austsaint

Smallbone does look like a good prospect but Romeu would have been a better choice today. Today also showed how much Long is flattered by the presence of Danny Ings and on his own or with a partner like Obafemi, his deficiencies are laid bare....should not be getting a contract extension. Am a big fan of Boufal, but he was disappointing today and please (Ralph) stop playing JWP at RB.

I've watched the game twice - was Grealish having a strop? He questioned the yellow card given when Djenepo went close near half time but otherwise it looked as though he took all the attention and double teaming in his stride. He also had a fairly impressive game in a side which looked shambolic - Mings aside. I don't think Grealish was in anyones pocket today as others have claimed. The other thing I noticed watching the replay was the quality Smallbone showed in the first half - very composed and a nice range of passing. Hojbjerg very good as well along with Djenepo.

Massive three points. 28 shots v Villa 4....9 on target to 1 underlines the dominance, even if it was nervy util the 93rd minute. Great to see Djenepo back to early season form; promising first half from Smallbone, JWP did his job, Stephens good, PEH good. So nearly off the mark for Adams but a great assist for Armstrong's gut busting run and well taken goal.

His 65 minutes v Spurs and the 30 v Burnley were as good as I've seen him play for Saints. Full of energy, great touch, good crosses, nice link up in dangerous areas and a willingness to press and harass without the ball. Ralph must have noticed all that, which just leaves the question mark (in Ralph's mind) about SB as a 90 minute player.

And he deserves his wish. Let him cuddle up to Brendan again.

What a load of tosh. Shane Long, at 34, has, or should have no place in any Prem side.

Except that unlike the first two you mentioned, Boufal was pretty good until injured.

It's not bizarre to say Armstrong was sloppy and ineffective - nor bizarre to offer that JWP, though steady, did not have an excellent game. We did play very good Football in beating Leicester, Palace and Spurs...but we didn't "tear them apart"!

There's a little bit of "Pollyanna" in your "instant reactions". Yes, the conditions were a leveller - yet intensity and commitment are possible and necessary in all conditions and SFC were short on both, particularly in the second half. Armstrong excellent? JWP excellent? I don't think so - I also don't think we would "tear them them apart on a dry day". It's been quite a while since the side tore any team apart.

Good summary apart from your comments about Boufal? How do you single him out? Played well against Spurs in the Cup before being subbed for Armstrong who didn't fire a shot - and played very well yesterday until being clattered by Hendrick - only to be replaced by Djenepo who seems to have lost his early season form; while Armstrong put in a full game shocker. I understand that Boufal can be frustrating, but on song (which is often enough) he looks the most likely to create chances in dangerous areas.

Long really is an awful player - Ralph has really got this one wrong if there's a contract extension. Boufal has shown he can place a pass in attacking areas - Armstrong's touch and passing today were mediocre - he's really just a fast, direct runner - his touch isn't that good. Also disappointed in Djenepo today - seems to have lost the confidence to take the game on.

Very poor games from Armstrong, Vesteraard, Long (why wasn't he replaced earlier?) and Djenepo. Once Boufal was hurt all creative threat disappeared and there never looked a way back from 2-1. The strike of Ings was the one highlight on a very average performance

Long has been quiet and Armstrong very wasteful - Adams for Long is a good shout.

I know it's a bit of a ping-pong argument, but you say against Spurs Romeu was ponderous and/or sloppy - I thought he and Hoj both had good games. Romeu lost possession once when dispossessed, but otherwise looked up to speed - just as he was for the first 10 or so games of the season. Against Spurs, he broke up play, tackled, harassed and made several incisive attacking passes. The whole side wilted and/or sat deeper at about the time Armstrong replaced Boufal, and from that point Spurs (with their tactical changes working) made inroads and looked dangerous......but you can't hold Romeu majorly responsible for that.

Thats BS.

The comments about Romeu are laughable ....he played quite well; his legs are not gone and a fit JWP in midfield would not have altered the result.

Very annoying and it was such a brave and at times commanding performance - at least for 70 minutes. Maybe not a popular view but we seemed to lose all our attacking threat when Armstrong replaced Boufal (yes I know the Ings goal came after the substitution) - Armstrong just could not get into the game, and I felt Boufal did enough to stay on. Bertrand was excellent tonight; the Redmond assist and Ings goal was cracking stuff. In the end it was just that quality on the break Spurs have that created the fortunate win.

Just not right - apart from losing possession once, Romeu has been outstanding. Boufal has also been excellent. Hope JWP is not badly hurt.

Ward-Prowse showing why playing without a specialist RB is a bad idea.

Romeu and Boufal have started very well.

Yes, I like Armstrong too - is he versatile though? His pace and ability to drive forward with the ball is a tremendous asset; and makes him well suited to that AM/10 role. Does seem to drift in and out of the game. I thought Djenepo played well yesterday, and was probably more effective than Redmond.

Joey Barton would top my list...by a furlong.

What are you so angry about? You got the result you wanted. How do you rate Bertrand's left foot and his plans beyond his playing days?

He did do well...and he's such a likeable character. But he should not be getting a contract extension at 33; it's time to set him loose as a free agent for a Championship Club.

Have to question part of your remarks. I thought Hojbjerg in particular and Romeu did quite well in midfield...the problem (in my view) was that the team (collectively) tired at about the hour mark after so much running, pressing and marking; space opened up and in those circumstances Salah, Firminho and their full backs were uncontainable. Armstrong is a strong, direct player but not a particularly composed on the ball and not necessarily a good decision maker. JWP did a reasonable job at RB, though he was exposed at times by Robertson and though he's done well in midfield in recent times, a game like this puts pressure on any midfielder. Saints did well, and 4-0 was a harsh reward for their efforts, particularly the first half. IF anything it showed the bravery of Ralph to keep the 4-2-4 structure, which created chances but inevitably left us exposed as the game wore on......Armstrong and JWP in midfield would not have changed that. In fact PEH looked one of our best on the day, along with Ings, Djenepo and Bertrand.