Alanh

There was definitely risk in letting the ball roll, but if he had completed it successfully, he would have been away from the nearest opponents and we would have been breaking at speed. All ifs and buts unfortunately, but I can see why AM saw the opportunity.

I'm not convinced he is ever going to dominate in the air i.e. get on the end of loads of crosses. He doesn't seem to jump or naturally time his headers. I think he will be outdone inthe air by most centrebacks in the top teams. He does have decent feet though and I can see him causing problems for defences if he can get up to speed. Shame his work on Sunday was all in the middle of the pitch as we rarely had the ball near their goal.

Probably the best performance of the season by Saints against a team that is one of the best in the world at pressing and putting their opponents under pressure in their own defensive third. I've seen most of the teams in the league this season make the sort of mistake that led to their first goal so it's short sighted to just blame it on RM. If Fernandes decides to let the ball roll across his body and travel upfield with it he takes out about 4 Liverpool players and we are on the attack. He didn't and played it back and te rest is history. Personally I'm putting the majority of the blame on FD as he had a clear chance to put it out for a throw, rather than put it back into the centre of the goal. Compare that to the criticism a keeper would rightly get on here for pushing a shot back into the middle of the goal. Good performances all over the pitch. PO showed up more than I've ever seen before, it was just a shame his best work was done in the middle of the pitch. I'm stll not convinced he's a classic target man, as I don't think he won more than a couple of headers all game. I'm pretty sure the wind played a part in the second goal - probably held it up a bit allowing Salah to reach it ahead of AM. It may also have had a role in the third if Suga misjudged the flight of the ball.

Can't see us buying 4 new midfielders - your numbers 2, 5 and 6. Assuming we buy Downes and Fraser I think we'll then loan a keeper as a starter because we still see Baz as the future, buy a LB, ST and AM. For me the big money needs to go one Downes (or an equivalent if WHam won't sell) followed by a striker. I'm happy enough if that big money is in the form of a loan if a permanent buy is out of our reach in terms of funds. Leaves a squad something like (playing either 4-3-3 or 5-3-2): GK - New loan, Baz, Lumley Def - KWP, ABK, THB, Jan, Jack, Bree, Manning, New LB Mid - Ghoddos, Downes, Smallbone, Aribo, New AM, Lallana, Charles Attack - Adarma, Stewart, New striker, Frazer, Edozie, SAA, Sule I'm assuming the DCC, Onuachu, Alcaraz, Perraud don't return from their loans / we sell them.

I think Lallana is being brought in for two key reasons (among others). Firstly exceptionally positive PL experience. He hasn't just got the underdog / survivors mentality, he knows what it feels like and is required to win the thing. Secondly, he can retain possession, which is going to be very important to Russ as we are going to be under a lot more pressure from opponents next season. That ability might help in situations where we want to control the game - perhaps hang onto a slim lead.

Four very good teams all messing up a different times of the season. We did our howlers in Sept and Feb, they are doing theirs now. I think you meant testement rather than parmount 😉

It wouldn't surprise me if Leicester fail to win any if their remaining four games. Their form has really fallen off a cliff.

No idea who is saying this but if Plan B is better than Plan A, surely it becomes Plan A by default.

Lambert was such a huge influence on how we could play then. His ability to hold up the ball was better than anyone we have had since and not having it now makes regularly playing a long ball out of defence too much of a lottery in terms of possession of the ball - which we all know is RM's primary philosophy.

Given the options available - Charles and Aribo - I don't think putting them in in place of the starting three would have made much difference (assuming Hull played as effectively as they did in the first half). I'm pretty sure they would also have been man marked out of the game and wouldn't have been able to do much more that the starting three did on the night.

He looks good when we are on the front foot and retaining possession as he makes late runs into the box and regularly provides an option in the final third. When he is marked tightly, like he was for an hour last night, he hasn't got the close control or confidence to play much more than a wall pass back to the defence. Last night we needed someone like Lavia who can play on the half turn and face up the opposition. Easier said than done though when their man to man marking was so tight and disciplined.

I think you have got to give credit to Hull for their effort last night. They implemented the tactics that we are vulnerable to absolutely perfectly during the first half. They essentially man marked when we had the ball and their discipline was good. Our midlfield could not shake their markers to have any time to turn on the ball, hence so many wall passes back to the defence and why Mara was being followed by their CB into our half when he dropped deep for the ball. It looked like their discipline broke just before half time so their manager switched their tactics for the second half to sitting deep and attacking on the break. We had loads more of the ball but just struggled to find many clear openings. I was really surprised when they took off Seri as he was running the midfield and things did open up for us after he went off. Assuming they played as effectviely again, the only changes in the starting formation which I think would have made a difference would have been Adams for Mara as he may have held the all up better, and Sulemanna for one of the wingers as his pace might have made them stand off a bit more rather than man mark.

FFP isn't about how much you spend, it's about putting a limit on how much you can lose over a 3 year period. Chelsea have big revenues from sponsors and had a transfer ban for a couple of windows so their recent spending is only one part of the equation.

What a sense of entitlement! You make it sound like you expect 11 brave Saints lads to turn up and the opposition will just roll over. It's still a football match, there are still determined and sometimes well organised opponents to overcome.

This is a freak year. Leicester AND Ipswich have got the top two most points after 20 games ever recorded. All of the top 15 in the list attached went on to be promoted.