macca155

Good god I hope James isn't reading this, and if you are take no notice and remember those writing an opinion here are the ones who have at best modest talent at football and even less tactical nous. I include myself firmly at the top of that list. We have on our hands a young man who loves the club, has more than two brain cells, is a regular for England U21s, and is the only player in the club who can deliver a decent set piece ball. He is already a decent premiership player and a tremendous prospect. I for one am grateful that we have managed to keep this lad on our books and I am confident he will be a big part of our future. My test of a player is whether he is a game changing option as a sub and not simply a like for like replacement. JWP makes things happen and is a conduit for other players. If the club were to even hint that he was available for sale he would be gleefully snapped up by one of our competitors. Ross Barclay and Harry Kane seem to get the same treatment from the media and their fans. One minute brilliant the next a waste of space. Other countries cherish their young players and look after them. In this country we ruin them so it is no wonder that Brit teams are regularly beaten by other European teams. Nobody is above criticism and he clearly needs to work on aspects of his game. He doesn't have the pace of other players but he'd leave most of us standing! I was complaining about his back passing yesterday but on reflection he is one of those players who will not give the ball away willingly. Espanyol were a useful (and dirty) outfit and closed down forward options very quickly. If he is going to be A grade footballer then he needs to develop the ability to overcome the stifling tactics of modern football. However I suspect our coaches are working on that. Lets celebrate what we have and let the boy develop into the footballer we all want to see.

This is isn't saying too much for Stephens and Turnball's CV but I guess play offs aren't normal games

7 - 6 now crazy game injury time left ha ha

Green is a good shout. He is great shot stopper but flaps a bit at times. His distribution isn't as good as Forster but way better than our back up at the moment. The key thing is that he would be prepared to sit on the bench from Jan onwards. We'll struggle to find an alternative. The norwegian target could well be good but if he does well, Forster won't warm the bench for him. Tricky one.

Well I did Stoke and Sunderland but couldn't face Leicester, good decision just wish I'd lumped on Leicester. I've seen this coming for weeks and here is why. It was only a few weeks ago that this team faced Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and played like genuine champion league contenders. Brilliant game and we all left pumped up and proud. Since then the deterioration has been rapid. Losing Forster was a fatal blow and exposed Saint's critically low squad depth. We all knew it straight away but just hoped that Davis or Gazza would step up... they didn't Secondly key players have been injured or suspended, the team has lost its cohesion and that telepathic passing born of familiarity has been lost. Once again squad depth has cost us here, nobody wanted Cork to go but he had Morgan Vic, Davis, JWP in front of him and he was never going to be bench warmer. Thirdly teams have worked us out and we don't have the skill or guile to change. Stop our fullbacks overlapping, press our midfield and you cut off the supply line to the forwards. We have no creativity Tadic and JWP are our the best we have and neither have really got going. Without Lallana the team is pedestrian and wastes procession. Trevor Francis (who I rate) was the expert on my dodgy stream and he observed that Barcelona had 45% procession against Bayern but made it count and won easily. They also had Messi Trevor but the point remains valid. Teams give us possession knowing we'll do little with it, all they have to do is defend in numbers when we play tippy tap around the area and eventually the ball will be tamely given away. Nobody is going to run at them. Fourthly we have no regular goal scorers, correction we do but Koeman won't play them. I like Pelle he is a great centre forward who terrorises defences but on his own he is easily marked by two players. Unlike Lambert he simply doesn't have the mobility or skill to collect the ball deeper and distribute quickly. What he needs is a young hungry striker on the bench who is itching to come on and show him how to do it. Gallagher and Seager would put him under pressure and perhaps give a bit of impetus to our play at the end of the game. Mane and Long are interchangeable but not complimentary, I'm surprised Koeman hasn't seen this. On reflection the loss of Lambo has been significant. Koeman has played at the highest level and I have nothing but admiration and gratitude for what he has achieved this year. We could be staring down the barrel of relegation if it wasn't for the professional way our players made such a good start. Finally the Spurs game was the watershed, that was the players opportunity to leapfrog a similarly exhausted team. Both teams went toe to toe and I thought it was the best game of the season. No quarter given or asked and by the end they were on their knees. For both teams the result meant they were chasing a Europa place rather than Champions league and I suspect both sets of players were mentally exhausted. I just wish Koeman would trust us enough to play the youngsters more often, sure we would be beaten more easily on occasion but you've only got to look at the performance of Reed today to see that they wouldn't let us down.. I would have cheerfully accepted 9th or 10th if it meant seeing some rising stars rather than journeymen players like Elia. However I suspect Ron knows better than me that he also has to make sure that we don't have a West Ham or Newcastle style dip whilst the squad lacks the security to cope. I suggest we all relax and just enjoy the final two games, wear you're flip flops and just think of what might have been and what is to come. Next year we'll have a decent 2nd keeper of that you can be sure, JRod will be back and our attack of Pelle, Mane, Long, Seager, Gallagher and JRod will have a lot more pace and guile to unlock premiership defences. It may need another player but we can't block promising youngsters. That is the Southampton way so best accept it. In midfield there will be incoming quality to supplement Vic, Reed, JWP, Tadic and Davis (who needs a rest). I'm assuming that Morgan will be gone and the loanees will return from whence they came. This will be where the club spends some money although Hesketh may start to make an impact if he grows a bit. We still have Ramirez on the books so he may feature... yeah right. The defence of Fonte, Gardos, Yoshida, Stephens, Bertram Tragett, and Clyne (or replacement) should be sufficient with a decent goalkeeper behind them, although I could see Gardos being shipped out and a replacement for Toby brought in. I wish the main man would stay but sadly that looks unlikely. That isn't a Champions league team next year but it might just be the year after with some experience under their belts. Lots to look forward to

