CWD

Congrats - I'm getting married on the 9th. My fiancée would never have let me do this - I've been trying to sneak red and white in wherever I can though

thanks!

Hate to be that guy, but anyone got a streaming link today? Sportsmania/nation aren't taking subscriptions at the moment - something to do with the boxing later

Personally I think he's had the weakest squad since Adkins, especially when he's not had Austin, VVD, Boufal etc for long periods. Sure, there are aspects of his management I've questioned at times, but I don't think all the blame should be laid at his door every time anything negative happens.

Chelsea are incredible going forward. Their movement is superb, and with Kante and Matic they're always solid in midfield. Thought we played some good stuff but it was all in front of the penalty area for the most part. Boufal showed glimpses but not enough to warrant starting ahead of Redmond, everyone else was alright. Cedric was the best player in a Saints shirt for me. Win against Hull and it'll be a bit more rosy. I do feel however that whatever happens this will go down as a season of minor disappointment. For the first time since we got back in the premier league we haven't really gone into games against the big teams with much optimism. I always felt in the past few seasons we could give anyone a game but we're a lot further behind the top 6 this season than we've ever been before (at least certainly in the last 3 seasons). When you couple that with the awful performances in the Europa League and the dismal exit in the FA cup, it's just all felt a bit... meh. Still, if you told me in the summer we'd be lining up with Yoshida and Stephens at Stamford Bridge I'dve bitten your hand off for 4-2! Big summer recruitment wise required.

I'm truly devastated that I won't be able to make it. I may not have a season ticket, I may not be an official member, I don't go to many away games but I've followed this club through thick and thin. Many a Tuesday night back in the L1 days I'd forego a night out at the Uni bar to be able to sit alone in my room listening to a dodgy SaintsPlayer, cheering as we beat the likes of Yeovil and Dagenham, or cursing losses to Rochdale. Now I work most weekends so I don't get to as many games as I'd like to, but I'll still be following the game as best I can, rushing out as early as possible into the nearest pub I can find (think I'll be in Colchester of all places). I may end up elated and head into London to join you all for a night out. I may be crushed and head home in silence. Either way I'll be proud from start to finish of being a Saints fan. Sing it proud chaps. COYR (/W)

A win here would really ease some nerves amongst the fan base. Team I'd love to see but won't happen: --------------- Forster ------------------ Cedric - Yoshida - Stephens - Bertrand --------Romeu ------Davis ------------- Gabba ------- Boufal --------- Tadic -------------- Long ------------------- Team I reckon we'll see: -------------- Forster -------------- Cedric - Yoshida - Stephens - Bertrand ----- Davis ----- Romeu ---- Clasie ------ --Gabba --------- Long ------- Boufal

What's that, 4 points from 5 games against the current bottom 4? Pretty poor. Too many losses this season in the league - gotta start grabbing more draws.

That is fantastic, great find!

He's still so young and has so much potential. Worth remembering that everyone was going mad before the game over Stephens being inexperienced, and he's older than PEH!

When That goal went in... Probs my best moment as a football fan. The release of pent up tension from the rest of the game - I was running around the living room screaming like a madman! Success just means so much more to fans of smaller clubs like us - utter elation. And the record of making the final without conceding should stand for a long time yet! Unfortunately I won't be able to make Wembley due to work commitments which is gutting but today is a day for celebration!

Reed said we wouldn't let Fonte go without a replacement lined up... Surely he wouldn't lie...?

He would happily have stayed if reports are to be believed. Instead we replaced him with Austin, who whilst decent, is a completely different type of player

We've only scored more than 1 goal in 2 out 14 PL matches. We've scored 3 goals in our last 5 Europa League games, 1 own goal and 2 from a CB. The decision to sell Pellé gets stranger with every passing week.

Fantastic. It seems like every few weeks we get a new marker for "look how far we've come since -10 in League 1". Deservedy beating Inter at SMS is something we could never have imagined 6/7 years ago. VVD was immense (again) despite constant manhandling from their defence, he is just SO SO good. I don't think it's hyperbole to say he is one of the best CBs in Europe right now. His consistency is unbelievable. As others have said, JWP had his best game today. Looks like he can fill that Steven Davis shaped hole that will appear in the not too distant future. He should also be taking pens... I actually gave MoM to Yoshida, I thought he was so solid today. Think about last season if someone had told you we'd start with a back 4 including McQueen, Yoshida and Martina - we'd be terrified! But Puel has shown such belief in the squad and has been repaid deservedly. Only negatives for me are the lack of cutting edge up front which is still an issue, and JRod who, sadly, does not look anywhere near the player he was. I personally think we miss Pellé's influence up top - if only we had a striker in a similar mould in top form and scoring regularly at a decent level... Gallagher anyone? Anyway, brilliant, brilliant night. Had to give up my ticket for work commitments but it was so worth it for all the positive comments from neutrals in the pub I was in in Kent - even from an Everton fan!

