Dusic

Could be once Amla goes, especially if Northeast misses a few more Champ games. Batting and backup seamers still poor.

Cedric was down for more than a minute. Its just terrible luck, in a season where the last few minutes of games have not generally been kind.

Simple now - beat Swansea or more than likely down.

I will be amazed if Swansea are as poor and slow as Everton. Today is a massive chance to win.

Big game tonight! An Arsenal win not good news.

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He has definitely done better than expected since he csme into the side, especially as he was fairly average for the U23s. Good physical build and seems to do the simple things, and actually has played some nice passes, especially into Tadic. Would be interesting to see him in a back four at some stage (next season) to really judge him.

Will be almost be more annoying if we do drop now as we will have clearly seen that had we got rid of Pellegrino sooner or not had one of the worst January windows ever for a relegation threatened side it could easily have been avoided. I had resigned myself to the fact we were 99% relegated after the Chelsea game. Hughes is a standard PL Manager but has made a huge difference to the attitude and energy of the team, but ultimately we don't win many games and still need to win one from two as a minimum (excluding the obvious defeat to City). IMO we deserve relegation, but have finally given ourselves a realistic eacape route provided we get something at Goodison. I still have zero faith in our centre backs though...

I think you are quite possibly the most clueless wally on here, which is quite impressive.

Thought Tadic was absolutely fantastic today. He is one of those players that will fruatrate, but he has genuine quality and we don't have much of that. He also has a good attitude as proven by pretty much all Managers picking him. Lemina is back to more like his best. Great win today - we now have a chance. Only negative is that our CBs are all there for the taking, but we know that anyway.

That said, we aren't some kind of charity. Saints have given him a great platform.

Got a lot of respect for Maya. He comes from a country where very few players have made an impact as a PL player, certainly not as a centre back in a physical league. He must be mentally strong to have overcome the bias about being an Asian player in Europe and also carrying a lot of expectation on his shoulders from Japanese football fans. That isn't easy. He has improved massively during his time here, especially when playing alongside someone better than him. Also clear he cares and is well liked and respected by teammates. As a player he isn't IMO a first choice CB for a decent PL side but thats no disgrace. As a person, there is a lot to like about him in an era where the majority of PL players are lad banter, tattoo sleeve tossers. He will have a better story to tell than the majority.

Giles White just confirmed McManus will be staying as an opener. Slightly odd IMO, has never looked like a top order batter and a couple of times already Amla has been left with the tail...

That team would get hugely overrun. Long has been proven as even worse out wide than he is up front. Austin, with Tadic and Redmond behind is the way to go as unfortunately we need 3 CBs because they are all so poor.

Austin FFS. If he hadnt been injured (again) he would have missed 3 massive games due to his absolutely brainless violent conduct charge. McCarthy is the only player it would be acceptable to vote for IMO. Having been before, its usually a great evening, but wouldn't be this year. Surely has to be chopped.

Its absolutely shouldn't. 1. Long and Austin are a dreadful partnership - neither is remotely creative 2. Tadic has to start

Genuine question, do people actually think lots of tourists go to Saints games for a day out?

No. He was ideal for a very specific set of circumstances. Let him stay a legend.

He has been one of the worst of the failed signings. Less of an impact than Gaston Ramirez.

Lets be honest, there is no chance of us winning the next three games, or even two of them. We are so **** and concede goals from crosses in almost every game. The whole season, and recent matches, scream relegation.

Further proof today - absolute myth. Long and Austin are not a good pairing, neither technically adept and they didnt operate at all well together. Austin was a passenger for the first half and Long had one of his many games where he is just terrible. I would match Chelsea's 3-4-2-1 for the rest of the season with Tadic and Redmond behind Austin.

Five thoughts: 1. Yoshida and Hoedt are awful and inspire no confidence whatsoever. Both very poor today and miles short of the level of our previous CBs 2. Long and Austin cannot start together. Neither is technically good enough to hold the ball. Long is better on his own, but is a woeful finisher. We improved massively when he went off. They have played together a couppe of times (away at Bmth under Koeman I think) and have not looked remotely like a partnership 3. Tadic and Redmond either side of Austin is the way to go til the end of the season. 4. Our squad is so shot of confidence on the ball but also a coherent game plan. Chelsea were well drilled and have played their system for a couple of years. We look like a rabble 5. Not sure on Hughes for next season. Surely we should have subbed at HT? Would likely not have stopped their goal but first half was so woeful I assumed he would have recognised that.

Surely Amla has to be batting higher? McManus isn't an opener long term.

He looks a good prospect. Quite a few goals recently, including today.

Shows what a **** up we are thatbwe have loaned out a player semingly not good enough for our firet team, only to be faced with a scenario that he wants to leave to play at a higher level a few months later. You couldn't make it up, we have waited ages for him to be first team ready and then he will end up in the league above us (money/ambition talks, if they want him and are PL we aren't keeping him)!