david in sweden

...I'd certainly agree with that part......

It sounds like a good combination. He surely wouldn't be afraid of getting the sack - if he spoke out against RK on some issue. Let's face it .....if you can't trust your own brother to tell you the truth ....I'm sure they have a " joint mindset " on the club's potential.

......wow ......has he got a new job ? I thought that was Les Reed's territory?

..to be linked with a move to ....Arsenal. It's just as though that Prem. clubs have suddenly discovered there's another club south of the River. Now that the " cream " of last season's successful squad have gone, clubs are looking around at the scraps left over....a closer look will see that they've missed a few. well, now it's Victor's turn for the headlines. Arsenal willing to pay £15 million - (it says.)..a modest profit, but a good deal? IMO, whilst VW's presence on the pitch is impressive to say the least....I ask myself ....is he really that good ...and would he be a great loss? Managers / Scouts are impressed by players who play a good match, and a goal for Celtic (v. Barcelona in CL) did his reputation no harm at all, somehow he always seems to be lacking in some way. It's got to be down to the player and his attitude. If he wants to stay (fine), but if he's another player with a " Lovren mindset " and wants to go - I wouldn't cry. I'm sure a lot of people will disagree with this thought, but now I've nailed my colours to the mast on this one.

...that's what you do when you have LOTS of money at your disposal. Now he's built a team that's totally dependant on Sturridge and Baliotelli. judging by what Saints fans know about RL - he could do worse than start Rickie every game and see the result, it could hardly be worse. It's the same League that RL played in for the last two seasons.

well I'm sure that many (like you) are, but you must agree that we have both seen games where controversial actions; goals and penalties were / were not allowed because the ref. was nowhere near the action. As a ref. don't you ever go home after a game not knowing if an incident was "actual " or not?. Games involving titles and relegation are won and lost because the ref. was unable to see the truth. For me as a fan, there's nothing more annoying than sitting in front of the TV, and seeing an incident happen that radically affects the result of the game and the ref. misses it ! I'm sure the millions of other fans who see it must feel the same. My arguement has always been the same. Given the access to the technology that already exists for other sports, why not use it.? Looking at Rugby, Ice Hockey and even Cricket..it doesn't take long to decide. IMHO....respect for referees (amongst fans/ players) would improve, if they were able to make judgments that were 99% correct, instead of taking the abuse they must endure during/after matches.

NO !....either I'm not explaining it well enough, or ??....Play continues until there is a "goal " ..or a corner. We have both seen times when the ref. consults the linesman if he's unsure... (same prínciple) Blatter said that the review of an appeal would be made after the action had finished. As it is now, the ref. can stop the game whenever he wants. If there is an appeal (example) surely would have been when Krul punched Long on Saturday, the ref. can be called to make a review if the manager wants it. At present the ref. often allows play to continue (in an advantage situation) but can call play back if he's not satisfied that it was an advantage to continue. The ref. controls the game, not the manager, but he does reacts to an appeal, in the same way if a linesman attracted his attention. The time delay would be considerably shorter than many seem to suggest. I'm not making up the rules... FIFA will, but I am surmising how it might work.. (obviously not well enough for you to understand my meaning.)

good thread ART, .....I've always liked Jack's contribution to games, but he seems to have been ignored a bit by managers and fans alike in the past. He was unlucky to lose his place (when Victor arrived) and his no goals tally didn't help improve his image either. He's been impressive so far this season and I hope Saints can find a solution for his future. It seems the arrival of (his best mate) Ryan Bertrand (also quite impressive) may have created a new pairing that no-one had considered. I have the feeling that as the season progresses we will see that some of Pochettino's "magical power" was merely " the King's new clothes " especially as Jack was ignored so much under his managerial reign. Certainly, Koeman (who holds the world record for goals scored by a defensive midfielder. 207 incl. internationals)....seems to have put enthusiasm into Jack's game, and perhaps even Morgan's, too. Getting on the scoresheet is the best confidence-builder any player can get.

..he may well become that (without your good wishes )..his only consolation when he ends up sitting on the bench maybe... his fat contract.

teams are rarely totally dependant on one man, and whilst many can point to Lovren's many good performances last season, let's not forget much of the time he was partnered by Jose Fonte. Together, they were a good combination, knew each others' game and they worked well together. Look back and recall the adulation that Michael Svensson had 10-12 years ago, but I'm sure he would be first to admit that his partnership with Claus Lunderkvam was one of the main reasons for that. Jose (like Claus)... are / were...." the quiet ones " who didn't always get the glory, but helped make their partner the success they later became. The " big guy who gets stuck in" gets most of the attention, but Lovren didn't do it alone and got good cover from his partner. Dejan is finding life ...a bit tougher... without Jose back there to cover for him.

........ah ...you were saying ?

...the only way Koeman is going to Newcastle ....is when we go there to beat them again in January. ......IF Alan Pardew is still there then, that'll finally " cook his goose " .

of course, but most of the " customers " are loyal to the brand and they like the end product !

says ......." if Pochettino had let me cross over the half-line before, I might have scored more often......"

let me guess, they have a 20mph speed limit ...?

