SNSUN

Harsh on Smallbone - he's a youngster coming back from a bad injury, and by most accounts before that injury he was playing some good football. Just because he had a bad game last week playing out of position doesn't mean we should be looking to cull him from the team. Stephens has, I believe, signed a new contract, and poor though he was yesterday, he is a capable 4th choice centre back. The problem is with Lyanco injured and Bednarek not in the right frame of mind, we pretty much have to play him. CB is a must sign in the summer - a first choice to partner Salisu (yes that means keeping Salisu - he has more to learn and should be doing that with us). Long is OOC so he's gone anyway, and I can see Theo running his contract down next season. Anyway for me, I see this situation as this: GK: Forster, Lewis and Caballero will go, leaving us with McCarthy so there is definite work to do there. A first choice please - maybe even a back up or talented youngster on loan. FB: Full backs are fine if we can keep hold of Tino and KWP (I'm sure they'll have their admirers). Perraud seems to be a decent LB when required and we also have Small. Whilst Valery has played himself into contention to stay with his CB performances, I'd still be letting him go. Still with 4 FBs we should be OK bar the worst injury crisis. CB: A first choice please to partner Salisu (who we must try to keep - it would be beneficial to both of us but I worry his head is being turned). If Salisu goes then we really need 2 first choice CBS - a tough ask but we don't know what is happening with Bednarek. Lyanco 3rd choice, Stephens 4th choice. CM: JWP, Romeu, Diallo. Is that enough? Does Smallbone count as a 4th? I'd say so. As good a partnership as JWP and Rom are, I still think we miss a Wanyama-esque beast of a DM. Still, not important when our budget will be tight. AM: SArmstrong, Redmond, Elyounoussi, Djenepo, Walcott - I've been crying out for ages for our AM slots to be addressed. Moi stepped up this year but is still probably a level under where we need to be. A first choice AM is a definite for me especially as the "squad AMs" (Djenepo/Walcott) aren't very good. Str: Adams, AArmstrong, Tella - we need to replace Broja with a first choice (I guess AArmstrong was supposed to be our first choice this season but it hasn't happened for him. As a back up - fine, but we are lucky we got Broja). Long doesn't need replacing so long as Tella can stay fit but surgery needs to be done. First choice please. So I'm looking at a FIRST CHOICE GK, CB (at least 1 , 2 if Salisu goes), AM and Striker. 4 positions (potentially 5) that we need to upgrade. I think CB will be our biggest concern followed by finding a goalscoring striker. With our budget that is going to be tough, plain and simple. IF one of those positions can be ignored, it is probably AM (as long as nobody leaves) but that means we're stuck with the same bunch as this season. Hopefully our scouting is as decent as it was last summer. Newcastle won't be down there next season and I think Bournemouth may do well when they come up, and the likes of Everton and Leeds (if they stay up) will make sure their escapades of this season will not be repeated by spending money. I hope we have a talented youngster or two up our sleeves...

I like Fraser but his time is up. We had some decent times with him and he’s a good shot stopper but has distribution issues and we can do better. McC as number two to a new number 1 please.

They are class. They have gears beyond our dreams.

We haven't played badly bar two brain farts. Still in this while we're only one behind. Then see out extra time and bring on penalties. Romeu winning pen... job done. 😄

Good corner attempt

Heads up boys. Wishful thinking - that goal may stop them hitting a higher gear as they’ll think ‘job done’...

I retract my Stephens comments. 🙄

I'm going to say it... I think that's quite a clever line up. Bar strikers, that is our strongest line up and I got my wish with Stephens starting. I can see why we've gone for the intelligent Moi over the buzzy Redmond who hasn't played much recently, I wanted Redmond because he's quick and will bother their defence... ...but that's where Shane and Adam come in. Both of them are quick, annoying players and that's what we want up front. They'll chase anything. Granted their goalscoring exploits aren't up there with Adams and Broja but they'll unsettle the City defence. Shane had shown in the past he can be a big game player and Adam has something to prove. 5 subs too... our attack will get stronger as the game goes on. Keep 11 players on the pitch and we have a chance but irrespective of our line up (and of what I just said) it's tough to see past a City win today.

