Saint Fan CaM

It will be a great day out, but of course much, much sweeter if we win. Carlisle will be no push-over by a long stretch and it will need our boys to bully and harass them pretty much all game to come away with a result. If they think they will stroll it, we will lose f'sure. Onwards and upwards - watch out for me...I'm the one with the red and white striped shirt on! LOL

OMG - can't believe it's only 3 days away! There are so many great songs to be sung, but I completely agree with those calling for NO Pimpley songs - they are not worthy of our attention. Focus on our day for our team.

We're going up. Nothing else matters right now.

Why on earth would we buy a Poopey player only for said player to be loaned back to Poopey??? That's what the deal is apparently. It's not going to happen. Finnan would have been a good idea if there was any likelyhood of him playing for us for the remainder of this season.

Yep - I saw Spiderman take a knock on the foot in a 50-50 challenge and he was limping. I assumed he had been taken off as a precaution. I think he would be completely gutted to miss out on a Wembley appearance to Gillet who has not featured - I can imagine he will be assessed in the week and then will be asking for injections to get him through the game perhaps!

Don't laugh about Lowe being there and casting his jinx. He was at SMS a couple of weeks ago - reliable source.

I have us in 6th with 80pts on GD above Huddersfield. Just did the results as I saw them, but of course I assumed 10 from 10 for Saints. One error and we're toast for this season.

But surely we've got the day out already? AP has already said that he will play his strongest team tonight - he will be expected to do this. However, with Puncheon not in the final and Antonio injured, there is a very good chance he might rest Lallana tonight I would think. Clearly, we will stand less of a chance of beating Carlisle without at least one of our 1st choice wide players (although Fish could start at LM I suppose?).

Hate freeloaders. However...

An excellent point, well made Sir!

Perhaps Puncheon will use tonight to pick up his yellow as he knows he would miss JPT anyway? Or doesn't the JPT count?

Block 143. Great view. Flag, scarf and Wife's girlie Saints shirt purchased. It's gonna be a great day out.

I would agree with Connolly starting over Waigo, although AP may see that Waigo has played more and therefore he gets the nod. Not seen enough of Oxlade-C to make a judgement, although I am not sure he's done enough to warrant a look in beyond the bench yet.

A good point. But mine still stands excluding him.

Got mine Friday - yeeha - block 143. Get in.

2-0 Saints - that is all. (Although it will not look too good because none of the players will want to be crocked for Wembley - especially Lallana, Puncheon and Schneiderlin, our 'playmakers'. So Rickie better get his tin helmet on again coz' its gonna be a hoof-fest methinks.

Great result. Sounded like we managed to win ugly for once. Given we had Harding at RB, a clean sheet says a lot. How many times have we called for a performance that delivers like this? It's how some of the teams we have beaten have found their way into the top 6. Can we get to the playoffs? Damn right we can - until the maths says otherwise. Well done Lambo, you really are a goal machine. Well done AP - you're doing a great job.

On reflection, there is one overriding reason why this team loses games and is inconsistent. And the teams that have beaten us this season have demonstrated they know how to exploit the weakness. Fact is, many of our players HATE to be pressurised on the ball. They do not know how to react to players closing them down by using each other to pass the ball out of difficulty...i.e. keep the ball as far away from an opposing player as possible. What tends to happen is either the player loses possession to the aggressor or in a fit of panic hoofs the ball up to Rickie or indeed as on Tuesday night to nobody. Don't want to pick on any particular player, but Lallana, Puncheon and Schneiderlin appear to suffer the most. Perhaps this is because they are young and scared to take a clout in fear of missing the next game? Who knows? But AP needs to coach them so that they use each other more and release the ball quicker to feet IMO.

Great OP. Surely people's expectations will differ and the definition of success will be different. For some (like Glasgow Saint) it would seem that promotion this season is the yardstick for AP to prove success. For me and others, it's all about the match day experience (the walk-up, the beer, the smell of nasty burgers, the sight and sounds, mates banter etc.)....and watching home football that is attractive so we're winning more games than we lose. NC and AP have delivered that in bucket loads this season and I am really enjoying my football again. Promotion will be good, just like getting to Wembley will be, but it's certainly not the be all and end all of what I love about supporting Saints.

Still not got mine - ordered in first hour of opening lines. HOWEVER, I am led to understand that they are releasing them in alphabetical order - can anyone confirm this?

I reckon it could be around £450.

This.

Pompey reserves. HTH.

See above.

Reasons for last night were... (a) Swindon were well briefed to put 11 men behind the ball, close us down at every opportunity and wait to hit us on the break. We cannot handle those tactics (same as Tranmere etc) and so resort to hoofball mostly which does not work. (b) The lads looked tired and the pressure of the games is getting to them. © Our three play-making players - Schneiderlin, Lallana and Puncheon - all had mares. (d) We do not have the strength and depth of squad needed. James and Wotton for example would struggle to get into the Swindon side. (e) We will not win every game in a season because of (a).