itchen

So that's 18 pages of speculation then. Anybody learned anything?

We needed a point. We got a point. There's an (admittedly very) outside chance of finishing top half. I am happy.

No. They could draw with Arsenal and then beat Villa 13-0. Of course, if we lose our next two games 6-0, they'd only need a 1-0 win over Villa. Bloody hell. Alpine's right.

And the owners are on the pitch. They think it's all over. It is now.

Rickie Lambert is a professional footballer and is therefore likely to be able to recognise a hugely talented player. Yes, I concede, his free kicks and corners yesterday were awful. But I just don't get the general slagging of Ramirez. In the type of game he plays - the clever, unexpected pass - not everything is going to come off. Sometimes his pass will go astray or sometimes the recipient will not have anticipated it. But, when it works, it's a joy to watch. And he's not just about fancy passing either. He's shown he's not afraid to get stuck in and made some really good tackles yesterday, as he has done in other games. Some fans seem to have a need to find one or two players they can blame for everything. It's the same with Jos. If you're playing centre back and you make a mistake it's more likely to lead to a goal against than if a forward or midfielder makes a mistake. Fox had a good game yesterday and Guly didn't get on the pitch so it seems some have to find someone else to have a go at. I don't see the point. None of our players go out to make mistakes. All of them try their best. If we had players who just turned up to pick up their wages I could understand picking on them but we don't. Under Pochettino, and under Adkins, there is a real team ethic. Anyone not giving their best does not stay in the team. How about we support our players and stop trying to find this week's scapegoat.

I don't remember the phenomenon of every outfield player going to the far left hand quarter of the pitch every time they got a goal kick since we've been back in the top flight. Playing West Ham today was like a flashback to League One. Awful football. That said, it obviously works for them and we couldn't beat them. I'd hate to watch it every week though. Thought Davis and Cork were tremendous. Fox also had a good game and I think blocked a certain goal. We're happy to lay into him when he messes up so it's only fair to praise him when it's due. I think we'd have won with a fit Rodriguez on from the start. But, in the end, probably a fair result. Just one of those meaningless mid-table fixtures. Isn't it nice to be able to say that?

Is he nude? Not a nice thought.

I don't. I've got him on ignore.

I hadn't realised that they hadn't collected all the £1000 pledges. I thought they had. Unlike some, I don't see this as a problem. Now the deal is definitely on I can see others will be keen to get involved to replace any that don't pay up. And the HNWs will surely cover any temporary shortfall. We're not talking about a vast amount (relatively speaking). If we put aside all the "biggest community club" nonsense, this is a genuine success for the PST (PDT). It will be interesting to see what the add-ons are that got Chanrai to agree to something he could have agreed to months ago without the expense of a court case. It's what happens next that is really going to be interesting. Even though the few are fewer than they think, they will still attract bigger crowds than most League Two clubs and, if they start debt free (I know), should be able to pay a squad capable of getting them back up to League One. But what happens if they fail? Or succeed and then struggle in League One? What happens when their "shareholders" realise that they are nothing of the sort and have no say in how the club is run? They'll enjoy their evening today and they'll even enjoy going down, convinced that everything will now be better because "they" own the club.

I remember when you used to be quite witty. Not often, mind. But occasionally. Now you lay it on with a very large trowel.

So in the live league table we've gone up a place without even kicking a ball.

Love it. And speaking as someone who grew up in "Lame Wish", that's a fair name for it.

Sad news. I never saw him give a bad performance whether in Withnail and I,Harry Potter, The History Boys or TV's Pie in the Sky. Much younger than I thought, too.

Didn't understand the thread title and read the thread for enlightenment. Didn't get any.

Pompey have the same points total as we do and have won the same number of games. Of course, they have played nine more games than us.

It may or may not be true that Holt dived. I still don't like to see our players or our manager mobbing the referee, even if the referee is an idiot. Apart from looking awful, has such mobbing ever made a ref change his mind?

It's odd that some people are saying that we should have won because Norwich were so poor. I think Norwich were poor because we made them look that way. They are above us in the league and the bookies, and probably most of us, had them favourites to win. That they didn't is testimony to the way we outplayed them for most of the game in atrocious conditions. Having said that, I don't know what's happened to our forwards. It used to be that we'd worry about the defence but could be confident that the forwards could outscore the opposition. Still, a point gained rather than 3 points lost, I think.

You have a lisp and a urinary infection?

I bow to your superior memory. I've drunk a lot of beer since then.

Ah, the "Likely Lads" scenario (one for the teenagers). That involved a Toon game of course. As I recall, the game they were avoiding hearing about had been postponed.

They were ruined by Redknapp and Storrie In a vain bid to bring them some glory Now the MP is lax About them paying their tax Which is what you'd expect from a Tory.

True. You're the sort of spacker who thinks it's OK to use terms like "spacker" to further a pointless argument.

It's always seemed an odd ban to me. I used to attend games in the dark days of the seventies and I don't recall hooligans actually drinking during the game. If people want to get drunk and behave like idiots they will and will probably tank up at a pub before the game. Or they can drink to excess in the stadium before the game and at half time. I quite often buy a glass of wine before the game (because the "beer" is disgusting and it's easier on the bladder). It would be nice to be able to take it to my seat and sip it while waiting for the game to start. I'm not a threat to anyone and kind of resent the implication that I would be if I had a plastic glass of wine in my hand. I can't see that drinking within sight of the game will necessarily lead to more problems other than people going backwards and forwards to the bar and the bog which I agree could be annoying. But other sports cope. Why not football?

You sure about that result?

To be fair, neither of them like paying taxes either.