Dusic

Disagree - I would say Armstrong is quick and direct and the problem with Djenepo and Redmond is that they aren't direct enough - when they are they are a big threat. Agree we could use a more cultured, technical player at times - but would put full back, striker, centre mid and GK above no10 as a priority - assuming we sign Walcott.

Vokins and Valery haven't even been on the bench for Sunderland or Birmingham in the last couple of games. Two full backs are surely the primary target, alongside an Ings replacement.

Not having that. All clubs are dealing with the same issues and if the players are going to make it in the PL they will be regulars in the U23s aged 17 and 18 anyway in the majority of cases. Agree this season has been a challenge but its not a key factor in the awful results, and those have been happening for longer anyway.

KWP by a mile for me. If he hadnt got injured our season would have been different.

And ultimately the quality of the recruitment and players, as across the 18s and 23s the results have been shocking for 2 years, so its a multi dimensional failing. We signed the forward Ramello Mitchell from Birmingham to quite a bit of fanfare and he has something like 3 goals in 2 years. Dread to think how much is invested in the academy compared to a team like Burton. Crocker is clearly making changes, and those will take time to gave an effect - but we certainly don't have a good academy at the moment, at least not in the older age groups. JWP is 26 I think and its not since his age group that we have had a good crop really.

Its a shame as a fanbase that we have become so accepting of losing our best players so easily, but totqlly understandable. Obviously all different cases but Bournemouth gave Callum Wilson something like 4 new contracts in 5 years to keep him until they went down. Brighton have done similar with Lewis Dunk. The likes of Palace and Leicester have fought off interest in Zaha and Vardy pretty well. Grealish also on a LT contract to protect value. I am totally onboard with our business model and general transfer approach, but we surely have to stop players entering their final year otherwise we are executing the buy low/sell high strategy quite awfully. The same will happen with Vestergaard and in two years time it will be Salisu probably. Ings case it will be particularly galling to get a paltry fee for a player who has been such a difference maker. Hopefully he at least goes to someone like City or Chelsea and not West Ham or Leicester.

I doubt it will make a huge difference. Teams know how good he is, another 10 games won't really add or take away from that really. His motivation will be on making the Euros squad, what a shame for Saints fans that its in these circumstances i.e when on the verge of leaving.

Since Ings has been at Saints his injury record hasn't really been a problem. Yes he gets injuries but he is also being played for usually 90mins in every game he is available for. For a top club he would be an excellent squad option. Cheap, English, highly professional, great character and an excellent player. I don't begrudge him a good move, but is extremely frustrating that despite how much his form and reputation has increased during his time at Saints we will likely just get our £20m back or thereabouts. For teams in the bottom half a striker like Ings is golddust. We will get quoted 30m for a decent Championship option.

Louis Carey is an ex Bristol City player, made hundreds of apps for them until mids 2010s. Horseman is also ex Bristol City so maybe that is the link. One thing for sure - a shakeup of coaches and players is needed because the season win % of the U23s and U18s combined must be about 10%. Surely an Academy like ours shoukd be able to attract some proven youth coaches who are well versed in coaching a pressing style? Update: seems Carey has been the assistant coach for at least 6 months.

Brighton won't go down, competent side and now adding more goals. Also have finally got Lallana and Welbeck fit and that will see them get another couple of wins at least. Burnley also too canny, so Fulham or Newcastle surely?

No better way to answer the keyboard warriors than by bringing your best in a match many have said is the most important of the season. Scored in the Liverpool LC Semi final. Scored away at Pompey. Scored in an FA Cup QF. Not a bad record. Yes he hasnt been at his best this season, but he can do it, and IMO always works hard for the team. Not sure why he gets the stick he does, maybe because we all know he is actually quite capable but doesnt show it enough. Anyway, leta hope he can have a good end to the season, he has been a good signing.

I am firmly in the Ralph-in camp, but as a choice in the future I can imagine Jose Fonte might make a good Manager. Big character, good professional, commands respect, has worked under a series of very good Managers and knows how successful teams operate.

Those that talk in public are probably not the serious contenders. If indeed there are any serious contenders.

The U18s and U23s have been shit for long before the playbook. These things take time and care to implement and ultimately need good players and the right coaches - I don't think we have either at these levels. Matt Crocker has a big job on his hands, but he knows what success looks like so I have faith he will sort it out.

