david in sweden

I thought our performances in the first 10 games since August might have shown you that......do you think it makes ANY difference that we've 3 or 4 of that (starting) team unavailable at present?.

I have good Cup memories too, but there are two sides to this coin. Without cup games, you never get the chance to give bench players a proper 90 min. outing to see how they perform. It's also safer because you know that we won't lose three points (as we have done recently).... by playing those who really aren't first team material anyway.

I like an acrobatic keeper, not one whose feet are glued to the goal-line and is afraid to come for a cross.....however, its a long way from a YouTube video like this (nice)...to the signing of such a player.

....but nothing to do with getting up at 3AM to look after the new baby.?

Everyone would like to see a team with more " home-grown " talent, and we've had a few - over several decades, it's just that previously they've seldom come all at the same time. If the NEXT THREE Academy lads who play 3 or 4 (reasonable) games on the trot .....prove to be as good as JWP, Shaw and Chambers, then I'll be well pleased. Lawrie Mac, who had his fair share of successful youngsters; Holmes, Stokes, Steve Williams, Waldron, Hebberd, G.Baker, Steve Moran, and Danny Wallace, (but over a longer period). .....did it by playing them alongside seasoned professionals with a good record; Ball, Channon, Osgood, Nicholl, Keegan, David Armstrong, and of course with Shilton at the back. Just now, the " Academy " is bursting at the seams with new names, yet although we have; Boruc, Lovren, Lallana, Steve Davis and Lambert to call upon as "established names " we have seen in recent weeks, that our " second string " lacks that same quality ..and the up-and-coming newcomers have yet to prove themselves at a time when we cannot afford to lose points, if we are to get a respectable finish to the season. But still I think there is great hope with... (that old Ted Bates' phrase from the 1960's) ....the right blend of youth and experience.

Some of the most entertaining football I've seen in several decades.....even though many of the players were here during Adkins' time, they look like totally different people since MPs arrival. First choice side (in opening 10 games), looked very good...... unfortunately we don't have enough competence on the bench to cope with our current injury situation, and there is a limit to how many Academy lads you can expect to come in and perform every week, unless they are playing alongside experienced professionals with a decent track record. Hopefully we'll learn from that next year.

If this is a real case, you need look no further than the fact that the Lamberts have a new-born in the house, and if Rickie has his turn at getting up at 3 AM to take care of the baby, it would explain a lot. There's an intersting storyline in MLTs UNBELIEVABLE video where he talks about just such a problem. If an " ordinary guy " goes to work tired out because of the new baby syndrome, then his workmates have a lot of sympathy for him.....if a footballer (in a similar situation) doesn't put in a good performance every game, the fans are complaining about him before he's out of the shower.

Goalies. I've been watching football for over 50 years and to my mind, keepers don't get to be good until they're over 30. If Joe Hart is the best English keeper, then I'm not impressed. The only (Saints) exceptions that come to mind are Tim Flowers and Eric Martin. I won't go on about Shilton, because he was unique, but more recently both Antti Niemi and Paul Jones DAJFU. keeping goal requires a whole mass of skills that outfield players don't need. A good pair of hands for a start, having the ability to come for a cross and being quick to get down to ground shots. - (even Shilton was at fault when we lost that infamous Poland WC qualifier at Wembley in 1973). The vast majority of top keepers have been in the 30 plus age bracket, when at their best. Of course they have to start somewhere, and many kid-goalies may look good ....when playing junior / lower league football in their teens, but there have been very many who never made the grade. Bart started well, but after his first season, he made me nervous every time he had to play ....a bit like the way I feel about Gazzaniga now...and we can be glad we never had to call upon the services of that brilliant former Spurs talent ..Tommy Fourpast. Sorry, but I don't think we have the time to " break in " yet another young keeper, whilst we drop points left, right and centre. Just find a good, seasoned international (from any country in FIFA's top 30) and that'll be a better deal.

unfortunately.....with the rotation of goalies he's been between the posts in the U21's three worst defeats...coincidence? For a 20 year old, 6' 4" keeper who's ALREADY over 14 stone (!).... I think he 's carrying too much weight. What size will be be in 2-3 years ? It wouldn't matter so much if he had a bit more pace, but he has to be able to carry his own body weight , and he clearly can't move so quickly. Might be a good prospect (?), but he must do something to stabilise his body size.