Hi Norm, I watched the film of Frannie's emotional return to St.Mary's after his long distance run....and reminded myself what a great club spirit we have at SFC. The other thought that came to mind was that period when Nicola Cortese was " top man" and dragged us kicking and screaming ....out of L1 and up into the Premier League.... As someone who spent a lifetime working in business I saw that; despite the many criticisms and complaints about his methods, it was a necessary task though not always carried out painlessly. In retrospect, he DAJFU..especially when you consider where those other clubs around us (in the L1 days) ...are today. It's clear he was the right man at the right time, but thankfully he moved on. One point of bitterness about his reign as Chairman was the cold-blooded (call it ruthless) way he treated some of the heroes that we admired, in pursuit of the greatness he sought for the club. ....which brought back reminders of his " takeover tiff " with MLT....and that squabble with Frannie over the " well-publicised " problems at the house.....(storm in a tea cup, really) But on Saturday...when Frannie ran into SMS and was greeted by a line of his old team mates .....and 27,000 true fans.....it suddenly felt like he (NC) had never been there at all. Cortese did a lot that we should be grateful for, but it was always clear..... he was never going to be FAMILY !

I did see it again, (on the TV replay 10 seconds afterwards) and the TV commentator clearly thought Krul punched Long and was lucky to stay on the pitch. The ref. didn't / couldn't see it.....so no action was taken. Should have been a penalty. An Appeal (under the proposed Sepp Blatter system) might have changed that decision - it looked bad, and Long went off at HT .

after the mauling we took ....from the media in the summer.....not to mention quite a few "name " contributors on this site, a repeat of the " Massacre of Newcastle " we saw at SMS in the Spring. Interesting note that only 3 of the start side today were in that team last season; Fonte, Cork and Steve Davis. Says a lot more about Pardew's Newcastle than either Pochettino's or Koeman's Saints teams. A lot of people will downgrade the victory against a bottom of the table side, but Pelle's two goals will do harm to his reputation . Schneiderlin and Cork have sudenly found a taste for goals, too.

Again I go back to Blatter's interview, and those very few comments he made about the idea. He didn't come up with a fool proof solution.....the thought that the " appeal " would be carried out as soon as the "incident " and the ball was "dead " (i.e. goes out of play). However, even at present, play can be stopped and called back... if a player goes down and suffers a head injury, for example. As I read it ....a dubious penalty shout would obviously be grounds for "an appeal ". Certainly when I'm watching a computer-streamed game, it takes only seconds for them to replay an incident. Who would make the decision?, Obviously the manager / coach has responsibility to make the call, but; he, the players would react first and many of the fans, too - don't you think ? A disallowed goal would seem to be a fairly obvious call. Why was it disallowed?.. offside can be confirmed by cameras, interfering with play is not always a good reason - unless it's properly confirmed. As the ball is " dead " as soon as the ball goes over the goal line...if it does - it's a goal - the existing goal-line cameras would confirm that. No reason for an appeal in that case. I don't think it would intefere with the game as much as some peopel are suggesting. It's just another dead ball interuption , like the many throw-ins, corners and free-kicks that occur in a normal game. Serious injury stoppages are often much longer -and the approaprite time is added to the game.

Ball hoofed over the stand???.....AS it is now, that's just a corner, or goal-kick (as the case may be). I don't think the ref. would stop either of his watches for that - would he ?...it's part of the game. The issue that many still can't grasp is that ..." stopping the game for an appeal " (after the incident), need be no more costly (time-wise)...than the time it takes to take a corner or free kick. thats' one situation that he did discuss and suggest an answer .......that it might only apply to televised games, or where the game is being filmed. (doesn't mean it has to be M of D or Sky - does it? ...if there are no cameras then it's obviously not possible, but as every Prem. side has installed goal-line technology already this is surely just the next step. You might say it's not fair on lower league sides and those who aren't being filmed by someone, but if you take that to the " Nth degree ", then it's also tough for those playing Parks football, or a group of kids playing with coats for goalposts and no linesmen. Reasonably speaking, it's obviously designed for matches for teams that have reached the highest level of the game and where title-winning ..or (perhaps) relegation are the more important issues. The bland statement that " it evens itself out over the season " is rubbish....it rarely does. Some teams have complained that they've gone all season without ever being awarded a penalty, and there was a time ...not so long ago when Man. Utd went 7 seasons without EVER having a penalty awarded against them (at Old Trafford) - can you believe that ? Certain players seem to be "experts at winning penalties"...when it fact what they should get is a yellow card for diving. At least a replay would show the reality of it, and not left to the ref 's "guess" .when he's trailing 20 yards behind the play.

of course being one of the MOST experienced players in the club, and having played in a number of different clubs..... might also mean he knows what he's talking about, too

interesting that quite a number of L2 clubs have NO banning orders on any of their fans, that's understandable I suppose, let's face it if they banned a fan, then the other half dozen would certainly miss him.

I wasn't suggesting the clock was stopped for throw-ins., of course it's not... but when natural " stoppages " occur in the play - nothing else is happening either, and that eats into the 90 mins-playing time. Some people seem to be suggesting that a review after an "appeal " would take up lots of time......I can't see that, it would take no longer than the time a corner, or placed free kick does, and if needs to the extra stoppage for " an appeal " might be added into the time after 90 mins. Perhaps it'll mean we get 94 mins.....instead of 93 ? With a TV monitor by the pitchside, incidents can be easily reviewed in seconds (as it is at present for fans watching the game on TV at home / pub).

YES ...he's very good, but after trawling his way up through THREE divisions in the last 5 years, (and aside from KD and Fonte,) he's the last player from that era we have left on the books. I think he deserves the best football he can get. If he decides it's not with us ..then £27 million is a good starting fee...and more ...if it's Spuds who are after him.

....probably because most Prem. clubs prefer to pack their midfields with superior quality foreigners......and leave the English lads on the bench.