Nineteen Canteen

His contribution was ineffective and his final delivery poor. He kept getting caught in possession but that was in part to having a lack of support at times but he reminds me to much of BWP. A weapon in Pardews armoury better released from the bench. Now can I have my shin pad back?

Fair assessment and I to worry about the contribution of Waigo and Antonio who are very lightweight and rarely win the ball back after invariably getting caught or giving it away cheaply. Papa did run around a lot and managed to keep himself on side (can't remember him being caught at all tonight) but there was really very little to get excited about from these two. We struggled again in CM and couldn't decide if Hammond has been rushed back or just needed the game after being out for a while. Not the performance he was giving before Christmas. An enjoyable first half helped by the comedy of their own goal but we were poor in the 2nd and if we carry on like that on Saturday we will be well beaten. Pardew's programme notes we're very interesting with regard to his decision at the start of the season to focus on the knockout competitions because of the difficulty of overcoming a 10 point penalty, explains why we haven't been fielding weakened sides. Clearly, reading his notes you don't need to be Sherlock Holmes to detect a difference in opinion with regard the club's objectives for this season and unless Pardew and Cortese get themselves on the same page and quickly there will be trouble ahead and quite needlessly IMO. Surely, the two of them agreed this approach at the start? There are questions to be answered about the team gelling but a bit early for Cortese to be applying the screws IMO.

No I'm not Mike, I'm just one of the few who will admit to myself that MLT wasn't the football legend we like to make him out to be and he had as many poor games as great goals if not more. Was he as important to us as Paine? Not in my opinion and Paine was before my time and should he be revered as a real sporting legend like Channon? Again IMO MLT doesn't come close. MLT could have been the greatest with an attitude and determination the match of Beckham's or Gerrard's or even Robson's from his own era but he was for whatever reason lacking that level of ambition/dedication to achieving real unquestionable football greatness. We all know it and even MLT acknowledges the lazy tag in his book and IMO he could have iradicated that element of doubt but chose to go his own way.

No, but you know where I am coming from and sometimes like you say it's ok to be unique.

Messi, Rooney, Drogba to name just 3 players currently at the top of their game who even in his pomp MLT would not be a first choice for any manager in front of these legends in waiting. (Money no object of course)

He wasn't unique as there are players who have been as skillful as MLT and failed to really capitalise on their undoubted talent. It's why there are so many good but unspectacular professionals because they have the ambition and dedication to make up for the lack of skill. MLT's laid back approach and expectation despite advice to the contrary that if they want me (England) they can come and get me was flawed as it was arrogant and he should have played for England at least as much as our true greats Paine and Channon did and neither of those played as often as they should. The team of legends you speak off is just another MLT would never grace. Maybe on paper but who was it who said many teams look great on paper but sh1t on grass and in a team of legends there wouldn't be room for a player not willing to work for it. Even when MLT had the chance to play with great players during his 8 caps it didn't help him score. Even Paine scored roughly a goal for every 3 of his 19 caps.

Blimey an English speaking taxi driver, where's your sticker?

Tame I was commenting on Murty's view that Cortese's press release about the importance of the league had taken the pressure off - really? Sorry but I think he is a bit thick if he thinks that and I doubt Pardew feels the pressure is off, do you? Re read my post I said by 5pm a week on Saturday, thats the 20th Feb to be pedantic as Cortese has said he expects us to get our league season back on track away to Norwich no less. It read to me like a demand dressed as a threat and so by 5pm a week on Saturday and to make that clear the 20th Feb after we have lost to Norwich what is Cortese going to do? Sack Pardew for what has been all things considered a great season ruined by the injury to Hammond. Read what I write before you cut and paste your tired responses.

Having watched Channel 4's Dispatches programme last night on the Royal Mail with two under cover reporters posing as agency workers I am surprised there are not more complaints but hardly one you can direct at the ticket office. I doubt this is an issue with regard to the ticket office as in all my time of dealing with them i have never had an issue of receiving tickets by post. I noticed my Pompey tickets took a few days longer to arrive than my MK Dons tickets but not excessive and maybe with the rising postal costs perhaps if time allows they send tickets using second class post. The ticket office seem to be open for longer hours these days so if you have a known problem and live in the area, why not go in person or buy a ST so that you have a greater window in which to buy your tickets? Failing that complain to the ticket office, treat them the way you would like to be treated and I am sure they will do all they can to help. Probably more beneficial in the long run than moaning about it on here.

Why? Will it change the atrocious timing? .... and Murty is hardly going to say anything else on national TV given he will most likely be out of a job come May unless we gave him more than a year's contract.

A lot of letters paints a picture. £20 will pay for your kids nicotine patches whilst you're saving for your ticket.

Then Murty must be a bit thick. If that takes all the pressure off for the next two games he is ignoring the expectation of 26,000 + Saints fans expecting a performance. All pressure off = complacency in my book and if Cortese's mistimed publicity stunt is benefical to our chances in reaching the JPT final, and slim hopes of progression in the FA Cup and slimmer hopes of a play off place then we may as well talk about avoiding the loss of the 5 point gap to relegation as a realistic objective. Pardew will be feeling the pressure and some of that 'urgency' will filter through to the players and the crowds and I predict lots of energy sapping and mistake laden nervous tension for us all. IMO Thanks to Nicky's badly timed comments by 5pm a week on Saturday our season will be about survival and then mid table bore draws, before all change. Some things never change.

