UpweySaint

Good to see KD back in and he looked solid, ok not a major test but you can only play whats in front of you. Really happy to see him helping Yosh, imagine the lad needs a bit of support, has not exactly been easy for him to settle. Shaw, again, looks assured and confident. Has really shocked me just how comfortable he has looked! Rodriguez actually looked ok today, worked hard, found some nice space. On another day he'd have had a goal for sure ... Punch again for me looked great! Causes so many problems, especially when a third player comes out to support him and clyne, be it cork or lambert (who was solid as ever!). Only negatives lallana's injury (GULP!) annnnd our fans booing guly. Came on, worked hard, looked good. Credit to those who sung his name when he was on. Like him or not he is one of our players and we should back him when he is on the pitch in the red and pinstripe ...

Playing two up top it was kind of inevitable. Without the three running back and forth and always having an option playing up diagonal to RL to knock down for Rodriguez will always be a good option.

Anyone so tense they've chewed through an arm? We've had slightly more chances and look effective from set plays, fancy that might be where a goal might come from, both sides very cagey in open play ...

Good to see Jay Rod starting, has looked lively so far

Wow writing of half our signings before then even had six months to settle let alone even a full season! The prices are up for debate perhaps but I would say Rodriguez has shown plenty of potential that he will one day be able to lead the line for us (mostly he's done this in a Burnley shirt but form temporary class permanent as the old saying goes!) and it is an established fact you will pay over the odds for young english talent. Yosh has looked hit and miss for sure but, in another six months when he's settled in, learnt the language, caught up to speed with the english game and maybe even bulked up a bit then he has enough about him for me to think he might well come good. If not he's a capable back up and two million doesnt buy you much these days! Mayuka again plenty of potential. Won young player of the tournament at the African nations, has looked promising off the bench in a number of games, has pace (something a lot of our frontline lack) and again the money paid was not massive by any stretch of the imagination. Gazzaniga ok he has had a good few howlers but he's young and learning. Perhaps we should have broke the bank for a top class experienced keeper but, imho, there was a degree of faith in KD to step up and he deserved his shot. He was GK of the year in both the NPC and league one! If, in five years time, Gazzaniga is not a class keeper then we cut our losses and move on. He was a bargain for the potential he may well have. If he doesnt fulfill it I wont cry about it. I think we ALL know our transfer window wasn't perfect. We missed out on targets clearly the promised lb and cb but let's not make scapegoats of those we did get in. They all may come good. I'd hasten to add a little perspective, when we signed a certain James Beattie he certainly didn't create immediate fireworks but went on to be not only a vital player for us he would later achieve a significant transfer fee. Something important if we are to ever become sort of sustainable. (sorry for the total rant but come on, have some faith, we've come this far!)

Thanks for the sarcasm, appreciated ... I didn't state that I thought we should go for him (personally I'd stick with gazza unless niemi comes out of retirement in the same shape as friedel or an equivalent keeper of that class turns up) I just thought it was worth noting that he was still available and had been talked about as a potential signing over the summer.

If NA has lost faith in Boruc Craig Gordon is still available on a free ...

Positives, we look defensively less disastrous then we have and on another day with fresher legs we could have nicked something. And of course Shaw looked very assured again, could do with finding some shooting boots perhaps but not exactly crucial to his game. Negatives, for me neither sub offered anything to the game (what does mayuka have to do?!?) and it was all rather uninspiring. Oh and Suarez still feels it neccessary to try and cheat, good as he is genuinely wouldn't want him anywhere near our club!

He kicked two water bottles.

Are you suggesting our own Luke Shaw is, as Moyes would say, "a nigerian 17" ..?

Sitting right on the fence at 2-2. Its a goal with games. Imho they will be expected to come at us at home and this should create the kind of space our front four love to work in. If morgan and cork have good games and we have no definsive/keeping calamities i'd even go so far as to modestly predict a 2-1 win ... RL will be well up for smashing one in so I wouldn't be surprised to see him score from a set piece!

