LaptopSaint

Objectively, it's absurd how much we miss an 18 year old that most of us had never heard of before we signed him. But without Lavia's ability to play through the lines (yes, football hipsters, I speak your language) we had no way to relieve the pressure that a piss poor Bournemouth were putting on us. But let's face it, we just needed a win, and we got one. Even when it felt like we were under pressure and defending too deep, Bompey never looked like scoring. We were solid at the back, with ABK and Tino - two of the best young defenders in Europe - both coming back. It wasn't pretty, but there were some things to love. Che, and his all round performance. I only wish he'd taken out the TV camera, as well as their defender, when he ran straight at it. Perraud, and his impression of a Yorkshire terrier. Impressing me more and more now he's fit. Lyanco, for taking one full in the face, and then using a bit of Brazilian magic to get out of a tricky spot. Adam Armstrong, for his ability to spin away from his man and run (but not, sadly, for his ability to figure out what to do next). AMN and DCC for fitting in well, looking up for it, and adding to our league-leading collection of double-barrelled names. Baz - for getting a well deserved first clean sheet in the league. He's the youngest first choice goalie in the Prem by how much? Still going to be a long season, and a bit of a struggle. COYR.

Because it’s football, and we’re emotionally involved, there’s always huge overthinking going on when these things happen. Chelsea are going to be offering to double maybe treble his salary. If a bigger firm offered you a bigger job for three times the money, what would you do?

What’s the big deal? Bloke we’d never heard of six months ago buggers off after raiding the only club he had inside knowledge of and getting us a £10m player we can probably sell for £60m in a year or two. Might even be enough profit to buy a decent striker.

Do do do do do Dexter Blackstock

This is the painful truth. I reckon we'd have beaten Everton and drawn with Wolves at the least. Really bad misses in both that a clinical striker dispatches.

Yeah, we’ve known there are problems for a while. But when ‘sources close to the players’ are openly briefing the media (and I presume The Athletic didn’t nip up to Brum for a word with Jan Bednarek), then it’s only a matter of time. I still think the move will come during the World Cup break. We’ll have a full squad to work with except (maybe) JWP, and (annoyingly) all three first choice CBs.

What was stupid about it? Would you have stuck with Moi AdamArma and Diallo? Who else would you have put in? I'd have had Ballard on the bench

Personally I thought it was miles better than Villa but still nowhere near good enough. Don't forget how mindfuckingly bad Villa was. Given that City away is next and is a free shot, I think he'll still get one more go against West Ham at home. But if they have a replacement ready to roll, do it now.

I think this is the key point. The performance at Villa was absolutely atrocious - right up there with some grim Pellegrino and (for those with longer memories) Branfoot games. It wasn't the starting line-up i'd have chosen, but I could see the argument for concentrating on keeping it tight to begin with and prioritising what we were doing without the ball. But once we were one down, watching Che try to play without another Saints player anywhere near him, and then finally bringing on Mara but taking Che off and sticking with the same failing formation... it just felt like he'd lost the plot. He was let down by the players on the day, but why didn't/don't they respond to him? This is Saints, so I wouldn't be surprised if we lose to Everton, but somehow win at Man City to save his skin. Last Friday was the pits though.

Sadly, this. At least in the first half this evening.

Adams Arma Djeny and Ely aren’t a Prem quality front four. That’s obvious. But Ralph leaves the new guys on the bench. Hoping for better second half.

Obviously I'm doing video analysis. On the pitch. I'm Jack Stephens. Wholehearted centre back, not quite as good as most of the opposition players, but pretty good at winding them up.

0-2 Saints, with Che emphasising his Brum City connection, and an overdue JWP setpiece top bins.

I really wouldn't mind if there was less money in the Premier League. It would still be England's best teams trying to beat each other. I enjoyed that when I first went to the Dell in the 70s. Quite apart from kickoff times, TV money is bit of a curse.

FFS Newcastle at home also moved to 2pm Sunday. That’s three home games in a row now. No point buying tickets in advance - piss take.

I'd go with Joe Aribo. Or Forbes Philipson-Masters.

Leicester and Wolves Ok, and I think Villa would have been but I couldn't make this Friday. I reckon a lot of the London games will be difficult, but we'll see!

Yes, and right next to the away support if i remember rightly.

I don't have a season ticket but in the 18/19 season I went to every away game - that clearly wouldn't be possible now. I bought tickets as soon as they went on sale to members and the only ones I had to source elsewhere (spares on here actually) were Bompey (ground as big as a shed) and West Ham (forgot they were on sale). This season I would definitely have gone to Spurs and City but no chance given the size of allocation. Pretty sure the club are missing a trick here. Leicester was fun though.

The test match resumes on Saturday as well. Football is the outlier here, and most fans think they're got it wrong.

The rugby's going ahead, so's the Great North Run and the St Leger... but football? No, you can rely on the FA to misread the room. Even MPs in the House of Commons have been celebrating her life as well as mourning her passing - football should be doing the same.

Oh yeah, I'd forgotten that the reason for moving games to Friday, Sunday or Monday is to enable more people who may be working on a Saturday to attend, rather than to make more money for Rupert Murdoch and Muhammed bin Salman among others. Cheers.

Need to get on the front foot and have a right go at a weak defence. The team owe everyone who went to Brentford away last season a big performance. 3-0 Saints.

I'm already pissed off with the number of home games that are at 2pm on a Sunday when I can't make it. 3pm on Saturday please, and stick with it.

I really think we need to forget this one. If the Leeds chairman is tweeting this I reckon they think they've got a good chance to get him in January after the WC, and only aren't getting him now because the visionary Van Gaal thought that playing in the Premier League wouldn't be a good idea for Gakpo. Nice while it lasted, move on. I'd be happy to proven wrong though!