old nephew to his first Saints game - the Saints v Colchester game to be precise the twist being the fact his dad is a die hard Portsmouth fan! My nephew been to Fratton Park - when he was 4 - but he was too young and didn't like it! he's always been aware that me and my Dad are red and white through and through and his dad a true blue in fact he has a Portsmouth bedspread amongst other things - whilst me and my dad have bought him varouse saints things - a coat, hat, T-shirt etc but his Grandad (my dad) is his favourite person in the world - which resulted in a bit of panic a year or so ago when I told him Grandad would no longer read him bedtime stories if he had a Portsmouth bedspread anyway my dad recently took the opportunity to walk him past St Mary's over the sumemer holidays - my nephew being impressed by its size and state compared to Fratton I then suggested - jokingly - the next time I saw him perhaps he would like to go to a game with me and grandad to my surprise he said yes - I mentioned it to my sister thinking that would be the end of that - but he kept going on about it and spoke to Grandad about it eventually his father agreed he could go so the day of the match came - he stayed over at my parents the night before - he was up and dressed in his Saints stuff at 7.15am to wake my dad up - around mine at 9.00am! it was the earliest I'd ever gone into town for a game! anyway we took him to IKEA for lunch - one of his favourite places - and then to the shop and St Mary's. My Dad bought him the new away kit - mostly as he tried it on and refused to take it off - he then wore it for the rest of the day - all night and all day Sunday much to his Dad's bemusement! he had a great day and asked when could he go again! we sat in the Kingsland North and the Saints fans around us made it a fantastic day for him - two of them had long conversations with him about his new kit, his half time Kit Kat and various other things! highlight of the day for me was in the lift at IKEA - with all 3 of us wearing colours a Skate out shopping made a comment under his breadth - something about scummers - I replied saying its alright he's my nephew and his dad's a Pompey fan! You should have seen his face! His other half had a bit of a laugh at his expense as well! I did have to have a chat with my nephew about a couple of the songs - and the odd word like Skate and F*ck - and he went home convinced I was going to get my gun and shoot his dad! he has since worn his new Saints football kit to school - which has bemused the Saints fans and uspet the Pompey fans as last season he wore a Pompey shirt - he lives east of Southampton so there's a fair mix at his school! it looks like we are probably going to take him to the Bristol Rovers game next I am worried he is going to grow up schizophrenic now though!

Steve Grant was involved with the Saints Trust from the start - along with a number of other regular posters on this site The Saints Trust is what Saints fans wanted it to be - nothing. Everybody knows what should be done or what they should say and do - but no one actually wants to get involved or do something - they'd rather just moan on here and slag of the people that do something! StuRomseySaints being one of the biggest anti-everything and anything on here! by the way the Saints Trust bar is upstairs at the King Alfreds nowadays I believe

we couldn't really afford his wages when we signed him on a free - so we definately couldn't afford him or his wages before the takeover despite the occassional flash of talent he was never really that good for us - and was overpaid on the basis of what he gave us on the pitch week in week out and I dont think he really wanted to play for SFC or in League 1 - he was only ever here for the money much like Stern John really! over the season I can't see him being a great success at Blackpool - but for their sake lets hope he scores a few goals for them I wish we'd given younger players like Ranger, Baseya, Best, Blackstock and McGoldrick more of a chance instead of spending money we didn't have on players like Stern John and Jason Euell apart from all that its time to move on - and overall we are better off without him

because we are desperate for some pace in the team - and most people can see that because we are desperate for a win because there was no one else to play on the right (if Lallana was on the left and Mellis the only option) because we are just getting desperate because its fun to dream about better times and teams!