Spot on point. I think they were naive to get rid of an england striker out on loan as it is and cant imagine them being attracted to idea of RL (even if he is a lpool fan). Their loss our game really, he's had a v good start to the season and long may it continue! Best bit, where he doesnt rely on pace, IF we can keep him fit then he could lead the line for a good couple more years no worries ...

We don't exactly play route one football ourselves. Lambert has a great first touch and brings other players in to the game. His cross for lallana midweek was of genuine class and I think a side like Liverpool could benefit from a player like RL even if they might not think so!

Too much of a talent to simply not consider but I don't think he's a good fit for us. Job to say if he can still cut it in the prem but I have a lot of respect for him as a model pro

Maybe could've nicked a win but I think they were good for their point. Came and were very very solid and hard to break down, did well finding balls out wide. Actually gutted for Gazza (although Clyne's foul was madness!) but fancy he could do with a break after that, I'm a big fan but after his mistake for the first left Shaw stranded for the snodgrass tackle ... I think the nail's been hit a;ready here we just ran out of steam a bit and we looked laboured up top especially. Would've liked to have seen Mayuka on towards the end, Gaston and Punch both looked tired and we'v seen Mayuka look good taking advantage of tired legs. Either way the league looks a lot less daunting after our recent run. Two or three more good results before the new year and we'l look ok!

http://www.thefirstrow.eu/watch/155866/1/watch-southampton-fc-vs-norwich-city.html seems ok so far ...

Yes and No. Terrible answer but the right one. I'd suggest our record with young players and our dedication to try and bring anybody good enough into the first team set up sets us apart from a number of other clubs. Not many players are one club men anymore, that includes with the biggest clubs, but I should think that if we do things right we can get a lot of our youngsters for some of there better years before they move on for pastures new for large transfer fees that can continue to keep the academy ticking over and allow for the purchase of the occassional established player for the young lads to learn from (if even AL has said it's great learning from Ramirez imagine what the likes of JWP etc must think?) ..

Good shout on yoshida. Looked assured today. Only slight niggle, his clearances were dropping short now and then. Not exactly a beast of a cb but hopefully, given time, the backroom staff will work there manage and he can bulk up a touch just so he has that touch of power all the best cbs have.

For me punch today. But everything he had on show and his movement, along with our entire front line, was class. Special mention to ramirez who's looking better every game, his close control with the ball is a joy to watch. But again with most on here good displays all over the park and from the man on the side

Form temporary class permanent etc ... sure he still has it somehwere. But for me not match fit and hasn't looked that sharp. If we're going to have a keeper we're unsure of it only follows that we have the young one with potential (though it must be said gazza had a good game today!)

That will do! A big performance and, the best bit, we looked solid at the back. Smiles all round. Punch motm for me and shaw looked more then comfortable, I didn't think he'd be ready to step up but so glad to have been proved wrong. COYR

Loving the fluidity of our front four. Punch especially looks class today, causing them so many problems when he cuts inside! Lets hope we can keep it up and not sit too deep. Fancy a second goal and we can put the game to bed, if not i'l proceed to panic up until the final whistle!

Be more interested in their line up really, with the ammount of injuries they should hopefully look a little makeshift

In an ideal world yes. Would love to have him with the dev squad or even loaned out under less pressure but, with boruc and kd as the other two choices, i'd stick with him. Do agree with sentiments on other posts about keeping being worth a good deal of points, I remember Niemi keeping us in game after game which I dont see any of our current choices doing ...

Ok fair point, perhaps I should've been clearer with what i meant, the defence look more organised with him behind them. I dont have a panic attack at every corner or set piece. I might be being naive but I think gazza has plenty of potential to be a solid number one for years to come, once he shakes off the mistakes and works on his positioning. If boruc can come in and do a job right away then that'd be lovely but so far I don't think he's shown it.