david in sweden

everyone in Sweden all hyped-up on the game v. England tonight. Sweden seem to do much better when playing their open, attacking style as when they beat the Dutch last month...and without Zlaten. The guy is a real enigma. Recently won Swedish Footballer of the Year title for the 5th time. Has been Milan's saviour on may occasions this season and scores the most amazing goals out of nothing, but the Swedes never seem to get it together as a team when they play with him. Erik Hamren (new manager) isn't the traditional dyed-in-the-wool type Swede and so I expect to see some surprise tactics . RESULT ?..IF they play WITH.. Zlaten Ibrahimovitch - (from a Yugoslav immigrant family), he may score ...but it will be a draw. WITHOUT him.. be prepared for some surprises. Anders Svensson and Kim Källström in MF are really good together (at last), and front men like ; Elmander, Toivanen, Elm, and Seb Larsson can be a real handful on their day. Win for Sweden ?...unlikely but it wouldn't surprise me ..if ...

is surely due about now. Three postings today on totally unexpected threads about unknown / unlikely player signings...and tabloid guessing. I can't names names and I am definitely, not ITK.....except I still want to see an extra striker and Hooiveld... PLUS another CH type. (Jaidi out for the duration...and Seaborne not even back in the squad..YET! so who have you considered ?

YES, we have good midfield options, but they are all " fairly young-ish" and getting someone with some experience under his belt may not be such a bad thing. It has certainly worked in the past....Jimmy Gabriel, Alan Ball, Jimmy Case, Chris Marsden all very experienced players came into similar team set-ups and really made a difference. May not be as daft as it sounds at first...might think about that one.

I just repeat what I wrote in january ...another striker a cover for Lambert -- " in the event of ...!" a central defender...with Jaidi out for (most of the season and on a one year contract) ...and Seaborne still not back in the squad.. now we need HOOIVELD + A.N. OTHER. it may sound an extreme measure but I would like an additional keeper - not that I don't like KD but in the event of promotion we need two class keepers and (sorry)... but for me Bart 'aint it !......however, that decision can probably wait until April.

seem to recall I saw a figure something like €750K ... but with the collapse of the €uro economy, maybe they'd like the the rest in drachmas...or lire ??

Inspired signing, my ar*e ..we got conned by Spu*s AGAIN! It was a sideshow to the Bale deal and he was boasted as a " future England keeper...".....gamekeeper maybe! Throughout our history we have sold some of our top players to them, and we got scre*ed every time...

sadly, Jaidi's op. may mean he doesn't play for us again this season and he was only on a one year contract. Dan Seabourne was in good form last season, but we won't know if he will regain his former prowess, and if not then we'll need ANOTHER CH for the Prem.

NO! ..I'm not saying he's as good as...but does he remind you a líttle of .. Michael Svensson..for commitment and aggression ? If he turns out to be half as good as MS - he'd still be a good buy ...

it all depends on WHO we draw..doesn't it. If its Totton in the 3rd round, you'll get Bart and half of the Academy side. If we draw Chelsea... or Man.City...perhaps not!

well thank goodness for that, who on earth would argue AGAINST that deal, but I suppose someone will. .I will watch this thread carefully for possible objections....

an assumption on my part, but as he was released by Rangers in August, hasn't joined any other club since I'd guess many people would think a similar thing. He may have been training at home, but thats not the same as being with a squad, and playing practice games every week. He may well be "fit" ...compared with the average supporter...but playing regularly, even in L1... is more demanding than " a jog in the park" ..wouldn't you think ?

regardless of when we played (them). How can anyone say anything else about a side 5 points clear at the top after 16 games ?

agree with that 100%

there's 33..... and then again there is... 33 ..not a good age for an unfit centre forward. But he did have a bit of class and reading between the lines ..they will sign him.. whatever his condition - as long as he can last 90 mins. Might not be a bad idea ,,,and they are L1. See if he can help them get a revival. ..maybe get a play-off place again ? B'mouths away form isn't too bad, but they have lost 5 of 8 at home ! (ouch)

Yes, me too, at least he's got sense enough not to train at ..Fratton Park ! (even if it is closer to home ).

correct - but did he actually play for Blackburn's first team ...? he was fairly young when he came to us ... ..and didn't he have a successful spell with ...Sheff.Utd ? ....scored quite a few goals as I recall..?

agree totally with that.. Rickie is excellent - in this division... (especially when you consider he hadn't played above L1 before this season) James Beattie's (Saints) career is absolutely typical of a striker. Looking at his record; he signed in Aug 1998, played 22games +13 subs. got a creditable 5 goals when you consider we only just survived, and MLT only got 6 that season. 1999-2000.. he mostly spent on the bench. started 8 games and sub in 10 but scored 0. (Pahars got 13, Kevin Davies 6, Katchloul 5, Tessem 4) 2000-2001..started 29 games, + sub in 8. Scored 6 in 4 games, and then 4 in the next 5.... then scored only 1 in 17 games after New Year 2001-2002.. started 24, sub in 4, but scored 12 though nearly all before Xmas. (Pahars top scored with 14). 2002-2003 ...here is the essence of the striker..a frustrating 10 games before he scored his first... then gets 11 goals in 8 games (inkl. hat-trick) then...got another 5 in the two weeks after Xmas and proceeded to score in SIX consecutive games afterwards, but only 1 in the last 5 games. End of season he'd scored 23 goals in 35 starts. Missed Golden Boot award (won by Thierry Henry that year), but was top ENGLISH Prem. striker. He never bettered those stats. but still moved to Everton for £6 million ...and hardly ever scored for them, before going off on loans to other clubs. I'd dearly love to see Lambert score goals in the Prem. and he does have a 3 year contract. After all those years in the lower leagues, he deserves it !

nice to see, but LOOK Lallana has 5,... Lambert, Richardson and Fox 4 each... and Connolly 3 makes encouraging reading - doesn't it ?

