Lighthouse

I personally see it as Rooney, Sturridge, Welbeck +1 up front. The latter could go the rest of the season without scoring and still get in probably. The main candidates for the other spot would be Lambert, JRod, Defoe and Carroll and the 2 Saints lads are definitely in pole position at the moment.

Just what the doctor ordered. Thought Shaw, Lallana, Morgan and JRod were superb. No real poor performances, fair play to Gazza and Yoshi on a decent game too. Saints in no-mans land in the Premier League, in the middle of a 12 points space between 8th and 10th.

Playing most of the game with 10 men must be pretty tiring for Everton, with all of 2 days recovery time. Good for us but it will still be a pretty tough ask.

Top English scorers in the Premier League at the moment Rooney - 9 Sturridge - 9 JRod - 8 Lambert - 6 Welbeck - 5 Lallana - 4 Lampard - 4 I know JRod was pretty poor against Chile but you could say that about most of the experienced England players. I'd say the way he is playing he has earned another go against Denmark in the friendly in March. As a side note, Ashley Cole is playing his first Premier League match since 2nd November. Will Roy stick with him if he isn't playing regularly or could young Luke be in with an outside chance?

I never understood how Yoshi suddenly became a villain after one poor performance but he has done alright so far. Distribution poor but that's down to match practice I think. He reads the game excellently and makes excellent, well timed challenges. Hopefully he can build on that first half, Gazza too. He has looked much better that in previous games.

I'd say this is pretty much the excuse Tan needs to sack MM. I'm a little disappointed hearing Saints fans singing, "sacked in the morning," personally I think he deserves the support of fans across the country for what he has had to put up with.

61% possession. Cardiff can deliver a decent ball with Noone and Wittingham but we look much better in possession.

Wow! Wish I'd gone to this

JRod for England!!!!

JRod!!!! :D

Good build up by Lallana, JRod couldn't quite get on the end of a through ball.

Huge let off.

Saints line up with Gazza, Chambers, Fonte, Yoshida, Shaw, Cork, Morgan, Davis, Lallana, JRod and Lambert COYR!!

No.

Well, he has played one game and made a mistake so your logic is faultless. However, I think most statisticians would take issue with the sample size of your data.

In 2004 we had all our strikers and all our 'keepers injured for a brief period. Ended up with Best and Blackstock up front and Keller on loan in goal.

If Gazza looks more capable in training, what makes you think Cropper will be better in a first team game? We shouldn't compromise a young lad's career by chucking him in when he isn't ready in some wild attempt to appease a short term injury crisis. We shouldn't have given Davis a new contract and should have signed someone better in summer. It's done now though so no point in moaning about it.

It does put the calls to start Cropper into perspective though. The professional coaches who train them every day have clearly decided Gazza > Unfit Kelvin > Cropper. Clearly Gazza is the best we have at the moment. He may be a liability but there isn't much we can do until the January sales start. I believe Debenhams' are doing 40% keepers.

Nobody at the club has said Clyne and Davis were back, it was just media speculation. Lovren isn't injured he has a bug. Possibly the same one Shaw had. Let's be positive, the back for are all decent players, it's just Gazza I'm worried about.

Team sheets are in: Shaw is back but Lovren out. Oh s**t! Yoshida in

Do you believe: a) We have good depth in our squad and injuries to first team players wont affect the team's performance. b) The majority of our strongest 11 are fit enough to start 45 games a season c) We should rest our best players for half a dozen League games and the points lost in doing so aren't important.

Just over a week until the January sales open. I think recent results have shown up a few holes in our squad. Hopefully the powers that be have some ideas lined up already. I think we need to look at 'keeper - Boruc is the only one I regard as being Prem quality. I'd get someone else in and loan Gazza out. LB - Not just cover, someone good. We can't expect a teenager to play 38 games a season. AM - Our bench is lacking someone to come on and change the game. Having said that we should be looking at players better than we have. The CB situation I think can wait till summer. Personally I still think Yoshi is a decent player, just lacking match practice. Begin suggesting random Slovenian teenagers who are good on FM13.

If Hooiveld isn't Prem quality, Martin certainly isn't. The latter was a bit part player in our promotion who made the occasional appearance due to injuries, whilst the former was arguably our player of the season.

Correct.

Creative, but at no point did I say every League game. Even 5 games with the reserves is too many with such a tight and competitive League.