david in sweden

Nice post Minty..wish I'd said it in so few words.

more likely his money-grubbing agent has convinced him he's worth it ! No thanks !

to Le god third coming. Try to answer those q. in order.Don't get to the UK as often as I'd like, but have seen around 10 games this season via cable TV and various computer streams, and goal highlights of every game (though that doesn't count really if discussing tactics)...and of course get a lot of feedback from the more sensible posters on this site ...and others that "fills in the blanks". Lambert - I agree is a very gifted footballer, and scores a lot of goals. I grew up with Ron Davies as hero figure, and he did likewise (once scoring 50% of the sides total goals ). Problem for RL (as was Davies) is that everyone's sussed him out he becomes the man-to-mark, yet still manages to score. As far as I can see..THIS season RL has no "foil" to play off. Barnard got injured in April, and hasn't played a full game since, and as soon as Connolly was given only a one year contract, I felt I could see the problem a mile off. IMO Connolly is class, and had a great start, but at 34 ..35 ?. NA used him sparingly, and nursed him along for 60 mins. apps. but his injuries take longer to heal now and he needs it on a plate if he's going to score. We're back to Ricky as the only real striker, and the tactics dictate we play to him. Lallana (who can score goals) has fitted well into playing in the hole, but at the cost of his own goal tally. Guly has adapted better than many will admit, but still wavers between being a clever Brazilian footballer (with skills) and playing the Invisible Man...Sure, he's learn to stay onside and track back to defend but it doesn't help if he's meant to be an extra striker..so it's back to the Lambert scenario I agree with most who post that we can't get a Ricky (mark 2), and I don't expect us to find one but we have to have an alternative strategy so that other strikers can play to, without being totally reliant on the Ricky formula. (i.e. play to a versatile, tall man with skill who moves around a lot) Having failed to sign Billy Sharp in the summer, NA was lucky that things started well (better than most people expected). Connolly was great, Ricky got in the goals (although five of them have been pens). and Chaplow was suddenly a revelation, and no major injuries - upto then. So the " apparant size and depth " of our squad looked impressive, but without Chaplow (and even Davis and Lambert for one game), we look distinctly vulnerable, and still no real strike partner for Lambert to play off. We tried for Sharp (and I understand why he didn't come) but the intention was there to buy him, but in the end.. no-one came. I was truly amazed that we didn't LOAN someone before November, and the resulting games after the (first) Bristol defeat was clear, but still no loan. I really felt (hard to criticise NA) that he should have struck a loan deal with Coventry to borrow Luka Jut. for 6 weeks and take a look at him, and we'd know what he was capable of in our set-up. There must have been some talk, (when interviewed the Coventry manager had resigned himself to losing LJ) and Coventry are strapped for cash...but NO deal. (!). Then we lost at Bristol and now ..we've won only 2 games of the last 8.. scored a measly 7 goals and even failed to score in 4 of those matches. I really thought they all looked "winnable " on paper. Lambert (missed one game) but still only scored in only 2 of the other 7... (as did Guly)... Changing the tactics sometimes worked, but only if you have people in the box who can score goals. We did try - but didn't have anyone to finish the job. Our midfield passes the ball fantastically but (aside from Lallana - mentioned above) have only managed 2 goals between the other 3 regulars. I don't expect to find another Ricky, but we must have other strikers (loan or permanent) with some sort of track record in scoring, and I don't mean Forte. Now we are about to sign T. Lee... I just hope people don't expect miracles from him whilst we are without RL for 3 games. Connolly is the only other fit striker worthy of a place, but we can't play the " give it to Ricky " strategy because he won't be there. So waht the alterantive strategy Nigel? ..the Plan B. If you want me to be really controversial - I'll, say this . We need 4 proven strikers on the bus - by the summer. If Lambert is one - fine by me. Connolly is 34 and is OOC in June, and Barnards future doesn't depend on our treatment table, but the treatment he gets from the judge in March. 3 matches without RL might not be a catastrophe, but what if it were a 3 month lay-off through injury ? We'd be sunk without trace. If we have pretentions to Premiership, look hard at Harry with Spurs who has four strikers AND has sold Crouch, and can't find a combination he likes. If we go up, defence won't be the most important issue, as most teams will score against us anyway- it'll be how many goals we can score in order to survive.

Ali Dia ?? ......does he qualify as a Saints player ?

If you've got an in at the Home Office..(like Man.Utd and a few others) ..you can sign anyone, from anywhere...no problem. The rest of us have to wade through loads of paragraphs of H.O. regulations...and hope he hasn't got any unpaid parking fines in Japan...

