david in sweden

let's hope so, he certainly wouldn't require any sort of " bonding " period that so many new players often need.

that's half the battle - isn't it ? ....sadly it's Athletico that hold his contract, though. If they insist he returns, we don't have much say - do we ?

I actually wrote ...as good as... If they continue their recent run they may survive, but they are not out of the wood yet.

If Athletico are genuinely looking to play Toby as a regular, then they'll take him back. However, if they back out of the deal, (and incur the £1.5 million payment to us), it must be worth our while to outbid other contenders in an auction - (if there any). Looking at some of players we've spent £ 9-12 million on in the last season or so, he must be worth it, and he's (apparantly) adamant that he wants to stay. If it wasn't for Jose Fonte's outstanding season, Toby would be my Player of the Season.

in all the rush and tumble of yesterdays fixture(s), have we missed the fact that Eastleigh held onto their play-off place wiith a 2-1 win before a crowd of over 4,000. Not bad for a team in their first Conference season. They now have a two leg play-off with Grimsby, and the prospect of a Wembley final play-off to get into L2. Also in the play-offs are Bristol Rovers who, despite their 7-0 annihilation of Alfreton came second to Barnet who got the only automatic promotion place.

tbh ..I'm surprised...considering the pedigree of some of the the others " strong " sides in the Championship's top 8. It may be a one season success for Watford, (and even for Bournemouth). They may carry over their success until the start of the next season, but by Christmas they'll be cannon-fodder for the majority of the established Prem. sides, and find it difficult to survive ...unless they spend " big time " in the summer. Compare last season's promoted sides; Burnley, Leicester and QPR who are as good as dead in the water. Only a continued slump by Sunderland will keep one of them up.

regardless of the source of the idea, it was a genuine fan tribute to Ronald, and he must have sensed it. Pochettino would doubtless have got a dirty, yellow one.

Agree totally. For all their creative play, neither Davis or JWP have troubled keepers very much with on-target shots. The average MF player should be good for 3-4 goals a season.

I reckon that the majority of those were late sub.apps. His actual game time (in mins.) must be very low. Do you know how many games he has actually started ? In games I have seen him, he rarely gets on the pitch until the 80th minute....occasionally even in stoppage time when they were chasing the game. Rodgers has ignored the fact that they played together for 5 years for Saints, and complemented each other. Now they are rarely on the pitch at the same time. Pelle has no real "partner" to assist him. Tadic started like a train, but seems totally out of it now. GP is a good target man, but is marked by two, sometimes three defenders.

and on current form.....not too many who can score inside the box either....

with respect ....you've just made the point yourself. Disatisfaction can spread like the plague. I'm encouraged to see younger players glad to get new contracts. When "Star players" bleat in public about "playing at a higher level", and how they are not happy at SMS, then we are best off without them regardless of who it may be. Ambition is not a bad thing, but getting ideas above your station is also a major problem - isn't it ...Messers. Lallana, Shaw and Lovren. If they thought they were going on to bigger and better things and carry on from where they left off, then the splinters in their collective a**es must prove a point. There is surely a % of players who are glad to get £100K/week and stay on the bench for half the season, but most dedicated players surely want to play every game. Relegation - I think not. We've done surprisingly well this season considering the chaos of last summer, and the stop gap solutions that were made. We may not repeat the exercise with new replacements, but we are surely still Euro material, although I don't think the team is mature enough for CL - yet. Europa League - if achieved will be a good test of the squad - if we make it through the qualifying groups, then we must regard that a major success.... At any rate we will have achieved a level that was seldom seen in the 27 seasons that we survived in the Prem. previously.

The first-ever recording of this tune was by Louis Armstrong in 1938 with lyrics by Luther G. Presley (no relation to Elvis) and Virgil Oliver Stamps) although the tune was first published in the USA in 1903, but predates even that... as it was often a hymn sung in Baptist and Pentecostal churches in the 19th century. There is no record of when Spurs fans tried to "steal it ", but they also made a poor job of hi-jacking " Glory , Glory hallelujah " which is the chorus to The Battle Hymn of the Republic which was used by the Confederate Army during the American Civil War 1861-1865, and has been associated with them since then. .

is it just me....or does anyone else put this down as the "biggest match of the season " ? IMO...even ranks above the win at Old Trafford (and that's saying something.....). I shall be glued to the TV and listening for the chants of... " one Ronald Koeman .." ....and await a victorious Saints' side leaving the pitch to the strains of ...." Don't cry for us Pochettino "..... if only.

well that looks to be a bit more than just " paper talk " - doesn't it ? .......if it wasn't true, then Wanyama could make a fortune in any libel case against them.

strangely enough, so was I. I didn't set out to be controversial in the OP... it was just a thought that developed, but maybe the core arguement was a bit too much for some to admit to. ...or maybe some of the traditional " moaners " on here took a look in the mirror....

I also assumed that this was " a done deal" , perhaps it's only now that " the Press " are just catching up with it....

yeah, but all the lads call him " Prowsie " - don't they? . Kinda brings ya da'n to Earth - dunnit ?

I totally agree that his (Monday night) goal was a bit special, and he's had a really tough year with his fathers demise and the long injury lay-off..... If he were to continue in that form in the remaining matches then he certainly would attract a lot of attention. Nice to hear he received special treatment in those circumstances, but I'd hate to think that MP would suddenly take credit for his development. I considered that Sam was already in good hands long before MP appeared on the scene, and people like Martin Hunter are really the unsung heroes much of the time. Sam's debut game was forced on MP, as JayRod was the only fit striker at the time. I was glad that he took the opportunity with relish. He surely has a good future ahead.

I agree. ..and the fact that we're most likely to finish in AT LEAST 7th place, would make it the best Prem.season ever, and help put the Pochettino myth in its place.

UGH ......why not ......the next MLT, or Shearer. The last thing I'd want to do..... is to compare one of our players.... to one of Spuds - no matter who it was.

AND...when Sam comes off the bench ..and scores the winner, Pochettino will try and cover his own embarrassment by claiming that he was responsible for giving Sam G. his chance last season, when in fact he had no choice.... because Lambert was out injured at the time....and he had no other option. To his credit, Sam came on ....and the boy did well.....but surely Martin Hunter & Co. should take more of the praise for coaching the lad in the first place.

.......and all the Koeman's horses ...and all Koeman's men, couldn't put ....... ......oops .. . sorry:rolleyes: wrong nursery rhyme.

another good point. How about restricting the choices to... John Smith (there are over a million of those in the UK apparantly)... ...and perhaps...e.g. Sam Jones ...and ...Andy Robinson (oops - we had a lad in the Academy by that name and he didn't make the grade ...) ...maybe also plan in which zodiac sign they are, too ....to be sure they blend in with the rest of the squad. I mean you can't have too many Leo's at the same time.

.......have only watched highlights of U18 games on You Tube, but I guess that the staff who coach them every day have a better idea...otherwise... why sign them?

you may have a point there. Maybe we should re-program " the Black Box " to only accept players with the names; Smith, Jones and Robinson