Saint86

I agree cbez. Up and away is an over oppinionated no it all who clearly didn't watch the game. Their goal was due to clyne and punch ****ing around at right back and giving the ball away a few times in 1 min. They were two of our worst players first half along with Morgan. Fox was unlucky to be subbed but for whatever reason it was a good sub so fair Doom's to Nigel. Richardson was solid and clyne was inspired on the left allowing him to use his pace through the middle and cut inside at speed against slow turning mid fielders like a bloody rapier to their under belly. Who new he was good at left back. Also, the guy who said he was left footed above... who were u watching? It was noticeable that he stayed off his left foot and avoided using it. Morgan improved second half and puncheon is just an enigma. Can be so dangerous going forward but equally he can loose the ball just as much. His passing was average, his goal was a lucky reflection and the first goal was a massive error by him tbh. Loosing the ball for no reason by the side of the box. As I said poor first half. Lambert was also crack first half and looked off the pace. Lallana was hands down our best player, worked so hard, tackling back, beating their players at ease and great assist for the first goal. Ramirez was quality but still needs time to gel. And yoshida was solid. I actually think that jos may have trouble getting back in the team. Keeps being clumsy at this level and fonts was imperious today. For this who couldn't see the highlights or the game.. yoshi was good. Tall for a Jap, at least to my mind, very good in the air. Good control of the ball, confident in possession and a good passer. Also, our defence didn't look slow at any point today. And benteke, bent and abonglahor are not exactly slow. In midfield Davis was a literal beast. Worked hard, some good runs and passing and ran the show. Second half him and Morgan gave Gaston the time to pull the strings. Also can the idiots stop going on about Ramirez being signed as a right winger on other threads. As I've said on several threads and been lambusted for, he is going to be central attacking mid or left wing, with mayuka on the right... oh look. Isn't that what we played today? 12million to play him out of position.... ye right.

This doesn't exist, and has never existed. If it has then we have been failing for 100 years. Saints. win a league. Jesus, is that why alpine is always depressed...

FFS, GRam is not a right winger. What the hell is wrong withe people. He is going to play central mid behind the front 3 or left wing with the lallana in the midfield role. We have Puncheon and Mayuka as the right wingets and lallana and Guly can both play there. We are not paying a £12m for this lad to stick him out on the right Surely. I am like wtf everytime I read this. Nothing i have seen on him has been at right mid/wing.

He is not going to play right mid. He will play central attacking or left wing. How can we have had a massive thread on him, several videos and people not know where he will play.... hope he doesn't read this forum.

I agree mostly, however one point I take umbridge with is implying that our fans won't stay behind the team. They did at Wigan and man utd whenever we went behind. And frankly, listening to the arsenal game, all I could hear was saints fans aside from the 6 cheers by arsenal fans... we out sang them. I think the fans will be fine. The simple truth is... we owe most of the squad and the staff everything. 3 years ago we were at the abyss, Saturday we were at the emirates. Its a journey together, we can voice our opinion sure, but the negative selection on here seem to be a small minority in the wider world. And that is something to take positives from. By negative few I do not mean those who question our defenders and kelvin. Unless we are winning it is of right to question performances. I personally think the defends can hack it. I just think our tactics are wrong and I am waiting for Nigel to improve this aspect. I.e. Walcott's goal. The assisting arsenal player ran through our entire midi field without being followed. One pass, a shot, and a layoff and it was 6. Passer not pressed and runner not followed.... needs addressing. Our defenders couldn't follow every arsenal run, the full backs were always 2v1, and the midfield again did not press the passers. I really don't blame the defence. Also, kelvin needs to come out more. The near post goal he didn't close down at all and gave geranimo the entire goal to shoot at. His confidence is dropping and his performances are 2. I never thought he would be a top pre keeper but on form he can hold his own. So play up super kelv, we need u!

May be my memory, but didn't we finish 8th just before this under hoddle. Don't know what u call heading for relegation

I agree Adrian (unlike your penalty claim the other night ) Nigel is clearly a gem and he is Nicola's man through and through. I don't think he'd go if we got relegated even. Unless we didn't put up a brave fight. And the obvious point is that Nicola is stubborn as an ox and hates the media messing with the club. Media say sack Adkins....... Nicola is likely to do what... unless we are on course to do a derby Adkins is safe for me. He is young and learning all the time, and clearly a damn good coach. These morons who want him out are just that... morons.

It strikes me that much fun can be had pretending to be pol posters on this thread. If they really are that fascist that they are banning people that step out of line or appear to be saints... if you have a pol login. Time to start play acting

Mike bassets on the arsenal thread think we signed him as right mid. No ****ing clue tbh. He's playing as CAM or LW and we will swap AL and GR between those 2 positions until we see what works best.

No, you suggested that great penalty takers are never shoot down the middle. Owned yourself twice there :-) England must have a bad effect on you

Pirlo?

