the saint in winchester

So can we look on this game now as "El Sackico"? This is like The Apprentice. "Whichever team loses, at least one of you will be fired". Could there be 3 sackings on Monday?

That's handy. They have already published their team, courtesy of a "fan". Pickford Kenny Jagielka Keane Baines Gana Schneiderlin Lookman Gylfi Lennon Sandro or DCL

Goodison only half full tonight it seems. Scallies saving their giros for the trip down here on Sunday? They're bringing 3000! Jolly boys outing.

I don't want the manager to be a dictator but I also don't want the manager to be a doormat. Puel was dismissed because neither the fans nor the players wanted him there any longer. Pellegrino seems to be going the same way. Although he hasn't shown me he can turn it around and get us playing exciting football, I am hesitant to grant the players the right to basically go on strike to get what they want.

What would it take to get Ryan Sessegnon off Fulham? Blow it, let's just employ the manager and then he can negotiate the transfer!

A very good summary. Hard to know which to address first, or in January. The manager we can change now, the players have to be deferred to January. Do we change the manager in the hope he can enliven the players? Or do we leave MoPe in the job and have a mass swap-out of the players in Jan? Maybe we bring in a new manager now and see if he can enliven the players (maybe tell them they are facing the chop in Jan if they don't play for the shirt) and any not performing are sold and replaced in Jan? Critical couple of months now until end of Jan.

He won't be sacked soon, if at all, surely. They have another game in the CL, then they either progress or drop to the UEFA thingy on Thu nights. He DOES sound right up our strasse and a very attractive option but I can't see him being available soon. Unless Koeman can tell him Saints are the best club on earth.

Are you Pelegrino?

Get me Nathan Jones, the Luton manager! They are scoring 6 and 7 in games in League 2, and his No9 as well, Danny Hylton. Attacking football, yes please.

To be fair, we offered Koeman a pay rise - £4.5M PA was the offer, but we didn't match Everton's offer, true.

Yes, I was watching too and was going to publish that. He clearly has a reputation already.

Yes, but would they be high quality applicants, or just failed FL2 has beens? I don't want to name names, that would be libellous. Let's go for qualities they need to have - intention to play attacking football, an ability to change style mid-game if current style being nullified, able to command respect of players, a manager with experience at top level or a proven up-and-coming Championship manager etc

This. It's difficult as fans to know what to think. Is it the directors of the club dictating to managers to play this style? How can we have two managers so similar, when the style of the first was dismissed? Is it actually the players? If it's the directors or the players. changing the manager won't improve the situation. That doesn't mean I want to keep him, but just like Brexit, we need to know what the alternative is, to make an informed decision.

Does not the manager realise that the same inputs game after game will give the same outputs? He seems to keep playing the same cards every time. Has he not seen his team shape and tactics are not working? Yet, he expects us to somehow come away winning games? I would be going 3-5-2 and trying a few fringe players - new ingredients to the mix. He may stumble on a winning formula! But no, same old same old.

Surely a backup has to be ready, willing and capable to play if needed. Otherwise they are not fit for purpose.

I forgot the obvious candidate - Crystal Palace. Then West Ham. Then either Everton or Swansea, depending who Everton appoint and whether he can get them going again.

Swansea, West Ham, Everton,

I thought this latest link was going to be about Torres. Griezmann, yes, I think we could fit him in.

Yes, I know, but just google "shane long vs Liverpool" and enjoy the comments and videos. This is where the magic is made - when he plays at Anfield.

As opposed to the effectual Shane Long who "always scores against us" (words of a Liverpool fan), whether employed by Saints, West Brom and Hull. Some players do well against some teams.

Yeah, can't get excited about Jovetic. Would rather Danny Ings to him. But surely we need a massive goal scorer, not another support striker.

Talk of giving to job to Frank Lampard.

Well, Mitchell IS available for hire, according to this. Well, he may be, he and Spurs can't agree terms of his gardening leave, it seems. http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2017/11/03/mystery-surrounds-whereabouts-of-football-scout-paul-mitchell-mo/

(1) They won't invest heavily. (2) They won't release another manager after a single season this time. They can say Puel was a one off but if we bin another, it suggests the club hasn't learned any lessons from the Puel episode. (3) They will go for this. A few public statements (spin) around long term projects and Rome not built in a day. As someone said earlier, we are unlikely to be relegated this season as there will again be three clubs worse than us. Next season we go again and hope the dice rolls in our favour.

Inclined to think we should go for a Brit or someone who has been managing in the UK for a few years. They understand British football and the way we want it played. Tippy tappy possession based football is not what we want to see. I'm another that thought Adkins was doing fine, but his slip in the promotion interview inferring he knew he would be released after reaching the Prem was key. Even so, he was doing a good job until Cortese chopped him (although Pochiettino was indeed a fine appointment.) I'd give Adkins a rolling annual contract. I miss his enthusiasm, his interpersonal skills etc.