david in sweden

-they may recover some of their glory, but not just yet, and it may do them some good to be seen as an Ordinary Prem.Club .even if they have a "Special manager" ...

Quite outstanding, in attack and defence. His best game so far - by a country mile - let's hope he's found his right style, and will go forward from here .......

......don't think I need to say so much about him.... he always has so much to say about himself ....

Ah !.those were the days, but we have to say that Chelsea weren't the multi-million pound club they are today.. and didn't have " The Special One " as their manager.

not enough people take notice of the two ..sometimes three defenders who are harrassing him every time the ball comes in his direction... Yesterday's assist for Steven Davis (thank goodness he scored at last)....was an example, when surrounded by three Chelsea players - (all within arms reach), he chests the ball down into Davis' path to provide an excellent chance. Those of us "older in the tooth", can remember back to the days of Ron Davies - who was continually marked (often literally) by defenders trying to knock him off the ball ...and more recently those who were quick to criticise Rickie Lambert's lack of pace, should admit that what RL lacked in speed - he more than made up for in guile with countless lay-offs and assists. TRUE : Pellé doesn't have a big turn of speed, but his reactions and timing are better than the average Prem. striker and his last season's goal tally might have been doubled had it not been for the woodwork. Most Prem. strikers reaching 30 realise that their days are numbered, but before his untimely departure - Rickie Lambert could still put in a shift at 32. I also think that Pellé (like Lambert before him) is grateful to the club for bringing him international honours at such a late stage in his career. I'd like to think we'd have another season or two with GP - even if we buy / create/ develop a new strike partnership alongside him.

the referee put in one of the most incompetent displays I've seen in a while....and that's saying something...I hope he watches his own performance on video. ....and even BT's " slow-mo" replay showed that Falcao dived and it wasn't a pen. He did get that decision right. Our two shouts would ....on another day....both have resulted in penalties, but not perhaps.... at Stamford Bridge. You've got big troubles, Jose.....and "another big trouble" returns from his suspension next match. The next time he gets in a punch-up... it'll be a 10 match ban.

Agree. I can't recall who the poster was.... who said he was worse than Ali Dia ....

the United win was a masterpiece of organised defending and snatching a scoring opportunity when it came, but for an old fan who'd suffered decades of bad luck at OT....that was very satisfying. In a frustrating first half yesterday, where the ref. denied / was cheated us out of two stone-cold penalty shouts, but the second half was some of the most controlled play I've seen in any game .. H or A ..in a long time. Forget the " ball possession stats " we were deadly on the break and Mane and Tadic tormented the aging Chelsea defence and John Terry's " dream return " was a nightmare that may signal the beginning of the end for him at Stamford Bridge. An all-round top class performance where everyone put in his shift ...and a bit more. So far, I've read /noted 4 different MoM awards from 4 different journo's .... it might easily have been more.

congratulations to you both ...(but your wife did all the hard work). A girl ? ..how about callling her ..Sadie ..in honour of the victory.

looking at Blackpool's results in the last season or two, I'd say they were glad to sign anyone who could lace up his boots on the correct foot......

that phrase (though correct) could be applied to quite a few already on the books. What we need is someone who can come into the side and hit the ground running, and not have to wait till the middle of next season to get a regular first team place.

....we have one ...his name is Jay Rodriguez....let's face it, we won't want to drop Mané.....

1).....not enough ! 2)...perhaps shows that some clubs really do underestimate our abilities....

with or without his help .....Porto win 2-1. Mourinho is not a happy bunny tonight .....

OK ...he's an ex-player....is on the bench for Porto this evening, against Chelsea...( what's the betting he comes on and scores ..before getting a red card.)

I see I'm not alone in agreeing with that statement. Our biggest failure last season, and even before that was having a good starting side, but very few options on the bench.

I think that this has turned into a generation thing, Duncan. Looking at the more serious suggestions.....buying up the land around the stadium sounds a good idea. Build a smaller shopping centre for those people who don't want to get lost in West Quay.....and find easier parking. ........then extend the Northam end .....out over the existing car park, and turn the gasometer into a parking house . I'd go along with most of your suggestions - except if we buy up Pompey F.C.---we can sell off Fratton Park (let's face it....no L2 side needs a stadium that size) give the whole area to a building firm to put up cheap housing - and help solve the housing crisis - and let PFC play home games at Waterlooville every other week. Yes - I think it's about that...... now it's just to wait until we win the lottery.....

