Victor

"nice and friendly"? I don't think so - you are clearly getting extremely desperate to find a reason to pick on someone who is a very decent human being. It seemed a perfectly reasonable comment to me; DM knows Portsmouth's situation, you know what he means, I know what he means - is the football not interesting enough for you?

No we are not. As several posters have pointed out, points are awarded for RESULTS. Being top of a 'table-of-how-it-will-be-if-scores-remain-the-same-at-the-end-of-the-games' table ignores the fact that it ain't over until the fat man blows his whistle - a concept that many defenders, along with you, seem unable to grasp judging by the number of goals scored in added time these days. Counting your chickens before they hatch tempts providence and means you will very likely end up with egg on your face. I claim to be top of the cliche table *****il the next poster).

Love the joke in the last line - assume, and hope, it was intentional. And, Shurlock, I am not naive and I don't see why it would be 'ironical' if I were. Please explain both statements. You are obviously not 'No **** Shurlock'.

You could have said the same about any of the last dozen games and it would have been equally as daft. I have dreaded the next game for most of the last 5 years but this is a different Saints. I'm looking forward to it. We could win, we could lose but if we do we are still a better side than Blackpool and statistics will show we are still the best in the league. This team didn't crack last year, why should it crack this year when it is an even better side with a fantastic manager. Have faith. Enjoy, you miserable doom-monger.

Virtually EVERYTHING in this country of any value is available to purchase at a price that will make a profit for individuals whether they be the actual, custodial or 'spiritual' owners - the trains, the banks, schools, the prisons, our water, gas, electricity, and anything else worthwhile soon will be: the Royal Mail, the NHS etc. etc.. It doesn't matter who you are - the more crooked or despotic you are, the more cash you will have so the more welcome you will be. Why would SFC be any different, you romantic fools?

Always wanted to go to Africa but didn't know enough about it to make up my mind which country to go to. Gambia it is then!

Leave it as it is. We are lucky we have so many who would merit a position and if they were all up there it would make the Sgt Pepper cover look under-populated. You can put a case for many of them without it being a slight on Kelvin. He's definitely on the list of top blokes, but better keeper and more of an influence than Tim? Even Budgie was something of a 'legend' - his antics certainly were. But Ron? Yes, and I'm sure it would give him a smile.

Before the game I thought Bobby Stokes was the one weak link in the side; during the game before he scored I said I would write to him and apologise if he did score. He did, I didn't, but I don't think he heard me (I was watching on telly). Sorry, Bobby.

Obviously didn't get his B.A. (Hons) in logic and clearly shows that performance analysis counts for nothing. West Ham can dispense with his services and spend the money on coaches who can help them turn possession into goals and teach them how to defend properly.

WH score!!!

We hired Neil Warnock? Don't remember that. Must have been a short-term rental for cutting the grass or something; thank God we didn't employ him.

Blimey! You're a fan of Morgan ASC4T too - my favourite film!

Have you set out your your prediction graphically to ensure it stands up when tested against Benford's law?

You left out "I am a big fan of Captain Beefheart"! Me too.

Surprised you stuck with Saints - it would have been a 2-1 defeat to either Southend or QPR!

Also of an age that means I have to trim the hairs from my ears to avoid scaring the grandchildren, tho not the oldest. Eastbourne - not because it's God's Waiting Room, work unfortunately led me to the Far East. At least after a trip into town I feel young, smart and intelligent! Lived in Abingdon when it was in Berkshire, Bath when it was in Somerset and Bournemouth when it was in Hampshire; also Wells, Taunton, Bristol, Wickham amongst other places but Southampton has been a kind of constant theme since its big city(!) strangeness, its weird steam engines and massive ocean liners awestruck a spindly kid from the sticks of Somersetshire who spent holidays there with an Aunt. No telly, no local professional club and village school comprising just 2 classes both with lady teachers meant football didn't feature in my early days. First Saints game I remember was FA Cup semi against Man U in 1963. Cyril, a fellow inmate of Ma Atkins' digs in Bristol, persuaded me to go the night before the game; said we could get tickets at the match - and we did! Face value (7/6, or 37p to you youngsters) from a tout on the steps of Villa Park; still got the ticket and programme. I have a feeling I may have gone to a home game in the 50s with my uncle; I certainly went to speedway at Bannister Court but, again, I have a programme to confirm that memory. Lived in Wickham in the 70's but didn't see as many games as I would have liked as had 2 sons playing in E&D Minor and Tyro leagues. At least that ensured they too are Saints despite only a short period of their lives even close to the city.

And just how did it change the game? Answer that. What would Leeds have done differently in the remaining 85mins or so? How do you know Davis would not have saved the penalty if it had been given on the form he was in? You can't even say the score would have been different.

Rickie missing nearly 3 and a half games didn't help.

No, not an obvious penalty. Fonte sees the ball coming at his head, turns away putting his arm up as protection and ball strikes his arm. Referee has a decision to make. Warnock claims in interview after the game that this "changed the whole game". No it did not. The interviewer should have asked him how it changed the game so that we could all have had a bloody good laugh watching Warnock explain that.

You really believe not being given that penalty changed the whole game? In what way precisely? Perhaps you think if you had got the penalty WE would have been on top for the rest of the game.

Nice that when I download them they still come up as "Dell Image Expert Picture"!

Won't need the goal difference if Portsmouth don't fulfill their fixtures as now seems very likely. West Ham will lose 6 points, we will lose 1. Would people take that against the loss of our beloved rivals?

This is hilarious. It is you who is very simple. I have NEVER (capitals to assist the simple-minded) expressed an opinion on Lee. How could I as I have never seen him? I couldn't tell him from Adam (well, I could actually - one is Japanese, the other isn't). I have never said I was unimpressed. I consider him a potentially exciting signing and came on this thread to see what was the initial reaction of those who had seen him. I simply took issue with Trousers who was looking forward to laughing at those who were initially unimpressed when they are "proved wrong". My point is that it is quite easy to be unimpressed by a player's early performances and to later consider them an excellent player. It does not mean you have been "proved wrong", it is merely acknowledging that when players are settling in they can be 'unimpressive' and give a performance that everyone considers unimpressive. This was a general view and not specific to Lee. An apology is not necessary, and, on early evidence, unlikely. I am happy to be proved wrong.

I am unimpressed that without any evidence you have judged me to be in the minority. You may be proved wrong.

Not really. Being unimpressed is not a "knee-jerk shortcoming"; it is merely being unimpressed. There have been plenty of Saints players that have not impressed me on first sight who have later shown themselves to be excellent players. I am extremely happy to, in your view, be 'proved wrong'. It does not mean, however, that on the evidence of a couple of games I have dismissed them as having no ability or potential. It simply means I have been unimpressed by their performance - probably because it was unimpressive and not because of my faulty judgement. HTH.