James

If we were playing the same number of games then that would be fine but we aren't, we've got a minimum of six extra games.

Agreed - Romeu is the Vic replacement and hasn't really got going yet this year.

A little sobering to think that with Boufal taking a couple of weeks to get up to speed and then going off to the AFCON in January, we are largely going to go through the season with the same team as started the first three games of the season. Unless there is improvement I can't see that side anywhere near the top half to be frank.

We've got a decent squad but I'd say we do look very light up top. We are also a couple of injuries away from fielding a pretty weak side for a club with ambitions of finishing in the top half.

No, it doesn't appear that we are.

Yep. Spot on.

Must be a pretty low bar if that counts as a strop. Have to say, there a more personal insults on this thread/forum at the moment than anything else, don't really see the need for it to be honest.

Naturally delighted that I was proven wrong on Boufal. Could do with another though, not sure anyone would disagree with that.

Slightly concerning that teams that were below us last year have, on paper, strengthened their teams quite significantly. Stoke will have Bony up front and Palace will have Benteke and Remy. We, on the other hand, have Redmond. Does feel like a few teams have caught up with us whilst we've stood still but I've been envious of Palace/Stoke's transfer business in previous windows and we've ended up better than them. Just can't shake the feeling that we are a couple of players short this year (especially with the Europa).

Surely he's off to West Ham? Would be awesome for us but just isn't the kind of signing we'd ever make.

Rolan would be great. Is there any concrete link?

Shame if we don't bring anyone in. Would be interested in any update from the ITKs as to what happened to the other player we were chasing. Got to say that it does feel as though we are a bit short. We really are relying on Boufal to hit the ground running, if he doesn't then our team is basically as it has been in the first three games and, IMO, we don't have enough firepower.

So nice of you to take the time and quote that so you could gloat. Pathetic really. I bow to your superior insight.

A definite yes but zero chance.

If that turns out to be true then you really do need to question the club's transfer planning. Most on here think that we have it all mapped out and that everything we do is carefully planned. If JRod stays then it shows that, this summer at least, the club is purely reactionary. We were all set to loan out JRod and are now keeping him on the basis of a goal that he hit straight at the keeper and which should have been saved. Either that or Boufal's failed the medical.

Good post. It's pretty clear that Tadic (or whoever is playing in the number 10 role) is imperative to us doing well in this system. He was on song for about 20-25 minutes at Old Trafford and we fashioned a few decent chances and were generally on top but when he's struggling we just can't get anything going. No coincidence that we pepped up once Redmond replaced an ineffectual Tadic and started driving forward from deep, just wish we'd made the switch earlier. Completely agree about the taking a pass too many and overplaying we got caught so many times and it was telling that even decent players like Hojberg were getting caught and giving it away. On the fullbacks, Bertrand coming back will boost us but, if Cedric isn't good enough, is there anything we can really do about our lack of quality? My main concern is the apparent lack of team morale and mood in the camp, maybe we are all reading too much into it and they are just as frustrated as us at having dropped points in games we should be winning.

Agreed, you basically need a Sanchez type player to make this system work and clearly we don't have that. I think the Suarez Liverpool team (and probably the current one) would be relatively adept in this system but I can't think of many other teams in the league that could make it work to be honest. Boufal is clearly a talented player and maybe he can be our Suarez/Sanchez but it'll take some time and there's no telling how long he'll take to adapt to a new league especially after coming back from a relatively lengthy injury.

I'm not sure we can rely on JRod on the basis of yesterday's cameo TBH.

I would genuinely be interested to hear why you think Redmond is a big positive. From my point of view he was pretty anonymous and ineffective up front (and has been in all three games) but has looked better running from deep. That said, he only moved position yesterday with about 10 mins to go so would be interested to know what you saw that made him a big positive. Decent player I think but has hardly set the world alight yet (appreciate its only early days though).

Given that league cup games don't count towards priority for league games I'd be surprised.

When Koeman was appointed we went on an incredible run. If you're referring to last season I'd agree but, in his first season, RK got us playing pretty well almost immediately.

Well then we will have to agree to disagree. I only say what I see and I saw a stretch of 10 to 15 minutes where we really struggled to win the ball back from Sunderland and noticed a similar spell in the Watford game. I don't think I've misunderstood the formation to be honest but even if, theoretically, it doesn't sacrifice stability it has meant that we look less secure at the back (again, in my opinion). At the very least it looks to me that our players misunderstand how to implement the formation effectively. As for Forster not making any saves, I don't deny that, but I did say that we made a number of last ditch tackles (implying that he wouldn't need to be called upon).

We need another attacker (at least) and I think another defensive midfielder to take the heat of Romeu. But, mainly, we need a change of formation.

No doubting he was bad today but is anyone surprised? Came back late after the Euros, no real pre-season and off field distractions. If he stepped onto the pitch in top form after all that I'd have been very impressed indeed. He'll be back though, of that I have no doubt.

I'd like to know what the board saw in him when they appointed him. At the moment I see a manager with very little personality (although that is, in part, down to the language barrier) and that has ditched a successful formation in favour of one he knows but that doesn't seem to suit the players we have available. I'd like to know why, after all we've heard about the 'Southampton Way' and implementing the same formation in all age groups, we've appointed a manager who has ripped up that blue print in one summer. I'm still hoping he will come good as he has a decent track record and our board do seem to do thorough due diligence but I am slightly concerned. A heavy defeat at Arsenal won't do us any favours either.