david in sweden

.....and too many people are quick to criticise strikers who have one or two poor / indifferent game and miss sitters. Ché Adams is a worse example. Adam A. is good role model for 100% pro. footballer. Frequently getting back to defend and winning duels against bigger / stronger opponents, Those who on here who are keen to dump him should find someone else on the books who's scored 15 goals and made 11 assists so far this season.

An real object lesson about... " how to think you'll get an easy 3 points from a relegation candidate " . I thought Huddersfield were one of the toughest opponents we seen at St. Mary's this season. Tried to take the game to us from the start. Yes ..they had a share of luck (their 3rd. goal), but so too, did we ( the own goal - our 3 rd.), but in the end the substitutions were inspired. We haven't seen enough of Joe Rothwell so far to know what he's capable of, but both goals were brilliant finishes, and "an assist " for the OG. In the past, I have been doubtful of Mara's potential, when he didn't seem to adapt well to the passing game, and often missed golden chances, but I am glad to have been proven wrong. He had only started once ( the 0-5 fiasco at Sunderland) and only had a smattering of 10 min. sub. apps. which gave him a couple of goals, but came into his own in the Cup games and now looks to be Martin's secret weapon in the last quarter of games. Good to see Sam Edozie back, he was on a good goal-scoring streak before he was "crocked " in the game at Norwich, but took his chance well. Hope we are a bit better prepared in future games, too many finishes like that aren't good for those with weak hearts.

Forget the league tables, but if Saints can play as they have done in the last 4 months, then nothing is impossible. There aren't 3 points to lose at Anfield, and the players have the chance to express themselves at their best.

if you mean you are "slow " in typing, you are not alone in that respect, but your grammar and vocabulary is better than a lot who post on here.

A good question mark (?) just there Whitey. The idea of a two-tier Prem. system sounds a bit weird, and whilst the top 6-7 clubs will get extra games in various Euro competitions, plus maybe a good run in one of the domestic Cups, the "newcomers " like this season's Luton and Burnley " are graded as "second-rate " from the start, and will even struggle against ordinary mid-table sides, and may go out of the cups at an early stage - leaving fans with less games during a long season, and the lower income from those games that are played will further damage the small club's economy. It's clear that a noticeable gap exists between clubs at the bottom of the table, and those above them, but this is a proposal that needs a lot of thought. The "less-wealthy" clubs are already struggling to find talent good enough to help them survive, let alone playing against the richer " top-end clubs".

well said Vectis. It's good to have a few "old faces" back at the club. Ollie Lancashire and Sam McQueen are already " in the Academy mix ." although (like some others on here), I'd love to see James Beattie on the staff at sometime, it would really make it feel like a "family club". Sad that we "lost " Surman in 2009 when, on the point of bankruptcy, we had to sell Andrew to help keep the club solvent. Employing former players who really have the club at heart is good and hopefully they can instill that feeling into a new generation. Back in the early 1960's ...when Bill Shankly galvanised a rather mediocre LIverpool outfit into a European side to be reckoned with, in time he installed some of his former team mates in various coaching roles at Anfield, and when Bill eventually retired.. it was an almost seamless transfer over to those who came after him, and Liverpool won many titles and were almost unbeatable for 10 years. (there was a joke around the time that ...on a Saturday, the tea lady could select the team with no problem. )

a good win today please. 21 games unbeaten, but too many away draws so far..

Although he hasn't played for us played yet ...goalie Lis, and Onuacho are both in Turkey. Caleta-Car in Lyon, and Perraud in Nice. Bella-Kotchap in Holland, and Lyanco (somewhere in the Middle East.) Around a dozen or so U21 lads, are / were out on short-term, or season-long loans. Dom Ballard was doing well at Reading - until his injury, and Lewis Payne is getting regular game time with Newport County. Glad to see Thierry Small back, as well as Jake Vokins ..from ...wherever he's been in the meantime..

well thank you Turkish. It's good to know that some people have their finger on the pulse, because there is a lot of Fake News out there at the moment.

Tomorrow... .......is a good time to analyse if the Circle of Trust have polished their crystal balls sufficiently... or if they are simply smoke and mirrors.

a good question, but although B'mouth aren't going to make a Euro spot this season, their squad seems to be holding their own in the Prem. Brooks has fought back from a life-threatening illness, but hasn't played regularly since, and on current form they don't need him for every match . I'd say B'mouth have nothing to lose. They will allow Saints to give him game time (most likely a lot of it) in the next few months to find an answer. IF...his fitness holds up OK, both he and his club will benefit and they will have a fit, and in-form player for next season... (unless he stays). IF... " the project" doesn't work out they will have the answer they want, and at someone else's cost.

