Sour Mash

"To be honest i find it more embarrassing when grown men sing **** songs about some of are more mediocre players, ie most of them!". Can you just clarify which one's you're referring to? And does showing a "level of maturity" constitute calling people "goons" and "prats" on a football forum?

I completely agree. Hopefully tomorrow's game will see a lot less support for our players from the home support and a fair bit more applause if Reading smash in a late winner. Fingers crossed.

I know that, hence my question "why?"

So why only goals that are scored? Do you also applaud opposition players after a particularly skilful run? Or a last ditch tackle to prevent one of our players scoring? Or a fantastic save from a Saints penalty? All great football skills that should be appreciated I'm sure you'd agree? And why only clap and not cheer? Giving appreciation for something is a bit of a waste of time if the supposed recipient is unaware of it, surely worth joining in with whatever songs are being sung in praise of their ability as well?

Why?

But who would you clap? And when? We see tons of good goals scored against us, goals that if you were at a game as a neutral you may applaud, but no real need or point to applaud when against your own team? Re. the OP - I remember seeing the applause at the time - think a lot of oppossition sides knew Tiss was a one-off and maybe we weren't seen as a threat or rival to those clubs, plus football has changed - can't ever imagine seeing that theses days.

Anyone know why we don't hear about players being "Saints Fit" anymore?

He would say that though, wouldn't he?

Probably bad timing and not really "fashionable" compared to some of the Olympians, but a much better achievement than cyclying around a track a couple of times in a sport that no-one is really interested in.

How is this thread allowed to run this far?

Alastair Cook?

The contractors walked off due to a payment issue, nothing to do with the Dome.

That's not what he's saying is it.

I think if Villa currently had a 32k seater ground, they wouldn't be planning to expand it to 40k just so those seats could be used a couple of times a season.

I don't think anyone is saying our support is "bad" are they? Just that suggestions that there would be a particular need for St Marys to be expanded now that we were back in the Prem and investing significantly in players has been shown to be over-optimistic; would you not agree?

But surely when taking ground expansion into consideration for a team our size, the likelihood of periods towards the bottom of the Prem (or lower), must be built into any plans? We have invested heavily in the playing side, having exciting, attacking talent from home and abroad, have only lost one home game in the last three months, yet still there are no signs that demand for tickets significantly outstrips supply.

He was poor against Leeds as well, but I agree, he must be wondering what he is doing here, as this must obviously feel like a step back for him. He's the sort of player that needs cleverly threaded through balls to run onto, plenty of players in the first XI that should be able to do that for him.

Agreed, no complaints about that at all. Should get pretty close to a full house for it.

It'dll be double that. I expect him to be back, but it's unfortunately really poor preparation for such a big game.

Ah good point, yep Mayuka has played and scored against top-level European oppossition. So players from the top flight in Italy x 2, Holland and England on top of that.

Well we bought plenty of players with "top division" experience, Davis, Yoshida, Ramirez, Boruc, so I assume you are happy with our transfer policy?

I didn't say he had to be a goal ace? Has he been creating tons of chances that Lallana and Lambert haven't been putting away? When the game has been tight and we've needed something out of nothing (which is what I thought he was all about), he hasn't come up with the goods so far. I can obviously see that lad's got a great touch and has plenty of potential, just right now we need more than that. I look at the signings of Ramirez, Rodrigues and Mayuka and think we've spent over £20m on attacking potential.

Just thought your obssession with buying players with Premier League experience misdirected, which is still the case. As I've always said, we should have focused our resources on centre backs, a left back and a keeper, we didn't and have paid the price.

Exactly. For the amount we've paid for him, we need him to make a difference in tight games, nick points and wins for us where we might not otherwise get them - he looks a fair way off doing that so far.

Regardless, "The Committee" ballsed up this summer.