david in sweden

AGREED! No-one has suggested that we had a pefect set up despite winning a lot of games in recent months. We have two good keepers to choose from. One good full back (Harding) and a defence that has to play musical chairs whenever one of them is injured, and Lloyd James gets criticism because he's the one that AP moves around all the time. With Murty fit it'd be a lot tighter at the back. We have midfielders galore but still lack one with real bite. Hammond is about the mark but we need another (ala Jimmy Case). Morgan S. seems not to have recovered from an injury, and there's is no-one really supplying the goal-happy strikers in the proper way. Papa Waigo is at last learning the English version of the offside trap, but doesn't seem to fit the role as attacking midfielder or out-and-out striker. AP is worth a few gold stars for his efforts so far, but a clearout of the "dead wood " and a few new signings are imperative if we hope to get out of this league during 2010...and why not?. The nucleus of the side is OK. Whatever else happens, NO-ONE can say that shortage of money is a problem! Over to you NC.

well of course, its neither you nor I, who signed him - was it ? As I recall AP has some encouraging words when he arrived. Obviously he is still young and not as " cultured " as some people think wingers should be. If we have coaches like Dean.W. and Wally D. around they'll bring him on - if indeed he has talent beyond just running fast. (If the last thirty years is anything to go by - a lot of our so-called wingers had less pace than a lot of midfielders, and less skill, too...so if he stays another 5 months, we ought to have the answer by then - don't you think ?

and let's not forget that he was sold by the club to pay the salaries, it's wasn't his choice to move. Wolves may be struggling but HCDAJFU.

He has become a regular but it doesn't mean we should expect him to MOM every game. It takes time for some to play themselves into a spot (Oakley and Surman had similar probelms in the past when they were at SMS). LJ is continually changed between defence and MF, whenever we have injuries at the back. If Murty was fit and playing, there would be no argument. LJ would be in MF.

Agree about Trotman., but Preston may want him back anyway. Don't know about Ward, but if he's an ex Pardew player, he'll be on a short list Antonio has a lot of potential. If Reading don't want him any longer, I'd take a longer look and make a decision in May.

He's a bit TOO young. He may develop late,r but as of january 2010... not for us. He made 8 starts (but only on the winning side once) and similar number of subs.......... no goals. As we're likely to buy in midfield cover, it's no great loss, and if Chelseas want him back there's no more to be said. Thanks lad !

Not the entire side, but I think that players like Paterson, Holmes and Saga ought to get a run-out because if they can't impress against a non-league side their future will look rather bleak. Antonio and Papa Waigo should be able to exploit their defence. Unless Luton play a 6' 6" striker... I'd play Perry and Thomas at the back and Wotton and even consider Aaron Martin at CH. He's got to debut sometime, thats his level. Connolly, Lambert could sit on the bench in the event of the need for extra fire power in the second half.

...no good for we overseas fans , we can't get into the BBC video site because of some restrictions :mad: the best we can see is U-tube... Can anyone help please ?

well it's factual info. and I tried to keep it accurate and " hysteria-free" I didn't see it myself until I'd taken a long look at the fixture list... ..what would you have chosen as an alternative.?

........and he's got crystal balls as well !:smt083

You're right of course, but AP makes enough sense when interviewed but this is the 64,000 dollar question...and he'll keep his cards close to his chest on this one. If he were to say YES at this stage and things go wrong... he'd have put his head in the noose, and I think he's smarter than that. IMHO I think everyone knows that IF we continue to get results as we have, then we'll get one of those places.

well of course, that may be a factor but.... AP hasn't said that he's NOT going to offer him a new contract - has he ? WThas been looking a lot better recently and unless we have 2 or 3 others who are decidedly better, he ought to stay IMO.

Exactly my thoughts. We are deperately reliant on Jaidi in central defence at present and if Trotman goes..? as well...then we need TWO replacements PLUS some more cove for possible injuries, if our only other option is seeing Ollie Lancashire returning from loan.