Beaten by a better side today. Don't think we played awfully but Chelsea defended really well and looked dangerous on the attack. Everyone always looks at their own team's performance, but sometimes you have to give credit to the opposition. Well done Chelsea, we move on to Inter on Thursday - COYR

Decent result but we look completely toothless with Redmond and Long up front. Still short of another goal scorer.

Tadic already making a difference. Can't afford to leave him out of the team at the moment IMO, not until Boufal is fit

Still not convinced by the diamond. Just don't think it plays to anyone's strengths. ----Hojberg --- Romeu ----- Redmond - Boufal - Tadic ---------- Austin ---------- Instantly looks so much more creative and exciting.

I'm following on here and twitter, have we hit the target yet?

Not sure I agree with this as a concept. If we were worried about the squad's capability to deal with two games a week then we should have invested in more players. I want to be wrong but I can't see the diamond working moving forward, so let's say we're in the bottom third of the table and out of the Europa League come Christmas - will the fact that the players are at a peak of physical fitness be enough to save Puel from pressure? Anyway fingers crossed tomorrow will be an improvement. I've never been more sure of a defeat before we smashed them last December, so anything could happen!

I guess probably to avoid being called a wrist slitter, bed wetter etc. But people need to remember that on SWF there's no middle ground. Everyone is either blind board-loving happy clapper or miserable club-hating doom merchant. Everyone.

I've yet to listen to a complete interview with the bloke. Obviously it's not his fault that he's not quite up to speed with the language, but at least if he had a translator we might get some more meaningful answers on things. I really, really hope he can be a success here but at the moment I have to be honest and say things just don't feel right. He doesn't fit this so called 'Southampton Way' we always hear about, which I was under the impression relied on playing a modern, fluid, high energy, 4-3-3 formation like Adkins, Poch and Koeman all did (for the most part). A formation that, correct me if I'm wrong, is still being played by the youth teams. I suppose the main thing is, he just doesn't excite me. I know that sounds petulant and childish but for me match excitement starts with the prematch presser and builds to the game, but I don't feel that at the moment. Even in the matches themselves I find us dull and predictable and I'm not just judging him on the 3 PL games, even the preseason matches were lacking something. He has loads of time to turn it around, and Jesus it could be a lot worse we've only been beaten once, I just hope he can because we can't afford too many more points dropped to lower half teams at home with the league being so much stronger this year.

Thought we did alright. Mistake for the first goal, much more pressure on Rooney needed. If I'm honest thought there was a slight clip on Shaw's foot from Clasie wished pushed his back leg forward and caused him to trip on his other leg, but he did go down easy. Hojberg and VVD were very good, Tadic was up and down but his role in this team is to take risks and create chances so no complaints from me when it doesn't work out. In this system he is our main man and his form will be key. Clasie isn't as bad as people make out, but he doesn't offer a lot really. Spends too much time passing sideways. Thought up front we were woeful though. poor finishing, lack of willingness to shoot and Austin out wide? WTF? Utd realised we couldn't break them down so were happy to sit back and let us pass it about in front of their defence. 180 minutes of football and we haven't really created a clear cut chance where we've worked the keeper. Slightly worrying but not panicking just yet. I must say I don't understand the whole diamond thing. At the moment don't think it suits anyone. More to the point during the tenures of our last 3 managers we've been very much a 4-3-3 side. Yes, we mixed it up occasionally when needed, but as a rule of thumb we played 4-3-3. And the club seemed so proud of this, playing it throughout the age groups and ramming it down our throats how important it was. Now we employ a manager who is obviously not going to play that way? who is known for a completely different system? Just seems odd to me.

It's been a pretty good performance so far. Only real issues is lack of a top finisher up front (but I reckon most fans of any PL team would say the same) and the fact we gave Rooney a full half an hour to put a cross in. I think Austin coming on might help the ball stick up front a bit more.