SAINTS V AJAX

So Saints have fixed up a home friendly against Ajax for July 18. Given the exodus of players from St Mary's. I wonder what team we will put out.

Hang on - the phone is ringing.

Oh it was Wotte. He asked if he is still manager in July, could I play. He also asked if I could get ten others. Fancy a game?

I'll go in goal if he pays my food bill. Hopefully our new setup will have a few things sorted by then though and wotte will be gone. Offer will stand if nothing has changed as my girth will be enough to stop Ajax from scoring. I might need a lift to the pitch though.

New owner and already we have seen some changes. Be good to see how we are progressing when Ajax visit. Prices are cheap so hope we can get a good gate.

How many new players will we have by the time Ajax turn up? Will it be the first game for our new manager? Presuming that we will have found one by then. How many players that we try to get will turn us down because of where we are at the moment?

Wonder if Murty will play. Be interesting to see how he fares. Game has come to quick for AP to get to know his players. Wonder whether he will be wth SH in the dugout.

I am going to the game tomorrow. I am also bringing my aunt along for her first ever football match! She follows Saints but has never been - I have warned her that we might see kids in stripes on the wrong end of a 5-0 or worse scoreline! First match for me since 2007/2008 season. 8)

I shall be going early to see about season tickets for me and my nipper. Could be a few of us on here going tomorrow. Maybe we will be able to discuss the game later when it has all sunk in. I am really looking forward to this game, more than ever before possibly. From nearly losing our club to actually looking forward to a possible thrashing. I must follow the Saints because I just can't imagine any other set of supporters putting up with what we have over the last few years.

0630am and Graham my 5yo has me up and getting ready for the trip to SMS. He doesn't know the difference in importance yet between winning and losing. Even Tasha(Twizzle) is up and running around like a headless chicken. She has been to St Marys before but this will be her first game. I wasn't going to tell her about the trip until later but she looked so sad we had to let her know she was coming as well. All in all it should be a good day and there will be a big gate so there should be a good atmosphere.

Well, it was a decent first half, not so good second. I enjoyed it though. Saints gave a good account of themselves in the first half, but the second was marked by the ball being given away too easily and some headless chicken defending. The Ajax penalty - not that it really matters - wasn't. The Ajax player conned the ref with a dive that should have been awarded a 9.5 if it was in an Olympic diving competition.

It was a shame that people left in droves after the third goal though - surely it wouldn't have hurt to have stayed for the presentation? As Markus Liebherr was there I thought it was pretty embarassing. On a more positive note, the sight of the stadium mostly full was great as was the reception given to Markus Liebherr and Alan Pardew.

Davis was excellent, a couple of good saves. Thomas looked good, Murty not bad but with some fitness to get back. As for Saga - who ate all the pies? He was a bit of a fat knacker to say the least!

Anyone know the attendance? Are all areas of the ground being opened this season?

Not bad, agree first half we played well second when we made the chnages Ajax took control. Agree that Thomas played well, never a penalty and thought Mills looked a good prospect on Left. James looked better in midfield, bit dodgy when he went back to full back. Not convinced about Molyneaux at LB. Sure Pardue got some intersting views form game, not least the size of Saga's waistline, he did eat all the pies!!

Look forward to the Hearts game when they will have had a week of training with Pardew, think it will be painful for a few!!

Atmosphere was good and Northam was the leader yet again with the chants. Graham (5) and Twizzle (10) seemed to enjoy themselves though Graham was not his usually cheerfull self. He had been violently sick as we got to our parking space in southampton. He seemed to cheer up after the game started.
The game was good for the first half and we gave a reasonably good account of ourselves. KD was superb and kept us in the game until late in the second half. Mills and Thomas both played well enough to deserve a full run out. Perry and Gillett were their normal reliable selves, though Gillett could struggle for a game if we get a similar type of player who is bigger and stronger. James disappointed but didn't have much help. Murty looked good at times but is not getting any younger.Molyneux didn't look comfortable. Lallana again flattered to deceive as he did last season again and again. Wotton should retire. He was worse than awful. Not one striker showed the necessary fire or hunger, or more importantly desire. Schneiderlin showed glimpses of class when he came on as sub.
In the first half we looked more like a side that could play together. As they tired in the second half the team became more and more desperate. I still can't understand why we have to play with a solitary striker. Ajax looked better as the game went on. The penalty which wasn't apart I was not surprised by the gulf in class. Our openning goal made the whole day worth while and gives us a little hope for the future.

