mrfahaji

A reasoned analysis as usual. However, I felt that our lots of good attacking moves fell apart when it came to the final decision, whether that was a cross, a pass, or a shot. For a long time this season I've been of the opinion that it's down to the players not being quite good enough, but we know Gabbiadini has good enough movement and instincts, for all Tadic's flaws around his work rate and speed of play, he normally has a pretty good end product, Redmond has been improving over the last few months, and both full backs are capable of good delivery. So maybe it's not the quality of players, maybe it's the instructions. And that comes down to the manager. This isn't a stubborn belief by any stretch, but the more thinking I do about what has been happening on the pitch, the more I arrive back at the manager's door.

Quite. I can see why people aren't happy with Puel, but too many comments are revising history or just making things up (see the West Brom comment above!) to try and make the argument against him more compelling.

That is plainly wrong. West Brom play a direct style and their biggest threat is from set pieces. That is not like us at all. We may be equally dull (I would argue not, I know a West Brom ST holder who says he's never been so bored and disillusioned with the football despite their good position. I'd rather be passing-dull than hoofball-dull), but we certainly aren't trying to play like them.

What has changed tactically in the last 2 months? Following our run to the cup final, and performances against Sunderland and Watford (ok, not the toughest opposition), it really looked positive to me. We have always shown glimpses of nice football, but the signing of Gabbiadini gave us that much needed edge. At that point I was excited about next season as it all looked to be clicking. We still play decently from time to time now, yesterday included. But we are not getting runners from midfield, the players act cautiously when they have a chance to put someone in, and then opt for a risky pass when there are better and safer options available, the final ball is dreadful, and Gabbiadini is isolated. Puel's comments about the game are fair (wouldn't go as far as to say we were fantastic though), but the question is WHY are we so lacking in the final third, and why is it happening consistently? Did the injury to Gabbiadini set us back and now we're struggling to find what we had, is Puel being overcautious with his instructions against the top teams, or is he simply stuck in his ways? It's very disappointing that our performances a couple of months ago are starting to look like a peak rather than a springboard to better things.

I thought it was to make the numbers easier to read, presumably for people watching on television. Also brings the Premier League with UEFA. Not that I think that's a good enough reason.

I didn't see a lack effort today, just a lack of quality/decision making. I don't think there is any evidence that the players aren't playing for the manager, even if the performance was a little listless. I think that comes more down to the lack of cohesion when we attack. And for that you can ask questions of Puel. Are the players not capable of executing a plan? Or are the ideas from the training ground just not transposing well onto the pitch? I used to think the former, and still think it could be that, but am increasingly thinking it could be the latter - i.e. Either the wrong ideas or not clear enough instruction for those ideas to work. (Just seen S-Clarke's post, very similar thoughts!)

Complete ineptitude in the final quarter of the pitch cost us that game. Whether it was dreadful shooting, dreadful decision making or dreadful aimless crosses. We looked in the game for a long time but didn't show any sort of conviction once we got in and around the penalty box. I'm finding it hard to single out a single player. I think the central midfield is our weakest position, because while we look solid enough with the three today, they offer no attacking threat, so when Tadic is woeful there isn't anyone to pick up the slack. Can't help but feel that a team that can't convert attacking play into chances, or chances into goals, with a tendency to concede through a defensive lapse here and there (because we were decent defensively overall) are the sort of things you say about a team heading for relegation. Starting to lose faith a bit now.

Still sense we can get one, but maybe that's why our final ball and some of the decisions are so frustrating, it's not like we are being outplayed - far from it!

Boufal on is a decent idea but as he's on for JWP watch us complete lose control of the game...

We're playing like we're 1-0 up, no one is making any runs forward!

Was just about to say this game is there for the taking if we could sort out or final ball. Don't think our overall plays deserves to be behind, but we have looked pretty clueless when we reach their area.

It was, bailing Romeu out. However Davis has messed up a few half chances now.

Davis with no end product... AGAIN!

"Reed had become a fixture in previous manager Ronald Koeman's plans". Informed journalism there.

Tadic?! I don't think I've ever seen a player look for an option to pass rather than shoot so much. I like that about him generally, but sometimes it's frustrating. "Just shoot man!" has been typed many a time on many a match thread thanks to Dusan.

Question on the 'plain backs' - does the entire back of the shirt have to be one colour, or just panels behind the name/number? For example, if we have a Rank Xerox style kit, would the red 'stripes' still be able to run up the side of the shirt on the back? In my view the introduction of plain backs is a sad one, it's half the shirt! I also think the back of our home shirt this year looks really smart, whereas the same can't be said about the front!

I think he was getting excellent reviews for most of his performances (save for his debut, which was horrific).

It is pretty baffling that we haven't given the Hojbjerg/Romeu tandem more trialling. If they start working well together than our business in the summer could focus on getting that attack-minded midfielder, otherwise we're going to be trying to improve both positions, and depending on who we get for one might determine who we need for the other. Can see us ending up with more players who aren't quite good enough with Steven Davis as our best option again. At least verlaine will be happy.

Yeah that's how I see it too. They always look good when it's nearly but not quite impossible and leave everyone thinking "if only" and "maybe next year?"

I realise you're probably just throwing some names out there rather than serious suggestions, but I've done my best to dismiss several of them: Kirchhoff looked great season before last, but hasn't he been out all year? I'd be a bit hesitant after a long knee injury. Also, while he looked very impressive, he didn't strike me as particularly mobile, and therefore I think him & Romeu, while being a great defensive pair, would probably be over-defensive. Not sure if others agree, memory on Kirchhoff is a bit patchy! Wouldn't touch Kone (though he's looked decent on occasions) or O'Shea. Not Fabio! Friend wasn't even playing regularly for Middlesbrough, was he? Or maybe he was injured. Not sure what Huddlestone or Keane have done to merit consideration, not fussed on Mason either. Grosicki has been good but at 28 I can't see it - think a player of that age has to be something a cut above (eg Sigurdsson). If we signed Cork, Carroll, Fer or Ki they would surely be rotation options. Fer pops up with some goals but not sure about his all round play? Not sure Ayew has done enough to warrant a move here.

Perhaps we are if there's any substance to the Pontus Jansson rumours.

Unless they go for the Everton approach - "New Southampton owners to inject £100m for new players*" *of which £50m will be from van Dijk, £25m from Bertrand, £25m from other player sales.

Precisely, there are too many factors that could be behind that statistic, not only have we played a lot more on Sunday than normal but also depends who you are playing! To be honest, my Saturday kick off thing had less to do with the team's performance and more with my personal preference of Saints playing on Saturday. Partly the traditionalist in me, but also because I'm more likely to be able to get to the games!

Oh sorry I didn't realise that our team was under the evil Saturday curse.

I enjoyed the game yesterday a lot more than I would have done if we were losing 5-2.