Ivan Katalinic's 'tache

Any fond farewells to the Arsenal faithful from Theo at the end of today's game?

Quotes from an Arsenal fan account called The Bottom Corner on Twitter: When questioned: No idea how valid an account it is but it might back up K,Billy's comment from yesterday?

I wonder if Mr Gao's arrival will herald a change of approach? Maybe his mandate is to sign players he's actually heard of and most football fans have heard of Balotelli. Interesting times ahead? Any teasers from MP in his post game comments tonight?

Finally put up a bit of a performance & with a bit more firepower could've nicked it. Was it me or did the defence seem more assured with McCarthy in goal? Has earned a run in the side for his clean handling & ability to claim crosses. With VVD all but gone, great time for Hoedt to put in a MOTM performance too.

If he can successfully form a bridge between the manager & players plus use the opportunity to develop into a top class coach, I'm all for it. Knows the club inside out too. I think it's something you see happen at other clubs (Bould at Arsenal, for example) and perhaps gives more continuity.

Didn't watch Palace v Arsenal but was Walcott lobbing his shirt into the crowd at the end in true "I'm off" fashion?

A chance to say goodbye?

A definite upgrade on what we've got. When do you think it may be announced?

The best result for Pellegrino today is he's not been sacked yet...

We asked the manager to have an influence on players & Mauricio has come in and made talented players like Romeu, Lemina & Gabbiadini sh*t. Impressive work.

Pellegrino at full time: "Where did they get that no 10 from? You can't plan for these unknowns coming in and influencing the game in this way. We were unlucky..."

Of which our starting striker has none...

Sell Virgil for £60 million & let Long go too and reinvest the £60000005 on a striker & attacking midfielder.

Harry Kane will score in the first 10 mins to break the record then we will storm back to win 4-1 with a scintillating display of attacking football, including a Gabbiadini hattrick. That's what I asked Santa for anyway...

Here's a personal positive - 2017 is nearly over. In the 35+ years I've been going to watch Saints play live, 2017 will be the first calendar year I've not seen us win a match (12 games). Good riddance to it & here's hoping to a much better 2018. Unfortunately, in order for that to happen I fear we'll either need a change of manager or to spend heavily on attacking talent or it could be just as bad...

Ordered mine over the phone without any problems this morning. Seems to be an online issue only.

Cedric is fit again according to Pellegrino.

Another thing you get with Austin is that he's a big lad and he'll put himself about a bit. Defenders know he's a good finisher so they can't give him space in the box but they also know they'll be in a physical battle too. Long is a pest too but without the real physicality. Hopefully Charlie can stay fit & go on a decent scoring run now he's in the side.

So it's just in practice they can't be a*sed?

As I'm no longer a season ticket holder, I now get to about 10 games a season. I've not seen us score at St Mary's since Feb 4th when Gabbi scored vs West Ham (excluding the Cup Final at Wembley) and I've not seen us win since we beat Boro on 10th Dec 2016! I reckon I've spent about £250 going to League games since I last saw Saints score, which is pretty f*cking dire by anyone's standards. If Les said "give me an extra £31.82 & I'll guarantee you a goal at the next game you go to", I'd snap his hand off...

The games a day & half away & I'm already wondering whether I've done the right thing in getting tickets. No sense as to what sort of performance we'll put in & one of the main improvements, Lemina, won't be available again. I've been looking back at the games I've attended in 2017 & realised that the last goal I saw us score was in the League Cup final at Wembley in Feb. That's 6 or 7 games my son & I have been to without seeing a goal...

Looks like Fonte has had another great game tonight at another of the League's wonder clubs.

I like the energy Long brings to the team but that doesn't mean he should be our main striker. Agree he should be on the right; his crossing is actually a little underrated and he could still bring that constant chasing down & pressuring of the defence to the side. Gabbi would undoubtedly appreciate the support of another out & out forward player too, creating space for him.

It's actually a bit worse than that. Edited...

Shane Long couldn't hit a cow's a*se with a banjo. Fact.