Super_Uwe

Would be a sensible move. I can't personally see the season finishing now, I guess they have to keep the possibility of it continuing as it would be in everyone's interests to get back playing as soon as possible. Realistically though that seems a very long shot right now.

Nice stat. In which case we'd need to do worse than "a Swansea" to go down. I can live with that then

We should be absolutely fine, unless we do what Swansea did 2 years ago and belly flop our way to the end of the season! TBH I'd like to think the players still believe they can scrape into the final Europa League spot. Again, highly unlikely, but it's still not completely out of the question. Our next three games are entirely winnable; we generally do well at home to Newcastle, the away games at Watford and Norwich will be tough but they will be under huge pressure to beat us. That would give us 43 points with seven games to go. A lot really depends on the players' motivation TBH, experience tells you teams plodding around in mid table often finish the season with a bit of a whimper. Let's hope that's not the case.

VAR needs time to be refined and work better. Take offsides for example. Normally the lino's flag will go up no later than the ball hitting the back of the net, many times it will go up way before the attack has even got near the goal if the defence is playing a very high line. Either way the crowd knows pretty soon that offside has been given. The decision may be good, marginal or terrible, but nevertheless fans know where they stand. I can accept the forensic part of VAR is necessary in terms of getting the decision "right", but the process itself has not been integrated well into the matchday experience for supporters. I don't think fans generally give a toss beyond goal or no goal IMO, they just want to know the outcome ASAP. So it needs to be quicker. But ditching it altogether? Not for me. It will provide better consistency of decisions overall, they just need to be made using a more efficient process.

We'll see how it pans out. Not sure it will be as plain sailing as you suggest. Too many UK businesses rely on trade with Europe and in the end a workable solution will have to be found.

Interesting you say that. The Tories have a big majority and the ERG have also gained in number since the election. There was a Twitter post from one of their members (can't remember who) after the election, I believe there's around 40 of them now, which brings their votes into play later down the line. I wouldn't put it past them to refuse to back a trade deal that they consider to be too "soft". So our end position may well be something along the lines of a Norway deal, backed by some opposition MPs, because in the end we will probably have to agree to some form of alignment and compliance. Can't imagine it will have Norway, EFTA/EEA or anything like that in the name, maybe some fancy name to massage a few egos and provide something for all sides to credibly present as a "win".

Fantastic result. Brilliant recovery from the players after the massive disappointment of the Wolves game. Now up to 3rd in the form table (last six games): https://www.soccerstats.com/formtable.asp?league=england Also fascinating looking at our home/away form. 20th in home form but now up to 5th in away form. Of course our home form is skewed a little bit by the 9-0 result, but we've won 6 out of 12 away from home. If we finish with 9 or 10 away wins this season that will be some effort! https://www.soccerstats.com/homeaway.asp?league=england

Ha, fair point. I really want to see him come good but time is running out. He should be one of the first names on the team sheet based on ability. I know he was injured recently but he needs to step up, much like Tadic did in the second half of 17/18. That's the level of performance we need and should expect from him.

Really disappointed he didn't offer more against Huddersfield. You have to wonder if we are ever going to get much out of him, beyond a handful of cameo appearances every season. Must be so frustrating for RH and the coaching staff.

I watched the Norwich game on Prime via our TV, pretty good going for the most part. Crashed once and had serious Channel 5 style snowy picture for about 5 minutes (anyone who watched UEFA Cup games back in the late 90s, you may know what I mean ). 7/10 for me, good content and hopefully more stable live feed in future.

Mane is far more important to Liverpool than Boufal is for us, you can't really compare the two of them. Also Boufal does not do anywhere near enough on a consistent basis. I like Boufal, don't get me wrong. He has so much ability and close control at pace. But he hasn't really done anything to warrant a regular place in the starting 11. A couple of cameo appearances against Arsenal and Watford are a step in the right direction, but we need much more from him.

I've no massive issue with his comments, if anything they are quite complimentary about MO. Clearly thinks he's a decent talent, maybe just needs to apply himself more.

