Article: Talk Sport - Sunday Supplement | Football Southampton

A thread to discuss some general football stories of the weekends events.
Not necessarily Saints related and some items not always worthy of a seperate thread. i have included this on other championship clubs threads

To start off - some things that have happened over the last few days, i look forward to hearing your views on any of the following-

1) Virtually a quarter of the way through the season - Has your club surpassed expectations, are you disappointed your club are not higher.
current top 6
1.Saints
2.West Ham
3. Middleborough
4. Derby
5. Brighton
6. Hull
bunch of clubs - Leeds,Palace, Cardiff, Ipswich - leicester playing today

predictions for top 6 end of season? who is the best club you have played so far? Any other clubs you think will come good?

Hull - you are in playoff position despite scoring just 9 goals in 11 games - is the best yet to come?

Palace - What a turn around from last year.

2) Championship top scorers - Lambert 9, McCormack 9, Wood 7, Austin 6.
Could Lambert, McCormack etc make it in premier league. Lambert quoted this week - His only premier league experiance to date was playing as a guest for liverpool in his favourite xbox soccer computer game. A lot of people said i couldnt do it at championship level but my dream is to play against liverpool in the premier league. Could he do it? How big is the gulf? Which players do you think will be amoungst the top scorers come end of the season.

3) Man City or Man Utd. With Man City topping the table and it looking likely the premier league winners may come from Manchester who would you rather win it. City who can spend spend spend and buy the title or United again. Do you hope City splashing the cash will fail or would you like to see them triumph.

4) Well done to Les Parry and Tranmere. Leading 1-2 in the jpt game with Accrington when the game was postponed due to Tom Benders injury the match was replayed this week. Sportsmanship from Accrington as they offered Tranmere the chance to run through and score a goal from kickoff to regain the advantage in the tie. Tranmere passed up the opportunity and still went on to win 0-1. Great sportsmanship all round.

5) Redditch player Josh Mckenzie has done what many a player and fan would want to do and hit the referee, knocking him to the floor. He hit the official after conceeding a penalty. The match with Chesham was immediately called off. Mckenzie was arrested and taken to the local police station. His chairman has said there is no way he will ever have anything to do with Redditch again and his registration has been cancelled.
Is hitting the ref any worse than deliberatly hitting or kicking (rooney style) another player?

What else has caught your eye.What grinds your gears, Anything made you laugh. Any good news stories?

 

As a Hull fan I'm surprised (and impressed) that we are 6th, but worry about our goalscoring form. We play to our strengths though, which is obviously our defence. When you consider that 4 of the 9 goals were in the defeat at Elland Road it looks even more impressive. We'll continue to be tough to beat no matter what.

Next three games are vital - Watford, Forest and Barnsley - as we then have a run of 6 games in which we play West Ham, Derby, Burnley, Southampton, Leicester and Birmingham.

 

Oh, and one thing that has made me laugh is the bloke who pretends to be jenthesaint1990 keeps sending me mucky PM's about what 'she' wants to do to 'buff' super-hunk Jordan in the shower.

 

RAWMOKBVJ, I'll keep commenting to make your thread look popular.

 

We've scored as many as Bristol

 

cheers Viking Eric, and i will reply to your comment to make you look popular too.

Nigel Pearson was only at Saints for a short period of time and he done exceptionally well. he saved us from relegation. For him he was with us at a very difficult time, like you say he does make you tough to beat.

I would like to see him do well and manage in the prem. Is Hull the club to take him there?

Didnt Barmby say you are a work in progress - is this year too soon for a serious challenge? Are hull boring?

 

Saints have surprised me this year..expected us to be about 8th after 11 games. Lambert had a lot to prove and has done so..natural goal scorer. Millwall were the toughest team that I've seen, never been so glad to hear the final whistle. Yes, it is more serious to hit the referee than another player. He is there to enforce the laws and deserves respect and protection. That is why this sort of behaviour is rarely seen outside South America. Wouldn't be surprised if FA give him a long or life ban.

