coalman

When ABK joined he was an absolute beast at times. I'd love that player in the starting line up. He was also prone to injury. Not sure if that has changed. Don't blame him for wanting out after we got relegated. That season was a shit show. Can also see how easy it would be to lose motivation if your manager only picks his besties. Knowing you're sixth choice behind Stephens is going to be a dark place. Also have no idea how he's handled himself during that situation. Doubt he's going to walk back into the side but at least with IJ there's a new beginning.

I'm pretty pissed off we humored him for so long already.

Is "relief" the emotion you're talking about?

"The yellow card for Downes changed the game"..... Oh wait are we not in teflon excuse land any more?

I think you'll find that result has everyone feeling vindicated. Those that supported Martin will say nothing has changed. Those that didn't will say we showed some fight.

Jack is back. Or is he? Ivan Juric begins his reign with a home tie against West Ham and the decisions which exposed his predecessor. Is Jack Stephens our captain? Is he our 3rd best centre back? Should be play him in the floating midfield fullback central defender role he has made his own. It's a chance to set the tone for the rest of the season or lay the foundations for another 12 months of sub mediocrity. The good news is Juric joins on that rarest of things for Southampton - a 0-0 draw. Not the surprise that we didn't score as that is de riguer these days but the fact that we didn't concede in the league for only the second time this season. West Ham have their own problems. Torn between sticking with their manager or joining the manager merry go round. Their forum will be buzzing with talk about Graham Potter and getting someone in to get a tune out of what is, on paper, a really good squad. They'll be wary of a Saints side that doesn't seem to be rolling over and waiting for belly rubs any more. If they're going to score goals they might have to do it themselves. Had we played this game 2 weeks ago this would be the corner turning opportunity for Lopetegui - now maybe not so much. For the new manager, there's not a lot of time to start making a difference. The first likely change is that the expected 3 day break between today's game and the next is unlikely to happen. Juric seems like a man who'll want to get at his players in training. The players will just have to adjust to the brave new world where they're expected to turn up to work at inconvenient times - like in-between matches. Sadly we're still light up front. Dibling looks knackered. Armstrong looks Armstrong. Onuachu and Archer look to be the best chance of supplying firepower which is not any manager's happy place. In the middle of the park it's a different story. We have the option of playing central midfielders for the first time in a long time with instructions to make tackles. Big Les might well feature after a promising second half against Fulham. Our defence has a newly restored Ramsdale behind them and has remembered how to keep clean sheets. A win and suddenly Saints are dreaming about the most improbable of outcomes this season - beating Derby's points record. Meanwhile in a darkened room, Russell Martin will be praying for business as usual - that's the difference between Manchester United and Accrington Stanley for his next gig. If it turns out it was possible to get more out of these players his job prospects look pretty bleak. With the new year approaching, Saints fans are experiencing a strange emotion - anticipation. Instead of doing the same things and being surprised by the same results in a dog ate my homework style masterclass in blamelessness we have a new manager and chance to do something different. Instead of the dull ache of creeping horror from a rapidly approach match we have the double edged sword of hope. In Ivan we trust.

Over the course of 90 minutes we didn't gift them one single gilt edged chance through piss-a-boutery and kept running for the whole 90 minutes. 0-0 is something we can build on there. We looked better when Big Les replaced Aribo - there's a player there. Baffled as to how Onuachu was left on the bench until the 90th minute.

Ref determined to break up play here

This ref really hates us

Ref let that head injury play on

Shame that Sugawara shot was blocked

Now we find out Big Les was a player all along. Shortly before he heads back to Chelsea

There's our shot on goal.

Fully expect him to come out and say that too at some point.

If someone at work kept wanting to hug me I'd want out too.

Another soft yellow

We've gone from high risk no reward football to low risk no reward football. That's still a step forward. Get Dibling, Aribo and Armstrong off and let's have a go at them.

Stupid booking

It's low risk nancying though compared to that golden era of Martin piss-a-boutery

Lovely turn by Dibling.

We're so much harder to play against when we tackle and put pressure on the player receiving the ball.

Or as a lone striker in the middle.

Let's be having 3 points so we don't set the record of lowest points total at Christmas. COYR

I think the starting position should be Stephens isn't captain and isn't played in a unique position just to get him in the side. If we're playing a back 4 and he's not one of our best 2 centre backs he shouldn't be on the pitch. Same if a back 5 and top 3.