Forester

Perhaps, but as much as many of the more vocal fans in any club's fanbase tend to make it seem like the majority are idiots, the reality is that most people can see beyond the platitudes and bull**** that are often offered up in this sort of situation.

 

The reality that we can all see is that we've got one of the - if not the - club's highest earners now with the status of third choice in a position where only one gets to play each week, and our two biggest transfer signings are out on loan because they're either nowhere near good enough or have fallen out with the manager, and we can't get shot of any of those three on permanent deals because they're costing a combined conservative estimate of £150k a week and nobody else in their right mind will pay that sort of money.

 

I don't think there are any new constraints within the club as a result of the takeover - to my knowledge, which may obviously be incorrect, the whole club has had a feel of "business as usual" the whole time, whether it was before, during or after the takeover. The club doesn't spend what it doesn't have, and when we generate additional revenue (as we have done in the last couple of years with new sponsorship and TV deals) that will be used towards the first team. The problem is that, in certain areas, that money hasn't been spent anywhere near as wisely as it used to be.

Spot on. I am not a serial critic of the club management, far from it in fact and think Les has done a good job over the years. But there is no avoiding that recruitment wheels have well and truly come off, and Forster extension was madness

That was dire. The formation was crass to start with. Both full backs stayed way up the pitch obviously under instruction because it didn't work. after the first goal Bertrand spent the rest of the half gesticulating to the bench about his high, wide position. The first and third goals cut the back line behind the full backs. They were as useful as defenders as tits on a bull. Second half he played more orthodox.

 

The full backs have to be defenders first and attackers after. Targett isn't good enough to play right side. The centre backs were exposed also by the two midfielders. Hojbjerg and Lamina don't play together. Lamina was hopeless against WHU last season and mostly left out after that. He was hopeless against Derby and again today didn't look a team player constantly trying to be clever then losing the ball and rarely tracking back to help out. Hojbjerg is limited, courageous and gives his all. He and Romeu are our most effective pair.

 

Armstrong showed flashes of his ability but again came up against the lack of blend, pace and aggression from Austin and Gabbiadini. They don't play together and lack a cutting edge through the lack of pace to make aggressive runs. One or the other with Long or even Gallagher if their isn't new blood on the horizon.

 

IMO Yoshida, Vestergaard and Hoedt. Bertrand as a left back and without Soares maybe Stephens at right back or new blood. Romeu and Hojbjerg as our best and most physical DMs. Armstrong, Long/Gallagher and Austin/Gabbiadini.

 

Elyanoussi shows flashes but is settling in. Lamina needs to look at himself as he is talented but wasting it. JWP, Davis, Reed, Sims, Redmond look like peripheral figures. Maybe this week we will be moving two or three on with today sealing the opinion. Opening the way for a couple of reinforcements.

 

Sitting in the Itchen under the hot sun watching a poor display was difficult to stick it out to the end. Well done the ref blowing up on 90 minutes. I'd had enough.

Agree with much of this. Lamina, despite obvious talent, is psychologically not fit for Premier League football. He simply can’t be arsed to do the boring but basics needed defensively at this level. You can do as many fancy moves as you like, it’s not where games are won or lost.

Am worried about the back line. Yoshida is mocked by a few on here, but in my mind he is number one of the five centre backs we have in terms of reliability. I think Redmond and JWP will move further up the pecking order in Hughes’ mind after this week.

Finally the failure to replace Pied is a disgrace and we face entering the season with no fit recognised right back.

Too young to remember him as a player, but remember his loud high pitched voice as a local football coach in Wessex League football! Also recall him attending funeral of a good friend which would have meant a lot to that person’s friendly. A great example of a proper person who was not disconnected to the local community. Sad news.

Find it unbelievable when I read of indifference as to whether Bertrand, Cedric and Tadic leave the club. Sure he may not have been always on top form but these are quality proven Premier League players. All three have been excellent servants, I am disappointed Tadic left and don’t want to lose either of our full backs

We sold them our captain, would not surprise me if we sold them our best player too

 

In terms of current appeal WHU probably win, we are a "small club" don't forget.

You can’t watch too many Saints games is you think he is our best player. Crikey...

As K Billy said, if someone wants to truple what we paid, when he's barely had half a season here (in between injuries and loss of confidence), snap their hand off, reinvest in a couple of positions (strong DM and express winger) with a bit left to offset Carrillo/Forster disasters.

 

Bertrand would be a far bigger loss - poor for much if last season but picked up when Hughes arrived and the buffoon had gone. Tried and tested at the level and this league.

 

Man City may be keeping longer term tabs - fine, suits us, means he has to be a million times better and fitter next season.

Excellent post

Thought that he struggled under Koeman to adapt to English football, got an injury but then later in that season started to find the level. Then when under Puel he played mainly in cup games he looked a class act. I think he is under valued by most fans, but looks like he is on his way.

Despite the odd disappointing game, which goes with the trade for flair players, Tadic has been one of my favourite players of recent years. If you add his goals and assists over four seasons it’s a good track record that is up there with the best.

Will be really sorry to see him go, feels like a season too soon. Shaquiri I think is 5 years younger and if we can land him would be decent replacement

I have to say I have laughed my head off reading this! CB Fry is on fire!

Haven’t seen an update lately, but a year or so back he was in the Premier League top five assists for the period since he arrived.

