SNSUN

What the holy crap just happened? We better bloody win this game...

Something had to change but I fear the damage has already been done. Whether or not it is reversible remains to be seen, but if we’re still languishing near the bottom come January’s window I reckon we will be very active. Does this mean the club has faith in Hughes? As surely he would have been the obvious candidate to try and change things?

We've sold every real jewel we had and replaced it with costume jewellery, that looked OK when we signed it but isn't worth anything like what we once had. We needed a good transfer window in the summer - we signed a player that can't get into our defence (Vestergaard), a player that should be a goal-scoring midfielder that hasn't yet barely played let alone scored (Armstrong), a player that has shown no creativity whatsoever despite that being his job (Elyounoussi) and signed a very good young goalkeeper for a lot of money that can't even get a look in. The only minor hit we have had is Ings, and even he was a risk with his injury record. Hughes does need to go - if those weren't the players he wanted in the summer, then he should have put his foot down. If those ARE the players he wanted in the summer, then he should be playing them. It's a shambles. I don't fully blame Hughes, you have to look above him to see where the problems are, but something drastic needs to be done and fast. We are spiralling towards relegation, and have learned seemingly none of the lessons of last season. We have no creativity, we have no pace, we cannot defend against decent players and we have no confidence, especially at home. Something needs to change and fast, and Hughes is the obvious short term candidate, much as I supported his appointment in the summer. We've had 4 years of poor transfer windows - Koeman's first in 2014 was the last truly decent one that we signed mostly good players, and there is the crux. We have potentially one window left before we head to the Championship and we need to make it count if we want to stay in this league - or otherwise we might as well prepare early for the Championship.

We are going to need a very good transfer window in January the likes of which we haven't seen since Summer 2014. That's 4 years of poor windows, no wonder we're struggling as badly as we are. I'd be half inclined to look ahead to the Championship, sign a few lower league gems. 5 now.

Gunn Valery Stephens Bednarek Targett JWP Reed Hesketh Sims Gallagher Obafemi or something like that. We'd possibly rip sides a new one in League One, not so sure about the Championship. The only thing relegation would be good for, besides blooding youngsters, is culling the deadwood. I'd rather not go down this year, but it's hard to look past it currently.

McCarthy Cedric Stephens Hoedt Bertrand Hojbjerg Romeu Lemina Long Ings Redmond is my guess. We're in for a trouncing whatever team we put out, but I'd like to see some goals... Ah sod it, positivity. 3-1 Saints.

Wins against Newcastle and Leicester and our season is back on track, banishing nerves and giving us a bit of confidence. Won't happen but it'd be nice, especially with winnable games against Watford and Fulham on the horizon. Newcastle is obviously the more winnable game, but despite their league position I'd still label them as dangerous. If everyone plays a 9 out of 10 game, and we actually see some product from Elyounoussi or Redmond, we could well win. Verdict? Another point here, another poor game. Followed by a defeat to Leicester, which I think would see Hughes clinging to his job by his fingernails...

Jeez, we’re crapping ourselves silly over Bournemouth smashing us, and I’m getting pelters from the Cherries fan at work. I can’t believe this is what we have become. If ever there was a time for a morale boosting victory, this is it.

SO with Chilwell getting decent reviews, is that Bertrand’s England career over?

We need in no particular order: a better right back than back than Cedric, a dominant beast of a centre back, a dominant beast of a defensive midfielder, a pacy winger, a creative number ten, a goal scoring quick striker, a new manager. Get those and we might be ok.

While I agree, it won't be losing to United that will see us relegated, it'll be losing to the teams in or around the lower third of the table, or throwing 2-0 score lines away against the likes of Brighton. Mourinho definitley looks a gonner though. McTominay, Smalling and Shaw is now their back 3. Newcastle could have a much better goal difference after today.

Lube up! For God's sake don't let them go in dry! McCarthy Yoshida Vestergaard Bertrand Cedric Hojbjerg Romeu Lemina Targett Ings Redmond Subs: Gunn, Bednarek, Stephens, Armstrong, JWP, Long, Austin. Thats what I'd try.

We aren't winning it (the game most likely, the competition for definite) so play some fringe players and hope they surprise us. Gunn Stephens Bednarek Yoshida Targett Romeu Davis JWP Armstrong Gabbiadini Gallagher

I like JWP, if he were any better than he is, he’d be first choice for us, and if he were any better than that he’d be at a bigger club. He’s a squad player, plain and simple, and if he’s currently happy playing that role, we shouldn’t knock it. I agree at times he looks powder puff, but he’s got a decent pass on him and a decent set piece, although he did show naivety on Monday. For me, we’re too close to the relegation trap door to be shifting out our half decent squad players - IF we were to go down, they’re the ones that we will need after the jewels are shipped out. Still a bit early in the season to be talking about shipping players out in January, nearly a third of a year.

I think this is a free hit for us, keeping the score down would be good - Liverpool look a force this season. A combination of bus parking and counter attacking for Saints. McCarthy Yoshida Vestergaard Hoedt Cedric Hojbjerg Romeu Lemina Bertrand Redmond Long Subs: Gunn, Targett, Stephens, Davis, Moi, Austin, Gabbiadini. With Lemina licensed to push forward on the counter. After watching the Brighton game, I've started to think we're missing a brick Wanyama-like defensive midfielder.

Are you trying to build a historical alibi for a crime : "Wasn't me detective, I was watching Saints vs Coventry and I can prove it!" If I buy a programme at a Saints game, I put my ticket stub in there. Maybe seek out a programme of the game, you never know. Car boot sales may be good for this.

That was written in the script. 2 points wasted, and it could be worse...

Someone needs to get their foot on that ball and slow play down. Brighton are all over us. We potentially need a third here...

Big insurance bet on Brighton getting the next goal... Romeu injured or dropped?

We haven't won two games in a row in the league in a year and a half, since beating Palace and West Brom on the bounce in the Puel season in April of last year. Just for once, FOR ONCE, it would be nice to beat a team, at home, in a supposedly winnable match, to make two games won in a row! It would give us real confidence going into the Liverpool game, even without Ings, and it would certainly take the pressure off of us. I predict a draw. 1-1, Elyounoussi with the equaliser after a Gross penalty.

The Premier League governing body would be harsh not to give us 3 points for a win...

I once got headbutted by a giraffe and was knocked clean off my feet whilst trying to feed it bread at Windsor Safari Park as a kid. Animals must have a vendetta against Saints fans, irrespective of whether they're in colours or not. Stupidest injury to myself at a game was when I misjudged a step in the Kingsland whilst ascending, catching it with my toe and tripping myself up. I dropped my freshly purchased hotdog which fell out of the bag and I was so embarrassed, I picked myself up, left the hotdog on the step and kept on walking like nothing had happened. I sustained a scraped knee, a bruised ego and remained peckish. I hope nobody tripped over the hotdog to exacerbate things. Another time, I also got hit in the head by one of those red clapper things that someone had made into a paper plane and chucked from further up in the stand. It hurt more than I let on.

Pickford injured and Bettinelli called up. I reckon McCarthy could be in with a chance of starting for England...

Tick...tick...

Norwich at St Mary's please. The wife is already annoyed at me for going to work and leaving her with the baby () as if it's some kind of boys club and I don't do anything (I do, some of the time), so it would be nice to smash them and annoy her even more.