cambsaint

I think all this analysis is pointless. The only and final arbiter is the referee, and it is his and only his opinion taken immediately in the heat of the moment without recourse to TV replays (at present) that matters. I also think that being so close to the action the referee can use the player's body language to aid his decision whether it was deliberate. I believe Fonte when he said he reacted automatically. Most dodgy handballs look nothing like that imo. Compare with the Chelsea match when it was blatantly obvious the Saints player slipped thereby nullifying a foul as no intent or reckless behaviour.

I doubt we could afford the kind of money he would have to be on if he went to Man Utd. or PSG or perhaps even to Barca or Real. Can't imagine him agreeing to a penny less than £150K a week probably more. He's not going to accept less than some of the overpaid failures they've bought recently. So although I think he could be a genuinely great player and will be virtually impossible to replace I can't realistically see him staying. As long as we get £30k+ then I consider that he has done enough for us.

JOY, sheer unrestrained joy at an absolutely magnificent team performance. Congratulations Saints. What a job Ronald Koeman is doing.

I trust all those so quick to criticise enjoy their first pudding of the New Year after his recent games--An extra large helping of Humble Pie.

The Secret Footballer agrees with your comments about Terry and states that he really tries to undermine and influence referees.

If you pay your money then it is up to you whether you chant or applaud. As a youngster I used to come home hoarse, but at my age (over 65) I may occasionally sing a couple of choruses of Oh When the Saints on the regrettably rare occasions I can attend away games but certainly no more. Watching it on Sky, and the only reasons I pay for Sky Sports is to watch Saints and Test matches, I thought the noise from the Saints crowd sounded very vocal and impressive today.

Having read Rule 12, there appears to be some discretion for the referee if as happened today the offending player lost their footing unintentionally. It was quite clear on the TV that there was no intent to foul on the part of Targett. It also appeared to me that Fabregas appeared to look at Targett's leg and make absolutely certain that he fell over it rather than jump over it which I am certain he could have easily done and have been in a very dangerous position. I also was certain that mane was fouled in the build up to Chelsea's goal. Anyway the rule is that the referee is the only and final arbiter so whatever whingeing Mourinho makes stands for nought. I must add that the pundits frequently don't seem to have actually read the rules when they pontificate. Am I biased-of course but no more than Mourinho. Apart from that a superb team performance against the league's best team and without both first choice full-backs although Targett was magnificent. Refererence the West Ham position, there is a massive difference in goal difference and over a season goal difference is almost always a very accurate indicator of final positioning. In the bad old days when we where invariably fighting relegation, I always awtched GD like a hawk and it was never wrong. Finally I trust that Mourinho will be subject to FA disciplinary action for his inflammatory comments about the refereeing today.

Schneiderlin is far too good for Spuds, and the transfer valuations they have made are either insulting or ridiculous. I would have though that Man Ure would have been interested as well as Arsenal. I doubt we can keep him if we can't afford £70K a week. IMO £25mill is the least we should accept.

I too remember the Top Rank (saw Stevie Wonder) and the Pier saw a few good soul acts in the mid sixties. The only other place of note was The Concorde club in Bassett where I enjoyed one of the best gigs ever-The Family in an absolutely packed venue. The Winchester Lido Ballroom was good in the mid sixties, booked some very good acts including The Rolling Stones who had just become famous. Watched Dave Dee Dozy etc and The Trogs refine their acts as the resident groups for the Sunday club for two shilings entry-yes that's ten pence in today's money. Nightlife must be better now, as it used to be pub based, the necessities being a good football table, a good bar-billiards table and a decent juke box. There were also church hall dances with amateur bands, but these sometimes ended in massive bundles. But when I went to Uni in 66 I saw many of the top groups for next to nothing.

Perhaps the expectation that one man can adequately ref top class football at the speed and skill levels it's played at today is outdated. Ref's will always make mistakes, we have to accept that. Viewers of TV get close-up slow-mo pictures from several camera angles. The ref has to make a decision in seconds when running to keep up with the game. IMO the time is now well overdue for experimentation on video assistance, a TV referee as in rugby union , but without the delays. Perhaps we should start to remember that the honest decision of the referee is final whether right or wrong as in cricket. I always think the cricket umpire's retort to a disgruntled batsman who said "That wasn't out, Umpire." The retort was "Read tomorrow's paper son, and you'll see it was." Unfortunately with the moribund and allegedly possibly corrupt leadership of the international game it is very difficult for the FA to act alone, even if that ineffectual body wanted to. In the end money will talk as it always does, and we may see improvements.

