S-Clarke

but can you see the point he is making? losing 4 key players out of your team is unlucky, and it will weaken anyone no matter how many transfers you have/or will make. No 2 ways about it.

Not sure you can plan to lose 4/5 first team players with an injury. You can make all the transfers you want, but missing the 4 key men will noticeably weaken any team in the world.

So people finally got to see Pulis at St Mary's......did he do much?

Lambert has a thigh injury, was at the ground but was apparently rested as a precaution Puncheon is still nursing an ankle knock which he got in the last game in switzerland i believe. Lallana has had a knee injury all pre-season and he is the most worrying for me, and has to be a doubt for the season. According to Radio Solent, morgan reported a ''tight calf'' this morning, so wasn't risked just to be safe. Mills was also taken off at half time as he took a kick to the ankle.

no one said that at all for christ sake.

OTT at it's best.

not really, it's a bunch of academy players out there now which is why we've conceded a couple more unfortunately.

4-2 reading antonio....

lots of youngsers out there now though tbh.

Reading 3-2 up church again

Harding off, Reeves on

2-2 - church pen

Good update on Solent. We deserve the lead and should have just scored a third - a good run and cross by dickson (who has been outstanding) and the shot by Connolly is stopped at point blank range by their keeper. Doble for Connolly also

Why does everyone assume it's so easy to buy players? This isn't football manager and there are so many ''real life'' obstacles that have to be overcome. For a start, we're in L1. The fact is that this has been a very very very quiet window in all the leagues, so don't hold it against us or Pardew - the opportunities just aren't out there at the moment and we're not going to buy anyone and then watch a better player came along next week (Pardew said that himself). So just chill.

Mills injured and replaced by Oxo

mines the same MB - but the echo have a decent feed going on their site which is up-to-date.

he has a groin injury apparently, no idea if it's serious or if he's rested just as a precaution. Lallana still has a knee injury and must now be rated a real doubt to start the season.

a bit like ormerod, but with a finish!

1-1 - Barnard

Not many clubs would look as strong if you take their 4 best players out of the 11, that is just unlucky. You can't really go around building a squad ''just incase we lose all these players'' - it just wouldn't be workable. Luck comes into play in any season in any league on all different fronts, and injuries is one of them, we were lucky with injuries last season. We still need 2 or 3 bodies, agreed - but you can't really prepare 4 ready made replacements for your 4 best players. We will always be weaker without them.

1-0 to reading

So much for the Tyson done deal then. But i'm really confused by Blackpools targets, John stead (couldn't agree wages so fell through) and now Tyson. Don't they want to even put up a fight? Don't get me wrong - tyson would be a great player for us at this level, but he is never a premiership player.

nope, definitely when. With or without pardew and co.

I did go to some really annoying games last year, one of the more frustrating ones was the 0-0 against Oldham at the end of the season - but we threw everything at them and iirc Papa and antonio (or one of them at least) played for a significant part of the game, but we couldn't get the break through. You get games like that during a season and away from home, you sometimes have to grin and bear it and look at the bigger picture. but I also managed to see the fantastic displays against Huddersfield and Wallsal, which Papa and antonio didn't play much of a part in (Papa had a cameo role in the Hudersfield game to get the 5th). That's why i still have confidence in these lads without papa and antonio.

I have just been told that Rudi Skacel will sign on the pitch tomorrow and then clap his hands to each corner of the ground. I understand that he will then do it for every game thereafter.