eddie

Has anyone followed his progress in Brugge? Be interested to know how he got on. Doubtful he'll get in the team, though.

I don't know what people expect. Many complaining that Krueger isn't honest enough about admitting his/clubs failings, and has a jaded opinion of the clubs success. Find that baffling. We have had top 8 finishes. One 17th finish doesn't halt the upward track we've been on, nor taint the excellent results we've had. Nor does it put into question our operating model. Our model is by nature risky. That doesn't necessarily mean it's a bad one, since it's the same one that got us MP, RK and a handful of now world class players. The season is a reminder that the model is inherently risky. We can change to a journeyman filled squad, ignoring cup runs, buying from premier league rivals and joining the Hughes-Pardew-Allardyce-Moyes manager merry-go round (which we seem to have done), and be happy to settle on finishing 14th the next 10 years. I personally quite like the risky model, but perhaps that's my nature. So long as we invest in, and continue to field, youth players.

Is that what we've done before? Hardly took a notice of the qualifiers.

Given that squad I'd go for: Pickford Walker Jones Maguire Alexander-Arnold Dier Delph Lingard Alli Sterling Kane

his post match interview also. think 10 months ago he was weighing up his future but his comments on the club, history and where were going - would love to see him given captaincy again.

Apologies if posted elsewhere. I understand avoiding relegation is almost there, but not definite. I am struggling to understand the maths of the last games and what we need to stay up. Which results do we NEED to go our way? Thanks

If it were a choice between the two, I'd be tempted to pick a teamsheet based on fighting spirit and game management, rather than on sporadic moments of quality. I honestly don't know who to put on that list, other than McCarthy. Cedric Stephens (possibly Bednarak) Hoedt Bertrand Romeu Hojbjerg Tadic Austin Long + 1 more - very stuck on this one. One of Lemina, JWP or Redmond I suppose.

**** **** **** **** **** what the **** RIDICULOUS DECISION LETTING 6 MINTUES OF ****ING INJURY TIME

http://vipracing.info/channel/canal-4a56 working v smooth for me, not highest definition but no lag

to clarify - are any of the championship games streamed? i don’t mean on Sky or the like, but alpine mentioned viewing them in austria.

Regardless of people saying our players 'capitulated' and they're not good enough for the squad, I thought we played excellently today. Alonso wasn't sent off, clear red card, but don't think that affected the team other than the fact we would have probably won had that not been the case. Our team didn't 'give up' at all, they just panicked. First half clearances were generally calm, trying to play the ball and get up the field. Second half, 2-0 up, our defense was panicking, scrambling to get the ball out of our half. It's not so much 'game management' as trying to play with the same cool and calmness when we were winning comfortably. Only thing I can think that would change that is having 1-2 players in defense/midfield who can bring a level head and leadership to the back. Been sorely missing for some years now. Real shame. Championship almost nailed on with Huddersfield and Palace winning.

Some thoughts. Please don't think this post is in any way 'racist' - it is just an opinion. As supporters of other clubs in our situation have said, at the very least I expect that relegation will bring change. The question is where the change will be - playing squad for sure, manager possibly, board/chairman unlikely. Avoiding the drop I fear will, like Sunderland, lead to club hierarchy patting themselves on the back rather taking a long hard look at the state we're in. I've said it numerous times and I'll say it again. Our greatest strength is our greatest weakness. Our overseas recruiting was unrivaled under Paul Mitchell, regardless of in what regard our academy is held, for the last five years the club have looked to bring in cheaper gems from other leagues - Mane, Van Dijk, Pelle, Schneiderlin (he was before), Lemina, etc. Players like these enable us to over achieve and have been the reason for our success in recent years. However, such overseas talents do nothing but bring instability in the long term. I had a conversation last night with a friend where I said I would genuinely prefer the core of our playing squad to be local journeymen rather than 2-3 gems who stop off at Saints on their way to big clubs. Right now, by and large those players are not performing. They are inherently more likely to move elsewhere, having already made a big move to Saints in the first place. After last game I read several places on here that people wanted reliability back in the squad. Yoshida, Davis, JWP, McCarthy, Austin et al are hardly likely to move on. Perhaps they will never achieve the greatness of the likes of Mane, but they will stick around. I'd far rather have Gallagher than Carillo. Why did we buy him? I have a strong desire to see us spend this summer and trawl through another 3-4 players from overseas with the hope they work out. At the same time, I'm fed up of it. We're not playing football manager. Regardless of who manages our team next season, in the championship or not, I would far rather have stability and consistency by looking inwardly to our academy and English players. Previous purchases from other Premier League clubs have been successful - Bertrand, Romeu, McCarthy, Clyne, etc. Why couldn't we have taken Jonjo Shelvey from Swansea? How were Hojbjerg, Romeu, Lemina, Clasie any better? And how much more are those players likely to make a move away. I hope to that end that the new manager, if he stays, will have the confidence to take with him those journeymen who have been foundational to his other teams, along with giving academy players much more of a chance.

Anyone else ran out their Sportsmania subscription? It's asking me to pay in BitCoin, not really interested in signing up to that. Has anyone found another way to pay for a new subscription - by card/PayPal?

He took Sunderland and Wolves to the Premiership and made several play-offs with different teams. Didn't have the money to keep those teams up but with Saints recruitment handling that, it could be a good match.