The one genuine world class player on the field won the match. We lack real quality in the final third, which is why we have lost to three teams who are fortunate to possess these gifted and rare individuals. In the cold light of day we will realise that we were the better team, but two key defenders made dreadful decisions both of which chances fell to RVP. We are still well capable of beating all except a handful of teams in the Prem. What more can you expect for a team in transition that almost went out of business a few years ago. Take a reality check and consider whether any of these global superstars would come to us even if we could afford them.Still one of the most frustrating and annoying games I've ever watched Saints play and with our record for snatching defeat out of the jaws of victory that's saying something. One good point- Rooney got very frustrated and was kept out of the game.

A great deal better than the London-centric Telegraph, which barely mentioned Saints, or their injuries. And that 'twerp' on MOTD who was screaming for an Arsenal penalty like an old style North-Bank yob.

I have just been reading "The Secret Footballer" which I can recommend ti everyone. He is talking ato a senior figure at Man City about how thay can afford the very best. The answer was that they make a $100 million out of oil every day! Nobody except possibly Abramovitch can compete with that. We need to be realistic and hope the owner and board have a sound business plan in place, or otherwise be bought by a mega-rich outfit for whom money is no object.

I juat love the title of the thread-Anti-semantic The concept of being against the meaning of words is rather interesting. But if you read Fitzhugh Fella's writings about dock strikes, then anti-semantic could accurately describe our fishy neighbours. Unfortunately only the bookseller would probably understand it.

Yet more good news for Sky Even more reason for either watching the full rerun of their match of the day or at 10pm watching the extended highlights of Saints match. I always do that if its a Saturday match and then watch Sundays MOTD2, rather than a few seconds of Saints match and endless punditry.

AFAIK all a non competitive clause gives an employer is the right to insist that an employee takes paid gardening leave for 3 to 6 months. It might be useful for one transfer window but no more.

What really irritates me is the statement from the London-centric press that Spuds are "A big club" They certainly were but the " Glory, Glory, Allejulah" days are long gone and they have even nicked The Saints go Marching in!! We have a superb demographic and heavily populated economic base in South Hants, and there is no reason why we can't be just as big. South Hants is certainly not a rural backwater anymore.

Buying a star player also means star's wages. That could unsettle the rest of the team. It isn't only about finding the money for the purchase, which we could probably afford.

Amazing team, can't disagree with any of his selections. I know that 'Arry blotted his copybook during his time with us, but how much was was the ruddy faced duck-hunter and his rugby union mate to blame? At least he is a real football person who loves the game and knows it inside out. My best mate at Uni used to stand in the chicken-run and 'Arry was his favourite among that very good team.

I always used to like "If I had the wings of a sparrow, If I had the a#se of a crow I'd fly over fratton tomorrow and s#it on the bustards below, below, S#it on, S'it on the bustards below. Rather pathetic that I still remember it. Also a nasty one from a QPR mate at Uni: Limp on, Limp on with our boots in your heads, And you'll never walk again Utterly disgraceful but for some reason I remember it and I wasn't a hooli. I can still remember when in the early sixties we were the only team singing Oh When the Saints. Spuds seem to have borrowed it when they had Glory, Glory I trust those going sing something on the lines of your singing our song, or perhaps You've taken our song and our manager too but you can keep the manager The latter could possibly be worked on and made into something decent.

I was right in line with Foster's miraculous save and I still don't know how he pushed it round the post, absolutely amazing. I was absolutely certain it was going in.

There are in reality three separate mini-leagues in The Prem. The top five, and just possibly Spurs and Everton fighting for Europe, then seven or eight fighting for the middle places, and the relegation league. As long as we're in the middle league this season I don't much mind. If we're being honest then our ambition is normally sixth to tenth. To break into the top league would require huge ambition and investment on the part of the owner and a stadium enlargement, as much as I'd like to see it happen I doubt it will.

I'd really like to see him installed as Conservative Candidate for South Cambs which is coming vacant. Although not a Tory, I vote for who I consider is the best party at the time, I'd have no problems voting for him.

DT suggests that Atletico Madrid are in for Hernandez, if so what little chance we may have had has gone.