david in sweden

I think a lot of neutrals are praising Saints - if for no other reason than it would break the mould of the dominant BIG SIX, and at present..... we are above 4 of them, at least. As a 50 year fan, I'm more than pleased to see yesterday's win , which has barely come once a generation. Even United's notorious " Fergie time " - 6 extra minutes yesterday, couldn't help them. It's a long season and our biggest danger is not a occasional lapse in form (the blip), but the inexperience on our bench. RK knows this, and so the one game at a time is the safest response to such comments. If we really want to be taken seriously, then we'll need to look closely at those forthcoming fixtures at Chelsea and Man City. Points from those games would really make everyone lookup and take notice.

I fear a lot of fans feel they have to be told about every inpending occurance / activity / transfer before it happens. I think we realise that it's NOT " the Southampton Way". It's surely one of those things carried over from the Cortese Era which I feel does no harm, and announcements should only be made when everything is done and dusted. Questions to Ronald Koeman about existing players who " the media are plotting to transfer ", new players we are " supposed to be signing" in non-existent deals that come to nothing. I've noticed that RK is very cautious with replies like we may sign another player, or that is for the Board to decide , or it's for the player to decide. If they've done due diligence on the player and /or agreed with the Black Box stats. then they know what they are going to get. We get little enough good press as it is, why get egg on our faces if we pre-empt a deal that might eventually fall through and we end up looking like mugs. I feel fairly sure that the " other player " that Koeman refers to is already lined up, (and maybe even about to sign?), but work permits, international clearances can take days rather than hours and there is a psychological moment to announce such things, and it should be one that won't disturb the players confidence or disrupt the squad unity. ..after next weekends game might be better than tomorrow. If I was Koeman / Les Reed, I'd be more concerned about upsetting the existing players, rather than a few over-eager fans who must know everything YESTERDAY !

A win like this comes once every generation,and is very satisfying and I can recall the legendary win at O.T. in 1969 ...with Ron Davies getting all 4 goals. Team played brilliantly ----like a team, but the most satisfying was hearing LVG boasting in the pre-match press conference that he "only had one player out " and was fielding his strongest side. Ronald Koeman must be the happiest manager on the Planet right now.

These were both rather dubious " panic buys " in their own way. Ramirez in our first season up, when we needed someone to " better the squad " - he didn't. Never really adjusted to the Prem.level and rarely played a whole game, and never got to be better than Lallana. Osvaldo was Pochettino's choice in thinking he could reform his " bad boy" image. Didn't work - ask Jose Fonte. Showed flashes of brilliance, but a "wanabee superstar", but couldn't play as a team member. A bad call...perhaps two bad calls. Clearly neither of these would have made it ...out of the " Black Box" - had it been in operation, and correctly applied.

you're probably right, but remember Theo Walcott debuted at .......16

despite the fact we will be responsible for his 40K week salary,...for the next 3 years (?) I would n't let him near the place ..and even bar him from buying a ticket for SMS. Based on past performance.. he'd be a threat on the training ground and a liability in the dressing room. Pochettino's biggest mistake, if he thought he could rehabiliate him -it didn't work Mauricio. If Ronald Koeman thinks he can change Osvaldo's attitude, he's welcome to try, but he should know what he's taking on...... Best solution ...loan him out to QPR or Stoke, they are used to players with a " vigourous attitude " to the game.

tbh ..I missed Kenneth Wolstenholme's commentaries. He spoke (sparingly) about what was happening in the match, didn't cloud the issue with lots of stats. and details of what players had for breakfast! OK ...so I'm older than many of you, but I like to watch a game, and not listen to some egocentric non-stop talker sounding like an auctioneer with no volume control, or an ON /OFF switch.

one good start to the New Year, then........ Will Kamara be next ?

...but of course " the Schneiderlin deal " hasn't come to fruition yet, but if Wenger is desperate enough ...who knows?

of course, they can always try.....but I think that this type of publicity is just a cheap way to show they are ambitious. It doesn't work, but sounds convincing to some of their fans. Harry Redknapp is an expert at this, he regularly makes noises about bidding for some "world class" player, but then ends up signing someone on a half-season loan from one of his old clubs.

.....or all in combination

I agree with part of that, but if we get CL...and Arsenal do as well.....the big Q. will be will he play for us at 40K / week , or Arsenal for 100K / week ?

great viewing - worth a second look. He may have had a shorter period of success, but surely must be one of the most versatile scorers we've seen in many a year...

