Forester

Really enjoyed that. Classic case of when you are on top you have to score more than once and fortunately Spurs didn’t in a miserable first half for Saint. Great credit to Ralph for both tactical and personnel changes and second half was a real pleasure. Last year under Pellegrino we were consistently out foxed by opposing managers who changed games. Now Ralph frequently improves us tactically as games progress. Special mention to the three centre backs who were given minimal protection first half and had a torrid time, but were immense late on in defending the lead for their lives. Bednarek in particular outstanding second half.

I think the team is playing with much more spirit than we were under Mo Po before Hughes came in and the situation is less precarious. As others have pointed out, barring a miracle two of the relegation spots are already taken which wasn’t the case last season. But I also think you have to look at the run in. When Hughes came in we had a much tougher set of fixtures. This season in our last nine games we only play two of the top six, and both these are at home. Our last game of the season is Udders at home. Cardiff go to Old Trafford.

It’s first class insight like this that is invaluable. You would be wasted in nuclear physics....

Gunn Vest, Bednarek, Yoshida Valery, PEH, Romeu, Bertrand JWP Redmond, Austin

A bit unfair, we signed him in the twilight of his career. He was a terrific player at Millwall and Rangers, was from memory player of the year at Rangers at a time when they had a string of England current internationals playing for them during the era when English teams were banned from playing in Europe

Sorry for mistyping “lucky”. But on the substance, an unpaid debt which is passed to a debt recovery agent gets registered and negatively impacts credit file. So given your “who cares” view, I assume you are either supremely wealthy with no need to take out a mortgage or loan, are retired and have paid off all debts or are just a bit cocky and thick

Luck you. But I can assure others that doing this can lead to registered debt, credit file problems and the debt itself escalating beyond belief

Trust me, as a usually positive poster, it was a very poor performance and the highlights were, well, the highlights

A bit like Everton now reflecting on Allardyce taking them to 7th spot but sacked because of style of play, how I wish for the days of a cup final and 8th under Puel. Anyone who has seen the last two home matches and says that they are more entertaining than that season, or any more successful, must be so blinded by bias it’s embarrasing. Other than the top six, the only way you finish winning games in the Premier League is to keep clean sheets. Porch did it, Koeman did it and yes Puel did it. All did so differently, and with very different players. Rant over, back to today, very poor throughout and did not deserve to win (albeit neither did Cardiff). Frightening lack of quality in final third. Was Armstrong injured today? Hoping that we will have Obafemi back as an option for Arsenal and I assume Yoshida will be recalled. Sounds like it will come too soon for Ings. Looking at table this could well be one of those years that you need 40 points to stay up and that looks like a big ask with four of the top six to be played yet. We don’t face Udders until very last game of the season....

Agree with overall sentiment, poor performance against very astute opponents who probably deserved to win. And all in Baltic conditions! 3-5-2 or adaptation thereof has worked well for us, but I was agitating for this to be changed at half time and sacrifice one of the centre backs because it became obvious that the balance of players in front of the ball when we were in opossession versus level or even behind us just wasn’t right when you are chasing the game and Palace understandably happy to just build congestion. It’s very important that you take the lead with this system, not made for chasing the game down. Ralph did so very late and got away from it, I think he will reflect that on another day we wil not have done. The good news though is that the old adage of “if you don’t play well, make sure you don’t lose” is apt. Onwards and upwards.

Generally agree, albeit still holding a candle for Hesketh who has looked class when fit.

These are the key facts relevant to looking at that net spend table. While fans often like to see a big net spend, reality is that you really want to be successful but be recouping good transfer fees when you do ship players out. So it’s not the lack of net spend that is a concern per se, more the fact that it is WHY we have negative net spend that is incompetent. On the subject of January, I for one are quite happy not to spend this month and let Ralph continue to improve and assess the squad. If there is a great deal to be done then fine, but often it’s panic buying in January.

Yes agree with those names. Really enjoyed the fact that we continued to want to play high up the pitch even when ahead. Refreshing change from last season.

I cant complain about the result aa I think Derby deserved that, as painful as it is to say. While recognising he was on a yellow card I thought it was premature to take Johnson off who had some bright moments including a cracking cross for Long to fail to convert. Best player for me was JWP, albeit as others have noted he tired badly in extra time, and Redmond added a lot when he came on. Also thought Cedric (playing on left), Vest and Stephens did ok. But generally it was a bit frantic and disorganised which mass changes often produce. What a missed opportunity given Accrington away to have made the fifth round.

