Lallana's Left Peg

Quite clearly the sub we were crying out for was Tadic for JWP or Davis but he just went like for like and the same end result happened on the pitch. They were poor subs because they were done for freshness rather than to address the pattern of the second half which had us pressing up the pitch and seeing plenty of the ball but having zero cohesion or cutting edge in the final third. I had at least hoped that with the team devoid of ideas we may have tried to use sheer brute force by having numbers in the box to score a goal.

It's infuriating to watch us at the moment. Everything is really good up until the final third when it looks like we're making it up and hoping something happens. That's not good enough. I'm bored. Bored of watching the same sideways passing so a cross can be shoved into the box at the exact moment the defence is waiting for it. Bored of players afraid to try and make something happen. Bored of watching a team who average under a goal a game. For the money spent on the squad to end up with the three strikers we have is pathetic. I'd be less mad if we were ****, but as a team we're really solid but in the final third it would be more humane of me to shove rusty nails in my eyes than continue to subdue them to this garbage. It's awful and anyone who thinks otherwise is clearly mental.

Parking around the ground is sparse. Some people park in a housing estate the other side of the dual carriageway but its a long walk. What I've done since we've been back in the Prem is as you come off Junction 15 of the M6 head towards Stoke but come off at the A5035 and then take a left at Stanley Matthews Way. There are loads of industrial units there with car parking and its a short walk to the stadium - plus you're the 'right side' of the traffic after the game (although obviously the parking is popular so there will be some waiting in traffic - but I've found it to be the best place the last few years).

It's an internet forum. Anything goes within the rules and anyone who takes exception to it is being a bit precious in my opinion. Personally I happen to find the 'club can do no wrong' contingent far more irritating than the 'wind ups' but I read both views and the 5 seconds of my life wasted on each post is of no real consequence to me and, broadly speaking, I don't really care what other people think about it and don't think its appropriate to suggest how others should interact on here. Most of my posts are sharing candid thoughts on the team but from time to time I'll engage with the usual characters and its fun. Surely people don't get so offended by people on here that they get annoyed? I say we get on with things and personally if someone can't help but bite when people are winding others up that's on them and not those doing the winding up.

I was at the game last night. A fantastic win for the kids against a very good team. Man Utd are better than us and were better than us in this game in terms of overall play and quality of player but that is not meant as a criticism of our lads who did what they needed to do in order to win the game. We defended very well as a team - positionally they all knew their job and stuck to it and we defended very compact - it was as the senior team do in tough away games. It's things that like which determine a professional career, not just individual ability. We didn't offer too much going forward but it was one of those games where every time we did get the chance to break everyone was a bit anxious and would either hesitate or try and do too much. It was the first time I had seen many of the kids this season so not really appropriate to judge individuals.

The football wasn't free flowing but the tempo and aggression both with and without the ball was last Boxing Day when we thumped Arsenal.

Many issues still exist in our team / play but to grind out a win in any circumstance is nothing to be too upset about. I wish we would be more attacking against teams that we could perceive as having less of a true counter attacking threat but I guess Puel is still weary of how easy teams found it to attack us on the counter in the first month of the season, especially out wide. I did moan about that back in August so I can't have it both ways!

Alot of reaction either Puel or the players or the board. I don't think it is quite as clear cut as people make out, but for what it is worth: 1. Quite clearly at the start of the season we were easy to break on and the opposition looked dangerous every time we lost the ball. The tactics that have emerged were a more conservative midfield - both with respect to 'dangerous' passes that would lead to losing the ball and how far they moved forward. It made us stronger defensively. However, it has also really stifled the attack. 2. At the start of the season we looked a striker short anyway. In the diamond Redmond was to be a striker but that clearly has not worked out. He does not have the instincts nor the guile. His recent form is really bad and that's even playing as a winger. I like his attributes but he needs to come on an awful lot to be a player in the top half of this league. And that leaves us with Austin - who I really like but clearly has injury issues, Long who's form last season was good in the second half but he has reverted to type this season and Jay Rod who absolutely deserved a chance but clearly is struggling himself. So that means we play more conservatively and create less chances but we do not have the players who are taking them which causes all sorts of issues. There has to be a balance between the two and that responsibility is Puel's. I'm not against squad rotation at all but I don't like it when I see us play with little understanding or cohesion - that is not acceptable. These are professional footballers and they need to be trained and taught. But also the recruitment gambles failed. Redmond hasn't made an impact. Jay Rod hasn't worked out (but as I said deserved his chance). Boufal needs more time but we signed him knowing he was injured so that should have been planned for. Lastly also some of the players have not been playing well - some are lost under the new Manager and some are just not at it. They also need to be better. So I think it's a culmination of things that have caused this situation - some are unforeseen and there is no blame. Some were clearly evident in the summer and were not addressed. I don't know what the answer is - more adventurous football may come at a cost defensively but its worth a shot. It's annoying supporting a team that the opposition must think they only need to score once to get a draw or even a win against - especially with the resources we have at our disposal.

