david in sweden

.... on the upfront £12 million we got for Alex ? I'm sure Cortese has invested it wisely, but that kind of money surely accrues quite a bit of interest sitting in an account somewhere ...? Unlike many other clubs, we didn't had to run out and buy a big money replacement the following day.

The real "penalty" problem for England is ; too many teams have foreign imports in their line-up, and the penalty-takers usually a " pre-designated " player, not necessarily English. The end result being that even a regular international in the English side might never have taken a penalty in proper game, let alone against an International keeper in a tournament semi-final after extra time !. England's dismal performance with penalty kicks is plain to see when " kicker number 3, 4 or 5" might never have had to take one in his career! Peter Crouch practiced a lot (according to him) and had no trouble putting one away v. Pompey when it mattered.

Agree totally. Another good reason for the " fourth official " to be sat in front of a TV set (like the rest of us ) and see what really happened !

you're right that KK wasn't offside but the decision was given against David Armstrong who was further away from play, but stood offside when the ball was played. The offside law (in those days) meant that even of a player was stood on the touchline 50 yards away he will still be "offside " . They (sensibly) changed that law some years ago and now it's OK providing that (in the ref's judgment) the player isn't interfering with play, or not involved in the move. Pity 'cos KKs goal was a beauty - wasn't it . Can be seen on old videos like Millenium Saints.

sounds impressive ..has he mi**ed any ?

I'm impressed by NA s manner - even if he does do the Sport journo's job for him - by answering questions before they are asked... ...but some of his statements are very revealing. Watch the video ....100% analysis of every game. Every goal against, every defensive error, every misdirected pass, every missed shot ...etc, If you make a mistake - learn the lesson and go forward. The NEXT game is the most important. The last one is history - forget it ! It's great way to develop a better squad . As far as we know no-one is disatisfied if they have to sit on the bench (disappointed maybe) but it's real team effort from start to finish. No ONE person is a genius, but working together with the same mindset. If one thing is apparant it's that Rickie Lambert has improved beyond all recognition. Around 10 years in the lower leagues before coming to us and now he is top scorer in the division that many people last season thought was beyond his capabilities, and it looks easier every game...

good for him ..and about time . What is the opposition like ?

TRUE ..but with a tournament only a few months away, it would do not harm to pick an in-form player, now would it ?

Quite right Turkish, a lot of prople on this site perhaps weren't old enough to recall Lawrie Mac's analogy on " the roadsweepers and the ballarinas " namely that 8 of the team work to get the ball into the opponents box and the "strikers " should do the rest. We know that players are very much fitter nowadays and that everyone has to learn to drop back and defend sometimes but as long as the " Rickies and the Gulys" are fit enough to get into the box and score - who cares!

as an extra striker?. A discussion point that's been on-going since January, and not much clearer now. YES - we're all pleased that Rickie got his hat-trick..but what would we do without him? I don't relish that prospect at all. We have good cover elsewhere, but not up top. Glad to see Barnard back of course, but we have to wait to see the score about his court case in March. Connolly out for a few weeks..so that leaves Guly, who performs well when he gets the service. The uncertainty remains that should we have a serious problem up front late in the Spring, then all this good work might well go to waste. We failed to get Billy Sharp, Jay Rod, Maynard (if indeed we ever bid for him?)and all that chat about Jutkiewicz. A quick look at the scorers chart looks great with Ricky on top, but where are these other "targets? " The first three have managed - just 4 league goals each, and Lukas J. has 6. Are we really contemplating paying out £x million for one of these, who have hardly set the league alight - have they? ...so who else do you think might fit the bill?

Agreed Scotty, I watched the game on-line and saw replays. We had two very good shouts in the first half that the ref. ignored (on Lambert and Guly). If the ref. thought he was " righting a wrong" by giving the Fonte pen., he had little choice with the second when Calderon clipped Lambert's heels. I think I could have written up Poyet's moaning complaints before the kick-off. He's almost as bad as Ferguson & Son.

.... yes he has...and yet 3 of Rickie's goals were penalties! There really isn't a lot of difference between their performances result-wise, but after seeing Guly in his " new role " ..can't help wondering how he might have done... had we discovered his talent " up top" from match 1. .....maybe take another look at the stats. after New Year ?

will be interesting to see how many cards he dishes out..... Brighton have the highest number of CCC yellows this season..35, whereas Saints have got 18..only Coventry (15) have a lower " yellow card" count .

well ..when you consider that he was instrumental in " selling " the idea (of bailing out Saints) to Marcus Liebherr in the first place, and is now in reality ..." the Boss " and has the responsibility of fulfilling the Liebherr plan...Can you think of anyone better suited to use their picture?... IF he was inviting fans of behalf of the club he effectively " owns "...I see nothing wrong with that. Who did the fans go to meet and talk with anyway? He must be one of the most progressive chairman in the country !

