Miltonaggro

Officials in this league are appalling, and the lower league journeymen know just how to play them.

We should have too much for the Bermondsey batty boys, and this line up is much more solid, Bree over Captain Jack would improve it but relieved that Mind the Gap has been hooked. 3-0 Saints and some positivity returned.

It might have been that manning was a star in that Swansea side but he’s very much the weak link here. From where I am at St Mary’s I get to see him closely (no refund) and two things that really stand out are consistently poor positioning and a lack of decisiveness in terms of interceptions. Both mean he is constantly trying to recover during games - frenetic firefighting which unbalanced the team. It’s a lack of footballing intelligence seemingly tolerated by RM. Bree seems a solid old school up and down full back, streets ahead defensively, and for me a much better first choice option when fit.

There was a lot of afters in real time that day - frustration release across north London. Never seen so many scousers morph from Yosser to Cilla Black so quickly.

My main view is that we need a competent geographically aware left back in for this one, so channelling the Burnley bint. 20 games in captivity Boots too small to fit his feet His body abused but his mind is still free Are you so blind that you cannot see? I said¦ Bree is the key fella, I'm begging you James Bree there is no dilemma * Drop Manning

Yes, I saw that too. Right from get go Saints were far too casual and second best to every lose ball and gap. Unconcerned and it appeared arrogant that we had a second gear a la Huddersfield. No urgency until the triple sub at half time and even then you didn’t get the necessary reaction. If Fraser and Adams are the best we’ve got in those roles they need to start.

Hull certainly had our number and the difference appeared that they had been well drilled tactically and were extremely fit, prepared to press and put bodies on the line. Carvalho also looked the best creative player on the park by a long way. Saints short passing around at the back is all well and good if you are looking to frustrate and tire poor teams but when it’s used against decent opposition it’s a deathwish. Play like that against Liverpool and we will be humiliated. What Saints don’t do in terms of starting from the back is zip it forward decisively, you need more than one footballing brain cell in midfield for that. Last night within ten minutes it was clear that Hull were attacking our left side, pulling manning apart whilst mobbing and nullifying Edozie. Similarly central midfield was targeted as a weakness, with smallbone obliging. In that sense the rotated team selection was disrespectful to the opposition and consequently negligent, and we were punished for it. We are now in the business end of the season and it needs to be strongest 11 starting, barring injury. Downes is the key it seems along with playing a full back rather than a frustrated half-baked forward in manning - clearly not the player he or RM, thinks he is. The lack of natural goalscorer in the middle is also going to haunt us, and yesterday five or six times that kind of player would likely have had a clear chance with crosses coming over and passing players by or going over their heads. Frustrating as hell, but an obvious area to strengthen back in January. We have to go all out and auto promotion is clearly still very open but we’ve now been exposed and choked twice in a fortnight. I don’t fancy us at all for the play offs for the reasons we saw last night so we need to play our game in the remaining matches and hope that Leeds and Ipswich blip. Final point that dawned on me last night was that all of our decent players are loanees, we’ve tried to be clever in preserving funds this year, but only clever if we go up, otherwise will look like a form of disaster capitalism. Fail in promotion and another full rebuild will be necessary come May, so no solid guarantee that we will be immediately challenging again next year.

Targeting our left side all that half and harrying all the tippy tappy round the box, worked a dream. Huddersfield Deja vu. About four changes due early second half.

Player we were crying out to sign last summer, but better late than never. You watch him close up at games and oozes class, proper quick footballing brain, rare as hen's teeth.

Bless them, after we kindly saved them from oblivion with the bucketelethon you'd think they'd be more grateful. Short memories amongst their fanbase, and only half of it due to senility.

He'll be saying the same to Ryan Manning next season.

Has he fucked off yet?

Gary Glitter to offer Mr Tumble 'expert' advice.

I think it’s daft limiting Saints to catching the Foxes, people need to get on board for the championship and FA cup double. You heard it here first [hopefully]. In Russ we trust…

Aribo seems much more effective as a central midfielder and it's his physicality and short burst of speed that is the major asset, we didn't really see that last season. At 6ft and built like a light heavyweight and you can see the opposition aware and looking over shoulders when he is on the park. Good to see him doing well and Martin using him effectively.

Like a fine wine (on the day of the Transit wank court appearance)

Phhhwwwwoooooaaaarrrrrrr!

Could be a good day out, tickets for upcoming game against St Etienne are £12 and looks a cracking football stadium:

BB played for the Washington Diplomats in 1975. This side went on to have a bit of a Saints connection, team photo below three years later from 1978. Big Jim Steel and Bobby Stokes but also Eric Martin (who missed the team photo) and Ray Graydon, Dave Merrington's first team coach.

League and cup double. Piece of cake.

Aribo the Nigerian Romeu 😀

There she is! Terrific win Southampton, just the tonic! Fair play to Russell Martin.

Get the fuckity in!

Steady on!