Getting all the time he had at SMS did a lot to benefit a Chelsea career which seemed to have become an endless string of " loan-outs", but no first team games. Much of the time, he DAJFU - when needed - but he was rarely an automatic first choice. The competition for his role was tough, and he couldn't quite overcome it. Again, a bit more of a " fans favourite " than the manager's, but WHO would you have dropped - in order to have played him regularly? Likeable.. and probably " a good club man " for the club who finally keeps him. Garry Monk has a place for him at Swansea, and If GM stays, then Jack will also. We shouldn't expect players to " automatically fail " when moving ...(unless it's to Liverpool)...and Jason Puncheon seems more important to Palace than he was to us. Artur Boruc seems OK at Bournemouth, and Billy Sharp will always DAJF.... whichever Adkins' side he plays for. Jack was ineffectual for the Swans on Saturday, but he wasn't the only one....but I'm sure he will be an asset to their side for some time to come.

It's the on-the-pitch activities that we need to focus on, and those people who have so quickly criticised Juanmi ..(and Cedric and Martina) have obviously not watched much football outside of the Prem. ....or the "super stars" in the CL. Every Continental league has its own " style" of play, and even hard-bitten internationals don't always settle into a different set-up at Prem. clubs. (Falcoe, Giroud etc.) Juanmi and Cerdic (in particular) are young and still learning, and the more physical style in England is something they will need time to adapt to...... (Can't see Martina ever becoming a first choice starter, but I've seen many worse than him in a Saints' shirt....but what do you want for £1 million in this day and age.) When Juanmi finds his proper role in the set-up ....he may surprise a lot of us...given time.

Reed ...like several others in U21's .... have proven themselves at that level, and even been tried (if not tested so much) in the Prem.squad. The next step is harder. If they are to be considered "serious contenders" for first team selection, they need more experience. Matty Targett DAJFU, but he's no Bertrand. Loan-outs depend on a number of things; but namely a club willing to give them a real chance of real game time at another level. Turnbull and Stevens were both regulars (on merit) in Swindon's side last season and they narrowly missed promotion to the Championship. Turnbull is still there as a regular, but Stephens gets only an occasional few minutes as late sub. at Middlesbrough and often doesn't even make the bench. In his defence, it should be said that 'Boro are doing well in the Championship with much more experienced players so that doesn't help his progress just now. Likewise Sam Gallagher's injury / personal problems have set him back since 2014, but hopefully he'll get more game time at MK Dons (let's face it they need it). as this thread is about Harrison Reed ...he seems more popular with fans than he does with Koeman, but then again he's got a lot of competition to overcome, and might only get game time if (heaven forbid) ....we had a major injury crisis like last winter. He really does need a loan out, because if he is to be seriously considered for the first team then he needs more than U21 outings against teenagers. He will undoubtedly develop...in 2 or 3 years, but what to do with him until then? In my mind....there are serious issues about his disciplinary / behaviour, and it's not only his hair-colour that reminds me of Paul Scholes and although he may be a very nice guy off the pitch - so too were Scholes ....and David Prutton Reed really needs to pay attention to this. Red cards potentially indicate big trouble. Maybe if he likes Worthing so much ...a few months with Brighton's up-and-coming squad could be a benefit to him?

IMHO Shane Long has done well enough..given greatly-reduced game time he's had (compared to several others) since his arrival. People keep going on about the fee. £12 million seemed a lot ...at the time, but we were desperate to get extra cover up top and made Hull a vastly overpriced offer " they couldn't afford to refuse ". In the light of the Gaston and Osvaldo deals, I'd say....that given the chances he had...Long was money better spent than those other two catastrophic contracts, which will surely reflect negatively in the profit column in the next Annual Report. We'd only be able to make a just comparison if he had a run of games, but he does pop up with goals ----even for Ireland where he also plays " a bit part near the end ".

IF......RK is going to give him a second chance / last chance .....then he should do it by playing him in away games. No-one expects MoM awards away from home. Somehow people seem more impressed by players who DAJFU in away games , but IMO.....he's hardly likely to get a good reception in a game at SMS atm.

Hampshire are a great One Day / Cup side....but may need The Great Escape scenario for a season or two more in order to stay in Div.1 .......Hmm:proud:...sound familiar?.

.....and not before time, either...........

or perhaps Ireland.....?