I want to see Jack Stephens over Bednarek. Bednarek has been poor lately IMO and I think it is affecting Salisu's game a bit. Jack Stephens is far from perfect but he has a bit of WUM about him and is able to get in player's faces and I think we need that bit of shithousery tomorrow. Aside from that the main guys I want to see included are KWP, Salisu, JWP, Romeu, Armstrong, Adams and maybe even Broja. Forster over Caballero if possible. I'm not fussed between Livramento and Perraud for the other full back spot (but Perraud gives us good balance down that side), Redmond or Elyounoussi for the other 10 spot. So something like Forster KWP Stephens Salisu Perraud JWP Romeu Armstrong Redmond Adams Broja would be my pick for line up. Not that it will be, we all know Ralph will do something odd. It will be sad to go out the competition if we do, but I at least want to see us put up a fight, maybe give City an early scare or something. Despite our last three results, let's give our fans some pride on national TV. Of course if we win...

5 goals in the last 9 games for Obafemi now. Starting to find his feet at Swansea.

I'm not going... 3 nil win for Saints. 😄 Seriously City are cup lovers and I can't see us getting past them in our current form. It's a shame as I'd love a cup run with our league season all but over but as long as we go down swinging I'll be happy. Cue an odd selection from Ralph...

TBF as a shiftworker there are comparatively few games I can attend anyway and that's it for home games this season bar the cup. I'm staying away... Sky and streams from now on in!

3 home league defeats this season, I've attended 3 league games and those defeats are it. I promise I will not attend games for the rest of the season. Including the cup final if we make it. 🙄

Redmond coming on I think...

I do solemnly swear I will not attend another game this season if we draw this.

My wife has pointed out to me that she was at the Wolves game. 🤪 Fuck it we'll win today. It's Watford not Bayern Munich.

I'm here. But I've brought my wife here today and she's my good luck charm...

Second SMS trip of the week, third of the season and so far I've witnessed 2 defeats. Please can we win today! We need to get back some confidence before the City cup game. Based on the Newcastle game I'd bring back Perraud on the left and move KWP to the right, have Armstrong start for Broja and think about bringing in Stephens for Bednarek.

Two trips to SMS this season, 2 losses and dayyum if I'm not starting another match thread. 😑 First half was ok but we were poor second half. No movement in attack and Broja was poor. Adams worked hard but I really wished he'd scuffed the shot that hit the bar, he hit it too well. Better players on the pitch for us were KWP and Romeu, honourable mentions to Adams, Tino and Stu but I thought the rest were off the game. Too many off performances, it was like we were on the beach and Newcastle wanted it more. Mind you once they got their noses in front they time wasted like crazy. Horrible team. At least we lost to a clever goal. I maintain if we had played them back in December we would have beaten them. All their new players played well. Roll on my last trip of the season on Sunday. Please win. Please.

Is she as attractive in person as she is in the paper? #notserious

Thanks. I was aiming for Bedford Place but saw a few police cars up ahead so veered into Ordnance Road. Turns out a van crashed into the front of an estate agent.

What has been noticeable this season is that if we've gone a goal down (like at Spurs and in the FA cup game against Coventry) we don't let our heads go down and keep looking for solutions to the problem. That's a better mindset than we've had in other seasons where we would capitulate. Villa were simply too good for us last week against a weakened defence - we're not top 4 material and it happens sometimes. Some teams just figure us out better than others. Tonight will be a challenge but if our boys are up for it, we can beat them. Two hours left of work and I can get the hell out of here and think about getting my butt down to Southampton. For those in the know - I usually park at Eastgate but my mate wants to go to Brewdog after the game - is the closest car park Grosvenor Square MSCP?

The thing with Everton going down is they'll probably come straight back up and be a force again. However.... the relegation will be etched in history for all time. They'd finally have popped their relegation virginity for the first time in about, what, 70 years and there's no getting that back. I hope Burnley can be all Burnley and go on their traditional end of season run of form. It would keep the relegation battle interesting.

Agree, though the quality in depth exists in our full back positions. Bearing in mind that was accomplished with 2 full back signings in the summer (and Small as one for the future), the idea would be to strengthen the first team in other areas with the existing strong players still there e.g. Salisu. Keep Salisu (if possible extending his contract) and sign another top CB, and along with our full backs we'd have a top defence next season. IF we can keep Salisu that is. I'd upgrade the spine in the summer depending on budget. GK, CB, DM, AM, Str (if Broja loan cannot be extended) but that's a lot for a sell-to-buy club.