The only promise I made was not to bring up the 'betting scam' unprovoked. I didn't have anything else to add to that post and Wes judging by your unusually muted response I was probably right.

To go without food or heating just to attend a football match is not dedication IMO but stupidity and worse if you have a family to support but I hope you live on your own. There are to many people who are on the breadline in this country but still expect 'their luxuries' even if it means it is at the expense of their own health. Cigarettes and Alcohol are the obvious examples and now football matches at the risk of malnourishment and hypothermia. Cut your cloth to fit the size of your pocket and until things improve spend your money on more important things like food. Rant over.

One cap suitably doffed.

Mr Hardison's views on the main board would be far more welcome than most of the blinkered '+1' brigade with not even half the wit to give their own opinion.

If he is not careful that attitude of his will see him making a guest appearance on one of the top 5 most like to threads in the muppet show. 3 words should act as a warning for management by fear, shame and lack of humility: Queens Park Rangers and even Public Limited Company Just my opinion as always and also am I the only one to notice there is a weird irony developing here?

With respect WS I find that difficult to believe because we have not spent like a club determined to get out of this league this season whilst overcoming a 10point deficit. IMO Cortese saw the chink of light that was the play offs before Christmas and now the light has gone out he is not happy to be reverting to the public plan. If the league was the be all and end all why did he seemingly support Pardew's approach of fielding almost full strength teams for the JPT and FA Cup matches? I like others have advocated from round 1 of both competitions the folly to our play off hopes of not playing a reserve team in cup comps and if we had I think the injuries and now fixture conjestion would not be hurting us. Cortese's time will be better suited to throwing his support behind the team as fear like money is a short term and ultimately destructive motivator. I'm sure for instance we could have attracted Dann's or a player of similar ability especially if their was the 'will' to back the manager or some of the 'young potential talent' we have invested in was sacrificed. I don't believe Pardew and Cortsese did not have some open discussion and shared buy in to our transfer activity and this press release is therefore all the more surprising. If we had been buying players for a promotion push this season only Fonte is fit for purpose IMO.

Agree but a bit like buying a greyhound when you really needed a doberman. Same as with Seaborne, I don't think we are yet a club who can simply afford to buy up young talent to prevent our competitors having the chance but should be buying the players to cover our specific weaknesses. Do we need Fonte, Seaborn, Jaidi, Thomas and Perry as cover for CB? Seaborn was an unnecessary purchase. Take CM and with Hammond out, Gillet rumoured to go out on loan again we have Schnederlin + Wotton or James. The latter I can't find the justification for him to be anything other than a squad player and less of an option than Gillet. Puncheon is not a CM despite views to the contrary and has been bought in as a pacy winger IMO who is now being asked to fill in at a role he 'can do as well' but not as well as a CM specialist. Great signing Puncheon and/or Seaborn may turn out to be but were they what we really needed for the rest of this season? Depends what your aspirations are this season - play offs or developing foundations for next season. If it's the former apart from Fonte the signings are difficult to comprehend if you believe in the development of a foundation all the signings have been excellent.

Wes you are well aware I am a very committed Saints fan and no matter what have never chosen to boycott the club and kick them when they least needed it. I am also a Saints fan who recognises that despite all he did for us MLT was to flawed to be regarded a true footballing legend. Reading his book reinforced my belief rather than challenge it and whilst I remain very grateful for the goals/memories I can't reconcile the fact that IMO he chose to stay at Saints because he was happy in his comfort zone as oppose to stretching himself professionally. Your point about great players being great because they are surrounded by greats is fair enough. Makes you wonder how truly great MLT would have become but unfortunately IMO his laziness (for want of a better word) has too often shined through along with his lack of ambition and determination to do it his way. In his book there is a picture of him yawning at an England training session and he makes a somewhat glib comment about 'why I didn't play for England more often'. Now his staunchest fans will say that is Matty's self-deprecating humour and a mark of the man's humility whereas IMO I consider it sour grapes and a failure to recognise that it was his seemingly stubborn approach to his career that prevented him gracing the international stage more than he did and elevating himself into the hall of footballing greats. That was a big bonus for us as a club but doesn't really allow him to be labelled a footballing legend in a positive sense outside of our own environs. He is no more a true football legend than the likes of Tony Currie, Stan Bowles and Frank Worthington who on their day were footballing gods but were less keen to follow the advice of the footballing establishment. All of them like MLT were at times mesmerising but also frustrating and annoying in equal measure. MLT is quoted as saying that he seems to work harder in retirement than he ever did when he was playing and that can't be right. Sums it up really and I don't think I need to add anymore.

didnt go to the game and was unable to listen to it . Have just read this thread and one thing is obvious . In the transfer window we failed to sign a recognised central midfielder and now have a surplus of centre backs . Pardew got that wrong or you cant get what is not available and so went for Puncheon. Still a bit early to be questioning the ability of our manager conveniently ignoring everything he has got right to date . Game had draw written all over it .

but one manager whose game plan was to win the ball and give it to le tissier. makes life a bit easier . A genius at times but to flawed to be judged a true football legend outside our own club. Lets face it Mr Wu can do more with the ball without the need to be in peak physical condition.

renew my 2 as always whether i can or should afford them or not. Cost is relative but some memories are priceless .