Of course we remember 1976 (those of us who are old enough)...who could forget, but It was a very disappointing League season in the end. Despite being 4th after Christmas, we were let down by a long row of single-goal defeats, and won only 6 games in the second half of the season. Our 1-0 victory at Pompey was our only win in the last 8 away fixtures. We finished a poor 6th, just 4 points adrift of the 3 promoted sides, and with only champions Sunderland gaining more wins than we did. Historically, Saints have had a long list of giant-killing Cup wins over many decades, whilst (sadly) often falling at the quarter / semi-final stage. The fact remains that it is a Cup competition and we are committed to playing games as long as we continue to win the games. Almost every Saints fan must surely see us as promotion contenders, but if anyone thinks the Cup is less important.... then let's pick a team of 17/18 year olds for the Watford replay... get well and truly beaten ... and get it over and done with ...and then " concentrate on the League ". The thought of playing another Cup match at Anfield brings back memories for many after we beat L'pool (twice) in the League Cup some years ago, and the lure of another Cup game against them... is surely a one-off chance for every player (and fan) to really savour the occasion.

Stuart Armstrong scored after 2 minutes and then it looked as though we would get a bucket load of goals before HT. Our 80% possession (was the highest against any side) and we had 22 shots to 4, and their late goal was a lucky punt from outside of the area. Their goalkeeper was outstanding on the day, and had his share of luck. We don't want a repeat of that performance.

What player wouldn't want to play against Liverpool. For those young players (and there were quite a few out there on Sunday), it may be yet another chance for some of them to get game time. Russell Martin was right to choose the "untried " lads - even for 60 minutes, as Watford are a tough, uncompromising side - even without their best players, and our youngsters got a first-hand taste of "men's football". Meghoma tried hard - though he was bounced about like a beach ball, whilst Hoedt and company showed no mercy on our lightweight forward line. Admittedly, the start side looked unbalanced for quite a while, and a lot of simple passes went astray but if we get past Watford is the first priority, but even our seasoned pro's. will want to play at Anfield, and with the chance of advancement another round in the Cup - who knows what may follow?. Liverpool will need to keep their best players for Prem. games and try to retain their position at the top of the table, PLUS one wonders ...what effect Klopp's recent shock announcement may have on their dressing room in the upcoming period ?

I certainly agree with the comment about Guido Carrillo. He didn't get much of a look in, and at a time when few in the team were performing well. I think Sulemana had a bit of a raw deal, too. He is young, and seemingly expected more when joining a club struggling at the bottom didn't help his ambition. He certainly has a bit of pace about him, but as a winger he needed much more service at a time when we were struggling both creatively and defensively.

A few ..is more accurate Whitey. Total appearances.....just SEVEN games. Three of those were Cup matches . Admittedly No goals, but did contribute 2 assists. I think he was judged a tad unfairly, coming into a side that was a bit unbalanced at the time. I recall watching a couple of those games on TV, where he was hardly given a pass (!)... and at 6' 2" tall, he often appeared out on the left wing (?) . The worst part of the deal was the 3 and half year contract he signed. That cost us a hefty sum in later years.. on top of the 19 million fee. The real question should be ....How on Earth did he get to Monaco in the first place ? ... A good club at the time, but he rarely got off their bench. His later loan to Elche (another poor team) was little better, and he even tried his luck in China. Scored a few goals at both clubs, but when last heard of he was back at his boyhood club Estudiantes in Argentina.

Of course, it would be easy to blame the scouting staff, but this was a situation where the choice of manager wasn't the best timing either. I'm sure that some in the scouting group, and most of the fans joined in asking ......WHO ? ..and FOR HOW MUCH ?. Clearly there weren't a lot of "ex-managers at the Job Centre " that month, and in an attempt to pacify the new manager, the club allowed him to buy " a former player of his choice " ...which seems to be normal practice in such situations. Unfortunately, it was a bad choice from Day 1. Sadly, many people seem to ignore history, as when after brutally sacking Nigel Adkins..... Nicola Cortese appointed Pochettino and then allowed him to buy Dani Osvaldo....(a ticking bomb with a short timer). Although we may remember his great goal v. Man City(?), the subsequent training ground punch-up left Jose Fonte with a black eye, and the playing staff with a bad taste in their mouths. That disaster cost the club a considerable amount in fee + salary. Other histories; Claude Puel bought Boufal who scored 2 or 3 great goals, but consistently ignored his team mates when he didn't have the ball. The outfall after Ralph Hasenhuttl's dismissal gave us; Orsic, Onuacho and Sulemana . The jury is still out on the latter two. some later signings were less painful.. .Nathan Jones got us James Bree, (OK) ...and Russell Martin wanted Ryan Manning ...... on a free transfer.

