Dusic

3-1 now. Couple more goals and he can rest players for the EL rather than PL.

Team irrelevant. So many of the players are either not up to it or mentally checked out. Bringing in players like Long, JWP and McQueen isn't going to keep us up.

I think he has definitely got ability and has the potential to be a good player. But the fact he starts every game now given who we have had in that position over the last 5 years shows why we are in the relegation zone. For much of the last few years we had Fonte plus Lovren, Alderweireld or VVD. They were all lightyears better than Stephens and Hoedt. Obvious. But telling.

Ramirez probably contributed more overall. The fact they are even comparable says a lot!

Dismal signing, all considered. Loads of ability but not suited to the PL, lacks a burst of pace or the desire to get away from someone and just far too inconsistent. Massive disappointment and terrible Mane replacement.

That team has zero pace or creativity and would struggle in the Championship.

Accurate summary. Compare our team now to the Pochettino and Koeman sides and in those 3 areas we are so behind what we were then.

FAO derry Chuck another one on?

Myth

This is actually quite astonishing. Should have sold VVD in the summer but to sell when struggling mid season and not replace is ludicrous.

As it seems the done thing to provide inane updates that are only relevant to the person writing them: I logged on to the ticket site and bought some tickets a couple of days ago. It was easy, just like it is every time.

Would be astonished if Austin started, personally. Good bench option.

He is no more rubbish than Boufal is. He also didn't deserve the stick he got. As he said, he is a confidence player. When the whole team isnt playing well, the flair players are easy targets. He would be in my starting XI.

In form Jay Rod over Tadic perhaps but otherwise you have nailed it. Telling that few of those still at the club.

Its the PL pondering to TV. Chelsea won't want to be playing Thursday either.

When he left he hadn't been in the team for a while, and has largely been poor in China. Mane is the one we miss most, the one we nowhere near adequately replaced.

I don't think its a question of liking or disliking. Its actually quite simple: you can't score goals if you aren't on the pitch. Its easy to say, "If Austin was always fit he would score 25 goals in a season" or "He is our best striker" etc but the facts are that he has been at Saints across 3 separate seasons and has had major/fairly major injuries in all of those seasons. Is he reliable at scoring goals when playing? Yes Is he reliable at being fit enough to play regular PL football? No Does that matter when judging him? Absolutely

Anyone who isn't asking serious questions about the takeover is a floundering Hooiveld (og) IMO.

One of the best assets of the Southampton Soilers IMO. Leadership beacon.

Considering us and Chelsea play against each other at 12.30 on the Saturday then playing Thursday is crap and simply because of TV as it could have been on the Tuesday or Wednesday.

This game is our chance. Win and we stay up IMO.

Probably none of those will ever start a PL game.

Wigan played very well but it was a cup tie. They gradually took off misfielders and put on strikers which gave us much more space. In regulation play they often exploited our midfield two but just didn't have the quality to really capitalise, but PL teams will. Not sure its relevant that it was Gabbi and Carrillo. I remember Koeman playing Austin and Long together at Bournemouth and they were hopeless as a pair because neither has any technical quality. In fact, Long isn't the answer to any question when it comes to goalscoring.

Lovren - this will be unpopular but huge upgrade on what we had before (Hooiveld) and facilitated Alderweireld and VVD joining later on. Brilliant signing for what we paid and the impact he had Wanyama - another huge upgrade and so key to how we played Mane - brilliant signing But if we are talking single best since being back in the PL then Pochettino totally changed the perception of the club and was by a distance the best addition. Telling that barely anyone has named a player who still plays for us.

Difference was: - Playing tired L1 opposition who threw a lot of players forward towards the end leaving space to exploit. - Playing against a team of inferior quality more generally which is different to much of the rest of the season - Probably better prepared or focused under Hughes - Took some of our chances Difference wasn't: - Having two up front (as that was the same in the first half when we were woeful).