Lighthouse

I could never work from home, it would drive me around the bend. Being stuck in the same building would start feeling like a prison in the end, no matter how nice my house was. Each to their own I guess, I know that's some people's idea of heaven, especially if they have kids.

We've got some very mongy Saints fans who are allowed to post on here, don't see how a few well reasoned rival fans could be any worse. Let them in I say.

Ferkin' brilliant result. A win tomorrow puts us second, with games in hand on everyone below us. COYS etc.

Did the fan get a minutes applause at Molyneux and signed Saints shirt auctioned in his honour? My thoughts too. Bit of an insult to the other Posh fans who die and don't even get a mention.

I can't see how anyone would want a draw over a Dons win. Posh are a waaaaaay bigger threat to second place than Dons are. Posh are 4 points ahead with a game in hand, much better GD and are playing superbly. I hope Dons trash them and it has a similar effect to Bompey's defeat at Exeter.

I thought the guy on the left was playing the banjo in that screne shot. Wasn't until I looked the third time I realised it was a flagpole and a circle on his T-shirt.

Think we should play Martin instead of Jaidi for this one. Unless BWP has changed massively, he will be fairly quick and as good as a chicken in the air.

Well if he helps keep Pompey out, that suits me fine.

I'd say your best bet is to ring the ticket office now and order one. If you can't pick it up today or tomorrow morning, they will send it up on the bus with the Travel club and you can pick it up at The Valley, which is what I'm doing. I said a win was long over due didn't I? So what you're saying is if we win tomorrow night, we're pretty much guaranteed promotion? Good stuff.

Well. I've had a good laugh checking out where you all live.

Current form would suggest a Charlton win completely out of the blue is the most likely outcome. We don't have a great record at the valley, can't remember the last time we won there. 1-1 draw last season 0-0 the year before 1-1 the year before 0-0 our last season in the Prem 2-1 defeats in the 2 consecutive seasons before that. 1-1 the 2 consecutive years before that 5-0 defeat 2 years before that (The 'Great Escape' season when they went down) ... basically we haven't won at the valley in over 20 years, I got bored of looking. Long overdue methinks.

Just seen the highlights and Lamberts goal shows exactly why we need Barny on the pitch. Running, bullying, good awareness and he set up Ricky brilliantly.

Everyone talks about Fonte, Lallana, Rickie and Morgan being our key players and talk about how we would struggle without them, but I think Barnard is being overlooked a bit here. His work rate up front and excellent finishing have been the difference in a lot of tough games. Looking back at some of our worst performances and results this season, it would seem Barnard has only started 3 of them, highlighted in bold. Walsall 1-0 defeat Hartlepool 0-0 draw Carlisle 1-0 win Tranmere 2-0 defeat Notts Co 0-0 draw Brentford 2-0 defeat Carlisle 3-2 defeat Huddersfield 2-0 defeat MK Dons 2-0 defeat Swindon 1-0 defeat Rochdale 2-0 defeat Swindon 3-0 defeat Plymouth 1-0 defeat Infact Walsall is the only game we've lost under Adkins when Barnard started.

Just booked my tickets. Last time I went to the valley we drew 1-1 under Pearson, looking forward to going again. Managed to get train tickets for £29 return from Bristol.

In all seriousness though, I'd hope Gadaffi realises the game is up here. If it comes to a military conflict, I won't be putting any money on Libya.

Last season's Colchester and Swindon were better than Dons and Orient are now. Impossible to prove that either way mind so... meh.

I'd say last season was tougher TBH. Other than Posh going on a rampage at the moment, there's really that much quality in the League. Saints are hit and miss, but seem to be matching the top teams for results. Don't forget last season we had Swindon, Millwall, Leeds and Norwich at the top and only the 10 points deduction stopped Saints from being right in the mix. This season we could have Dons or Orient in the playoffs. 'Nuff said.

This is turning into an incredibly irritating afternoon. Was off next weekend, but will be working over the bank holiday weekend.

That's what I thought earlier when people were saying, "another year in League 1". Even if we can't beat Posh, and personally I don't think we will, I'd fancy our chances against any of Orient, Franchise, Udders or Bompey. Anyway, let's not panic yet. There will be plenty more twists in this season. Posh look good at the moment, but you don't go winning 5-0 for 10 games on the trot. They will come unstuck at some point.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/12735013.stm They must be desperate. I'll bet Almunia is delighted.

I'm not the one saying we struggle when Morgan is missing. I just pointed out that winning 3 out of 3 (or 4) isn't exactly struggling. Conversely at the start of the season, after Pardew left, we went 5 consecutive games without a goal and Schneiderlin played every minute. We weren't all on here saying, "Schneiderlin is crap" because there are other factors at play. In that case, not having a manager.

When you have to take one of your central midfielders off after 4 minutes, it's going to create a problem whoever it is. Especially as Hammond and Chaplow were already on the pitch and we had to bring on Guess to replace him, who is a completely different player. Besides, from what people have said on here we had chances, but didn't finish any of them off at Walsall. Or you can take everything at face value, in which case it's still 3 wins and a defeat. 2.25 points per game without Morgan, compared to 1.73 before Morgan got injured.

When carrying out a statistical analysis, you ignore anomalies.

We've won all 3 games since Morgan got injured, scoring 8 without conceding. Poor form I know, but it could be a lot worse.

Let's just dare to suppose we did get promoted, after an 8-8 draw with Posh at Wembley in the playoff final and a nerve biting 11-10 penalty shoot out win in which every smoker and/or lard arse in Southampton is killed by a massive infarction. So who would you keep next season? My $0.02: 'Keepers: Bart - In Forecast - Out Kelvin - Undecided(getting on a bit, hardly commanding at this level) Defenders: Harding - In Richardson - In Fonte - In Martin - In Mills - In Would be my first choice NPC LB in all honnesty. Jaidi - Out Butters - Undecided Good enough for the top of NPC? Seaborne - Undecided I don't particularly rate him at this level if I'm honnest. Dickson - Undecided Never understood that singing at all. We bought him in, then farmed a much better player out on loan to the League above us. Midfield Lallana - In If he wants to stay AOC - In As above Morgan - In I really don't think Prem teams will be fighting over him, regardless of how highly some posters rate him. Chaplow - In Hammond - In Holmes - Out Just too injured Forte - Undecided Haven't seen all that much of him. Gobern - Undecided Been flirting with the first team for a few years, but really needs to start making an impact. Strikers Lambert - In A decent pre season should get him fit again. Barnard - In Connolly - Out Guly - Undecided He wont be sold having only just signed, but I'm not convinced yet