benjii

This forum is moderated awfully. Genuinely disruptive and monotonous tits are allowed to dominate whilst genuinely entertaining posters end up getting banned. Hence I no longer waste five quid or much of my time on here.

Would like to see Rodriguez have a go as the central striker. Shame Ramirez is out though as I think they would be a great pair.

Paul Hart and Arrigo Sacchi dream team.

Not so sure. I think it's quite feasible that one or more of Newcastle and Norwich will lose their last two games meaning one Wigan win would probably keep them up, as long as they don't get hammered in their other match. I can see a Wigan win against Villa sending one of the Ns down.

Well, ok, not quite mathematically but we would need to lose by at least 13 goals. So virtually safe. Which is mathematically certain, virtually.

Yep, if we draw and Villa lose we are mathematically safe regardless of what Wigan do in their last two games.

Tv deal is completely irrelevant. The relevant factor is the demand for tickets. If people will pay it, it will be charged. Why would you lower prices just because you are earning more from an unconnected revenue stream?

Some more bestests! Kit prices, programme prices and meal prices. They are the uber-bestest. Biggest ground of its capacity too. Awesome. "Pompey meal". Pie and bag of crisps. Gotta live the dream.

Agree, with Clyne at lb and Richardson at rb

Puncheon has been consistently far better than Lallana. If I were Jason I'd be absolutely gutted to be sat on the bench.

Agreed. He was rubbish.

Ramirez played pretty well (much much better than Adam "End Product" Lallana). No idea why Lallana is getting picked ahead of Puncheon.

I think DPS may be a bit of a div.

He bit someone FFS. What a disgusting act. Should've got 20 games at least.

Has 17 sisters and 10 brothers.

Why would no one start Puncheon, who has been better than both Ramirez and Lallana this season?

No doubt the usual economic irrationals will be on here moaning about not having to pay sooner.

His silly tackle led to the goal on Saturday. Nice guy, not good enough.

Bearsy.... haha! Legend.

You misunderstand probability.

Didn't think we played well first hald but it was like a cup banana skin when you play a plucky team from a lower league that actually has one or two ok players. Second half we took the **** a bit but Reading looked shot. We should have scored more. I am really impressed with the physical condition of our team - I think Pocche may be a bit of a Strachan in that regard. If oyu have players who are willing to buy into those methods then you can get great results. What please me the most is the way we seem to recruit very few bad eggs. Our transfer committee really has done an exceptional job in moulding a squad full of early twenty somethings and one or two experienced heads with talent, commitment, level-headedness and desire. I think we will look to improve at centre back and add one or two new attacking players. Provided we don't sell anyone we don't want to sell there is no reason why we can't get 50+ points next season.

Re the bit in bold: you could say exactly the same about Lallana. Any sort of "flair" player will end up doing some things that look a bit silly. He didn't have a great game yesterday but he was involved in the build up to the first goal and he also played a great pass to Rodriguez when he hit the bar which I doubt any of our other players (possibly Puncheon excepted) would have executed. The "open goal" that people are slagging him for was from an open goal. He had to go near post as there was a blocking defender right in front of him covering the other side of the goal. He mis-hit it. It happens from time to time (vis. Van Persie missing a good chance against Chelsea last weekend). We are good enough to afford his type of player and, potentially, he is the best we have. So why not support him?

Start with Punch. Much more effective going forwards and much better defensively.

Thanks all. Perhaps Chambers can get above Frazer as back-up RB next season then. He'll have to go some to get in the first team!

Following on from the thread about Gazzanigga and the U21s, I was wondering what those who watch the development teams regularly think about Callum Chambers and which of our players are most likely to push for the first team next season? I saw Chambers a couple of time in pre-season last summer and he was deployed as a midfielder with a brief to get forward. Physically, he reminded me of a young Gerrard; he is a powerful runner and a strong looking lad with a rangey sort of style. He looked decent enough but was overshadowed by Ward-Prowse who looked proper class. Recently he seems to be turning out at right back. Have the coaches decided this is his best position? How's he doing there? Arguably you might think he has more chance of getting into first team contention as back-up right back than as a midfielder. Are England deploying him at the back as well now or is he still playing in midfield for them? What about the others? Who is most likely to make an appearance next season? I've heard people say that Targett (left back) is a good prospect. Can he realistically challenge Shaw though? If he is good then you would think he would get a chance at some point as Fox still makes the squad and it is a bit much to expect a 17 or 18 year old to play every single game. Omar Rowe? Looks like a fast, tricky winger with a decent left foot. He would have to displace Puncheon, Lallana, Rodriguez and Guly (plus any new signings in the wide positions) to get in the squad. Any chance of that soon? Could he be a viable "pace option" off the bench? Is he better than Mayuka?! Isgrove? As above. Jack Stephens? Is he good enough to compete with Jos and Fonte? Again, I saw him in pre-season and he looked decent enough, certainly had the potential to be a capable football league player but it is going to be so much harder for these guys to break into the team when we are in the Prem, keeping our best players and looking to sign better ones. What about Turnbull or Mugabe, the other centre backs? Is there anyone else who could do it? Sinclair? He always looks a bit too lightweight to me and maybe one of those players who is gradually caught up and taken over by his peers but then I didn't think Shaw would be ready physically this season and I have been proved wrong. Would Sinclair benefit from a loan spell somewhere? Cheers!