Agree, and after 250 games, he must be " reaching his peak ". Maybe £25+ million now ...but next year ?

a bit too casual ....of course I meant..... worth less (than that). £25 million.

Yes thanks, I understood that anyway..but I don't know whether to put it down to ; brain-fade, the onset of Alsheimers or my arthritic fingers

more than that ....Hackett actually " outed " five refs. who he suggested " ought to be retired " or perhaps he meant "down-graded". Maybe the standard is less demanding in the Championship or L1. He cited; Andre Marriner, Mike Jones, Lee Mason, Chris Foy and Lee Probert. I'm not as familiar with the ref's concerned as I am with Prem. players, but does anyone agree with him on his choice...or do you have other " candidates" ?

..did manage to listen to a commentary on the game via Radio Suffolk local radio - (shame about the result)..but in the worst eventuality they're sure to broadcast the replay.

10/10 for observation, but aside from which.....do you disagree with the content ....or ?

well that's the view of former FIFA ref. Keith Hackett expressed in an interview published on the BBC sport site today. Hackett said the standard of refereeing he saw over the Christmas period was " bordering on appalling ".He counted 20 major errors and says some refs. should be downgraded. He's not alone in that judgement - is he? No wonder Prem. managers bite their tongues when interviewed and asked about " controversial decisions ", when they get punished for commenting. Can there be anything more frustrating than watching games, and seeing the replay of a goal from 6 different angles ...when blatant fouls and penalty shouts go unheeded. These type of incidents often affect the overall pattern of the game and eventually the final result. We must admit that the goal-line technology is a step forward (although I've only watched 4 games where it was brought into use) but it's only the tip of the iceberg when fouls occur all the time that go unpunished because the ref. was unsighted, or simply missed it..or worse.... was conned. Where the technology is available it should be used and not ignored. 99% correct decisions would enhance referees' reputations and not degrade them. Millions of people watch matches on TV - see the reality and like the players suffer the agony of those missed, game-changing bad decisions. I had to chuckle at Mourinho complaining that Refs. were campaigning against Chelsea by denying them penalties-especailly after seeing Cahill's recent acrobatics and Mourinho himself admitted that he had to speak to Oscar after Chelsea's game at SMS last season, when Oscar blatantly dived after leaving his foot behind KD's boot and fell dramatically into the area - PENALTY! .......and a real game-changer after 0-0 score at HT. Who'd be a referee? Yes it's a tough job, they do it as well as they can, but when such incidents can mean 3 points LOST, it can be the difference between winning, or losing a title, a Cup Final ...or (at worst) being doomed to relegation.

whether he goes ...or not - if Lallana's transfer was £25 million - can Schneiderlin be worth less ?

Far be it from me to criticise....but if ANY of this gossip is to be believed at all, surely we need A STRIKER. Almost everyone we're linked with seems to be a midfielder of some description, (although CB 's feature quite a bit, too). YES ...(thankfully) .we have Elia as cover for Mane...who it turns out would have been out / away for a month or so .. African Cup of Nations, injury or not....but where is the extra striker? £12 million...(and only few goals so far), but I don't think Shane Long was a bad buy, but surely no-one expects Jay Rod to bounce back with a hat-trick every game, .......injury has set back Sam Gallagher's career almost a year, whilst a budding U21 striker like Ryan Seager hasn't even had one minute of Prem. game time yet. I won't criticise Pelle either, for despite being triple-marked in some games, he's done almost everything right - except score goals and hit the woodwork instead. I do hope Ronald and /or the Black Box can come up with an extra alternative soon to compete / help / challenge / Pelle's almost lone efforts to find the back of the net. Like the rest of you, I'm encouraged to see goals coming from midfield ...and even defenders (something we sadly lacked under MP's regime)......but we really need some more help up top..don't we?

it was a good deal at the time. £16 million for a reserve player. If they were both still at SMS ...when fit - Clyne would get the vote, and Chambers wouldn't be first choice ahead of anyone else.

Too few games to make a definitive judgement, he seems to fit on OK , but it also depends on his ability to fit in with those around him. No player can / should be judged on a handful of games. Those people who were ready to diss Mané a month ago must be hiding under their seats in shame by now. Tadic looked a world-beater at the start of the season, but has lost that " edge ", whereas Long is beginning to show some class - (even for someone being played out of position). ....and Pelle is doing everything right - except putting the ball in the back of the net ...