Too right, having made that journey Saturday I don't think I could live with three of them. Bit of luck both Sunderland Newcastle will be relegated. Lets have a nice Southern based Premiership.

Sorry I'm with Benjii on this.... you are wrong Wood and McCarthy were excellent yesterday. A very accomplished performance from both of them. When you think that the first choice CH (Stephens & Turnball) are at Swindon this is one area we definitely don't need to make any purchases. Not convinced by Mugabi yet, he looked good in the 2nd half but it would be interesting to see him up against a more competent attack.

Well we did that last year and it didn't hurt. The problem is if we keep loaning average cheap players then they will need replacing every year. Saints aren't City or Arsenal and never will be. This is our way and no doubt there will be rocky seasons ahead.

It's not about who leaves it is about improving the squad and bringing youngsters into the first team. Like it or not this is our business model and personally I love it. Seeing one of our youngsters blossom into a great player is brilliant. Sadly it is with other clubs at the moment but gradually that will change. We have defensive midfield players in abundance. Having both Vic and Morgan on the pitch at the same time is a bit over the top and is clearly blunting our attack. Morgan going won't be catastrophic so we should say au revoir to a great servant. Reed will either support or understudy big Vic. We won't get much for Clyne so he needs to see his contract out, no question. We have no cover at right back and will need a year to sort that position out. Top of the list needs to be a striker like Ings or Austin. Saints will need to pay big money there is no choice. If JRod comes good then that is a bonus but I have my doubts. We have never replaced Lallana and I had hoped that Ramirez would do the job. Sounds like Classie is on the radar which would be good. A goalkeeper is an obvious must but there are plenty around. After that it will all be about the youngsters. I watched Jack Stephens on TV last week and he looked good. He plays a very attacking role for a centre half and reminds me of Toby. I would like to see him in the squad replacing Toby who isn't ours so no good saying he's going. Yoshida is good cover and I'm sure he will come good. Jordan Turnball had a good game as well so we don't need any centre halves. Having said that keeping Toby however unlikely should at least be an aspiration. Hopefully the journeyman overseas players like Elia and Mayuka will be reduced, and we'll see more youngsters coming through. Surely Seager, McQueen, Gallagher, Sims will be given their chance. JWP will have to score a goal sooner or later and when he does watch the big clubs circle. Hopefully we can resist their overtures. As Europe is on the cards the squad needs to be a lot bigger. A lack of depth to cover injuries has made life difficult but its still been a brilliant season and whatever happens in the summer I'm looking forward to next year. We've known worst times.