Today we sit in 12th position, The next 5 League fixtures are all against teams ABOVE US in the league. Having knocked over some of the teams at the bottom end of the table, (those that normally lose) ...we are now up against teams at the top end ..who are showing better form. Our next five fixtures look like this ... Dec. 28 away .......Colchester ..currently 4th Jan . 9 home........Hudd'field ..currently 6th Jan 16 away.........Millwall ............. 9th Jan.23 home........Swindon ............ 7th Jan 26 away........ Brentford ............ 11th ----it goes without saving if we continue to win games, it will be 3 points less that these clubs get and move us closer to the top 6. We are only halfway in the season, but the next 5 games are critical if we are to get a play-off place THIS season.

Yes I read that but my point was ..Lambert is NOT LISTED IN THE POLL !!

I don't know that he'd be likely to win on yesterday's performance but if you create polls like this one....Rickie LAMBERT will never get any votes !

Best /Worst ? ...for me, the two " saddest " wer: 1) losing the Cup Final v. Arsenal 2) and the away leg of the play-off v. Derby. We were much the better side ... but didn't have enough players capable of scoring from the spot.

There's two questions here... Q1 the headline asks who is our most important player just now? My answer to that is Bart. We know that KD is a class act, but Bart has only been on the losing side once in 7 starts, and everyone says that Leeds a goal was a bit special. Bart was a bit green at 18 but he's matured and needs more games behind him if he is going to be a likely successor to KD in a year or two when we move up to CCC. It would be nice to have two good keepers to choosed from in a higher division. Q2 - someone being sold ..or long term injury...? Probably- Jaidi ..or Lambert.. as they are both key figures in thier own part of the team. Lambert CAN'T be sold in january - even if he wanted to go, but why should he - 'cos FA rules don't allow anyone to play for 3 clubs in the same season. Jaidi is the solid central figure we've been lacking for the last few seasons. Interestingly I was pleasantly surprised to see Aaron Martin on the bench yesterday. He wouldn't have been a likely sub. IMO but IF Trotman goes we need a bright new name to fit in next to Jaidi, and he'd do best coming in to a relatively-strong defence and not as a stop-gap in a leaky one.

I don't think he can say much else just now.¨ HIS team has "earned" 35 league points already - good enough to be in a play-off place. If it wasn't for the -10 , we'd all be talkng about play-offs by now and notbe sitting in mid-table. If we continue the points winning form, then we'll get closer every game, but now we are at half way in table the teams above us are those who are winning games and not those we've climbed over - who lose games regularly. From now on it gets a little tougher.

Which makes me task WHY did he replace Lallana ..surely Gobern would have been a better choice?

Not a silly q. IMHO He played in the last reserve game and really ought to have Mills' place on the bench. Mills is still developing and Holmes does have experience of League football at a higher level then L1. If AP can put Gobern and Mellis on the bench... he should certainly consider Holmes.

Charlie George is a member of the " Came for a big fee, but didn't play much " society. Though to be fair, he did manage about 50 games in two years - which was more than... David Speedie, Kerry Dixon, John Beresford and Agustin Delgado - all put together.

I can't follow the English leagues as closely as I'd like,so I can't gice suggestions, but AP seems to have done a good job so far. No-one should moan about a loan player or a free who doesn't make the grade. The ones to complain about are those who cost piles of money and can't do the job ! Carry on Alan - I trust your judgement anyway.

John Sydenham has lived in Perth (?) for many years past and always seemed to act as an "official / unofficial " scout for the Saints in Oz.

When Saints were relegated in 1973-4 (McMenemy's first season) we were accompanied by Norwich and MAN. UTD. Although the other two clubs got back up to Div.1 before we did, it does show that no-one is immune from the drop. For the last few seasons Everton have looked highly vulnerable, but always managed to escape - but for how much longer. The prime example is Blackburn, for whom former chairman Jack Walker " bought " the team that won the Prem.title in 1993-4 (incl. ex-Saints Shearer, Kenna and Flowers) only to get relegated only 4 years later. They were never to achieve the same success again. HISTORICAL NOTE: The only team never to have relegated from the highest division since the League formation is...ARSENAL