saintant

This was probably a hangover from last week. There's no doubt the players would have been absolutely gutted to lose to Sunderland and would have found it hard to raise much enthusiasm and appetite for today's match which just had little or nothing riding on it. MOPO needs to lift spirits in the camp now but then, he was the one who didn't give the FA Cup game the full attention it deserved. This week he paid the price for that error of judgement.

Our league position has not changed by today's defeat and is unlikely to for the rest of the season. Sill, let's not let that get in the way of us trying to win a no-mark trophy like the tinpot FA Cup.

Nothing game. Not bothered or surprised at loss. Last week was the important game. Season petering out and momentum gone.

Look, we enter three competitions. One of these we cannot win, the other two are possibilities. Why are we not trying to win the only two competitions we have a remote chance in? Seems a strange way to go about things. We were occupying a safe position in the league with or without the 3 points at Hull. Should have played a weakened team for that game. It's not rocket science.

Is this an important game? Do we want to win it? I guess we do as it has a large bearing on whether we finish 8th or 9th so pretty crucial really.

The goalkeeper and back four yesterday were by no means great but they managed to restrict Sunderland to few chances until we had to go gung-ho in the last fifteen minutes. They were not the problem. It was the midfield and attack that was critically weakened. So, had we started the game with Cork, Morgan and J-Rod in their normal positions it seems to me we would likely have put the game to bed by half time or at worst within an hour because we'd have played our usual pressing/passing style and had far too much for a poor Sunderland team. That was the point at which players should have been taken off and rested not the start of the game. If MOPO seriously wanted to win this game it would not have taken much to achieve that and we'd be in the draw for the quarter finals. Instead we have a largely demoralised fanbase left wondering what on earth we were attempting to protect by playing a severely weakened team. Baffling for most of us.

Does anyone seriously believe the crap spouted about JRod, Morgan and Cork being too fatigued after Tuesday's game to be considered starters in this match? Ask yourself would they have played if this game against Sunderland had been a league game - I think we all know the answer so don't patronise the supporters with this whitewash. These guys are fit and trained to play twice a week - if they're not why are we paying them so much? Compare having to play two football matches in four days to the work load of a pro tennis player. A footballer plays ninety minutes but is not involved every minute of the game. A tennis player can be expected to play five hard sets of gruelling tennis, albeit with a short break every two games, then go out and do it again two days later so let's put the fatigue excuse to bed. Either that or there's something seriously wrong with the training regime of our players.

MOPO has got a lot right but today he screwed up big time (assuming he wanted to win the game.) He went about it completely arse about face. Firstly, I find it hard to believe that Cork, Schneiderlan and Rodrigues were not fit enough to start today - if Lambert was they certainly were. So, the sensible thing to do is to start the game with these three so that we have our engine room and playmakers in place. Had we done that I'm convinced the game today would have been over by half time and he could then have rested players in the second half. If you want to win a game you need to start with your strongest line up. Different for Sunderland - they are already in one Cup Final plus the small matter of a relegation dog fight. Their team selection was tantamount to handing this tie to us on a plate but MOPO somehow screwed up.

We are still a good side and should not be too disheartened at losing away to Arsenal and Chelsea. Think too many on here are beating the side up and not looking at the bigger picture. We are very much a work in progress but have made huge strides in a short space of time and rightly received some nice plaudits. On the bright side we have taken a combined haul of four points from away matches at Liverpool, Man Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea - I think most of us would have accepted a point per game average over those fixtures before the season started.

Let's hope MP has been able to drill into Jos that he must be brave enough to hold a high line with the rest of the back four because that is his big weakness. He is always prone to drop back towards his goalkeeper as a sort of comfort. This gives opponents the space they crave and also is the reason Jos is prone to own goals - he gets too close to the keeper, sticks out a long leg to block and the ball can hit him and be in before gk can react.

Rooney and Sturridge absolute dross up front. Both gave the ball away almost every time they had it. Adam not getting many decent passes but looks our best player when on the ball.

Who'd want to be told they fit in to playing that pathetic style!

I feared England would play like that - we are so predictable. Makes you glad Saints are brave enough to play the high press and until England adopt the same tactic we'll remain a ponderous clumsy side. Felt sorry for Adam - you could see he was dying to press their backs but he was fully aware that if he did there was simply no back-up coming from midfield. He did lots of good things but the system didn't suit him and J Rod even less. Woy has got to change England's timid, negative style of play and grow a pair. Introduce the high press and put the fear of God up teams and we just might see a marked improvement - we have the players to operate this system but sadly nothing ever changes. If you keep doing the same things that have only brought failure what is the point of it all?

