S-Clarke

Might as well start it early... Tough game this will be...one of those cramped intimidating grounds that we have struggled at so much in recent seasons. Listening to Pard's preview on Saints player, he's got an almost full squad to choose from. Morgan, Thomas and Lallana are back in the squad and ready to play and i assume Connolly will be involved in some capacity too. On southend's front...their main man (Lee Barnard) who has 10 goals this year is fighting to be fit and looks v doubtfull, along with their best defender Mvoto who's on loan from Sunderland. Pard's preview... http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10280~1821270,00.html

Every single one of his signings have improved us. Even Mellis has now started to prove his quality, and he was the only one the jury was still out on. I think it's a stark realisation of how bad we were last year, when our better players from last season (Gillet/Perry) cannot get into the team now...

He's had a good month - seems to have overcome those nerves from last season and is just enjoying playing. and he's found a position... Glad to see the recognition for Hammond too, who i think has been superb for us in every game.

Scored internationally too, against the likes of Mexico...USA...he's; not got a bad CV at all as he? Even more pleased when i think about it. At the end of the day, you don't need to be an amazing player to score regularly in this league....

In the short term i don't think too much will change. We can't expect him to start matches for a while yet (IMO). But with Mellis out for the next game, who knows...?

I don't think he'll be replacing Lallana somehow...

Busy day....! http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10280~1821455,00.html I expect him to excel at that level tbh.

I don't think he'll be starting games for a little while, so that formation will probably stick for the time being - but what a top class option to be able to bring off the bench.

What a shrewd little signing IMO. goodbye saga?

It's an error - same happened a couple of weeks ago, and all our remaining home games were sold out - which is a pretty good achievement!

Pearson was a good manager and kept us up - although he did have a squad full of experienced season pro's to select from. I think he's proved his stock more with Leicester, he's built that team from the ground up and even a division higher, they're still winning regularly and pushing for promotion again.

He not been amazing this year, but in an odd way, is it down to him not being called upon as much - therefore any error is highlighted, as that may be all he does in a game? Last year he was called upon time and time again to make stunning saves, as teams tore us open - but he still made the odd dodgy decision to come out and we conceded goals from it. This year, we're solid - not easy to score against, so any errors he makes are magnified 100%.

Freeing up space for a player in IMO. Pard's did say he would accelerate a new striker signing after the JPT game...

I think you're right now it's just plain north / south I'd take a home tie against anyone though.

That's the one thing that bugs me about him, he always stops...way back from the box, and either retreats or puts an easy ball into the box that's headed away. That's why it didn't work with him playing right midfield, he's not adventurous enough - more of a defensive minded player.

I'm not too worried, Trotman and Jaidi are the 2 most important players in this team IMO...so with them back, im comfortable. Lallana and Morgan give us a bit more of a cutting edge too, and so did mellis tbf - so we were lacking quite a few key players, but we're through to the quarter finals...and that's all that matters to me right now!!!

Stuart Henderson i think not sure why....

Possbily down to lack of games tbf shame - would have thought he was one of the guys who would want to stand out tonight and make AP aware of him.

How did Gillet play?

i think it was 4-5-1 pushing to more of a 4-3-3 when attacking though still not good enough in the first half though imo.

Because he hasn't got any confidence, he's on his last legs at this club tbh. Says even more that pard's wants to bring in a ''quality striker'' to support lambo n/o saga....

because we're saints...! we never will. Makes this club different from the rest.

We missed Trotman more than any of those IMO

We will walk this JPT

wotton scores...we win!! weird, never thought i'd say that fair play - good come back, but never perform like that again in the first half saints.