david in sweden

I think the removal to SMS was a bit of a coincidence. James didn't have a very auspicious start to his career, and did very little for almost three seasons, and not until he started getting service from Anders Svensson, and the tireless help from Brett Ormerod ..did his career really flourished. It's fair to say that without others' selfless creativity and a lot of assists, few strikers will have great success - (though there are a few exceptions), JB did best when he got the service he needed.

A rather humble contribution from James, but quite a good read nevertheless. Interestingly, it seems that " getting into" the England team isn't enough - if your face doesn't fit !

WOW ! .(Charlie ) ...I'm not sure if being placed amongst these luminaries is an honour ..or a condemnation ?...and I certainly don't want to judge anyone. Personally, I'm not sure if Dig Dig's post is that controversial? ..compared with many others that appear on this site. Besides he can spell, and uses long words sometimes. I've often observed that everyone posts " something " guaranteed to cause ructions amongst the "site faithful "..when ever they do post, that is. Aside from the " occasional" posters who come with their opinions, much of the traffic seems to be between, those who seem rarely to create a thread, but enjoy attacking the comments of others, OR people who reply to everything, (whether they have anything constructive to say - or not) ....and seem to have set themselves a personal target to get over 20,000 posts. the last category seem not to have had great success with their GCSE's (for which I commiserate with them) and very soon run out of three syllable words and resort to four letter ones. For my part I only read those threads that of are interest to me, as I have other things to do in life that take up too much of my time..but I enjoy the banter, and thank you for the mention.

I wonder how Saints would have fared - if he hadn't?

Didn't we have this " non-topic " a few weeks back. results were: Lowe was credited with actually having SMS built - although a new stadium had been discussed for 30 years. Cortese got the nod because he took up Liebherrs challenge / invitation to run the club, and we spent £30 million. in transfers last summer. ......the rest was just " handbags" about beer, programme-sellers and ticket charges. Do we really need another 5 page thread on the subject?

THIS ..and besides , KD can probably say as much to encourage other players as Pochettino (a.t.m)....QUE ?

No comment.

Odd ? . not really. He won't get too many games perhaps, but he's great to have around and a good role-model for younger players in the club. Possible future goal-keeping coach.

well you did start it .....there are very few times each decade, when I'd like Man. U to win, but last night was one of them.. Yes of course, Nani actions' may have infracted the rules but having watched the numerous after match replays, it must be fair to say that in watching the falling ball that he stretched for .. I'm not even sure that Nani knew the player approaching him, still it's all done and dusted now, but I think the Real guy made a meal of his " fall " and it looked like he was dead, but really what sort of an " injured" player would roll over and over and over....on an injury?....only a well-trained Latin one, who wanted to get his opponent into trouble. As we've seen MANY times in the past, referees in different countries apply different interpretations to different situations. It wouldn't have been a red card in the Prem...a yellow, maybe. If you follow that same logic, you'd disallow all bicycle kicks in the area...and red-card anyone doing them...... as they are undoubtedly classifiable as dangerous play.

you know what they say, Turkish....." every player has his price...."

heart response ------NO ! head response .....IF.we get relegated, and if Wham don't - and are struggling next season..... they'll get serious about him.. then maybe...think about it In that situation ; I'd do something that Cortese wouldn't ....namely, say ..Rickie, we love you... but this may be your last chance. ....Do you want to continue with SFC in the Championship. or get your last big pay day and carry on playing Prem. football for another season ? ..( I think we owe him that much ). but as I said that won't happen..we will stay up, and Wham will continue to struggle and spend countless millions on " another Andy Carroll " who will be equally useless.

I really enjoyed seeing Lee play - for those few games last season - but we managed promotion without him, and how can one say that we miss him when he hasn't played for a year.?

OK .If ?..but who would you drop to play him instead?

Aaron Martin has already been loaned out to Coventry, who look a good bet to return to the Championship, and Ben Reeves is " continuing his training " at Southend before signing a loan extension.

Agree that Rowe is a bit lightweight - even at this age - - but I was very impressed by his sequence of corner kicks ...all of them so accurate and deep into the six yard box....pity there was no-one else to finish them off properly.

you might well be correct, but not playing may be down to many other reasons that the manager hasn't shared with us. I watched the Norwegian compilation of his play downloaded onto U-TUBE ..after he signed, and he definitely looked short of a bit of pace, certainly for the Prem. Hope I'm wrong.

YES, but only when going forward on his own, on average he doesn't pass all that well to team-mates - and still looks as though he wants to prove himself. I'd be happier seeing him give 3 assists - rather than scoring one goal.

well I didn't read ...THE PEOPLE item, and it wasn't that clear when reading the OP, hence my post.

EXACTLY.....goalies are a team member the same as others, and not just a " legal pair of hands" . Many have good placement when they kick out. Boruc isn't so bad at all. Goalies can kick it directly up field and change the flow of the game, whereas without back-passing it's very easy for a defender with his back to goal to be caught in possession by a skilful striker. Although I do agree that it is a boring (yet necessary) move sometimes.

Injured ?..injured ? Just getting out on the pitch and running around a bit doesn't mean the player is fit ..or, that he isn't still injured. A lot of players go out and " do a bit" despite not being 100%. (I noticed that 'arry keeps quoting that Bobby Zamora isn't properly fit, but he still comes off the bench from time to time) When Fonte was out earlier in the season, he looked terrible the first few games back, and Lallana doesn't look upto even it after a recent spell out. Likewise Ramirez doesn't last the whole 90 so often. Although not my favourite " football expert " - Alan Shearer was quoted sometime ago as saying .." there's a lot of difference between being " fit enough to play " .. and being " match-fit " . Forran might be short of fitness / injured, but still go to training.

surely ANYONE can sign at any time (regardless of the window) - if they're OOC ?....Boruc did.

agree with most of the OP. Our back line lacks pace when faced with a fast winger /striker. This fast, flowing style gives you possession, but we don't seem to progress very well and everyone seems shocked when we actually get inside the box, and aren't sure whether to pass or shoot.

There is no Plan B. It seems to me that the problem is that a long ball up-field from the opposition catches out our back-line where we really don't have any pace to intercept a pacy striker. Fonte has good skills in tackling, but lacks pace. He looks quite pedestrian at times and is easily caught out (as in Wigan home game). he was beaten for pace TWICE..and they scored their goals. Hooiveld is always the scapegoat, but at least he uses a bit of muscle and did well against Man.City's strikers. We need a Michael Svensson - clone who can hold things up at the back.