Cabrone

442 is generating chances but if the forwards can't convert then it's nullified. Short term I'd give Gabi a run and drop Charlie but the problems are deep rooted and start at the top. There needs to be a culture of success built up again but with our stay away chairman the whole structure has gone into malaise. Unfortunately we can't sack the chairman so we're stuck with what we have.

We are turning OK players into bad players, the sign of a club in crisis. A stay away owner, a couple of incompetents running the day to day stuff and a manager who is running out of ideas in addition to 2 years of a want away chairman and a couple of deadbeat managers. It's no wonder the rot is deep at this club. As of now relegation beckons.

Should win but then again we should have won quite a lot of others. Really though, Newcastle at home has to be seen as 3 points. Draw it is then.

Can't get my head around Gabbi, was absolutely immense when he arrived but has since been messed around. We know he can do it given a run in the team and the correct setup but he just gets yanked in and out of the team all the time. I wouldn't blame him one bit if he walked away now, just not happening for him here. Bet wherever he goes he'll end up scoring a decent amount though.

Replace Hughes and we'd be on the next manager's back within 3/4 months. Problems start at the top, the club is drifting with an invisible chairman and poor leadership. Whilst the cat's away the mice will play.

'If only we had a new manager' etc etc etc. Understandable frustration and loads of suggestions for a new sticking plaster on the wound but it won't make a jot of difference, if the adequate but unspectacular Sparky was to be replaced by A.N other we'd all be back here in 3-4 months time calling for a new messiah to save us because the last one wasn't good enough. We have a board whose height of ambition is to make sure they get their premier league payout. They don't see the club the way the average fan does, they are happy to 'sweat' the asset and their idea of a perfect season is not spending a penny more on what is needed to achieve 17th. A bit like buying a house, renting it out for as much as you can get whilst spending a minimum amount on it and then flogging it when you think you can make a bit of a return. There's no love here, no passion, no fun. Even in the unlikely event that we managed to get an energetic ambitious manager in this board would drain the life out of him in 3 months tops. When the wood is rotten no amount of paint is going to improve it.

The club is drifting, the lack of leadership from a distant chairman who looks happy with 17th is seeping through the entire structure. Can't blame Sparky, the whole place has lost it's mojo and he's no miracle worker. The rot starts with Gao, I'd love for him to go now and get some energy in the boardroom but that's not going to happen. Depressingly we could have a long spell under his stagnant leadership.

The PL would be improved by more relegation slots IMO, even of it means we go down. More clubs involved in relegation giving fans some value to the season - stagnant PL clubs would suddenly have more competition to stay up - a greater churn of hungry champ clubs coming up - virtually the whole of the champ fighting it out for promotion. The sterile prem needs a bigger shot of fresh energy every season and an increase in pressure on the lower 75% of clubs to up their game and stop aiming for 17th (us for example).

The whole club from top to bottom has developed a losing mentality. It starts at the very top with chairman who only cares about 17th place and manifests itself in a playing staff that don't give it their all because no-one above is too bothered. A takeover is the only way out of this malaise - as long as it's to a chairman with some fire in their belly.

Changing Hughes won't make much difference. The bad old habits have returned throughout the club and it starts at the top. Sparky isn't a bad manager, not the best but certainly not the worst but in this culture even a good manager would be thwarted. The Guardian article was spot on, we are the new Villa, boring, bland, tedious, we don't care about losing or entertaining just as long as we scrape above relegation. That is now the height of our ambition because that is all the chairman cares about. The guy has no history with the club and no connection to the fans. Doesn't even spend much time here. Just take a look at the championship, 6 points separate 15 teams. That's a decent league - not the dysfunctional premiership. We may have to take a step down to change the culture.

The Guardian is bang on the money, we are magnolia and it will send us down sooner rather than later if the club can't find it's mojo. Trouble is with this current owner I can't see that happening. On a wider point I wonder if the prem wouldn't be greatly improved by a lot more relegation\promotion spots so it gets regularly refreshed with optimism from the champ. Far too many fearful prem teams who just want to cling on (us for example). Maybe 6 relegation spots to provide lots of fresh blood each season. We'd probably get relegated but then we'd have a good chance of getting promoted again, got to be more fun than the current set up.

Wolves should be odds on for the win, they have all the energy and belief of a freshly promoted team whereas we look a bit Villa'esque of a few seasons back. 1-0 to us it is then.

Fully expected loss and didn't really learn anything other that we are now an also ran in the prem, along with 75% of the rest. How very boring. Don't like the defensive mentality, pretty much hands the points to Pool on a plate. At least have a go and get in their faces, give the supporters something to get excited about and who knows you might just get lucky.

If you can't beat a bang average Brighton side at home then it's not looking good. Bottom 6 performances at home so far, too damn fragile.

2-0 to us, Brighton are no great shakes. We should win this one.

As long as the club tries to entertain - and we all know that they have failed miserably in the last 2 seasons - then that's all I want. The money on offer means that fear rules the roost for most and football becomes sterile. Better be careful though because fans won't continue to pay exorbitant prices for dross. That all said we are at least looking a lot better this season than the last 2. Hughes will be fine IMO.

Hughes in for me, we look miles better than the last 2 chumps. Frankly it's a relief to have a manager that generally makes sense and understands scoring goals is a pretty important part of the game.

2 wins on the trot should be good for confidence. Despite all the whining on here I believe we'll steer clear of trouble reasonably comfortably this season, we're certainly miles better than last season. If he stays fit Ings is going to be a major asset this season.

Southampton top scorers. Charlie Austin (1 goal @ 9 mins per goal), Ryan Betrand (1 goal @ 270 mins per goal), Danny Ings (1 goal @ 193 mins per goal). Looks like Charlie is taking off where he left last season. But he doesn't run enough apparently Link

Some positives in there but overall not good, heads are going to drop if we don't get some points on the board and if\when they do we will be in the brown stuff. First thing that badly needs addressing is goals so Gabbi on for 'no goals' Long please. When you need to dig yourself out of a hole the last thing you want is a 'striker' that never scores. Play him elsewhere but please put someone up front who knows how to score. 3 points dropped today.

2-1 Saints, Gabbi and Ings. Time to get the season up and running.

Solid manager who will steer us to safety this season. Compared to the last 2 appointments he's a breath of fresh air. He needs to stay for at least the whole season.

So much OTT negativity, yes we lost but it's Everton away. Is the pope a catholic etc etc.... Feel a lot more positive about this season than last - a few tweaks to CB'S and get Gabbi in from the off - and we'll be fine. For one thing we look actually capable of scoring goals at last and Ings looks like a very decent bit of business. Sure we aren't going to get a european place but I see us comfortably steering clear of relegation and that in my books is a definite improvement on the utter dross of the last 2 seasons.

I'd like to see Hughes go with a 4-4-2 and start building a good partnership up front right from the get go. At the moment I'd probably opt for Gabbi - Ings with Charlie as an inpact sub but that could change later on in the season if the combo doesn't work. Vital that we get our goal potential cranked up right at the start of the season. It's an area where we spectacularly failed on last year because of stupid selections and almost cost us. Get it right now and I think we'll have a comfortable season.

Fair play to Hughes, he changed it when he had to and it almost paid dividends. Compared to that one dimensional muppet last season he's a tactical genius. Hope it's a lesson learned, quit the negative crap and attack. Last 35 mins showed we have the players to do OK this season, just need to be taken off the leash. Gabbi and Ings looks like an interesting combo up front.