kwsaint

It's only worth getting rid of Hughes if we can get someone in who is a clear step up. NA was very unlucky to be sacked, but there was no doubting that Pochettino was a clear improvement. Anyone was going to be a step up on Pellegrino. But unless we can line up someone who is clearly going to be better, then I would stick with Mark Hughes.

I don't remember the relegation scraps of the 90s being as dire as this season and last. I don't suppose that the football was any better but at least we had players who were prepared to give it a go, despite their limitations. I think that we will stay up this season (just), and then next season is likely to be just as bad.

Just watched the highlights(?) on MOTD. The players should be made to watch it and listen to Jermaine Jenas's comments. He actually made some really good points about their decision making and lack of composure. There are clearly communication problems between players.

Think that we will be bottom 6 but not go down. Huddersfield and Cardiff look poor. Fulham, Newcastle and Palace don't look much better and Ashley has already said that Newcastle wont be spending any money in January. Think that they will be joining Huddersfield and Cardiff. Going to be a long season though. My guess is Saints to finish 16th.

For me it was walking back to the car, and someone stopping to ask me the score. Telling them that Saints had won 8-0 was completely unreal. Still not sure whether they believed me or not.

We desperately need a leader on the field. Almost doesn't matter where they play, although central midfield would be ideal. Like a Jimmy Case, Alan Ball or a Terry Paine. Or a Roy Keane just to frighten the life out of everyone. Any ideas?

Been checking the stats for 2016/17 and 2017/18. Really depressing. As SaintGarrett shows, we have only won ONE home game in 2018 - Bournemouth. It was only five home wins in 2017, three last season and two the previous season. No wonder crowds are starting to dip. It's surprising that they have stayed over 30k this long Its not that long ago that we won 19 home games in a row - second half of League One promotion season and first half of Championship promotion season. In 2011 we won 21 home games in the calendar year. Used to go to SMS expecting a win. It's going to be a long season. The only consolation is that there are three other terrible sides in the league (Huddersfield, Cardiff, Newcastle). Fulham will pick up. We are playing for 17th place again.

Surely if MH is serious about making changes after Saturday, then this is the game to do try them out. Don't just play 11 who didn't start on Saturday and treat it as a training match. Start with something close to the team that he would look to play on Sunday, and use the subs sensibly in the second half to give some players a break. Obviously start with dropping Hoedt. He needs to find a formation/team selection that works for the players that he has at his disposal, and preferably as quick as possible. Not sure that he is close to finding it at the moment.

Yawn. Next you will be wanting Glenn Hoddle back. Although personally I think that all our troubles can be traced back to when Bill Dodgin left for Fulham in 1949.

This No goals scored in 6 of the last 7 home games under Puel. My guess is that the Puel supporters weren't at many of these games. I was and it wasn't fun. The most entertaining moment was Harry Arter's penalty miss for Bournemouth when he nearly hit the roof of the Northam. The problem wasn't sacking Puel but replacing him with Pellegrino - who turned out to be even worse. To get back to topic. My view is that the jury is still out on Mark Hughes. We are certainly better going forward, but worse at the back. If we get to the end of the season with a consistent way of playing and a lower mid-table finish then it would be progress.

No music at all before the game, other than OWTS (preferably the big band version from the seventies) as the teams come out. It's not hard.

His father died during the week. Understandably not really on it today.

I see the Somerset captain said he wouldn't comment on the pitch because they both had to play on it... Yeah that and Taunton last week was ****e

May have been at the time. Found this on wiki. 'The highest attendance for any game outside of the final came on 5 February 2013 for the Northern Area final, when Coventry City lost to Crewe Alexandra 3–0 at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry (they later won the away leg 2-0, going down 3-2 on aggregate), in front of a crowd of 31,054.'

You might like to watch the youtube link below (from 37 seconds onwards) That's the Chapel after Billy Sharp's second goal in 2012!

Excellent thread. For those that I was actually present at: 1) Camara v Norwich in 2005. Loudest I have ever known SMS 2) Billy Sharp second goal v Portsmouth in 2012 3) Billy Sharp v Coventry in 2012 4) Tony Funnell at Orient in 1978 5) Tadic at Man U in 2015 Plus an honourable mention for Curran's goal v Leeds in 1979 and Channon's goal of a 1000 passes in 1982 For games watched at home Stokes goal in 1976 obviously wins it. With Rickie Lambert's goal v Scotland a close second.

Don't often claim to be ITK, but from what I have heard FF is not in a good place. His confidence as a keeper is shot (self-evidently), he is clearly not even third choice and we are unlikely to see him in a Saints shirt again. His career as a footballer has come to a shuddering halt, and however much money he is getting paid that is going to be tough. Commercially Saints have messed up big time here by giving him such a long contract. Doubtless his agent will want him to stick around so that he gets his cut, but I doubt that is in anyone's best interests, either the clubs or FFs. My guess is that he wont be around for much longer

So just how bloated is our first team squad now? We have a number of players that we are still paying salaries for who are never going to get near the 18 man squad, let alone the starting 11. Can see a few problems coming with players throwing strops about not getting games. Think that the players that we have brought in this summer seem like sensible buys, but I guess time will tell.

No music at all before the game - or at least keep to background level so that we can talk. Come out to OWTS. We moan about other teams singing our song and don't even come out to it.

Latest edition of When Saturday Comes had the seasons predictions in and had has down for 14th. This is based on input from supporters of the other premier league teams. Seems about right to me.

You sure that you have thought about it? You say the same thing every season. Last season was the season that matched your prediction Think that we will be slightly better than this. Maybe 12th to 15th.

Seems like common sense is starting to prevail at last. Nothing is guaranteed as transfers don't always work out, but the four transfers in all seem attempts to address last seasons shortcomings. Maybe need a striker if we can get someone suitable at a reasonable price. But we were starting to score goals at the end of last season under Hughes. My guess is that we will now start to see some outgoings to reduce the wage bill and get the squad size down - Boufal, Davis, Forster look certain to go. Carillo already gone. Guess one of Bertrand or Targett will go.

Forster was playing well until the injury. Was never the same again. There are problems with his technique - he does not get down to shots well and teams have worked him out. And it is obvious that his confidence is shot and that he is struggling. Clearly on the way out. Wish him well and hope that he can rebuild his career elsewhere. Joe Hart is going through the same experience.

Just wake me up when the season starts and tell me who has gone and who has arrived. It's obviously going to be manic over the next few weeks.