Saint Troy

The start of the season has been fantastic but really we need no injuries in certain positions else that will cause us big problems. Its the fine lines that win and lose games at prem level wit hevery team capable of beating each other - see Fontes backpass against wigan that lead to a goal ;ast season and his backpass against Swansea that didn't. Is the fine line that it was a bit of luck or was Lovrens quality and ability to get back and stop the goal the difference? Sometimes these fine lines are luck but its also true that the harder you work the luckier you seem to get and it may be a bit of both. I don't feel we have the quality in depth to compete for top four but if we carry on demanding these standards and are as successful in the next three transfer windows as the last then suddenly weve got a squad there not just a team and beginnings of a squad. If I was a betting man id have two on, 2-0 saints cause I want to believe theyre low on confidence and we can press them in to errors and also 4-0 united, I can really understand all those feeling it has to click for utd at some point and weve got to have them go in off the post at the wrong end at some point not out like dyers and wouldn't it just be like utd to do that

If fantasy footy points counted he'd be in the national team!

I think my post covers that im not convinced its a good idea but then I don't run the club. Maybe an increase in stadium size, full stadium and European football is exactly he point at which the club gets sold on? maybe not? merely commenting on the assertion that a not sold out stadium = no point in increasing capacity which is not always the case in my view

Maybe if we expanded the stadium ticket costs could go down and more people would go therefore justifying the larger stadium. Whilst 4000 under capacity is not ideal the business model for ticket revenue is the highest amount of tickets x price, if we dropped the price by £1 probably no more people would go and so this would just be a wasted 30k, if we drop them by £10 then 4000 people more may go which would be a reduction in earnings - all made up figures but at theses figure the pricing is pretty accurate for the stadium - not saying I agree with the principle and espescially that its not been correct for poor cup games. What this does show is that quite possibly the attendance does not necessarily mirror the need for expansion alone which is the point I think you are basing your argument on. Im not convinced an expansion at this stage is a great move either but I also don't think we should be basing arguments on statements like "challenging at the top of the table" when the vast majority I would imagine think this is a false position, albeit a very good start to the season indeed.

Fully agree with this, hes had a good start to the season and if was on Roys radar before he must be now to some degree. Clyne must be as close to anyone for a call up though - he was very good all year last year, very good this year and consistent, decent going both directions and has very good pace. Completely red and white tinted glasses but cant see how others are way ahead of him at the moment

Another way to look at it could be to wonder at what point Spurs became genuine title candidates - if there had been a thread on their forum 3 years ago about that they would've got laughed out of town but have kept investing, worked at the depth of the squad and made one very good purchase that's made em a few million. Do they have a bigger revenue than us, probably but not loads more I would think given stadium sizes. We have a depth in midfield that can see cork, gaston, Jrod, davies come on as replacements and if one of the two main strikers was out we would prob add an attaching midfielder so depth probably ok there. Our back 5 are a godsend at the moment but two injuries and we're well off a top 4 squad really. Of course as the opening poster says its a little bit off reality but theres a progression about us heading that direction like spurs have felt the last few years and as people have pointed out the bigger the players you have the more will come - attacking players will want to play with Osvaldo with Lallana and gaston behind regardless of what we think of them and if we can attract the likes of Lovren were doing well. He shows (along with the likes of Erikson at spurs) that you don't have to go completely crazy to spend well and get a good strong squad. If we invest like we have done in the next three transfer windows and a few more kids come through it will be an interesting squad to say the least and certainly going that direction rather than thinking about avoiding relegation

Big shout out to the refs pen decision today - missed out on a few recently but a really strong decision and could easily have changed the game there

I think the attitude of the yougsters was installed whil Rupes was here with Georges Prost and the likes - really set up an academy designed not just to produce football talent but to manage it with a decent attitude as well - not always going to work out but as a rule I struggle find genuine academy products that are a bit of a nightmare. Adkins was definitely keen on the attitude of players and think this has been continued and long may it remain

I get some of the sentiment I really do and the argument of prem vs lower leagues is complicated, interesting and very personal. However, Lee Barnard joined us in League One from another League One club to prove himself but Lovren from a champions league club to a non champions league club didn't? Barnard was proving himself just as well at a different team - saints likely offered him more money and more chance of moving up the leagues in the team he was in - is that proving yourself or wanting the best for yourself like everyone does? Im not sure how you have judged how they care for us really - be interesting to understand this because in my opinion Lovren has a huge amount of passion and is keen to fit in in the city and the club - again maybe for selfish reasons but hard to know how hes any different? Did Fonte drop a league to prove himself? Did Lallana stay to prove himself or should he have gone to prove himself? Its a lot more complicated than being British and joining a club in a lower division!

genuine question - before wanyama we didn't play so much through one person from the back right? Or did we? I don't really remember exactly how cork or others were used in this sense. It feels a bit to me as though although Victor isn't doing everything flawlessly at the moment but if you give him the ball every single time we move fwd from the back its not always going to work and its going to stand out a bit more than if the load was spread. I think that from what ive seen of wanyama is he may have the ability to actually beat a man a little, not raw pace and flying past but beat someone enough to cause a change in the oppos set up and so enough to change the tempo of an attack - I think in his current role maybe we stifle this possible attacking outlet a bit? Cork behind victor and morgan for me - at the mo I think Lallana misses out in that formation as jrod has the pace - think this may be sensible against a currently strong Liverpool side

I think the Osvaldo one was a really good save and a bit harsh on the goalie - he was quick, he got fwd as well as across very quickly and spread himself well - yeah its sort of just chucking yourself but theres a reason some people are better at it than others and its not just luck, Osvaldo hit the target - will certainly feel he could've done more but to me that was still a very good save. Morgans also - the others really a bit meh and should be saved.

