melmacian_saint

That can't happen. He signed a new contract with us, hence if he was to sign for United we would have to get a fee like in a normal transfer. Just like our previous academy starlets.

The captaincy has distracted him from his football. Has tried to make something spectacular and as a consequence has had an underwhelming season. I for one expected more, putting this game aside where nothing or no-one worked. Too many twists and turns, most times creating good spaces to hand out a pass/cross/assistance or even try a shot, but instead has kept his head down and went for another flick, usually loosing possession. Hasn't even tried to shoot like he did last season, given his left peg is one of his main attributes doesn't help if he does not try a shot.

I very much dislike this usual Fonte-Hooiveld in the same bag situation. Fonte was not playing badly when he got injured, and did not have Boruc behind him and yet Yoshi and him were having really good displays. In fact, if it wasn't for keeper mistakes we would've probably got something more out of good defensive displays such as Fulham away or Norwich or Swansea at home. Hooiveld however has seen the team at their best and yet has looked out of place. Sure, when we scored three those mistakes went unnoticed, but they were still happening! Suarez would've probably scored from that pathetic trip. Even against Chelsea he had several positional hesitances that would've got punished in most games (and in fact did with Terry's goal). Fonte showed that not only he was of PL standard, he was also a good captain, perhaps even better than Lallana. And it's funny people say he was to blame at the beginning of the season, when in fact the goal v. Wigan came because Hooiveld decided to play cone as the pass to Di Santo went less than inches past him, forcing Fonte to come and cover a player who was in fact being watched out by Jos himself!! Same with the Van Persie 3-2 goal, Hooiveld had been marking him all game and in that last corner decided against any tactical decision not too, so Fonte went to try to challenge a header that wasn't his. I honestly think people have been very unfair with Fonte and to an extent Yoshida and all to bury their heads in the sand about Hooiveld. He is the weakest link, it's no coincidence.

Horror show but maybe very useful in terms of squad planning for next season. Thank you Spurs for preventing Wigan of causing mayhem down there.

Back to where our season started. Don't we just love it. Maybe an opportunity to start someone from the under 21s or Forren??

I hope that today we have finally busted the myths surrounding these players who "do a job" and "are good cover". Fox made a mess of his 100 attempts to cross the ball today and in the end just lunged in recklessly on the fullback when he had got the ball about an hour before, fluffed easy long passes and also decided to bring the M3 into the left side of the pitch as Fortune, Lukaku and/or Morison kept flying in. As for the new giant Cannavaro he just decided to pretty much miss or fluff every single challenge he made for the ball, even the aerial ones where he is regarded as an expert, made a couple of pointless lunges much to the mentioned Lukaku and Long's joy (who just dribbled past him), told Fortune where and how to turn in order to be able to let Lukaku through on goal and to top it off a home special of forgetting about his man by not having a clue of Long's position and also being slower than a tortoise to attempt an interception or even try to put some pressure on the irishman. They both ARE NOT adequate for a Premier League SQUAD. Enough of this talk of "ok as substitutes", they are as poor as you can find in this league and the fact that we have had to rely on them for tactical/squad selection reasons has cost us goals, points and more importantly progression as a team. Proof of this is that in a game where all the team was poor, they stood out as abysmal. When the team was flying just a couple of weeks ago, they were still the worst performers. I honestly hope Cortese and Pochettino think along the same lines and on the 20th of May these two liabilities are on the first flight out of Eastleigh to whoever they can find that wants them. And I hope they are very thankful to Southampton FC for the rest of their careers for having had a chance to have a run of games in the starting 11 of a Premier League side when their quality isn't even worthy of a squad number.

This. Comedy Central could not come up with a better attempt to put some pressure on Shane Long for their third.

Give me a European Cup every single day...

Must be dreadful flying almost day in, day out from the island to play a game, no wonder they're knackered...

I think most of the clubs our size in the Prem will be constantly breaking their transfer record regardless of their ambitions with all the TV money coming in.

SWF should organize a tour of the Faroe Islands.

Given a percentage of Adebayor's wage was still being paid by City this season, I can't imagine us being able to satisfy his demands.

An insight into Dutch standards for defending: This explains so much about Hooiveld.

Re: the Arsenal prices. Too high no doubt, but you compare Dortmund to London, and the world rep of the PL v. that of the Bundesliga. Even at SMS I've heard people talk Spanish and other European (I think) languages, even a few Asians. I presume this is something that repeats itself throughout other stadia of the country. If the Bundesliga ever becomes able to attract people to weekend breaks just to watch the football, you watch those prices...

Except Jose wasn't. You must be forgetting who was our best defensive unit for 3 months in the season. I really don't understand why most people on here seem to have a problem with Fonte. He can be our best player on the pitch yet people will just ignore this.

I see you've know converted into the Hooiveld delusioners...

I always thought Nicola Cortese would eventually be taking over the club from the Liebherrs....

Does anyone know what successful businesses the HNWs have? They shouldn't be billionaires I would imagine.

Don't say that, you must feel sorry for the new, big Cannavaro who was the fall guy when in fact it were the other 10 players that were to blame for his **** poor level. P.D. I obviously agree with you, I think it's just tactics as MP seems to like playing differently-footed CBs and given Forren is a no-go this season and Hooiveld just drags Fonte into the mud if they play together, then it's got to be him and Yoshida. Jos is outstanding, I mean 3 own-goals in a season, top defender IMO.

Hard to really tell but wouldn't be surprised. I haven't been able to confirm this but I've read the minimum wage in the PL is meant to be circa 12k/week, so that could work as a benchmark.

The deeper fringes yes, but I'd imagine Hammond, Sharp, Chaplow, De Ridder and probably Richardson all being within the main squad's wages. They were first-team players/undisputed starters last season so would've been included in promotion bonuses and wages rises me thinks.

Well depending on perspective he can't do much worse, anything is a guaranteed improvement...

Great stuff. Congratulations!

Typical SWF creating topics when players that should not be in a PL squad go through the shocking occurrence of not making match-costing mistakes.

He will be playing more next season. But I do expect him to at least have his debut this season.