Toussaint

So did I , thought he was head and shoulders clear motm. Best game for us so far, and I’d written him off!

Sad times when the best you can hope for is not to be humiliated again.

I’m not sure I can watch this, if I do it will be from behind the sofa with a cushion held to my face. Having the occasional peek, followed by a tantrum / sob / expletives as the occasion requires. Course it could be the day we turn the corner.

Is it the White Lightning? Is that the good feeling?

If I had anything else to do on a rainy lockdown Saturday, I wouldn't watch the game. Saints have ruined too many weekends lately and a couple of weekdays to boot. However as I have nothing else to do I will watch it, hopefully I will be pleasantly surprised. I hope you all find this as riveting to read as I found it to write. Sigh.

Agree to differ, but with Wolves we didn't put them away when we dominated the game in the first half, we came out in the second half with no puff, the officials did not help, but I still think we were architects of our own downfall.

I honestly believe our decline started before the injury crisis and the bad officiating, but we still picked up results which masked the issues. I'd go back to Wolves away, they pounded us, but we came away with a draw (9-2 shots on target, 20 - 7 overall), Home to Man - threw away a 2-0 lead, Arsenal away drew 1-1 playing against 10 men for nearly 40 minutes, that's when I first really noticed us running out of ideas around the opposition area, Arsenal had chances to win after going down to 10 (remember they were on a long losing streak at the time). Brighton away, they were at least as good as us - more shots again but this time the officiating worked in our favour, , away to Fulham - completely blunt in attack 0-0, 10 - 3 goal attempts in favour of Fulham. Home to West Ham - full first team playing - completely blunt going forward again, West Ham could easily have won and so on. The teams we did beat in this period were at their lowest ebb, Newcastle and SUFC. Then there was the Liverpool at home freak, where officiating could have gone against us but didn't. I would venture that we got found out around the time of Wolves away in November.

Shouldn't be that big a deal, many teams change formations and tactics during a game, he's had a week to work on it. Don't forget this drop off on form / scoring started before the injury crisis, there has been plenty of time to work on alternative formations and tactics when it first became apparent plan a was becoming less effective

....when we run out of steam, fatigue sets in compounded by the niggling injuries players are playing through catch up? Further compounded by the opposition knowing we will burn out and biding their time. It occurred to me when Klopp first took over at Liverpool they played at a frenetic pace and rain out of steam quite early, he ended up having to slow things down a bit to suit the marathon that is a premier league season.

Don't think we'll need VAR to screw us, they have superior players in almost every position. They'll have to have an off day and we will need to be at our best, like Liverpool at home.

Note to self, get Valium / electroconvulsive therapy

Thanks for this mornings motivational speech, I feel invigorated and ready to seize the day.

I got it

Maybe try gaelic football, that will keep your fitness up?

The difference is we tried to be too smart, whilst they sold and bought to sustain their success, we sold with and bought view to playing moneyball, but got it largely wrong.

He's still a fantastic player, I'd have him here in a heartbeat (I know it's never going to happen) .

Leicester isn't a great comparaison, whilst town and support are similar sizes they are owned by the gazillionaires, King Power. We are owned by someone with, well, no money at all. I really don't see how this self financing model of ours works, or perhaps it doesn't, which is why we flattered to deceive and are now finding our level.

Agree re Boufal, he offers more than the 3 you named in my opinion. I had high hopes for Djneppo, he's a big nothingness

McCarthy has pulled off some worldies this season, he is at least part of the reason we had our good run. Yes he's made two balls ups playing out of defense that's lead to two goals, and the goals have started pouring in, but that's in a side where chaos has resumed for a variety of well known reasons. He was being talked about in terms of an England call up before we went on this run. Forster has had almost nothing to do in the cup run which has seen us face a succession of weakened teams who have posed little threat. I don't think Forster is the answer to anything, he is back up, that's all.

It's of no relevance to Celtic we had our pants pulled down. I'd take it, still a lot of money to us right now, plus the saved wages.

Assuming that's a back 4, I'd agree except drop Redmond and give Minimouso a go out wide.

Yes it is, if we haven't got the money to add a few quality players and carry on this form next season we could be struggling.

I think we will be OK, but current on form it doesn't look brilliant. The reason saints have survived late on so many times over the years is when the middling teams have nothing left to play for you can pick up lots more points per game, those already in the fight will be ready for this, we seem to have no fight. Like I said, I think we will be OK. But... there is often one seemingly safe team that nosedives after Christmas

He clearly isn’t match fit, just had two games in a week and hasn’t played much this season. I wasn't sure what his role was was today, seemed to be playing deeper than where I have seen him play before. I think he’ll be very good given some time to settle. He started well enough, just faded.

You lost me at , “safe , well and coping ok” I’m sick to death of all this disingenuous bon homie.