Forester

I heard a lot of moaning after they end of the game while leaving the stadium, and there seems a lot of negativity on this thread. As someone very critical of MP during first half of season here are a few comments to balance some of the stuff on here: - we won, and deservedly so. We should have been at least two goals clear by half time, hit the bar second half and wasted further opportunities and none of that is MP’s fault. Predictably Watford went direct late on and that was the only threat - unlike previous occasions where has been outsmarted by other managers, his decision to bring on Maya was imaginative. Now it may be negative, or cautious, but it at least showed he learned from the away game. I think Cedric and Pied are too small as half of a back four when team starts like Watford hoof it up to Okaka and co. - I thought there were some really excellent performances from both centre backs, Cedric, Romeu and Tadic first half. - He prioritised winning the game to build confidence, picked a good side and should be applauded for that. - finally we are in the last 16, and that is one defeat in six in all competitions. It isn’t unrealistic to go from no wins since November to playing champagne football overnight but I for one enjoyed watching us win and am please for MP and the players. Now we need at least 4 points from Brighton and WBA to make it an excellent week. Let’s be positive

I can tell you that the dome is nowhere near houses and the poster who shared this is, at best, poorly briefed...

May rest a couple of midfielders as it’s start of a huge week, but would play a strong team. As bad as things look we have actually lost one in five in all competitions and this is a very winnable game. Bring in Long, Boufal and Davis for Gabbi, Tadic and Lemina. Possibly rest both fullbacks as we need them bombing on in the next two games, and Yoshi May come back. So maximum six changes albeit good players coming in.

Good point against a decent side. Mostly all positives today, Bertrand the pick of some very good performances. We have closed the gap this weekend on Brighton, Newcastle, Udders and Watford and in the second half of the season have already picked up points against Manure and Spurs while our rivals have yet to play them in most cases. I hope now all the “play Gabbi” brigade see that he is a shadow of the player he was and wants away. In absence of any signings Long would come straight back in my side. I wanted 7 points from Watford, Spurs, Brighton and WBA. 8 would be fab, but think we need to target 6 with a win and draw minimum from Brighton and WBA. I wat to see us ahead of the “points per game” curve sooner rather than later

We agree! Well put

James on most topics I have you down as one of the sensible posters but it’s very weird that you dig out the Spurs result last season as some sort of evidence that Puel is crap. The facts are 8th, a cup final via glorious away wins at Liverpool and Arsenal, and he took over a Leicester team that finished below us last season, were below us this season and they are now 7th. Last season he had no Wanyama and crucially Pelle and Mane. Then no Austin and VVD for half a season. Can’t work out why this doesn’t speak for itself. It’s a shame if we can’t be seen to admit it was a huge error to fire him

Puel now taken Leicester up to 7th having been below us when appointed. Looks odds on for two top 8 finishes and at least one cup final including managing us without Pelle, Mane and Wanyama. Sure does look a great decision to buckle to complaints about insufficient entertainment at home and some upset players after a fifty match season. Crikey, after all we are flying now aren’t we?

Yes you must be right. I mean I would hate to see us finish this season 8th and in a cup final. What a shambles tha would be

I am as frustrated as everyone else but situation is too serious. We can’t make home games toxic. Boo after final whistle if it’s poor by all means but not during game

I agree. Pelle and Lambert always gave us an outlet ball from Defence when pressed, or a diagonal cross to edge of area for knock down. It’s part of football and at no time with them in our team would we have been branded long ball merchants

Worry not, I have had the poster behind them translated and apparently it says “Nathan Redmond is sh*t”

WBA’s next home game is us and I am sure there will be some big tributes. Hopefully Saints fans can show some class as, per comments above, he really did make an impact that helped many others to follow.

I said we needed seven points from the four games that started with Watford, and with our run in I still think that is the ask. So now six points from these next three games against Spurs, Brighton and WBA. Stranger things have happened but the most I can see is a point which puts huge pressure on those next two fixtures.

