david in sweden

( If KWP.. were to follow JWP ..to WHam, maybe he has a younger brother who could play both full back roles as well..or ? ...(haha) As for the rest, some of our younger talents might struggle at the higher level. Downes, Charles, Alcarez and Edozie are all on a high just now, but logic says that " everyone looks good " in a team that's playing well, but they will need to step up " big time" to become automatic choices at Prem.level. Bree looks good at this level, as does Adam Armstrong, but ..for some fans.. the jury is still out on Sulemana, and Ross Stewart is still an unknown quantity. " 30 is a dangerous age " , and looking forward a year or two, the likes of; Jack Stephens, Ryan Fraser and Stuart Armstrong might be struggling for selection. I'm trying to avoid being overcritical, but just now Burnley, Luton and Sheff. Utd are finding this out to their cost, and Notts. Forest were lucky to survive last season after bringing in... 24 new players .. and are finding that life in the Prem. is a totally different ball game after their Championship successes. Our squad may be good enough to make a quick return to the Prem. but in all honesty I can't see us improving enough to survive longer term with our present personnel, and remembering Nigel Adkins' swift dismissal after his two great seasons, Russell Martin may be on a very short fuse as a potential Prem. manager.

3 points.... but a bit of a damp squib after the trouncing of Swansea. Comparative stats. are surprising .v Swansea 60% possession, 11 shots 5 goals. v. Plymouth 78% possession 26 shots 2 goals. once again a commanding first half but no goals, and we had enough chances. Plymouth's " disallowed goal " was ONSIDE in replay ...(what was that about VAR / no VAR.) OK ...3rd game in 6 days, but despite stats. we really needed to convert more, but today we had the luck.

Although the squad is performing well ...a.t.m IMHO there are some who would struggle to make it if / when we are promoted. A couple of longer term injuries (Ex. Ross Stewart) would knock a hole in the squad that would be difficult to replace at Prem. level.. We are without Sulemana for some time into the future, but fortunately Sam Edozie has hit form at the right time. We need good cover in every position. Getting the likes of Brooks, Fraser ..or whoever for zero cost / low fees / makes sense - even for a year or two. . The three promoted sides from last season are having a tough time , and there 's no guarantee that we'd do a lot better just because we look good now.

....or a friendly pat-on-the-back and a " well done sir " used to enough, but some of the " goal celebrations " nowadays might be construed as GBH in other circumstances.... not to mention the danger of serious injury...

Legendary quote on " man management " from Lawrie McMenemy.. (back in the day). ...." Footballers are just people.......you need to kiss some, and kick the others..." (surely the secret is knowing ...which is which).

."...there are people on the pitch....they think it's all over ....(pause as Geoff Hurst scores his third goal in injury time) ... it is now ! " The iconic quote from legendary football commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme in the final seconds of the 1966 World Cup Final . Whilst watching the demolition of Swansea on Saints Play, I heard TV commentator Laurence Herdman come up with a few of his own. ... after Saints' first goal ....Ariba, Ariba... ARIBO ! ... on Ryan Fraser's great performance as sub. ........you just wind him up and let him go .....like a clockwork mouse ... ......and on the 5-0 goal in added time... and Ché Adams put the icing on the Christmas cake..... ........as if a 5 goal victory wasn't reward enough, quotes like that can stay with you forever.

If there is anything more satisfying than another 3 points, it's the five goal tally that has improved our goal difference no end.

On current form we should definitely get an extension for Stuart Armstrong - (probably wouldn't want to move his family at this stage). McCarthy has come to the end of the road, but Lumley is a likely longer term replacement .. (maybe get a trial run out in the Cup v. Walsall ?) Surely Ché Adams will find a suitor somewhere in January. He refuses to sign a new contract, but we will want to recoup some of his fee. IF he were to stay... he can walk in the summer - for nothing - and still be able pick up a juicy " loyalty bonus " ..( Haha !) SELL NOW .

This is a game we should win ...for Russell Martin. His reputation was on the line when Swansea did their " un-level " best to disrupt the move at every turn. He stood out for a move to (our) relegated club who had sold their best players and had to cobble together a team for the first unsteady 8 games before finding a successful formula. He seems to have "won over " the dressing room , and the fans, despite those complainers (like me) who want more goals in every game. We have now gone 15 games unbeaten and hold a strong position in the play-off places and hopefully even a chance to catch the top two. Managers jobs are precarious at the best of times, so the players (and the club) need to show him that he made the right decision. A decisive win, by a convincing margin, would be a good way to show our appreciation.

