SNSUN

Cedric and Bertrand are virtually no brainers, seeing as we started the season with only Cedric at right back and no back up, so have had to promote the best option we have from the youth, and Targett is no Bertrand. That leaves the Centre backs. Jeez. Do we play 2, or 3 in the hope that the three of them make a passable duo? IMO that's just one extra poor centre back to make a mistake. It has to be two at the back or it stifles creativity. But picking may as well be done by putting their names in a hat and picking out two. In my head our best chance of survival through until January when we can remedy it, if we do, is Yoshida and Hoedt. Give them some games together. However I'm tempted by Stephens in Yoshida's place. Hard, hard decision but it's Cedric, Yoshida, Hoedt, Bertrand for me. In January we need a right back, centre back, Defensive midfield brick schithouse, creative midfielder, winger style player and a striker. Over to you Hassenhuttl.

While it is the easy decision, it is also one that had to be made as results just haven't been there. We need a manager that can get a tune out of a pretty average bunch of players, and one that can bring in some decent players in January. I don't fully blame Hughes but if he didn't want to sign those players in the summer then he should have put his foot down. He pussied out, we signed the likes of Vestergaard and Elyounoussi, and it has cost him his job. Who's next? Sanchez Flores or Sousa? Whoever we bring in will have a hell of a job on their hands. Please don't go for the cheap option. Wenger/Arteta combo as DoF and coach? Pipe dream.

Van Dijk with the unexpected assist, thought he'd spooned it and walked away! Hate a Liverpool win but it helps me in the Fantasy Premier League...

Sammy. That dog is a show-off tosspiece.

With one minute to play, and no injury time, with the game going to penalties, and Austin and even JWP on the bench, I question Hughes's decision to bring on Gabbiadini anyway. That was either a sub that needed to be made twenty minutes earlier, or it should have been someone more specialist at taking penalties. Hughes out.

Hughes Out is a given now, we're sinking like a stone. Who to bring in is tricky though because of our circumstances... 1) To keep us up? Obviously Allardyce is the man here, I wouldn't want Moyes personally. 2) Preparing for the Premier League long term (a risky strategy considering our situation)? Rodgers or Jardim or someone from Europe that has a decent record and a name in football that could attract a better class of player. 3) Accepting that we're probably doomed and we might as well build for the Championship? Jokanovic is the man for this. 4) The dirt cheap, extremely dodgy option: Carlos Carvalhal 5) The comedy option: Bob Bradley (God Swansea have had some crap managers) 6) The "I've never heard of him so he must be good" option - Well I've never heard of him so how can I put him here... 7) The "Unite the fanbase, Living in a Dreamworld" option - Pep. I wouldn't be against Jokanovic really, helped take Watford up and took a poor Fulham side (when he took over) and got them promoted and although he struggled with Fulham this season, it can't have been easy having such a large number of players brought in. He would be a risky option for the rest of this season though, but definitely someone we would need if the worst were to happen. Rodgers was my choice a couple of years ago when Puel got the nod, but I don't think we'd have a chance now. Otherwise it's slim pickings on that list on this thread. You can't knock Van Gaal's CV though, boring though his teams may be, I wouldn't have a problem seeing him here. Again I think we have little chance. Sod it, bring in Tisdale.

Gunn Stephens Bednarek Vestergaard Targett JWP Romeu Davis Elyounoussi Obafemi Gabbiadini Would be my team for this to change things up a bit. I'd quite like to see Armstrong and Davis play together but I can't see it happening as Armstrong is probably a nailed on starter for League games following his brace.

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...