Saint Fan CaM

What about Chambers? I know he was mainly RB for us, but he has played CB competently.

And this couldn't be posted on the already open thread on Koeman for what reason exactly? http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/showthread.php?56548-Ron-Koeman

This doesn't read as though Mane wants to leave? http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/14507148.Hot_property_Mane_looks_ahead_to_next_season/?ref=fbshr

I don't think anything I've said indicates I expect more than has already been mentioned by Ronald himself - i.e. he said he would be discussing the situation with the club last week. Perhaps there's a delay because of the FA Cup result affecting Europe - who knows? There's no need to panic, however thinking that discussions have not been on-going in some form for some time is naïve.

With each passing day without news of a contract extension, the likelihood of that happening diminishes. The rumour on here was that the Board would not want to enter into a new season with a manager that wasn't committed to beyond one season - it never seems to work well and there are likely some significant squad decisions to be made this summer to push on. The club do have an excellent chance now to gain ground via the Europa contest providing there is enough money to maintain more than 12-14 players of high Prem quality - having Championship level players to rotate into the first team is not moving forwards - this is key I think. Much work to be done by Les & Co - past summers have shown they know what they're doing - let's hope they can do it again.

He said talks this week and so far no announcement. Should we be concerned? Me - I think they'll announce something tomorrow just before the FA Cup to deflect attention from a less important subject.

You could pick out several players - Forster, Fonte, Wanyama, Davis, Tadic, Mane spring mostly to mind. I do like Davis, but we really need a box-to-box ACM to provide more options in attack...but then so does the majority of the teams in the Prem. I wonder if Ox could do that job?

Crazy that the lad is still 22 and is already finding issues with his fitness. And this at a club like Arsenal who are not exactly renowned for their high intensity, 'hard-nosed' style of football. I think it would be a mutually beneficial move for him to return here, but not at the expense of other players like Mane who is super-fit and usually always available. Juanmi replacement perhaps?

I rest my case.

I said at the time he signed he would be a risk because of his knees and loads on here gave me stick. Look, the level we are expecting from our 'main' striker is beyond that which Austin can deliver week in week out. If Pelle does go in the summer we would be best placed to move Austin on and get a really good replacement in. Fact.

I would go with this and smash 'em... Forster Cedric Fonte VVD Bertrand Romeu Vic Long Clasie Mane Austin Bench: Rodriguez on for Clasie at 75 minutes with Mane moving central. But we won't. We will go 5 - 2 - 3 with Targett and Cedric to start so as to feed Pelle pointless crosses that they will snuff out easily.

2-1 loss for this one - I think Leicester are the type of side we don't like playing.

Best game of the season (so far). Wanyama proved he so much more than a big lump CDM - he can play the ball when he wants. Mane - a strange beast but one we should learn to tame and love. Martina - great performance. VVD - towering performance. Why fook didn't MOTD show/talk about Shanes nailed on pen?

Pelle realises finally that he needs to move to the ball to gain any advantage and scores two goals as a result. At last! Tadic put in a good shift as a creative AM. Stonewall pen turned down for some crazy reason and Mane's incorrect sending off is not punished in terms of the 3 points thankfully. Officials once again trying to make themselves more important to a result than the players.

Unless someone has a large 0-2 Pelle scorer bet on. (-;

Well I see nothing more than a loss in this game. No strike force of any substance, an impotent midfield and a leaky defence that includes the opposition talisman Yoshida (a shame really - I like the guy but every game he plays includes a horrible mistake and gifted goal. 2-0 Stoke...if we're lucky.

I just don't understand how anyone can criticise a players effectiveness when only the minimum of game time is afforded to the player. He's basically coming on to replace some tiring legs with creativity which he does. A prolonged run in the team, preferably at no.10 would provide the opportunity to critique him more accurately. He's not got the skills or speed of Mane however, so he'll not be a replacement for him.

You must have not been watching the game - Mannone did make 3 worldies to keep us out...one of which was from a superb close range drive by Martina, who incidentally had a really good game.

Ref was poor. Pelle was poor and most of their chances came because he carelessly gave away the ball - would rather have had the under-21 striker on in the 2nd half. Mane hardly interested until nearer the end. Our corners were dire. Their keeper made three world class saves to keep us out. And today just showed what fickle fragile supporters we have walking out with less than 85 minutes gone, although I have to say I'm so pleased they missed a cracking end to the game and a just reward for Saints. Just hope they don't bother coming again - worst type of 'fan' IMHO.

Sorry to say that it is at this point usually when Saints start to choke so this will be one of the toughest fixtures we'll have all season. Form of both teams is very good but I think the break will work against us and we'll lose this ... 1-3. It'll be a shame for Forster not to equal the all-time record for clean-sheets, but Chelski look like they have re-found the key to unlocking defences. If we give away silly free-kicks within striking distance expect trouble too. If we draw I think it'll be a good result - a win of any kind will be exceptional under the circumstances.

Agreed. And running at their defence - could be some 'slip-ups' there. One to watch is Clasie - will he start let alone last 90 minutes?

"With the exception of the West Ham game, he has recreated the dominant home performances we had gotten used to, and defensively the team have been superb on the road." - Don't agree with this bit. I thought we showed dominance by providing a defensive master class with 10 men in the Wet Spam game. Seriously top, top performance even though we only won 1-0 (we could have nicked another on the break twice in the 2nd half as they were pushing for an equaliser).

Well, that didn't take long for the thread to slide into insults and strangeness. Anyway, back to the match - there's been a far few draws I believe with Swansea. By all accounts we should win this 0-1 but they've improved lately and I can see a 1-1 on the books messing up the clean sheet record.

Problem with Clasie is that he is fragile. Pulled up last night with a strain and was hobbling for 5 minutes until he was pulled off. Hopefully not enough damage to stop him playing at Swansea, but we need a replacement on the bench to come in a replace him - I guess that will be Davis as Reed is not favoured.

8 points from 2 wins, 2 draws and a loss which I think will be a resurgent Chelski.