Forester

Very sensible and balanced, and I agree with your conclusion

I would make change s in personnel and formation for this. Would play a diamond midfield four with two strikers upfront,so... McCarthy Cedric, Yoshida, VVD, Bertrand Lamina, Davis, JWP, Boufal Gabbi, Austin This formation would give us domination of the ball in midfield but would demand full backs get forward. Ironically it’s the formation Puel favoured in first half of last season

A good post, albeit I think Keegan is past it and I think Dyche could be tempted. Everton seemed not to want him. One other punt couldn’t be Martin O’Neil and Roy Keane. Certainly wouldn’t tolerate any thing less than 100%! My preference would be either Howe or Dyche. Surely our potential is great person than their current clubs. Or Rodgers?

Yes, every one of them, with three generations of the family, along with 16 away league games and memorable cup trips. The entertainment in those three MAY, repeat, MAY fixtures, a bizarre schedule never to be repeated at the end of a 50 odd match season, was poor. I guess the big difference is that, recognising the completely different challenge that Puel had , including the great cup run, and losing Pelle, Wanyama, Mane and then Austin and VVD for half a season my expectations of the fag end of the season games were low. And also, I recognise that there is something between a standing ovation and firing someone. Still, we reap what we sow

Nothing has changed since my last assessment a fortnight ago. And the clueless bunch that hounded out Puel will doubtless reflect that we have conceded more goals today than the four matches we played against Liverpool last season combined, where we kept four clean sheets with the same personnel available plus VVD today. I also pose the same question, which if it wasn’t about points, or entertainment, but was allegedly the dressing room, then why aren’t the presumably jubilant cabal of players playing with boosted motivation? We have made a historically poor decision in the summer. I repeat, look at the next seven games, add up the points at the end of it and double it. Do you get to 40? Zero shots on target today....

I a man not saying that we WILL be relegated, but I genuinely think we will be involved in that part of the table in the spring. My worry is that there is only one team I am very confident of finishing above, and that is Swansea. I still think Palace will finish strongly under Woy. Investment in a tall target man in January I think should see us clear of drop zone, but in absence of this I think we are in some trouble with fixture list before we reach the halfway point. Don’t forget we have extra away game in second half of season because of Wet Spam shambles

Whitey you seem to focus on the result of the final. What about the glorious away wins at Arsenal and Liverpool, five clean sheets against PL opposition, in getting to Wembley in the first place. Any crumbles of credit for that?

As a consistent critic of the decision to sack Puel, following a season where some of our less intelligent fans didn’t seem to be able to factor in that: - we played over 50 games with European travel - went on a glorious run to Wembley (where we were robbed) failing to concede a goal against all PL opposition and winnin away at Liverpool and Arsenal - finished comfortably below three teams who, unusually for them, didn’t have European football (Everton, Liverpool and Chelsea) - sold Pelle and Mane - missed VVD for half the season - brought through McQueen, Sims, Hesketh, Stephens and developed Romeo, Redmond and JWP (the latter two earning England call up) - bizarrely faced three home games in the fag end of a tired May I hope people can now stare at what a mess we are in. Following the humiliation to Wolves Reserves, MP has week in, week out, coaching on the training pitch with no distractions. The entertainment BOTH home and away is lower than last season. We have wasted many winnable games, and we are now staring at being in the drop zone once our horrific fixture list plays out over the coming weeks. And, with Wet Spam game rearranged, we will have to play more away game soon than home in the new year. It is good to see that one or to are honest enough to say that they were too hasty calling for Puel to be fired. But many would rather eat glass than say it. The biggest irony, and to be fair if tru is the most compelling reason to have sacked Puel, is that allegedly some players were unhappy. Well those same players must be truly delighted right now then. I assume the are performing highly and must always be listened and pandered to. I have only ever called for Branfoot, Gray and Wigley to go. I really that unless we act quickly and fire MP we will be relegated. With a considerably easier hand to play than Puel, he isn’t failing miserably. Of the remaining eight teams we are yet to play, six are against last season’s top seven. Add the points you expect from them, plus Bournemouth away and, yes, Puel’s Leicester, add it to 13 and double it. Do you get to more than 40?

We have fired a good coach, who took us to Wembley, faced 50 games and European travel, had three dead end May home fixtures but was either too boring or, according to some, lost trust of key players. Well the latter is laughable as I assume they are now excelling? In 30 years and 20 odd managers I have only ever called for three to be fired: Branfoot, Gray and Wigley. I didn’t even want Portfleet sacked as he was just given a bunch of kids. However this guy is taking us backwards. We have wasted many winnable home games (shades of our last relegation), the entertainment for BOTH home and away games is lower than last season with fewer distractions following the Wolves Reserves fiasco and, most worryingly, there is only one team I am genuinely confident of finishing above, and that is Swansea. So make that another happy clapper that wants him out now, while we have international break

I think Glasgow is getting worried that Puel may not be quite so crap as he thought......!

Big mistake to fire Puel. MP has week in, week out uninterrupted coaching time following the Wolves shambles. As a result of the terrific League Cup run, and the disappointing Europa stuff, Puel had to manage a dozen more games before January than MP will have. And MP has Lemina (hopefully!), Hoedt and a fit VVD. I heard him say yesterday that end of season target was between 50 and 60 points. The lower end of that to me, given the very different circumstances compared to Puel, would not represent progress. Like many have commented, I am concerned that our league position and points per game so far is overstated given that we have only played one team who finished above us last season. Consequently we are going to need a massive second half of the season to get anywhere near MP’s own target, which as above I think is a soft one. I would not pull the trigger yet, and still believe that the squad lacks an effective tall and genuinely match fit striker to give us a different way of playing. Reed needs to take the blame for that. However I think that December will be the key to MP’s future. I think an optimistic view gives us 19 points after these next four games, and then from the other five clubs we are yet to play I can’t see more than six. That would get us to 25 from playing everyone once. In my opinion that is the absolute minimum to keep MP for the January window and beyond.

