Alain Perrin

Not since the days of Paul Telfer has so much ire been directed to a player without justification. Granted he's no Busquets, but there are fans who'd blame him for a loss even if he was in Tescos at the time. My view is that it's a team and you can have a good player made to look **** because of the sum of the parts around him, the position they're asked to play, the tactics and even the opponent. Personally I quite like him.

Despite his A-levels I understand JWP confused New Forest and Notts Forest. By the time he figured it out it was too late.

Personally I think we'll do better than we did last time in the Premiership. Che was a solid player but missed far too many sitters and cost us points as a result. He was the personification of a streaky player. I liked him a lot but I think we'll be better team without him. Even if JWP was offered back to us I would question it. Fantastic professional, excellent free kicks - not sure if his corners are that productive but maybe that's the absence of a target man. That said, I would. But most of all we are a team, with an identity and spirit - certainly we lacked that when we were relegated. Every year people have the same panic. It won't change.

The most concerning area is the defense and DCM, specifically Downes. It took time for Saints to settle into RMs style of play, and that's crucial for the defense (mistakes there will cost us more). Lose too many games in the early part of the season (as we did this year) and we won't have the same opportunity to recover like we did in the Championship.

So many players move away and do very little - Ings, Broja, Lavia (played something like 32 mins all season) and going back you have a mixed bag of Schneiderlin, Shaw (early years etc). Just goes to show what a lottery signing players is and it's sometimes the team around them that can make them look good. I won't ever understand why a player like Lavia who left Man City to us to get game time, joins an equally difficult to penetrate team. Even money is less of a factor now as the lowliest player is raking in £millions.

It's always good to read the match thread back when we've won in the second half. The usual posters being dicks in the first half with no understanding.... then like tumbleweed from them in the second half. You'd think they'd learn.... We're far from perfect but we are far from shit too.... Oh, and well done Will Smallbone!

I think it is one of those memes where everyone freezes. Kind of like Che in front of an open goal...

I know it is natural, as the last line of defence, to see fault with the keeper.... But, in my opinion, neither goal was very saveable. The first was a bullet that ends up in Row Z nine times out of ten. The second went through THB's legs at pace so Bazuna saw it very late. I'd point the finger at not closing down the pass or the shot sufficiently on the first. Not sure there was a particular error on the second. Our obvious problem is that we cannot finish games off. How many games have we thrown points away where, for long periods, the opposition have been second best? Too many - and that's why we won't get the automatics. Unfortunately you'll not win anything with kids, nor will you get promoted with Che Adam's as your main striker.

News flash... Football fans in lacking patience/ not knowing what they're talking about shock. The best thing RM has done is change the mentality for the better - no small feat. If you can do that (and if he talks in private like he does in private, you can see how he has managed that) then you have a fighting chance with any team, and especially with our comparatively strong squad. Long may it continue....

Whatever. We won. RM is a human being and who hasn't had a bad day and snapped at something they shouldn't have. He did over react in the interview but who knows what went on before to put him on edge like that. Based on what we've seen before its not his normal way of operating. Who cares. We won.

There will always be mistakes (human / computer) etc. My problem with VAR and offside in general is it has forgotten why the law is there. Whether or not someone's foot / sleeve / or nose was technically offside, it takes no account of whether the advantage was material. When you are 30m from goal, beat 3 players and then the goal is ruled out because of someone's toenail in the build up, it is a joke.

I have it on good authority that gifting the win to Sunderland was part of the Ross Stewart deal...

Classic Saints. Went in assuming a slam dunk and get taught a lesson.

What was the name of the bloke around the Lowe era who reckoned he could shape no name players into superstars; not the same bloke? Gifton, Grafton someone?

It will be interesting to see what happens with Che. I really like him but there's part of me that's worried his current uptick in goals is a typical Che Adam's streak - only to fade to where he scoops over with an impossible miss. Maybe then a replacement would t be a bad thing. On this basis I will be more disappointed if KWP goes than Che. If he does stay then I hope Che's streak lasts and lasts.

I haven't posted in an age but any player (and especially a green 19 year old) will struggle in a team which has no confidence. Someone like Edozie could make an impact in a confident team or if they have a wow factor (think Bale's free kicks or Theo's speed). Fundamentally Saints were crap last year and lacked confidence across the park. Messi would have struggled! Hopefully he can kick on. See you in 4 years.

Clearly my support isn't as fickle as a four year old... But there's nothing to support in this team at the present. When we went down last time at least it was in the balance with fight (eg. Norwich 4-3) - this season feels like a whimper. Too soft, too toothless.

When I was 4 years old I declared I was supporting Newcastle because KK had just transferred there. It lasted an afternoon - but it feels like it might be worth revisiting...

I do wonder if JM might join after the Leeds match. Probably ridiculous and the club PR afterwards suggests otherwise. RA has a chapter in his book, "If it ain't broke, break it" - looks like mission accomplished....

That's the bonkers thing. We won that game because we were great in every position... in every other game the team looks like strangers, devoid of confidence with some strange selections. I don't fully blame Jones for our position, problems before and problems after, and I am normally a give it a chance kind of guy... But this feels like the right (overdue) decision. I've no doubt he tried but it feels like this wasn't the right fit from quite early on. Maybe if you get a couple of early wins, people will buy in but lose, lose and lose again with often atrocious football and there's only one outcome. Good luck Nathan Jones wherever you end up next - it wasn't all your fault, you tried but on the pitch you certainly didn't make it better. With the greatest respect, Southampton wasn't for you.

I think this is the fundamental difference. For me the vaccine is partly about me (reducing my chances of being very sick) but mainly about others (reducing my chances of being sick, reduces my chances of giving it to someone else who might be more affected). So whilst I get for a 18year old compared to a 48 year old the equation is tipped more to others than personal risk, the vaccine still has value. The whole point of vaccination is that the masses protect the individual. It's how they work. Is it 100% effective, no. Does it completely halt transmission, no. Is there some (albeit tiny) personal risk of complications, yes. But it does reduce the impacts of these things so has benefit there and the hospital numbers are starkly in favour of the vaccinated. The personal risk is tiny in comparison with the societal benefits. If I am honest I have a slight reservation for kids as it's not their decision / they look to others for guidance. Other than that I think it's a selfish choice not to take the vaccine (same as attitudes to wearing a mask) and there should be costs / consequences for that.

If the truth stings... Neither position is right and yes there are posters at both extremes. My underlying point is, which you miss by not fully quoting, is that it's possible to criticise without thinking the sky is falling in. Also, a seemingly player with weaknesses can sometimes be the missing piece of the jigsaw if their skills complement another in the team.

To be fair, we could have signed Messi, Kane, Busquests last night plus a last minute Deal sheet that brings Keegan back out of retirement.... and the forum would still find fault. Looks fairly positive to me. Still some positions to strengthen (Stephens is a mixed bag for me) but good work in a number of areas. I don't get the clamour for a new GK either - FF and McCarthy were our keeper for our strongest finishes in the PL.

No way our budget can stretch to another 6 players....