sidthesquid

Saturday, 9 April 2011 Portsmouth v Preston Win-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tuesday, 12 April 2011 Portsmouth v Coventry Draw (they can't play two in four days - wafer thin squad, apparently) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Saturday, 16 April 2011 Cardiff v Portsmouth Loss-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Saturday, 23 April 2011 Portsmouth v Swansea Win-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Monday, 25 April 2011 Burnley v Portsmouth Loss-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Monday, 2 May 2011 Portsmouth v Norwich Draw-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Saturday, 7 May 2011 S****horpe v Portsmouth Win That's 11 points, being charitable. 65 points ain't gonna get them in the playoffs (I hope.....)

I reckon it is a two-horse race now for promotion. How many points will Udders get from the following...... (I reckon 12 tops, maybe 8 or 9 meaning we need 14/15 points from 9 games 4W 3D 2L might be enough) Saturday, 9 April 2011 Huddersfield v Peterborough, 15:00 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Saturday, 16 April 2011 Charlton v Huddersfield, 15:00 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Friday, 22 April 2011 MK Dons v Huddersfield, 15:00 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Monday, 25 April 2011 Huddersfield v Dag & Red, 15:00 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Saturday, 30 April 2011 Brighton v Huddersfield, 15:00 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Saturday, 7 May 2011 Huddersfield v Brentford, 15:00

Looking at their fixtures & how congested the route to the play-offs is above them in the league, today could be an even better day than it already is. I always liked that Shane Long chap........ And their shiny-headed manager. And that Kevin Friend the ref chap......

Fantastic comeback & result, BUT..... I still have concerns. Once again Kelvin was rooted to his line as a corner was whipped into the six yard box, where as we know, any contact is fatal. I stll maintain any ball into the six yard box is the keepers. Didn't look confident at all after that. The diamond formation was pants last week & so it was again today. Lots of nice triangles going nowhere and about as much penetration as Elton John in the Playboy mansion. Width is so key to goals and we had none in the first half. Butterfield was doing today what Lloyd James used to get crucified for last season - namely lobbing a cross in from forty yards rather than pushing on into the space befor him. (And fair play to NA, he finally twigged it and brought on Richardson.) We looked better balanced with Forte & Stephens on, too, and I would retain all three subs in the team for Tuesday. I don't want to be negative on such a good day, and there were plenty of positives - especially showing a bit of heart when we needed it and Adkins' flexibility when plan A isn't working - but you don't win games with neat triangles and circular passing.

Haven't got time to think of any others, but find my comments on your suggestions....... GK - Richard Wright - Yes RB - Wayne Thomas - Never - aging crock who had about 3 good games for us LB - Gregory Vignal - Mediocre at best CB - Jan Paul Saeijs - Ditto (though a few good games in a poor team) CB - Matt Mills - 100% agree with your comments RM - Michail Antonio - Likewise - a real miss this season CM - Mario Licka - see JPS above CM - Matt Oakley - 100% agree with your comments LM - Rudi Skacel - Overrated underperformer who lived off half a good season for Hearts for the restt of his career ST - Papa Waigo - Dunno on him 50/50 ST - Marian Pahars - finished mentally, if not physically by the time he went.

On a more serious note, both Lallana & Oxo must be doubts so he is quite likely to replace one or other of them

I think Lallana - as others have said, we seriuously struggle without him. Other serious contenders for me are Hammond, Fonte & Chamberlain. Nobody else has contributed consistently enough throughout the season.

Mildly amusing cooment from a Brighton fan on the Echo site..... whats more worrying for saints is injuries to there best players ie lallana. he cant be replaced by a loan player, no one in there right mind would lend a player out who is worth 1m? What is also a worry is if as rumoured NA has run out of cliches? on a serious note, young Adam is probably along with Bennet of brighton the best two wide players in the league. i honestly want saints in the championship.. good luck guys in the coming weeks

Thank God it's off. A weekend off to get Chamberlain & Lallana fit - result

He's quite clever, actually, in his interviews. When pressed on a question he doesn't want to answer he says a lot without revealing his real thoughts, but usually includes a soundbite or two to keep everyone amused. Personally, I like the guy - his enthusiasm seems genuine and he does seem to be getting everyone on the bus rowing in the same direction.

1) Looks like the third Mitchell brother, but who is he? Happy with all of these as correct - 2)Graham Baker 3)Terry Paine 4)Ivan Golac 5)John Burridge 6)Charlie George 7)Hugh Fisher

Not seen it mentioned particularly but the reason we struggled in the first half was that Adkins went for his 'diamond' formation, meaning that neither Lallana or Chamberlain had any time or room and we had zero width. Fair play to him that after thirty-five minutes he realised it wasn't working and switched back to 4-4-2, whereupon both of them starting ripping into their defence and suddenly we were on top. There might be moments in tough away games that this formation works, but not at home against negative & poor teams. Once we got the formation sorted we never looked like losing. My MoM was Dean Hammond - worked his socks off and ran midfield.

Possession Southampton 56% Sheff Wed 44% Attempts on target Southampton 12 Sheff Wed 2 Attempts off target Southampton 6 Sheff Wed 7 Corners Southampton 7 Sheff Wed 1 Fouls Southampton 18 Sheff Wed 11 BBC stats tell that we totally dominated game, yet conceded nearly double the number of free kicks. Something not quite right about the refereeing........

