david in sweden

Not sure if McCarthy could be blamed for the goals we conceded at Cardiff ? ... but with the prospect of automatic promotion now only existing in a Hollywood script... isn't it time to give Joe Lumley the goalies gloves for tonight's game and and see if could be a serious contender as a custodian next season - regardless of whichever league we will be in. With McCarthy out of contract in the summer and Bazunu out until after the New Year (and needing to be in top form from his first game), Joe will be the only goalie (on paper) by the end of the summer. Serious (experienced ) replacements are a real priority here. With the known absentees in midfield, the central trio will likely pick itself and with Mara on suspension.. ( silly boy ! ) ..we are likely to see a couple of Academy names on the bench, with serious chances of getting game time. ...( and I who thought Leeds would be the key fixture ).

well said Toussaint, I've quoted several times in the past that the "gap" between the bottom of the Prem... and the top end of the Championship is far greater than merely 3 league places. Looking at last season when Burnley were runaway winners in the Championship whilst Luton and Sheff. United made it more by luck than judgment, and this season's performances have been no real surprise to many of us. Saints' final relegation had been delayed - only because there had been 3 sides - a little worse than we were - for several seasons past. Leeds and Leicester drew the short straws and came down at the same time ..when on the balance Forest and Everton were worse and can count themselves very lucky to have survived by getting a few extra points in the last month. This season all three promoted sides were treading water from the first games, and they are in line for an abrupt return to the Championship, and maybe Forest and Everton will survive for yet another year - subject to off-the-field punishments of a points deduction.

The Bazunu (and now) Armstrong injuries are just about the worse news we could expect, and it's not certain that Downes is fully fit yet either. We can't point to the bench and think we have " suitable replacements " for all our best players, but I'm wondering if the grueling training programme that players seem to go through can be a major cause. Of course we need players who can run for 90+ minutes ( ala Prowsey) but clearly the stress on bodies - especially of younger players - seems to be a major factor that causes serious injury. Looking back over the last two seasons the injury tally points to the fact that we cannot / should not rely on young talents to get us through a season. Broja ...... had a first good half season, but soon the tackles took their tally and after New Year he was only a passenger up front. (Later ACL when back at Chelsea). ABK, Lavia and Livramento all succumbed to injuries that made them ineffective - even when they did play, and Larios has hardly played any minutes in two seasons.' Of course everyone can pick up injuries, and we are still awaiting the arrival of Ross Stewart as a meaningful squad member, but the truth of the matter is that not everyone has a constitution capable of playing " full time " football, and this hampers teams where the managers can only expects 60 minutes of effective play. It needs tough bodies to withstand a season of top class games and talented kids moving up from U18 / U23 level will understandably struggle at the higher level. Those clubs amongst the 80-odd in the League who don't have billionaire owners have an ongoing problem every year in finding players fit enough to DAJF them , let alone succeed at whatever level they are playing.

.....yet good enough to manage a side that can go 20+ games unbeaten with a half-a-team of borrowed players. Not that bad surely ?

Inevitable perhaps, and watching our partial decline after the record-breaking run was broken may have hastened his departure, but - along with the mammoth salary that Radcliffe will approve for him it's quite likely that the result was a foregone conclusion. If he's lucky.. he may not have sold his house in Manchester yet. For those of us who may be looking for revenge. How about promotion for Saints and doing the double over United next season ? We can only hope that those who worked alongside him for the last 9 months were taking notes, as he is / was someone who is successful in his field.

I think Lis was signed by Saints in the beginning... and then loaned out to Goztepe . Not difficult as both clubs have the same ownership. If he has improved enough to be our next season's no.1 , then we'll need a couple more names with some sort of quality about them, and he will need to be first choice keeper regardless of which country he ends up playing in.

I wonder if Lumley was surprised or simply upset, because with team out on the pitch training I'm pretty sure he wasn't ready to start at 10 minutes notice. With his contract running out Macca isn't even second choice now., but at such short notice I think his experience won the day in the moment of panic. If this " buddy / buddy relationship " between keepers is all it's cracked up to be, then Joe should put the interest of the team first ahead of his personal feelings, and not getting upset and throwing his toys out of the pram, especially at such a critical time of the season. This whole episode should blow over and Joe should be choice keeper for the remaining games, and Macca can finish his Saints career with a clean sheet. If this doesn't satisfy everyone, then Joe can leave along with Macca and we will be looking for THREE keepers during the summer, and ideally the no.1 choice for next season must be an international for some country, especially if we do get promotion.