More like City need a win for CL and Saints need a win for automatic Europa League. That is very likely and would make for a spicy game. I'd prefer both teams needing a point leading to classic centre circle kick about and anybody venturing into the opposition half roundly booed. That really upsets the other teams, Brighton have never forgiven us. Or Saints secure in Europa place and a City win will deny Liverpool a CL place. Now that I would enjoy. Altogether now Blue moon you saw you standing alone. .....

Duncan that maybe, but I suspect Frank Saul was MoTM once but that doesn't stop him being our biggest ever rip off IMO. One for the oldies

Good point I forgot we used to play more games. 70 points is at least possible. Wouldn't that be amazing.

Playing the predictor sites is good fun and if you remain objective they all have us finishing 5th or 6th. 4th is probably beyond us but not as mathematically unlikely as you would think. The fixture list stagger has to unwind and Saints are definitely in lane 1. All the top teams have to play each other which means if Saints keep winning then they will make progress pretty much every week. Saints won't win every game obviously but they definitely have the best run in. The infighting between the other contenders will be interesting to watch. the first three places are settled and 4th is almost certainly going to Utd. As an earlier poster observed they won't lose 3 out of the next 8 games, although we live in hope. No way will Swansea catch Saints, they need 4 wins to our 4 losses in the next 8 games. That is very unlikely so 7th is pretty much in the bag. This means that Liverpool, Spurs and Saints are slugging it out for 5th, 6th, and 7th. The games are running out and as soon as one of those teams falls off the pace they are done for... there is no coming back. Spurs have a very similar fixture list to Saints but crucially they have to play Saints away, that game will be the decider I suspect. Liverpool have to play Arsenal and Chelsea and despite some good form may find their run in difficult. Of course into that mix come relegation teams fighting for survival and pulling off shock victories. Plus the time honoured variables that make football so enjoyable to watch and impossible to predict. It has been a great season and hopefully we will see Saints amass more than 60 points which will be an incredible effort considering the departures in the summer. A glance at the record books shows that this is the 12th best season already and there are still 8 very winnable games to play. Five wins would see Saints match their 2nd best ever points tally. Saints would have to win every game to match 77 so in reality that has to remain a target for next year The goal difference is likely to be one of the best as well. Season Pos P W D L F A GD Pt 1983-1984 2 42 22 11 9 66 38 28 77 1980-1981 6 42 20 10 12 76 56 20 70 1984-1985 5 42 19 11 12 56 47 9 68 1981-1982 7 42 19 9 14 72 67 5 66 1979-1980 8 42 18 9 15 65 53 12 63 1970-1971 7 42 17 12 13 56 44 12 63 1968-1969 7 42 16 13 13 57 48 9 61 1982-1983 12 42 15 12 15 54 58 -4 57 2013-2014 8 38 15 11 12 54 46 8 56 1989-1990 7 38 15 10 13 71 63 8 55 1994-1995 10 42 12 18 12 61 63 -2 54 2014-2015 6 30 16 5 9 42 21 21 53 To put things in perspective Saints have only ever finished above 6th place twice. I for one will celebrate 7th and hopefully a European adventure. Anything more will be amazing and a solid platform to build on for the following season. What isn't to like about this season whatever happens now. Enjoy it as we haven't seen it often before.

Of course Lallana would walk into our team he's a good player. Why on earth do you think some/most of our fans are so bitter. I wish he was still a Saints player but he isn't and I've moved on. He'll get dogs abuse tomorrow from me during the match as that's our job. Put him off a bit and Liverpool will lose an edge. Other than that good luck to him.

