Dusic

One thing that stood out for me was that when Yedlin fouled Redmond and should have got a second yellow, literally none of our players (even the captain) were in the ear of the ref. I don't think any of our players even mentioned it. Too nice/naive at times in many aspects of the game.

Poor performance. Poor result. Poor points tally given the opponents faced. Poor season so far. Will likely be in the bottom third most of the season I think. Only positive - Gabbi scoring again

Massive game tomorrow. League table doesn't make for good reading given we had the kindest fixtures in the league to start with yet are level or behind some poor teams. Given we have failed to score in 8 of the last 9 home games that HAS to cbange otherwise its relegation battle time.

Considering who we have played so far (and how much tougher it gets), the league table looks really ****. If we don't get min 7 points from the next four games then we are in the relegation scrap I think.

Who is JWP competing with for a place in our team? 6th PL season and he isn't closer to getting in as a holding player, nor an attacking midfielder. IMO his best position is wide right but few teams will select a one paced player out there, especially without a targetman to take advantage of his crossing ability. He is a decent player, is having and will have a good career. But there is no doubt the club give him so much airtime because a.) He is from the Academy b.) He is a nice lad c.) He is from the Academy d.) He is from the Academy Hopefully soon someone else might emerge because you can't keep saying how great the Academy is and use a poster boy who hasn't nailed a place in 6 years since graduating from it, no matter how nice he is.

Its now 2017 btw.

In a team that has very, very few players with a decent goal record then Shane Long cannot start as the striker. Surely nobody disputes that any longer?

Then we should be seriously worried. We have a continuation of kind fixtures for another month and then it gets tough. We need 2 wins from the next 4 or we are in the **** I think.

Playing those 3 together would be a bizarre, dysfunctional forward line.

Which bits are wrong?

Out of Davis, Redmond, Boufal and Tadic, Dusan is the one I would pick every time. Rarely wastes a ball. Easily the best at combining with the full back snd whilst goes down easily when fouled he stands up well to the physical aspect and is strong, especially when backing in. Has been our best attacking player of late, even when hamstrung playing with the hapless Shane Long to link with. Tadic is far from our biggest problem, but an easy scapegoat with less intelligent fans (the ones who suggest Long as a winger) because he tries things.

He is bloody awful. Its amazing for him to be in a PL squad let alone a starter for a team that supposedly wants to be top 10. I can't think of one PL side he would get in the team as a lone striker apart from Brighton, Newcastle and a Mounie-less Huddersfield. That says a lot. We should hsve moved Long on in the summer. We have had the best of him that snd was mediocre. I the best attribute of my striker to be more than running and winning cheap free kicks.

If the wages worked then signing him would be a no brainer. Still has something to prove and has a very good goal record from a wide position.

You sap.

Now further away from being a regular than in any of his 6 PL seasons. http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/saints/news/15575780.Ward_Prowse_out_to_fight_for_his_Saints_place/?ref=rss This bit interested me: “I have always played in a deeper midfield role, and that’s where I see myself playing,” he reflected. “I spoke to him about it and about playing a more advanced and attacking role, which of course I am willing to as well." Surely he sees the impact Lemina has had and realises all his weaknesses are the things that are essential in that position: strength, aggression, mobility, ability to put your foot in. Six years on and I'm still not sure how realistically he gets in the starting team. Unfortunately for him, he rarely has a positive impact as a sub either.

Amazed so many want Long to play out wide. 1. His first touch is woeful 2. His passing is dreadful 3. His awareness of teammates is lacking 4. Technically he is a poor player 5. He can't cross a ball 6. If he never scores up front then he won't from out wide. To be less than 10 games in and having Long back in the starting lineup after such a poor season last year just shows what a cluster**** we made of the transfer window, in an attacking sense.

Why was it people thought he would suddenly be quiet and not mention wanting to leave still? Was inevitable as soon as he went on Intl duty.

Probably not, no. So not worth anyone being overly bothered about. If he plays well then whats the issue? We knew he wanted to leave all summer and its great we kept him but he will play for us still wanting to leave. I am ok with that personally. The alternative was to sell him and most agreed we needed to make a stance. So we have kept him, might as well play him as he is our best player and we can handle is comments about wanting to leave, which TBH are just the truth of the matter.

Not sure why anyone is suprised. He made it pretty clear what his position was right throughout the summer. Nothing will have changed his mind.

Amazing that some people genuinely feel Black is a major problem. Keep clutching.

He has played out wide before and is worse there than up front. His first touch, passing, crossing and combination play aren't good enough to play wide in the PL.

Accept he is utter turd and bring Gabbiadini, our best striker by a mile, back into the lineup?

Indeed he has. Resembles a carthorse in his sub appearances so far. Poor signing on big wages. Hopefully we can get rid of Austin and Long (who is woeful) over the next two windows.

Did you go the game? I did and first half we were dreadful and but for Forster would have been 3-0 down at HT. Stoke are fairly poor and we created nothing against them. All our possession was in front of them. We looked most threatening in the last 5mins when we were desperate and put VVD up front and played direct. Its very worrying - we won't score enough goals playing like we did yesterday and if we maintain scoring in less than 30% of matches like at the moment then we will be in a relegation battle.

Thought he improved us when he came on today. Yes he will give the ball away, but he played at a quicker tempo than our other attackers and had the beating of his opponent virtually every time he got the ball. Would give him a run instead of Redmond and see what he can do - potentially could be a difference maker.