markr27

post removed.

Just been told that Franny had no idea all those ex-players were going to be in attendance today as well!

Cool... I stand corrected. Well done to the Club for supporting it!

Even before the game began the signs were there that Saints would win. After the pre-match handshakes, all the Saints players were passing balls among themselves. The Newcastle players just split up, some stood around on the pitch, others milled around off it. Not once did Pardew get off his seat either throughout the 90. Saints could have routed them had they wanted to. It reminded me of the Fulham game last year at home, ripping the opposition to pieces early on and then releasing the pressure. This happened after 2-0 for the rest of the first half. During the second 45, Newcastle was given enough of the ball, but this Saints XI knew that with its ability Newcastle could be picked off even further at any time. Quality game.

Why were there no collection buckets around the ground though - was it because of a conflict with the Saints Foundation?

I still remember that game - Saints had a penalty awarded I believe in the first 2/3 mins..."Bloody McGoldrick" passed it to the goalkeeper. Watford then scored I think, and Saints had a second spot kick.... Wotton snatched the ball and missed it. Like many others I went to the Sheff Utd 1-2 game... wasn't there a big push to get the game on?

Never mind No.7, It could it be that we see the No.11 shirt being used in the Premiership again, used by such greats as Benali, Heaney, Rosler and M Svensson!

"Phil v1.0" - the freeware version of the Neville commentator-software family.

Groves' left leg folded like a deckchair. What a right-hander from Froch, out of nowhere!

Heard from an unreliable source that Calum Chambers is off to Arsenal for £24m...

The additional E on the shirt may be a cause of the questions...or is this all something that is going over my head?

I think Lallana, Lambert and JayRod swapped positions in the 2nd half and that worked a treat. Chambers was unlucky to get injured, but it turned out to be a blessing as Clyne's pace seem to unsettle them still further...

Would Osvaldo be willing to go in the opposite direction I wonder?

Very intelligent running and movement, although the majority weren't picked out...

Indeed, all 3 were deserved. It was just that match was his first game as well in the EPL, and he doesn't appear to have figured much since. Unless of course, he has kept himself "invisible" when in charge of games this season. I am a firm believer in the statement that you can never name the best referees, as you don't ever notice them.

Special mention to the referee too, did you notice him? This was the guy that was in charge of the Saints-WBA game last season, sending 3 players off! I did wonder what had happened to him!

Very surprised that Mike Dean allowed the second WBA goal to stand really. After all, it came from a corner that he should not have awarded...

Can only really see one potential change for this game, Lambert or JWP for JayRod...

"You are all f***** c**** that know f*** all about football. C****!" The third chap, to be fair, looked very sheepish and embarrassed at the tirade as he walked out.

There was a "discussion" between Lovren, Fox, Fonte and Lallana just after JayRod scored, and Fox was looking a bit heated at the start of it...

K Davis Clyne Yoshida Hooiveld Fox Cork S Davis Mayuka Ramirez Isgrove Guly

He walked down the tunnel as soon as the final whistle blew too. John O'Shea ended up with a bloody nose at the end of the game....... I overheard someone around me as I was walking down the stairs asking his mate if Osvaldo lumped him!

Guly, JayRod, Lambert and Lallana did this to perfection against Real Sociedad in pre-season - its team really struggled to keep tabs on the four of them.

Indeed Joensuu, Saints may indeed go retro and give the No.11 shirt to a prospective left back (think Benali many moons ago) or a centre half (Svensson) I think they are still short in those areas, especially if Fox leaves. As for Osvaldo, wait and see still whether he will come