Lighthouse

Here's a stat for you - we've scored one goal at St Mary's on a Saturday this year.

So we're still playing that insufferable assault on the tympanic membrane then.

The cheer in the pub when Watford equalised.

I think it was a lot better than many of the blanks we drew last year. We played with tempo and intent and the game was far more entertaining as a spectacle than many of last years performances. Even down to the basics, like putting Boufal on when we needed a goal instead of f**king Pied, we looked much better. On another day we'd have taken at least three of those chances. Gabbi, Tadic and Yoshida could probably have had double figures between them.

Wont happen and with good reason too, nowhere near enough hard work in those three. I'd be fairly sure of the team that started against Sevilla being used, with the possible exception of Yoshi.

Big is pretty much the most meaningless phrase in football. Try telling Liverpool they aren't as big as Man City or Chelsea and see what they say. It's just a generic term used to cover trophies won in the past, stadium capacity, size of the city, wealth of the owner, recent league position, famous past players etc. depending on who happens to be arguing.

Does help that we hadn't actually had one for about 15 years until last season. Beat Leeds opening day in the Championship if that's any consolation.

I'd vote for total silence whenever he scores a goal. Granted people tend to forget themselves in such circumstances but it would be by far the most effective message IMO.

Pretty obvious he was bluffing I'd have though, there's no way a manager wouldn't have heard about a player who's name is all over the press as signing. Also in that video MP says, "welcome, NOW I can say it," or words to that effect. Suggests to me they had been in contact for a while previously.

Been wrestling with a chant too, I'm not sure mine will catch on. Bismillah! No, we will not let you go (Lemina!) Bismillah! We will not let you go (Lemina!) Bismillah! We will not let you go (Lemina.) Will not let you go (Lemina.) Will not let you go. (Lemina.) Ahhhhhhhhhhh No, no, no, no, no, no, no (Oh mario, Oh mario) Oh Mario, let me go Beelzebub has a Virgil put aside for me, for me, for meeeeeee!

Well... Cheers, mods you can lock this now. G'night all!

You'd have to assume one of these two players is leaving. Clasie would be the more obvious candidate but it wouldn't be beyond the realms of possibility for Hoj, his agent or Saints to decide the Premier League isn't really for him and ask for a move. It happened with Juanmi and a few others.

It was crap nine times out of ten, high, slow and easily defended. In fact I can only remember one actual goal, a last minute winner from Tessem. He didn't get the hang of it until he went to Stoke. Anyway, welcome to Saints Mario!

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Well okay then, 8/9 days. MLG would have been proud of that post. Fact is, for the 2 weeks wages he has just been fined, he could easily put a kid through private school, from year 7 until he's finished sixth form.

Giving his children the best start they can? You say that like they've been sent to work down the coal mines because the shilling and thruppence their father earns isn't enough to buy turnips. If I earned in a year what he does in a week at Saints, I could still afford to send my kids to an excellent private school.

I disagree. Yoshida, Stephens, Bednarek +1 is not enough, even if we do find a decent replacement for Virgil. If Bednarek is our Fonte replacement, we really are aiming low.

Don't agree at all with some of the, frankly demeaning comments about 'bird's and 'chicks' but I can't say I've changed my opinion in the last couple of years. I don't begrudge anyone the right to play but the standard of talent and general pace of the game is just too poor for me to be interested. Don't know anyone personally who has shown any interest in this tournament either.

... Other than to actually follow the correct procedure for when you want to leave a club. I've tried all the cloak and dagger tactics to walk out on my 6 year contract and still take my huge 'loyalty' bonus but the club wouldn't give in.

TBF that shot was a bit full backy - Perfect catching height and dead centre.

Actually if you swap the names of the clubs around that would pretty much make sense. Maybe he just got confused.

Can't see any deviation from yesterday's team, other than Bednarek for Yoshi if the latter is injured. Can't see Lemina starting, having never played with anyone before.

No but Clasie could well be off. Can't see us signing anybody without a departure being lined up. We've already got Boufal, Tadic, Redmond, JWP, Davis, Long and Sims hoping for a game in that position.

Some very encouraging build up and pressing play, although I still think we're a bit light at the back. If Yoshi is out next weekend we really will have a problem. Need another CB IMO, two if Virgil leaves. A few other thoughts: Gabbi playing one up front is definitely the way forward. He brings so much movement to our build up play and was a real nuisance making diagonal runs off the last man, something Austin lacks. Stephens had a good game. Tadic and Davis looked good too. Flannigan got forward well in his brief cameo, even got a shot away at one point. Can't remember anything from Long other than being offside. Can see why we bought Bednarek, good physical attributes and hair. Not a PL player yet though IMO.

We've had the pleasure of watching players like Shaw, Bale, Lallana, Walcott, AOC, Sims, Stephens, Surman and Chambers break into our first team and look like they have a bright future. Then there's the likes of Lloyd James, Simon Gillett and Martin Cranie when you just think.... mmmm okay then. That's how I feel watching Targett.