 

That top six isn't surprising to me at all. I actually thought we (Hull) would make the play-offs at the beginning of the season, but it's great to see us there early on. The Saints have made a fantastic start and look absolutely formidable at home - not many teams will go there and take points. Even at Derby - who are 4th - they created chances galore and were unlucky not to win. Derby are the only team I'm really shocked to see at the top end of the table at this stage.

I'm one of the few people who didn't tip Leicester, so I can't say that I expected them to be up there. They were pretty impressive against Derby a couple of weeks ago, and a win today would see them in the top six (I think?) Forest have obviously taken everybody by surprise by being 2nd from bottom, and if I'm honest I can't forsee a major turnaround with Steve Cotterill at the helm. Other teams I'm surprised about are: Blackpool being so poor, Palace doing so well, and probably West Ham for not absolutely tearing the league apart.

By the way, what a game we have in store with Saints v West Ham on Tuesday night!

I'll also make a comment on the Premier League and say the title winners will come from London, in the form of Chelsea. Although City play some unbelievable stuff and seem to have the best midfielder in the league with David Silva, and probably 3 of the top 10 strikers when playing, incidents like the Tevez saga will be their downfall in my opinion. Balotelli is one of the best signings in the league when he plays like he did yesterday, but always seems a little erratic at the best of times.

United will always be up there, and have made of the buys of the summer in getting Ashley Young for £18m. On paper they have the best defence in the league, but their defensive performances at home to Basel and Norwich must to concern SAF. For me Chelsea are really starting to find their feet, and absolutely demolished Bolton last week - the home side were admittedly, shocking, but the way Sturridge kept cutting in and Mata repeatedly picked out passes was fantastic to watch. The Man United v Chelsea game might support the United backers, but you can't use that against Chelsea, as realistically the away team played them off the park. Had Torres scored that 3 yard open goal they'd have drawn that game easy.

Great thread Red and White man of Kent, good luck for the rest of the season, although you probably won't need it

 

As a Hull fan our lack of goals is a concern, but with the return of Cameron Stewart looming and the fact we are continuing to create chances (hitting the bar, good saves by the keeper) then an avalanche of goals isn't maybe far away. Unfortunately like last season we don't have the attack to complement our defence, and this may cost unless we can start firing in the goals very quickly. In our 2 away games at Bristol and Doncaster one goal wasn't enough, so trying to win games 1-0 all the time is too much of a risk to take. Our midfield has improved from last year with individual players also improving (Cairney, Hobbs). We aren't the most exciting team to watch, but recent home games against Pompey and Cardiff produced good attacking football, so there's signs of encouragement.

I'm a little suprised to be in the top 6 after 3 defeats in the first 4 games but after the last 7 games we deserve to be there. Aside from Derby the current top 6 doesn't suprise me. I expect Southampton, West Ham and Boro to be in the top 6 spots come April 28th. Southampton remind me very much of Norwich last season, they're really going for it and work hard as a team. Like another poster said few teams will go to St Marys and get anything. West Ham should be up there as should Boro with the squads they have. The other 3 spots are more up for grabs, Leicester will be disappointed not to make it and then there's ourselves, Leeds, Derby, Brighton, Cardiff and probably Reading and Burnley who feel they have a chance of the top 6. Forest look to be in too much of a state to challenge this season, and i'm suprised to see Palace doing so well and Millwall struggling.

Not sure on the PL title, i think Man United's experience may be enough for them to win it again. I guess we'll see just how good Man City are in the derby next weekend. Don't rule out Chelsea or Liverpool though.

 

Shaky start for us but unbeaten in 7 and 4 clean sheets on the bounce.

I think we can continue that and get 9 points from Brum, Watford and Milwall while maintaining the clean sheet run because our defence looks quality.

 

Tough to get 9 points from those games...oh, look..we did it!