I really liked Perraud. He always looks good going forward and scored a couple of great goals last season, but looked to be "spare" in August after RS brought Manning in. RP was also part of the team of "also-rans " that we put out in " the Gillingham cup fiasco " but didn't look worse than some others on the night - especially as he was played as a CB against those giants in the Gills front line. Now there are a few if's here...IF KWP were to leave in January (unlikely), we could do worse than recall Perraud, especially if players like Bree have more injuries then we have no other regular FB's to call upon. Holgate will move on " somewhere", and I don't see Jack Stephens getting picked as a full back. We have Jake Vokins back in the fold (has occasional games in U21's), and he did well (along with Smallbone ) when both scored in an FA Cup 3rd round game.

QPR were certainly more of a handful than when we beat them in August. But 3 points and a clean sheet away from home , doesn't get much better but ref .was really duff . He missed an absolute penalty that Adams' deserved in the last 5 minutes. We survived the first 20 minutes attack, and defence performed well throughout. Match-winning goal from Harwood-Bellis, was the sort of goal than comes from " the occasional scorer " and it DAJFU. Still painfully short of a good, in-form striker and with Adams likely to be moving in January we really do need a good CF ....especially with Stewart out for the rest of the season.

.but Danny did a great job for us ......even between injuries, and kept us up single-handedly in one season.

I agree with much of what you'd written, but ....over a long period of time, I've found that we often have the most problem against those lowly-placed teams who fight like h*ll to survive and often end up stealing points. Our first half display was a one of the best I've seen in a long while, but we had to wait until 44th minute to register the first goal. If we'd gone in 3-0 at HT, it would have been a sign of our superiority. (6 shots and 12 corners) but we failed to convert our best chances earlier in the game and only the second goal, and their later red card made the result that much safer. The fact that a very tired Blackburn side were running on empty in the added time and conceded twice more was almost inevitable, but once again we weren't convincing enough in front of goal in the first hour and, pleasing as it was, we didn't really deserve the over-exaggerated praise that was attached to the final score - after missing so many chances in the first 90 minutes. Unless we start scoring much more in the second part of the season - goal difference maybe our downfall.

not got into the Christmas menu yet, but I've re-hashed parts of the text a few times over the last 60 years - with a few generational name-changes.

14 games unbeaten speaks something about a consistency against allcomers, but recalling the fiasco finishes in the Huddersfield and Rotherham matches, it shows that we must never underestimate the efforts of those bottom-end sides who are desperately fighting to stay clear of the drop zone. We really need to see what our strike force can produce and - welcoming as it was - the Blackburn result was only the product of 2 late goals - in 10 minutes of added time - against 10 very tired men. Not every team will lay down and roll over to help us preserve our hitherto unbeaten record. The next four games (upto and incl. January1st.) should show us if there is a future for the likes of Mara , and Alcarez as "potential frontline strikers" , or if their long-awaited goals were the end of an extended drought or merely... a drop in the ocean. Sam Edozie has shown up well in the last few games, and scored valuable goals but his input in these forthcoming 4 games will be under keen scrutiny and will hopefully be just as rewarding. With Ché Adams "rumoured" imminent departure on the cards , and our total reliance on Adam Armstrong's goal tally to keep the momentum , we must add some muscle to the front line in January whilst waiting for Ross Stewart's unpredictable return date.

I agree wash saint, It's really sad to read people complaining about a 14 match unbeaten run, in games where we've had max. possession % (whilst denying it to opponents) but who can still criticise the manager's haircut, or be upset because he doesn't start with their favourite player. In any league there are two ways to go, and we are moving in the right direction. The fact that we are 10 points adrift now proves nothing as the only positions that really matter are those after the 46th match. The Prem. is another league, but the "gap" is obvious, (and despite our successes I ask myself how many of our present squad are Prem. material.) Last season's promoted sides have already felt the cold and are already locked into the drop zone with little hope of any sort of short term recovery. Positions in that table are down to goal difference, rather than points superiority. Many of the "bottom-end " teams rarely move above 10th place and only a few of those above that will see themselves in a top 6 " Euro. spot " for more than a few weeks at a time (after a good run), before reverting to mediocrity and will eventually be thankful for survival come the end of the season. Saints' next 14 fixtures will paint a fairly realistic picture of how we have developed, but every game " is about winning " and whether we get there by comfortably winning 4-0 , or getting a 96th minute winner matters little, but I would never criticise any team that continues to pick up points . Those people who want to see a team in top spot may remain disappointed for the remainder of the season, but can always drive down the M27 and watch a team who are league leaders... that's if they don't mind dropping a division, and a level in quality in order to do it.

