saint-crinny

No doubt he was a serious target for us - as a rule we don't talk about our signings beforehand and MP as much as anyone will have been briefed on that. So, for him to confirm our interest tells you it was a very serious target for us. As it now appears he's going to Everton, you have to say a fail on the club' part. Again. He would have been a lot better than what we have and given the fans/atmosphere a bit of a lift however you look at it. so on both counts, we've missed out it seems

I guess that pretty much wraps up this thread then.

Quite a few as a sub though, very much second choice behind Falcao, understandably, but has scored a few in recent weeks. Could be something in it, but as I mentioned in the transfer window thread, wonder whether this is just journos seeing a striker not getting many games, who has worked with MP before, and made a jump from there

Often seems to be the way of it with our signings though - media link us with supposed bigger names that we're never going to sign, and then we sign someone a bit more out of the blue. Maybe we've even leaked those names to hurry up deals we are working on. Trying to be positive in dark times. Also, haven't seen this posted anywhere as yet - could just be journos putting two and two together as he's worked with MP before: https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/5274134/southampton-guido-carrillo-bid-monaco/

Yes, made a positive impact on Swans when he went in last year and they were definitely a worse squad than we have right now. I actually think he might be quite a good fit for us, doing him a dis-service perhaps but i see him as a bit of a poor man's Rodgers (who I'd like us to get but is unrealistic now, but is a possible if we somehow stay up without binning MP now)

We haven't really had the small club thing rammed down our throats like that before - bit of a worry for me. Before now, we have always flipped it on its head and talked about ambition to grow, our drive to keep improving as a club etc etc. While that might be lip service, and we all know our relative size, it was backed up by and large by continued improvement, bar the last 18 months. Given we've been taken over by someone who was said to be taking us further than KL could, this is hardly inspiring any confidence in that is it. A huge shift in mindset even though it seems like quite a minor thing - trying to quash fans expectations but what does it say to ambitious players who want to achieve things, other than, you wont achieve much here. In amongst all the expected fluff, there was more to be concerned about than optimistic for me, and I prefer to try and be positive!

Need to play positively and ensure we dominate possession - if they are patched up at the back we must put them under pressure. Worry for me if we don't is we allow Zaha to get on the ball and he'll cause us all sorts of problems.

Think so yeah, didn't he do it putting in that grim tackle on De Bruyne (as did Scott Dann)? Not a good few weeks for him really, what with the weapons charge too. Still, he does s**t where he wants

Wishful thinking on Seri? No chance of us getting him, most of the top clubs in Europe want him

If in form, Gabbi is much better player than Austin for me. Hopefully MP will be forced to play him for a few games and he can find some sort of form. When in the side earlier in the season the team was far less creative in terms of volume of chances than it at least seems to be now, so I'd expect him to bag a few if he gets the service. I'm in the don't really like Austin much camp either. He does score goals, which is obviously key, but I think a lack of general fitness is unacceptable at this level and you can't argue that isnt an issue with him. Totally knackered by half time . Also, while he has been finding the net, he has had some big misses too which are being overlooked but have actually cost us points against Bournemouth, Arsenal and Huddersfield. As well as a pretty incredible miss at 3-1 down to Leicester which actually could have changed the course of a game we were getting battered. So, if Gabbi can find form, this might not be the end of the world. However, can't say I have any faith in the manager to actually help him do that. Playing Long, 34 games without a goal, will hardly help for a start.

What also hasn't been factored in here is that neither Miki or Walcott would consider coming here, and we'd never even get to a wages discussion. Not really about not showing ambition, those two are a couple of levels above us

Tadic - if everyone else was as good as me, we'd still be ****.

love the fact that, in the aftermath of an absolute horror show from the whole team, people want him out. Post Arsenal, when he had his usual good game along with the rest of the backline, I don't think so many would want him gone in Jan. Personal opinion is that, given our position just four points above relegation and probably closer after this weekend, it makes no sense at all to sell your best player in January. If any other team down there did that we'd be saying they had accepted their fate. Also, this whole he isn't trying thing is frankly not true. One of the things we all enjoyed about VVD pre the injury was that he made everything look so easy, like he barely had to break sweat. He's still playing like that now, as was acknowledged in commentary against Bournemouth as an example, but that style is now being used by some to suggest he can't bothered.