Of course the Academy is the long term answer. However, JWP, Shaw and even Chambers have come into the side looking as though they have 50+ games behind them. It would be good to think there were more of the same, but at this level......we also need good experienced professionals with international caps to keep the balance..especially in defence.. It's not JUST about looking good ...but we have to beat sides like Chelsea and Arsenal ....and Tottenham for that matter. The only unfortunate thing about bringing in " youngsters " is we can't afford to lose the points whilst they are learning to play at this level.

those were the days ......season 1980-81....BUT also take a look at the sequence on the bottom row ......10 years later......SOUTHAMPTON 4 LIVERPOOL 1 at the end. Liverpool went on to win the title that year ..also, see the young MLT, Alan Shearer and Rod Wallace . In this game the Dodd /Benali partnership had just started and you see Jimmy Case at his toughest.

would you?. He has a better chance of an international career with Scotland than he does whilst the " we love Welbeck " media crowd hog the headlines every time he manages to score a goal against inferior opposition.

Good post . He's also TOO young (for my money). Bart looked a good prospect at one time, but having a handful of games every season is not the right mindset for a Prem.quality keeper.

Oh I agree entirely....but perhaps I should have posted this instead....where's your Christmas sense of humour? " nothing to do with being Argentine, d'you think ? " the main fault is not in the developing Gazzaniga, or the fact that KD is injured, too ..but we really should have TWO international-quality keepers. Someone wrote that Cortese wanted another keeper when we came into the Prem. 2012, but NA was " happy with KD ". So much for that decision. Aside from the occasional faux-pas ..... Artur has done a good job, but (like now) when he's unavailable... we've got no suitable replacement. I don't care who comes (or goes) in the transfer window ..just as long as we get a decent keeper in before Jan.31st.

If I recall, FIFA / UEFA ruling is that players can " change " affiliation even after playing at U21 level, but not after being given a full cap. So at least (theoretically) it's possible - if you can understand that. However, I think this is a " PR thing " meant to be a wake-up call for the French... rather than to draw him to the attention of Roy Hodgson. ( I don't think he would choose England, though) Nigel Quashie (who could forget him - no matter how hard you might try) ......played U21 for England and then was later capped for Scotland.... (by virtue of Tony Cascarino's grandmother.)

.....Matt Targett

Some of his performances for U18s have looked impressive. Of course, there is a decided difference in pace in the Prem., but he looks a good prospect and will undoubtedly score goals when given more playing time.

nothing to do with him being Argentine, d'you think ?

Worse than Dave McLaren ?

RIGHT ! It's easy enough to replace one .or even two players when there are injuries /suspensions, but Jos and Fox DAJFU when we were in the Chapionship and last season we saw their limitations. At times yesterday, we looked like a Championship side - at the back. Lovren and Chambers were a level above the others. I won't continue to slate Gazzaniga.... but my opinion hasn't changed since I first saw him play a year ago.

THIS.

IMHO despite the fee ....Wanyama isn't the finished article either YET, but he offers a frightening physical presence that is somehow lacking in Jack Cork.

I'm not going to disagree with that assessment, but it seems that the club doesn't share that opinion, or he'd have been out of the door in July.

I was pleasantly surprised to see Lallana's goal......up until then I didn't think we'd looked very enterprising....not enough to deserve the lead. I couldn't find much to complain about Fox today, but Shaw is " ill " more often than he is injured ? JWP has " gone off the boil " a bit, andalthough Chambers played well, but we still miss Clyne and Wanyama. Fonte is still on the bench and I don't think it's because of form. Bringing back injured players (e.g. Schneiderlin) doesn't mean that they are going to be MOM straight away. ...but our main problem IMHO is the absence of Boruc. I'm not sure that KD would be better than Gazzaniga.

.say?.....words fail me!