Holmes_and_Watson

You're not free for the rest of the season are you? RM just needs that reinforcement of his genius to get it to sink in. This. Supporters complain about trendy, hipster approaches. Back in the old days, a player might not see the ball before Friday, to keep him hungry. How much better than to drop a player for a season, freeze him out of first team minutes and have the club do it's level best to get rid of him. Sule surely couldn't have been hungrier or sharper to do well. That's all on the player. Rasmus even called to make sure he was broken, before being sent on. I remember that Will comment when he came on. The familiar more than the capable for that role yesterday. Fraser coming on was actually to give us an out to support, as well as doubling up. Trying to replicate the Suga/KWP balance. Even though it was completely the wrong thing to be thinking about as Leicester overran us.

Hopefully another link to be on the career path for some of their players in years to come.

I can understand why RM reaches some of his decisions, even as they show up the issues we all see. RM looks at the likes of Will, Fraser and Jack as versatile players he can ask to do any number of things. They are no doubt good behind the scenes and do well for RM in training. There's then a number of in game decisions being made. RM has to replace an injured player, a player who he feels is fading fast (arguable with some managers who make subs at certain times), or wants to shore things up. Winks was beginning to run things yesterday for example so RM was looking to freshen things up by stretching the game with a TP focal and get fresh, focused legs in midfield. Suga had taken a knock and both he and Fernandes were on a booking. He's not been pleased with AA for missing a chance a while back, or Les for a previous performance. He looks to the players he trusts more in Ryan and Will to come on and do a job. Except, that neither are specialists in what they're being asked to do. They are not the talented, versatile players, Barca or Man City have, who RM loves to model his systems on. Combined, he brings on entirely the wrong players for the situation. Looking to link up midfield and attack, while having some control? That's Lallana. Looking to physically shore things up? That's Les, with Aribo helping in blocking out Winks. Stop an attacking team cutting in from wide? Martin was right to double up, but didn't pick the clearly best player to do it, in Taylor. Instead we got a player who isn't remotely a DM and an attacking midfielder who is a wing back, when we're well on top, if not for shoehorning and novelty value. RM has to realise that in such a powerful, physical, pacey league putting make shift players into roles, when they can't do it, is taking a risk that's down to him. TP and Sule were both frozen out. So expecting something to click there is an ask. TP looked huffing very quickly. Sule did what he always did. AA has been pushed down the pecking order, so he's not coming on. We miss that work rate, endeavour and added defensive work. RM brought Sule on for counter attacking pace. But AA offers much more. RM can moan about someone not being on a penalty spot for the winner. But there were plenty of manager led decisions that need to be addressed too. Perhaps having the right players on the park for the job would have stopped that, and the other goals.

For this one, it's an unexpected cost. He's going to have to wait, as it's not getting to him any quicker either way. If, and only if, you're fully satisfied with the work, the £750 with the rest to come is perfectly reasonable. Considering him rushing you is a red flag to shoddy tradespeople, I'd be of a mind to delay until it's all there for a single payment. As above, check the work as best you can. Timescales of a week would be perfectly reasonable. As GL said, it gives you a decent chance, and some weather, to see if there are any issues. Phone calls chasing it over a weekend are dodgy. Don't forget to share all your experiences on the trading websites too.

Before today's match, he was asked what would be a good season for him. RM replied "still being the Southampton manager." The interviewer then stated "because that would mean you stayed in the PL." I didn't catch the response to see if RM had that as a deliverable. But then, there's being competitive and getting relegated, and stranded without a hope and getting relegated. That will probably decide how long this tenure is going to be.

This.

Martin will talk about energy levels, or getting a specific role on with Will. But RM's subs lost whatever momentum we had today, and we were well beaten after he made them.

