david in sweden

.much better that they stay at home ....and ring Pizza Express.

we proved them wrong when they wrote that we didn't have the quality for a Premier League club....

I'm teaching in a college at the moment with students from all around the Globe. Several other European countries, more from the Middle East, and many African countries. So who do they support? .......Real Madrid, Barcelona, Man.Utd. and Chelsea. Mind you most of them have never been to the UK (or Spain)..let alone seen " their team " play live. When things weren't going well last year, many of them asked me ....why I didn't support one of the " big clubs " ? I was born in So'ton, have been a fan for over 50 years .....Who else would I support ?......Change my club affiliation? ......might as well try and change my blood type. so now .....Why don't I support one of the " big clubs " .....I do !

Oh I agree totally....and if Fulham are as fit as we are, they may do so. stats. are only a way of re-canting history (like body counts in a war), but there have been times when a Saints side would have given up all hope if they were 0-1 down in the 10 mins.

Many games are 95 mins.+ being able to come on strong at the end of a game, whilst the opposition are breathing through their a**e* means we can score in the last few minutes. Lambert pen 90 mins. v. WBA.' Fonte 86 mins. v Sunderland Ramirez 90 mins. v Barnsley Hooiveld 83 mins. v Bristol City. Rodriguez 83 mins. v Swansea Lallana 89 mins. v Man Utd. Double training? - sounds good to me. Puts a new interpretation on the phrase ..." playing to the whistle "

.....to a black one you mean ?

My Swedish colleagues....." Liverpool, Arsenal and Man.Utd fans every one of them ".. have been very polite and much more respectful to me in recent weeks.

it's still a long way to the actual WC games. Injuries can play a key role in selection. Anyone out for any length of time loses that top level fitness quickly. IF Ashley Cole is out much longer he'll find it tough to get back in the Chelsea line-up, although his experience is invaluable...fitness is the first priority.

IF (as has been suggested before) the England squad is chosen from players in the top six clubs... what are all those Man.Utd players doing there?. Rooney?... OK... but Carrick is a complete waste of space (not to mention his poor positioning)....and Cleverley and Welbeck find it hard to get off the bench to get a sub.appearance.

another new signing who is " expected" to become our saviour every week....but I don't think he's done badly so far. Yes everyone admits the physicality and pace of the Prem. takes a lot of newcomers by surprise, but he's giving as good as he gets and given time I think VW will become a real asset .

Yes Fergie has gone - and regrets it.. (according to his latest autobiography). The King is dead ....but help ....the new King needs an oxygen tank.....

once again, we are into the idea of selecting players according to their price tag. If so; names like Lallana, Shaw, Chambers and Ward-Prowse shouldn't even be in the match programme. ..and what about that " oldie " Rickie Lambert ...only cost £1 miilion, and even that was 4 years ago. Sorry, I'm all for giving new signings a time to play themselves in, and I have defended Ramirez a lot in the past. He has shown signs of being a class player, but still blows hot-and-cold too often and lacks that most important player-quality .....consistancy. If he's genuinely looking to get himself back into the starting side, he ought to understand what's required of him by now. His selection kept the likes of Steven Davis on the bench far too much last season, and just now .....I'd even choose JWP ahead of him. The " financial facts " of the investment /salary costs are, of course, a primary consideration for the club's Board....but not for the manager who selects a side based on other factors.

Just the sort of post that comes all too rarely. Nice to read. Sadly I wasn't at the game Gemmel, but I had the benefit of watching the replays on TV...and Yes Rooney should have been flagged off side before the goal situation, but then again it was MU playing at home wasn't it...and even a blind man would have agreed with the other decisions that were given. Osvaldo has to play one man up and was often covered by two or more defenders, whereas in their " goal moment " RVP was close by Rooney, whereas we seldom had to chance to play two men so high up. Given who we were playing and where, I think we can be very proud of the performance, and with better luck might have got all three points, as we certainly won the "stats. battle".

well said Minty. Think you put a lot of people's thoughts together in one post. Suggest you re-post this one after evey game - especially the one after he scores his first hat-trick !

.......and he's too smart to allow himself to be caught out by stupid journos asking stupid questions !

....and Rickie will only be 32 .....so why not ?

yeah, but it's a nice feeling - isn't it , Hypo? mind you.......if were still 4th after the next 7 games, we'll really have something to shout about....

ah......now where is that second international keeper I've always spoken about us needing..... If we genuinely don't trust KD...we have no plan B.

There was a very nice (if short) tribute to RL from Alan Pardew on Sky Sports last week. Worth searching for.... just to hear the real story.

if he gets 5 goals more than Rooney... then he might stand a chance, but he'll drop down the order now that everyone else is fit. HOW on Earth does Welbeck get picked when he can't get a regular spot at MU?.....is it purely the " Rooney connection ?"

agree with most of that, but i don't see us NOT playing Lambert. JWP will be a second half sub.

.......and my annual appeal for a second international goalie always falls on deaf ears......... if he were out for a longer time .......doesn't bear thinking about.

remembering a couple of our other internationals. Steve Davis got an equaliser for N.I. in a 1-1 draw. JWP scored direct from a 20 yard free kick . Eng. U21's won 5-0

too greedy and shoots into Row Q too often. I watched a MU game and U21 games with him in, and he goes for glory every time...but seldom scores.

Apologies all round. Sorry. A bit of brain-fade there, (or the Alzheimers kicking in as my daughter says ). of Course.... DENMARK.