5string

Wales v Portugal semi-final It'll be touted as Bale v Ronaldo, but if Wales play like the team they were tonight, Portugal could be in for a tough match. Oh haha, look down below!

Robbie Savage has lost it!

Yikes, Shawcross twice, missed that! Thanks for spotting. Edited. I even wondered about including him once! Cahill is nowhere near my team - he is an oaf, as you say. So is Smalling, but he has time on his side and could reduce his oafishness. Dier in defence? Well, he's kind of 'hanging back' defensive midfield in this formation. Well, it is a relatively crap side (I appreciate your attempts at politeness haha!), but I realised the limitations of choice when I was trying to put it together.

Ok, my take on a possible way forward, although I'm no expert so polite [please] disagreement is acceptable I've gone for a fairly 'different' 2-3-2-3 formation - some might say it's 2-5-3, but I've gone for a defensive midfield option rather than 'attacking fullbacks', so they see themselves as more mobile midfielders - 2 wingers on each side, if you will, although they can 'squash in' if needed. The main thing is pace. They'll be like midges all over the opposition! I've chosen players to [vaguely] fit the system, with some 'impact' players as options (Carroll, Sterling). Limited choices, of course, as well as my very limited knowledge. No single playmaker, just a bunch of fellas who can play the ball and work as a team. Some positions/players interchangeable, before you start saying "he shouldn't be playing there." Total football. No automatic starters. Everyone earns their place in the system. They will leave their posh cars at home and take the train/Easyjet or cycle to training! No hotels, they'll stay in cheap accommodation/B&Bs with strict landladies - so they'll actually look forward to training as a relief. No stupid haircuts or goal 'celebrations'. They'll work hard, feel the passion and earn their places. No squad captain: instead, team captain for each match depending on starting 11. There are enough senior players & characters here to lead the rest. Probable starting 11: -----------------Forster----------------- ---------Smalling-----Shawcross------ Clyne-------------Dier------------Shaw -----------Alli------------Barkley------- Vardy------------Kane--------Sturridge Reserves: Hart (GK) Bertrand (D) Walker (D) Stones (D) Drinkwater (M) Albrighton (M) Noble (M) Sterling (F) Rashford (F) Welbeck (F) Carroll (F) Narrowly missing out/on call: Jagielka, Baines, Lallana, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Milner, Walcott Boom! Do I get the job?

Is Redmond more of a winger than an out-and-out striker? If so, he (& Tadic) would be better than Mane at feeding Pelle/JRod/Austin + whoever comes in to replace Mane. Hopefully Pelle will stay for at least one more season, high on his Euro performances. I love the comparison with Sterling!

We'd be Liverpool.

Bit small. Matches the 'Hart' shown by England, ba-da-boom Sorry, I'm going all 'Sun headline' atm.

He's not the Messiah, he's a very naughty boy!

Incommodious: I like that. Sounds like a toilet

That would have missed a 2nd goal

Why not ask Koeman? He said he's looking forward to working at Everton, so must be ready to move on for the right money!

If it's Claude Puel, does he not bear an uncanny resemblance to a possible Pardew/Adkins lovechild (notwithstanding scientific miracles, an' aw that)?

Maybe Sterling sulked and said he wouldn't play unless he started

I've heard about £3m, but not sure. Shame: good player who could have developed... but didn't. So, not good for Saints or PL then! Wish him well back in Spain. Hope he doesn't do a 'Pogba' on us.

I voted for FDB but have read he doesn't want to manage us. Can I change my mind? Don't want anyone who doesn't rate us. Or is my knee jerking so much I'm in danger of blacking my own eye?

This article reads well. To me, it sounds like it's saying the club is bigger than the individual & that approach is supported by Les Reed. Also suggests we should continue to modernise our approach as a club (and as fans?) by not expecting such loyalty as in the past, mainly due to money and business now being the greater influence (despite attempted FFP guidelines). https://archersroad.wordpress.com

You're probably right about Le Saux regaining some form. I think my area of disappointment is the amount of time they spent wth us.

Graeme le Saux & Jamie Redknapp. Thought we showed vague ambition by signing 2 'big' names (ok, GLS was a swap for Wayne Bridge, though I was disappointed to lose the excellent WBridge). Wish we'd never bothered. Both treated us like a retirement/care home!

Well, on a personal front I'm sorry Palace lost. But more importantly, for Saints, I'm glad Utd won - group stages for us. Jolly good!

Even if we 'only' go into the Europa group stages, we have a much stronger squad than last year - assuming we keep most of our season-ending squad. Should do better. Oh, Utd just scored. 2-1.

Fantastic day! All results went our way. Well done, Saints. Thank you, Stoke! Europe again. Excellent!

I wasn't far wrong. Glad I was wrong about the WHam result, though Currently 5th, probably 6th depending on ManU/Bourne ultimatum.

10-man Newcastle. hehe

Er, no it isn't.

Everton not a big enough club?