The third goal was entirely tactical. We know we don't mark the edge of the box. All our opponents do too. It is no surprise that they practice ways of taking advantage of it. We've seen it happen, and RM has persisted with it. We had the odd near thing through Archer early on second half. Leicester continued to push. A combination of their better fitness (noticeable as it went on), individual talent and physical power paid off. Our lack of tempo, game management and brittleness let them do it. I didn't think much of our bench before kick off today. Leicester brought on a game changer. Sadly. so did we, just in the opposite way. Taylor okay, TP a bit of a huffing lump with no support, and no idea why RM has turned to Sule now, having frozen him out. Will was anonymous at best, and offered no respite to the side. Such a disappointment even if we were letting it be an open game first half. We're not strong, fit or coached well enough to shore up a lead.

Fraser done for the first, sent off for the second. Baffling that we didn't get the blatant pen at the other end.

Quite an open half. Leicester had more of the ball. But we worked very hard to minimise their chances. Even that meant one of their efforts of the inside of the post, and us picking up a few bookings. We had an early goal and one off the bar. That second finally gives us a game with a gap. The Manning and KWP partnership has worked well, so points to RM for that. Leicester have sussed that long central out ball of ours. Fortunately, Aribo has been a presence for us to hold it up. A goal and that one off the bar too for him. Dibling exciting going forward, if a little suss defensively. But pushes them back in a half where we've passed it about, but have looked to get forward quickly too. We've certainly got weak spots here, but hopefully can keep that tempo up second half.

Looks like the extra full back there to give strength in numbers, and a bit of fluidity between the defence and midfield. It looks as much like a belated "Here's how you can play Trent! 3 fullbacks!" appeal from Martin for the England job, as a normal set up. Here's hoping it's enough.

Silver

Ugh. 5 Live obsession on making ghost sounds over Ten Haag's job continue. They're saying that if they win, it's in spite of the manager. If they don't, it's his fault. They are saying they have no plan and, unlike every other team in the league including Saints, they don't have an identity. The Spurs boss came in for some light stick, before the West Ham goal. If you are a top 6 club, and don't win, the press panic button is pushed to give them something to discuss with all the depth of a puddle.

Sadly, it seems bailiffs haven't taken Jamie Vardy away to pay off his wife's legal bills. But here's hoping he, and Leicester, have stinkers and we get those points. I hope things are a bit better for you now too, Saint Pete.

Like any political party, they are rats fighting in a sack. As Biden had to get dragged away, the GOP went through changes, and lots of internal strife, when Trump got in last time. Those battles will have continued. But I think a lot of the think tanks, and string pullers, on the right see Trump as a great opportunity to increase their control. From Steve Bannon when he first got in, to Project 2025 this time out. Trump will be more concerned about ensuring his immunity and feathering his nest, only too happy to bring in people who perpetuate that. Neither party are great for swathes of people. I agree on tariffs, in that a trade war is horrible for everyone. That was one of the points that's come up talking to others. Along with it was getting business to be based in the US. A lot of people look back at years of seeing their livelihoods leaving the country. Despite the pain, they just want that to stop. The world, the technology may have moved on. The system their country operates under might have led to those problems. But hearing and seeing someone agree with them has been really popular.

Just can't imagine a club willing to take that injury record on, even on loan. Also, his rehabilitation would possibly have to be with us, for medical/ insurance purposes. Then, until TP was back in the frame it looked as though we were going to be depending on him a bit in the middle.

Do they still begrudge the George Burley appointment? The Scottish side has plenty of Norwich and ex-Saints players that he'd know well. They once played a striker less formation too. Despite recent results, Clarke would have to resign, having taken them to tournaments.

Yes, RM is going to stand or fall based on the principles of his system. If nothing else, we'll be spared a Jones scenario where he says that up to that point, it's not really been his team. RM knows that this is a season to keep the upward trajectory of his career going. His approach is his selling point (he's not changing it), he's considered up and coming and is getting media exposure in the most covered league in the world. With a point on the board, and the tenure a lot of managers get I'm not surprised he's trying to get mentioned elsewhere. His contract with us should see him fine financially, but he's ambitious beyond us. If we're looking for a successor, then he will be looking to see what opportunities are out there too. The recent England/ Man Utd rumblings were windows of opportunity. If not for those jobs, then possibly for the vacancies created by those being filled. We'll see how long SR are willing to stick with it. For all the left field stuff, they've gone through plenty of managers and playing styles already, getting found out along the way

The Beeb have just asked George Carey if God has told him he's in the right as a supporter of assisted dying.

