david in sweden

yes I saw him. too could just be surplus to requirements - that doesn't mean he's ****. we ought to have "an older head " at the back ..even Jos and Jose are both still under 30 !

THX. for the compliment. It was the culmination of several weeks "musings ", but I finally got down what I really felt about the squad.

if there is no smoke without fire, then there sure is a lot of smoke here......... we have just completed the most intensive (and expensive) signing transfer window in the clubs' history...Cortese has " apparantly " been heavily involved as must have done a enormous amount of work to tie up the Ramirez deal....was that just in order to line-up Adkins sacking? Of course we can't go through Sept. / October without picking up any points, but our starting programme looked pretty challenging to say the least, and despite NA's eternal optimism it was clear to 98% of the rest of us that there weren't going to be too many points in the bag even by Sept.30th...but in reality, a run of fixtures like ours would have been a challenge for anyone, and certainly not grounds for any early talk of " sacking ". Both Liverpool and Tottenham, having installed new managers have, spent far more than we have and aren't starting well either. Are we about to ditch a successful manger who's done back-to-back promotions ?....I don't think so. Today will be a vital chance for last seasons promoted squad to prove their worth. Was Wigan just - a bad day at the office?....or will we play the way we did at Man. City (despite the result). A negative result will signal wholesale changes and the eventual departure of those who didn't make the transition to Prem. football. Thanks and goodbye to the misfits. A winning score and a good display will mean that the "new recruits " will spend a few more games on the bench before they are integrated into the side. ..I think this is a planned, " destabilising tactic " (on someone's behalf) ..to attempt to upset Nigel Adkins and the staff. IMHO.. Any suggestions of a return of " 'appy 'arry " to SMS would be a step backwards to 7 years ago...and if given too much leeway, HR will bankrupt the club with his over-spending (as was seen by his later performances at Pompey ) - where he turned his " spiritual home " into a living H*LL for Portmouth fans. I'm for supporting Nigel ....let " arry " alone to enjoy his wealthy retirement.

thoughtful analysis CHAPEL......the interesting thing now is that the average age of the squad has dropped dramatically. With only KD, Guly and Lambert (of the regulars) now over 30, and the average age of new arrivals around ...22/23 (?) ..we have a new breed of player - talented and teachable. Good coaching in the next 2-3 years can make this a great side. The fact that we now have players from several continents will only spice-up the whole squad with new skills and a better insight into other playing styles. d has dropped dramatically

Lots of different views about players we like / dislike..never rated etc, but looking at our present squad (not incl.new signings) we can see that we still have 7 players from L1 days. KD, Seaborne, Fonte, Schneiderlin, Puncheon, Lallana and Lambert. (I won't print my views again, and many of us have said much the same things about them already) Which means they have; either improved beyond all expectations, or they haven't been found out - YET.... (we'll know the answer by Christmas - if not before). ( a few who were there from the early days; Jaidi (ret.) Bart, Harding, Holmes have since moved on, and latecomers like A. Martin, Chaplow, SDR, Dickson and Sharp arrived later and still have something to prove. Are they the victims of the squad system?, OR... have they really found their level in the Championship. It is no disgrace to not be able to get into the start line-up in a Prem. side.....which is all the more credit to older players like Ricky Lambert who have played there way up from L2 and L1. Those named above have (for the most part) have shown that they can hold down a place - in a winning side - in at least two divisions. Not many players can say that. A handful of Championship clubs have been in that league for at least 5 or 6 seasons, several others have gone up ..only to come back down at the first hurdle, and they have to sell their best players and look for free transfers. Relegation is not necessarily a condemnation of individual players, but more often the lack of ambition (and finance) by the club's management. Thankfully, we lack neither, as seen recently. When players come and go it shows only the passage of time / circumstances in a profession where age and experience is a death-knell (for a player 30), whereas in the business /professional world it is sought after commodity. Break a leg at work, and you're back in a month or two..in football ...it's a career- threatening event. Players who move on ..whether they are; the fan's favourites, a good club man ...or " we're glad to see the back of them " types, show that at the right time they can go gracefully (as seen with Barnard, Harding and Hammond) - and know their limitations. Good luck to them all.

Of course it isn't compulsory to name all 25 players, that's just the max. number, but in view of the fact that we have the former " Academy quartet " on the bench ..and names like Reeves and Hoskins in the frame now ...most of them might well have got a place - if they had been over 21's.

my thoughts too. Wait and see after MU and Arsenal games.

Think I agree with both S.Clarke and Super Mikey in most comments. It'll be Ok (I hope) as long as KD stays fit, but it'll be asking a lot of Gazza if there are any problems. We all seem to share doubts about Fonte, and Seaborne..and wish we could see the better sides of Puncheon and Guly. I would've liked to see us sign another CB, but I noted that Richardson played at the back in midweek and I've read that he can play RB/CB, so maybe not so much panic. Feels a bit strange not having Billy, though he hasn't been first choice yet, but if he has got it in him, he'll have the chance at Forest, (as he was the one man attack force at Donnie). Might still see one , or two go out on loan to Championship /L1 sides...in a week or two.

I think we probably paid them to take Forecast for the rest of the season.............

NO ..apparently, he doesn't like Villa !!!!

GRRRREEEEEEEEAAAAAAAT!!!!! OK - so who's next it's only 7.15........

Heskey was good........ as a teenager, but only scored 79 goals in over 300 starts for his first two clubs. (Leicester & Liverpool) since then he's played over 250 games for assorted clubs and scored .....38 times.(!) In addition to which he scored only 7 times in 62 games for England.......one of the worse strike records of any England CF. Even Gerrard and Lampard have better % goal tallies than that ....

.where would they find the money to pay him -- auction off their ground ?

it's gonna take Sky a little time to remember that there's now another Prem. side south of the Capital ...give them time. meanwhile... QPR are signing someone new every 30 minutes....is this a record?

who will be the first person to actually give some real news ? ...............and don't say it's raining outside !

.....getting a little techy are we, TDD? ......try holding your breath for another 5 minutes.

..perhaps it's that one in the West End where you have to wear a tie to get ín .....and beer is £20 pint.

if he'd been Lallana's age - and had a bit more of his talent, he'd be staying. but... he has been a good player...and seen us through the L1 seasons, and our Championship season ........really about his level. Hope he continues his career with a more success.

is that in hope ....or expectation?

well let's put it this way. I don't think we'll see many more games with them playing together again....

in all my years ..(yeah, yeah) .. well ... I've never known a last day press conference with multiple signings to show off.... (mind you... the Keegan deal was a mind-blower on its own) !

.......now that is a laugh .....(unfortunately)

we know the cost of that transfer is only tea money for MC, but if you're interested in conspiracy theories, then here's one I've heard about before..., whilst they've got him ..no-one esle can use him !!...

that sounds very bitter CB....did you vote that the deal wouldn't go through, too ?

now, now Turkish... are you just a little bit upset because you said the transfer would never go through ..?