mrfahaji

Do you think having men on the posts is a good idea? Because that's a form of zonal marking. Zonal is easy to criticise because when it doesn't work it's so obvious and looks glaringly bad. But that doesn't mean it isn't good. If you're man marking Benteke and he gets half a yard ahead, it's the same outcome. Although I take your point about letting him have a free run, I think a mixture can be effective. Players have zones but one or two attackers are singled out for an additional man. Benteke would be one requiring such attention.

True, but it's also a bit weird that fans tweet his dad saying how sh1t he is, one thing to say it on a forum, another to message his family about it. I guess that's the modern day thing!

Gabbiadini is our best all round striker, and fits the way we want to play (recent games have not been tactically right, I don't think Puel intends to have him as an isolated target man). Austin lacks an all round game to fit with our style, but he lets the defenders know they're in a game and most importantly, he knows where the net is. Long doesn't know where the net is, but his pace and harrying often creates chances and space for others. There are games that he can change. Rodriguez, although he took his goal well today, offers very little in any department. He doesn't make proactive runs, and when he gets the ball he's very ponderous with it. Long and Austin can at least claim to be the best at some facet of the game, but Rodriguez can't, and that's why he is the one I'd be looking to offload. Might also be able to get some money from him from one of the promoted sides who think he's nearly the player he was.

Every time we pass it from the edge of their box all the way back to Forster who hoofs it to one of their players I want to throw something at the screen.

Is it me or is Caceres ahead of the ball quite a lot for a centre back? He always seems to make a tackle coming back from a more advanced position.

Bring back Tadic!

Lucky escape there. Negredo free in the box, knocked down towards de Roon, who is free, it eventually goes through to Bamford, who is also free. Three unmarked players! Nice take by Redmond, well worked overall.

Not surprised, Boufal didn't do a lot. Thought the game was better suited to Tadic though (is he on the bench?)

There have been times where our team has looked like a second string, a few basics which haven't been crisp, but whether that's ability or rust I'm not sure. That being said, overall our team does seem able to cope with the tactics/style despite being understrengthened. It begs the question why we couldn't have rotated 1 or 2 players per game rather than the entire side. I thought Rodriguez was very poor but took his goal nicely. We have a tendency to go forwards, then backwards to where we started from, only to be under more pressure second time around. Clasie and Hojbjerg have both looked decent at times but weak at others. Clasie's main issue seems to be that second ball, he doesn't seem quick or strong enough to beat the opposition to it. Hojbjerg seems to be missing that cuteness in his play - he does well and then lacks calmness when it comes to the final pass. Caceres is calmness personified, sometimes a little too much! Pied is doing well but in our structure most full backs would, the difference is whether he can deliver a good ball. Overall not a great half, but not terrible either. We do seem to be happy with slow build up play though, so that hasn't changed.

Was just about to say I was finding Rodriguez frustrating.

It would be nice to be pleasantly surprised once in a while...!

I think how we fare today will go a long way to deciding my verdict on Puel. It does seem strange to make so many changes for a game that we should be looking to win. If the players perform and we get a good result, maybe Puel knows what he's doing. Otherwise it raises too many questions in my book. Fingers crossed!

Just received my Saints newsletter, it says there's a chance to win a pair of Fraser Forster's gloves. Surprised they didn't include the tagline "good as new, barely been used".

Not sure if it's been mentioned, but could the pattern on the pitch against Arsenal be a subtle nod towards the design? Maybe I'm clutching at straws, as it looks more like the candy striped shirt of the late seventies rather than the 80s thirds, but it could be... would also fit with the 'more white than red' description.

I was tempted to get one next season, but I know I won't be able to get to all the games so it immediately renders a season ticket poor value. I know the category A games probably work out cheaper and it's good to be guaranteed a ticket for them, but in truth I'm just as happy going to see Saints play Middlesbrough or West Ham as I am Arsenal or United.

I recall last year when they were in the playoffs, the general consensus was that they were the most "methodical" team in the playoffs, defending and hitting on the break or scoring from a set piece to take 1-0 wins.

Doesn't Carvalhal get Wednesday to play proper dire football?

It's not though, is it? Mistake maybe, but not car crash. Birmingham's decision to sack Rowett and replace him with Zola - that's a car crash!

We're definitely not a million miles away. My concern is that we also don't seem to be any closer to what we're hoping for than we were two or three months ago. In fact it feels like we're further away now.

Hmmmm you're the second person to mention this Tom, **** or Harry consortium...

I would've gone with Boufal (not just in hindsight, said it in the build up), as I felt his ability to beat a man could have dragged the centre backs out of position, creating space in behind. Boufal showed glimpses again, but was infuriating late on when everyone was up for a corner (or maybe free kick), and he tries to take someone on on the left wing. Another example of bad decision making - at times we really need someone with some individual brilliance, but when all our players are in the opposition box (for once!) is not one of them.

I was just thinking the same thing reading through - this thread contains all the things that the 'match reaction' and the 'puel out' threads should have! As many have alluded to already, there was poor decision making in the final third. Whether this is due to the players or a result of some of the coaching is up for debate. I like to see us put crosses in, but we need to do it a lot more from getting in behind and flashing it across goal from the byline. Because we play such slow build up, the chances to get behind the defence are few and far between.

Yes, someone who can stick the ball in the net is often the difference between the top teams and the rest. It's also why (at least in my view) we were struggling earlier in the season, especially once we lost Austin. But Gabbiadini does (or did!) appear to have the instincts and finishing ability to be classed as a genuine goalscorer. Ok his all round game is not on the same level as Hazard or Sanchez, but what we appeared to be lacking was someone for that very last stage, of which he fits the bill. It all clicked for a while, but now it looks like there's a problem elsewhere. I think we need Tadic and/or Redmond to have a good game, and neither of them did yesterday. Again I am left wondering how much of this is due to the individuals and how much down to the manager.

I thought it a couple of months ago too, though I've lost a bit of faith recently. However, The9 is right about the fixture schedule, we have been massively screwed this year. We had Europa, but obviously that was always going to happen. You can't legislate for the ridiculously unfair Xmas schedule or the bad luck in having to have so many games rescheduled due to the FA Cup though, especially as it has meant playing all the best sides in a clump right at the end. It is a legitimate argument, but not sure if it's enough to justify our recent lack of cutting edge and incisiveness.

Is there any evidence of this on the pitch though? I didn't see it at Anfield or yesterday. The players appear to be trying, and also following instructions. Perhaps they are missing that extra slice of determination which comes with having something to play for, which the manager could also help instill, but it's not because they've stopped caring. If anything I'd say the signs point towards the players being overly cautious and not wanting to 'break rank' with regard to the tactical instructions. This may be the fault of the manager, but not because he has lost the dressing room.