SNSUN

Agree, I'm quite happy with this signing if it goes ahead. Yes it's a freebie and people will be questioning why we aren't splashing the cash on better players (#skint) but he's the right age to still progress his career, he has pace which I like in an attacker, technically decent and all for wages and a signing on fee. It seems a smart signing to strengthen a position, much as the Walcott signing did, without investing much cash. If anyone can get the best out of him, Ralph can. I assume signing Gray means we can play Walcott up front more if needed, especially as Obafemi may be leaving on loan? My only concern is it shows the lack of trust we currently have in the younger players like Tella, Smallbone etc. Bad batch or just not ready yet?

My thoughts too, I posted the other day I thought Che looked tired, and certainly wasn't himself after being booted in the head. Personally for pace I'd slot Walcott up next to Ings and maybe even play Diallo in a more advanced role but I suspect Long will start. I don't dislike Long but his day has gone, if he ever really had a day. There weren't too many. However we gave him a new 2 year contract so it seems the Long/Ings partnership will have to do. The pessimist in me has escaped... Liverpool will win this, despite their recent form, I just have a feeling. Just make it respectable Saints. 3-1 wouldn't be a bad defeat. All players need to work their bollocks off as we only have the Shrewbury game in a fortnight after this.

As long as we hit the early 30's points mark by the end of the month, I think we are on course for a comfortable finish to the season. We need Ings back and firing and no more key injuries/COVID issues to key players. An early transfer window addition would be a morale booster but I can't see it. I'm not expecting much vs Liverpool, they will want a victory after two poor results. Leicester, Leeds and Villa are a bit Jeckyll and Hyde this season, so those could go either way, but they represent our best chance of points. Arsenal are finding their groove again since we drew with them, so again I'm not expecting much there either. 5-6 points wouldn't be a bad haul. 7 or more would be fantastic. We also have the cup game next week which, despite me wanting us to go very far in it, is still a very good chance to try some squad players. Salisu debut surely, Tella, N'Lundulu, possibly Vokins, and Diallo to get more minutes. We are struggling to score legitimate goals of late so knocking a few past Shrewsbury (no disrespect) could fill us with confidence for the rest of the January fixtures.

Time for La Gran Muralla to show he still has it then. McCarthy is a loss though. He's been very good this season.

Positions we don't really need anyone immediately: GK, RB, CB, CM. Then: LB: We have an ageing Bertrand, then a seemingly untrusted Bertrand. Considering the lack of a right back back up too, we need a versatile full back to challenge both sides. AM: We have options, but nobody that is consistent. It says something that the best AM we have had this season is Walcott, who was brought in as cover/competition. Str: Again strength in depth is the issue here. Ings has had a few knocks lately and we miss him when he's gone. Adams has improved and I'm so impressed by his work rate but he's far from a natural finisher. Then we have Long, Obafemi and N'Lundulu, or as we know them, Crap, Untrusted and Untested. Even Walcott has played up front instead of those 3. Will we bring in three players in January? No. I suspect we will limp on with the attacking department we already have. I reckon the only player we will bring in will be a full back with versatility. Brandon Williams is perfect if we can do a deal. If we want to push for top 6 though, a creative AM at least would be a great addition.

Typical Moyes West Ham set up to make things difficult for us and did so. A point was not a bad result in the end, as they were in the ascendancy towards the end of the game. Had the Ings goal been given (I'd be interested to see what would have happened had the lino NOT put his flag up) it would have been a much different game as WHam would have had to come at us more, leaving gaps. This season we've largely been better against sides when we've got the first goal. None of our attacking players shone today bar Walcott, and even he sometimes makes the wrong decision with the ball. That said it was good to see Ings getting 90 minutes, and even though his goal didn't count it was a great finish and shows glimpses of what we've been missing up front. I'd suggest Che may need a break but it's difficult when you have Long or youngsters to cover for him. Maybe Ings and Walcott up front? For me the two best Saints players on the pitch (not for the first time this season) were KWP and Romeu, although I thought Bednarek had a decent game too, and McCarthy's save near the end was crucial. Romeu probably my MOTM. 4 games with no win now, but we're still proving difficult to beat/break down and we are not being cut away from the top 4 spots just yet. Liverpool will be tough but West Brom recently showed they're not at their free flowing best, and they have no Matip too now. (All 3 senior CBs out.) As I said to the missus during the game, if you can't score, be sure to keep a clean sheet, and we did that today.

