mrfahaji

An excellent performance all round, Davis got my MotM because of the number of occasions his excellent passing stood out. Sometimes Mane needs to release a pass a bit earlier (or at all...) - it's great that he picks up the ball and runs at defenders but when you have a man over in acres of space they really need to be put through. It's encouraging that we're playing well for more than a half, although we were still a bit profligate. Hard to tell if Watford and West Brom have been poor or if we've been too good - it's always a bit of both I guess, how often do you say "one team was great, but the other team was even better"? Targett played for the penalty but it was a foul. Putting yourself between the defender and the ball and then being kicked is not the same in my book as 'winning a penalty' by sticking your foot out and deliberately tripping over the defender. I often see Martin Atkinson calling difficult decisions correctly (the sort of decisions most people need a replay to decide) and while I'm sure he'll cost Saints some points in future (!), I think in general he seems one of the better refs.

I've never posted in Forum other 'The Saints' until now, but I am in a bit of a dilemma as to whether I should buy Pro Evo 16... I used to run all my games on the PC but as the likes of Fifa, Madden and Pro Evo all seem to either not bother with or offer a half-baked version to the PC, I've bought my first ever non-Nintendo console, which comes with Fifa 16. The main reason I want Pro Evo is for the editing feature, although I've heard the passing game is much better than Fifa which also appeals. I had Pro Evo 2013 and was able to create a pretty accurate Southampton kit, with the aap3 sponsor, plus I was able to create my own team, import badges & faces so I could have myself and my friends on the game. That's the kind of thing I like, I find it much more enjoyable than playing Barcelona vs Real Madrid every game. I've heard that Xbox One Pro Evo doesn't offer the ability to import images, so I'm wondering whether the Edit mode will be pointless or if it's still pretty functional? And I'm guessing that Fifa doesn't haven't an edit mode at all? In addition, Pro Evo have Peter Drury as the commentator, and he is by far and away my most hated commentator. Am I going to be able to stand playing the game with his 'dulcet' tones?!

He probably plays fantasy football and knows how annoying it is when one of your players gets subbed before the hour.

Unfortunately my stream was constantly buffering and eventually stopped working, but glad to hear Romeu was excellent. I was at Selhurst Park and felt he was also one of our best players that day. He's definitely shown that he can put himself about but also seems to have a decent pass on him. Hopefully this will also put to bed the critics of 5-3-2, a formation that can work well with the right players and right execution. Against Palace (league) the formation was fine but the full backs were dreadful and didn't attack. It sounds like they had a lot more attacking focus yesterday and hence the 5-3-2 was effective.

Imagine if it turned out that Caulker was the prolific centre forward we've been after all this time...

RIP

Are you claiming an assist for that one?

Can you have one manager for preseason/training and another manager for the matches?

My first instinct was to say "no, because if I go to a game it's to support my team, not individual players", but as much as I may want to pretend otherwise, I'm sure doing well and having good players does make me look forward to the games more, and keener to try and find games I can get to etc. The problem is, tickets are too expensive anyway, so it would be hard to justify any increases regardless of how good the team was! How about this for a hypothesis? The price of a ticket should be variable depending on the score line - e.g. you pay £30, if the team wins your card is charged an extra £10 (maybe you get £10 back if they lose...) Most people wouldn't mind paying because the result and experience has made their weekend amazing, (perhaps the money generated would also cover any player win bonuses etc), on the flip side when you're depressed about losing you at least have consolation that you haven't been totally fleeced for the experience as well...!

Sorry but I disagree that there's never an end product with Tadic, and he has scored a few goals. He should score more, and his problem seems to be that his first thought is always to create for someone else when sometimes he just needs to put his foot through the ball! BUT this mentality means that he does create chances, more so than anyone else in our squad. Mane is so direct as well as being skilful and pacey, so he naturally causes the opposition problems but I don't see him as a 'creator' like Tadic is. There are plenty of games when he frustrates me, but without him in the team it feels like we could play all day and not score. For example, when was the last time JWP beat his man and whipped a good cross in?

followed by "a good range of passing"...

