S-Clarke

Teams like Birmingham and Forest will have long periods in games where they press us and create chances, we rode our luck a little, but I felt our defensive shape today was much better than last week (mainly down to having a natural right back in there) I can't see anything major to worry about. The only thing that bugged me a little was our conceding of free kicks in and around the box.

So many choices today, it was a great team performance in all honestly - but I chose Cork because I believe he gives us that platform to play as we do. It was a close run thing with Lallana who was great again, and he seems to have a thing about scoring against Birmingham doesn't he? 3rd goal in the last 3 games against them IIRC.

That's the aim of the game though, if you can't find that opening, you go back...keep the ball and try again. This is great football IMO, and is much better than aimless boots up the pitch that people around me were screaming at us to do. Eventually you'll get through playing football, as we have technically gifted players that will eventually open up teams at this level. We just need to be patient and that's one quality this team has at the moment, they never panic. Always in control of the situation.

I think a few of our fans didn't have massive confidence in our team stepping up a level, but if you look at the players we have in the side....Lallana, Connolly, Guly etc...they all thrive with time and space on the ball and we get more of that at this level, simply because teams come to st Mary to attack us - not to sit back and park a bus in front of the goal. I think what we're seeing is our true quality, rather than fluky results.

Looked a very poor player.

We were excellent today, and it was well deserved. I honestly didn't think we'd be comfortably beating the likes of Birmingham and Leeds 6 months ago, but we are. Credit to the players who have stepped up a level with ease. Jack Cork has added so much to this team though, his presence in the middle lifts everyone else. He's a class act, and you could see today how much we missed him in the middle against Forest. Lallana was Lallana, not much more needs to be said. He's our Adel Tarabat - but with a better attribute, he doesn't go missing in games or ignore his defensive responsibilities. He's always there tracking back when needed. So pleased so see Richardson back, who I think has been absolutely superb this season. Very lively coming down the right flank, and has improved his delivery and distribution from last season. He got 2 excellent assists today. I think the start we've made has demonstrated why we didn't need to go on the spending spree that everyone assumed we would do, that would have just ruined the team spirit and togetherness we have - just 1 or 2 ''better'' additions every transfer window is fine, and we'll just keep evolving every window which is how it should be. Steady progress, not rushed. It's a great period to be a Saints fan at the moment, let's just enjoy every moment. Some marks: Davis - 8 - Thought he made a couple of excellent saves, he's always there to react when needed. Richardson - 8 - Excellent to have him back, gone up a level this year. Fonte - 8 - Best game this season IMO, dominant in the air and classy on the ground. Very rarely beaten. Jos - 7 - Better than last week, won most in the air and is tidy on the ground. Maybe isn't as ''dominant'' and strong as you'd expect him to be at times. Fox 7 - Again, better than last week. Can get caught as he switches off, and players run in behind - but that happened less today than it did against Forest, and under our coaching he'll improve this side of the game. Attacking wise he's quality though, a level up on Harding. Guly 8 - Great to see him make the step up, I think he's been pretty good in most games he's played this year and is making that right midfield positions his own. Great goal and technique to hit that on the volley. Hammond 8 - Captain's performance again. Keeps the ball brilliantly and is always available for a pass. Cork 9 - Our best midfielder, maybe turning into the best midfielder at this level. He controls the game and allows us to play at our tempo, he could easily be playing in the premiership. Lallana 8 - Classy as usual, nice goal and movement to get the oppertunity. Always running and scaring the **** out of Carr, which was funny to see (he didn't know which way he was going half the time) Lambo 7 - Good penalty, never in doubt. Held the ball up well and won the ball well in the air. Looks at home in this league. Conners 8 - Very lively game, looked back to his best game. Unlucky not to score, pretty sure that goal wasn't offside. Chappers and De-Ridder were excellent when they came on, both gave us an extra bit of energy and Chaplows run for the goal was brilliant. He's starting to show the form from his Burnley days again.

He was good, better than last week. Thought he had the better of King for 90% of the game, he's got a great touch and is very handy on the ball - helps us play out of the back nicely.

Not sure what the idiots expect. They're lucky to be in existence, being competitive in this league is a pipe dream for them.

their disciplinary record is truly shocking, they'll be fined soon.

Boro down to 10 men, will be an interesting end to that game now.

Reading, because of the way their fans tried to create some sort of rivalry when they were in the premiership etc... We're probably ahead of them now in terms of quality. Mostly down to them selling alot of their top players.

Ward-Prowse isn't far away.

Doesn't he play for Crawley Town? we've left players of his level way behind...no disrespect.

No better than what we've got. We should be aiming, if possible, to secure deals for players with the aim of them becoming permanent and playing in the prem. - none of this short term 3 month stuff, anyone we sign now has to be for the long-term.

This team certainly knows how to win games, from any position. When you have that momentum that's not just from 1 season, it's pretty much 2 seasons of winning every week, it's not going to be shaken off very easily and with us adding better quality it makes its likely to continue even more.

Yeah and that game. We made a good start and I think we all felt kind of refreshed that our ''Kids'' looked like the real deal. Unfortunately and unsurprisingly they needed a bit of help as we got into the nitty-gritty of the season, but it didn't come.

I remember that game, I also saw the Derby game and said after that we'd be no where near relegation, so ''no worries'' Whops.

Wash your mouth out!

He's obviously not going to look as good against players like Derbyshire, Nugent, Miller etc. I think we've been used to him gliding through games with us over the last 18 months, but then again dealing with the likes of Sam parkin, Odejayi isn't as tricky - and he made it look lioke a doddle. I also think the argument about his partner being a fair one as well. He seems to play better when he's got a ''beast'' of a CB next to him, which is what i'm hoping Jos turns into. (he looks quite a unit tbf). Still a bit mugged we missed out on Gorrks for whatever reason, as he's exactly the type of player Fonte thrives alongside.

Can't see cov letting him go on loan, unless we offer them a pretty hefty loan fee with an option to buy. He's turned into one of their best players.

But again, as people are saying, who would you play there? Harding out, Richardson out, Butterfield out etc...

He's gone up a level this season, like so many of our players. He looks sharper, leaner, quicker and more mobile than I can ever remember him. He's everything you want in a championship striker.

On yesterdays showing, Morgan is going back to the bench. Hammond is playing like a true captain, and has done now since the turn of the year - really pulling us along. Morgan is a good player, but I expected more from him as he has a job on to get in this team.

I do agree with that, but Fonte was always going to be tested by going a level up. Without question he is a total cut above L1, but he struggles to dominate as much at this level, which you'd have expected tbh.