Saint_DB

I don't get the "lallana can't shoot" comments. Did you forget those two incredible volleys that so nearly went in? They were class. It was his decision-making in a pressure one-on-one situation that let him down today, and not for the first time this season. Technically brilliant but a more experienced player wouldn't have tried anything fancy at 1-1 with 5 mins to go in a derby game. Gutted at the time, still a bit down but it's not the end of the world. We have done so well to get this far, let's not forget!!

I was having this chat with an impartial mate the other day. I always thought Carroll was a fairly one-dimensional player that only scores headers after a ball's been lumped in the box, which is one of the reasons why he has struggled at Liverpool because they're not pinging it in from the wings every attack. Don't get me wrong, Lambert does it as well but he has more facets to his game, and he suits our style of play much better. He is much better on the ball, his link up play is sublime at times and we all know what he can do from the penalty spot. Carroll is young, and yes we have only seen him in League One and the Championship and not the Prem but I'm not sure he will develop into the kind of player Rickie is now. If Rickie was three years younger, far more Prem clubs would be sniffing around him. Rickie all day long.

must be one hell of a stutter in the run-up!

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think you can draw a comparison with cricket, where I think it's allowable to grow a wicket which is advantageous towards a particular style of play (batting pitches and bowling pitches, etc) but only up to a certain point. After that point, if it is too hard, too soft or too green the wicket becomes 'poor' and to a degree unsafe which is when teams get docked points for it. Isn't that what happens in football as well? Personally I think it's a perfectly legitimate tactic as long as you stay within what is safe.

I completely agree, there aren't many songs you can say "oh, that's [club's] song" because everyone uses the same song and tweaks it to fit their own club. Of course we will have OWTS but every club is using that now. Time to write an original!

It is obviously not just a Southampton thing, and obviously not just an English thing - just saw Milan fans on tv streaming out of the San Siro 5-10 minutes before FT with their team gallantly holding Barcelona to a 0-0 draw.

Anyone have any idea of how many tickets have been sold already? More to the point, will there be any left for GS on Wednesday? It is quite a large allocation.

I have never left earlier than FT. 1 - The players work very hard to please us and deserve my attention during the game and my recognition at FT. 2 - I have paid for 90 minutes, so I will watch it. 3 - I am scared I will miss a goal either way, which could make for an important and tense final period. Having said that, during one game in League One last season I actually waited for the HT whistle to go for a pasty. The queue was so long I missed two goals by Saints in the first two minutes of the second half. I think one was from Jose Fonte, but I can't remember who it was against!

Great win today, marching on together as one. Never really in doubt. Even in the first half when Doncaster had their fair share of the ball we never really looked like conceding (bar the Diouf attempt, great block). We stayed patient, played our game and eventually the chances came. I have to say I thought the only player that was below par today was Butterfield, and you could really sense Richardson's absence, particularly with crossing as Richardson-Lambert has become a Saints staple goal this season. Butterfield got in some good positions but his crossing let him down today and I feel Lambert could have had a bigger impact if Richardson was on the pitch. SDR was OK, his strength is his pace and that caused Ilunga problems but again his crosses and decisions need improvement. Chaplow helped control the game at SDR's expense and I can understand that because of the way SDR plays - much more attacking and that lends itself to losing the ball more easily. Sharp had a great game. I knew at half time that he would score at least one, he was by far our best player in the first half IMO. Always in a good position, worked hard and showed some nice link up play. You could tell he was really up for this game. Very impressed with him. Hopefully he can put together a string of performances like today while Guly and Tadanari are out. COYR, we can do this!