Forester

I agree with this. Fine margins, and I would add into the mix that Forster's shots to save ratio hasn't helped. But we look a good side I think. Everton are out of reach I am sure, but catching West Brom is tough but not unrealistic particularly given the fact that we still have them to play.

On coach with many hours of the journey left, but who cares! Credit to Puel-a number of us last week (check the threads!) said after Wet Spam game that we needed to shield Yoshida and Stephens more by either switching to 3-5-2 or 4-2-3-1. When I saw team sheet I feared the worst and assumed we would again be 4-3-3. But Puel asked Davis to play a holding role alongside Romeo for 80 mins and the two of them were superb. We looked far more solid, wining second bals and very fluid upfront. And Gabi looks a class act...two points off 9th and a cup final. Happy loyal travelling fans

Feel very upset reading this, a fan for all those years subjected to such thoughtless behaviour. As others have said, and as a regular away fan, it's depressing to see someone choose to stand up and block the view of a child or someone struggling to stand behind them especially if they are the first row to do so

Yes agree with this, or 3-5-2 as an alternative. I fear that without changing from essentially 4-3-3 we will continue to leak goals with our current centre backs

What an elegant reply. Could you be troubled to check the number of shots ON TARGET for us and them, and then post again please? Look forward to the update, many thanks

You did watch Saints last year, yes? Bertrand played as part of a back three numerous times, including our win at Old Trafford. Was it "insane" under Koeman?

Posted a similar thought just now on the post match thread. Yes I think that is a potential solution until VVD back. Other way to go is 4-2-3-1 with a second holding midfielder alongside Romeo who doesn't screen centre backs as well as big Vic did, albeit is a better all round footballer than Wanyama

I feel that there is a hell of a lot of unfair stuff on here. A few thoughts from me, having been at Swansea and all booked up for Sunderland Saturday that feels like a really big game now: - Some comments that have been made don't actually reflect the match. Rehashed quotes on boring sideways football. But that wasn't what happened yesterday. We had twenty odd shots, created a lot, and I thought looked much more threatening across the front three, including when Redmond (who was woeful at Swansea) came on. - Linked to this, Manolo looked a class act. Very rarely gave the ball away, looked bright off the ball too and can hold it up. Very promising - The fundamental problem was our centre back and holding midfield position. I am a supported of Reed, who has done a great job over six years. But he has messed up in January, not Puel, having publicly stated that Fonte would NOT leave unless replacement was lined up. He has failed to do this and let Puel down. If you read the usually ultra loyal Puel press conference comments in the run up to the window closing its obvious he was angling for a new centre back. - Puel has taken us to a cup final, if we had won yesterday we would have been top half and so calls for the sack are mad. But now we have limited centre back resources until VVD returns I think he will have to consider a change in formation. Option one is 4-2-3-1. Like most I rate Romeo highly, who is much more of an attacking force and technically gifted than Wanyama. However, he doesn't shield the centre backs as well as Wanyama did. And I think we need to switch to two holding midfielders, logically that would be Clasie as the second one. Alternatively, we go 3-5-2 with McQueen and Cedric as wing backs and use Bertrand as third centre back which we know he can do well as unde Koeman. So overall there were some positives, it wasn't a boring sideways passing affair, but unless we change our defensive formation we will carry on leaking goals

Tickets purchased! Logged on at 9am and finally finished at 925am. Hope everyone else navigates the website ok

Agree with this. Jay Rod has taken months to begin even resembling the player he was. Unfair to judge Gardos until the end of the season.

News may not have reached you, but we are at Wembley in the League Cup Final....

You must be gutted today. We all feel for you, and I hope you get through it ok

Been watching Saints since 1987 when my dad took me for first time, watched us up and down the country through two relegations. League one games at Dagenham, Exeter etc etc. This season we have had San Siro and now Wembley. It doesn't get much better than this. A plea to all our younger fans to really enjoy the moment. As per previous posts I have made throughout the season, Puel has been doing a good job with the limitations up front we all knew. He has showed in three clean sheets against the highest scoring frontline this season was an outstanding coach he is, with different back lines. Four clean sheets in last five games. And here is the best bit.....by rotating he has enabled players to be fresh and crucially by believing in younger and so called squad players,having usied them in earlier rounds, when they are really needed they aren't cold and out of form but are ready. Think Stephens and Yoshida. This quiet, humble and dignified Frenchman is a class act. McMenemy....Strachan.....Puel

Assuming VVD is fit I would make two changes. Long in for Tadic (expecting we will be counter attacking) and Clasie in for PEH

He looked very assured coming on at Everton and playing out of position at right back in what was actually his debut in the Premier League

Three wins out of the last four games, one goal conceded all without Fonte. Well done Claud Puel, the quiet dignity that he shows contrasts massively with some of his ill informed critics. Yoshida and JWP greatly benefitting from having been given regular football throughout the season. Along with McQueen, Sims and Stephens coming through the ranks it's the upside of rotation, which has become almost a swear word for some fans. Still think we could finish eighth, and make a Wembley. The bigger picture......

You are seriously proposing to leave out VVD, Bertrand, Cedric and Romeo? HMmmmmmmmmmm.........

Spot on

What a weird comment. What makes you say, to quote your quotation, that we haven't "a replacement lined up"?

Not sure if you are being ironic. But I think it is a fact that VVD, Cedric, McQueen, Yoshida and Romeo have all improved under Puel. And Bertrand remains superb

Only the second game of the season that I haven't seen so won't comment, albeit it sounded dull on the radio. However can we all celebrate the fact that we had six academy graduates in our starting line up and still progressed. Surely that is a big positive, and we have rested senior players ahead of a gruelling three games in six days starting Sunday

Yes, and I think when we reflect on the business we have done it has usually been a very good deal for the club. The money we received for Shaw, Lambert, Chambers, Clyne, Wanyama and Lovren has been well used. Bertrand, Cedric, VVD (via a loan spell for Toby), Romeo and Pelle were as good or better players and with the exception of Pelle cost considerably less money. The only one I think that has really moved his game on since leaving us is Lallana who has justified his transfer fee.

Spot on, refreshing to read

You seem a bit conflicted Futzhugh. You chose to start a thread moaning about people attacking others. Now you are leading the charge old boy!

I mentioned on the thread a day or two ago that a loan deal with an option to buy is a good compromise between doing nothing at one end of the spectrum and panic buying the wrong player now when the right one may be available in the summer. It sounds like we may hedging our bets and that is a smart move I think. Leave Sam up at Blackburn to complete his development playing week in week out and get him back in the summer as an additional option but not the man man