I'm just going with the stats, from last season. They show he was: 1st in the PL for no of possessions won in the middle third. 14th in the PL for no of possessions won in the defensive third. 11th in the PL for no of final third entries. Seeing as the stat in question was relating to the drop off in producing a goalscoring chance soon after winning the ball in your own half then maybe the guy with excellent stats for winning the ball in his own half and passing it into the final third who was at the club when we did this and is no longer at the club when we don't, might be a factor in that drop off? £15m for him was a nice deal for Spurs. Source: https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11675/12046253/pierre-emile-hojbjerg-tottenham-complete-signing-of-southampton-midfielder

Would have been hard to imagine this a year ago, but he has been really good and clearly with one year left on his contract we will be open to selling, whether to Spurs or someone else. I am totally on board with being a development club and having a transfer policy in accordance but we keep being shafted by letting our more saleable players get to one year remaining and therefore having a very poor negotiating position. That seems a big issue if you are a sell to buy club as you are generally going to be quoted higher fees for inferior players than the fee we get for selling our better players. So very likely to need to replace Ings and Vestergaard, Bertrand possibly, before we start adding the depth that we need at full back and in central midfield. Noy beyond needing: 1 x CB to replace JV 2 x striker to replace Ings and Long (N'Lundulunsurely will go out on loan) 1 x CM 1 x RB 1 x LB (or 2 if Bertrand leaves on a free) Thats without looking at GKs. Will have to be a busy summer.

Hojbjerg was statistically excellent at recovering the ball and passing forward, perhaps his departure is related to that, as its either pointing to a lack of creativity (don't see that has drastically changed from last season this) or a lack of ball wins followed by a forward pass within our own half (Hojberg the clear difference personnel wise here).

If you actually watch the video of the press conference Hasenhuttl is asked about the players out on loan and essentially says what any Manager would say. Yes we monitor them. If they play really well on loan then we will consider if we can use them in the squad next season. Obvious and correct answer to give and none of the loan players seem to have played really well anyway. Does he see any of those you listed being part of the squad next season? No, probably not. The good thing is he was very clear on needing 2x RB and 2x LB next season. I doubt Valery or Vokins will be included in that somehow. Re Elyounoussi, Ralph clearly (and rightly IMO) decided he didnt rate him after his first half season, hence 2 years out on loan. We don't have space for him as already have enough #10s, so fully expect another loan.

Duckhunter - out of interest, what team would you have picked last night, assuming KWP and Diallo were to be reated which seemed sensible? I didn't have an issue with the selection aside from the GK part. I just saw it as a Manager juggling with some optioms severely lacking, like only having one full back and senior CM available (again given we were being rightly careful with KWP and Diallo). I know people on here having suggested Ramsay and Jankewitz, but after the Utd game its clear he doesn't trust Jankewitz, and IMO Ramsay isn't up to it (yet?) and RH seems to see it the same.

Forster has done ok, but I still feel like he hasn't been hugely tested in those games. Not a slight on him, but I was hoping he played yesterday to give him a more thorough test.

Whats the gamble Ralph did that keeps being referred to?

Sorry but this is a bad take. For a start he hasnt had constant first team football because he has quite regularly been a sub, starting about half the league games this season. Not sure many Celtic fans would agree his has come out of the season with any credit. Watching him for Saints and Celtic it is totally clear to me that he isn't better than Redmond, Armstrong, Djenepo and Walcott in a Hasenhuttl system and you can probably add Tella to that list. Had he gone to Celtic, become a key player and hit 20 goals in a shit league then maybe we could have thought about taking another look. But he hasn't. He has been average in a shit league. But he just isn't good enough/suited to the PL, of that I am absolutely certain.

Bielsa uses a translator, like Pochettino did at Saints and maybe that helps as both could still get their ideas across. Puel couldn't explain anything to supporters because he chose, or was told, to speak limited English instead. Eventually when things start going badly, that becomes a problem. You have to be a special leader to take people on a journey when you cannot effectively communicate anything to those you are trying to influence. Personality and communication are a massive aspect of being a PL manager. Regardless, I don't see the value of comparisons between Ralph and Puel. Most Saints fans are happy with the job Ralph is doing and liking him probably helps with that - is there anything wrong with that? I don't see many suggesting he is some sort of genius - just recognising that he has been dealt some tough cards during his time here and there have been some big lows, but that we are better off with him rather than without.

Surely KWP gets rested, especially after he got injured in the first place by playing two games quickly after coming back from a muscle injury. Must be a temptation to leave Diallo out for the same reason. Interesting selection for what is a thankless task ahead of a big game vs Brighton.

The biggest difference between Ralph Hasenhuttl and Claude Puel is that one has brought fans with him during his tenure whilst the other pushed them away, because he could not communicate. That is leadership in evidence, and shows why results clearly matter but also how you get them and frame them is equally as important, especially in this age of social media and wall to wall coverage of the PL. In the tough moments, fans will ask themselves whether they can identify with the Manager and understand (if not agree with) his decisions and overall approach. For Hasenhuttl you can, you can feel his joy during the highs and his pain during the lows and feel like you know him a little because he is honest and explains himself well. Puel was distant, joyless and decisions like never playing Fonte in the Europa League just showed he didn't get it, or at least couldn't explain himself enough to persuade otherwise.