Keep chipping away Saints. Definitely need a moment of magic from someone...

It feels like the goals have dried up for us but we're not playing badly, just horrible West Ham are stopping us play. Ings 'goal' definitely needed a proper review, I suspect if the lino hadn't raised his flag we'd have seen a 2 minute VAR stoppage. 3 points and a nice finish to a good year would be great tonight so I hope we can step up and get them. But West Ham have quality on the bench. I hate playing them.

Yeah this, was our worst performance for ages but with us missing our spine, we still had two disallowed goals, a definite penalty for handball not given, and we hit the bar and missed an open goal. We could have won that despite being poor. Subs needed to be earlier. A point was fair, but we are slowly slipping away from the title fight!

After this performance, would be delighted with 0-0. A really good team would nick the 3 points with a cheeky undeserved goal though...

Happy Boxing Day Eve everybody!

Same, captained Sterling and vice captained De Bruyne so some consolation so far. Really hoping Ings’ injury isn’t serious. It’s a bit like his loan season when he was getting knocks. We’re not out of this but a second City goal and I think that will be that.

City do look well up for this. Need to keep heads up and keep fighting.

I'd switch to a back 3 for this one, we should be shit scared of City and put in defensive players accordingly. For me the line up should be (3-5-1-1): Forster (cos he's taller against their big forwards) Bednarek (he plays every game) Vestergaard (for height, see Forster) Salisu (we all want him to play to see how good he is. If he can't handle De Bruyne and Sterling he should be sold immediately) Valery (He can get forward well and KWP needs a rest) Stephens (well people want to try him in DM) Diallo (This is his time to shine. Keep leaving him on the bench and he'll whinge eventually) Romeu (Let him get his booking in time for Christmas) Bertrand (Well he's done bugger all lately so needs to keep playing) JWP (In an advanced role because he's been crap at CM lately) Ings (Rusty as piss so keep playing him until he scores) .......No of course not! Same team please. Much like Arsenal, this is another big team bang out of form that we should be looking to get at least a point against. However I'd much rather beat the likes of Fulham and West Ham than City - for me this game (and really the Arsenal game) are free hits where every point is a bonus. Another point would be a decent result despite winning this fixture in July so I'm going for 2-2.

Come on Saints! One goal wins this now!

I have a more Arsenal supporting friends than any other team (bar Norwich but that's my wife and her family so don't count) and it's a very good chance to spank them today so I'm naturally nervous. I think the last time I really rubbed in a result was when Cuco Martina smashed in his curler a few Christmasses ago when we demolished them. (Not so much the early Hasenhuttl win as we were only taking baby steps forward at the time). One of my closest Arsenal-supporting friends is a notoriously bad loser, he can dish it out if Arsenal win but cannot take it if Arsenal lose. We are the form team and really should be able to beat them at our best, but the United result recently showed that no matter how good we can be, players of quality (which Arsenal do have) can come and haunt us. How tasty would it be to keep pace with the top of the league as Christmas approaches!!??! Still, I have no balls (figuratively speaking) and therefore would take a draw tonight. 1-1. 😲 Fortunately for Saints fans everywhere, I'm not Ralph and he'll be after all 3 points!

We won't win the league but... We can beat anyone on our day, so we should really be looking to win the FA Cup. Seriously.

The LIDL Christmas advert. Not sure why, just grates.

