CougarSaint

First proper game of the season I don't know why we target pacey forwards and then pump balls up to one of the best centre back partnerships in the Premier League. Wind, rain, not an excuse. That's when you keep the ball on the floor and pass quickly and smoothly. We didn't do that. We didn't use our supposed strengths to overcome a team that wanted it more. Second ball retention was poor, their players were even winning the ball sat on the floor. Putting aside rustiness for the first competitive game Valery - looked sharper than most and some good covering that was beyond his years, top prospect. Romeu - won lots of important tackles and showed grit lacking in too many of our team. Boufal - we need this level of skill, when the game was lost he provided a peach of a ball, best pass of the game, I want to see him start. And controversial, Long was missed. What happened to pressing and closing down today? We were 1-0 down and started to play as if we were 1-0 up! Oh, and Obafemi also looked the part after a late substitution. Need Yoshida, Hojbierg, Boufal in from the start and dare I say Lemina. This game showed that to me. And yes, I was there...

If correct, a real shame. Seen enough of him to know he is a class act. A stomach problem is not the same as a stomach injury and there are some extremely debilitating conditions that can affect performance, stamina and confidence. Hopefully not the case, but he is our player and lets support him back into our team, he is one of the few who can make a real difference.

Didn't the original cabbage face get a post about a Czech very tall striker signing for Saints picked up by BBC gossip in the Burley days? But looks suspiciously like an alter ego when you look at some other threads...

This, was also at this game, with Huddersfield fans, he impressed all. Give him the stage he needs and he will star.

Can't help but notice that in previous seasons team and individuals were in most miles run stats and individuals were in fastest sprints. This season we've only appeared in those stats following reasonable results. Looks like a correlation to me...

I thought very impressive. Clearly very technically capable in line with our expectations and a worker. Took up some great positions that didn't get a pass. Was sat in block M with Town supporters (that's what happens when you live in Yorkshire) and there was footwork that was sublime and recognised as such by the home supporters, great to see him here.

Hence the smiley, sweet dreams and good night my friend...

I honestly think Leicester's success was down to Nigel Pearson's team ethic surviving intact. Before the Tinkerman struck. We of all people should recognise that.

Or Siggurdson? ☺

Suits me, live in Keighley, been there for rugby league matches as well as football, league one games there and my wife talking to Adam Lallana's mum at one of the games...one of my daughter's best friends is a terrier, glad to see them up, they're a genuine community club like ours

Pardon my cynicism, interesting to note that Nathan Dyer is out for the season with an Achilles injury after a tangle with Danny Drinkwater. VVD is out after being kicked on the ankle by Vardy. Is this their new approach now shirt pulling and pushing opponents has been tightened up? Not working in game time so far, but certainly affecting opponents, including us. The seemingly innocent niggle has always been an important coaching tool. Just an observation, but any stats could be interesting..

Absolutely, Post 2 of 3, this is about Puel, not Black

Quick question for anyone who may know the answer - did Claude Puel work with Georges Prost at Lyons? IIRC Prost recommended Morgan?

I was on a course with a guy from Rotterdam recently and didn't understand his ambivalent attitude to Koeman. Now I do unfortunately.We value honesty, integrity and commitment. That's why we're the Saints. Naive maybe, but I'm sure there's several posters that recognise this. Koeman doesn't, he's a winner of course. Which means loyalty and strategy in the long term count for nothing, it's about short term gain. Good luck Ron, but you ain't no Saint and never will be now, you've made your bed, now lie in it. We thought you were better, never mind, we march on, enjoy the culture of the new enriched bin dippers you might find it close to the last club you were sacked from. Please feel free to blog your response if you have a shred of honour left...

We can get McGoldrick back at the same time...

This - when jrod and Lallana played for England against Chile I thought they'd been more at home playing for Chile as they played the pressing style we did under MP, rather than the Hodgson negativity. Although our table position has improved, I wonder where we could have been if we had maintained that level of intensity...

I was, and that was a proud man who knew he was having a mare and didn't need us to get on his back. Top man, no better club captain.

Excellent summing up - we didn't press so high as last year, but IIRC in the game against Liverpool at St. Mary's we pressed high and left two against two with Suarez and Sturridge and paid the price; looked like we learned from that yesterday, it will be interesting to see how high we press against teams without the pace of Sturridge and Sterling. All in all a very encouraging performance and my work colleagues here in Manchester are very complimentary.

Excellent summing up - we didn't press so high as last year, but IIRC in the game against Liverpool at St. Mary's we pressed high and left two against two with Suarez and Sturridge and paid the price; looked like we learned from that yesterday, it will be interesting to see how high we press against teams without the pace of Sturridge and Sterling. All in all a very encouraging performance and my work colleagues here in Manchester are very complimentary.

And if I remember correctly, both excluded from European competition after the Heysel riot by Liverpool fans, a blow for two clubs steadily progressing at the time.

We're at a crossroads; I actually think we're where Liverpool were last season (as we were un the early 80's?). We have a superb squad who want to take the next step, and it's in our grasp. Now it's up to the board to support the squad and the manager in taking the next step - it's actually cheaper to do that - employee retention and business succession anyone? Why do so many assume they don't get that? Because if they don't, we may as well reconcile ourselves to another Rupert saga. I think they're better than that...and I may be proved wrong, I think they are better than that...

Please think back to Peter Crouch; played for England, then dropped. One noticeable trait of his way is wayward control of arms and elbows when jumping, and he was often penalised by international referees for that, so we were constantly giving the ball back from attacking positions. Andy Carroll has the same lack of control of upper limbs. Contrast Ricky - very neat jumping style, then add that to the goals and assists. How many free kicks does Ricky give away through poor use of arms and elbows? Just an observation...

Errr.. Well ok, 4-1-4-1 or 4-5-1 or even better 10-1-1-10 might work if we want to stick to numbers...oh...

Perhaps we're going Barca style - totally fluid up front, no traditional center forward as a target man and Rickie also fits that roving role - but we have at least two who can do CF when necessary - if we do this we need solid back line (unlike Barca?) and the rest of the team to be intelligent players who can pass, play their team mates in, take advantage when they're played in, take the chance. IMHO this is the quality of player we're signing and the quality of player we're bringing through. In NC and NA I trust. COYS!!! I must admit I like the Davies ooption though, as it's also my name... :-)

Meanwhile, on the subject of Saints centre-halves, if you're talking about class, i.e. the ability to defend and the ability to bring the ball forward, my vote is firmly for Mark Wright. But we're not in that division now and I would welcome a centre back eho could defend and play