Cosmic

Good performance until about 85 mins, at which point we seemed determined to let them score. Could see the goal coming a mile out. Shame.

Out in the next few windows: Forster, Cedric, Stephens, Bednarek, Hoedt, Targett, McQueen, Clasie, JWP, Davis, Boufal, Austin, Long, Carillo. Give Vestergaard, Gabbiadini and Elyounoussi the rest of the season to prove their worth. Bring in a leader at the back.

He is the best keeper we have had in a long, long time. Infinitely better than Forster, yet wouldn't command anywhere near the transfer fee. Comes OFF HIS LINE(!!) to claim/punch & take pressure off our (woefully inadequate) defence. Hugely underrated in the Premier League. Think most wanted him in the team about 12 months earlier than he got there but he has been superb since he's come into the team.

Why is it 'a distraction'?

Redmond's ONE asset is his pace. I honestly cannot fathom why he is so loathe to use it. He must be the least intelligent footballer we've ever had.

But that's not where you're playing him... Certainly wouldn't mind seeing Van Dijk dropped though.

I just don't understand what the manager's game plan is - how on earth does he expect to score goals playing like this?

West Brom is significantly closer to Southampton than it is to the North East.

Can't believe some people thought it was a decent game. We were utterly spineless. No one has the b0ll*cks to play a pass in the final third that might result in us losing possession. On the rare occasions that a forward comes towards the ball to receive it to feet, they lay it off back to the full back first time, and then think they've done a brilliant job of linking up the play, rather than actually trying to to control the ball and turn at the oppo's defence. We were saved by a great goal from Boufal - god know what he has to do to get a start. Completely understand his reaction after scoring.

Forster Yoshida VVD Hoedt Cedric Romeu Lemina Bertrand Tadic/Boufal Long Gabbiadini

I suggest you re-watch the 10 or so seconds before he conceded the penalty and think again.

Agreed.

Hence the username...?

OUT: Forster Taylor Martina Gardos Targett Clasie Reed? Isgrove Rodriguez? IN: goalkeeper centre back (or caceres) centre mid??? wide player???

I just want us to play 4-2-3-1 like most people have been saying for months.

Yes, he was a top player; he's not anymore - he doesn't even necessarily get in our best team. And no-one is rewriting history, but you are distorting the present if you still think he is an invaluable cog in our team. Apart from which, he is meant to be our captain and figurehead, yet has said formally he doesn't want to be at the club. Hardly behaviour befitting his role. Take the money and remember the good years.

I am pleased that Dean gave the penalty. We will never defeat the cancer of diving if referees don't start giving fouls when players stay on their feet (and I know that Alli is a diving cheat 99% of the time). If someone gets fouled immediately after taking a shot, you very rarely see a penalty given; if it's after playing a pass, you always see a free-kick awarded.

1) Forster's game has staggeringly little improvement since he joined us. (I actually think his kicking has improved overall, despite it being shocking tonight.) It concerns me that he is still so hesitant to come off his line and command his box - why has this not been addressed? 2) What has happened to Hojbjerg? 3) Can we either play Boufal centrally or play two up front? 4) Why did it take Puel so long to change things?

Do you also wish we'd signed a third-choice left-back so that we never had to resort to playing McQueen?

Poor mistake by Davis for first goal, but even more concerning was our approach when we had the ball: propaganda football. Nobody willing to take a risk and try something different. So slow as well - every time we won the ball in their half we failed to move it quickly, instead letting them get their shape back. Usually I think that Clasie's greatest attribute over our other midfielders is that he moves the ball forward quicker, but he was very poor today too. Bad day at the office, hoping for better on Thursday. When is Long back?

I thought Hojbjerg was extremely poor in the first half, although admittedly he improved in the second. Olomola and Stephens did absolutely nothing to enhance their credentials sadly and McQueen looked knackered - although the fact he was playing in the first place suggests they are confident Bertrand will be ok for Chelsea. Isgrove needs to start looking for a new club.

That must surely have been Isgrove's last match for us.

He'd get in the Spurs side. Infinitely better player than Wanyama.

McCarthy Stephens Gardos/Fonte Yoshida McQueen Reed JWP Hojbjerg Hesketh Rodriguez Boufal

McCarthy Stephens Gardos/Fonte Yoshida McQueen Reed JWP Hojbjerg Hesketh Rodriguez Boufal