david in sweden

right ; to be precise 71 goals in 272 matches. He was certainly worth more than a measly 3 caps, but lost out to " younger-looking " players with more hair - but less skill.

NO!. although he was subbed. (or came on as sub.) quite a few times last season, he did actually play the full 90 mins. on 6 occasions.

OK.....I can hear it now ... .. someone will say that..... it was only a team of our "reserves " playing a bottom of the League Championship side, and those lads were only on for a few minutes near the end.... BUT Perez said they train with the first team quite often and it's surely a testament to the depth of our squad(s) and that it's possible to raise up the next generation of graduates. If they show anything like the quality of Shaw, Chambers and JWP........then we will have an embarassment of riches....what shall we do with them all?.

according to Sky..... KD. Clyne- Fonte -Yoshida- Fox Cork - Steven Davis-Isgrove -Ramirez Rodrigues- Mayuka no subs named yet.

ooh:scared: old memories say facing a goalie..... making his debut - not good news.

I noticed Andros Townsend's name there somewhere......watching the recent Spurs game he dived very well in the area without contact from anyone near him.. So Woy, if he can win the penalties, then Rickie can score them .........

well, as Fox must be on the short list for " our reserve side " that will play Barnsley tonight....you'll be compare them and make a judgement - won't you ?

all compliments are gratefully received, but we know that we are still a way off beating United and a number of others on a regular basis.....before we can qualify for Europe (that is). BUT ..as manager of a team that ALMOST got 3 points in an away game, but didn't make it at the death .......he would say that wouldn't he ?...... if only to save his own reputation.

just about right. There are hundreds of players who wouldn't make the bench for a Prem.side, but can still put in a performance at a lower level. SDR had his chances and he couldn't cut it, no shame in trying. We moved up through the leagues so quickly, there were bound to be some who " fell by the wayside ", and he was one. I really hope he does well for Utrecht, they need it . The last time I saw the Dutch table they were bottom.

........and that's yet another rumour, isn't it ? .......or Notts Forest ? or back to Donnie...? still we'll know by this time next week, I expect..

oh yes Euro Saints, I agree with all of that, except that getting up to that sort of " pre-season fitness " can take time... but what is fully fit ? I recall Alan Shearer once saying ;" there's lot of difference between being fit enough to play ...and being properly match fit " ....how right he was. I hope and expect Clyne to be back in the near future, but Chambers' displays have impressed me so far. He isn't easily pushed around, which is perhaps the only real problem for Luke Shaw to contend with.

Well Bristol have about 90% of their catchment area on land ....the reason Saints were given permission in the first place was that 50% of ours - was the English Channel. If Bristol want to fight that one, they may have to contend with the claims of Cardiff and Swansea - who are at least Premier League clubs.

putting aside your " tongue-in-cheek" humour, I think Clyne will have to work hard to get his place back - if Calum Chambers continues to pefiorm as he has so far. I'm really quite impressed.

If NA does go for Billy Sharp, I think he'd make a formidable strike force.... together with Le Fondre.

all those things sound good, but it's hard to judge on the basis of 49 minutes in his first game. For a fee of £15 million, I'd like to see; an Osvaldo who can score goals - (and perhaps a few more than even Rickie Lambert will get this season). A little more " unselfish passing " to other players.....but most of all.... a run of games where he can finish a game without a yellow card to his name - and definitely not a red, either. "Prima Donna " (or whatever).....having to live up to a £15 million reputation... means becoming a role model ...and not a liability. Otherwise ...I like the look of the guy's style.

I don't know if " headhunt " is quite the word I'd use...... Although I might agree with much of your theorising, decades of following football (and Saints in particular) has taught me that a lot can change in a short time. Suspensions can be short or long. Injuries can be over in a week, but a broken leg or knee ligament problems can mean being out for the rest of the season. Loss of form can hit anyone. What do you do then? It may be ....that by Christmas ..someone who can't even make the bench today may be a regular - because of one of the above. I don't think Cork is surplus to requirements, and we may well need him in the near future. In fact I could probably name 2 or 3 others who might go before he does. Being on the bench is not a permanent placement. If you've made one error of judgement it may be that of supposing the start sides put out so far is the definitive MP selection - I don't believe it is.

Norm, maybe they've figured out it's unnecessary.... because Boruc has arms that are 8 feet long.

..more like 12 inches.....looking at the replay.

if he's finished his Academy time (?), then it's probably a one year extension like Omar Rowe and Lloyd Isgrove. A year... to prove his worth, to make the squad, come off the bench and do the business. If not, free transfer next season to an L1 /L2 side ; like Ben Reeves, Sam Hoskins and Co.

or....can he stand by a post for corners ....without bring told ?

one never knows. Injuries....loss of form..... can end up with a few new names of the bench / teamsheet.

yes I'd go with that. He looks 100% more confident and competitive than he did at the start of last season.

in a game with a lot of niggling fouls, both on and off the ball, it was lucky a few more didn't get yellow, but it would have been unjust for anyone to have got a red card in that game.

either they missed him altogether, or someone thought......who needs to mark a midget?

Nerves?.....confidence.....? It must have been a bit of a "downer " for him last season. Signed for £6 mill. in the summer ( a cheap price by today's standards, of course ) and then NA didn't use him properly. MP gave him a decent run-out and we were all amazed with 4 goals in 3 outings (incl.Liverpool and Chelsea.) Now that Osvaldo has come, he can see the hatchet looming again. I think he needs a good dose of self confidence and not the sort you get out of a bottle.