Tickets disappearing rapidly by all accounts for what promises to be a good night for Matt. Great time for an event like this with the current team riding high in the league and Matt is now as much a fan as the rest of us. Thought the plane towing the banner over the stadium was a nice touch today. From what I hear there'll be a few surprises on the night even for Matt.

Got my ticket for what should be a great evening at The Mayflower on 9th October. Hosted by Skysport's Ed Chamberlain with lots of guest appearances and video links to Matt's admirers (including the brilliant Spanish star Xavi) and team-mates down the years it promises to be a fantastic occasion. Great timing too with Matt recently having been voted into the Football Museum's Hall of Fame. Let's hope it's a full house because Le God certainly deserves this fitting tribute for his outstanding contribution to Southampton Football Club during his years of loyal service. Who else is going along to this?

He also reeled off a list of their previous fixtures and had the audacity to claim they should have beaten us because of the late chance missed by Collins. He conveniently ignored the fact that Osvaldo should have scored, we hit the post and their keeper was voted man-of-the match for a string of excellent saves that got them an undeserved point.

Rickie showed how to lead the line for England in a classy performance that gave the side everything that Rooney doesn't. Rickie is a team player who holds the ball up, brings others into play and generally keeps things ticking over with a great deal of subtle passes. Rooney plays as an individual who chases everywhere for the ball and disrupts the shape of the team. Nobody has a clue where Rooney is going to be whereas Rickie holds his position and provides the pivot at all times. His two assists were absolutely sublime and if Rooney had provided them the press would have been fawning all over him. Simply Rickie is a better player than Rooney at international level but few will admit this including Roy Hodgson unfortunately.

MP arrived like a breath of fresh air. Straight away we pressed high up the pitch and played with little fear. As a result we were flooding players forward, getting plenty of runners into opposition penalty boxes and creating chances. We were superb away to Man Utd despite the fact that we lost the game. That system seems to have vanished and I can only think MP became worried because we did concede some fairly soft goals. Now, we are quite secure at the back but there is no attacking flair and our play has become sterile and all too predictable. I guess he is searching for something in between but so far it is not working.

Rickie showed in 20 minutes how to lead the line for England in a way that Rooney could never match. He scored one brilliant goal and could have had two others. The chance that hit the post was unlucky because the ball took a nick off a defender just before it reached him. When Rooney plays he is like a school kid chasing all over the place for a touch of the ball and this drags England out of shape. Rickie came on and provided what was needed - a centre forward who holds a disciplined position so that the rest of the team know where he is. Unfortunately I doubt Hodgson will see it that way and he'll continue to pick Rooney who will continue to run around like a headless chicken.

Rickie showed in 20 minutes how to lead the line for England in a way that Rooney could never match. He scored one brilliant goal and could have had two others. The chance that hit the post was unlucky because the ball took a nick off a defender just before it reached him. When Rooney plays he is like a school kid chasing all over the place for a touch of the ball and this drags England out of shape. Rickie came on and provided what was needed - a centre forward who holds a disciplined position so that the rest of the team know where he is. Unfortunately I doubt Hodgson will see it that way and he'll continue to pick Rooney who will continue to run around like a headless chicken.

It seems Spurs are willing to sell Andros Townsend. Thought he looked superb for QPR last season and might be worth a punt.

I really like Ed Chamberlain on the Sky footie stuff and he seems to be getting some of their biggest gigs plus I think he is a Saints fan. Would imagine they'll attract some quality guests on the night as Matt was very well thought of by his fellow pros.

Just seen on the Mayflower theatre website there is a Tribute Night to Matt Le Tissier lined up on Wednesday 10th October. The show will be hosted by Sky Sport's Ed Chamberlain and feature special guests from the world of football both on screen and in the theatre. Sounds like it'll be a good night!

Can't see Nigel surviving if we lose to Swansea, think Cortese will act if it happens.

David Moyes is a hard taskmaster - expect us to feel the backlash following their defeat last night, would have preferred our chances if they'd won. We'll need to match their work rate which is sure to be frenetic. We must get in their faces and not give them the space and time we gave Arsenal. It's not enough to get back in numbers - those numbers must put pressure on the man with the ball and keep tight on the runners especially between the lines. In addition we'll have to show we offer a real threat on the break or they'll just move everyone forward ten yards and keep us camped in our half for long periods. Press the ball, break the play up and be brave enough to attack in numbers when the chances arise.