david in sweden

...all this banter about Sam's best position is pedantic to say the least. The lad is talented and versatile, and if he continues to DAJFU.....then I for one, feel relaxed about seeing his name on the team sheet and I don't particularly care where Puel plays him.....

It's often said that there are no easy games in the Prem. and talking about "must win games" always sounds very dramatic, but the truth of the matter is that if Saints are to establish themselves in the Prem. ..then even after beating Inter Milan..games like this must give 3 points ..or else we'll have an uphill task against the likes of Liverpool, Everton and Arsenal who are yet to come.

JWP does get a bit if stick from some on here, but a good run of games would surely see him get a regular spot ... Last night's performance was his best for a long time...(and he wasn't the only player to miscue with his shot either)....

it's called " competition for places " ..in " Saints squad terminology " ....and with 3 fullbacks still out injured, we can't afford to sell.

...perhaps if we want add-ons for another £10 million on top of that - why not? ....

he tries to place them and only scores if the keeper goes the wrong way. The Inter keeper has record of making penalty saves, think he stopped that one with his knee?

there can't have been many spare seats last night...does anyone know what the official attendance was?

....that'll be nice ..only 20 minutes drive for me ......

......it might be an encouraging sign to see if she renews her season ticket ....

......just as long as you don't mistake him for that waiter from the Chinese restaurant in town who likes to sit in the Chapel .....

......for my part, I keep thinking that with all the chances we've created (and missed) this season...we ought to be scoring big in game sometime soon.

difficult to exactly define "young ", as it takes a bit longer to find a good player at a (young) age. The long term replacement may well be on the cards, but someone like Jack Stephens may develop into a candidate for the task..or end up in L1 in a couple of years time.

IF TRUE.....it would be a step ahead.... For someone who (seemingly) didn't have much interest in football, Kat has come a long way to upholding her father's wish to see the club progress as it has during the last 7 years. I don't recall ever reading that the Liebherr family had promised to hold onto the club ...for ever, ever Amen. However, if the Chinese do intend to buy, they'll get a good deal at any price..and although Kat has come up with money to cover costs / debts of late, you can be sure that new owners wouldn't stop at £200 million.... having made an investment of that magnitude. The only downside to any deal that put Nicola Cortese back in charge would be a renewal of his lifetime ban on MLT and Frannie...and their names would be expunged from the club's record books ......

As you say it's very difficult to make comparisons....but I think HK's was around 18 when he went on his first "loan-out". But 14 goals in 56 games isn't that bad, and he was back at Spurs just after he turned 21....about the time that Pochettino took over. But now that Sam has got a chance to play regularly, and gets "real game time" we can hope that his good form continues. With half-a-dozen goals in the bag already at the end of October it does look encouraging. If he s in double figures by Christmas, then Puel might fetch him back - especially if JayRod and Shane Long haven't hit some good scoring form by then.....

good after match interview on OS with U23 s coach Rahdi Jaidi..( who had a good, if sadly short career as CB with Fonte in L1) He's taken over a bit more the U23's with Martin Hunter having more overall responsibility for the whole youth scheme. Explained the benefits and problems for the U23 team playing against Derby side with four very experienced first teamers in it, whilst Saints finished the game with five U18 players on the pitch. He talked about a learning curve for them, but in some ways it is for him too, as he seldom has a full U23 squad to choose from with; McQueen, Olomola, Stephens and Reed (now injured) being upgraded to the first team bench. U23s already have their own injury pile up; with strikers Marcus Barnes and Ryan Seager still out of action, and without last season's "dependables" like Sam Gallagher, Dominic Gape and Jason McCarthy out on loan to League sides. It's good experience for those U18 lads who get the chance of game time, but as we have seen of late they also need time to adapt to the higher level.

FT. Derby U23 (2) Saints U23 (0) Another 3 points lost, and third successive game without scoring. Not only the first team strikers who find it hard to convert chances. Good game from Saints keeper Harry Lewis who made a number of fine saves to keep the score down. Wonder what news on Harry Reed ?

Derby go 1-0 up Andreas Weimann (very much an overage player) scores for the home side. A "fluke goal" as Weimann charged down a clearance from goalie Harry Lewis ..and the ball rebounded straight into the net. Talking about "over age " players . Derby have Chris Baird in their side.....he played for Saints in the 2003 FA Cup Final ... Just goes from bad to worse....Saints hit the woodwork for the second time.....whilst Derby score a second..right on HT. Derby 2 Saints 0.....

U23's playing Derby County away tonight, but bad news that Harrison Reed was injured and stretchered off.....

I'm pleased for his sake if he is getting game time, but the fact remains that - even if he were to return - he'd still have to sit on the bench ..(and maybe get a few Cup games) .....and still be no.2 to Forster. Er.....if he started playing really well.....would you bring him back and drop Forster?

might look good in print, but I'd still prefer the 3 points.

he's doing his best, but when you consider there is no other credible option.....what would you have done ?

it's difficult ..and a bit unfair ..to judge any young player, (irrespective of the club he plays for) on the basis on a few good games. In the final analysis, the only real criteria for a striker is that he scores goals / makes assists. Longer memories recall the likes of the teenage Jermaine Defoe, who was loaned to Bournemouth (some 15 years ago) by the then WHam manager name of Redknapp. Defoe broke all Bournemouths goal-scoring records in less than a full season. More recently, the "young" Harry Kane had around half-a-dozen loan-outs to several London clubs (and chalked up a good scoring record)... before moving back to Spurs, and the rest as they say ....is hysterical. If Sam stays on at Blackburn, scores " fairly regularly " (stats. show one goal every three games is " about average ") then he may be right to come back to SMS, but we are still a long way from " maybe ". As it is ..as others mentioned above, he'd get game / bench time if we had an injury crisis, or be back in our U23/PL2 squad.

If Martina does move ...it will be to Koeman's (eventual) mid-table Everton side....somehow I don't see him with Liverpool.

whilst I agree with that part, it should be remembered that Matt Targett is a left back (namely) a defensive role, and though he does look "useful" going forward, he lacks consistancy playing against a strong winger. Looking back over several decades (as I, and some others on here can).. we've had generations of full backs, who lost their way as soon as they crossed the halfway line, and so it's good to have players with that extra attacking ability, but primarily I want to see a left back who knows how to defend properly firstly.... any extra skills /ability are a bonus. We all got carried away with the short, but meteoric rise of Gareth Bale, not to mention those great free-kick goals, but his overall skill as a left back did leave something to be desired. Tottenham moved him forward more and more until we saw the end result, but his first season as Spurs was a nightmare, before he found his best role. My overall feeling is that Matt Targett (and to some extent) Sam McQueen, will need a while before they can really see if one of them will become a rival /or/ successor to the LB spot that is (at present) undoubtedly Ryan Bertrand's - by right. Today's "rumour-mongering" story about a "possible" Liverpool interest in Sam Mc Queen (presently third-choice) may eventually end with a move similar to Chambers, who looked good in "our Saints set-up", but didn't progress further after his Arsenal move.

Fonte and Seabourne Fonte and Jaidi Fonte and Hooiveld Fonte and Yoshida Fonte and Lovren Fonte and Alderweireld Fonte and van Dijk ...from L1 to Prem. José just keeps going..and probably made them all look just a little bit better ..