Saint Troy

This could fit in timing wise in terms of the fall out immediately after the Lallana/Clattenburg incident? There were rights and wrongs to the incident and how it was handled of course but if Cortese was given a task of not getting in to such scrapes then this could have been a big sticking point and proof Cortese was in it for him and not the owners?

Slightly evading the point there! The point was that the forum is not made up of internet users, it is made of of people who choose to follow saints in a large way via the internet. The rest of my post explains why some cant get immersed in saints as much as theyd like and so to state that most people use the internet seems a bit irrelavent to me and the point being made. Im not fully sure of the point of this thread. If the fear is that crowds long term will drop to a point that the atmosphere is terrible and that will reduce your experience on match day then it makes some sense. Otherwise I really don't see what is "galling" about someone else being interested in something you're not? If this is a thread about what I hope it is then it would be interesting to know how many saints fans go less because of streaming live games that's true. Its not really that interesting to know who often people go and how many watch it on the internet really in my opinion and certainly this isn't related to how many people go to games in the way you are inferring. I really want to go to see saints more and more personally because I can see how entertaining the games are and love the football we're playing. My missus wants to go more because of the same things. Probably will end up going more personally because of streaming than I would otherwise.

Or is it just no surprise that on an internet forum, the people are often interested in watching/following/supporting saints via the internet - makes perfect sense to me. I live outside Southampton so chat in the office isn't about saints, don't get to as many games as I would like but that's life, internet forum is always there and can watch games on the net. On top of that that thread is relevant to every saints games of the season so far all joined in to one and all the other threads about individual games etc aren't combined so adds to this distortion. There may be some truth in the number of people able to go, and to go regularly, times are hard generally so people are saving, working when they can etc and one thing you can knock on the head is a trip to st Marys knowing that you can watch it for free. Its maybe a shame but its not as drastic a problem as the figures you present I don't think. In terms of whats more worthy its a slightly odd question for a few reasons. Nether is particularly a worthy action - its really personal taste, prefer matches live and transfer gossip or find out which stream is best, its up to you, its a forum so the answer by your stats is selfexplanitory! I wonder why it would be interesting to know how people watch saints? Hopefully not because watching saints live is more worthy. Hopefully because its interesting to know how peoples points of views of players and performances as well as the club in general are formed etc? Saint Troy (go when I can which is a few times a season these days with work and money but if not there watch live nearly every week with the missus - she very very happily gives up the odd full weekend to saints and 90 mins in front of the laptop with a drink but not so keen on a season ticket which would bin all our time and money)

Adam certainly earned another go from the start both this season and on Friday - seems a very attacking midfield though in there an wouldn't be surprised to see one of those drop out for someone a little more defensive perhaps?

Interesting to compare the prices - Gaston 12m and JWP "academy". Academy isn't a price which may be the case on the balance sheets when they are sold but in reality each player through the academy who makes it or doesn't has a price and be interested to know if anyone has a good (or even terrible) idea what it costs us to produce each youngster. Back to the stats - the way I read it (and can only half see it) has JWP as the best crosser from open play - his free kicks and corners lower that, not surprising as corners can be a bit of a lottery and his free kicks are often really well flighted into the area just in front of our fwds and they can easily be missed and going a tiny bit wrong means no one gets on the end of em. Hes a great little player at the moment and I love that MP is willing to let him shine on the back of his talent and hard work instead of someone on the basis of a price tag.

I agree that this is interesting -there was an interview with Morgan v recently that (although the translation was very bad) was really interesting. It gave the impression there was more than one platform for the press but when I look at it I do sometimes wonder how this is triggered. Can anyone shed any light on this? I sometimes wonder about the amount of times we press hard when a player is in his own half receiving the ball whilst facing his own goal, could be nonsense ive made up though and be interested to know if anyone knows more or has some guesses

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!!