Good teenage talents need the challenge of playing at a better level. Few would deny that Saints have one of the best Academy set-ups in the country and each generation brings it own. The fact that they didn't " make it " with Saints was often down to ..* .managerial changes, " bad timing," or bad injuries . Jack Stephens came from Plymouth at 16, and was part of our successful Academy group of those born around 1995/6 that included players like; JWP, Shaw, Targett, Chambers, Reed, Sims, Hesketh and McQueen. Some others just " got lost " along the way like Ben White ( a late developer who eventually went from Brighton to Arsenal ( and later England ), but just didn't " make the cut " in that vital year that was most important. The fact they many of them moved onto other clubs was no criticism of their performances, but when first team places were nailed down by the likes of international players like; Bertrand, Long, Mane and Davis ... just when they needed to get first team football at a crucial stage in their development, and some of the above were sadly just " victims " of the one of those situations ( * named above). Shaw and later Targett wouldn't have got past Bertrand (except on a good day), Chambers left for big money when he was (perhaps) a bit too young , Harrison Reed was just " spare " ..at the wrong time, but did OK at Fulham . Sam McQueen might have been the natural replacement for Bertrand, but for his career-ending injury whilst the other midfield prospects (mentioned above) were in a long queue behind the likes of Steven Davis and JWP. With many first teams already fielding good teenage talents, the pressure is even greater on the Academies to come up with their best prospects, and any player who doesn't at least get on the bench, and get game time on a regular basis will be looking to their future by the time he's 21/22.

Er... maybe that was Nick Barmby , or ?

Looking back on the 20 unbeaten games...starting 30 sept... RM's squad has been more or less unchanged. exceptions ...Sulemana played his last game at end of November, Bree played 5 games (instead of Manning ) before injury, Edozie had a good run of 5 games (until injury).. Che Adams started half-a-dozen games, but scored most of his goals coming off the bench. The remainder of the squad has either started, or been subbed on during the entire period with rare exceptions. Dibling and Bragg came on for short periods in games that in real terms .....were already won. Who should we drop to start them instead ? RM has held to the Manager's creed....." never change a winning side " , and now isn't the time to "experiment ", or change personnel for fun.

Kamari Doyle to Brighton ?....Maybe... One thing is certain, the lad is a great prospect and has always looked good in both U18 and U21 games. Although out with an injury for the last couple of months, he's become one of the first names on the team sheet for U21's despite his tender years. So ... ( I hear people say).. .if he's that good.. why sell him ?. He's amongst a good crop of teens who have come to the surface in the last couple of years, but he must get a chance to prove himself and is unlucky to have missed the boat whilst players like Ballard, Dibling and Bragg were getting headlines. Our Championship squad almost chooses itself nowadays, and I can't to see him by-passing the likes of Alcaraz and Mara for a bench place, let alone getting regular game time. I'd be sorry to see Kamari leave but he deserves a chance to prove himself at a vital time in his career. IF... he were to stay, he'd play in a " rather disappointing " U21 squad that is under-performing and even needs to bring in 15/16 year old to make up the numbers. Now is a chance to make his name in a Prem. club who already have some good young talents, and with Lallana and Milner now running on empty, Brighton will need to improve their squad if they are too maintain their Prem. status....and they are not short of the cash to do a deal after selling off a couple of hundred millions-worth of talent in recent years, and we should make sure we get a decent fee PLUS a sell-on clause ...if the deal is to go through. In the longer term, this a win-win situation for everyone, and we can only wish Kamari good luck ...if he does decide to move.

......but also a headline that will be difficult to ignore .....!

After being out of the game for a frustrating two months.... in the midst of the most successful period in the club's history, we can hope he will eventually return 100% fit ...has " grown-up " a bit ...and got over whatever it was that was bothering him.

Not making any sort of career comparison, BUT ...Danny Ings was out of the game for a very long period before he got back to form with Liverpool..and then... Even if Ross does get himself back fit and we get a couple of good seasons out of him.. we can only hope..

Forget him ? ..I didn't get around to remembering him in the first place. He had less game time than Larios and that's saying something... When he does eventually start ... he'll feel like a brand new signing.