 

Six points off the top with a game in hand, can't really complain. After a shaky start to the season with many good performances but few points we really seem to be taking things by the scruff of the neck with 13 points out of 15. We've now kept two clean sheets in a row and the defence is actually looking very solid, and the attack is as dangerous as ever even without Gradel (in fact you could say Pugh gives us more balance to help us out defensively). In this mood we're perfectly capable of breaking into the autos but you never know in this division. Also I'm obviously going to say that Man City will win the PL.

 

Fran i fully agree this behaviour warrants a life time ban and the FA will probably enforce that. However this is part of the same FA who will appeal Rooneys red card for deliberately kicking a fellow proffesional. so on one hand they go pleading to europa that a 3 match ban for kicking someone is too harsh and on another give a lifetime ban to another player for hitting someone, all be it an official. should there be such a gulf in punishments.

 

Couldn't see how Rooney could get less than a 3 match ban...a deliberate kick as opposed to mere recklessness.

 

Unfortunately there are many injustices when it comes to punishments.......Another example is probably the great train robbers. Given 20 years for robbing a train. And yet someone that killed someone might only get 5 years out in about 2.
In so far as sentencing someone that has attacked a referee. There is potentially 22 players out there that can decide at anytime to attack him. He is the most vulnerable simply because he is the one to make decisions. Rightly or wrongly he makes them, so potentially a target every time he blows his whistle. If you didn't make attacking a referee an extremely serious offence someone would decide more frequently it would be worth serving a three match ban for hitting the ref more frequently. so the punishment has to be the maximum in my book.......

 

Exactly. The referee is in an extremely vulnerable position and needs to be protected as much as possible for the good of the game.

 

[NSFW]Unfortunately there are many injustices when it comes to punishments.......Another example is probably the great train robbers. Given 20 years for robbing a train. And yet someone that killed someone might only get 5 years out in about 2.[/NSFW]

Inappropriate example as rhe guard actually died of his injuries sustained during the robbery

 

Glad to hear a Leeds fan condemning violence.

 

teams that have suprised me so far.
Saints - its nice to read from other fans they expected to see us near the top. having spend 2 years in league 1 it was difficult to know how we would fare this year with all bar about 4 additions we have the same squad. many of us predicted mid table. To see saints at the top of any table is rare and playing such flowing football is a suprise. we have a great team spirit and hope to keep it going. there are many tough games coming up though.

Leeds -after saints comprehensively beating leeds in game 1 of the season, thought you were in for a long season. you are starting to come good and McCormack is banging them in. i think you will be in the play offs at the end of season.

Brighton - their great start suprised me though gone off the boil of late and i think they will pick up too many draws.

Palace - i thought would be in a relegation battle this year - playing well as a team.

West Ham - i thought they would be clear at the top by now. they are coming good, lansbury on loan was a great signing and a big match with us on tuesday.

Leicester - was always going to take time to gel - again starting to come together, will be hoping for birmingham win today.

Forest - oh dear and cotterill as manager still makes me think oh dear.

Derby - as others have said, didnt think they would be as consistent. would still be suprised to see them here come May.

Ipswich are on a good run of form and can see them challenging stronger.

looking forward to the next three quarters of the season

 

I'm surprised to see Saints at the top of the table, but I did believe that we would be in or around the top 6. Our home form is crucial to staying there. West Ham on Tuesday will be a huge test and a cracking advertisement for the Championship with a capacity crowd expected at St Mary's. Man U were the last team to win at St Mary's and even that wasn't hugely convincing. For the first time since it's construction 10 years ago, we've turned it into a fortress.

I think Lambert could step up to the PL. In an interview for the OS, Jose Fonte said that he was surprised Lambert hadn't made the step up sooner. I'd put it down to his dodgy diet and lifestyle at previous clubs. He was really quite chubby when we signed him from Bristol Rovers, but he certainly isn't now. He's maturing with age, quite like Teddy Sheringham did. He has a lot of intelligence and power to make up for his lack of pace. I can see him carrying on well into his 30's providing he stays fit.