Bottom line is that he isn't our player and belongs to Athletico Madrid. Like everybody else I think he is probably the most accomplished and highest quality player I have ever seen playing for Saints. Way way too good for us at the moment and he deserves to play at the very highest level. Saints aren't there yet but we are getting close. Toby's a Saint for another 13 games so lets just enjoy him why we have him and wish him well when he goes. I think its a shame that Jack Stephens, an obvious understudy hasn't been able to train with him. I've high hopes of that lad and maybe we'll see him next year starting to fulfil his promise. As others have pointed out Yoshida and Gardos are playing well so we don't exactly have a crisis at the back. Wouldn't be wonderful if he stayed though....

40 quid for half the pitch... an away win is good value though

My view

I'm at the game and you won't have seen that corner on the stream. Unbelievable accuracy and swerve... brilliant

top 6/7 is the new top 4 Actually I think the way Newcastle and Liverpool (our genuine rivals this year) have been taken apart by the Arse and Utd is actually quite encouraging. They had much harder games against us and whilst Arse kicked us off the field and we gifted Utd the win, there was no way Saints were going to be beaten like that. City took us dead serious brought their 1st team and A game and we had sore bottoms by the end of the game but there was a level of respect there that I haven't seen before. Personally I'm not bothered about Utd, City, and Chelsea. They probably earn more in programme sales than Saints do at the gate and we simply cannot compete with that at the moment. RVP is not what he was but that finish for their winner was world class and that is what you get when you pay the big money. Look at Liverpool without Suarez they have lost that edge. Saints are in a league of Everton, Newcastle, Swansea, West Ham, Spurs and Liverpool. Arsenal are on the fringes but I suspect they'll pull away once the real infighting starts. 7 points cover the teams so we best brace ourselves for a roller coaster ride. Everybody is going to be beating everybody else its going to be like a relegation fight but without the consequences. Spurs seem to be getting it together which is a worry but Saints have to play 5 of those teams at home so there can't be any excuses.

Certainly thin on the ground in midfield. However we know Target can hold the lb position so maybe push betrand forward. Same for Clyne if we have someone who can play rb

Beaten by a better team who took us very seriously. Expect more of the same against arse Utd and Chelsea. First half was good we absorbed their early pressure and started to cause them problems. Losing Morgan (why) was critical for us. City took over the midfield and our weak attack needs a strong midfield. But hey things have been a lot worse than this. Need to regroup and get some confidence back. This wasn't a cup game and will be forgotten with a few wins.

Just on the train home. A great win against very tough opposition. Hull played well and never gave up.they've some good players but weren't clinical on front of goal. Good! because neither were Saints. First goal came from a sloppy kick by their goalie. Big Vic ( who was immense today) simply dinked it into the empty net... from 35 yards. ... with 3 hull players on him... class. Hull threw the kitchen sink at Saints for about 20 mins and even Clyne was being roasted by overlapping players. 2nd half Saints took control as Koeman moved Davis across to protect Clyne and our subs made an impact. Towards the end Davis Pelle and Mane all missed sitters from close range. Hull were left taking long shots and frankly our defence weren't troubled towards the end. You could tell from the players reactions that they knew this was a top performance. These wins are obviously brilliant but they also mean that draws will do against the top three. As long as they are kept below us happy days. Toby and Morgan were just brilliant today. Big test for the board to keep them beyond the summer. Best start saving for some euro travels

Its all very well saying play a strong team but if we really are going to make serious challenge on the top 7 then we need the same mentality. Players get injured and banned so we need players to come in who have had some game time. This would be my team just a few subtle changes, defo rest Morgan, Wenger doesn't get to see him or talk to him Forster Clyne Gardos Fonte Target (He was solid at Millwall no problem playing him) Cork (Needs game time) Wanyama (Deserves start) Davis (Guaranteed start) Maine (He's fit and rearing to go and needs playing time) Pelle (Needs Goals) Long (Desperately needs goals) In the background we have Reed and Isgrove but in fairness not much else... oh yes Mayuka. Glad I've got a ticket as this will be a spicy game

Good win against a top notch side away from home. Well done Big Vic but he should have been on from the start even if to just bully Bony. I thought Bertramd was a contender for MoTM but mightily impressed with Gardos, he looks the full monty. Pelle is no Lambert but he does occupy the defenders. 3 points, 4 wins in a row and 2nd in the table .... happy days