david in sweden

that poll says it all. If we want Lambert for England, can Jay Rod be far behind ?

Cortese is still the only person talking about Euro football, he needs a manager capable of living up to that. NC has a vision that few of us can seem to fathom, so the question has to be ....Is Pochettino's " new style " a better bet than NIgel Adkins' older style of English (lower league) management? whilst we quickly admit the squad was Adkins'....(some of them were actually Pardew's before him..) Fonte, Puncheon, and Lambert... because KD, Lallana and Schneiderlin were with Saints even before he arrived. For me ; I saw good in both AP and NA's tenure with the club.. but if today's question is.... " Adkins' SQUAD ....or " Pochettino's TEAM " .. I know which I prefer.

and I don't disagree with your comments Matthew Le God, BUT if Courtois is " good enough " for Athletico, but still not good enough for Chelsea..( I noted Cech said this week he is better now than he was 5 years ago, then he's setting himself up for another 5 years,) so ....if Boruc does not stay....and this lad is our next goalie ...then I do fear for the experienced cover for that position when we only have KD as a back-up, and already have youngsters like Cropper and Gazzaniga (neither of whom seems a viable candidate for no.2), it still leaves us with an " in-between " problem. Premier League is tougher and far more physical than Euro Leagues, where goalies have more " referee protection ", IMO this is why Man U have so much problem with settling on one of their young keepers. IF one of them is be the " one in the future ", I wouldn't like to bet on either of them- if it came to our survival next season. There seems to be a lot more riding on Boruc's future. YES ..we have KD for another 3 years, but that seems to be for " club morale and PR," but few on this site would consider him to be a longer term solution in the event of .....serious injury / loss of form.

can't recall all the detail in the article I read about him, but has he played many Prem. games?..... why isn't he second choice to Cech - instead of Turnbull...or does someone think it would improve our us if we sign Chelsea's third choice keeper.?

THX for the reply RED, and in principle ....I don't disagree with much of what you wrote ... .BUT in reading some of the above it seems there are people who feel we should have new recruits straining at the leash to get into the side. MY point was that (historically-speaking) few of the up-and-coming names in the Academy side are likely to have a Prem.career in front of them, as there is a huge skill gap between playing U21 football, and being good enough to go out against experienced Prem. sides every week. I am not against the idea of introducing new young players either..it's worked well with Shaw and JWP..... but it's hardly likely that we will see many of the current crop forcing their way into the side, and I didn't suggest any of the current First team ought be replaced either, but where would "new faces" fit in? Q: if Clyne were absent tomorrow...who would we put in...Richardson?...or the emerging Calum Chambers? Most of the big names in the past who came through the ranks; Channon, Stokes, Moran, MLT, Shearer, Bridge and Baird......did so in small doses over a period of a couple of seasons playing odd games here and there - before becoming established. I just don't think we can keep all these (named in the OP)..on the books until their 21 or 22 ... .or, wait until our star players are all past 30 ?...and then select them having played 10 games in 5 years? Having talent at 16 /17 is one thing, but it rarely carries over to the top level overnight. We all quote Walcott and Bale whilst forgetting they both had a torrid time for a couple of seasons until they got into their respective sides. There is also a long list of former Saints youngsters who looked like future internationals when they played Eng. U17/18/19......but failed to make the move upto the first team. It's one thing to enthusiastically " bandy around " these names as " one for the future ", but in truth half of them will probably end up in Conference League teams.

interesting that you highlighted this item, Pilchards. After the " love-in " following the Gazzaniga signing last summer, we got to see exactly what a 20 year old keeper can be like .....tall, athletic maybe, but looks somewhat out of place in the Prem. Can't say that I'm over-impressed with Jack Butland either, and Ferguson has been playing musical chairs with his two young keepers all season and still can't make up his mind, and is Joe Hart - so special? In over 50 years as football fan, I think that the number of good, young keepers ....can be counted on ONE thumb every decade.....Peter Shilton YES, Gary Sprake was also ...but not so many more. Goal-keeping is a very special role and to my mind few keepers under 30 are really of a good class. Some of the best I've ever watched have been well over 30. Most recently Niemi was a class act. Shilton was keeping goal for England aged 40, and Edwin van der Sar quit when he was 40, and Peter Schmeichel too, could surely have continued. Like the Academy thread on this page, someone who's a good prospect at 20, can be playing non-League by the time he's 25. We surely don't need another 20 year old...if we have Cropper and Gazzaniga. IF we end up signing Boruc (which seems in doubt?).....then we need AT LEAST..one good international keeper of a "mature age " ....and even two unless we look to KD to be permanent no.2 next season.