I suppose he must mean that Lee scored the winning goal in the equivalent of the European Nations Cup, and Japan are rated 19th in FIFA ratings.. can't be that bad -especially if he is their star player...

well ..if you're making the rules up as you go ..what about ...George O. Brien?

best advice for speaking to foreigners with limited English ; choose simple vocab, speak a little slower... and SHOUT ! meantime ..get a Japanse-speaking person - who lives locally - to chat with him and help him settle in...

if he got good advice, that probably wasn't a hard decision ...

maybe but Kevin Davies will be 35 in March, and it's a short term solution to a long term problem that should be addressed NOW!...

EXACTLY....and pretty da*n quick, too. Our whole playing system is designed to suit one player..RL.

THYX Ben, Memory playing tricks on me again. We had quite a few young keepers around in that period and almost none of them got to play much....

Impressive stats. Chez Thanks, but someof those listed were surely bought a season or two ago, not this season - but your point is well taken.

correct - so he was! THX.

OK..sorry. I accept my head got ahead of my typing and I missed a meaning, but despite that - Lambert scored in only 2 of those 7 games. Up until the defeat at Bristol, we had not failed to score in any League game,.... since then, we have not scored in 4 of the last 8. Barnard was "available" and on the bench. He got on four times in a month - often for very short time and made no noticeable impact. I think it was a gesture and NA probably knew he wasn't up to it. After that, his injury worsened and now he is out for another two months (min.) I still maintain an "on loan " striker would certainly got on the pitch ahead of Holmes or even Forte. It has become blatantly obvious that we are over dependent on Ricky Lambert... and there are no logical alternatives until we sign someone (hopefully this week) and I hope he arrives in a taxi - in case he can't find his way to the ground, and that he has time to be introduced to the rest of the squad before travelling to Coventry.

think some of these may be "loans" - rather than money on the table, especially if players have an injury record. 81 goals in over 300 league games, not bad for a winger... plus ...9 games for Scotland (2 goals) 2010-11

a quick look at the early transfers sees some loans out for 3 former Saints players... Brett Ormerod now 35 and (sometime favourite in the Strachan era 10 years ago) moved to Rochdale on loan from Blackpool. (Never a star player but an honest worker, Brett has now clocked up over 450 apps.in umpteen clubs since his teenage debut with Accrington) . Michael Poke was with Saints from the age of 12..but his time never really came, although he did get a handful of games in our final days in the Prem.MOved to 7 and now loaned out from Brighton (excuse the swearword) now on loan to L2 Bristol Rovers, who are going through a torrid time and sacked manager paul Buckle at the weekend. Poke replaces Scott Bevan (another former Saints junior GK) who himself was subbed at HT in the 2-5 home defeat which led to Buckles sacking . (Michael Poke's inauspicious start with Rovers was a 2-0 defeat yesterday). Neil Trotman one time loanee from Bolton ? (remember him ?) .now moved from Rochdale to Chesterfield..just about found his level in L2.

I thought he was pretty good when I saw him in English league games for ....Forest?, Sheff .Wed.?. (or whoever). Maybe he got left out in the cold at Celtic (as was Hooiveld).

you have to accept bad decisions, as I have done in the past 50 years (as a fan) but what is really annoying to me is that now that the technology is available to help the referee - it isn't used, when it is available in a half dozen other major sports. The fourth ref. should sit in front of a TV monitor (as I do) and relay correct decisions if there are any doubts, or uncertainty. It wouldn't take longer than the average throw-in, or goal kick. All these cra**y arguements about undermining the ref's authority.. Good decisions taken properly would only go to enhance the refs reputation. I hate sitting at home watching a game on TV , yet knowing the ref. has his own " Hollywood version " (complete with bloopers !)

..really, not for us as far as I can see... certainly not this season -.. last season he was on the bench a dozen times, but never got on the pitch.....or have I missed something?. He had a short loan with ...Bournemouth ??, but didn't cover himself with glory, and didn't score either.

Thank goodness for that Alps, think what sort of reputation we'd have - if he went out totally unprepared and said how thoroughly pi**ed off they all felt!

If you look at the Prem. clubs that are " professionally run - it is all about ****-******** PR !

....not by me it wasn't. I think the regular first team is good, but few of the " shadow squad " ever look like pushing for a place. We didn't buy the extra striker (we bid for - in the summer), and didn't loan one in November., hence no cover ...now No Lambert! When we knew Jaidi's injury was serious, and then the Seaborne incident...we should have been MORE positive....thank God we signed Hooiveld!

OF course the main problem is that 2 of those CH are long term injured. Jaidi is unlikely to play again, and is due to retire end of season. Seaborne's situation is clouded with mystery. No-one has suggested how long he may be out, IMO he may not even stay... Fonte's injury is ..(hopefully)..short term. As of yesterday we had only TWO fit central defenders....Do you think thats OK ? I'm trying to think who our fifth striker is ? Lambert (suspended 3 games ), Connolly (when fit ) Barnard (long term injured-court case) pending .....Forte !...and ??? (Do you count Guly... I thought he was regarded as a midfielder?) ...Are you happy with that ..Don't need anymore strikers.?