Rasiak-9-

Not working - anyone else with a link?

quite

We really do need to figure out how to keep clean sheets if we're going to win promotion by any means. We simply can't rely on scoring two goals minimum to win a game

Pshh. Every team has a few performances where they just don't show up. Shame because this game was very winnable, but from the sounds of things it looks like we're getting what we deserve.

The only thing that tonights game should do in terms of relevance to us is show just how vital it is not to be complacent at any stage in a football match - especially when (if things go as well as they have been so far) we'll be the ones taking the lead in a fair few games this season. Leeds were coasting at 2-0 and I couldn't for the life of me see a Brighton comeback on the cards, on the other side of the coin just because you've made a terrific comeback from 2-0 down to be winning 3-2 certainly doesn't give you any kind of entitlement to win the game either. Make no mistake about it - if we're going to achieve promotion this season then it'll have a lot to do with us remembering to keep our heads about us at all times (although in fairness we've shown no sides of failing to do that so far)

God I'm glad to see some of the fans are starting to match the hope and ambition that runs through our chairman (and indeed the players!) We should storm forward loud and proud - we can easily push on to recover our status as a mid-table Prem side and then make a further step to get ourselves into the Villa/Everton/Spurs/Newcastle-sized bracket of clubs in the Premiership, pushing for Europe, expanding both our stadium and our fanbase and international profile. There's no point being in this game if you don't want to beat the best and BE the best.

Don't call him Todd...

Absolutely. The last two teams we've faced are full of names and reputations at this level, Matt Derbyshire, Ishmael Miller, Andy Reid, Jonathan Greening, Stephen Carr, Marlon King, Curtis Davies etc.etc. the list goes on. Look at how those two teams are doing, and now look at us. We don't have a team full of names/reputations in the slightest. Just a squad of superbly hard-working team players who are actually turning out to be completely underestimated as skillful and talented individuals as well. I think it was Mourinho when he built his fantastic title-winning Chelsea team in his first two seasons in the Premiership who (when he was being linked to a load of big name signings here, there and everywhere) something like: "I don't want to sign Hollywood film stars, I want a strong team of professional footballers". That exact same philosophy has been replicated by Adkins and we're reaping the rewards, long may it continue.

The differing opinions on this thread as well as the mixed reception Seabourne and Martin got when they played kind of sums up the genuine problem at the back for Saints - you can't pin it on one individual because it isn't that simple, the problem we've got is that we defend quite poorly as a unit and are often vulnerable to the counter-attack or having the ball passed through us when we stand off teams too much etc.etc. If you look at a team like Barcelona in contrast - I think its pretty much accepted that none of their defenders are what you'd consider great individuals (in relation to their standard of football, which is of course top of the league/cl winners etc.) but they control possession so well and defend as a unit and a team so perfectly that they've been able to get away with a very average goalkeeper and defence for a long time. The first goal yesterday was arguably the fault of Davis but both Hooiveld and Fox should never have let Derbyshire run in to score so easily. I don't blame Fonte for it at all - he did all he could, held his man up and sent him wide and forced him to put in a fairly weak ball in that should have been easy enough to defend. Problem was that Hooiveld assumed Davis would have it so stayed around the penalty spot to defend the pull-back and when the ball did go across goal Fox's positioning was awry because he clearly lost track his man but also where his keeper, centre-backs etc. were in relation to the play. The second goal was to be fair an excellent pass through and a very good goal from an attacking perspective, but once again its hard to blame any individual when the centre-midfield and defence is collectively unaware of when to press/when to stand off and which runs they're keeping track of. Again its tough to simply pin the blame on Hooiveld or anyone in particular when I think that frankly we'd have probably conceded the same goal with John Terry at the back - its not an individuals mistake. I'm not saying that defensive skill doesn't matter - not in the slightest. The point that I am making however is that we need to stop simply thinking that things will magically get better if we simply plonk a new centre-back in and if it doesn't work out in the first few games then obviously he must not be any good. Football just aint that simple lads... It takes time, and it takes organisation, and there will be a period of adjustment when changes are being made to our starting back four - especially against one of the better attacking teams in the league. Above all we need to learn to defend as a unit and indeed learn to organise ourselves for defending against different types of attacking threat (lets be fair - when was the last time a team came to St. Mary's and attacked us at home like Forest did yesterday?)

