MarkSFC

At the close of the window I was frustrated that Pardew hadn't brought in "the lambert replacement" striker that he went on about, a centre midfielder and a speedy right winger. Bignall addressed the striker issue in terms of a body but hasn't in terms of impact and goals. This is the only area I think is seriously important to address in January. Although it's two months away now and I'm sure Lambert will come good, we can't take the risk. Investing in a quality striker now will guarentee promotion IMO and it should be someone who can or does play in the Championship. Danny Graham was mentioned to me today and would fit the bill nicely. When we go up, I think the squad is still preety good but I would think we would need a CB and a CM of quality. Other than that the squad is pretty good.

I don't want to see wholesale changes but I would like to see a few players rested. As great as it is to have a run in the cup and it would be good to get to Rd 3 and pull "a big team", promotion this year is paramount. After Saturday we have 3 tough games where no less than 7 points should be the target. We have a good squad so some changes should not disrupt things too much and indeed mau well produce a really good performance as those currently out of the team may well force Adkins hand for Carlisle. My starting XI would be; Bart FR. Jaidi. Martin. Dickson OX. Chaplow. Morgan. Holmes Lambert. Barnard Impact Players Davis Seabourne Lallana Doble Wotton Guly Punch

Ask "leftback"!!

I'm not going to bite, this thread sucks.

This.

I stand corrected! Although I put two and two together and assumed that if our Chief Scout has indeed been relieved of hid duties then maybe NA wanted "his man". Maybe Scunnys "network" was really just "one man"!! Even if nothing to do with NA I just hope we are getting the best for the job that we possibly can!

I agree that the Chief Scout and his team are very important but I think as you move up the leagues they will have less impact overall. Brighton, Bournemouth and indeed NAs former team have far different (and lower) ambitions to us. When clubs build or plan new stadia the capacity is the clear factor in determining long term ambitions. Bournemouth are planning to go to 14,000, suitable for mid to low Championship over the long term. Brightons Fslmer ground I think is just 21k which I think says their ambitions at mid championship sustainability with the odd season up in play-offs and maybe the odd foray into the Prem. Both these clubs will rely more on their scouting system as opposed to signings loads of players. Scunny with their single figure attendances have clearly achieved their status ( obviously with NA) with a great scouting system. Therefore perhaps NA wants some of those guys here. A good scouting system can obviously save you millions long term so I hope any appointments in this area are made for the long term good of the club.

That's your parogative.

Who really gives a **** about one journalists opinion? It's meaningless.

I do wonder sometimes why some people actually support Saints. They're not happy when we are losing and they're not happy when we are winning. Sure we are all different but I go to games firstly to see Saints win. That's number one. Secondly if that win is managed in a great entertaining manner then even better. But if we lose and it's we've played entertaining football I'm unhappy. Against Colchester I thought we played some really good stuff and I saw glimpses of a different style to last season. But we drew so the overriding feeling is disappointment. Watching beautiful exciting football is largely reserved for the premier league. Consciously or not most fans judge their team against what they see in the Prem, without really taking into account the opposition and "real" quality of player at the club. This season is only about winning. I don't give two f**** if we win every game with a dubious penalty in the 97th minute as long as we go up! Of course that won't be the case but in Adkins I think we have someone who knows how to get the win against all opposition. Pardew proved he couldn't. The players we have proved last year that on their day they can play good football AND score goals. This year for lots of reasons that hasn't quite happened but 4 wins out of 5 and 5 wins out of 7 shows that the mentality is there. Performance in sport, well anything actually is all about thought processes and behaviour. Each helps the other but how you think has more effect on behaviour than vice versa. Only the players themselves know exactly how they think in preparation for games, during training etc, but I have an incling that Adkins has done more in that regard than the physical stuff. After all unless someone is open to new ideas they will not implement them, at least not to full capacity or long term. They will merely revert to type. When coaching people the only thing that eventually cements change is "seeing results". Only when the person or team see fruition of there work can you hope for sustained performance. The world is a results based world where winning and success are priority. Entertainment in itself is secondary because winning or seeing your team win is more satisfying.

I can because I said it was. Against Bournemouth and tranmere he was good but my opinion of him is based on what I also saw last season. I gave reasons for my opinion, all you've done is shout it down. Give me reasons to prove that he can produce his best form over a sustained period 10-15+ games and also; prove to me that when he is constantly pressed and under pressure during a game that he actually has the ability and speed of thought to not get caught in possesion as often as I think he does and that he does this better than the other 3 CBs.