An excellent post, and reflected the conversation we were having at the time. When Deeney and Okaka came on to go direct and we have a third centre back on the bench and our most gifted attacking player to capitalise on the extra space MP did nothing. He seems a nice guy, sets us up well from the start and usually picks a lineup that reads sensibly. But he has a MASSIVE weakness in in-game management and at this level he gets outwitted by the quality of opposing managers. Examples over recent weeks include Wagner, Hodgson and Silva. Earlier in the season Dyche did the same

Firstly the positives. I said before the game that we must not lose and allow Watford to go 8 points clear and start to look safe. This was first of four games where I think we need seven points, so we now need six from next three games. We looked quick and positive first half, credit to Long for his role in both goals, and good finishes by JWP. Then the negatives. Again second half MP is out manoeuvred by a Premier League manager. This is a consistent theme. I felt we should have replaced a tiring Cedric with Bednarek to help Hoedt and Stephens counter Okaka and Deeney when they came on. Nothing. Then as Tadic and JWP struggled to regain the ball on rare counter attack I felt we needed Boufal. Nothing. We look soft against physical sides in centre back positions. We were the far end and it was hard to see the handball but in all honesty we hardly had a kick second half and Watford deserved their point. One last thing, that was the most insanely overcrowded concourse at half time. No one could move. Bloody dangerous

Cam I just check, as the dumb supporter alarm has gone off, you aren’t seriously suggesting that we should NOT put a wage cut in players contracts in event of relegation? Really? If so I will put you in touch with a couple of clubs called Pompey and Leeds for some advice.....

I can’t work out why so many would pick Gabby. Looks like he wants to be anywhere other than at Saints and a shadow of the player he was. Long played well at Fulham, scored against Palace, and has pace to exploit space behind deferenders away from home

Part of me is excited by prospect of fully fit Theo running at defences. However his injury track record alongside that of Austin leaves me concerned re shelling out a third of the VVD money on him. Would be a great loan signing but I sense Arsenal won’t play ball. Either way we need to bring in two strikers in January whether permanent or loan

For me this is the start of a four game run that will determine if we stay up. I think we need to target seven points from Watford, Spurs, Brighton and WBA. There is no evidence in our form that we will get them but I think it is what we need given nightmare run in to come. Watford have not been anything like the side that they were in the first three months of the year and I think we will get something there, hopefully a win but a draw if not. They are five points ahead of us and we can’t allow them to go eight points clear. In a depressing situation the only thing that is keeping me with some hope is that, right now, there are eleven teams in the battle. But lose on Saturday and I think that reduces to ten and Watford look safe

Have had a quick flick through the cyber warriors’ comments within seconds of the final whistle and as someone actually there I enjoyed my afternoon. A few thoughts, from someone who similarly worries that MP is not the right man but doesn’t want to be churlish: - he picked a decent team given injuries and prioritised winning the game. Fair play - fans were excellent, 4000 gave good encouragement. A few guys tried to spoil the atmosphere and got shouted down. Only moment of tension was when Hojberg was subbed to my surprise but Lemina actually did well when he came on - Romeu and Hojberg superb, well done back 4 including Jan out of position and Long worked his socks off - there seems to be a section of our fans that think Gabbi walks on water. However he is a shadow of the player that he was and looks like he wants to be elsewhere - We won away At a decent championship side. Look at other Premier League sides today who faired much worse. It’s good for confidence. Be happy for one weekend! Now we need to get 7 points from Watford, Spurs, Brighton and WBA. It will be tough but I think these next four games will be make or break

Would not choose a weakened side in our current position as wins breed confidence. Given injuries suggest McCarthy, Stephens, Bednarek, Yoshida, Bertrand, Romeu, Hojberg, Davis, Boufal, Long and Tadic.

Yes I think this is true. But let’s all remember that, heaven forbid, if we were to finish eighth it would apparently be considered failure. And if we topped that up with a cup final then it really would be curtains for the manager....

Yes good summary. I thought that in the first half the players largely won their individual battles on an awful night for football. I was hoping for the “ugly win” that often ends a losing run. Hodgson, seeing that we we just sitting back and waiting for counter attack, decided to take a player out of the congested midfield and go 433. I expected MP to react and bring on Bednarek and go three centre backs. What happened? Absolutely nothing. Palace bossed the second half and that was their third game in five days. I cannot believe we sacked a tactically astute, experienced manager in Puel and brought this guy in. Some of our thick fans who could not work out that the fag end of last season was unprecedented must be delighted with what they are seeing. I was there in the days of Branfoot etc. We WILL go down unless there is the biggest transfer window we have ever taken part in, change the manager, or both.

This is spot on. I am optimistic given Old Trafford result, and crucially we have the greatest advantage you could ask for in terms of Palace three games in five days. This is our chance to get ahead of the dreaded “point per match” ratio which is the absolute minimum needed to stay up. Failure to win would be very grim I fear given the makeup of our remaining home games...

Some limited changes to capitalise on leg weary Palace I think. 4231 with McCarthy, Pied, Hoedt, Yoshida, Bertrand, Romeu, Hojberg, Davis, JWP, Tadic, Boufal. Hit them with Long, Redmond as second half goes on. Stephens doesn’t deserve to be dropped per se, but think we need overlapping fullbacks