Have been a big fan of Davis but last night was probably his worst display for us, really poor and was surprising he did the 90. Just wonder if age is now showing and we've seen the best of him. Thought it when Chilwell easily ran him off the ball at one point in the second half. Wouldn't start for me - certainly not against Chelsea. Rom, Lemina and Hoj in that one (not that either Rom or Hoj were in any way impressive yesterday)

For me, he could still turn into a very good player. Right now, he's quite a good footballer with the stand out part of his game being his technique. However, some of the other areas of the game aren't often up to scratch and as such he doesn't impact games enough for me, and can be a bit of a passenger. I find him quite frustrating and I couldn't really tell you what his best position is, which is a bit of a worry for someone who has been playing first team football for so long. that could still all develop though, he's played so many games for us that I think we forget how young he still is. So he has time on his side to improve further and start making real impacts in games - I'm sure we'll give him the time but I couldn't say with certainty that he will become the player we hoped when he first got into the side. Against Arsenal I thought he was effective from a defensive point of view but didn't offer a huge amount going forward. Which, given the opposition, I'd say means he had a pretty good game.

Applause from me - won't forget the cup run and the final which we came so close to winning and was just a great run from Arsenal onwards. Hardly like we're cup final regulars is it? Thought it was the right call when he left, but no ill feeling from me at all, far from it. However, if he masterminds a thrilling win for Leicester on Wednesday, i'll be dishing out the abuse with everyone else!

Lemina is fantastic but VVD is considerably better for me. VVD would walk into pretty much every team in the world, Lemina wouldn't

Agreed, no issue with VVD today. He was basically the player we've seen since he's been here / classy and comfortable. Him making the game look easy is now being used against him to say he isn't put it on etc. Raging at his behaviour but he's here and easily our best player. He has to play

Austin scores that header and we win today. I've not been that impressed with him but today hasn't changed my opinion either way. We weren't that bad - went back to side that beat Everton bar Hoj and acted quickly when JWP wasn't working. No idea why but have a feeling we might turn over Arsenal

As with Boufal, you have to think/hope that being given a run of games will see him settle and start to show his potential. Let's hope so. Sure he'll be keen to impress Pep at any rate

Let's not mad here, you can also see why he wanted to go to United. That's not just about chasing cash is it. Didn't work out for him, which I am really surprised at, and now he looks shot to pieces in an Everton side that is collapsing in every game. I don't want him back, or have any particular sympathy for him, but it's a shame to see such a great player for us in this state.

We could do with Dyche getting the Everton job this week as Saturday against Burnley is a really big game for us given the start and what's to come. No doubt the squad isn't anywhere as good as it was under Koeman, but tactically today, not pushing on and trying to score again against such limited opposition was bizarre and you have to put that at the manager's door. So, not that impressed with MP so far - if he hooks Boufal for Saturday and restores Redmond I'll have more questions. Yes he's inconsistent and didn't really get into the game yesterday, but right now he is the only one who could create anything and absolutely needs a run of games and not being dropped as quick as he is brought in if he has one off game.

And the lack of arrival of Gabbi until January. People forget the type of football we played in the first three/four months of the season. If we had signed Gabbi last summer in that side we'd have had a lot more points before Christmas. It was hard to disagree with the sacking in the summer after the way the season ended, but the last couple of months did distort a lot of what had happened up the cup final. Whether MP is the right man to have replaced Puel is the real question. I don't know what my answer is to that, but yesterday was pretty grim viewing.

wouldn't have him back, from a purely objective perspective I'm not sure he'd get any more from the current squad than Pellegrino. and from a fan perspective, absolutely no f**king thank you

On Forster it's like some people are willing him to make another error so they can all get stuck in on a forum. I'd rather have three points myself. VVD booing is getting a little boring too. Fortunately he demonstrated all summer that he really couldn't care less what the fans think or say, and has thankfuly ignored the boos when he plays. On a side note I thought VVD was much improved on Saturday compared to against Newcastle - much more focused and played as he did pre-injury last season.