Saint Fan CaM

We will be 17th with nothing much changed. Villa will thrash Liverpool though.

Excellent news and best wishes to the whole family.

Completely agree. I find it coldly amusing that I've worked my way up in life moving from what one might call a working class background where I aspired to be able to own an ST to see my club play, to now owning that ST but feeling that something has been lost on the way. I know this will sound daft to some, but our days in L1 were some of the happiest memories since being able to afford an ST. Strange that.

Nobody really knows what working class and middle class means now - these two classes have been melded together due to a number of factors many of which originated from Thatchers 80's. The difference in days gone by was that working class were the people on the shopfloor or at the 'coalface' metaphorically speaking. As an example, I cannot imagine a qualified gas engineer/fitter considering him/her self as a working class individual - they earn more a lot more than most office workers I would imagine, drive BMW's or equivelent, go on at least one foreign holiday a year and their kids enjoy the best life has to offer. Today IMO we have the following social classes: the Poor/Homeless, the Financially Secure, the Affluent. You will never see the lowest class in a league football stadium now.

Err, how did you manage to get two tickets? I assume you both have ST's? In days gone by, having an ST enabled me to buy a number of tickets (for me, my missus or my sons), transferring my ST to a seat to be with them. Can't do this now apparently - you have to wait for the general sale and take pot luck. The only advantage to having an ST now is you can book your own seat. Woopy ******* dooo! I'm not one to complain normally, but that is a rubbish policy that only seems to have come in since the Prem. Boooo!

Nail on head there Alps - completely agree. This is nothing other than a heart-warming story and only an utter twerp could think otherwise.

Reckon he would play in Gaston's role perhaps - now that would be nice to see.

Theo - back to his spiritual home.

I would say he has the potential to be the best young English Manager in the Prem over the course of the next 3-4 years. He loves this club and his job at this club - he deserves our support. The form table doesn't lie - something has changed and for a good reason. If we beat Sunderland, don't be surprised to see him win a 'best manager' award.

Firstly, please don't think this is a simple moan or dig - it's not - I'm just interested in other views and admit it might just be my ears. I sit in the Kingsland and so fully appreciate I'm hardly one to criticise, but I do have a consistent vantage point to make a judgement over several seasons. What has happened to the Northam? I mean the vocal support - the songs/chants - the cohesiveness of that. I'm comparing it to just three seasons ago when we were in L1. The songs seemed more innovative - louder - good rapport and bouncing of songs around the ground. Remember "we're the Northam over here - we're the Itchen over here" and other favourites like "sing us a song Chapel"? The only positive I can draw is that OWTS gets sung a bit slower now. I don't know what's happened, but the singing now seems quieter, fragmented and...well, a bit bland and clinical. Is this the Prem effect? Surely the ground should be rocking even more now? Is there anything that can be done to improve the situation? Does it need improving? Thoughts and comments?

Sure their fans were poor, however I have to say the Northam yesterday was a shadow of it's former self. Yes there was some singing, but it was not particularly loud, cohesive or particularly...well...innovative. Just saying.

Absolutely 110% agree. Good post.

Fantastic TEAM performance, especially the goal which Lambert and Clyne made happen. But you have to give Puncheon so much credit - he is an incredibly gifted player now he's sorted his head out and I really hopy we can do business with him to stay for some years to come. He and Clyne are the real deal together. Shaw is simply immense for his 17 years (it hardly computes that he is that young and yet plays with such maturity) - has to be worth £15m easy. If we were to find a Puncheon equivelant on the left to link as well with Shaw and track back, we would be unstoppable, although to be fair Lallana has improved a little in the defensive side of his game. Kelv and the defence side of things were pretty good, however it has to be said there's still improvement needed, as this was a poor, poor Reading side. Roberts is quite simply a cheat - no other word describes what he gets up to. The Guly boo-ers can go do one IMO - the lad has not been my fav player of late, but to boo your own player ON to the field is moronic. He actually did a very good job. Last word for Nigel. I thought the tactics, team selection and subs all looked perfect today. I would prefer us to be more decisive in attack when only 1-0 up, however the three points is what matters most. A win against Sunderland and our season looks all of a sudden to be a bit more exciting.

Control the controllables. So, so true.

Worse thing for Adkins to do today is to make unforced team changes when there could be 1 or 2 out naturally anyway. Don't want to be in position where nearly half the team are not used to playing with each other in what is a hugely important game. I just hope that Gaston is OK to start and that the Shaw issue is one they're keeping close to their chests - if it's true he's out then expect Fox to start.

Kraken - you're speaking an awful lot of utter sense in this thread. Good stuff.

Mmm, I think there's going to be a meltdown (again) on here tomorrow. Reading will be fighting for a draw at the very least - it's going to be an edgy tight game where a draw is the probably likely outcome. However, there's every chance that we'll get caught short - particularly is Shaw is out - and that will spell much doom merchanting on here. To be fair, if we lose Adkins tenure might start to look very shaky. 1-1

Well, let's hope that Julius 'Caesars' his moment. > I'll get me coat...>>>>

We need to win this - we're at home FFS - if Gaston is out then that puts a huge question mark over our ability to provide pace in attack. Either Mayuka plays or there's every chance we will lose the game IMO as they will shut up shop and hit us on the break (again).

Definately need 6 points from these next two games. Anything less than 4 points and I think NC will act - he has to otherwise (a) he's not being seen to do his job properly and (b) RDM will not be hanging around too long waiting for an appointment and IF anyone new is to be appointed, it will best be done before the end of the year. For me, the Liverpool loss was one of the biggest disappointments - not just because of the defeat, but the manner in which the team played...lack of spirit and determination. Thing is, if NA can't get the team playing above their ability for a game against Liverpool, when will he?

Very disappointing in my view - Liverpool were pretty poor and we gave them the game. There was no urgency to our play - Lallana never got into space, so nothing happened down our right wing. Not one cross into the box found Lambert who had a nothing game when he could have made a name for himself. Stirling was their only really decent player, but for most areas of the park we were non-committal. Our MOTM - Clyne - him and Shaw only two of ours that looked bothered.

No freakin' passion about our play whatsoever.

2nd to every ball.

We're paying them a little too much respect IMO - need to get our game going.