Check my posts. No revisionism. Not sure how many away games you went to last season in league and league cup but it was way better than this

On train home, draw about right in a dull match. We played better at Stoke and lost, so a point not a disaster. However, while folk will have different views on sacking Puel (I wanted him to stay, and enjoyed many good away trips watching us last season) surely what no one can argue is that we have improved this season. One shot on target. However, unlike CP, MP has week in, week out uninterrupted coaching time. He will have managed a dozen fewer games than Puel had by January....

That is exactly what I think we should and will do

My memory doesn't go further back than him managing Brighton to the cup final, but is great to see how many regular posters we have that have been watching the Saints for over fifty years. Respect!

Very good summary, I agree

As they usually do, looks like club were spot on with these reaching general sale

I thought that, contrary to some, we played with more energy in attacking positions and the decision to drop Redmond was a good one. However all three of us en route to the ground were surprised that we didn't start with Boufal as he has been excellent when coming on as sub. I didn't expect him to score necessarily, but he makes things happen a la the one-two with Long last week that earned the penalty. It was a wonderful goal out of the Matt le Tiss category. Generally I thought we looked very solid defensively and in midfield. The one aspect of play that just does not work for us are the high crosses, generally of good quality, but we have no one capable of heading a goal unless our centre backs are upfront! Finally, I hope MP does not get too offended by Boufal's show of emotion. If I were him I would use it as a positive incentive, say "yes you are right, I am wrong, so start at Brighton and show me all over again".

Updated weather forecast is horrendous as I warned a couple of days ago. Have a look at wind strength tomorrow afternoon! Last time I think we played in anything approaching this was the famous Begovic/Boruc goal at Dtoke, but tomorrow looks like being worse....

Sadly, looking at the forecast, if the game goes ahead it looks like players will be struggling to stand up straight with winds forecast to exceed 50 mph around kick off time. Given dire warnings, which may improve, I fear we may have a "too dangerous to travel" postponement albeit live TV cameras will heap pressure on decision makers...

What Heisenberg and the other Puel haters never want to engage in, because it's too difficult, is that not only did Puel finish 8th but.... - he took us past all Premier League opposition, including away wins at Arsenal and Liverpool, to a cup final that real fans thoroughly enjoyed - as a result, with the addition of Europa Cup games, he had ELEVEN more games before February was out than MP will after the embarrassing exit to Wolves Reserves - we finished eight, yes down in points, but in a weird season that saw Everton, Liverpool and Chelsea with no European football to contend with with the extra travel and lack of game preparation time - all of the above was achieved with Pelle and Mane sold and inadequate or no replacements So given the addition of Lemina, Hoedt and injury free VVD and Austin along with a fully fit squad then SIGNIFICANT up,fit in points is expected to match all of the above from MP. He has week in, week out uninterrupted coaching time. And if the rumours are true that some key players wanted Puel out, and some of them wanted out themselves, then answer me this: why aren't they all playing out of their skins as they must be so pleased? I wouldnt fire MP yet as I want to give him every chance to succeed, but early signs aren't good and November/December fixtures loom. We appear to be going backwards in the only competition that we are in until January and so I wouldn't rule out pulling the trigger if we don't see genuine progress by the end of November. I have backed every manager since Pardew and have never been on here arguing to sack the boss. But if we get sucked in to a relegation battle in January then anything is possible. Our table position is artificially high having played only one team that finished above us last season

I will have my say on MP on the separate thread, so will restrict my comments to the match. Forster had a poor game, there is no dressing that up. I do however think he has had a decent start to the season, having had a bad season last year with McCarthy injured for most of it and therefore no competition. I wouldn't drop him after one bad game this season (he was excellent at Stoke) however I think he is one bad game this side of Xmas from being dropped now. It's always a big decision I think to do this and if the replacement has a howler on his first game you are in a real mess. VVD I thought looked very average, whereas I thought he was surprisingly good at Stoke after six months out. Again, wouldn't hit the panic button yet on him. Finally I though Redmond, apart from the good early ball to Gabby, again was poor and that is a tend so time to pull the trigger and give Boufal a sustained period in the team. It was his assist for the penalty. Let's hope Gabby now goes on a scoring run. I thought that MP was right to try something different in resting Davis to play the extra forward but it weakens the midfield and made us less secure. So a good learning point for the team. I am concerned though as we licked our lips at the fixture list in the summer and yet it hasn't happened. We are averaging one point per home game and have only played one team that finished above us, home or away. We can all do the maths. We are artificially high in the table given those fixtures. Have a look at this November and December games coming up......

The last time we played straight after an international break was the Watford horror show, let's hope that the extra 24 hours mean that MP prepares the team more professionally this time. On the great Boufal debate, I agree with those saying give him a run of four or five games on the spin. Given our excellent defenders and holding midfielders I don't see us shipping many goals and therefore with the scoring drought we need to rebalance the side. I am a big Davis fan, but right now I would rest him. My team: 4-2-3-1 would be FF, Cedric, VVD, Maya, Bertie, OR, Lamina, Boufal, Long, Tadic and Gabbi. I think that, when is possession, that lineup would feel more like a 4-2-4 but when out of possession we would still expect ten to be back working

I recall that you were one of those who led the charge to hound poor Puel out last season. The goals have hardly been flying in since despite no European football and, after the Wolves reserves fiasco, no League Cup run either....

Good start. Now deal with European games, League cup run and three May home games at fag end of season.....