West end Saints

The manager has made it clear: it is resolvable, and he would like it resolved but the ball is in Downes court and he isn't trying to resolve it.

He was decent / good last season, not amazing - in the championship. I think we overpaid for him as he was key to how RM wanted to play and someone who knew him well. He isn't premier league level, not close to people like JWP, Lavia and Romeu (and we finished bottom with that level!) When you are 26 and played more in league 1 than prem league and have been one of our worst players this season it is time to be humble not strop!

I don't think it was the strongest endorsement, left me thinking it was far from definite, and even if I chairman backed a manager that isn't worth much a week later, let alone several months

26 years old. Played more in league 1 than prem. Looked out of his depth in prem league Hasn't earned the right to strop. Paid too much for him.

Plus think Juric sees Dibling (poss even Fernandes ) in a more advanced role, wasn't it Swansea where he played in pretty much as CF?

I didn't pick up the backing of Juric as strongly as you did. I felt he said 18 month contract, whichever division - not there is no way he won't leave

Our players are so poor. Not Re-opening RM debate, but to take the team that was bottom, replace about 9 of them with worse players and expect anything other than being worse was ridiculous. Downes is not premier league level - so to base a team around him is just wrong. To totally rely on an 18 year old as your only goal threat... I pity anyone managing this lack of quality.

Nonsense. Not sure what he is like currently at this level due to injury, last season he was decent. I don't get the hate. Our best midfielder during play offs. The championship podcast had him as the player of the 5 play off games.

His touch / passing , from memory was decent, but at times struggled with the speed and physicality of the game. He was v young and inexperienced, and regularly played in different positions. I've not seen him this season but he is being raved about - at the highest level that our current CM players have managed to perform. If we had one CM, let alone two CM , how have looked prem level this season then maybe I would agree with you. But, Downes , Aribo, and Ugochuckwu have been generally very poor. It is far from impossible that he would do better than all of them (very low bar) and get loads of game time and help us. It's been one of our two weakest positions this season (along with CF). Improvement / options are needed

Was about to post the same

Far from convinced Downes is, certainly not comfortably so

He will do well to find 17/18 competitive at this level, I can't think of 5..Fernandes, Ramsdale, KWP, Dibling but not ready to be a regular starter....umm

3 of 20 shortest players in prem history played for saints, Fraser, Dyer and Todd

Would struggle to be as bad as Downes and Aribo have been this season

Best side I can find there: Ramsdale Livramento , KWP (relegation season one not this season!) Salisu / THB (several similar standard) Lavia / JWP Fernandes, Tella Adams So compared to a team coming bottom I can only really see Ramsdale and Fernandes as improvements, central defence and CF not much difference, Fullbacks and midfield significantly worse. Can't think why we are bottom again!

Our best player this season. Strange thread.

Out of our midfielders / forwards I could only see Fernandes getting decent game time at any other prem team - in these areas so much weaker than when we last finished bottom. Downes / Aribo / ugochuckwu JWP / Lavia / Romeo Massive downgrade from a team that was easily bottom. RM was a problem, but poor players a bigger one and harder to put right

It was right for him to go, and probably few would argue against the case for it being done sooner. However, this team is poor. I doubt Juric, or Danny Rohl or whoever would have had us safe , maybe we would have edged the games against Ipswich and Wolves and Leicester and be in sight of the others. Bottom line likes of Downes, Aribo, Archer and Armstrong would not be likely to get any starts at any other side.

Current points and games until end of Jan, will leave you to add your predictions! Saints 6 points H whu A palace H Brentford A Man U A Notts F h Newcastle A Ipswich Total for Feb 13? Ipswich 12 A arsenal H Chelsea A Fulham h Brighton H mancity A Liverpool H us Total 15 ? Wolves 12 points , Maybe 5 more from theirs Leicester 14 +6= 20 Still don't think we stay up but we have new manager and potentially easier fixtures so would be good to at least be back in sight by start of Feb so we have some interest in the table going forward

Agree, although no doubt how good he was at the end of the season, there is a big step up in the athleticism and speed of thought needed for a prem CM. His touch and attacking passing was very effective at the end of the season - (although some who clearly can't remember those last games mocked!) he was named as the player of the plays offs by the Second Tier podcast. I'm not sure he would make the step up to be a starter at this level tbh, although so far Aribo and Downes haven't looked it!

Harsh on Smallbone. He was the best player over the three play off games and key to us being promoted. How can playing him be poor judgement? Not sure how he would be doing this season if he had been fit (prob no worse than Downes)

Only Bazunu, JWP and KWP played more prem minutes than him that season.

Main players for us when we were relegated were: Bazunu KWP ABK Salisu Jan B Perraud JWP Lavia Elynousi Stu A Che Plus Adam A, Aribo, edozie, Alvarez, lyanco, Maitland- Niles, sulemana, Theo, Mara I would have Ramsdale, Fernandes, and maybe THB over players from last squad (Dibling can't be expected to play the majority of a season at 18). Central midfielders are shockingly weaker and a real concern. I'm not commenting on managers, or our under performing this season but clearly we have a squad that most should expect to be bottom. Who would you pick from a combined squad?

Suggestion... Rather than your current debate... Of all of the linked potential managers , as you are into research, what are their pros and cons, who do you feel are likely and who would you want?

To be fair, Downes has looked nowhere near ready to play in the premier league all season