VectisSaint

Has anyone slated him? Everyone I recall is just asking to see what he can do, given a chance.

Chelsea away, we need an easy draw.

We had a Plan B on Wednesday. That went well. Its time for Plans C, D and E.

More one-man tent. Still think he will come good and show his worth, but maybe not this season. The lack of preseason and then the accident during his comeback in the dev game willcontinue to hinder his progress this season. Also has a lot to live up to if people continue to compare him with Morgan, there are very few players who could fill his boots.

Totally agree. Why Ronald can't see this is beyond me.

Its a long time since Mane scored in the league as well.

5 defeats on the trot for the u18s, no more games until 2016. Our Academy is shocking at the moment. But think you are being a bit pessimistic for the 1st team, would be shocked if we lose 4 on the trot. But 4 tough fixtures agreed.

That's fine, but they don't award points for performances.

Yep

He has been. 4th of the season.

Been watching Sky?

Because he's gone to Spurs and Kenzie has got the gig, started on Wednesday.

But that was Saints Instagram #tb wasn't it? Just shows you can't believe anything on the internet.

No-one is forgetting Chelsea, and you are right we weren't crap for about 20 minutes of the 2nd half against City. But we were crap in the start of that match and lost it as a result, we were crap against Stoke, we were crap 2nd half against Bournemouth and we were crap against Leicester 2nd half. Oh and Manu we were crap apart from the beginning and end. In some cases we got decent results despite crap performances, but no-one was discussing results, Alpine specifically mentioned performances not results. Alpine is not wide of the mark, but then its Alpine and even when he posts something reasonable he gets shouted down because his reputation goes before him.

Echo are only reporting what Koeman said post match. Of course that was a knee jerk reaction, maybe with reflection he msy think otherwise for Villa.

3 crap performances to be more precise, even if the City result was expected. Some of the previous performances were also crap, at least in parts

He was on the bench Saturday, but not Wenesday. He is not injured.

We lost 4-1 at City? I know I missed the last goal on Wednesday but I really don't remember a 4th last Saturday and I was there the whole game. Must have nodded off. I see the Board is very active, Mary's Meals is being well promoted. http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/news/article/20151203-marys-meals-launch-staplewood-2834299.aspx

I took Koeman's comments to mean that we will go more defensively in midfield, i.e. two defensive mids in front of the back 4, that probably means Romeu or possibly JWP alongside Vic, with Davis more advanced. Recently we have been using Vic, with Clasie and Davis more advanced. I don't think there is much more than that that we can do, assuming of course Fonte is back, and I wouldn't be 100% certain of that.

Same team as last night, hopefully with Fonte instead of Caulker. Would like to see Mane in close to Pelle rather than wide, he is much more effective in the middle. Only other possibility that makes some sense is Romeu for Clasie, given that Ronald has said we are going to go back to making sure we have good organisation at the back. We don't have may serious options, in terms of players in-form that we can bring in, unless Ronald is prepared to drop Pelle and play Long up front, which I doubt will happen.

He also has played LB for Japan on several occassions, but in the left or right he is not a full back. What he is is a managers dream, a player who will do whatever he is asked without complaint.

Rubbish. Yoshida almost always plays left side. He can't play RB thats the whole point. Sometimes he does play RB, but he demonstrates time and again that he can't. We played Caulker last night because it is his natural position and because Koeman had already decided hr would play there based on his performance on Saturday. He actually said as much in his interviews. Sheesh.

There were also a lot of Liverpool supporters in the home areas, most of whom did a good job of keeping very quiet, that doesn't help either. I gather it kicked off a bit in the Itchen concourse at half-time with some closet bindippers, though personally I did not see anything as I was in my seat throughout the 73 minutes of the game including the half-time interval.

We should have signed Schweinsteiger, obviously. Then at least Morgan would be getting a game at Man U. Fact is you can't replace Morgan, he was just too good in that role. Whoever you sign to replace him will be a poor substitute. I still think Romeu can become a half decent replacement, and Claisie is actually very good, or at least will be once he is fully fit and has a few months experience of the PL under his belt. But neither are Morgan and neither ever will be. Its like saying who can we replace Le Tissier with, or Channon?

Would have been concerned if he had played Yoshida over Caulker last night for 2 reasons (1) Caulker did very well on Saturday against Man City and (2) Caulker is back up for Fonte on the right side of centre, Yoshida is the left sided backup. It was the right call given Fonte was not available. No-one could or should have foreseen that Caulker would have a total shocker. Given the number of people who said they never wanted to see Yoshida in a saints shirt again after Saturday, somewhat ironic that now they are saying he should have played last night. Fact is Yoshida should never play RB, but is an excellent left sided CB and decent backup for VvD. The biggest mistake last night was not just Ron going 3 at the back after half-time, but dropping Vic into the CB position when he should have brought Yoshida on as CB with Caulker and VvD allowing Vic to continue in his best position in MF. Vic did play at CB for a few minutes on Saturday after Fonte went off and before Caulker replaced him.