Dusic

Maybe Ralph just asked him to come and watch the training for a couple of days. Maybe he asked to, as many coaches do.

If we can't afford and sign a CB who is better than the players we have then we really do deserve relegation. If we don't sign one then relegation will be handed to us on a plate.

Well he clearly didn't say "Yeah just give me Danso on deadline day and that will do in defence." I don't blame him on recruitment one bit.

Repeat: No Manager would make these defenders look a solid unit. Since we have gone back to the more attacking style we have benefitted. Just taken 6 from 9. Should have got something today but it looks more positive than a week ago for sure, and lots of that down to how RH has done things since the 9-0. Good reaction IMO. I want to see a Hasenhuttl team after another summer, do lets hope we stay up.

I'm sure he does. He just doesn't have many options that are good.

He was unlucky not to score earlier in the season, especially at Sheff Utd where he was excellent for the whole game. He then dropped out the side as Ings hit form and Redmond came back from injury. Now we seem to have settled on a back four I think he will get a bit more game time. He needs a goal to get him going but I don't think all is lost just yet.

Was thinking about this the other day after the late Arsenal equaliser - whats the most deflated you have felt from a Saints perspective after an opposition goal? A couple against the same team: Sigurdsson at Goodison, that felt like relegation with one cruel deflection. Marcus Bent for Everton at SMS after Crouch didn't take the ball into the corner. Zlatan at Wembley.

The one certainty is that Miguel Almiron, yet to score for Newcastle, will score.

Brighton good. The one massive difference between them and us is that their CBs and CMs can control and pass the ball. Especially at the back their passing is so much higher quality than ours. They won't be going down.

Yeah he was good. No matter how many times it appears he is done, he always seems to find his way back into the team.

Same team as today. Boufal great as an impact sub.

6 points from 2 home games. Can't ask for more than that. We are awfully ****e once put under pressure though. Will be interesting to see how Ralph sets us up against better teams where we will need an extra body in the midfield.

Possibly. Might also be doubt about Boufal's fitness to start.

G'day Wayne.

Interesting from David Ornstein via The Athletic: - Several DoF interested candidates couldn't find anyone at the club to communicate their interest to, so ended up going via the Club Secretary. One translated his CV to mandarin and sent it to Gao instead. Unheard of for a PL setup, but the executive team lack football experience. - Steve Walsh helping as a recruitment consultant in the interim, presumably instigated by Martyn Glover as they worked together at Everton. Some in the game feel Glover should get the recruitment role.

Bednarek is such an odd player. Does quite well in duels and shows bravery when blocking shots but then as soon as the ball is near him he just becomes so timid. Watching him closely last night he is just so bad on the ball. He often plays teammates into trouble because he can't do anything other than a basic 10 yard pass and even then its usually underhit and behind someone. That really hampers our attacking game as its so laboured at the back. He us obviously talented and has done well for Poland and is our first choice CB, but if he could improve in possession and take a bit more responsibility it would totally transform him as a player.

No Manager would make this team look secure. The defenders just aren't good enough, and he isn't to blame for that.

All about the result tonight. Boufal class from the bench. I would play him instead of Obafemi and move Redmond back to playing off Ings where he was at his best last season. Bednarek's passing though....woeful.

When I go to watch Saints, home or away (almost always by train), the thought of which mode of transport other Saints fans took to the game has never crossed my mind. Likewise what clothes they are wearing. Funny what bothers people.

The easy thing would be to bring in Romeu for Armstrong. I hope he goes for Djenepo for Armstrong and sticks with four forward thinking players, but we may end up being quite open. Bit of a blow to lose Armatrong as we havent really got anyone else like him. Hopefully Boufal is back for Norwich as he is a great option from the bench, even if he doesn't start.

Newsflash: that is the stated approach...and it got us to 6th in the PL so can work well if executed correctly, which includes having the right expertise at the club.

To give ourselves a decent shot at staying up surely we need a minimum of 8 points from the next 5? Anything less and we will probably be cut away. Villa and Newcastle also have very tidy fixture runs by the way.

Pretty sure someone had a £25m+ bid turned down in the summer. So thats probably why we didnt go for him...

Really good appointment, especially as a Player Recruitment expert will also be appointed. Crocker did a great job at Saints, already knows the club really well as has overseen the best period in the FA of youth success. Excellent, a step in the right direction.

Spot on. Even the way that Wallce article reads is with certainty. "Will" and "Have" rather than "Should" or "Might". Ita no suprise fans are hacked off with it after the numerois examples of these tactics and often little to show for it. Also highlights why losing the likes of Adam Leitch from the local scene is a shame. Now is the time you want the media following up on these types of things but on Thursdays presser Ralph is more likely to be asked about Zlatan than a new Assistant or how he feels the clubs recruitment will work without key personnel.