eddie

Yup it's important. Promes alone coming in, win/CB or not, would still give me optimism for avoiding relegation. Agreed, in other words. Knowing Saints, we'll always find something or someone to moan at. Carrillo, on the other hand, remains a complete mystery. In signing terms he could be a Juanmi or he could be a Mane...

I for one am going to get behind our new signing and cheer for him when he gets on the pitch. He is a striker which we need, currently we have Gabbi who isn't scoring, Long who isn't a weekly performer and Austin who is injured. With Tadic and Bertrand who can put in an excellent final pass, and JWP/Cedric/Bertrand who can put in a cross and JWP/Bertrand from a corner, I think we need a player like Carrillo to give us some presence in the box. I'm optimistic (always) and if Promes signs I think it'll be a very good window.

Get it done. This guy and Promes would be an excellent window. Pellegrino out/in takes a back seat when we have quality attackers. Puel's so called 'negative tactics' now obviously disproved at Leicester show that it was a lack of personnel he had to work with. He couldn't play smooth attacking football, because he just didn't have enough players of quality upfront who could do so. In other words, I will give Pellegrino to the end of the season at least, if he gets these signings in. It'll be the best litmus test yet of whether he actually create a team that can score goals and get them well organised. His naitivity with substitutions is also a concern, with like for like replacements and strange starting line ups, e.g. Lemina being third choice. That being said I just don't think Redmond, Gabbiadini, Davis, and some other stragglers can compete regularly at a top half team (if we are even that). We've had to rely on them, which we shouldn't have ever got into that situation. Their form is too inconsistent. Occassional league games for the young guys, cup games for the others, see what they can do.

Brexit

Two things. Recruitment: Our recruitment has partly worked out since Paul Mitchell left and partly failed. Even in his era we had flop signings. Since 2012/2013 our academy signings, other than Ward Prowse, have hardly had a look in. Reed left for Norwich, Sims had a blinder two or three times and hasn't played since. McQueen and Targett have showed what they can do but the manager doesn't place enough faith in them to give them a good chance. Bottom line - we look too internationally and not enough at our home grown talent, if it exists at all. International players are always going to be more risky in terms of moving elsewhere, moving back to their home country, etc. It just adds a dynamic that local lads or English talent doesn't have to worry about. Worst case a player moves to another lower league side - think of Jack Cork. Those that get good move to big clubs, such as Lallana, but it's not as common. I want a team filled with gems found in other leagues, sure. But I also want loyal club guys who come through the academy and are more likely to stay. Lallana soured the relationship with the fans and it's not been a good case study, but almost every other team in a similar place to us in terms of league position has 6-7 players in their squad who are unlikely to go anywhere and can be relied upon. Match day: Team selection on the day falls on Pellegrino. Lemina has been great when I've watched him, don't know why he doesn't play. PEH has been a welcome change but I think that's more about his personal progression and development than any 'faith' placed in him. Austin remaining in the team, Forster remaining in the team...these are manager choices that have cost us valuable points, at least in hindsight.

What is going on? I've been impressed by our attacking displays recently, especially in the first halves. We play well and dominate. But it's happened many times this season, second half or end of the game we seem to collapse in our confidence and retreat into our own half, or make stupid defensive mistakes. I understand the negativity around us - but I want us to remember that we do play some excellent football in the style and confidence that has defined us in past seasons. It's just the end of the game....our game management is awful !

Done. Hope it helps.

Yeah mate, but we have the only form that's worse.... Last six games we're bottom... Not very inspired to watch the game to be honest. Hoping for a change in form soon, but I don't want another false summit like City/Arsenal where we play well and performances go down the sh!tter the next game. Can't see much light at the end except for wholescale changes - 1/2 big signings, manager out, evident shift in tactics, etc. Still holding out for a win. If we don't get it we'll be in a relegation battle for the first time in a few years (I think we will drop into the bottom 3 if the others win or overturn the goal difference...).

Putting Lemina, Romeu and Hojbjerg in the same midfield isn't the way to be more attacking. I say take Romeu out given Hojbjerg's excellent form and play him alongside Lemina. ---------------McCarthy------------------ Stephens--Hoedt---Yoshida---Bertrand ----------Lemina------Hojbjerg--------- --JWP---------Tadic----------Boufal---- -------------Gabbiadini------------------

---------------McCarthy------------------ Stephens--Hoedt---Yoshida---Bertrand ----------Lemina------Hojbjerg---------- --JWP----------Tadic----------Boufal---- ----------------Long---------------------- Romeu and Hojbjerg together is just too defensive for our midfield. That's one of our weaknesses.

Tadic needs to play. Don't get the hate he receives recently. He is a creator, one of the very few we have who can make a killer last pass. Doesn't score goals but absolutely needs to play, preferably centrally, so we can have some nice passing link up play. I get that his body language suggests he doesn't work but compared to two years ago he puts in a real shift (at least a number of games I've watched) and isn't too selfish with the ball. Prefer him to Redmond, Davis, JWP any day for that central #10 role.

