Lighthouse

I thought Guly looked pretty poor and did very little today. 1 run and shot at the end of the first half was about the best of his contribution. I thought De Ridder looked better, but didn't really get much of the ball. If we play the ball in behind and on the ground, he can rip them apart. Today there was a lot of aimless hoofing.

Okay, now I've calmed down a bit that was probably a fair result based on that game. Pompey played absolutely out of their skins and scored 2 crackers, even if both were terribly marked. They don't, can't and won't play anywhere near that tempo every week. Teams always raise their game for a local derby, this was never going to be one sided. We are still top. Aside from the hows and the whys, we are top and have a 5 game season with a 4 point head start. We can still do this. We were crap at Blackpool and local derbies are always a lottery. Lambert didn't look fit, but we have Sharp in amonst the goals and I think those 2 and Barnard have enough in them to win games.

I feel sick.

I'm going to be sick

Gordon Bennett our deliveries have been crap today.

I'm not one of the Guly bashers normally, but Christ alive he was nowhere near McGuire when he scored. A great strike yes, but he had all the time and space in the world. Terrible tracking back. I'll stay possitive though, we looked the better side and I'd be surprised if the Skates can keep up that tempo for 90 minutes. I'm not saying it will be easier, but hopefully we can calm down, start passing and get them on the ropes. I'd bring on De Ridder for Guly, who has done very little in the first half. Maybe not straight away but after 60 minutes or so.

Erm. Yeah, but it's not though is it. Being a (fairly) young'n I'm not quite so hot on which trophy was called what 30 years ago, but regardless of the name it's still the second tier of English foobtall. Winning the league this year wont put us up there with the 80s Liverpool teams etc.

More than likely Livepool, only to get fired after 4 months in charge because they're midtable. After that he will probably end up propping up a team like Villa or Fulham for a couple of years.

Puncheon has been largely ineffective since his return and has been frozen out of some of the tougher games, like the trip to Leeds. I think I might actually start Barnard tomorrow ahead of Guly, who can also go missing quite often, and Sharp, who hasn't really done it yet. I don't think he is a red card waiting to happen. Other than one wreckless challenge at the start of last season (Swindon in the JPT was it?) I can't remember him doing too much wrong.

I think the most annoying thing about finishing behind Reading would be the fact that I work with a Reading fan. He is the only other football fan in the whole building. He couldn't support Coventry or Port f**king Vale, oh no it had to be Reading.

And here, ladies and gentlemen, is the scenario whereby you can go top of the league with 5 games left and still walk away from St Mary's feeling like you've just been slapped.

Barnsley would need to win, which would put us 9 points clear. If Barnley drew it would only be 8, so we'd need 3 wins from the last 5 in that scenario.

To me winning the Championship is being the 21st best team in England. If we won we'd be up there with the likes of QPR and Wolves as the winners of NpC/Division 1. There's no big day out at Wembley, no cup final, no big prize money. Just a small trophy and a table which says 1. Southampton 2. Reading. As I said, it would be great to win it... for about a week. After that it just comes down to HCDAJFU next season, away days you're looking forward too, extar TV money for the club etc. etc.

I'm the same really. Would be great to win the league, but who really gives a hoot in the ling run. Not too many Seagul fans on here talking about "champion-ese!!" any more, even though they won L1 last year.

Only 4 minutes out, not bad. Just have to pray Barnsley can pull off a miracle and hope we don't f**k up tomorrow.

I'm not watching it. I've got Sky, but it will kill me desperately clinging to the hope of Leeds getting a result, only to see Reading snatch an 88th minute winner and go top. Watching a repeat of Midsomer Murders instead.

There were some when the ref was walking off, but quite immediately on the HT whistle. You're probably right, it just seemed like their fans were getting frustrated towards the end of that half.

Boo's at half time at Reading.

Cornier than chicken sh*t, but I agree with the sentiment. COYR etc.!!

Wasn't it 1-1, then a Brum player got sent off and they scored from the resultant free kick. I'd suggest it was one of those 'swung on one moment' games which don't happen all that often. I think both Saints vs Brighton fixtures this season have shown how badly tits up it can go if you lose a man away from home.

I was absolutely devastated when I heard Westwood had p*ssed on one of our beloved seats. The poor Charlton fan who had to sit there next.

TBF, I think that's more of a 'birds in Magaluf' thing than a 'Wigan' thing.

As a neutral I'd have said a pretty clear win for all 3 teams. As a fan though you always fear your team will f**k up. I think it was around this time last year Norwich had a local derby against Ipswich. They won 5-1 and got promoted.

I can't seeing this being true somehow. You would have to be an absolute nut job to buy a ticket in the opposing end at any local Derby match. Even if a fairly large group of people did it and you were pretty hard, you'd still be outnumbered by a large majority.

For the sake of playing devil's advocate, there's no way he'd get a fair trial in a civilian court. At least in a military court he will be judged on actual evidence as opposed to public outrage and emotion.