James

I mean it does say we will "try" and replace him rather than that we "will" (which is what Reed said). He will probably go back on it and say that we've been impressed with Yoshida or something I'd imagine.

"If poss" - mixed messages as compared to Reed's "he will not be sold without a replacement" but then, given his track record, we can't exactly expect any of what LR says to actually happen.

Don't rate him at all. Seems like a bit of a panic signing (especially on loan). He'd be OK as a stop gap I suppose as at least he has Prem experience but I do foresee a situation where we will need to reconstruct our entire defence over the summer. This kind of signing/target does slightly undermine our supposedly genius transfer policy of having targets lined up - we've known Fonte was on the way out since the summer and we are waiting until the last 10 days of the window to sort out a loan for Sahko, doesn't feel like this one has been particularly well planned but then nobody is infallible and maybe the board have just been caught out here.

If we sell him to West Brom then that really does say something about the club for me. You can't sell your captain to a team like West Brom and then claim to be ambitious. Whatever Jose's reasons are it does seem to indicate something isn't right at SFC at the moment.

Reed said in his interview that he wouldn't be sold without a replacement. I therefore expect a replacement to come in either before or just after we sell. Otherwise I'm afraid we need to add another statement to the list of things Les Reed says which then don't actually happen.

Have been wanting us to find a way to play him and Bertrand in our "first team" for a while. Maybe wide left as per Arsenal in the League Cup?

To be fair, any striker we did sign wouldn't exactly have to be top draw to be a significant improvement on what we've got at the moment!

Good post, nail on the head for me.

Never said I thought it was all down to the manager but I do think he should take more of the blame than you seem to. Also, as for creating chances, I've been to plenty of games this year where we've created next to none. As difficult as it is to hear, a £20m striker wouldn't suddenly make us good!

This kind of post is very entertaining. Basically just name calling of anyone who dares question Claude. If he isn't the one instructing the team to play this dire brand of slow, defensive football then I'd love to know who is. New players are a must but a change in style or (if Claude isn't capable of it) manager wouldn't go a miss either!

So they pass it sideways and backwards in midfield and defence do they?

As relieved as I am that we are through, really doesn't disguise a dreadful display yet again.

For every 'Liverpool shows we are a very good side' there is a counter argument of 'Crystal Palace shows we are a very bad side'. Unfortunately for Puel, we've had more dog awful performances than we have had good ones, hence why people are questioning him. It's frustrating as hell because, when we've played well this season we've looked very very good. I don't understand why it can't be replicated more frequently.

But, like it or not, if results don't go our way, we will be in Les Reed's definition of a 'relegation battle' if we lose to Leicester.

Playing Devil's advocate here slightly (as I do have a preference for stability): should we wait until we get sucked in? If we lose to Leicester we will be 15th and that, according to Les Reed himself, constitutes a relegation battle (see his comments about Leicester a few weeks ago when they occupied that position in the league). I presume, therefore, that if we drop to 15th we could consider replacing Puel? Whilst we are clearly short on quality and need reinforcements, I'm not totally convinced that alone will turn it around for us.

Whilst I agree with your sentiment, you aren't really addressing his point? You can't justify the current situation by saying that we shouldn't act like Hull and Swansea.

Wow. Worse than I thought.

This is the concern I have. I get that we are down on quality but I'm not convinced that adding Gabbiadini (for example, given he is most strongly linked) will make us a more potent outfit as we aren't set up to attack with any particular potency.

I'd love to know how many times we've failed to score in the first half of a game this season.

That article doesn't exactly sell him does it?!

Well observed. The way that we stuck to our positions, didn't break rank and pushed them back as a team really was impressive to watch. It could be coming together for Claude if we continue to play with a bit more zip in attack. Having been a CP denier last night made me reconsider as the tactics were very impressive indeed.

After tonight has to be JRod with Long off the bench.

What a performance Saints. Did not see that coming at all. Well played Claude that was spot on. More of the same going forward please.

Don't remember anyone likening him to Gareth Barry when he was here and any comparison to Barry would have been laughed at. Wonder what comparison will be made with OR if he leaves us.

A French Gareth Barry?! I really have heard it all now.