Charlie Wayman

How many are we expecting next week then?

Diallo seems less comfortable and less effective in the sitting midfield role and resorted to safe tippy-tappy passes with JWP in the defensive third. He is much more alive and effective as an attacking midfielder and so it is not a problem to play Romeu/JWP in the deep positions with Diallo in the No 10 role. Him or Armstrong on Saturday.

Perhaps the Club are trying to off load him as he is one of the few saleable assets they have? Is it sell assets or go bust?

I feel a bit like Ralph, it was an um OK performance, just about. Far too cautious and unadventurous against pretty poor opposition despite the hype of the taters. A damp squib of a match on a damp night. A win's a win so we'll take it and move on. Bearing in mind that Diallo is still a relative novice and about the same age as some of our youngsters, there is clear gulf in quality between his abilities and reading of the game and any of the Academy lads who played tonight. That's not to say they won't learn but clearly they have a great deal to learn before they can challenge for a first team spot. Bit of a one man show directed and orchestrated by JWP.

From that podcast we learned from Bertie that he and the Club were not that far apart in negotiations and such details should be ironed out soon. It might be that he has to choose between a two year deal at higher p.a. money or a three year deal at lower p.a. money. He wants to end his career here so give him a three year deal and surely we can take a reasonable risk bearing in mind the vaccine roll-out and likely return of spectators soon. Where are we going to find a better right back in our situation even if there is one? No way will be find another KWP that was just luck.

Truth be told we do not have enough fit players to be confident of winning either this match or the one on Saturday. This is where a small squad and relying on the Academy lads has really lets us down. I'd rather we lose with the 'B' side tonight rather than be humiliated by the Gunners. It would be a lot more damaging to our confidence if we put out our strongest team for both matches, scraped a win tonight but then got roasted at the weekend.

We do need to work on the offside traps that teams set for us. It happens time and again. Last night we lost a clear penalty shout. Previous matches we've scored three superb goals all ruled out by VAR. Ralph fine them £1000 every time they get caught off-side. Long, Adams we're looking at you especially. At times last night as you say, we played mesmerisingly good one touch football that even had the pundits purring but all the pretty play in the world without goals doesn't add up to a row of beans.

A disappointing outcome but not all that surprising with so many first team regulars out. Starting Theo up top is a waste, we lose his strong running from midfield and off the ball aggression. Consequently for much of the match he was a spectator. Striker is not a natural position for him. Despite the obvious skill and energy he brought to the side yesterday, Adams seemed to be playing in the No 10 position rather than as a striker so we had nobody in the box for most of the match. Easy to nit-pick on their decisive goal but generally we defended well although Romeu's aggression was sorely missed; it seemed to have unsettled JWP who by his recent standards had a poor match. We didn't lose because of the odd defensive error we lost because we never looked like scoring. RH has boasted all season that there are goals in this side but on recent evidence we have lost our way in the final third. If we don't recover this knack quickly we'll slide down table.

Try being over 65 matey, then you'd have a broader and more sober view of the threat of this virus. Unchecked it will kill everyone in the end.

That might be right. Ings was being cuddled by everyone after his goal against the BDs so if he has or has had Covid, by the law of averages one or two of his colleagues would be showing symptoms by now. Yes, he tested positive but was it a false positive? I suppose they see Ings in the same way that we see Vardy, a bloody nuisance who has to be watched all the time. No doubt they would prefer that he doesn't play

I don't get excited when through arrogance or indifference we send out an inexperienced side that gets turned over and we are out of the Cup again. We're in it so let's go win it!

Diallo can't be left out. Play him in preference to Armstrong for the first 60 mins. Walcott on the left. Agree with you about Walcott, when he plays up top his against-the-ball aggression and energy are wasted even 'though he's a natural goal scorer. We don't seem to have any option other than to play N'Lundulu with Adams. Hobson's choice really.

That may be a factor but he does seem to have a bit more about him than £ signs. Isn't his Dad a local lawyer or something and didn't we read a few years ago that JWP would fall back on that profession had he not made the grade as a footballer? The real test of our new appeal might come If Tella or N'Lundulu make the grade, will be interesting to see how long they hang around. The fact that most of our promising lads end up elsewhere in lower divisions shows that a lack of loyalty is not a one way street, the club is equally as ruthless and mercenary as any young player that has left us. The idea that one day Saints might field a first XI with 50 or 60% of Academy developed players is just a pipe dream.

We all know that feeling. I could never understand how my obvious talent as a defender went almost unnoticed despite many outstanding performances of keeping the goals against in single figures.

Most of our Academy success stories featured players who became most famous after they moved away; Shearer, Bridge, Shaw, Bale, Walcott, Lallana (?) I suppose we should include JWP in that list of illustrious names, one of the few who has stayed here to improve our team rather than our bank balance..

A real shame that Tyreke Johnson hasn't made more of a mark here, there seemed to be so much promise from him at the beginning with some outstanding performances for the U23's. He has real pace. In the days when we were allowed to watch football matches at St Mary's - even the U23's - there always seemed to be a ripple of excitement when he was announced as part of the starting XI. Sadly his cameo against The Gunners as a late sub a couple of years ago remains his only PL outing with the senior side. The fact that he has been out on loan ever since tells its own story. Ralph has had a look at him and decided he is not for us, pity as he still only 22. Ruthless profession these days.

We should keep the Romeu / JWP partnership going come what may, it is the engine room of our team. Diallo's outstanding performance against the BDs means he should be included in the starting XI. The obvious swap is for Armstrong who has struggled of late and needs some time out. RH could also try a 4-3-3

His mother probably said "don't head the bloody ball son or you'll end up with Alzheimer's"

You mean like Michael and Micky? Richard & Dicky? Nicholas & Nicky? I'm sure most including Rickie see themselves as Ricky! 😂

Still make him over the hill and far away....

That's good, I suggested signing him several years ago when he was a raw kid. Always seemed to have real potential that has so far gone unfulfilled. As for those seeing a future here for Chambers, you need to get down to Specsavers! This is not a retirement home for ex-Saints wannaways. Ricky Lambert would be a safer bet.

Most of the ex-Saints have been moved on. Only Mane and a cameo by AOC. Time to put this jibe to bed.

Good result even if a bit lucky. Diallo looks decent. Ref fair.

The teams that have held Liverpool to a draw have generally been defence minded teams well set up to weather the inevitable storm of fast raids by their three frontmen. We are not set up like that at all, our normal attacking game will play right into their hands and they will pick us off piece by piece with fast counter attacks. With our usual reluctance to score and predictable descent into panic stations defending, the best I can see coming is 1-3 to the visitors and perhaps even worse. They are just too good for us in particular. No doubt RH will see only good from the defeat

Yes, it's been down since yesterday. Not seen the press events or anything. Surely they should have sorted it by now.