Pulis and Molyneux to League 2 clubs - there not going to play for us so do them and us a favour by sending them out on loan Saga will leave for a Championship club allowing us to bring 2 or 3 players in for the same salary (Craddock and Gradel?) Lancashire, Thomson, White - loan them out to get some experience in League 2 - and maybe Boyle as well Also have to send one of Bialkowski and Forecasr out on loan to get some experience - and Bart needs the confidence from playing regularly

Charlton were formed by a group of welshmen living in a part of London no one else wanted too - or could find on a map Hence the red shirts and white shorts for the kit - and the name of the ground - The Valley -as they missed the Valleys of home - plus they didn't really know where they were and had no imagination as they didn't know where they were they named the club after the great footballer Bobby Charlton - as they liked his hair and were all Man Utd fans really anyway and it's true Charlton fans are the rarest in London - although there are some in Manchester

According to his mother and brother he did want to leave - for either a Premier or CCC team - as a Saints fan he'd like to have stayed if we'd been in the CCC

I think it will be a close game Saints have been getting better with every game - and have added players to the squad who will go straight in to the first team in Waigo and Jaidi and with Trotman and Hammond recent additions to the squad as well its not the same team that started the season despite not having won a game yet - we haven't lost at home in the league yet either we are going to beat someone sooner or later - so why not Charlton? and I'm not sure Charlton will have faced a team yet with players of the quality of Saga, Lallana and Schneiderlin it does sound like the think they are as unlucky and afflicted as Saints fans though - they have no idea do they!?!?

Its got to be: Davis Thomas Jaidi Trotman Harding Waigo Morgan Hammond Lallana Lambert Saga gives us a strong solid defence with Harding giving us some width going forward on the left and Waigo on the right the best we've played so far this season was against Brum City for the first 70 mins and a lot of that was down to the interplay on the left going fowards between Harding, Lallana, Lambert and Saga Thomas was solid at right back against Colchester and got forward quite a bit as well - now if he can do that again and feed Waigo the ball with time and space to run at the oppo we should look good on the right as well Morgan as playmaker looking for Waigo in space on the right and Lallana on the left and/or Lambert dropping off Saga on the edge of the box(Morgan stood out in his brief cameo against Colchester - its time to give him a start) Saga leading the line and looking for the flick-ons and one-twos with Lambert Hammond as the box-to-box midfielder - being our extra man in their box! Lallana needs to be encouraged to run at the oppo defence as when he does he causes chaos and space for Saga and Lambert I'm hoping Waigo will give us some pace on the break and be a cross between a right winger and a third striker for us!!

I think if Saga had left in the Window we would have brought in Craddock and Gradel I don't think the fee would be a problem but the limit on the wage bill might be - it could mean we have to get rid of Saga before we bring another striker I half expect Saga to leave this week in a swap deal with Leicester with Gradel on loan to us and then Craddock coming in on loan from Luton

he wants it to work, we want it to work lets hope it works besides we all needed something to feel good about on Saturday and Waigo's pre-match appearance gave us some kind of feel good factor we despearely need a cult hero at St Mary's lets hops he can bet it

for the next game I'd play: Davies Thomas Trotman Jaidi Harding Waigo Hammond Morgan Lallana Lambert Saga Lambert and Saga combined pretty well upfront against Birmingham and I can only see the two of them getting better at it with more playing time. Lambert is best on the egde of the box - and Saga is the sort of player who plays on the shoulder of the defender - they should in theory work well together! Lallana was great on the left against Birmingham as well - had some great interplay with Lambert - but he need to be encourage to run at the opposition defence and come inside with the ball - playing the through ball or a one-two with the stikers Morgan should sit deep and act as the playmaker spreading the ball wide and stretching the play or making the killer through ball. Waigo will give us some real pace I hope - and a perhaps a winger of sorts on the right! He needs to be encouraged to make the runs looking for the diagonal ball from Morgan and link up with the two strikers Hammond needs to break up the play and be the extra man coming into the box when we are attacking I saw nothing from the Charlton game on TV last night to worry me. Our defence is looking more solid than its done for a while and I'm not sure Charlton have played a team yet this season with players of the quality of Morgan, Waigo (?), Lallana and Saga. We just need to make sure we play a system that gets the best out of these players. Yesterday and against Brum Lallana was causing the opposition defence all sorts of problems with the ball at his feet - we just need to make sure we make the most of the chaos and space he creates in the oppostion defence. He has the potential to be a real match winner for us by creating chances for our strikers if we get the system right.

Most of our crosses into the box are the same

Mills Thomson Melis Paterson and James just aren't ready for first team football yet Lambert looked terrible - like he couldn't be arsed we lacked pace power and aggression upfront Hammond and Trotman looked like a step forward still need an attacking right back, a right winger and some pace upfront