Players on this performance that I would definitely keep are :- Kelvin,Thomas, Mills.
Possibly keep :- Perry, Murty, James, Gillett and Lallana.
From the subs Spiderman earned his chance to play from the start.


AP will have own ideas and hopefully he will quickly reinforce the team. From this performance we need two strikers,two strong midfielders and one or two defenders.

first half was good but the second half was utter rubbish

nice to read Alan Pardew's comments in the echo
he says that we a premier leaque side with premier league fans the only downfall being the playing staff ???

seems that he has already done his homework and hopefully get rid of a few and bring in some players that want to play for our shirt

The one thing I did notice was how a good team will punish mistakes.The Hearts game I can't make as my daughter Grace is having her 4th birthday nand will be hostess at her party.Don't tell Mrs SFC I said that.

Hearts will be another good test as they will not want to lose to a 3rd tier english team. I hope Thomas gets a longer go and Schneiderlin gets to start. Mills should start at LB and if fit Murty at RB. Unless Pardew buys or brings in another player I cannot see any others who can do a better job in our defence. Thomas and Perry seemed to be getting themselves sorted into a pairing and at our level could do well this season.With Murty and Fish we have the basis IMO of our defence. Who do we play as our defensive midfielder is perhaps the main question apart from strikers at present. Against Ajax we played without an out and out winger and I can't explain why we would do that. After last season I thought those wingless days were finished.
If I was going to try and buy a player this week it would either be a big strong midfield general or a striker that will get us 20 plus goals this season. Rasiak was unable to open up Ajax and his replacement saga couldn't either. Surely it would have been an idea to see them play together. Soon be Saturday and we will find out a little of Pardews thoughts regarding our squad.

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Try as I might I cannot upload an image. Bear in mind I've had no computer trauining.Please help with an idiots guide.

Alf if you have put your pics into the computor try going to image shack website.

How do I upload media?

Visit ImageShack. Select either "image", "url", or "video". If you select "url", paste in the URL of the file that you want to transload. If you select "video", you will need to install the ImageShack toolbar in order to continue. Otherwise, click browse to find the media that you want to upload, select it, press Open, and then press the "Host it!" button. After a short while (depending on your internet connection and file size), your file will upload and you will see a number of boxes with linking code for your uploaded file. Depending on your use for the image, use any one of these linking codes.

Note: The file browser window is not a connection between your computer and ImageShack, it is an entirely local device that allows you to browse for images.




Once on the site they will help you with lots of info.
HTH

Hmmmm....all seems a bit complicated for me.

Visit Image Shack and you will find an idiot proof guide for people like me who have no computor knowledge. Even then I do struggle at times.

Thanks for the advice. I visited Image Shack and frankly I am bewildered. As I said I have no computer training behind me and do not understand the terminology. I have the images on my laptop. I have tried posting direct to this site from the laptop using the host an image and insert image icons, but nothing happened. Is there a way I can place my images onto this site directly from my laptop?

Ok finally got images onto Image Shack. But I have to transfer them to this site one at a time. Every time I get more than one image across it times me out. I have now spent more time trying yo upload these damned images than I did at the match.

I am looking forward to you getting them on here. I have trouble enough doing it myself.

SFC Forever wrote:I am looking forward to you getting them on here. I have trouble enough doing it myself.

Taking the camera off to the Hearts game tomorrow so maybe there will be two sets.

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Well, there are some from the Ajax game

Nice pics Alf. Will try to do the same when I start going next month. Can't make the Hearts game unfortunately