david in sweden

always liked his sense of humour.. especially whilst managing with England U21 side in preparation for a game v. (cannon-fodder) San Marino.....told a disappointed Andy Cole that he wouldn't be playing... AC - "oh no boss... why ?" LMcM - just pack your bags........you're going to join the first team squad "

It's a big step up but the lad is in form, and although I don't see him starting.......15-20 minutes off the bench wouldn't do any harm - would it, so why not?.

only 7-0 Dodd out !

well thats the nature of a club with limited finances and little money in the bank. In the past, Askham's generation of directors used to dip into their own pockets to drum up the fee for a transfer when SFC was broke, and take some back when the club made a profit, which wasn't often. The fact that (with hindsight) that they chose to do so at the wrong time only worsened what was already a poor financial situation. We saw that with the rapid exit of top players (after relegation 2006) and those left had high salaries that we couldn't meet when in the Championship. However, with the Academy (the subject of this thread)...suppying our new talent (and saving us £12-15 million everytime) it goes some way towards putting the club on a sounder financial footing.

I'd like to think so, but he hasn't had to do so ......so far. Penalty-taking is a " brain game" between goalie and kicker and lots of the older keepers know all the tricks. Rickie said in a recent interview that he doesn't think about it too much but just goes and hits it as hard as he can. MLT had his method, and often guessed right which way the keeper would go....... As we average max. 5-6 pens.-a-season we need to find someone reliable and PDQ-before Rickie eventually bows out. However, the problem for many Prem.sides is that having one regular pen. taker who does the job means the rest of the team don't have to think about it too much. When England end up in a penalty shoot-out in a tournament (having lost 5 out of 6 times since 1990) ...we end up with 2 or 3 who know how to do the job, and then it's a lottery to find someone courageous / stupid enough to volunteer -even though they may never have taken a penalty at club level in their life and now face-up against an international keeper who know the ropes.

Surely didn't people suggest this was the scenario when Osvaldo was first signed. ....so why the questioning now? Lambert's career " peaked " with his England caps, (and few would dare to suggest he didn't deserve them), but barring another injury crisis for Saints (or England-in the remaining friendlies) Ricky must realise that his seasons are severely numbered, although no-one is suggesting he's finished as a Prem.striker - are they ? Osvaldo should never be compared to Rickie Lambert, because they are different types of players but if Osvaldo can convert more chances like the one v.Man.City, and begin to score regularly then he's going to be first choice for quite a while ....whereas I still see RL with an important role to play.....even if it means coming off the bench on a regular basis, although I'd feel happier to have him on the pitch whenever we get a penalty in the last minute. Penalties are few and far between in the Prem. we definitely need another RL (or MLT ) to rely on to convert the things after they've been awarded.

This Academy discussion gets more and more complicated - doesn't it Colin? We boast about our present Academy lads (and with just cause).. but Shaw and JWP started with our boys teams aged 8.......it's taken 10 years for them to reach " MATURITY ". However, along the way, (both during and since Lowe's time) .....we have also seen Lallana, Walcott, Bale and Oxlade Chamberlain hit the heights as well as others like Surman and Dyer who didn't make the headlines in the same manner, but also turned out to be good class players. WE won't necessarily get a new Lallana or Shaw every season, but it takes time, and although I'm loathed to admit it ..Lowe did start the ball rolling. The idea was good but we didn't have all the right people in place to exploit the system in the beginning, and the first group of " Academy graduates" weren't good enough to keep us in the Championship, and the bankruptcy meant that we lost a few more good people along the way. Now there is stability, and someone at the top (Cortese) who has definitely taken us to the next level in a relatively short time. If I could paraphrase Lowe's career, I might quote the following (with apologies to W. Shakespeare)......." the evil that men do lives on after them, the good is often interred with their bones ".

well if you remember, we had (apparantly) bid £6 million for Jack Butland, but Brum refused the offer. Judging by Butland's recent form; I'd say we got off lightly. and for only £2 million, Gazzaniga was a cheaper " mistake "- if that's how you want to catagorise him?

yes but as you say ..if fit....whenever that will be?. He still has to recover, and get back in proper training and win his place back. Jack was fairly consistant for long spells last season, but if he continues to play well , it'll be for Victor to show he's better. People are sure to say why play Cork (or anyone else ) when we have a£12 million signing available, but at the moment we have a teenager (JWP)...... keeping Ramirez out of the side.

Milner was on ....for about an hour......

there are many offences that can command a yellow card, some of which really need to be reviewed. Arguing with the ref.....is an obvious one, especially if the player feels harshly treated. I recall that Anders Svensson (in his Saints' days collected more cards for that than anything.) He's still playing in Sweden and hasn't changed much in that respect. Cautions for "goal celebrations " is something I deplore. It was first introduced because players used it to Advertise a product /service not authorised by the club who had other shirt sponsors, what we have now is a ridiculous situation. I fail to see why players must remove their shirts ?, .....but at the same time.....does anyone expect the goalscorer to stand and wait for his team mates to come over, shake hands and pat him on the back, and say " well done, old chap?" IF any of us scored a goal ...in a Prem.game........would we just stand there and take the applause and cheering ? ...I think not. If refs had played the game I'm sure they'd celebrate a goal, too. Seems to me that "shirt stripping " is the very least of the problem for players who get surrounded, jumped on and sometimes even injured by enthusiastic team mates. Several very good points by the ref. on #8, but I can't agree with the comparison with rugby, which is a much more physical game, where bodily contact/tackling is very much harder and denying someone a scoring opportunity is part of the game. Alos the "double punishment " of goalie send-off AND penalty is unfair as looking at the ratio of shots on /off target .....there's no guarantee the striker would have scored, even if he got past the keeper.

