Chez

Can't see a Dutch international that has just joined Manchester United willing to join us on loan.

that is basically buying them, but delaying the payment. I don't think that is what he was suggesting. I've no objections to that, I just wonder whether a Chelsea or City star youngster will realistically sign for us on a permanent contract. From their point of view, a loan to a championship club next summer makes sense, allowing them to sign for a Pre side the following season like Delap did.

You are suggesting we loan someone? How does that help us get promoted next year? Or we buy them and if they are good, we sell them in the summer. How does that help us get promoted next year? I don't see the point (and the club won't either) of signing a guy for 5 months. Any signing will be partly with this season in mind but definitely with next season in mind. Let me rephrase my original question. What player good enough to score goals in Prem will sign for us in January knowing we will want him to score 20+ goals to get us promoted next season? Very tough recruitment ask.

they have us on the 16th Jan. If they don't win before then...

I'm all for improving the first team...always, but how do you attract a guy good enough to score goals in the top flight that knows he will be playing in the championship in 8 months time?

Dire.

Why did Les not start?

horrible defending. Lots of people standing around doing nothing.

own corner ends up 2 v 4 at our end. Nothing changes.

We break quickly but Armstrong's complete lack of confidence shows as he decides to turn back rather than drive on and the break stalls.

I've got Dowie. You?

Probably a foul, although Palace might argue that he was just out muscled, but it's been coming. Last 15 minutes it's been all them. We are not doing nearly enough and have bene chasing shadows.

possibly. If he can continue to do it in the second half of the season that won't hurt his value. The short length of his contract is a massive concern. He holds all the cards.

What is the manager's style? Why does Aribo not fit it? Is it about him not getting around and up and down the pitch enough?

He's had a couple of poor games. It happens. I wonder if off field stuff really effects players once they cross the white line? I thought he should shoot. Don't blame him at all. It's easy to spot a pass from the stand. I want to see him in a Saints shirt for as long as possible. He is brilliant to watch. It's been a horrific season, and he has been the only bright spark. We are going down. No signing will change that.

Dibling came on in the 73rd minute. He was fresh as a daisy. I am certainly not expecting Dibling to do what Salah does, but he should have done better. Hit the target or even just got near the target. My point really was that we seriously lack quality in the final third. Even with a good performance and chances created, we still lose and we will continue to do so without talent up front and out wide. Dibling has been brilliant to watch. It's fantastic to have a talent come through once again, but we need goals this season, so if he can't be expected to deliver them, someone else must.

I expect the side to improve as a functioning unit (it would be hard not to), and player confidence to increase with results, but in terms of talent and ability, that is only going to improve with better recruitment. Is IJ going to be involved in that?

not just a striker, its quality out wide too. Brereton, Fraser and Cornet...we were possibly stronger last season out wide.

I just watched salah curl yet another goal into the far left hand corner after cutting inside and I immediately think back to the Dibling chance. He has to do better there. (Let's hope we keep him long enough to see him taking chances like that on a regular basis). The game was there for the taking, but our failure in the summer to sign any quality in the forward areas continues to hurt us.

What position did AA play? It felt like he was on the left, but BBC has him as up front with Onuachu. If we are playing two strikers, then Archer might be an option.

not a fan of managers that kneel down in the coaching box, but less pretentious than sitting in a bucket I suppose.

Wood has been okay but his decision making is not great. He has a proper rick in him too. I'd be surprised to see ABK though. Perhaps there is a clean slate, but if he has ben stinking up the place (I don't know if thats true) then other players wont appreciate him being selected.

I'd like to see us continuing to cross the ball early and at every opportunity like we did in the first half. If we are going to play TP, we have to feed him. The first half was pretty much the only game I've seen us do that and TP became a weopon.

I was impressed by Les. I didn't really watch him closely before. I don't understand how he fell it if favour as we badly needed someone in the middle. In general, the central midfielder did quite well.

tough chance that one. Did well to win the header.