qwertyell

Don't think Stephens deserved to be dropped to accommodate Caceras - Yoshida has been poorer recently. Curious to see what Pied brings.

To be fair, I'd expect those players mentioned to want to leave regardless of the managerial situation. Van Dijk and Bertrand are very much in demand and can do better than waste their careers struggling to finish above the likes of West Brom and Watford in lower mid-table nomansland when they could be playing in the Champions League; Tadic thinks he's something special, and Long can't get in the team on account of being total crap.

I don't know if Les needs to call it a day, but something needs to change. There's a stench of decline right across the club: the first team has gone markedly backwards, the U23s have been relegated, the younger age groups aren't producing or developing any players that international youth set ups are interested in. Where are we going?

We're more than three players short - and that's assuming we'll be able to hold onto our best ones, which we won't.

We have such an unbalanced mishmash of midfielders, of which only one can adequately perform a defensive brief, and not a single one can fulfill a creative role. The "Black Box" (or the latest version of FM) really does have an unhealthy fetish for slow, lightweight midfielders who only pass sideways and backwards. Aside from Romeu, I don't think any of our midfielders would be much of a loss if they were moved on.

Deserved a point. Didn't deserve any more. Absolutely nothing going forward. Not even a counter attacking threat as everything was so slow and ponderous. A couple of welcome good saves from Forster, but otherwise the defence were fairly untroubled - certainly more comfortable than the LC semi final. Not convinced the referee didn't give the penalty against Cedric - whose arm was flapping around, but nowhere near the ball - rather than Stephens, but regardless, there was no way he could see the incident from his position. Dodgy.

I never thought I'd live to see the day Forster saved a pen! A very "home" decision in the first place...

Very comfortable. Hasn't been desperation stations at all - Liverpool haven't stretched us once. We've done nothing in possession, though, with Boufal and Tadic in particular totally anonymous. Can't see us scoring - Liverpool will probably bundle a lucky one in off their only chance...

Is that why he married his step daughter instead of going out looking for a non-family member to settle down with like a normal person who isn't a nonce?

It's not really surprising that we're weak defending set pieces. In an average game, only Yoshida, Stephens and Romeu are players who you'd back to win an occasional header, and even they're not particularly strong in the air. Compare it to last season: we'd have Van Dijk, Fonte, Wanyama, Pelle and often Martina defending corners and free kicks. We're a team of diddy men now. Which makes it all the more galling that our 6' 7" goalkeeper (probably 8' + with his arms raised) won't come off his line to help ease the burden.

Probably worth keeping: Cedric Van Dijk Yoshida Stephens Bertrand McQueen Romeu Ward-Prowse Redmond Sims Gabbiadini Gallagher Not really bothered if anyone else is moved on and replaced - including the manager, coaching staff.

Except he doesn't dive well to his right either. I think he's just an imobile lump who has had his limited goalkeeping skills well disguised by a strong defence (and playing in a tinpot league) before this season.

Has he played well since the England call up? He's mostly been a miles-off-the-pace passenger to my recollection. He seems to have improved a bit this season but his fundamental weaknesses show no sign of progress: he can't tackle, he loses every 50-50, he's physically weak and easily knocked off the ball, he's slow of movement and in decision making under pressure, and he has no natural position that ideally suits his attributes. Nice chap, though. Sent from my F3311 using Tapatalk

Takes a good manager to address a lightweight midfield by making it even more lightweight... It could work, of course, but Tadic (who'll presumably be the 10) will have to show some stomach for the fight and help the midfield win back possession - something he never has thus far in his Saints career. Glad Sims is on the bench getting a bit more match day experience. He really should've been a constant in the squad since he broke in at Christmas. We've invested enough time and patience in the likes of Rodriguez. 3-2, I reckon.

Sadly our only player with real speed is the perennially inept Shane Long who ruins every quick counter attack in his own unique way in any case. But, yes, mobility is a big issue. Romeu, Davis, Ward-Prowse, Hojbjerg, Clasie, Tadic are all plodders. Tadic and Boufal are physically incapable of passing first time at pace too, killing every counter to self-indulgently piddle around in circles for a while. Redmond seems like he should be quick, but rarely lives up to that impression. So, in summary, we're slow, physically lightweight and short. Among other things...

Boufal asked to be subbed when we went 3-1 down against West Ham too. Been a terrible signing.

Two shots against, two goals. Same as always. Sent from my F3311 using Tapatalk

Outclassed from 1 to 11 today. No shame in that: City have the best attacking options in the league and when it all clicks are tough to live with. Not many positives from a Saints perspective. Stephens had some good moments but probably should've taken charge of the situation that led to the third goal - even though it was Cedric who got out-jumped by Aguero, I think a centre back marking thin air should be all over the one attacker buzzing around, not handing him off to someone else. Hojbjerg started the game with some excellent interceptions, but literally had no idea what he was doing when in possession of the ball. I lost count of the number of times he turned over possession by overplaying, dawdling or just passing abjectly. I've never much liked Tadic in the 10 - as much as he claims it's his "best position" - as he's slow, easily brushed off the ball by aggressive defenders, and jogs back half-heartedly in a barely token attempt to help the midfield out when we lose possession. His indifference when the going gets tough drives me mad. He's a classic fairweather player: looks good when we're on top, but is one of the first to raise the white flag when it's difficult. Ward-Prowse's limitations out wide were starkly exposed against opponents quicker, stronger and who pressed with intent. He was totally out of his depth. Is it my imagination or has Bertrand gone a bit final-season-Clyne-y lately? He's not been anything like his best. Is he just phoning it in, with a summer move already arranged? I actually let out a sigh of relief when I saw Kompany's header going straight at the keeper. We've got away with that, I thought. Obviously I didn't account for Forster finding a way to make even the most routine saves look nigh on impossible for mortal men. I'm still not sure how he didn't keep it out... Anyway, City were deserving winners. We never looked like we believed we could compete with them - that's probably the biggest disappointment. We went down without a fight. Without Romeu, where are the leaders who are ready to roll their sleeves up and get stuck into a battle? That was one of the meekest capitulations I've seen all season. Onto the next game...

Yoshida bullied in the air, Forster with the agility and reactions of a pensioner. We're not at the races at all.

Prowse, Davis, Tadic non existent. No intensity at all - Tadic just jogging around. Only one team in this so far.

Don't worry, Puel's doing a fine job - as good as we can possibly hope for, apparently...

It's a bit OTT but I thought he played pretty well. It was Yoshida's mistake that led to Afobe's glaring opportunity and the poor clearances of others and flapping goalkeeper that brought about other chances. He's doing all right. I'd be plenty happy to have him as probably the fourth part of next season's four man centre back pool. It's parts one and two that are going to need filling once Virgil goes.

Next season? We're only seven points above the bottom three this season, having won just three of our last twelve games. If Hull and Swansea keep picking up wins, someone around us is going to get sucked into it. Fortunately West Ham are in even worse form than we are. I just don't see any signs of progress. We have the exact same deficiencies today as we had at the start of the season. We'll play the same against Palace in midweek and probably come up equally short against a well organised defence and quick counter attack. How much is down to the manager or poor recruitment is open to debate. But we're a defensive shambles who can't score. That's a horrible combination any way you shape it. If Marco Silva is available in the summer, I think it's a no brainier.

Puel has completely unbalanced the midfield by bringing on Boufal, who has done FA. Romeu and Davis totally overrun now.

Ward-Prowse​ isn't​ at the races today.