Mick McCarthy? Looks like he's on the way out of Ipswich

I don't support Saints because of their form. I support them because of the city and my family. Guess it's a bit like marriage not being about being 'in love' all the time but a deeper commitment. Ups and downs are part of the deal. You wouldn't have raised the question in the late 70s. Nor in the days of Le Tissier. Nor four years ago under MP or Koeman. Perhaps these moments make the good times that much more sweeter. Not an excuse, of course. I think it has a lot to do with expectations. In the last five years Southampton fans have come to consider our team as a comfortable top 10 or higher club, and, while it's true that we do have the means to be nearer the top than we are now, we should have no sense of entitlement about it. I shall continue doing my small part, paying for seats and buying club merchandise. My only gripe is feeling a lot further away from the board and club leadership than I did in previous years. Perhaps though, that's the same for most other clubs around us. Certainly the idea of Southampton being 'one big family' is no longer the case, at least for me.

Did anyone watch it? https://southamptonfc.com/news/2018-03-31/video-charlie-austin-post-west-ham-vs-saints-premier-league-1718 Utterly depressed by our position and form and no excuses. Despite that I found Austin's post match OS interview surprisingly candid. We've had far too many 'we've learnt our lesson and need to bounce back' type interviews from MP which just give the impression he was clueless and out of his depth. Austin's anger and match analysis was refreshingly direct and I think he's exactly the kind of personality in the dressing room that we have been missing. Can't think of another player who would be that vocal and critical, not since the days of Fonte. He tore our first half performance and individual mistakes apart with clarity and is obviously very aware of our position and weaknesses. I can only hope that he matches what he says with his form and gets a few goals. Either way, I sincerely hope he doesn't leave if we go down to the championship because I cannot see anyone who could be remotely described as nearing a 'dressing room leader' type of figure.

Strange criticism of him on here. He's a lot more of a Saints type player than Osvaldo or Cacares ever were, it's just not the same bracket. Unknown international player coming from abroad - exactly the type that can flourish. He didn't, but it doesn't mean our scouting team is down the pan since Mitchell left. End of the day it's exactly the kind of **** signings like Juanmi, Gardos, Elia, Clasie etc. that we get some golden ones in Hojbjerg, Romeu, Lemina, Cedric etc. The only thing to say is that the profile of the successful ones was arguably a lot higher than the flops, pre signing.

I think we were ready to put the money down but Spartak didn't have a replacement lined up. Bottom line then: we should have put the money on the table much, much earlier (before window opened, even). Clearly VVD was heading off. It's likely that an agreement was made back in December sometime with conversations in November. Why we couldn't have sounded out Spartak along a similar timeframe baffles me. I'm judging we didn't based on the fact media reports didn't surface until mid January. I think he seems absolutely fantastic and exactly what we need - a winger! I hope he will join in the summer, my only worry is that we needed his firepower and pace now to actually stay up in the league. No chance we'll go for him or he'll come if we're in the championship. Positive for me is that we were willing to put close to 30 million down for a player. Change in transfer policy that I heartily approve of.

Aw thanks mate!

great line up. confused about PEH but willing to give MP benefit of the doubt - could be tactical, slight injury to PEH, whatever. Good decision to start Lemina and Boufal, as well as JWP. I’m optimistic given Albion’s injuries.

It's true I left out Tadic in error. He's been our creative force and I would happily keep him in our starting line up. Boufal I do not agree with. He is definitely not our most creative player (Tadic and Bertrand are) and his ridiculous attempt to cut inside yesterday multiple times, instead of passing, cost us. I think he can be excellent on 1 on 1 situations but he needs to be a team player. Wouldn't start.

Don't really care anymore. Still watch matches to pass the time and while happy with our tempo and creativity, we lack two attacking players (instead of Long and Davis) who can really be relied upon to perform each week. Bertrand's great. Hojbjerg, McCarthy, Stephens, Hoedt, Ward Prowse and Cedric I am really happy with and feel they give their all for the team. Lemina and Romeu also are great, one untested and the other not sure how he fits in our team with an in form PEH. The others I have no affection for whatsoever. I like our team, bottom line. I have little respect for Les Reed, Kruger and Gao family, feel they are not the leadership we need as a business but all seem to be here to stay. Manager seems like a fish out of water, but he really has very little to choose from if our recruitment department keeps royally ****ing up and wasting transfer windows last summer and this January. He plays defensive football, on the other hand he is missing those 2 Promes level outlets at the front of the pitch who will make the difference between 17th and 7th. I will stick with him as long as we do not have any incoming signings, since I believe he needs a chance (as Puel should have done) with a strong, attacking team. I will tolerate the board/owners and for those deadweight players like Davis, Boufal, Long Austin and Gabbi (essentially forming our attacking trio) I want them gone ASAP and replaced with performing, proven players - people like James Forrest (Celtic) as I've suggested elsewhere. I don't have patience to let these players start week in week out and consistently lose or draw. We do not have the time to sit around and wait for them to come into form. Overall, annoyed at the transfers most of all, deadweight players second, owner/board third and current squad (minus deadweight) including the manager, last.

Fairly **** to be honest. It's glaringly obvious that none of Southampton forward line with the exception of Ward Prowse and Tadic, are anywhere near good enough to be playing each week. I count in this Long, Gabbi, Austin, Boufal, Davis and Redmond. I believe we should cut the **** from the squad, sell Redmond, Long and Gabbi and buy in one or two signings of the James Forrest (Celtic) ilk - not too old, hungry, proven players. I am happy to give Boufal and Austin time to regain their excellent form in previous seasons, but I don't have the same optimism that time is what Davis/Redmond need. Tadic and Ward Prowse I believe are capable of playing alongside players like Promes and Carrillo (assuming he's half decent) as Tadic showed with Mane and Pelle. Ward Prowse I think should be our reserve attacking midfielder (not starting), but I think he's quality. Would have like to see clutter out the squad and Promes, another attacking midfielder/winger and CB in.

Or "we have a Thierry Henry in our squad".