....and maybe just wondering ...... what may have happened if they'd taken Nathan Tella with them up to the Prem....? Being tight-fisted over a few extra million to buy him may end up costing them 100 million... next season.

Correct Whitey. Someone else in my generation whose mind hasn't been totally lost to Alzheimer's .....

A closer look at the latest rumour / transfer hype doesn't make the situation any clearer. KWP has contract until summer 2025 (?) and is approaching his best and still has v. good valuation " despite us being a Championship club " wtf?. (If WHam want him to partner up with JWP(?)... we must demand a decent fee.. but Wham have already spent most the 100 million fee for Declan Rice . ....so what can be done with a cash /swap /part-ex type deal with a win-win situation? Johnson isn't a regular starter for them, and will be OOC in the summer, so has little transfer value for WHam and shouldn't yield much unless he moves. Downes is already on loan to us until end of this season ..so why should we think about buying him outright just now? Ings . Our fan base is already split on the likelihood of " the prodigal's return" , but Danny will have to move - if he wants to get regular football. IF ..he is a target for us (?).. we can't / won't match his WHam salary, but taking him on loan till May... and maybe paying 50% of his salary may be one option. Ings may be an good option.. if / when Adams leaves, because we won't get a brass farthing for Che, who is OOC in May and will walk away for nothing. These seem like possible options, but one way or another we will know in a month's time..or, thereabouts. Oops (sorry) for younger fans . .a brass farthing (once the smallest coin of the Realm)...was of no significant value, (but could still buy one sweet when I was young).

Don't ask.... out of sight, out of mind.

Everyone who has seen games this season will know that it is a standard routine from RM to go up and thank the fans, and they respond with a cheer. The fact that the (highly vocal) Northam End is beside the away fans seating area is coincidental.. or simply just unfortunate. I don't believe he is disrespectful to opponents... but he seems to leave that for the match officials on occasions. At least he shows some fervour.

......this was bread and butter Championship football. The sort of game that needed a good scoreline (best of the season). If we are to get promotion we need to put games against mid-table sides to bed early on, and Sam Edozie's 44th min. knee-in was just reward for a highly dominant first half. Would have been more just - if we' d 3 goals at HT. Blackburn looked tired and devoid of ideas and playing the last 40 minutes with 10 men did them no favours either. Added time ...was like a training game at Staplewood and I'm glad that Alcaraz and Mara finally got on the scoresheet as they haven't raised much dust so far this season. I'm still not convinced that either of them will make it in this league, let alone the Prem. YES.. they are young, but strikers need to score goals and their previous efforts have been too little and not often enough. Looking at this season's scorers, a dozen players have contributed but we are still too reliant on Adam Armstrong with no obvious back-up. Truly excellent showing from Stuart Armstrong who might have won his first half penalty shout on another day, but he put in a top performance turning up all over the field. It's taken a while for him to get back to 100% fitness, but of late he has played as well as ever. We've finally caught up with Leeds, but with 12 points to play for by 1st January, this period might be make or break if we catch the top two.

Can't help thinking that WHam screwed us a bit on Prowsey's deal. Looking at his season so far, he's certainly no worse than Declan Rice. Since arriving JWP has been MoM / or second highest in most games . 3 goals and 9 assists... so far and already a fan favourite with the Hammers. IF ... KWP were to leave? we ought to go all out for a decent fee (35-40 mill), and Wham would have the best right-sided attack in the Prem. Danny Ings ..on loan? . Why not, we've done dafter things . We know his injury record , but if we don't demand 90 mins. every game from him he' d be OK. Loads of experience and a good partner for Arma. ... and a guide for the likes of Edozie, Mara and Alcarez. IF.. we get a good fee for KWP (who like Prowsey deserves the highest level) then, a potential move for Downes and /or Johnson might balance the books.

my meaning was ....some of the Prem. sides are performing better than they did against us last season, and we have " lost " many of the regular names that we had last season; either through injury, loan-outs, or those who left the club permanently in the summer. Some of those regularly turning out for the U21 s now are still under 18 ...and even some 16 y.os. who are first year scholars. It's been a big ask coming up against opponents who have already played in their first team, and a smattering of " over-agers " from the first team bench,

... does that mean that the likes of Adam Lallana, and Steven Davis wouldn't be out of place it they came back....or ?