david in sweden

OK... seems unlikely we will see Lallana playing, (acc.to NA) and Chaplow may play, but what about Man.U's start side-- Responding to the story / non-story of Blackpool's 25K fine for fielding a "weakened" side against us in the last round, Alex Fergsuon seems to be covering his back, (when acc. to BBC site... " he is expected to make significant changes" when he (AF) complains that QUOTE ...clubs are allowed 25 players and it doesn't say that you need to name 11 players and 14 subs. UNQUOTE : So who's he gonna play, more importantly - leave out.? We know Rafael is out , and that Van der Sar won't be in goal..who else , I wonder ? Be sure he will be making large scale changes, he'd never dare put out his best side, and stand the chance of a Cup upset against an L1 side ..even if it is Saints.

my guess, too. He obviously has his own network of contacts...

I agree .... but it's always been a part of Mick, and he's not likely to change now.

looking back at last week end - when I wrote the opening thread.. it WAS a mathematical possibility, thankfully the midweek results have gone in our favour ..maybe I missed a question mark...in the beginning. ....Out of the top six by saturday ???? However, for all those people spouting on about " games in hand" ..please note : we have still played 3 games more at home, and those points we need to get are from away games.

A good club man. Not a top rate player, but did his best at a time when the club was at its worst ! good luck Paul - except when you play us , of course.

it's all a plot to get us to think he's a nice guy really!

maybe it will be Grey ..or ..?

Budding Academy / youth / call them what you will - players are best brought in to a successful side where they can " bed in" as AOC has done. Starting with 60 mins.-a - game, or coming on for the last quarter, they build on confidence. Looking back decades the most successful youth players weren't used to save the side, but to complement it. Channon, Steve Williams, Moran, MLT all had talent but grew up playing alongside seasoned professionals who helped them along. Because AOC is a big success now , is due in no small measure to those around him. He is a great prospect but can't do it alone, as will be seen when he eventually moves to the Prem.

couldn't have said it better myself ( Give it to Ron). This type of short-sighted ----( " we've got the best squad - we don't need anyone else - it's unsettling , etc) thread seems to fill this site periodically. There is no saying that any judge will take account of our promotion hopes when LB goes back to court ...and then with Hammond and Lallana out - for who knows how long, and Connolly never fit enough to start we have no experienced back-up to call on. The idea of not signing someone who isn't better than what we have sounds fine - except when injured - we don't have them. Puncheon doesn't want to be here and with AOC seemingly being offered a crock of gold by half the Prem. teams ...where is the team?, let alone the back-up. Sorry -whoever you are started this one - a loan winger from Leicester isn't going to solve this problem overnight.

MY predictions ..if we don't win, their victory will be - by a dubious penalty. End of my rant of the week. What a good job Turkish and Alpine stayed clear of this one.

Agreed ! ...but we said the same about Kevin Davies who " didn't want to play either" - such is life sometimes.

but he doesn't want to play for us ..does he ?

Not OUR problem where he goes. As long as he's sold at a good profit, it's just as well he goes ASAP. (IF) the acrued comments from NA and others are to be believed. Someone who doesn't want to play for us - doesn't need to be here.

Mmm ..nice to see that one of them is a " Friend"

OK so don't read them, but I did and the initial BBC release quoted Alex Ferguson as saying " He has concussion and will miss Saturday's game" later BBC site cites Rafael as " a key member of (United's) defence ". Ian Holloway was satisfied to give his reserves a run-out, but Ferguson was obviously contemplating playing Rafael in a strong side(?) In the event of a "shock result" ( Saints winning)..can't you see the headlines would be along the lines of " ..MU were without their key defender Rafael "...blah, blah. I hardly see how the injury of ONE United defender can create so much print, surely they have enough " talent " to beat us twice over....As we don't not have the strength in depth that MU have ..their is little mention of us already missing Lallana, Hammond and Puncheon " not wishing to compete " so that we have to use a loan-player to be on the bench..or even be in the start 11. I can only imagine that the other sites that followed with their own version may have built-up the story to a crescendo.

it's not rocket science to write that now Nick, but at the time I wrote the thread, it was mathamatically possible but as neither Oldham or MK Dons had played their Tuesday games, and judging by the opposition, they would have expected to win them. Luckily for us, they were only drawn.

so did Ali Dia at the time, let's hope... " I'm Guessing "... is better than he was...!

unlikey now. Both Oldham and MK Dons dropped points by drawing last night but Oldham play again on Saturday and Peterboro may go above us if they win ...

don't try and use any normal logic..we're talking about Man.U ...

5 days left ..and closing ....

Blackpool deserved one last night, but they were already leading 2-0 at the time ...what ref. would have awarded that...?

try http://www.newsnow.co.uk sport league 1 southampton -it lists all the Saints related threads.

wasn't there some stat. that pointed out that MU had conceded only THREE penalties in the last 10 years ? It takes a courageous ref. to give one AGAINST them, but they get awarded all manner of "soft" ones.

of course, but if you read some of the other sites, it almost makes it sound like ...it's the difference between the two sides. For us, it's a head-heart question, in reality ...their reserve side should be good enough to wipe us out. What's ONE injury?

Nice analysis ! - if he turns out to be good, then Eriksson won't let him go will he ?