melmacian_saint

Also Michael Turner and Bradley Johnson are the weak links, so we should be speeding our game through the middle.

More like a dodgy dribble from Lallana.

Does he hate us because we're southern?

I don't think there's been a clearer penalty in the last 1.5 years that wasn't given.

Just take a shot adam!!

Great save, made himself massive there.

I'd expect the opposite to happen more often TBH.

Bit worried that Wanyama is too tactically forward looking today to be our holding midfielder.

If this is to happen then this idea that is ingrained in our youth setup that any player who is either not tall, burly, incredibly pacey or can run for 90 minutes at his top is not good enough has to end. How many talented youngsters have been denied at chance in our clubs because of this decandent ideology?

Seen this guy a few times back home. Reasonable in the Portuguese League, but very far from PL level. Porto have a massive wage list under their wings and every last days of the transfer market about a dozen goes out on loan. Probably just trying to raise general awareness of their availability/increasing bargaining power. It's a well-known tactic of their own.

Sour grapes for not being good enough. I'm also sure that players at Ajax or PSV (maybe some of his own team mates for that matter) aren't driving around in Seat Ibizas or VW Polos. I also think he is quite hasty in his generalisations. From what I gather most Saints players do genuinely look to be into cars (judging by Gaston's import), and our club is not really one full of prima-donnas (nor does it indulge them into being one).

Or maybe we should have beaten Reading to the title? NA's level is probably just below the kind of team Reading are. Mid-table championship, possibly looking upwards but certainly not promotion challengers.

Good business from the club IMO.

I suppose it's good money for smaller clubs who struggle make ends meet, and a cup run is always a good way of changing the depressing dynamic that their day-to-day reality offers. For us, it was more about the moral boost to the revival effort. We needed to show some short-term evidence of what we were about, and the JPT, even if irrelevant today, was a clever part of the process.

They do seem to be short of a striker. Maybe they've got a signing whose fee is depends on them getting into the group stage, and Billy is only a back-up option (or he is the actual main option and they're waiting to see if the maths do add up).

Out of curiosity how do the team usually travel to most games? I would say anything in or below the Midlands we use the bus/train, but travel by plane to anything north of that?

How much of the 10% development fee do we actually get? It's meant to be for any club that he played for aged 12 to 23 years old. Given that we only had him for half, does that mean only 5%? So 4.55 million? A really good sell-on fee for the LEFT-BACK that we had, it would be catastrophic if it were for the winger he is (but never was for us, or for half of his time at Tottenham).

I would probably start Gazzaniga over Kelvin for this one. He needs to start getting games again.

First we moan about lack of depth in the squad, then it's all about cashing in on elements that provide it. I know we're all desperate for more transfer market movements but at least stick to possible targets!

Went there in 2009. Great country, outstanding wild beauty and very welcoming. Would go back anytime! Actually loved Christchurch and was heartbroken when the 2nd earthquake came along I would really like to experience life down there if I had the chance in the future!

Ahh Iceland, that miracle story of a country with the population of Southampton. Any comparison is impossible, and it's much easier to assist, say, a full SMS of affected customers at the expense of sending loads of international customers to hell (including some of our public institutions), something this country just could not do. In fact, given our joint-sovereign status and the way other EU countries dealt with it, and also our role in the world banking industry I think our solution was not on the wrong. Plus our banks are good enough to be sold at a profit, I would like to think.

It's one thing to walk down on an evening with -3ºC after the snowiest day of the year down in the city through slippery paths full of ice which the dark can't reveal to watch Everton. Do the same to watch Bristol City, or Huddersfield? Not so much.

I think Fonte and Yoshida are about the same level to be honest.

Great start. We looked experienced out there and with loads of class. Wanyama and Lovren I think are too very wise and good additions to our starting 11. Based on what I saw Fonte and Yoshida can do a good job partnering Lovren. Thought everyone did well, but I'm still unconvinced about having Lallana as the captain, especially as Rickie's merits make him look like our real leader.

What a start to the season. His transfer is now firmly on its way to the become the best fee we've ever paid for a player! This season could stamp his place in Saints folklore forever. Great stuff. You don't see club legends emerging like this anymore around football.