Massively underrated in my opinion, typical flair player who is always going to have moments that disappoint but a good team should be able to have a place for those types. Works much harder for the team than is given credit too.

A few of us will remember this last day capitulation

 

 

I was there, Shilton played his last game for Derby if I recall. It was Nicholl’s final game. The following day I watched Hampshire in a Sunday league game at Derbyshire and was the coldest I have ever been at a cricket match!

Ok moan out of the way to start with...the bloody M4 in Wales is shut on the way home every time we play Swansea!!!!! I suspect no link to Hotelgate though!

But what a night, and for all of us that were up at Everton with that sickener it made it very sweet. The best Saints away atmosphere since Plymouth.....we talked about it feeling like a play off and recalled that wet night at Derby and the dreaded penalty shoot out!

Hughes should be given three year deal within seconds of Sunday final whistle. Reminds me in managerial approach of Koeman, tactically flexible, a pragmatist and doesn’t suffer fools gladly.

Finally I don’t believe there is a more in form keeper than Alex right now. Our best since Niemi?

I am an optimist for tomorrow. Swansea are not in good form, struggle to score goals and I think we are playing well with the bit between our teeth. Always difficult to win away in the Premier League. I wonder though whether on this occasion the pressure of the situation may mean being at home is not an advantage.

The number of Everton fans after the game to apologise for scoring was quite something! Great support from Saints fans, keep that level of passion up on Tuesday.

As others have said, now the dust has settled, we have had a good weekend and now know a win Tuesday keeps us up barring a mathematical freak

The one thing that does seem to be likely is that, on the final day, anything up to six clubs could be still relegated to join West Brom. It has been many years since quite that many were involved. I seem to remember fairly early on in the Premier League years a Mark Stein Chelsea goal relegating Sheffield Utd who started the final day several places above the bottom three

In his defence - and this is pure speculation - he wasn't fit enough to make the travelling squad on Thursday, with back and hamstring problems, so it's hard to believe he was anything like fully fit three days later.

 

That may or may not explain why he barely broke into a sprint during the first half. He might have been moving as fast as he physically could.

 

However, I thought he was much improved in the second half, in terms of application and work rate, even if the quality - like the rest of the side - was sadly lacking.

 

I don't think he's mentally up to the pressure we're under, though. His early season swagger has been replaced by a nervy skittishness as the magnitude of our decline set in.

 

He's not alone in that that regard, either.

 

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Good post, I agree

I don't understand why some are calling our performance rubbish. Yes we parked the bus in the first half. But it worked, we kept it to 0-0 at half time as planned. I'm sure MH's plan was to try to hold them off for about 60-70 minutes and then bring on Tadic/Gabbi to try and nick it. Unfortunately Giroud did it to us again just after half time.

 

We had a legitimate goal disallowed, Austin hit the post, their GK somehow managed to keep that Redmond shot out, and Long messed up when clear on goal. Chelsea were of course the better team, but we weren't rubbish. With a bit of luck and better refereeing we could've got a result against a superior squad.

I agree with this. Really don't know what some expect against the champions. We could easily have scored three goals today. Chelsea opener was class, but really pathetic effort (again) from Hoedt who is just way below required standard. Not a bad performance and sensible game management from Hughes. Swap Giroud for Long and Saints win that match.

No he didn’t. He took over after the current Fulham manager got Watford up and left over a contract dispute. I would like us to stick with Hughes regardless of which division we are in

Have a crack at answering this one question:

 

Did you enjoy watching us play last season?

Yes, it was great on the road watching us bang in 4 at Sunderland, 4 at Watford, 3 at Wet Spam, great memories of cup wins at Arsenal and Liverpool. There was also a lot of dross, but I always felt we were well organised unlike this shambles of a season.

Now your turn, all the questions are set out in post 506...

No its not. He managed to drop 17 points from our 15/16 season and if he did the same again this season (not impossible given the way our season ended under him) then ironically we'd be on 29 points and relegated.

Glasgow, have a crack at answering all, not some, of the questions on post 506.

I thought we looked tired, with wing backs in particular not firing on all cylinders. Appreciate it was a warm night. I thought we weee better team first half, they were second half. Understand the frustration re Long off for Austin, equally I think we would have lost the game taking another out of midfield.

If you don’t play well, don’t lose.....clean sheet against Vardy and Maheez is good but we really needed more

205-7 is the real heartbreaker and where the wheels started to come off.

Agree and when the drop in points from Koeman is mentioned this fact often gets left out

I felt prior today, even if we lost to Chelsea, that we could catch Udders because of their run in. But that Ince stoppage time goal is a hammer blow I think.

Brighton now look the best bet to catch, followed by Udders and Swansea. I don’t think it is all over just yet, but whereas we would have been looking for a point at Leicester and Everton now I think we will need to win one of them as well as beating Bournemouth and Swansea.

While he has his critics on here, claiming that he isn’t up for it, I would go for the consistently impressive Bertrand. A possible candidate would be McCarthy albeit only half a season. Other than those two it’s a real struggle, which says it all really

Mccarthy

Cedric Yoshida Hoedt Bertrand Mcqueen

JWP Hojberg Romeu Tadic

Long

 

Stick with what got us going last time out. Be organised, put up a fight and hope Chelsea are as lackluster as they have been at times this season.

I feel as thought a win will sort this lot out and they'll suddenly pull out of the nosedive we're in. I can but hope.

If McQueen has recovered from his injury, this is the team that I would go for too