Forester

Lots of pessimism but easy to overlook that in recent years we have been unusually lucky with injuries. Most teams will have one month where they are pretty short. Good news is that it sounds like Redmond, Vest and Romeu are all likely to be available in Feb, and Bertrand is one match ban. I would give both Valery and Vokins an opportunity to shine, and if we lose so be it it’s not the end of the world. 29 points halfway, with Leeds to play twice, is a very good position

While everyone remembers the Lamberts, Pelles, Manes etc if you check the record books our top eight finishes were built on bedrock of clean sheets with us being frequently in the top four or five teams on goals conceded. Like many other teams without huge budgets that sneak a Euros slot it’s unrealistic to expect to win games three or four, and so lots of 1-0 wins are the difference between say 10th or 11th versus top six or cup win. Great credit to Ralph for completely transforming our defensive game barely without spending any money.

Blimey, chin up son!

Agree with this. Bednarek for me was outstanding.

A good clean sheet, Fulham one shot on target all game, and while disappointed not to win the game I feel that taking out Vest and Romeu meant that we would all have been delighted not to concede before the start of the game. To be fair thought Fulham were one of the very few teams to match Saints’ workload this season hence it all feeling a bit frenetic and scrappy. As they say, if you can’t win it don’t lose it

Cavani made massive difference but in all honesty our half time lead flattered us and McCarthy kept things competitive in that match. Didn’t create much from open play. Need to put disappointment into perspective though, we would all have been thrilled with this points haul at this stage of season and some very winnable games coming up. I am always looking at the half way point of the season to really judge where we are, and looking at the fixtures it’s very possible we could pick up another four or five wins before we play anyone else a second time. Anything over 30 points at the midway would be excellent and have us in for a real shout if European football.

Very good point against a team that I think are certs for top half finish again. Not at our best, but in a way more pleasing to avoid defeat given this.

Felt we looked so fluid in possession yesterday, which given changes necessary is seriously impressive. Spine of the team looking excellent from keeper through to Adams.

Alex Valery, Vest, Bednarek, KWP JWP, Romeu Armstrong, Theo Long, Adams

Gonna give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you mistyped “bump”....!

That reminded me of years gone by when we would often have more possession and chances but still lose games because of clinical finishing and set piece quality of our opponents. Now it’s the other way round. Enjoy! I can see a pile on happening on Stephens, but I only noted one clear error when he gave ball away in danger area. To my mind the main reason we struggled second half is that we stopped pressing, settled for a counter attack strategy (which got us the 4th goal) and stopped getting our full backs up the pitch. Also thought Armstrong tired badly which to be fair to Ralph had been noted and Redmond was stripped off ready to replace him before injuries kicked in. Doubt we will still be third come Monday night but likely top six which is excellent start to season. Fingers crossed injuries aren’t too bad.

As others have said, thoroughly professional performance. Three clean sheets out of four is the key to us having a genuine shot at European places as no one doubts we are likely to score. If you throw away any entrenched views on Vest that you may have had from his first season here, and take a fresh look, he is currently performing like a top four side centre back, dominating in the air and quality distribution. Ralph again showing how he genuinely improves players individually as well as the team. I personally think it was indeed a red card as that could have caused serious long term injury.

To be honest I wou,d have thought this was absolutely a game to press high and keep high line. With no Richarlison, the threat is aerial via DCL and you don’t want to be defending in your penalty area. I also think that getting upfront and personal with James and Gomez is the right way to go

Alex KWP, Stephens, Vest, Bertrand JWP, Romeu Armstrong, Redmond Ings, Adams

Apart from a period in first half when Bednarek could not handle Werner, that was a good away performance against a team most people have down as top four this season. How many times did we turn them over near the box? And on another day had one or two of those efforts from Ings and Adams gone in it would have been three points. Thought Theo had a good second half, never easy to go straight in after international break. Thought JWP and Romeu were excellent. This team now has real backbone and doesn’t give up with that late equaliser at Old Trafford and this result both warming the cockles!

Like everyone else I want a midfielder in. But I don’t quite get the negativity about a loan signing. Reality is that we have had to loan out poor signings (Carrillo, Lamina, Moi etc) and so haven’t pocketed big fees because sensibly people won’t but them. However some of our best signings have been “try before you buy”, so Bertrand, Ings and Walker-Peters are shining examples. Toby also, but unfortunately the initial terms were poor which meant we could not capitalise a year later.

Agree with this. Clean sheet and in all honesty Alex had only one save to make all game

Firstly the game. As many others have mentioned we looked set up to fail given high line and Spurs’ strength which Mourinho ruthlessly exploited in half time talk. It seems that Ralph is trying to adapt, but without a proper pre-season to practice and you have to question why you would want to change much from what was top four form after lockdown. Yesterday was identical team to that successful period bar Redmond for Djenepro, who I actually thought had a good attacking game but did not work as hard defensively as Redmond usually does. The big positive is that we created much more than the first two games and on another day could have scored five goals. So other than finishing not too much to tweak there. The irony is that if there is one team in the league where a high line makes clear sense it is Burnley, as you don’t want to be defending long balls at edge of your box. So let’s hope with a full uninterrupted weak of training Ralph sorts it out. If you look at the Ralph era as a whole it’s either been feast or famine, but with an overall trend of improvement so he has deserved backing and time to sort things out in my view.

Sluggish first half performance but I thought we were OK second half. Had any of the Redmond, Adams or Ings chances gone a few inches beyond the keeper’s dive we would have been saying a good start. Fine margins sometimes. Thought Vest was our best player second half, also impressed with Adams work rate and hold up play. Overall disappointing but it’s one game and Ralph will get into them I am sure. Definitely need to strengthen midfield squad options before deadline day.

Spot on

This is an intelligent comment that passes many of our fans by. Like everyone I don’t like seeing good players leave, and certainly not all in one go as happened a few years back. However the model works if you appoint good coaches, and you sell the club to ambitious young players that three good years or so at Saints may see them make a massive pay lift move in future. Take our current negotiations to sign a centre back. What do fans expect us to be saying, other than “come to us, help us get to Europe, enjoy that and then move to top club in Europe”? A live example, Clyne left, big money and we then got four good years out of Cedric. He moves for more money, we (hopefully) get KWP who looks younger and better.

For so many reasons there ends a quite incredible season. Agree with others that JWP, Redmond, Adams and Romeu the stars today. Our form as has been highlighted since November shows that the actual quality of performance is top six standard and we have every opportunity to push for this next season as it is clear that no one looks forward to facing a Saints team these days. Priorities for the break for me: - Right back, hopefully KWP - Centre back (sounds like signing imminent) as one of four for the season to compete with the three we have used in recent months - One replacement for PEH assuming he leaves, and two if we are not prepared to have Reed in the squad who has by all accounts been excellent at Fulham. We have been lucky with holding midfielder injuries this season and I worry that we could be really short of depth in this department

Fantastic defensive performance second half, but also don’t overlook how many turnovers we achieved on the break first half. An excellently coached performance, the type of game when you can see how a game plan has been prepared brilliantly by Ralph. 9 points out of 12, 5 points off a likely European slot and two of the teams just above us yet to play suggests it is not ludicrous to imagine we could just sneak eighth as the players look very hungry.

Shaky start, especially Valery, but from 15 mins on we were much the better side and got better and better as game progressed. Thought Redmond tormented them second half, with strong performances from both centre backs, Bertrand, JWP, Armstrong and Ings. Very much looking up the table and there could be some cheap points to pick up in remaining games. We looked so physically fit which is credit to Ralph.