No joke - I do genuinely think he is quick. I wish he would be braver on the ball though.

Looks like he's ready to be a striker for Southampton

I think he is still searching for an identity as a player and coupling that with a lack of production it's frustrating to watch him at times. He has a lot of pace and a good head on him with the ball and can skip around players but there appears to be a lack of polish and true creativity which in our current team only further stifles our awful goalscoring record. I like his attributes I just want to see them used in a more purposeful way.

We were right and fair to offer him a considerable pay rise. We were right and fair to not want to offer an extension - it makes no business sense whatsoever at his age - we don't have the financial means to do that He is within his right to reject the deal We're within our right to accept that decision and to expect him to continue to do his best in his current deal His form has suffered this season. Is it age or is it distraction? No-one knows. If we're willing to let him go in January then that means we must have a replacement lined up. I personally wouldn't be comfortable having Yoshida step up and then the third choice be Gardos or Stephens or even Bertrand. It's weak. I'd be fine with keeping Fonte until the end of the season and letting him go for a few million less.

I concur

Anyone just watch the live stream of Puel's press conference? He got asked about developing young players and selling them, selling VVD in January etc. He brought every single question back round to talking about the next game Sky journo was getting nothing from him and joked is this going to be what Puel says in response to every single question he gets about selling players and after consulting a translator Puel then answered by talking about the next game Think he perfectly understood what was being asked and just instead decided to wind them all up.

He was superb last night and agree with the views that he has shone in the squad rotation system which has given him more games and cut out the mistakes. His ball out to Bertrand for the first goal was great as well.

Would be surprised to see Puel move away from his rotation policy for this game, despite the temptation to given it's a Quarter Final. Can see the pros and cons of both but when it comes down to it he's been consistent in his selection policy and in what he has said since he joined. The only thing that undermines it at the moment is the awful form of Long and Jay Rod. They are costing us.

Boufal ad Davis injured? Weird team. Hope it pays off.

You should be allowed to support (or not) the team however you want. There is no wrong or right way to support a football team. I'm certainly not against booing or showing disgust at a performance. There was no lack of effort last night, just a distinct lack of quality. Hard to know who to level blame at in that case. Not inclined to boo personally if I think the players care, and I think they all did last night. Most of the frustration, I think, comes from the lingering concern in the background that maybe this is the season some sort of normalisation occurs and we limp meekly back into midtable - 5 years ago that would have been a very acceptable future but after continually losing our best players it does smart a bit when you think what could have been. So when you think this may well be our last shot at Europe for a while you feel the club aren't embracing it the way the fans are. That is the problem - the performance in isolation - it happens. The performance in the context of resting our best players in a competition we may well be heading out of - very very annoying.

That's a bit racist pal.

Not sure what we're playing these days but it feels like a 4-1-2-3. Whatever it is the opposition have worked it out.

You'll get grief for doing this straight after the game and your post history but you have a point - to a degree. I understand the need for rotation but depending who is on the pitch we play like strangers at times. I don't know if that is a quality thing or a coaching thing but it's happening. Ignoring individual form were there any combinations whatsoever tonight? I didn't see any. Just a lot of football that seemed like players were hesitant over what do to as they didn't know how the player they were looking to pass to would react or move. It's playing with fear and I hate seeing that. As for goals it's been the fear all season - not enough goal threat in us as a team. Getting to the point where it feels like set pieces are the only way we will score. I blame the recruitment more than anything else - Redmond as a striker isn't working, Jay Rod deserved a chance but he looks well off it and Long has started the season badly. At times like this you need goals from midfield but we don't have that in us either. A lack of goals will kill us.

No-one as far as I am aware. But I wasn't implying you did either. I'm just stating that even though its not a surprise that doesn't make it any more acceptable.

But that doesn't make it right just because it is normal. Our Chairman's comments clearly make it impossible for us to do anything other than sack Black. Doing anything else would be in contradiction to them.

Not sure if its officially released but take a look here: https://southamptonfc.com/ It's mile better already.

Nothing wrong with a drink (or even getting ****ed). As long as the player is hydrated and ready to perform in training on Tuesday then no harm done.