Just interesting in scouting the forum opinion on this. Given he's had premier league offers since the sacking and has turned them down, as well as ruling himself out the Swans job, I wondered what the possibility is of him returning. Pellegrino sacking isn't impossible, and if results don't improve becomes increasingly likely. The vacant position isn't the most attractive in the premier league, and would add to the idea Southampton's 'stability' and 'solid structure behind the scenes' is losing it's mojo. Having said that, Koeman did an excellent job for us in the grand scheme of things. Two top finishes and a structured defense, along with key signings (perhaps more down to Paul Mitchell who left for Spurs) mean I wouldn't be against the idea. Personally the way it finished with Koeman, much of it rumours, soured my view of the guy. That being said, I think it wouldn't be the worst idea to bring him back, if he'd accept, along with two attacking signings in January with Van Dijk going the other way, my preferred option. Thoughts?

believe yoshida was picked ahead of hoedt/stephens because he’s significantly faster. either way this is ****ing annoying given we played well against city and arsenal. what happened between then and now?

Sorry that passed me by completely. That's fairly shocking punditry!

Stephens didn't play and wasn't even among the subs...

I’d like a nod to JWP after this. I thought he was fantastic. Great attacking play, good passing, work rate, pace to run to the by line. Always liked him as a player but thought he proved it today. While I like Davis a lot, I think our strongest team is the one today but with Lemina/Romeu in central midfield. And not just cos it was against limp opposition...

Why in God's name would we go three at the back when they have no strikers to mark?

Play like we did last time out away at Liverpool - tightly organised, set up defensively giving no space for the likes of Salah or Moreno to run in behind. Get them on the counter attack with Sims and Long.

My team for what it is worth: ---------Forster (reluctantly)---------- --Cedric---Hoedt---VVD-----Bertrand- --------------Romeu---Davis------- ---Gabbiadini----Tadic-------Boufal--- ---------------Austin--------------- Why? Austin because on corners or set pieces we'd stand a chance at getting a lucky goal in the box No Long because little space behind No JWP because too many side ways passing but could have as easily played him instead of Austin and moved Gabbiadini up front. No Redmond because little effectiveness but him and Boufal linking with Bertrand on the left are much of a muchness Davis, not Hojbjerg, beside Romeu because we do not need two defensive midfielders and Davis will hopefully look for a forward pass more than PEH

Don't know how people are consistently refusing to play Tadic. Yes he goes down easily. Yes he drops his head. His defensive work is a lot better but not on a par with Long. Even so - HE IS OUR ONE PLAYER THAT CAN BE A LITTLE MORE CREATIVE UP FRONT. Other options? Boufal and Redmond - nice in a 1v1 but not good for linking play Davis - Next best option for a Tadic replacement JWP - Not as creative and tends to be a lot slower decision making Long - no first touch, no control, only pace, width and work rate but little creativity Gabbiadini - our only striker and needed to stretch the defense and be in the box My point - I think finding the right combo of players is obviously the golden solution everyone wants to find, but refusing to play Tadic makes no ****ing sense if you want to win the game. Against Burnley for ****s sake, who will be tight and compact, Long is in no way going to help 'unlock' that defense......because there is no room in behind!

Is he actually? I never saw him but always thought that he musn't be that bad a reserve option, so why not try him in the first team against a team like Swansea or West Brom for that matter. He's still quite young (28) as well...

Absolutely agree and that's why against West Brom who sit back he wasn't an obvious choice to start... I'm more weighing up his strengths and weaknesses - his strengths seem to be his pace, headers/winning the first ball, and work rate. His weaknesses are lack of creativity, mispasses (happens all the time when I watch) and poor/non existent first touch or control. For me it's not worth it. Other players can provide the workrate and pace. The headers is missing, perhaps Gabbiadini could replace that but not as strong. But at least you help deal with the individual mistakes which plague our attacks...

Dear god no. Anyone suggesting Long instead of Tadic starting is madness. Long has offered nothing the last few games, he has won headers and chased down defenders but that isn't what we need. Gabbiadini can do the same. Tadic has played well. he's won the ball back, put in a defensive shift (couldn't believe it but last few games he's done just that) and played some excellent passes behind the defence. I feel he's one of a very few players who can offer that linking play. After watching last week especially I was optimistic about Long but no chance now.

My two cents: - Think it was a strange decision to start Romeu and Lemina against a West Brom team that are very compact and defensive. Don't think it would be a strange decision to play both against Liverpool or Man City though. - Tadic was really good, again (imho) and not only played some great passes in behind but actually won the ball back 3-4 times by tracking back. I think he's really essential to keep in the starting line up and the defensive contribution shows he's working harder than I've seen him in the past. - Long officially offered nothing. He has pace and wins the first ball, but his touch keeps and keeps letting him down. Really sad and don't think he should start. - Shame about Forster dropping the ball from the corner/free kick. He isn't helping himself and I don't see why McCarthy at age 27 couldn't get a game. - Davis was excellent today. He picked the ball up from the centre backs more than once and played some incredible 40 yd passes to switch sides. Thought his work rate was top notch and like I've said before, he provides (like Tadic) a good link between the defensive mids of Lemina+Romeu/the full backs, and the strikers/wingers up front. All in all I don't actually think it was a big difference in terms of team performance than other results this season where we drew or lost. I think people let the result decide the quality of the performance and it shouldn't be like that. We have played well and with intent the same as today and not got the result we 'deserved'. What was missing was just that spark of genius creativity that we've been missing!

Very very interesting. Original De Telegraaf link: https://www.telegraaf.nl/sport/494760/ik-kwam-over-als-een-verwend-nest The paper seems to say that the English reporters had spoken with him Monday and had made up their minds, produced the story in a day and made a **** storm, without talking to him more. Wouldn't surprise me.