david in sweden

...certainly they weren't risking anything buying Le Fondre for that price ... I watched him do the self same thing in recent game v. Leeds. 0-0 at 80 mins..and he came on and scored TWICE then too.

he's not so bad - after 250+ games, but we certainly need ANOTHER keeper. Many Prem. sides have one, if not two INTERNATIONAL keepers on their books. Even if you rate Davis behind Green, he's really not that bad. ....and please don't anyone say Bart is worth his place !!!

I watched a live streamed version (together with x replays,) and it appeared that Fonte was in front of Roberts - but didn't clear the incoming cross..so that JR was (behind him) ...near the far post.. and almost had a free shot on goal. In my book, the third goal was worse. Fonte's soft, suicidal back pass that left Davis in no-mans-land, and Le Fondre was faster than both of them.

Incredibly hypothetical ! .....IF Pardew were still here ...! YES ..he did a good job ..as far as it goes, but prev. threads have shown that he didn't have the entire staff/dressing room/ more importantly the Chairman .. with him, whereas Adkins is a better psychologist by a pitch's length! IF, IF, IF ....IF we hadn't sold Alex O-C ..would we have won promotion already ? etc. ..think you might have waited till game 46 before writing this one....or are you waiting to say .....I TOLD YOU SO !

nice figs. Being a bit of a stats. nerd myself, I understand that there's more to a game than merely the result or the points. You're right that our rate of finishing is not nearly as good as it should be, but when you get on-form goalies like Federici against you - it's tougher. with the first half chances we had, we'd have had 3 or 4 by HT on another day.

I agree. ....." the boy done well...." More of the same please.

I watched him closely in recent games (via Cable - together with the replays that you don't see )..there is no doubt in my mind that he IS a class player ALREADY. His undoubted skill.. that bit of arrogance on the ball, but I also agree that his final pass /shots are often sadly lacking. .SOMETIMES ..I think I even see shades of ..MLT....but without that special touch, the goal-out-of-nothing style. Perhaps Matt could give him a few tips?

.....and more than a few on this site ...who said the same about Rickie Lambert !

I'm absolutely certain of it. I won't name names (again) but barely half the present squad aren't upto scratch IMO, and there are a few first teamers now who wouldn't make the cut either.

No-one can play well every game ..even Ricky Lambert, but Fonte was injured in the C. Palace home fixture before Chrsitmas and was out for half a dozen games. (Aaron Martin came in). Since his return he hasn't really shown that early season form we saw. I am reluctant to criticise any player based on one game (except I did when Bart played in the Blackpool game) however.. Fonte has looked a yard too slow and not always in the right place. His own goal v. Millwall was somewhat unlucky, and he wasn't alone with a poor performance v. Blackpool but his last seasons goal touch has also deserted him, and even NA was heard to say Fonte should have scored a third in the recent Palace game. He was at fault for the first goal last night, and the third really was a schoolboy error ...a poor backpass that left Davis stranded, and Le Fondre (a VG poacher IMHO) took his 92nd min. chance well. I know all about not changing a winning side, but we've only won ONE in the last FOUR (!) and now it's critical ...he may like a settled side, but Adkins would be brave to bring in Martin at this stage, instead of Fonte for the last few games.. but I'm sure it must be in his thoughts.

Relax Bender. NA and the squad take one-game-at-a time ......suggest fans do the same. When we come out on top after 46 games, you can look at the final league table... every day until August . ..then the real fun will start.

in the post-match interview even NL didn't sound so chirpy, and spoke about stud-marks on his knee!

Plan B ...extra training for Chaplow and Puncheon...or Plan C...what better situation for Ward-Prowse to attain legend status!

see my earlier comments on # 31.... Without those two goals yesterday, we would have been pointless! I rest my case.

You just can't please some people... Billy scored 2 goals more than any other Saints player, (and one or two others..Lallana and Fonte in particular .. had easier chances and missed.) for me a draw seems fair (if against the run of pla)y. Pompey can't blame us if they go down, and we will go up if we get results in the final 5 games.

.....today showed another TWO reasons that we bought Billy Sharp. Maybe not pretty or skilful... in the same way as Lallana or Lambert, but worth a point today.

'' the b®e(a)st news we've had today, surely ?

....you guessed ! ..but you're not supposed to say anything. ssssssh.

for Rotherham at Wimbledon coming on as sub. in the 81st minute and scored 2 minutes later. good to see that some of our loan players are getting a bit of action and in the record books.

whilst I agree that Lee B. is "boisterous" in his approach to the game. I don't think he's got any worse disciplinary record than a few others we've had. Admitedly, Ricky isn't so bad as some, but we need someone (like LB), who can needle defenders a bit and not just wait to be cut down from behind and win a free kick which gains nothing. I like his playing style, and he played many good games before his terrible injury.

I'm sure (like us) they learned from their previous experience, and have off-loaded some of their better players... but just how many players do they have on loan ? ....isn't there some sort of League regulations about how many ...?

ahhhhh!..but will it be a new record attendance ?..... (bearing in mind the lost seats due to supporter segregation).

which is the main reason that the teams that own those players are where they are in the Premiership ...and the other teams aren't !