Changing the Cup Final date ..! Nonsense. This is a fixture that every fan (and many neutrals) look forward to at the end of a season. Also very short-sighted as many times top-end clubs are often one / both of the finalists, but what happens in a season (like now example) where one club is also a contender for the league title? ..or worse ...trying to avoid relegation?. The Cup then merely becomes - a distraction. Many clubs (like Saints) have had the opportunity of a trip to Wembley, yet never dream of breaking " the top six barrier" or having a shot at winning the Prem. title. The Cup Final should be the what it sounds like ..the Final game of a long season, and not a distraction whilst more serious issues (promotion / relegation) still remain unresolved after " the greatest day " in the football calendar.

" too lightweight ? ".....as I see it he's got more height and bulk than anyone else in midfield and still has a bit of pace. Dibling is a very promising youngster (who I'd like to see get the minutes instead of Mara) , but still looks like "a 10 stone weakling". Has time to grow.

I think it was a surprise to Macca to suddenly come in at a few minutes notice, but the only reason I can think is that he is a more experienced squad member and not unfamiliar with the circumstances. Perhaps ..it was more of a shock for Joe to be faced with the problem as he would not have been "mentally prepared " to suddenly be starting the game. I think Lumley has shown himself to be competent in his Cup games, and he may be the only fit goalie on the books - come August, but... I would have thought that a quick look at both men's faces would have told RM who was .."best prepared for the task" on the night. Macca will leave in the summer, (and the club will be a tad richer without having to pay his " reputedly high salary " ), and so we need to see if Joe is " up for it " in the longer term, if we are to trust him in Bazunu's absence - especially if we do get promotion back to the Prem. What better time than now.? In these circumstances..... I'd choose Lumley for Saturday.

... don't think he was injured, and after Saturday's game he's still a hero, but at 3-0 we could afford to give Charles some extended game time.

Clearly many postings on here are concentrating on the goalkeeping situation, rather than the whole game. Understandable perhaps. Those of you who constantly blame Bazunu when we concede goals (not correct btw), have another problem as depending on the severity of GB's injury, ( he may not even be fit for the season start in August) ..we need " another scapegoat " in case everything goes pear-shaped in the remaining key games.. I really think we should consider Joe Lumley, (if the man is going to be a serious alternative to GB). Macca's lack of game time was obvious, despite only needing to field ONE shot from a lack-lustre Preston side, he rarely looked confident with the ball. Joe L's performances in the League Cup matches weren't without merit (one goal conceded in three games).. until we went to Anfield, when the rest of our team didn't turn up and Liverpool played well. As for the game yesterday - I was very enthusiastic until at 3-0 I realised that Preston were " playing statues " whenever we had the ball (74% ) and were happy to give it away whenever we challenged for possession. How / why.. we didn't capitalise after HT is a mystery, although credit to their goalie (Woodman) who made some great saves, and on another day we might easily have doubled the score. (We had 23 shots to Preston's ONE in first half.) After being so confident about our recent revival, the remaining games will be even more stressful to watch with the goalkeeper situation unresolved, and whoever "draws the short straw" will be be remembered as hero, or villain when the season is all over, and RM will be blamed if he gets it wrong.

I stand corrected, but it would be nice to see them playing regularly AND stay fit.

Most of the summer signings were loans, only Shea Charles cost a fee (15 mill.). Even if we don't get promotion and we lose some players, we would need a repeat scenario to replace them. If we 've done it once ..why not ?

Playing youngsters ( often in home games ) is a way to allow kids to get some minutes, but it's dangerous to put them in and expect they perform as well as the regular / more experienced regulars. To be fair, RM had never seen any U21 's ( in some cases like Dibling were still U18's ) and so doesn't know them as we do. After we went on the unbeaten run it was obvious to continue picking the same starters (allowing for injuries / suspensions / and form loss ). Those who do come in occasionally show up well . Edozie started first 7 games and scored twice, then had a run of sub apps. then started again and scored 3 times in December before getting injured. Mara had a run of sub. games in Dec / Jan and scored three , then twice more in February. Since when both have had numerous sub .apps. without impressing. Sulemana has had his share of game time but is yet to score. YES we have a lower quality in the Academy this season , and few have shown up well and many of those still qualify as U18's (eg. Sam AA and Dibling) . Ballard started well in U21's. (6 goals in 2 games) , was then loaned to Reading but got a serious injury. Doyle went to Brighton and RB Lewis Payne is doing well on loan at Newport (in L2). Various other talents are out on loan and therefore both Youth sides have suffered in consequence. Strikers especially suffer from " the ketchup effect ". Despite getting 20 goals Adam A. has had "dry spells" . Having scored in 4 consecutive matches in March, he has now gone 3 games blank. Ché Adams was even worse - scoring just once in 7 games in February, and missed some real sitters in that time, but has now scored 3... ( or 4 if you count KWP's deflected effort v. Coventry ).. in his last 4 outings. Everyone has their favourite players (and verbally abuse others on line) but regardless of the outcome not everyone plays well in every game.