Chez

The game somehow lacks that once in a lifetime feeling that Milan away offered. The league cup doesn't capture the imagination anymore for many. But its still a semi final and that's huge in my book, especially considering how few `big' games we've had during my 30 odd years of following Saints. I am extremely keen to attend, but not yet got ticket as I am struggling to move things around at work that would enable me to do it. I suspect I will still go though.

He was fekking woeful, but you are right he was not alone.

West Ham plan?

You didn't travel up to the Sheffield United game then? the worst CB performance I have seen since the dark days of Ollie Lancashire being dropped in the deep end. I know he has had better games since, but to say he hasn't put a foot wrong is ********.

at this moment in time he looks a poor mans Ben Reeves. Still young and judging a player on a single game is folly, but I've seen all his first team outings and I'm far from convinced. Needs to be playing. No idea why we have not loaned him out.

good point. Slow build up mean defenders behind the ball all the time, so you really have to beat them with skills and tricks and stuff that the likes of Messie and Coutinho can offer. We have Boufal, when not injured, Tadic and Redmond. They do offer some tricks and ability to create something, but right now not nearly enough.

Classie is the biggest culprit in my eyes. He is a total non entity in games and offers pretty much nothing to either attack or defence. He is slow across the ground, woeful in the air, can't dribble, shoot, cross, play long balls. His touch is decent enough, but there is not enough with the ball to counter the lack of presence without it. I see one half decent pass and/or moment of pressure applied to an opponent a game and that seems to be enough for most Saints fans. At this moment in time I would pick JWP ahead of Classie, although that is saying nothing. What I noticed yesterday was that we had thrtee midfielders that all pass the ball and their first though is to then drop off to give the receiving player an option. Now there is nothing wrong with that, but all three did it all the time and no one was willing to run beyond the receiving player or even level with him. There were several occasions when Classie was the midfielder furthest forward and in decent positions between the lines, but he gets nose bleeds, doesn't want the ball and chose to just jog back into a deeper role. He is a limited squad player that has somehow found his way into a starting berth. We wont replace him and that is a big worry. We desperately need Hojbjerg to find his feet and solidify his game.

RK played Bertrand as CB and then Targett as a totally ineffective wingback. I would suggest McQueen would do a far better job and we know Cedric is handy bombing on. That formation might help us get out of this rut as it did last year.

Two or three comments. McQueen, head and shoulders the best player on the park, although too many crosses didn't beat the first man. Reed, no idea what fans have been bleating on about. Slow, short (obviously, but in the smallest midfield in history it does matter) and very limited on the ball. Needs time out on loan, not the odd game here and there. Classie, passenger, again. Why one earth we played three exactly the same midfielders is beyond me. They pass square, then drop off. We went no where all night.

What a fascinating suggestion.

Nope, he'd just keep handing out bigger and bigger contracts that the club can't afford.

did you come up with that yourself, as it made me smile.

very very good point. All we can hope for right now is that players like Hojbjerg begin to find their feet (again) and we see improvement from the other young players we are waiting on. One thing RK (or the transfer committee) ensured was that the transition from Lambert, Lovren, Shaw and Lallana to the next batch was a little easier by bringing in slightly more senior players in Pelle and Tadic that hit the ground running. Mind you we did the same with Classie and that hasn't worked as well.

I simply cant see anyone in the Prem paying £20m for a player LFC signed for £18m and then not exactly covered himself in glory since. Just that sentance "Liverpool value him at £20m" reads like a desperate advert.

how exactly do we move further up the football pyramid without someone buying the club and spending, not investing, spending their millions, billions even?

Good. We have an owner that after allowing the club spend to get into the Prem and stay there is trying to get the club to balance the books rather than build up more debt and that is fine by me. Whilst we are in the Prem there is plenty of money to spend. Blaming the owner for not spending more of her own money on top of that income doesn't cut it with me. The key is to spend (what we bring in) better. On the whole we have tried to do that, but at this current moment some of the recent signings and some of the young players coming through are not performing to the desired levels. Put simply, I don't have a problem with her failing to spend her money to make your dreams come true.

i don't recall many saints fans overly enjoying the last two seasons in the championship before we went down or seeing the likes of Bale, Walcott, Jones and Baird **** off. It was great when we had shed load of money to outspend the rest and won pretty much every week.

Hard to argue with that right now. Could he become any more than that?

Again, poor first touch? Behave.

maybe a cup run every few seasons?

Behave. The idea he cant pass is ridiculous.

not saying much though is it? I've seen very little to convince me he (Classie) can control or dominate a midfield in any way. Most games he is a passenger. For me he is one of our biggest problems as we get murdered in midfield by the decent sides when once we won that space. He is not up to it and I don't think he ever will be. Hojbjerg has been equally poor. In some of the European games for example he has given the ball away more than any Saints midfielder I have ever seen. That doesn't mean JWP is the answer, but I am just trying to offer some balance to this ugly thread. I was one of the first to question JWP on here as I saw a player that never got anywhere near an opponent to place them under pressure, something that is crucial in the modern game. He might be seen as the polar opposite of Morgan and Wanyama in that regard, failing to cut out a single pass or make any meaningful contribution defensively for the last few seasons. However, what I have seen this season is more urgency in this area, sharper to the second ball, a bit more physicality (all be it from a very low starting point) as well as a little more quality and pace to his passing. Yes there is a shed load of square stuff that Saints fans seem to hate, but his touch and passing have been sharp. I thought he had a very good game in Milan for example, really dictating play and moving the game along. Maybe that was a one off. Again, I am not saying he is the answer, but I am still willing to give him more time as he clearly has the first touch to play at this level and perhaps a player without pace needs a fraction more leeway to find his feet and make is way in the modern game.

IMO he was utter garbage against Liverpool, being especially slow and weak in second ball situations, so you're not convincing me with that reply I'm afraid...

Is Classie really a better option?

ouch. Those stats hurt.