Chez

Have to say that Bazunu didn't have jack to do. The saves he made were simple. One good punch and that was it. Not bring critical, but he's had better games.

Essential he plays on Saturday. He has the ball skills and composure needed to play at this level. Can't wait to see these new players combined with him.

Got to say I like having the three central midfielders. Two deep and JWP just in front. We've been calling for that for years. Worked a treat tonight.

Just got back. Tremendous display. Pressed well, very organised and disciplined. Bit if bite when needed and plenty of composure, especially in the first half. Liked JWP in the Steven Davis role, setting the tempo and pressing hard. We forced errors. We took our chances. We didn't over committ. Jones changed the shape in the s cond half and it worked. Funny, we played a shed more long balls than Saturday, but not a single moan from fans. You can get away with it when you do other things right, like work hard and score goals. Very happy. Can't wait for the semi final. Hope I can get a ticket for the away leg.

If we somehow hold on, I'm imaging a hyped up Jones coming on the pitch, mic in hand shouting "Are you not entertained?"

Stadium is half empty. Stadium WiFi working for once.

Yep. Has a contract until 2025, so two years to go. The summer is the ideal time to sign him up to a new deal if we stay up, or sell if we don't, assuming he will want to stay in the Prem, or indeed if he doesn't want to sign a new deal, to maximise these return and give us more money to spend on a replacement. For now, I'm enjoying having him here. He's an excellent fullback.

only done 39 years hard labour, so I might just survive, although seeing my 9 year old man city supporting nephew's smug face immediately after the game (he's in the away end) might kill me.

I'm of the opinion that you need to experience the lows to truly enjoy the highs. After the Forest game, I didn't think we could get much lower, but I have a feeling we might do so tonight and that `pain' will set me up for a brilliant experience sometime in the years ahead.

Strange that Haaland and De Bruyne were rested at the weekend too then. If they are on the bench then I hope we get to see them on the pitch, as that will mean we have scored first and they are struggling to break us down, so Pep had no choice but to make changes.........sorry, I started to day dream then. It will be all over after about 20 minutes, most likely and I will wonder why I got a ticket.

I've not read that, but would like to. I'm always interested to understand these roles that are above the football manager/coach. As with Shields, Wilcox is obviously coming from the top club in England. Whether that makes him the top guy at his existing job is hard to say. Again, as with Shields, he's getting a promotion, so it means he hasn't actually done this specific job before. Hopefully it works out.

I can't see us selling anyone in this window, especially not KWP. Our premiership hope are hanging by a thread. You don't sell your best player if you intend to fight to the end. In the summer, well that's a different story. If we are relegated, we can't expect to retain his services.

Livramento ain't one of the best RBs in the league. He started briliantly last season, but in truth, defensively he is not great. He ball watches, badly. After that bright start, he faded long before he got injured. He was quite rightly dropped for KWP, who certainly is one of the better RBs in the league. However, because we have failed to really nail the left back role, KWP is still our best option in that position too. I get the feeling Jones, like Ralph before him, isn't convinced by Perraud. Also, Larios doesn't seem to be in his plans currently. So, on that basis we would either need another left back or another right back, perhaps just until the end of the season. Like you say, not as big a priority as a striker, and I doubt we will see a new full back in this window, but if money was no object, I think Jones would like one.

if he ain't getting games for them, sounds like they fucked up/massively overpaid. Lets take him on loan with a view to a permanent deal (appropriately worded so we don't get shafted of course) and see if we can get a tune out of him before we splash £23 bloody million.

I thought Jackson was more of a winger, or striker that played wide, but he played as one of two strikers against us in the pre season game. If he is a striker, his lack of goals is a concern, even if he is young and just starting out. I think Beto has been linked with Inter. If thats the case, like Gakpo, he might be another players that sees Saints as too small at this point in his career.

Whether true or not, how can you say that "Saints have bid €15m for Moffi" is a `half-hearted' link?

I was thinking more Ruel Fox

If things weren't bad enough right now, you had to bring the goalkeeper position up. 😉 Are you counting Carlos Alcaraz as an experienced player or a youngster?

Wasn't the 2004/5 third kit a navy/sky combination? Quite liked that. Would be happy to get another, although the current away is basically that combination. The Pony one was more turquoise, wasn't it? Jesus, sorry, I'm `arguing' about bloody colour tones now. Personally, I really like the white away shirts. The Sash one in 20/21 (third kit) and the 19/20 third kit were pretty nice. I liked the 2012/13 all white with red pinstripe Umbro kit too.

keep in mind that the 90 minutes of football is just a small part of the working week. Larios is a fully fledged member of the first team, so he will be fully involved in all activities - training, meetings, travel etc. so there will be a Spanish speaker alongside him at work and maybe more importantly outside of work too. Let's hope the get along.

from the highlights videos, I'm a Beto man, but no idea if either are what we need or will work out. Udinese will want €30m for Beto, so realistically, he ain't coming here. Not seen anything written other than that one snippet linking him to us in a larger story, all be it, it was abour Alcaraz to Saints. And we know how that turned out!

Clifford and Woodward "give Bale his U21s debut". That's news to me.

Pretty similar goal records. Beto has scored 17 in last 44 games (last two seasons in Italian top flight). 11 from 32 the season before (in Portugal's top flight). Moffi 18 goals in last 52 games (last two seasons). 15 from 34 the season before that. (all in French top flight)

Hopefully they will use a designer to design the kits this time. Annual request for navy shorts, in case Hummel are looking.

We didn't lose out on Gakpo due to a low bid. It's been widely reported that a fee was agreed between clubs, the player just chose not to come as he wanted to go to a big club.