Travesty that Lambert and lallana can't even get a cap with crap like well beck, cleverly and Bertrand get on. What a joke. Reminded me y I hate watching England. Who are we kidding. As a nation, we are ****. Fans and pundits generally have no clue. No wonder club football is more important than England. Actually involves flair. **** me, watching this is 2 hours I will never get back.

It had better b proper red and white stripes. Not this semi pink ******** that forest used to wear!!! On a serious note. Congrats to Adam and a good touch by him to mention saints academy. A true captain in the making. Since he has been called up I am surprised Lambert is not there. Sturridge is out as is Walcott. Very thin on me ground and he as the bet Englishman on pitch vs united... or is hod son blind?

Come on dude, seriously. Just stamp prat on your forehead. You offered nothing to the conversation, spouted nothing but mildly racial discrimination and gave bugger all debate. Attacking spelling on this forum. I'm actually embarrassed that you're English right now.

Not sure If this has already been posted on here (can't search for some reason), however it may be of general interest for some and gives player stats, football manager style, for the opening 3 games. Interesting from saints perspective is that we cover more ground than any other team both in total and on 2 occasions and the same again for Morgan vs other players. Lays to bed any questions about our overall fitness... although whether we need a bit more to keep the pressing going for 90 minutes is another question. Either way it highlights what a good coach Nigel is for this aspect of pre season. Also worth noting is Lambert comes 4th on the chances created per match stats... clearly more than just a goalscorer and he played less than half a game vs city. Also lallana is mister unlucky in relation to shots without a goal, 2nd only to bale. Clearly more to come from Adam then! I think all in all these are some promising numbers. Enjoy, and sorry again if someone has already posted this as it is from the 3rd September. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2197890/Premier-League-season-far.html

Not sureIf this has already been posted on here (can't search for some reason), however it may be of general interest for some and gives player stats football manager style for the opening 3 games. Interesting from saints perspective is that we cover more ground than any other team both in total and on 2 occasions and the same again for Morgan vs other players. Lays to bed any questions about our overall fitness... although whether we need a bit more to keep the pressing going for 90 minutes is another question. Either way it highlights what a good coach Nigel is for this aspect of per season. Also worth noting is Lambert comes 4th on he chances created per match stats... clearly more than just a goalscorer and he played less than half a game vs city. Also lallana is mister unlucky in relation to shots without a goal, 2nd only to bale. Clearly more to come from Adam then! I think all in all these are some promising numbers. Enjoy, and sorry again if someone has already posted this as it is from the 3rd September. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2197890/Premier-League-season-far.html

Why do people think GRam will replace puncheon at right wing? Nothing I have seen about him suggest we would use him thus. He plays left wing or CAM. personally I think it is interesting that we signed him and put lallana out wide again. I see him and AL playing CAM and LW between them until we see what is the most effective as a team. With that in mind... Davis Clyne......yoshi....jos......fox/Shaw Morgan........Davis Ramirez Puncheon.........................Lallana Lambert Subs - Fonte,mayuka,Richardson,Lee, JWP,JayRod,Gazza That may not be spot on for the starting team depending on whether we risk the debutants, but after 2 weeks I would expect them to play. We may start with A more defensive midfield 3 but with the players we have now and the fact that we can't defend I would like to see us go attacking and have punch, lallana and GRam all playing together.

Didn't he play left back at times? Or has my memory gone to pot?

Also we build from the back. Hence the penalty....

Wasn't Lambert one of his very first signings?

Just back from the game. Was gutted but traffic has given me some perspective. It comes down to bad subs. Adkins first real mistake, but he will learn. Lambert was tired so I understand that change. I also feel that fresh legs were required but the introduction of Guly was bad. Did nothing and all confidence was gone. We lost all our attacking threat. And y was jayrod not played as centre forward with the new guy out on the left where he has played before. Very strange that we would play the pacey short dude as a target man over our stand in number 9 for Lambert. we ran out of ideas with this 3 off the pitch like the 3kick that we just rushed at the end. I think the big issue was the bench. No one to really sure up the back or midfield with. That will not be the issue when yoshi can play and cork is fit. It was a gutting defeat to be sure, and we can't afford many more of these slips. However, a lot of positives in that we had them on the ropes and played some cracking stuff. Again mistakes (Clyne this time) have cost us and this needs to be addressed. Also the people who slam Adkins' need to bare in mind that we outplayed united for 80min. Promising signs from punch, Adam, Lambert, Davis, Morgan and jwp who were all superb. I do not understand y fox plays so tight to the cb which allows the winger to overlap him and get in behind. He always does it so I'm assuming that NA wants him to play that way. Very narrow. Maybe to counter the goals scored by Sandro and tevez? I think we will be okay still, but we are making it hard for ourselves! We shall improve though and we are having a steep learning curve which will only benefit us after the arsenal game.

Right, so u needed proof of that. Lol!!!

They also sold Dempsey for £6m - spurs have one of the deals of the season there.

Le tissier and Keegan instantly spring to mind. And Gaston Ramirez didn't snub tottenham's contract offer at any point. Carry on...

Makes your fullbacks look ****e?