+1....

on this page is a thread ..IS THE CURRENT SQUAD THE BEST EVER ? ..and there are numerous comparisons to the 1984 team and Lawrie McMenemy's role in bringing in international players, and I got curious and referred to In that Number and surprised myself with some answers.. . Here is a list of players who were former / then current /or/ later became internationals during his time as manager. Mick Channon - Club record goalscorer 228 goals in 602 apps.(1966-1982) Already England int. when McMenemy came, in total won 45 caps (1972-77). Peter Osgood - Striker f. Chelsea legend. had been capped for England before he came 1973. played 157 games (1974-77). FA cup winner 1976 Jim McCalliog - MF. had 5 Scottish caps prior to signing 1975. played 88 games 1975-77. FA Cup winner 1976 Peter Rodrigues -RB. Had captained Wales and had a long list of Welsh caps came 1975 (Cup Final capt.1976). Alan Ball - 1966 World Cup legend / Eng.capt, 72 caps prior to signing 1975-78, came back again 81-82. total 234 games Ted MacDougall - top rated striker. 7 times capped for Scotland before signing 1976 played 105 games 1976-78 Phil Boyer - f. Eng. striker (then Norwich) signed 1977 and teamed up with Ted Mac D (for 3rd time) 162 games 1977-80 Chris Nicholl - Northern Irish CH. 268 league games (1977-83) won 37 caps whilst with Saints. Later Saints manager after McMenemy. Ivan Golac - f.Yugoslav int. RB. signed 1978.(aged 28) Probably one of best RB in post-WW2 club history. played 196 games 1978-86 Ivan Katalinic - f.Yugoslav int. GK. (the Kat).1980. once received Golden Glove award for 4 clean sheets in successive League games. Dave Watson - England Capt./ CH .signed 1979 (then aged 33) and won 18 caps whilst with Saints + played 83 games till 1982. Charlie George - f. Eng player - Arsenal legend signed from Derby 1979. sadly never properly fit and played only 52 games. Kevin Keegan - then Eng.capt. signed 1980 from Hamburg, won 9 caps whilst with Saints (till 1982) later England Manager. David Armstrong - MF signed from Middboro' 1981. Already Eng int. and won 2 more caps whilst with Saints. Played 272 games 1981-87 Peter Shilton - Eng.int goalkeeper for almost 20 years.(sometime capt.) Won 49 caps whilst with Saints + 242 games (1982-1987). Mick Mills - f. Eng capt. LB/RB World Cup 1982. later had 3 seasons with Saints (1982-85) Alan Curtis - Welsh int. MF. signed 1983 won 5 caps whilst with Saints. Mark Wright - CH signed from Oxford 1982. played 4 U21 Eng. games + first capped for Eng.1984, later won 16 caps (till 1987). Frank Worthington - f. Eng.striker with 8 caps.. Signed 1983. but played only 42 games Joe Jordan - f. Scots int. striker. signed 1984 played 63 games till 1986. Later Pompey / Tottenham coach. along the way we had our own successful youth players who also gained FULL honours; Tony Byrne - signed 1962 deb. 1965 aged 19. Played 101 games as MF / DEF. (1965-1974) capped 14 times for Rep.of Ireland. Steve Williams - debuted 1976 aged 17. Later won 6 Eng.caps. played MF 346 league games moved to Arsenal redord fee 1984. Austin Hayes - debuted 1976. aged 18. capped for Irish Republic 1979. Played only 29 league games. Died tragically of cancer aged 28. Danny Wallace - LW. debuted 1980 aged 16. played 299 league games. Capped once for Eng. before moving to Man.U. 1989. in addition to this the following players won honours at U21 /U23 / Eng B ENGLAND: Steve Williams 14. Danny Wallace 14. Mick Channon 9. David Peach 8. Mark Wright 4. Steve Moran 3. Graham Baker 2. Steve Mills 1. Malcolm Waldron 1 Republic of IRELAND : Eamonn Collins 1 cap. This shows the depth of talent that passed through the club during the " McMenemy Years " and must gave some of the most exciting football the club has ever seen, even though there is little silverware to show for it, the standard was exceptional esp. in the period 1980 -1985.

well it was his words - not mine, but I know what he means..if a defender punts the ball upfield, I've yet to see any player who could jump 10 feet in the air .. not even Ron Davies!

Find it difficult to go along with that I'm afraid, Professor. Firstly, Barnard is "on the mend" but I would like to see him score a hat-trick or two in a few more " practice matches" before putting him up against some of these CCC defenders...however, the most important fact is still "his brush with the law" last year...a matter which is still in the Courts. Fit or not, if that goes against him we won't have any back-up at all for the rest of the season. Despite all that's been written, I haven't seen Lukas in action (hence my opening thread). I was one contributor who wanted to see us sign a striker and centre half in the summer ...whether it's Lukas (or someone else) is not my decision but if Jos Hooiveld solves the CH problem, the matter of the extra striker is still up in the air. We don't want a couple of out-of form strikers on our hands, when we're in the promotion run-up in April, we need cover and soon. INTERESTING NOTE; Echo says... NA hasn't ruled out an emergency loan. After playing Coventry last week ..could we be considering a bid for Lukas, I wonder ? If 'Boro are making a move for him, too.. you might ask yourself who he'd choose given the competition between us... and 'Boro?,