I've been writing (since the L1 days), that the difference between the top of the Championship ...and the bottom of the Prem. is enormous ..and much more than 3 places in the League. .....so too is the standard between a leading " starlet " from the Academy.....and any " regular " in the Prem. Although, in the last few years things have looked with the like of Walcott, Bale and Ox-Chamberlain. Yes.....and we had to sell Dyer and Surman to stave off bankruptcy before the Liebherr deal was approved, but the actual number of good Academy prospects who make it to Prem. or even Championship standard is very few compared to the number that go through the " system". Now it's Luke Shaw and JWP in the limelight, but it's going to be harder to find youngsters (at this age ) to replace the likes of Lambert, Cork, Schneiderlin or Lallana. Just when these lads need a lift, the best they will get is an occasional bench place.....and suddenly they're 21 /22 ......and the going really gets tough (see; Ben Reeves, Aaron Martin and Sam Hoskins). YES.... we'd all like to see the Chambers', Stephens', Sinclairs' and Targett's get a chance.....but before "promoting them" ..to the first team ....say who they'd replace please.....an even tougher task

judging by his past predictions on our form, he'd do better picking petals off a flower, or tossing a coin instead.....

Although, even knowing that .......and expecting to pay the same.... is something else. When Billy came to Saints, he was Donny's only hope of survival.....after he left, they went down like a lead balloon. Thankfully, Billy did AJFU at the end of the season (8 goals in 8 games)...just at the (right) point in time when Rickie was having a relatively dry spell. However, after signing Jay Rod ..NA didn't see him as a part of the new line-up, but his loan-out to Forest has proven a success. will he go?..almost certainly, but I'd be looking for Cortese to negotiate a sizeable profit on a transfer deal.

......maybe the sort of experiment for the last game if the season - if were safe by then.

no comment. This is like talking about hindsight, and calling it foresight, and definitely one for the crystal-ball gazers. it would still be difficult to say..even if Reading go down and we finish 10th...or somewhere mid-table. There are too many factors to start making comparison - especially just now.

well there is this Vectis Saint character on here a lot ........don't know if he just chose that name ....or, maybe he lives in Aberdeen ?

WOW that was a mind-jogger:thumbdown:....... but aren't you forgetting Agustin Delgado. He played more World Cup games for Ecuador than he did league games for Saints, and still wasn't good enough to get into our first team.

you mean all those two syllable words !....

I think you're partially correct..." but I fear that all these media protests about his fantastic form will be ignored and will end up in the toilet!

you're right patred.....it's ONLY... The Star. even if he wanted to move, he'd surely think twice about playing in a side that had such a weak defence that he can waltz through it like a hot knife through butter.....

maybe ? ...........me thinks he doth protest too much .....

...and how right you are Eric. I must admit I was concentrating on the Premier League records, but indeed both Moran and Armstrong also scored " doubles " at Highbury - as was then.

The Swedish season made a chilly start at the weekend. The Swedes play April - November, and a few of the clubs had to clear snow from their pitches before the kick-off. In truly Swedish-democratic style, three of the opening matches ended in " bore-draws ", but two games attracted the most attention. Elfsborg started their campaign to defend their 2012 title with a match against AIK (from Stockholm area) and the game ended in an " honourable draw " with former Pompey junior James Keene weighing in with 2 goals for the champions. It seems like Keene has been in Sweden forever (since 2006 anyway)... but he is still only 27. Unlike his club captain ..Anders Svensson (37 in July) who is doing his own " David Beckham-style " career extension, and is now (just short of the all-time record (143) Swedish international appearances). The other game of interest was between two newly-promoted sides; Stockholm's Brommapojkarna and Öster from the western part of Sweden. Although outplayed by some of the Öster veterans, BP managed to salvage a 2-2 draw in the last 10 minutes. We hope to see some more attractive games in the coming months when players can leave off their gloves and long johns - (against the cold), but it's good to have some football to look at - even though many of the games are scarcely better than Championship standard at best.

