Legod Third Coming

And on a sad note, this is why I can't come to these games any more.

Top class post!!!

Many a true word spoken in jest.... As with the last time we played them, I would rather be washing my hair.

Surely looking at our squad in isolation is a total waste of time Look at this squad in comparison to the rest of the league and it is akin to comparing a bunk up with Cherly Cole to a night with Ashley Cole (Brighton), Joe Cole (Bournemouth), Andy Cole (Charlton - Sheffield Wednesday) and the remainder Old King Cole!!!! We will walk this league from now. We should and we will.

That's true but given a fair draw we could end up not playing a decent side until the last 16 when the remaining Premiership clubs get serious. I think this is what my hope is - winning it is highly unlikely.

It is obvious that nearly all clubs are now treating this competition with disdain. Premier League reserve sides are probably the equivalent of a half decent Championship side. We are at least as good as a half decent championship side (see Norwich and Leeds). This opens up an incredible opportunity for a club like ours to take this competition seriously and put out our strongest side to progress some distance. The down side is this potential 'distraction' - I don't buy that. Chelsea didn't appear distracted from winning the league when they won both the FA and League Cups. And then there is the risk of injury - but then a jar a mayonnaise could put you out for six weeks... The up sides for me are: More money into the club More exposure to encourage new fans More opportunity for our players to play better opposition We might actually go a long way in the Cup...

If you have to lol @ anyone, lol @ Chelsea!!!

No don't, I have had a bet on Blackburn to go down at 13/2 - I need them to lose!!

Mind you their Manager's not good enough for League One either...

To be fair, even a stopped clock is right twice a day... Where the hell has he been then?

Especially as we now know the secret of Wise's success.... Gus Poyet!!!!

Scored twice for Newcastle? Is that our ex Leon Best - laziest player I ever saw???

That would be my assessment. August and September (and no preseason and Falco) is what cost us promotion and as soon as we had the right squad the cup games probably made no difference at all. Surely if we beat Blackpool and draw United or Chelsea, Adkins can use this as a carrot and half to boost motivation...

Mainly because they were all wearing crash helmets and fecking great shoulder pads...

Genuine question. Did the JPT really cost us any league games last season?

If you want to pass it on, I'll buy it off you. Pm me. Cheers.

My friend, the problem there is that your house does not inform you one evening that the road over the other side of town is more attractive, safer, quieter and therefore your house is off there thank you very much....

100% - what the feck do their board expect with their resources? They made the play-offs last season and were well on track to do the same again... Still now that Himinez and Wise are in charge, maybe Keegan's on his way!

I would always strengthen if you can afford to. Certainly if you can buy better players than those you have, why wouldn't you?? So long as it doesn't upset the balance and momentum of the side. But I agree with you here Nick 100%. This squad is the best in the league by about £5m. If it gets better great. But it is easily good enough at present.

Yes, Nick, my bad - I had forgotten the Wilkins fiasco....!!! However, the constant theme that Pardew had rendered our season hopeless and Adkins saved us really bugs me - hence my overreaction (not aimed at you personally by any stretch). I am happy to let it go because I genuinely have nothing against Adkins and he's doing a cracking job. But he only had to turn our season around because of the decision to sack Pardew. Until then (winning that game in hand) we would have been sixth... He didn't turn it around from Pardew, that was my point. Pardew was a good manager, did good things for us, genuinely turned us from a losing side to a winning one and he should be credited for that. That's all. Adkins is doing a great job, soon to be a better job than Pardew I'm sure.

This is factually rubbish - total and utter rubbish. After THREE games we had four points and sat 15th EIGHT teams below us had played FOUR games and had amassed fewer points... If you imagine we had won our game in hand we would have been sat SIXTH in the table when Pardew was fired. We know how much you adore Adkins Nick, but please be honest. Some people on here don't bother to check what you claim... EDIT: I have now checked when Adkins was appointed and at that point (after Wilkins disastrous run) Leyton Orient, Hartlepool, Tranmere and Brentford had worse points records, but I suspect you were trying to con people into believing Adkins had to rescue us from Pardew...

I agree - I want Pompey to stay up and Bompey to come up with us. What with diesel at 131 a litre...

As well as my substantial bet on Saints I have the shrewdest bet ever backing you for promotion mid-June at 9/1... I hope you are second! Smith must score...

There are so many things with ALL of our players that need improving. That is why they are playing for Southampton and not Barcelona - not because we're the prettier of the two ports that's for sure!!! Sometimes our fans expect Frank Lampard in midfield with Pele and Gary Lineker in the box...

To be fair, look at who scored for us last season and how many they scored and we did get a few across the park. Last year we were (I think) either second on third highest scorers in the league with players like Lallana, Hammond, Papa, Antonio and Barnard all bagging a few and obviously His Rickiness. This year, because Ricky is not scoring we are having to use a different approach! When he was banging them in, why give the ball to anyone else when you're in and around the box? People bang on about Pardew and the long ball yet we tore Bristol Rovers apart on the deck, we did the same to Huddersfield and Norwich and Leeds... For me, the only difference and I really like it is that Kelvin is encouraged not to kick the ball unless we need him to. I like this approach. Players should be encouraged to love the ball, keep it, caress it and USE it - not waste it. But we are a League One side and having players who can do this well is not easy at our level. That's whay Pardew played to our strengths and let the players give it to Lambert from anywhere. It worked. Adkins approach is also working at home. As soon as it starts to work away (and I think it will), the league is ours to lose.