Hot

Reminds me of a number of years, particularly summers, as a kid. I played with a pretty large group of kids, a lot of whom were friends of my older brother. We lived next to a park, where we could set the size of our pitch, and play loads of small sided games. Lots of fun games with small groups, or individuals, against a single 'keeper. If not with a group, also lucky to live within parental supervision of large walls where you could chalk out zones for points or accuracy. Hour after hour doing that, alone, with a brother or pal. As a smaller kid already, plus playing with older kids, and in those games, you really develop a lot of close ball control, and with both feet. Also a lot of awareness, anticipation and self preservation ahead of challenges. As we played every night, along with cricket, every night reinforced all those skills. You'd also learn from others and develop edges to your game. Every skill set up as a game to make it fun.

I agree with much of this. The smearing of Republican supporters as thick and racist simply increases the divide and the entrenched position of anyone who finds themselves disagreeing with a Democrat position. It's simply not true. Everything is broad strokes. I know Democrat supporters who disagree with various things as I know Republican voters who do. There's plenty of range on both sides away from the hysteria, just as there is here. The Democratic party has not learned how to connect with a broader support based since Clinton's loss. They've broadly kept up the same approach, while polarising others. Harris has brought energy and the ability to complete a sentence into the Democratic campaign. But she's managed to fall between a continuity and change position. Welded to Biden, trying to show a difference while conscious not to undermine anything at all. Not to mention her own changing positions, and Stuck as a VP where that position has all the importance of a Christmas bauble. Having to be shoehorned into everything Biden was involved in, to give her some weight. Like a lot of politicians, they are utterly let down by their teams, while not being strong enough to dictate otherwise. Trump's ego, for all the flaws, prevents that. His own team have a fight to keep him anywhere on the rails. Considering Trump changes his view depending on who was last in the room with a compliment, and whose quotes and actions are often ridiculous, it's more than Harris that's the issue though. From the Americans I speak to, there's a fair number who will simply vote the way they've always done. For those more undecided ones, who have or might go with Trump, some points have been:- As horrid as he might be, and unlikely as it is to teally change, his is the party who agrees that the system is broken. A lot of them know it's a bit of a trap, but think the current one is too. That a focus on US industry, through tariffs or threat of same, is the way to give hope and jobs to a lot of people. They know that this also brings problems, but better than the alternative. I remember Clinton trotting out a bespoke SME future for her economy, that's still going on. Trump has been the one is perceived by his support as wanting the US to really flex it's economic muscle. For people looking for jobs, industry and hope, that's a big draw. That people are willing to go past Trump's racist, sexist, lunatic comments, shows just how big a draw that is. Sure, immigration, culture issues, abortion etc are all issues getting lots of headlines. But there are others, and categorising either side as thick, is not the way forward. Either side would be miles ahead had they reached out more to capture their opponent's voters. Harris coming in, with a chance to set a new path was a missed opportunity. Should Trump win, there's no shortage of dodgy people waiting in the wings to further their own agendas. The Democrats thought they were outraged at their last loss. This time, there's more structure waiting in those Republican wings. Should Harris win, it's more of the same dodgy folk looking to further their own agendas. If they can't support a broader economic based, it's going to become more desperate for those left behind.

Someone on radio 5 linking the deaths of the 6 hostages in Sep as a shield for him, killed when they had to move on quickly. Beeb quick to point out that this hasn't been verified.

The usual bunch, with Mark Chapman. No real insight, as I don't think they stray past the the surface of anything. Normally it's as deep as "Winning is good. Defeat is a crisis.Where will England play Trent?"

They really were. Martin actually got an extra bit.