Dusic

Pellegrino won't be sacked. They have had strong opportunities to do so before now, either before or during the Janaury window. He will stay til the end of the season.

Serious topic. At times this season we have played some nice football. Often not for 90mins and certainly not in regular spells through the season, but at times there has been some good stuff. I was thinking why that is and as a team what is different when we play well to when we are ****e. So, this for me are the signs of us playing well: 1. Full backs get forward and are a key feature of our attacking game. Example: Everton at home and most other games we have been a threat have coincided with Bertrand having good games and linking well with Tadic. IMO this partnership is our best attacking threat. 2. Bossing the centre of midfield. This allows us get the upper hand and enables the full backs to get forward. I think we are better when we have three players in this area. Whenever we have played two strikers we have lost control in this section of the pitch, negating the impact of having a second forward. Lemina's mobility helps us a lot. 3. Being given space to play in. We are much better generally against sides that give us space to play and want to attack themselves. Even Liverpool realised the best way to play against us was get people behind the ball and then counter us, as we are a slow side. Away from home we probably get more space and are more of a threat as a result. 4. Having a physical striker attacking the crosses we put in. Gabbi and Long barely get a look in inside the area because by far our weakest section of the pitch is the area from the D on the edge of the opposition area to just before the halfway line (the width of the penalty area. We have no creative passers or guile in that area and are better in wide areas, so strikers with aerial ability (Austin, Carrillo) will fare better. 5. Better when we have something to gain rather than something to defend. It lifts our tempo a little and guards against becoming too deep. Thoughts?

So today VVD strolled it whilst Hoedt and Stephens were given the runaround. CB is a big weakness for us. Money in the bank, (nor 5 pledges) help a team defend properly. From Fonte and VVD to Hoedt and Stephens is a very accurate summary of whats happened across the squad and management team in the last 18 months. Hoedt was a third choice at Lazio. Stephens a 4th at Saints and now we are reliant upon them in a relegation battle. Unforgiveable mismanagement.

We are so devoid of any pace its astonishing. We play some nice football but too often have to turn back. Pretty much the opposite is true of Liverpool who were lightyears quicker with and without the ball than us. We cannot pick a front three of Tadic, Carrillo and JWP at home. Redmond or Long will have to start to add some mobility. Boufal absolutely ****e in his cameo, quite a regular occurence. Only solace is that we now have 5 winnable games in a row, and loads of ****e teams within a point of us. Need an absolute minmum of 8 points from those.

Swansea have confidence and a goodnrun of fixtures so don't see them dropping. Hopefully WBA get buried and Hudds continue their poor form. I think WBA, Hudds and either Palace or Newcastle, but could easily be us if we don't win 2 of our next 6.

We will definitely be relegated if we don't win at least 3 more.

Other teams are obviously going to pick up points. For me, West Ham and Watford will very likely be fine on 30 points, and Bmth on 31 obviously. Palace have a tough run now and no Zaha. All the teams from Brighton downwarss are in massive trouble but Swansea have momentum and its hard to see them dropping. For us, Burnley until the end of March is huge. Get 10pts from those games (Burnley, Stoke, Swansea, WH, Newcastle) and we should be fine. Any less and it will be bloody tight.

Some of the more hyped players (Slattery, Valery) need a reality check. Most of that U23 group are not going to make it. U18s better.

Weird situation with Olomola. Out of contract at the end of the season, doing well on loan but seemingly not wanting to join Yeovil permanently. Now back at Saints but can't even get a start for the U23s because we obviously see Obafemi as a longer bet for us. Olomola could be released end of season but surely mad for him to be at Saints instead of either Yeovil or somewhere else on loan getting regular league football? Maybe his Agent turned down Yeovil thinking a better offer would come along and it didn't.

Seems like Sam Northeast could be on his way to Hants. Would be a very tidy signing. George Bailey unlikely to return for year 2 of his contract. Overseas options being assessee but if they get Northeast it might not be a batter. Wonder what would happen re captaincy with Vince availability uncertain. Dawson?

He isn't good enough. Seems like a nice guy but our backup full backs are amongst the weakest in the PL.

- Early adopter of the tattoo sleeve - Dreamy left peg - One paced - Part of the "Hooiveld corridor" ruthlessly exploited by PL attackers - Ditched by post-Saints Lallana for the more useful Hendo Games: 69 Goals: 1

Good job for him, I think he will do well. Good man manager and clever tactically. Jordy Clasie will be happy.

6 pts and a better GD than the drop though which is a lot at this stage. Watford won't be getting relegated from here. They also have a few decent players.

Watford virtually safe now? Probably only need 7 or 8 points from 12 games. Likewise Bournemouth and Everton.

If we are in the PL then this shows a clearout is needed. Could happily let the following go/sell for suitable bids: Taylor Forster (?) Gardos Pied Yoshida (too similar to Stephens) McQueen Reed Clasie Davis (?) Redmond Long Austin Seager Barnes Olomola

There is an argument to go unchanged and build some familarity. There is also an argument to swap an attacking player out for Hojbjerg and look to keep it tight. Tough decision.

If you were a scout for an upcoming opponent you would watch Saints and quickly identify Stephens as a big weakness defensively: from crosses in open play and from set pieces. If he wants a long career as a CB he will have to work on that. (On the WBA forum he got a few mentions as being an obvious weakness that they failed to exploit enough).

I would sell Long and Austin this summer, assuming we are PL. Not reliable enough, for different reasons. Carrillo appears far more mobile than Austin thus far. Crux will be if he can finish. Austin overall is a poor signing for me as spends far too much time unavailable. Long is just ****e, obviously.

MP got that just about right, hopefully he starts learning as they will obviously not be sacking him now (for a couple of games anyway). Good character from a goal down as well. 1. When Tadic plays well, the team plays well. Need to get the best out of him like today 2. Good to see Redmond back, albeit briefly. He gives an option none of our other attackers do. 3. We are utterly ****e at defending set plays and crosses and its because we just don't have a physically strong side. Stating the obvious but we need to avoid conceding them where possible. Oh, and start Lemina every week.

He put in a couple of absolutely fantastic crosses first half. Definite starter, but with Tadic on the other side I would put JWP middle and some pace out right, be that Redmond, Sims or possibly even Long.

He has made some bad decisions but is nowhere nearly Lowe and doesn't warrant death chants.

Absolutely paceless lineup though. Thats the problem. Redmond or Long might neither be excellent but I think one has to play otherwise there is zero threat in behind.

1. Carrillo has to start 2. Because of 1, Tadic has to start 3. Because of 1 and 2 there has to be a player with a vague amount of pace on the other side (return for Redmond perhaps?)

Pellegrino said in todays presser re the Promes fiasco: "Next time we have to plan better." Essentially saying we didnt give Spartak enough time to source a replacement. It got me thinking: 1.Have we had a good window since Lil Ross took over from Paul Mitchell? 2. Surely they learned something from last January's Fonte/Caceres fiasco? Pretty damning of the job the wee man is doing!