shurlock

Slum tourism or anti-plastic chic. IIRC we sold out all our allocation behind the goal and were also given seats on the side.

Anyone would think you're a moron who's unable to distinguish two fundamentally different cases. Last time I checked, plastic had connotations of supporting a big side. A connection to the area has nothing to do with being a plastic other than as a defense that support is not just skin-deep glory-hunting. Now explain to me how all this applies to supporting a sporadically successful and stodgily provincial side like Southampton?

"Put it in the box - they aint got giants" - tactical genius there. Just surprised by the lack of a double negative.

The postmatch analysis showed how it was deliberately worked, how both Fellaini and RVP started among the line of Southampton players but then looped to the outside as the ball was played in. In particular, Fellaini used his body to block players shifting towards RVP. In American football terms, Fellaini 'sealed the edge', enabling RVP to get to the back stick practically unmarked. Either way, the ball should have been claimed by Forster. The guy is a physical freak - act like f**king one.

Despise him, a really nasty c**t - if any player deserves a taste of his own medicine, it's him.

Re. first goal Carragher saying that Forster could have done better -that he hesitated when he should have come out to RVP and made himself bigger.

And? He won us a pen at the Emirates, set up the opener against QPR with a sublime back heel and scored the winner against Stoke. He's been on a dire run of form but there's no point in whitewashing his entire contribution.

Would prefer if the front three/four interchanged more as we did last season - Pelle would sometimes have more joy against the full back, Tadic would have more options if he dropped into the hole (his passing is so much better than his crossing) and Mané/Long played the furthest forward etc. We set up pretty rigidly and our main routes of attack are pretty predictable (down the sides rather than thought the middle) unless one of the CMs is gambling (admittedly they have greater freedom under RK) and the fullbacks are pushed up sufficiently far to allow the two wide players to come inside.

Perhaps, though I think the angle was tighter for Long's first chance and he was forced to wait as the ball bounced, with two defenders closing down on him. Needless to say, it was a wild lash. The second chance was much less contested. Thought Pelle showed some life tonight after a poor run of form, though again he could have shown more patience with the chance he blazed over early in the second half.

He's a striker - you make it sound as if getting the occasional goal is a bit on the side, an unexpected bonus.

The first was a good, not a great chance. On the other hand, should have burried the second, headed it into the ground. Made it an easy save for De Gea.

Maddeningly erratic the last few games but seen enough to suggest that he can play a lot better and offer something.

Long came in for criticism in no uncertain terms.

No it wasn't completely obvious. Despite supposedly being caught out regularly, an expensively assembled side created nothing or even enjoy much possession. Yes we tired but if anything, the changes upfront disrupted the balance. Never mind there isnt a shred of evidence that Reed would have improved matters.

Complete tosh - our midfield coped much better than was expected. Couldn't tell that we had one less defensively-minded CM on the pitch.

Lovely, flowing goal that one.... Still a bunch of hoofballing w**k.

See Marriner is following up on Wednesday's inconsistency and cluelessness - the Isthmian league is too big for him.

You realise Network Rail pays a sum to SWT to compensate for maintenance work? In theory, that should flow down directly to the end consumer each time he or she is lumped with significantly lengthened journey times. In fact, that sum ends up forming part of SWT's profits. So while delays might be outside SWT's control (though note that SWT is more integrated with Network Rail than other operators), there are things that it can do but patently doesn't. On a separate note, some routine maintenance work is unavoidable but I wouldn't be surprised if it becomes more frequent the longer underlying investment in the line is put off.

Shambolic service: not many of the apologists go to SMS to and from Waterloo on weekends it seems. Years of engineering works later and a 1h 20m journey is still 2+hrs for considerable parts of the season. Come spring and if past experience is any guide, buses will be out in full force for what should be a routine bit of travel.

Did your voice break at any time during the songs? Where were you on the shriek scale?

Pelle was already with us when the two sides met.

And? A pretty meaningless stat which doesn't include the best chance of the night for either side (at least till we went to ten) I.e. Pelle's miss in the first half. Nor does it include Pelle's goalbound blocked volley and Long's chance, albeit the angle was tight. None of which are counted as on target but were decent openings. Agree though we need to create more.

Didnt a hamstring cause Alderweireld to miss the Swansea game and some after? Wouldn't be surprised if it's a similar case here. Strange time to do it and especially innocuous as he wasn't stretching or chasing the ball. Will be a big miss.

Disagree. Giroud's main instruction is to come near post because he's good at getting his body between the ball and defender. In this case, play happened to come down our left hand side (as it did for their opener in the 2-2 at SMS IIRC). He would have just as likely gone to Fonte's side had the attack gone down the right.

Talk about seeing what you want to see. There was a mass of players in at the near post yet you single out Yoshida. Yoshida actually won a great 50/50 with Giroud minutes earlier only for Marriner to give Arsenal the foul, notwithstanding the fact that that Giroud is among the best at cynically backing into players. There is no evidence whatsoever that Gardos and Reed (ffs) would have done any better.