Gunn Vest Stephens Bednarek Ramsay Slattery Lamina Targett Moi Gallagher Sims

Puel sacked for being 7th? Anyway back to our game, while it was understandably backs to the wall second half with ten men, in the first half when it was an even contest we were BY FAR the better looking side. Long and Redmond excellent first half. Back three looked a proper back three even without Yoshi, and Romeu immense. Special mention to JWP who was excellent both in midfield and when he had to play wing back before Cedric came on. All three matches played in second half of season so far have seen better results than first games (marginally in the case of Man City!). Next goal now out of bottom three is to get ahead of the points per match played ratio

Who is GB? A Premier League Saints manager? Burley never was

Gunn Stephens Vest Bednarek Valery JWP Romeu Cedric Armstrong Redmond Long

Weird to see the ongoing fascination to slam Puel whenever there is a bad news story about him. From my vantage point, the guy finished 8th with no Pelle, Mane or Wanyama and look what followed us. And a cup final. He then took over Leicester in relegation zone, finished eighth and he is now seventh having just beaten Man City, Chelsea and Everton. Crikey what failure....

Hope the big move up to secondary school goes well for you in September

This is a good summary, albeit as a recent advocate of Redmond I thought he was as poor as Ings tonight. Back 3 looks a proper unit, such a shame Yoshi is off for a few weeks. Always enjoy going to the Bridge. Quickest journey back ever despite dire warnings over the tannoy of “don’t go back via Fulham Broadway”. We hardly queued doubtless helped by mass exodus of Chelsea fans before the end!

Absolutely the result I expected so not too down. Thought young lad did well given opposition on debut, and Bednarek put countless great challenges in. Austin showed why people have lost faith in him, criminally poor when clean through. Everyone is quick to nail defenders or goalkeepers when they make mistakes, but cock ups like that at the other end are just as damaging. Looking at the bigger picture the realistic table was straight after the Wet Spam game when everyone had played everyone once. That showed us three points clear of drop zone on 15. We need to pick up ten more points in the second half of the season than the first to be comfortable and we can do that. Don’t be too distracted by this week’s results as it is so skewed dependent on who you are playing in these first two games of the second half. Positives under Ralph’s selections since arriving at the club for me have been Vest, Bedanek and Yoshi, along with Romeu. Get Bertrand back, resolve the right back slot and keep Ings fit and we should be ok I think. Worries are the right back or right wing back position and the fact that we now miss both Yoshi and Hoj for the next month (Yoshi after Chelsea game). Never easy doing business in January, trying to get rid of big wage earning underperforming players is tough and you have to pay over the odds for decent players. Was hoping we could get away with a quiet January but I think he has lost patience with several in the squad listening to him tonight so brace yourself for a busy window I think.

Yep I said the same on the way back to the car. When you come in during December and attempt to turn a team into a high tempo outfit you really don’t want lots of fixtures in a short time. We looked well short in fitness terms today. Would make quite a few changes for the City game. Fitness permitting I would go with Long and Obafemi up front as I think raw pace is the way to go against them. Tonight I thought the back three again did ok, we seem to have got out of the awful defensive individual errors which is encouraging. Targett put some brilliant crosses in, but then dropped some real howlers. Think Pellegrini showed his tactical nous tonight despite having lots of absentees. Ings looked shattered and we thought he should have been subbed at half time. Amazed to hear some questioning why he came off at all.

Trying not to be pedantic but if you have another read of what I said, it was “if he continues this form”. To answer your question, yes if Redmond week in week out matches his performances of recent games he is absolutely at that level. As I tried to draw out in my post, the difference now is actual delivery of goals and assists.

Enjoyed that! Great to revive the “swing your hats if you love the Saints” from Palace away under Koeman, brilliant scenes, and the Ralph festive song was great touch! He certainly enjoyed celebrating with the fans and I noted was keen to point to Obafemi in order to deflect the praise. On another day we could have scored five or six easily and always looked a real threat on the counter attach with pace. Back 3 looking like a proper defence now, I notice they are much tighter together positionally as an impenetrable three man team. Both Hoj and Romeo excellent, the latter much better than he was last week and fully justified his place instead of Lemina. But the standout player once again was Redmond, if he continues this form I believe he will get an England recall later in the season. Has been playing like Sterling without the end product, but certainly sorted that out today with goal and assist. Finally Ings is running at more than one goal per two games this season, very few have a better ratio than that in the PL.