Lighthouse

You can dress it up however you like, our away form is dreadful and we need to improve it if we are serious about automatic promotion. Look how awesome we were at home last season and we still got pushed all the way by Huddersfield. If someone like Leeds, Cardiff or Boro turns it on in the second half of the season, even winning every home game (practically impossible) may not be enough. It's not doom and gloom at the moment. We're top of the league because of our home form and winning those first two away games at Ipswich and Barnsley. Our away form NEEDS to improve if we are to stay at the top.

It's not the league possition people are concerned about, it our relegation form away from home. 1 win in 7 I think now Donny - Lost Bristol - Lost Coventry - Won Reading - Drew Derby - Drew Cardiff - Lost Burnley - Drew Leicester - Lost This isn't a knee jerk reaction, we've been poor away from home since we beat Ipswich way back in August.

It doesn't matter who you have out wide if the only striker is Guly. I wouldn't blame todays performance on them as such, but I don't think Lallana has been the same since his injury. Give Holmes a shot, see if he can prove himself and have Guly and Lallana coming off the bench. If we're going to judge De Ridder on games he has started, lets at least judge him on games when the whole teams wasn't complete sh*t, i.e. Donny and Palace.

Let's hope Rickie is fit for this one. We miss him badly every time he is out. I'll be bold and go with: Davis Richardson - Fonte - Hooiveld - Fox De Ridder - Cork - Morgan - Holmes Barnard - Lambert

Are you suggesting this one goal proves his worth? It's his 2nd league goal this season.

That thought did cross my mind, although it's pretty trivial really. We just need someone who can hold the ball up well and win it in the air. Guly cannot play as the lone striker. Anyone who was at Swindon would have seen he just can't hold the ball up and do the work on his own. I'd have started with Barnard and Guly, but even that wouldn't have worked too well IMO. We need a big lad in January.

Yes, there was loads of harm done. Leeds, Brighton and Blackpool have all closed in on us, with Boro and Cardiff still to play. You're deluded if you think we're in a 2 horse race for the title.

It just wouldn't be Saints if we didn't go up North, freeze our tits off and get beaten by a crap team who haven't won at home all season. We really do miss Lambert horribly. I can't say for certain that was the case today, but when we lost at Palace and beat Swindon we looked terrible going forwards. Same in the past when we lost to Plymouth and Gillingham (both of whom went on to get relegated)

West Ham have lost. About the best thing we can say about today.

Burnley!!

Yes, we came back to win against Coventry, but they were dreadful and we did throw away a 2-0 lead. This is our form since we lost our first game away to Leicester. Yes we won our first 2 away games of the season, but that scarecely seems relevant after 1 win in our last 7.

How can we be so bad away from home? Bristol - Lost, terrible Coventry - Threw it away at 2-0 up Reading - Drew, completely out played Palace - Only our reserves, but still awful Derby - Drew Cardiff - Lost. Didn't turn up for 70 mins Burnley - Drew. Didn't turn up for 70 mins. Swindon - Won. Leicester - Lost. Didn't turn up until half time.

Ah bummer.

Jutck... Jutkevi.... That Saints lad scores at Fratton. Burnley at it too!! :D:D

We are Southampton, we're top of the league... on goal difference.

Just been for a sh*t. Not sure if it will prove lucky or not, but it was certainly nescessary.

Leicester equalise. Would probably prefer a Hull win there.

Booooo Skates winning. I swear they have a sh*t team at home EVERY week.

Away wins all round would be nice, except for Boro and Leicester.

Glad I didn't go today, would have been the third minutes applause for Speed. I'd have no arms left. Is that link working for anyone yet?

Holland, Denmark, Portugal, Germany; Group of death there. Even more fun for the Police. Shouldn't have too much trouble with Ukraine, Sweden and France. Shouldn't.

Group A going to be by far the easiest.

Poles vs Czechs Danes vs Dutch At least the Police wont get bored.

It's a cruel business really. Most of the top players have been obsessed with playing for as long as they've been able to walk. After 35 years of nothing but training and playing matches, suddenly everything stops. I guess to some life must seem empty and pointless.