Patches O Houlihan

Check out the epic bruise Kamaldeen is sporting - back of the leg, above the knee.

Swapping Sulemana for Edozie wouldn't have been the end of the world. But like you say, we just cannot rely on Edozie & Manning to close out a tight game. Manning just isn't a Left Back.

It could be worse - we could be getting battered 0-4 at home, in League One, by Blackpool 😄😆😅🤣

Maybe we ought to practice long ball skills for use in the last 10 mins of games: Downes/Smallbone to dink it forward to Stewart, who knocks it down Pelle style for Arma or Stu to smash into the back of the net... 🍆 > 🦕 >🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 easy!

Edozie and Manning on the left to close out a game doesn't work. Bree and Fraser as a pair are on a completely different level in terms of defensive reliability. I understand bringing Edozie on. I cannot see why Manning came on, unless Bree got a knock that I didn't spot? RM clearly feels the need to keep the bench players involved; but it does feel like we loose something at the moment when we swap in Charles & Manning

Russell Martin's shit football tactics Bazunu's the worst keeper in the league Smallbone weakens the midfield Holgate should never pull on a Saints shirt again What is the point of James Bree? Sorry Ryan I think you're going to be the one to take the stick for the next week or so

May be this is still residual Scar TissueTM We're so used to Saints being crap, that winning while not playing well feels like just luck; rather than teamwork, effort & innate skill.

Bree has improved us so much

I think we're seeing the benefit of both a settled side and competition for places: Holgate - know's Stephens is nearly fit and he'll be back to 4th choice so he needs to play out of his skin today. Bree - knows if he lets his standards slip Manning will come back in Adam Armstrong - despite being captain and one of the leagues top scorers will be feeling the pressure of Ross Stewart nearing fitness. Also I'm loving the mini breakthrough that Alcatraz has had today, and last week. Just need him to start pumping in the goals from the edge of the area again.

Breed compared to Manning - caught the wrong side, still made it work

Holgate, KWP, Downes, Alcaraz all on fire right now

We are bossing this so far!

Some lovely threaded direct through balls so far 👏

Or we could draw and go back above them on goal difference 🤠

He's afforded loads more space on the pitch in Turkey than he'd get in the PL or Championship, which will be much easier for his game. I believe the Belgian league is the same. Rather than pay him for years while he learns how to manage in a congested box I think we were better to loan him out to a league that suits his game better, and get in a player who knows how to manage in that environment (Ross Stewart). At the pre-WBA press conference RM was asked about him and the first description that came to mind was "He's massive!" and that's not a metaphorical term; he was meaning physically a big bloke. That footage of him scoring after 9 minutes for the Under 21s made him look like he'd gone back to play for his school team! There would seem to be no lack of effort on Paul's part. I just think it was a wrong choice for all parties. It might have worked if we had dramatically changed our playing style but Selles wasn't wiling. I'll bet by the time January comes around we'll all be much more confident about which big bloke we loaned out and which one we signed.

We needed a shithouse at Gillingham. That game demonstrated the gulf in attitude and athleticism between Charlie & Tall Paul. Both came on as subs, one was a spectator and one was a game changer. Watch that acrobatic goal video back and watch his movement into the box - reminds me of the "It's..." man at the start of Monty Python!

Well Russell has confirmed that the LND will be making an appearance! 🍾 Just a reminder that he... I can't make it. Would love to hear this being belted out and easily audible on the TV. COYS

Also this: https://twitter.com/saints_analysis/status/1720848121997980019?s=20 Southampton have now gained 10 points from goals in the 87th+ minute this season. 87th minute winner vs Sheff Wed 97th minute equaliser vs Norwich 94th minute winner vs Plymouth 95th minute winner vs Hull 96th minute equaliser vs Preston 93rd minute winner vs Millwall We have a confident team who believe in themselves again

Here's the link to the article in The Times It's an excellent read, and I would recommend every fan reads it. Apparently his grandmother, who he was very close to, died during the last month of the transfer window. Must have been a very difficult period for him. As I've said previously my best man's son was in the same class as his son in Swansea, and they chatted a bit. So right from when we looked like bringing him in I asked for his thoughts. My impression is the same. I think he is just what we need as a manager right now. One thing I was concerned about was a lack of experience in the management team - but that would seem to be fixed by the appointment of Colin Calderwood last week. RM was Captain of Norwich when CC was the assistant manager there I think. I'm a geography geek so I looked up the house his dad lost through gambling

Hopefully the rest of the league can use that game as a template for how to play Leicester, and draw them back into the mix.

I was using the term as used to describe a 'shit stirrer' I'm sure you'd have no issue with me calling the ref or one of the club's owners an onanist?!

There was also suggesting Smallbone was lucky to stay on the pitch and needed to watch his step after the ref incorrectly blew for a foul. We watched a replay showing the most innocuous of contact while she reiterated that point.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Courtney_Sweetman-Kirk I'm not seeing a male player with that career getting a co-commentators spot, and it's not like she's bringing anything useful to the commentary. I've no issue with women in football, as long as they are good. (And yes I'll call crap male commentators too)

Was she previously Captain of Preston North End Ladies?! I can handle thick as mince, but biased as well is likely to piss me off...

I was mistaken in the summer when I said he would be into his last year. Apparently he is contracted until summer 2025. I think Kyle is a bit like Ryan Bertrand: got the short end of the stick at a 'big' club, and so recognises the feeling of being valued by a club, and their supporters. I think he'll be here till the summer at least. One of the added bonuses of promotion would be getting to keep KWP and THB. 🤞