Despite two successive wins I hope to see Puncheon and Seaborne dropped. Admittedly I havnt seen the last three games but listening to the commentary these two are not performing. I like Puncheon but I think he needs a break because I suspect his trouble is that he's trying too hard. He's a good player on form but hasn't found that form all season. Seaborne on the other hand is one of those players who at his best will be good in this League BUT he is not capable of recreating that form for 10,15 games. He will for 3/4 then have 2/3/4 mediocre games. Adkins has talked about the consistancy of performance from the team. We cannot afford to carry someone like Seaborne. I think Martin is far better and will be very good but on Tuesday I hope Jaidi plays and then again against the Shrews alongside Martin. This would give Fonte a game off before the three tough games at Carlisle and at home to PBoro and Brighton. This way all four CBs would have had some game time. I would also play Bart v Shrews. My team on Tuesday would be: Davis FR. Jaidi. Fonte. Harding Lallana. Hamm. Chap. Holmes Barnard. Lambert subs: Bart. Dickson. Martin. Morgan. Guly. Oxo. Punch

During the late 80s and through most of the nineties I spent 4-5 weekends in Nottingham every year and never saw any trouble, it was a great place and night out (The Black Orchid was best!). Admitedly I only went to watch Saints at Forest once but it was great as it was supposedly 10 women for every bloke! I went back 4 years ago on work for two weeks for the first time in about 5 years and the atmosphere had totally changed especially round the town square. There seemed to be many many more "c****" out and in one night in two venues saw three small scale "arguments"!! Maybe it was my age but I think Nottingham is definitely a changed ( for the worse) city. Maybe (and this maybe a bit too analytical) the demise of Forest and Countys lowely status as well as their reputation as the gun capital of the country has taken it's toll. Gemmel, I hope your son's ok and doesn't get put off following Saints away.

not sure Brighton are class but Poyet has certainly got them playing well. I'm sure it won't last especially to key players and performing at their current level for all 46 games will result in 99 points!! That would make them better than Norwich were last year and they are nowhere near. They'll end up on early 80's.

this time last season I doubt many could see Norwich or anyone finishing above Leeds and Leeds had a much better team than Brighton do. Both Brighton and Bournemouth will fade. Think BHA will be top 6 but Bournemouth won't. We will finish top two!

Let them have their 5 minutes of fame.... Come May it won't be either of them getting the limelight.

I get the impression this leftback bloke is a bit psycho.

Punch to start as we're away and you would expect County to be very fired up first 10-15 mins. Puncheon is good at keeping the ball which will be key early doors. Chamberlain offers the best option when County start to tire, running at defenders and also get on the end of long balls over the top. As long as we don't concede more than one early doors I'm sure we'll win.

Tickets will only be on sale in the Northam and the Itchen stands (excluding Blocks 1-3) clearly expecting less than about 12000. Pricing seems sensible, need to ensure costs are covered.

Def Nick Holmes then!

That's a fair point and I can see why you think that but these players are used to winning and you don't win consistantly without the right mindset etc. An individual or team that has won consistantly but is out of form gets back into form quicker than those who peak far less often. This group will have been boosted massively psychologically after Saturday and I expect 3 "fairly" comfortable win before the bigger two. Should they lose any of the next three then I'll take it all back!!

After 11 games we had 15 points. On another thread I stated that there are 5 groups of 7 matches remaining and of we averaged 15 points per 7 we would end up on 90 points. This is probably enough to win the league unless Brighton somehow continue their form all season Over the last 7 games we have amassed 14 points so preety much on track. The team will get better and after this group of 7 games we will have played 18 games and played all the high flyers (Brighton,PBoro,Bmouth,Hudd,Carlisle,SheffWed) so although there may be one or two draws I expect us to be sitting on 29 points (wins over NC, D&R, Car and draws with Brighton and Pboro). That would equate to winning 14 points in 7 games including 4 of the top teams. A win over either PBoro or Brighton will be a massive bonus.

Sure he's good but it's no surprise. He's is one of the few players who are playing at near 100% form. As soon as seven or eight are we will fly.

Know what you mean but was hoping for an away tie at a very lowly non league team or H&W or Brighton at home!

Shrewsbury at home, boring!!