OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint

Don't think he's increased his stock that much this season. Always liked his attitude. Last season, when he had time on the ball, he could see a pass and seemed to cover well. This season, the game in the premier league the game is faster and he's not had time to make his floaty passes or get back in to position and has looked off the pace. Don't know with the right fitness regime if he can physically get quicker (he looks to be carrying an extra few pounds) but I'd like him to stay.

He's getting a tune out of players that did nothing before. I don't mind him playing the remaining matches this season like a series of one-offs and mixing and matching the team to see which players will work next year...but I do want to see him also try out different formations. I recall Ralph stumbling on 5 at the back against Arsenal winning that game and then did it for a couple of games before reverting to a back 4 because it suited the players. I would like Juric to experiment too.

So is our scouting really at fault? Tall Paul would look like Pele in another team...ok, maybe that's stretching it, but Alcaraz was the closest thing to Tadic we've had since...well...Tadic

This is the point. Yes, we're crap. Yes we haven't got much quality but surely we can work out a way of having a few shots on target.

When you're being overtaken by Smallbone in the pecking order, something is amiss. Probably a bigger disappointment than THB in how this guy has turned out. Last season the analysis seemed to show that when he wasn't playing we lost. This year, when he played we lost. Absolutely ineffectual in midfield this year and those pointless, wafty yellow cards he seemed to receive every week to me summed up his attitude. Half hearted and half arsed.

Presumably Spors will take a few weeks to understand the lie of the land, but then what does he do? Apparently, his expertise is talent identification, recruitment strategy and squad development, so does he go out finding players himself or does he use existing scouts? Our previous talent identification expert (Wilcox) only seemed to raid Man City for youth, bring in Sulemana and Ross Stewart, so I hope he does more than target his contacts at Genoa. And is recruitment strategy based on a style of play (we read he likes the high press) and does squad development involve building up a supply chain of players through Staplewood again. He is going to be based there. My wish is that he identifies and brings in players who will form the spine of our team. We didn't do that last summer and recruitment to the outsider like me seemed scatter-gunned at best.

There is, and who knows, it might still be Juric. I heard on TV about a quote from the Irish rugby union manager when asked about his team's success. He said he focused the team on being the best at things that require no talent. You inherit an ordinary bunch so you focus on fitness, on tracking back, on set pieces, on marking or whatever. The old phrase, do the simple things well is what we need to do.

This is where I sit. Last week went home happy, but disappointed with that team selection yesterday and he does seem to like the 5 at the back and man-marking which isn't for every situation. I'm looking for a manager that can pick a team that plays to its strengths and is prepared to adapt. Hopefully we'll see that in the coming matches.

Never forgave Poch for that Cup team he put out against Sunderland. Juric hasn't got any credit in the bank and he's already making basic mistakes in team selection. Agreed we're bang average and the team lacks quality but you can still show some intent and it's up to Juric to pick the team to instill that in the players.

Juric knows that he hasn't got many opportunities to make an impact but the Cup is definitely one of them. So, he'll be putting out a full strength team, Burnley are resting some of their first team players - what could go wrong? 2-0 Saints.

And watching us against Ipswich last weekend cost £30 which makes that £17 sound excessive. The money men at the club know their finances, but it's not just the gate receipts. The additional concourse drinks and food must also add to the coffers...and it's difficult to put a value on goodwill and atmosphere.

He's getting more from a number of players. From what I've seen, he's getting a tune out of Sule, Tall Paul & Big Les. Fernandes seems to have more freedom. Even Bree has improved. The football has been a lot more interesting so overall I like him even though I was also there to witness the Brentford debacle first hand. The chasms at the back need to be addressed where teams seem to walk through our central defence but I think he is starting to make an impact.

FFS, I'm going to have to go back to English school to learn how to pronounce half our team. This guy, Abakar Sylla, Rento Takaoka. What happened to good old British names like Nathan Jones.....ah, I see 😀

Have to agree. Really don't want AA or BBD to ever put on a Saints shirt again and not particularly fussed about Archer either. I really don't subscribe to this argument that AA will bang in goals for us in the Championship all day long so let's have him back. I see it that he's blocking the way for a potentially more exciting player who will also bang in goals in the Championship and can make the step up to the premier league. And the likes of Rickie Lambert, Ollie Watkins etc aren't isolated cases. Frankly, I can see Archer scoring a hatful of goals next season but I'd prefer our scouts to find someone else.

Guys, steady. Yes, he looked good against the mighty Swansea and for the 20 minutes he came on against Ipswich, but until he has played a few more games where he can prove he can shoot and control the ball when running with it, the jury is still out. That said, he does look to have taken his head out of his arse, looked around and decided he wants to show people he can play football. Think a lot of that is on Juric and our new(ish) style of play.

There is a mural at Ipswich Town which says Bobby Robson signed something teen (18?) players in his 13 years at the club. Really is quite staggering how many players a club gets through nowadays, hence the no loyalty. And being a club alternating between divisions our turnover will become greater than most clubs

Like the sentiment, but when you've got an agent making a fortune on a move and a player who could be offered double to move, the temptation is go to the crappy club. Plus our owners are in to the trading game, so will encourage profitable moves.

I liked Onuachu today. Invariably it was hoofed up the pitch and he always seemed to get to or close to the ball. Once Sule came on we looked moderately good. Certainly think Welly is better than any of our other options and has a lot of potential and so pleased that AA was nowhere to be seen.

The 8/9 year old next to me started crying when we scored. Couldn't work out whether someone had bumped in to him (it was a bit manic) or he was just crying at the realisation that he was going to watch us win a game!

Thanks for the heads-up. A drive it is...but it'll be worth it. 2-1 Saints. Like a clock is right twice a day, this bet hasn't won me anything this year but it must come right at least once, mustn't it?

So if Spurs have held talks about Dibling, I wonder what price has been discussed. Bet it is a lot less than the £50m numbers touted on this site. There again, I did bet on us staying up and just cashed out for a 98% loss!

He should have some connections and idea of players in Italy who could help the team. Like last time we were relegated, I can see players leaving in dribs and drabs and players joining at different stages. Hopefully, Juric (or whoever is manager) can demonstrate their adaptability because the first 11 and the start the season could be a lot different from that at the end of the transfer window.

People talk about the target of reaching Derby's points total but our similarities with Derby go further. Both were once established premier league clubs, both squeezed promotion in to the premier league, both fell out/are falling out ignominiously, both have/will have that negativity around the whole club. Problem is, Derby really haven't ever got going again. We're not going to cruise back in to the premier league next time unless there are some serious readjustments made over the summer both administratively and on the field.

Yes, "clear and obvious" went out the window a long time ago. Must say, those who thought Les had a good game saw something in him that I didn't. Even before our first goal, he had his pocket picked so easily that they should have been one up.

These are my sentiments. At times, the football has been more pleasing on the eye since RM left, but I also can't remember watching a more depressing game than the recent Brentford home match (and that includes the bigger defeats). There were apologists for RM at the beginning of the season saying it was a new league for him and he was learning to live in it (except he wasn't). Juric is also learning and my leaning would be to stay with him.