My wife signed up to Prime's free monthly trial a few years ago then forgot to cancel the subscription and she started paying for it. 🙈 It was a happy accident really as we use Prime free delivery a lot and there's always content on Prime (films, tv and even kiddy shows for my daughter) that isn't on Sky, which we also have. I also have the Prime app which I use for work when it's quiet. It's not badly priced if you use it a lot. The free month is good, just remember to cancel your subscription when you're finished with it if you don't want it to continue.

No Xhaka against us. That's a shame! 😀 *No Bellerin too now. Cedric to play against us?

Was a decent and calm win. Very professional from the lads. Just as I was getting antsy for the first goal, we scored. Just as I was getting antsy for the second, we scored. Then I went and had a shower before work, took my iPad in the bathroom to watch SkyGo, and very nearly went arse over tit in the shower when Redmond added the cherry on top. We were rarely put under pressure, except perhaps early in the second half, and we didn't panic. We just kept on playing our game knowing goals would come in the end. This Southampton is a different beast to any I've seen in 30 odd years of supporting Saints. Our passing is crisper than I ever remember it and our players rarely seem to make mistakes - even when they do their teammates are there to help out. We may lack the superstars we had a few seasons ago but we are a much better team. You have to feel for Sheffield United but it is classic second season syndrome. They haven't strengthened enough in the short summer - I think they were after two or three players Villa got that they were outbid for. Watkins for sure. Rhian Brewster was an enormous risk for the money - especially when for similar dosh you get an already proven Premier League striker (Ings) or a striker with good, prolonged Championship pedigree (Adams). Brewster's signing reminds me of Solanke's for Bournemouth. I suppose in hindsight he'll be a good signing for next season in their potential Championship campaign. I also saw nothing that shows Berge is worth the money, and I hold reservations of Ramdale, certainly after Adam's goal. Back to today and I think my MOTM is Adams. One of his passes in the first half was sublime. He has a great work ethic, and an eye for a pass. I don't see him as much of a poacher but he was certainly quick to react for his goal. It was one of those games where almost everybody played well, even Ings who was rusty and McCarthy who had little to do but concentrate. I didn't think Walcott was at his best today but he does try hard. I'm already a big fan of KWP and that grew again today. What a player Spurs have let go. Arsenal next - I think they'll win today which means they could narrow the gap to us next week to 4 points! That's how close the league is currently, but let's all just enjoy the table as it stands! We're effectively a third of the way through the season and if we match the first 3rd, we will finish around the 70 point mark which would be Champions League football!

Need to patient and keep playing our game but a goal before half time would settle some nerves, especially with the crowd there..... Was what I was typing when Che scored! Goaaaaaaaaaal!

Theo is a squad player, IMO that is what he was brought in to be - with everyone fit he shouldn't get a look in, but we've so far lost Ings, Armstrong and Redmond at various parts of this season so he has played - but for me he's not done enough to keep his place with everyone fit. He's been OK, I'm not knocking him, and for the money we spent loaning him (wages I mean) you could even say he's been a success covering when other players are out. I suppose a lot depends on whether you favour Djenepo or Redmond on the left, but Armstong, Ings and Adams are first choices for their positions, which answers the Theo debate. It's a long season however and he's definitely a decent versatile addition to the squad. Better than Long anyway.

I hope having some semblance of a fan base back at St Mary’s doesn’t resort us back to pre-first-lockdown results. Sheffield United will be right up for this game. But we have the quality to win. Which means we probably won’t! However with two tough fixtures coming up, and the chance to keep pace with the top of the table, Hasenhuttl will want a result. I agree with mixing the team up a bit, but only minorly. Diallo, Redmond and Ings in for Armstrong, Walcott and Djenepo. Then I’d push JWP forwards to the Armstrong slot, even though that means breaking up the successful JWP/Romeu partnership. 3-1 Saints is my predo but I’m not that confident.

Win ugly. Sign of a good team. Did we deserve it? No we were laboured and sloppy. But our bench was superior to theirs and I felt Ralph made the right subs tonight. Sometimes 3 points taste sweeter when you don't think you should have had them.