I'm still available if anyone wants me

*applauds* I was about to post an incredulous "What!? thats the dumbest thing ever yadayadayada" kind of response; but your is much much better! XD

He's the sort of player I could see us signing next summer if we're promoted to the Premiership but I'd be surprised if we got him in January unless we were right up there in the top two.

Indeed, can't believe people on here still slate Cortese despite him being a serious businessman who's been headhunted by european giants like AC Milan. Compare him to this idiot and well...the pictures do the talking.

Psh. Y'know I don't really see why we shouldn't, I mean he's been kinda overrated in the past tbh but still fully capable of the occasional moment of magic which is never to be underestimated. If his wage demands are reasonable I don't see why not - I mean Connolly was basically in the same boat when we signed him up.

Nothing wrong with that...you're 18 ffs. I personally grind a tour guiding job over the summer and live at home with my rents when off term at uni as I just turned 21. But I can't be arsed to be PC when it comes to generalising the usual character of the typical crop of 25-35 year old hooligans and violent thugs. You don't see doctors, lawyers, bankers, businessmen or anyone with half a brain trying to kick the **** out of people on a saturday night do you? Course not, they've got too much **** to lose. As I say I can't be f*cked to spare the feelings of the type of scum that almost killed our Danny.

Indeed. But the vast majority of the violent c*nts you're referring too are basically losers who grind a McJob or some equally degrading sh*t at Tesco or wherever whilst still living with their parents in a council flat. They have no life and thus have nothing to lose.

A song for Jason Puncheon

Buying money

Bang in a couple more Saints and put the game beyond their reach - I bet pretty heavy on us at 8/11. Good odds I felt.

psh....not really....but if we get past Swindon we've got an easy home tie against Charlton/Preston...and then we're only one game away from the 1/4 finals...so with a bit of luck we might make a decent run of it. It'd be a nice way to sort of announce our presence as a top level c/ship/low-level Prem team and might put us on the map a bit.

Hm. I'm kind of doubtful about this one purely based on his ability level being...well...high to say the least. He's a great young talent and I'd be surprised if we're the ones to get him rather than a Leicester/West Ham or lower level Premiership club. Having said that, it may be possible that we'll be able to offer him much higher wages than he's on at the moment so fingers crossed. Still think its BS though. When he makes his move it'll be to a bigger club than us I feel.

It would be a shame not to add to what we have. Thats not saying that the current crop aren't fantastic but they're on the crest of a wave at the moment and genuinely COULD achieve promotion with just a little extra oomph of quality that a Maynard or Rodriguez could bring to the team. It'd be a bit of a shame to finish 7th or 8th or something (or maybe 3rd or 4th!) and just miss out on finishing that little bit higher when we could have done better having added a couple of quality signings. Look, the point is, that whilst we can obviously all be realistic in terms of consolidating our position in the Championship, theres absolutely nothing wrong with a bit of ambition. Lets go for promotion! We can definitely achieve it and if we don't...meh...whatever...nothing to lose!

Good start Saints. We haven't gone a goal down yet so its going to be a tough one.

Meh...lets get an easy run if we can and see what we can do about maybe getting a big semi-final or something....chill

mmm. Nail on the head pretty much. I actually thought that Skacel was a very consistent and solid player throughout 06/07 and probably one of our best players throughout the following two seasons when he wasn't on loan. But with the ridiculous hype before he came and the GENUINE EXPECTATION rather than harmless hope from our fans that he'd get 15 goals and 25 assists whilst walking it to c/ship best player it meant that the lad could never get the credit he deserved. Decent lad, decent player - wish him all the best for the future.