saintwbu

Any chance we can tie him down forever? Literally? Like lock him in a dungeon so he can never leave? Please?

Interesting that 4 out of our 11 goals this season have been scored by substitutes (1 winner, 1 equaliser, and 2 3rd goals), never felt under Koeman that the bench was utilised enough or at least didn't affect the game enough, Puel is not afraid to make a 50/60 minute change if it's needed

Three wins, three clean sheets and youngster's being given a lot of game time. This Claude Puel bloke isn't too bad is he!

illuminati

Anyone could see by the way Austin grabbed the ball and immediately wagged his finger at Tadic to say 'no i'm having this' that he wasn't the designated penalty taker. Yes perhaps Tadic should have given up a bit easier than he did but if he was given the job by the manager then he's just enforcing manager's orders, can't believe anyone is criticising him for not just going "okay charlie that's fine you have it". Thankfully all ended well.

Predicted my starting lineup on the walk to the ground and it was very different to the one that was written on the board at the betting shop in the concourse! I said to my mate that it was an interesting move from Puel as whilst i think it's silly to say he's under pressure, he hasn't done anything of note that'd get the doubters on side, and a comprehensive victory in a tournament that most fans would like to do well in would be a good place to start. So to rest some key players was brave because had we lost last night i can only imagine the reaction on here! So i'm really pleased for him, it paid off handsomely, we were very good even if they were not, and there were some great individual performances from players who may not be particularly highly regarded amongst most, especially Martina and Yoshida. Surely Martina has to start over Cedric!? Very pleased with last night and thanks to Jay Rod for popping up in the 93rd minute to secure the 22/1 'Austin to score first and saints to win 3-0' special that was on offer at the ground, paid for the ticket.

Am I being naive in thinking that maybe the ITK's are all very quiet because something is actually going on?

interesting observation given he's hardly played for us due to injury, and suggests you probably didn't watch him in his 15 goal season for a **** poor QPR in the premier league

False alarm it was Cedric's mate he just posted a picture with him on Instagram

The booing upon subbing Tadic was embarrassing, as was singing his song once he went off. Would that have happened with Koeman still in charge? Absolutely ****ing not. Judge the decisions made not just the fact that it's a new guy making them, Tadic was anonymous as anyone but due to a good few games at the end of last season he's gone from fans thinking he's useless to being a fan favourite. Thought Charlie Austin must be one frustrated man tonight, the sort of player who is going be offside 9/10,because he is constantly on the shoulder making the right runs but the pass needs to be timed to perfection. Today they just weren't. They either didn't come at all, or were all too late. People around me were moaning about him but to me it just looked like no one was on his wave length at all which looked like the fault of the others rather than him to be honest. There are positives, yes we were very flat for most of the game after a bright start but we know this isn't our final team for the season. Mane today would've transformed that team into something completely different, hopefully Boufal is that player.

Nope, hair was J-Rodesque

It's been mentioned in the Boufal thread but as I'm pretty certain it wasn't him I thought it should be in here too. Itchen/Chapel corner where the players' box is was a very tanned guy with dark hair and quite thick facial hair, looked too old to be a youth player and I didn't recognise him at all. Was with two middle aged women, which struck me as perhaps family visiting his new club with him? I googled a few names mentioned on here and none of them matched, (Erkin, Ziyech), anyone else get a good look at him? He was in the box as I said, but not 'with' the players if you like, definitely didn't mix with them whenever I looked over.

I don't remember him making a save the entire time he was here, so I really don't rate him. That's not because he's joined Everton, I felt that way when he was here.

I'd imagine that's exactly the case. I'd imagine Bolasie has had to take a hell of a pay rise to move away from London to go to a bottom half team in a **** area without any European football, whereas a real 'big club' wouldn't need that to attract a player out of Palace.

I would have been content with us signing Ashley Williams, and really happy with us signing Yannick Bolasie. But I just can't help but think that for the 'new Man City', they are pretty bang average acquisitions. All of Everton's current business is also covered entirely by John Stones' sale, so they haven't actually spent anything else, and they look to be going into their opening game with a very poor goalkeeper in Stekelenburg as their number one. Ambition.

Always loved Chelsea using 'follow the leader' for Florent Malouda, surely Maya Yoshida fits even better

Not only both part of the winning team, but only conceded 1 goal in 4 games!! plus an hour of extra time so almost 5 games! Unbelievable difference they made to the defence. So happy for them both.

I'm sure it will have been pointed out before, but Portugal conceded 4 goals in the three group games without Cedric and Jose in the side, and have conceded just one in the three knockout games since their inclusion in the starting 11 (which was Cedric's mistake), what an impact to have after coming into the team when the pressure is on! I like France, and there are aspects of Portugal that I don't like (Pepe), but really hoping that our boys can be victorious tonight, Jose in particular really deserves it what a pro.

Personally, if that is what the kit looks like, I will be over the moon. Last season's kit was as unimaginative as stripes can possibly be, I don't recall us ever having a kit that looked like this one and I think it's lovely.

I would entertain the idea of Berahino because I don't think he's a bad kid from what i've seen/heard, more badly advised and possibly not the brightest. Probably knows his 'big club' move ship has sailed and we'd be his next best option i'd imagine.

Surely something will be announced soon, we can't be in line for The New, New, New, New Manager Thread can we!?

If we really are trying to sign AOC then that'll be enough of a statement of our intent for me. I know some have their doubts in terms of fitness and whether he's progressed since he left but he's still only 22 which i think a lot forget. Throw some decent money at Arsenal, build the team round him, it would be a great morale boost for the fans I think. Sadly, however, I still see him ending up at West Ham.

Dont do this, please...

First yellow, and a ridiculous one at that

It is stopping us from winning things when you look at it in terms of the personnel we have sold on paper, but the reality is we didn't win anything with Poch's squad, and we now have a better squad but we wouldn't have had that if we hadn't made the sales we did in that famous summer, because we can't afford to have all these great players at the same time. Our strength in depth is fantastic, a world away from what it was in 13/14, where we had Lambert, Rodriguez (eventually long term injured) and Gallagher as front men, whereas we ended last season with Pelle, Mane, Long, Austin, Rodriguez, Juanmi all as options. Our sales have improved us vastly thus far, we're never going to get everything right but so far our hit rate is pretty impressive.