not sure?..... I really hope so .

in short ...YES. Let's see what he's really capable of. For those who have doubts (and let's face it - there are quite a few of those) now is the chance for Gaston to show whatever quality it is that he possesses and convince us that he was a good investment. If he doesn't .....there would seem little future for him in a Pochettino team.

few can deny that MP deserved the prize (based on early performances), but that award really is the " kiss of death " isn't it? ....when you see what's happened in the short time since.

Mmm....perhaps it might have been better to have waited to see if we can say that after 31 games instead. Recent defeats and the growing injury list just goes to show the fragile nature of our bench.

..we have a number of players disturbingly close to a suspension..... We really can't blame anyone too much with 8 reported injuries in the squad, but a number of others are likely to fall foul of the 5 yellows suspension rule. Wanyama (4) and Schneiderlin (3) may be out long enough to escape punishment for a while, but Fonte already has 4 yellows, and Lovren and Osvaldo 3 each. let's hope no-one is foolish enough to get red-carded.....we've enough problems already. the only up-side to this situation is we may see some new faces emerging from the Academy ..and just maybe see..... if we have another Shaw or JWP in the making.

there really is alot to think about here. Do people get " binned " for a foul.....or a BAD foul......and if so for how long?.......10, 15 mins, 30mins ? will red cards still be applicable for some offences ....and not others? I saw a comment that " red-carding " a goalie ..and then giving a penalty (as well) was a " double-punishment " -which it is of course. AS MLT suggested there is some merit in it, but it will take a lot of consideration if it's to be sensibly (and fairly) applied by referees.

A bit of both I think. We've played much of the season with a nucleaus of 6-7 players who have featured in almost every game. Good in one way, but it puts a lot of stress on the same players every week. However, when you start to look at the bench...... there isn't a lot of quality there - not for the Prem. anyway. YES - they are " super-fit " with double-training and it shows, but several other sides; Arsenal, Chelsea have played with a larger variation of players because they have more experienced types in their squads. Hard to know if the recent injuries were the result of being " over-trained," or just unlucky injuries inflicted during games. Until we get over this period and the window opens, we need to seriously consider buying in several class players with international experience - even if they aren't 20-something and don't cost £12mill.each.

........sometime before we were relegated (pre-2005).......we had SIX defenders injured and finally utilised a Northern Irish lad called Chris Baird ........think he ended up as a candidate for Player of the season and was promptly sold to Fulham for £3 million.......

Weaknesses........he's slow to react. Lacks judgement in positioning and doesn't seem to inspire confidence in his defence (or me for that matter). Strengths ? sorry...can't think of any really. The last two items you mentioned (young and improving) belong in the first section, because I don't think he's improving.. but a clean sheet would be a good start.

..." being involved in" doesn't mean he was able to affect those games, and I think some of the goals referred to were scored when he wasn't even on the pitch, but still sat on the bench. Ramirez only played 90 mins. on 5 occasions and was either subbed, or came on as a sub. in most of the others, and he missed the last three games because of a red-carding in WBA game. Not such a good deal at £40K a week - or whatever he gets paid ? IMHO.....if he wasn't scoring a lot, he should at least have been giving a lot more assists...and there didn't seem to be a lot of either otherwise why persist with him in the first place?. However, he certainly doesn't seem a priority for MP's team sheet.

Charlie?.....is there some ulterior motive in questioning the club's ownership ?......or ?

would agree with most of that except to add that our " success " this season has depended on the regular use of 6-7 good players in the first dozen or so matches, the replacements just don't seem upto it and our " big money signings " just don't seem to fit the bill for a side with our Euro ambitions .....and still 2/3rds of the season to go. Despite Arsenal going top of the table (with no real top class performers except perhaps Ramsey).....and no really settled side. They have still won games and have a good squad - and we don't YET. I think MP's style is good, and even with fit players it'll take a team of supermen to go 38 games at the same pace. We need a better bench with reliable replacements for injury / suspension situations. I'm as eager as anyone to see more Academy lads coming in, but it's not the time to do that at such a critical stage. We need to get a good chunk of the next 18-21 points - if we are to stay in the race. I'm not suggesting a lot of £12 million signings in January, but a few more of the quality of Lovren or Clyne would be a good investment.....not to mention another goalie and a striker .......to give us options.

impressive stats. (for those who want to be impressed) but tell me WHY are Jay Rod's goals classified as FLUKES ? ... what ever happened to those old phrases......" good anticipation " and " goal poacher ". If we take out the flukes.....what on Earth constitutes a " genuine goal " ..according to this survey ? A 25 yard piledriver?....... or a header from inside the box ?....or a volley with his back to the goal?

well logic says NO, but I was thinking the same thing......so I won't be totally surprised if he starts but it's more likely that he'll come on as a late sub.