Here I am agreeing with you AGAIN, Alpine. (why are you controversial to so many?) The main problems with players who don't seem to "pull their weight " to everyone's satisfaction is that (like the England side does so often) is to play good players out of their best / normal positions. (A recent thread on Anders Svensson underlined some of the points I knew to be true about AS.) When we signed an experienced Brazilian who was 6 foot plus, my immediate thought was he was another sort of Papa Wiago type, who puts himself about but on occasions has a golden touch and scores " ridiculous goals" out of nothing whilst seeming to move in slow-motion. But the problems of trying to overcome the language /cultural problems of English football aren't restricted to foreign players, as some who played under Gordon Strachan would be first to admit. In playing Guly in any sort of midfield role it's easy to criticise his lack of defensive skills, whilst in attack he can play the sort of first time ball (as he did to lay on De Ridders goal v. Reading) with such ease that defenders are beaten before they can move. His two goals v. Midd'boro show this quality of perception ..(or will someone say that 'boro were sh*t that day, or did he just make them look it?) To coin a " McMenemy-ism "..it is Guly who is the prima-donna who needs the service, and the versatility of Lambert and Lallana can serve him, whilst still picking up a few goals themselves. IMHO we should play Guly "at the top" ..or up front as my generation used to say, and let him play havoc with defenders and score and assist others in the process. By the time he has given them the run around for an hour, Adkins can follow his now sensible, regular routine change and put on a " fresh " sub. like Connolly or Barnard - to continue the torment. If he continues to show his recent form, I might think he could become our leading scorer ... come April.

Obviously there are many varied opinions on the type of forum that is best. Not have been to one such meeting ..YET, I must say that giving a dozen or so people the chance to exchange ideas, and for NC to listen /explain... does seem to make sense rather than a group of a couple of hundred dyed-in-the wool types who want to monopolise the discussion and change the club structure by shouting down others does seem to have some merit. It's a good opportunity for those (chosen) fans to receive some small token of thanks from the club they may have supported ..for decades...and still have a chance to express a personal opinion to the Chairman..and be heard.

Good assessment! Nice fella' too. Met him a few times, both in Sweden at SMS. Always felt he might have done better had he played in a team that played to his strengths.

Mmmm...sounds a bit tacky to me , don't get me wrong, I thought that Dave Jones was a straight up and down fella' and I liked his manner but his record with us was one of the poorest since the end of the Chris Nicholl era.(CN was sacked unfairly IMHO). As we've been talking records recently, surely DJ's two and a half seasons must be amongst the worst-ever in our history. 97-98 ..we had only 1 win from the first 9 games and it took us till october to pull clear of the drop zone, and only a goal surge by MLT and Östenstad in the last 10 games in the spring of 98 gave us a respectable 12th. 98-99 was an even worse start. no wins and only 2 draws from the first 9 and we didn't get off the bottom till December, and we had to win the last 3 games to survive in the Prem. The Great Escape season. 1999-2000 started a little better but we slid down the table to 17th in mid-january when Hoddle appeared on the scene to replace DJ. His performance upto that time alone was enough to give him the axe (as several other Prem. managers had before him). The fact he had that disgraceful court case hanging over him for so long before he was acquitted is beyond words, and goodness knows what it must have been like for him and family ..and the staff at SFC who surely didn't know what to believe. I'm sure many of us really did feel sorry for him, but trying to manage a Premier League side at the wrong end of the table needs a lot of energy and enthusiasm to pull clear and I'm sure all the circumstances were against him. As it was... Hoddle's short stay was enough to pull us clear to a more respecatbale 15th. One can criticise a lot that Rupert Lowe did, but I think it was the right thing to do at the time. DJ wasn't sacked out of order, (which we could have done based on a lack of results), but continued to get salary until after matters were resolved the following year. Hoddle's departure may have led to further complications, but I cannot see that keeping DJ would have been a better solution. It must be hard for DJ to have many " fond memories " of SFC, but the thought that he might have been able to keep us in the Premiership.. past 2005..! must be one thought that few others would share. Sorry Dave! However, it's hard for anyone to say that ..had it not been for the court case it might have been different ...? Unfortunately his record scarcely qualifies him as a long term bet for management.

I think Adkins is a good poker player, too If he's talking about the SQUAD as a group...and there's two out ..? it's Jaidi and Seaborne!

his name keeps appearing but not in the media ? If we sign a striker, we need one who will score goals (ala Lambert, Guly) £5 million+ for JayRod sounds a lot of money for someone with only an average scoring record. Lallana is already better than that, and he cost nothing !

quite a few players looked pretty average, and not just in the Swedish side either. However, I thought Englanda midfield was poor but I was impressed by the English full-back pairing though. Downing is a very experienced player, if a winger can't beat his man often enough...he ought not to be playing in the side. It wasn't just Lustig who was subbed. did you see that both sides changed out and new manager Hamren tried out at least half a dozen other players in the second half. The idea of friendlies is try out new players / formations. Getting a result is fine, but it's the way to discover new players. I would have thought with the chances that England had they should have got a few more goals ..as it was the Swedish defender headed the ball past his own keeper for the goal. If I was Capello I'd be worrying where I could find an alternative strike force (without Rooney) for when England play some real opposition in the Euro competition.

well looking back at the first page of this thread (sept.2009). These guys really put their heads on the block - didn't they?....or ...were they all using the same crystal ball? I was interested to see what my own comments were on the post at that time, after the first page of masochistic rhetoric and self flagellation and I finally found it on # 72.... It seems I was a little more optimisitic than many others.

most players who don't play regularly and have a long contract are pretty loyal, they have no choice. on the other hand , I expect that Bart is pretty pi**ed at not getting games, but if he's a good club man , he'll wait and take an opportunity when it comes. what is MOST important is the question of his capabilities when we get promoted. Do you think he's Premiership material ..No don't bother to answer that. I think we all know the answer to that, especially when most Prem. clubs have one ..if not two, International goalies.