That may also be another good reason not to sign him... Maybe in the summer?!

Overhead a conversation about Manchester United on my way to work this morning, and it got me wondering if Antonio Valencia would be a realistic and sensible transfer target? I'm not sure quite how far down the pecking order he has slipped, maybe if he's still getting time every couple of games then he wouldn't consider a switch here, but as well as having PL experience he would also give us an actual right-sided player rather than shoe-horning someone else out there, plus is decent defensively too. Wages might be a stumbling block, always the trouble with players at the big clubs.

Hmmm had identified tickets as a potential Xmas present for my Dad. That's that out the window. As Sour Mash says, glad it's been announced now!

I disagree that it was the wrong system for containing their primary threat. The point (I'd imagine) was for our full backs to push on and pen their wingers back into defensive positions, where they would be a weakness, but if they did get goalside on a break, we'd still have enough cover at centre back not to be outnumbered. Unfortunately, Bertrand was the worst player on the pitch and Cedric didn't seem to know what he was doing in the first half. Perhaps that lack of instruction comes from the management. Palace didn't create many chances in the game, I've been to matches where I've felt permanently sick due to the opposition's constant threat and I didn't feel like that. The problem was that going forward we were pretty toothless - a by-product of wing backs not getting forward, two defensive midfielders and general ponderous play. I'm not saying 3-5-2 is our best formation generally, but I don't think on Saturday it was the biggest mistake. I more worry that Koeman has lost it in other ways; the players look like there either isn't a gameplan, or that they're not invested in it. And I do question some of his substitutions - for example, Romeu was so much better than Wanyama vs Palace, yet it was he who was replaced by JWP.

Only caveat I'd add to these statistics is that Tadic is the sort of player you sacrifice when you're trying to defend a lead, and also plays in a position which managers tend to substitute fairly often (i.e. low risk - when do you see managers taking off defenders with 10 minutes to go?) He cost less than a schlong, didn't he?!

Ha, weirdly I was saying exactly the same thing to my Dad a minute ago.

Yeah I said this after the game, the players won't be playing for anything now. Even though I don't think it will happen, we are more at risk of being sucked into the mire than anything else. This game was there for the taking but we came up short, which has been the case on many occasions lately. But Ronald says it was a good performance, so what do I know?

I thought our formation worked quite well in containing them, but our 'wing' backs weren't attacking enough, they were no different to playing in a back 4. Could have been different had Davis' header gone in. We weren't abysmal, but just not quite good enough. Unfortunately that gets punished in the PL. Worryingly I think it's more of a whole-team (or manager?) issue than one or two underperforming. I thought Romeu was our best outfield player (though apparently he lost Cabaye for the goal?) Bertrand was woeful, worst player on the pitch. Mane made the wrong decision every time in the last 20 mins. Wanyama is not the same player, Davis is decent but doesn't possess the creativity or individual ability to be the only link between defence & attack. Thought the support was pretty good, shame about the morons who thought it would be funny to set off a flare and start chucking bottles and barrels around at half time...

Mark Paul, forgotten about him! Wasn't he from Kings Lynn or somewhere? I've got Sarli's autograph somewhere, was convinced he was the next big thing. Also remember hearing how amazing Mark Peters was going to be...

I remember the Pink having a headline when we signed him along the lines of "Saints hope to pot a potter with Potter from the Potters". But obviously we didn't.

I'd much rather they knocked out Spurs. Only reason I'd want Tottenham to stay in the competition would be injuries, tiredness, distraction etc, but they don't seem to be struggling with it... Would enjoy Liverpool being knocked out but don't really care about United.

This could work as it will pen their wingers back, where they are less effective and even a weakness, but if they do break we still have cover at CB. I think Watford did this well earlier in the season. The question mark is Tadic - he has the attributes to appear a great number 10 but he is more comfortable and does his best work wide. I'd play Davis, but probably instead of Wanyama.

Haha, good one, maybe Saint Charlie is right after all...!

"What is the opposite of short?"