We have to get behind the players and the manager. If we don't then what is the point being a Saints fan? Our home form is dire and I just feel RH and the players need to do something totally different at home. I don't think any away team comes away from St Mary's feeling surprised any more (well apart from Leicester!). They know if they contain us and get into the lead, the chances are we won't fight back. Whether that involves going full pelt for the first 30mins and hoping they don't tire, I'm not sure. Tactically it would be naive. But it might change the atmosphere in the ground and we all know St Mary's can be rocking at times. That's historically when we have the best chance of doing well in our home games.

It's clearly a lot of money that will be well received by beneficiaries of the Saints Foundation, so I have no problem with that. As for the gesture itself, we have to be honest and say the senior first team players will barely notice the difference in their pay packet. I don't personally see it as any huge effort on their part. But I can respect the decision to donate the money.

I'm still in shock at the result. It's a very odd feeling, ultimately it's just a game of football. But *my* team is the one in the record books for having lost 9-0 at home. And it could easily have been double figures. I honestly don't know where they go from here. Hopefully we will get a response and form picks up, but I just don't know if that will ever be enough for this group of players now. I think they will need to win some silverware in the short to medium term to make up for this game.

Keep RH, but we need to do something to sort out our defence and become more solid again. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2019/10/06/gary-cahills-resurgence-helps-crystal-palace-think-big-win-west/ Also frustrating reading that article. I said early summer we should be going for Gary Cahill as I felt he's exactly the sort of player we needed. You can pick one of the many players who have left, IMO we miss Jose Fonte the most. He was our captain and our leader, and we have yet to replace him properly. Yes we had VVD who was captain for a while after he left, but we hardly got much out of him after his injury and transfer request. I still believe RH is the man for the job, hopefully he will get some backing in January as we definitely need to freshen up.

Is RH exempt from criticism? Of course he's not. The team selection against Bournemouth was a puzzling one for the fans and it proved that way. But he's doing a decent job and is trying to turn this team around. It isn't going to be easy as we have been well off the pace for three and half years. Man for man we just don't have the quality that we had 3-5 years ago. I am willing to give him plenty of slack, most notably for the way he's brought Boufal back into the team. He was a dead cert to be on his way, now he's back and starting to show some of his talent. I know it won't be exclusively down to RH but he deserves a fair bit of credit for playing him.

Regardless of Pompey's current form, it'll be a completely different atmosphere when we play them next week. Will definitely be an eye-opener for quite a few of our current squad! I'm not sure many of them have played a competitive game at Fratton Park before? Ings did back in his Burnley days, other than that I'm struggling? Possibly Redmond or McCarthy? Anyway, we should have enough ability on the night to see us through.

Yes agree with you there. Imperative we put a decent side out, sure RH will want to give a few other players a run-out but equally I think he knows it will not bode well for confidence if we lose. Not to mention the bragging rights locally!

Pleased to see him back and contributing. Well done to RH and the management team for getting him back playing.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48964162 Good luck to him in retirement, had a very good career in the end and has turned into a bit of a comedy hero! I wasn't around for much of the 04/05 season as I was on my year abroad in Germany and France. However I do remember him getting some real stick early on that season, possibly the Bolton home game where he was booed when he came on as sub? Anyway, he was one of not many bright spots that season, think it's fair to say...

Unquestionably the worst signing based on his fee and contribution to date. But that could change if he comes back and breaks into the first team again. As for the worst player I've ever seen in a Saints shirt, I'd probably to go for Kanchelskis. Think he did actually manage two substitute appearances, but the one game I saw him in he did nothing other than spoon a cross into the crowd. Well and truly past his best days for United and Everton. Even Ali Dia got a shot on target!

I don't get the negativity towards him either. He's done OK in the three and a half years with us. Not brilliant by any means, but he has scored some useful goals. I'd like to have seen him on the pitch more but it is what it is, injuries haven't helped.

I think we will struggle to sell him to be honest. €16 million quoted price plus his wages will not be a goer for a large chunk of European clubs. Maybe another loan or subsidising his wages would work, but wouldn't surprise me if he ends up staying past the summer.

In English football, £10 million in 2019 is roughly the equivalent of £1.5 million about 20 years ago. You may baulk at the fee but it's probably about right for a player like Austin. Think along the lines of John Beresford, David Hirst etc. when they joined us.