vectraman

We could do a lot worse than Jonjo Shelvey. Tough tackling, can pass a decent long pass and scores a few. Also proven premier league player and wouldn't cost a huge amount. Better than some we have bought!

Pelle, like all players, has his good games and his bad games. The problem I feel is our obsession with not playing 442. Have someone play off him (Mane), so he has a strike partner to bring into play, lay it off to, flick it on to etc. Mane's pace would see him through defences onto flick ons easily. We just don't seem to want to try it. When it doesn't go right for him his head goes down, he becomes peripheral in the game, but we seem to struggle to have a plan 'B' when this happens (which it is regularly now). Against Stoke, their two centre backs bullied Pelle out of the game - because he was double tagged, and Stoke knew we would just keep going as we were. When was the last time Pelle came off and we played Long and Mane as a front pair? Try something different. We have become predictable, constantly trying to get the ball out wide, crossing it in to (usually) nobody but a defender, normally the first one! It doesn't always work, so try something different. Surely that concept is not too difficult to grasp is it? We have too many sluggish defensive midfielders, and too little ability to place a killer pass. Tadic and Mane are it as far as creativity goes. Romeu/Wanyama/JWP/Davis/Clasie how many goals between them this season? 5 if we are lucky? Not enough goals, and not enough assists either. Leaves too much pressure on the rest of the side to make up the shortfall in quality. Lack of pace doesn't help either. Mane aside, we have little. When was the last fast counter attack we had? All too slow and formulaic. A pacey attacking midfielder would be a great addition, just to liven things up a bit. My thoughts anyway!

The only player in the whole side to emerge with any credit was Stekelenburg. He made a couple of good saves and did nothing wrong. The rest were, unfortunately complete crap. Boring is not a word I'd normally associate with Saints, but I will today. Never created anything, never looked like creating anything, poor crossing, poor passing, just one of those games. Give Stoke credit, they played well, worked hard as a team, and stopped us finding space in behind them. Always more likely that they would get a second than we would equalize. Most disappointing thing was our subs did nothing. Me, like everybody else was desperate to see Mane, and he was .....poor, just like everyone else. Don't see the point of Clasie for JWP, like for like, and unlike some, I thought Clasie was nothing special either. Our midfield is severely lacking creativity. Tadic couldn't cross the road today, and found a Stoke player every time. Other than him, we had no creation at all. Poor today. That's it really. Pelle was bullied and harried and didn't look up for it. You know Stoke will do this, it isn't a surprise is it? They wasted time at every opportunity, but hey ho, if you are winning, why wouldn't you? Makes me laugh when our fans howl with derision at their antics, it may not be pretty, but it gets results - that is what it is about! Having read RK's after match comments, if he thought the first half was poor, but the second was better then he was at a different game to me! I know he stands up for his team, but both halves were terrible. We all know we are better than this. I think Stoke and ourselves will both finish very close together - top half, but not top six.

This one is working for my

Tim Flowers?

Bart probably produced the worst 45 minutes i've ever seen a Saints keeper produce. It looked like a fat bloke out of the crowd was asked to play a half in goal. Gillet worked hard and looked busy.

Rebel - Poke is on loan at Torquay - he played for them in their play off semi against Histon the other evening. Looks like Kelvin is generating interest:- http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1176941/Leeds-Leicester-target-Championship-return-Saints-shot-stopper-Davis.html Leeds and Leicester apparently interested unfortunately.

Re David McGoldrick, here are his div 1 stats - if you think they are impressive then you are easily pleased! Port vale 15 app 2 goals Bournemouth 12 app 0 goals Source http://www.soccerbase.com/players_details.sd?playerid=37797 Div1 is a physical league. Less time on the ball, lots of huff and puff, big defenders, most teams have a target man upfront to hold the ball up ala Steve Howard this season at Leicester. Forest/Leeds/Sheff Wed have all failed to get out of this league at the first attempt. ( I watch Bournemouth and Saints - I Support my 2 local league teams!). Having seen Bournemouth playing regularly in Div 1 and now 2, I have seen Surman, DMG, and Jake Thomson at this level. DMG was lazy and ineffective. Surman good, and Jake Thomson quick and scared defenders. Maybe (possibly!) paired with a big target man to feed off, DMG could be dangerous and score goals. If we don't get any offers for him then worth a try....providing we get a big physical frontman, who can scare defenders, hold the ball up, and bring the quicker forwards/midfielders into play around the box. Play with 2 nippers up front and....it'll be deja vu all over again. Div 2 here we come... Gotta keep some experience in the team, surely we'll have learnt that much from this disastrous season?!

That's another bone crunching tackle from the tough tackling Saints midfield.... What a towering defensive header, those saints defenders are absolutely unbeatable in the air.... Well that 3 man forward line have really earned their keep today, they've chased every loose ball, closed down defenders as soons as they are in posession and made sure the opposition defence can't relax for a moment, what a handful they are......just full of goals....

I think we will go down unfortunately. If we got Rasiak back from loan at Watford and played him and Saga upfront instead of the ineffective Mcgoldrick then maybe, just maybe we could score some goals and have hope. But, if we persevere with what we have then it's goodbye Championship, hello Divi 1......