Courtesy of the BBC, all the remaining fixtures for the top six. Agonise over all the possibilities at your leisure.... Saturday, 12 March 2011 Bournemouth v Southampton, 15:00 Brighton v Tranmere, 15:00 Bristol Rovers v Huddersfield, 15:00 Colchester v MK Dons, 15:00 Peterborough v Carlisle, 15:00 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tuesday, 15 March 2011 Brentford v Huddersfield, 19:45 Sheff Wed v Peterborough, 19:45 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Saturday, 19 March 2011 Carlisle v Bournemouth, 15:00 Huddersfield v Swindon, 15:00 Oldham v Brighton, 15:00 Southampton v Sheff Wed, 17:20 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Monday, 21 March 2011 MK Dons v Peterborough, 19:45 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tuesday, 22 March 2011 Brighton v Notts County, 19:45 Charlton v Southampton, 19:45 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Friday, 25 March 2011 Bristol Rovers v Peterborough, 19:45 MK Dons v Walsall, 19:45 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Saturday, 26 March 2011 Bournemouth v Charlton, 13:00 Brighton v Swindon, 15:00 Plymouth v Southampton, 12:45 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sunday, 27 March 2011 Huddersfield v Notts County, 16:00 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tuesday, 29 March 2011 Dag & Red v Brighton, 19:45 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Friday, 1 April 2011 Peterborough v Bournemouth, 19:45 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Saturday, 2 April 2011 Rochdale v Brighton, 15:00 Southampton v MK Dons, 15:00 Tranmere v Huddersfield, 15:00 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tuesday, 5 April 2011 Bristol Rovers v Bournemouth, 19:45 Dag & Red v Peterborough, 19:45 Southampton v Charlton, 19:45 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Saturday, 9 April 2011 Bournemouth v Tranmere, 15:00 Brighton v Sheff Wed, 15:00 Huddersfield v Peterborough, 15:00 Leyton Orient v Southampton, 15:00 MK Dons v Carlisle, 15:00 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tuesday, 12 April 2011 Brighton v Dag & Red, 19:45 Rochdale v Southampton, 19:45 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Saturday, 16 April 2011 Charlton v Huddersfield, 15:00 Notts County v Bournemouth, 15:00 Peterborough v Plymouth, 15:00 Southampton v Bristol Rovers, 15:00 Swindon v MK Dons, 15:00 Walsall v Brighton, 15:00 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Friday, 22 April 2011 Leyton Orient v Peterborough, 15:00 MK Dons v Huddersfield, 15:00 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Saturday, 23 April 2011 Brighton v Southampton, 15:00 Yeovil v Bournemouth, 15:00 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Monday, 25 April 2011 Colchester v Brighton, 12:15 Bournemouth v Bristol Rovers, 15:00 Huddersfield v Dag & Red, 15:00 Peterborough v Yeovil, 15:00 Plymouth v MK Dons, 15:00 Southampton v Hartlepool, 15:00 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Saturday, 30 April 2011 Brentford v Southampton, 15:00 Brighton v Huddersfield, 15:00 Hartlepool v Bournemouth, 15:00 MK Dons v Notts County, 15:00 Rochdale v Peterborough, 15:00 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Saturday, 7 May 2011 Bournemouth v Rochdale, 15:00 Huddersfield v Brentford, 15:00 Notts County v Brighton, 15:00 Oldham v MK Dons, 15:00 Peterborough v Dag & Red, 15:00 Southampton v Walsall, 15:00

About as much as that is you in yours, I suspect

Sorry didn't mean to to be so rude. It is early on a Sunday morning, after all

For the simple-minded - it means 45 minutes & 25 seconds in. Or you can watch three quarters of an hour of other clubs waiting for Saints

The DSFCBs getting promoted really is the nightmare scenario from our point of view. All their financial woes go away - they can pay off the creditors from the loose change, they actually start with a clean sheet, squadwise, which is better than a lot of CCC standard players you can't unload, and suddenly people will want to buy them again. It will be the final proof that there is no justice in the world, particularly if we continue toiling away, trying to do things legitimately, and fail to get out of League One. Falling short, though, and things don't look that clever. More and more it seems that they have gambled the club's entire future on promotion this year and at present that ball is still rolling round the wheel.......

Did anyone notice on South Today last night they said the last time we won at Colchester in 1959, before I was even born (just)

Talking of the devil I've been having a few OldNick moments, myself. It just seems written that their pact with the dark one will sneak them into & through the play-offs as we stumble around, undone by our own ineptitude, and fall short of what is required. Suddenly that light at the end of the tunnel is looking alarmingly locomotive-like.

I didn't go last night, but this thread is 1000 times more useful than the post-match thread. Always glad to read the comments of those that saw the game - even if I don't always agree! - rather than those who listened to Solent or just saw the result.

The things they do to amuse themselves on Portsea island. I guess the two thumbs and the extra toes make it hard to do it themselves http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12595809

It won't happen if the Football creditors rule gets thrown out. It would seriously jeapordise their ability to sign players.

Nope

To answer the original question - no he was not an enigma, he was a very talented footballer who has played over 500 games in the top two flights. The enigma is why a certain minority of Saints fans didn't appreciate just how good he was.