-I think that's a trifle unfair. He was the type of utility player who could DAJFU ...when asked to fill a role. Back in the days when shirts were numbered 1-11, he started his first game at RB ....and although only playing 24 games wore ...SEVEN different shirt numbers that season. Always willing to " fill-in " whenever there was a problem, he was IMO.. unfairly criticised just because he was willing to have a go. He is certainly the only Saints player (to my knowledge) to have scored 2 goals in an away League game v. Arsenal....when he scored twice in the last 10 minutes. (2004/5) ....we certainly never found a striker who could capitalise on his long throw-ins.... (as were seen after he moved to Stoke).

If this " revival " continues, then we have an outside chance of finishing above halfway.......however, the " Pochettino effect" would have to work from Day 1 next season. I expect a good resolution of the goalie situation.......and to get at least two more defenders.....CB and an extra full back. .....and someone to make sense of our strike force. Lambert, Rodriguez, and Puncheon of course....but IMHO...we need 5 available strikers, because Sharp, Forte and Barnard will most certainly go. I really don't mind if Guly, Lee or Mayuka prove themselves and stay in the squad, but I do expect at least one new (permanent) striker, as well / instead / in the place of. Historically....good youth players have succeeded in " fairly good squads ", which have been reasonably stable (by that I mean gaining wins /points on a regular basis). After seeing the upside of JWP and Shaw, we might expect a couple of new faces in the next batch, introduced on an occasional basis. We'll need them ready in case of injuries/loss of form. The old saying about " not winning anything with boys " is true - as we saw in the " Double Dutch " experimental season - it might possibly work in L2... but not at a higher level. but introducing new younger recruits does work - as we have seen in the past, and this season with Luke Shaw. JWP might be first choice in many sides, but we have a VG midfield at present. SO...assuming all these things ....why not a top six spot?..However, we would be helped by having one or two of the top sides having an " off-season "...and winning more away games.

good analysis Crab Lungs, why aren't you on TV..or is it because you're speaking TOO much common sense.

I feel bound to say ....that if that poll was run again, the stats. would be somewhat different from that first day's " knee-jerk " reaction.

Historically.....there are many cases of Chairman .." buying a player " without consulting his manager.... I recall Gordon Strachan arriving at the same time as Agustin Delgado..and when asked about the signing said (politely)....." it was a done deal when I'd arrived ". The yoghurt quote came later. Although, there are disputes about exactly who we are speaking about?.....it seems that several of our summer signings were made by " the Committee " and without reference to NA. If we assume that we "sourced " players who would" fit our formation," then I'm sure NC would have asked NA why he wasn't using player A, B or C. ...whilst NA persisted with his " own favourites". The "enforced " signing of Boruc was long overdue, and I still cannot understand why NA persisted with Gazzaniga when it was obvious to many that he was nowhere near the "real thing ".

I'd go with your assessment Charlie, Yoshida and Hooiveld seem to be the best combination. Fonte has good control...when he has space, but anyone who wants to criticise Lambert for lack of pace has to admit that Fonte is painfully slow for a CB and although he has good ground control, he can be slow, especially when challenged, and his back-passing has caused more than a few problems for keepers. True, Hooiveldt isn't " top class " but he has Michael Svensson's brave attitude of " getting to the ball at all costs " I noted in the Man. City game he was credited with winning the ball 14 times in head-to -heads. Critics who look at his "own-goals " record ought to look closer at how they occurred. At least he tries to get to the ball, for me " an own goal " is the " Gareth Barry type of misjudgment, poor back-passing etc," To criticise JH for the OG v. Newcastle is tragic. He knew nothing about it.. and it was Fox who slammed the ball into his back from 2 meters away.... and the rebound went into the goal. I think Yoshida is most consistant, although he should never be asked to play at RB....otherwise I'd say he was one of the most-improved players this season. I'd keep all those present, with consideration to injuries,suspensions /loss of form etc, although we now have Forran and now (the rumoured Davide Astori?)... although ..if you insist of getting rid of someone - it'd be Fonte.