Im happy to call myself a bit of a bell end for this but Albert Brown scored 25 in 26 saints appearances so that's probably one way to cut it that Sharp isn't. I am however firmly in the camp of Billy being able to cut it in the prem over the slightly more prolific Albert based on current fitness.

I would have Clyne in the side in a flash - offers much more which is unsurprising based on his experience. Id be interested to know if clyne is out of favour or if its as simple as nursing him back from injury which hampered his preseason/ chambers doing ok / trying to keep a settled back four? Admittedly being on the bench hints at full fitness but not sure, is clyne deffo "out of favour"?

It may be that im a miserable sod as well but it certainly crossed my mind - I can remember exactly where I was when Le Tis missed that header as I thought back to me listening on the radio as soon as I heard the news. Although we should stuff this lot, rickie is certainly good enough etc a piece of me gulped and thought please just smash one in in the first 10 mins so I can enjoy it without worrying about it. If England don't perform as well as we can its not going to be about the middle it will be about the lack of English players - and that is (no matter what you think of Rickie) most easy to target in the attack with the attack being lead by and 30+ yr old with 20 international minutes and 2 prem seasons to his name. As a striker if we fail to score enough regardless of whos fault it is its our press we're talking about. I trust him to perform like the hero he is, honest, hard working and talented performance.... what the others do and what the press write........ haven't got the same level of faith!

I think that given where we were when the plan started it is certainly well on target! I think that from our starting position had you offered us last seasons finishing position people would've been doubting the league was correct let alone the position we finished. As for the supposition (sp?) that Cortese is looking for people on the cheap I cant comment - I do think that his admirable plan of dealing correctly (especially wrt agents fees) could slow the final stages down possibly but only as much as I would've doubted we'd be where we are now. If "the current squad" allows for the normal addition of a few players here and there and if the youngsters progress as we know they can then why not, but its a competitive world so no shame if it doesn't happen and I think id still rather be watching saints youngsters coming through at the expense of Europe with some older pros and quicker term gains

Its not difficult.

So Danny Fox is good enough for the Prem because he's played in it? Fair enough. Same for Ali Dia? JWP has "a great future in the game" yet if he isn't good enough he wont play - but he has "a great future in the game"? Im finding this difficult.

Apologies if not directly saints related / already been mentioned somewhere I didnt spot so feel free to move if needed - thought it quite relevant given that if a threads not about our new kit its likely about a transfer that in truth the statistics will show simply aint going to happen. Interesting article associated with dealings in the press this time of year http://blog.emiratesstadium.info/archives/29697?

Seems a possibility........ The team was not performing as well in the earlier stages of the season and the centre backs have improved - it is often sensible to not change a team that is performing well and that's certainly true of a stable back 5 - does someone who cost a few million not have to earn his pace in a prem side? Gareth Bale was a huge waste of money at spurs then wasn't he!!

Yes that's absolutely right! Direct quote - Martin Hunter "our centre backs were very very poor in the late stages of the game" - this means that in the late stages of an individual under 21 game the centre backs were very very poor. Opinion - "4.2 million - what a complete waste of money this appears to be." Quite clearly not what is quoted by Hunter and is purely the opinion of the poster. May not be wrong but so so so clearly not what Hunter was directly saying. Unless I have missed something and everytime a player is quoted as having a poor period in a game there was no point in buying them and they were a waste of money.

6 games unbeaten - ****!!!! Quick!!!!! Change the defense right away!!!!! Even his agent was calm and happy about the situation and how it's a longer term plan than just this season!

what are the stats? how many points when he does and doesn't play? (obviously loads of other things in the equation but might be interesting to see - probably not!)

too right, Geroges Prost brought so much to our club through his insight in to our acadamy and its players, he brought a culture that has continued to turn out good footballers, importantly good technical footballers and also some decent kids with a sensible head on their shoulders - fair play fella

It would be interesting to see how other teams signings have got on too, whilst we want every signing to come off they won't and that's the same nationwide. To say our transfer team is under performing has to consider other similar clubs performance as a standard too really. Some things can't be accounted for also, a player signed in jan has to be good enough for the prem if promoted but want to stay if not promoted which is really hard. Lee could be a hero for us know at the top of the champ in another world that saw west ham not bottle automatic promotion!

I can't be sure who he's talking about, both on same points and similar goal dif so really exactly the same situation for both teams! A must not lose