Whitey Grandad

Poor season ticket renewals?

Also in The Times this morning (paywall) Southampton players pushing for Puel exit Southampton look increasingly likely to part company with Claude Puel after complaints by the players about their manager. Chief among the issues is a concern over the way the team is being set up under the Frenchman. Some also believe Puel has favourites in the squad, regardless of form, while others have been unhappy with the decision to start Nathan Redmond in only three of the past six games. There is dissatisfaction, too, about Puel’s decision to name his starting side at the eleventh hour, leaving players less time to prepare. Ralph Krueger, the Southampton chairman, said that a review of the season will take place next week, but some fans have already turned against Puel, who succeeded Ronald Koeman last summer. Puel led the club to the EFL Cup final, in which they lost to Manchester United, and eighth place in the Premier League — two places below where they finished last season — with one game to go.

Have we ever had 4 players in the opposition box this season?

This is the crux of the matter. You have literally been watching a different team, both in personnel and style.

Those that don't go to games remember league position, those that do remember the awful football.

I take it that you don't go to home games and haven't paint nearly £1500 to watch the clouds go by because they're more interesting. As far as 'hanging on a thread' is it not possible that something hase been mutually agreed but not yet announced?

Professional footballers would much rather play competitive games than do training instead.

Until the manager is replaced. Then, once they've all renewed, the problem is kicked down the road for a season.

Unless it's a short term protest.

I've just watched the recording and it seems to me that Dean got the decision right. First contact is outside and as Bailly falls backwards into the area the ball runs off his arm. Nobody would have complained about a free kick on the edge of the area though.

I have heard similar from my neighbour last night. He said something about a deadline extension until June. Any truth in this?

This is the problem with bare statistics. A shot that just misses the post is weighted the same as an attempt from 30 yards that goes ten feet over the bar. I think the word we used was 'effort' and that was a very poor effort.

He obviously forgot that it was against Man U Strange decision though. Even from my position it looked comfortably outside and we were always told not to give a penalty unless you were more than certain.

Claude was going ballistic in the first half urging them all to get further upfield. The booing was not at JWP but because he was being taken off, as I understood it.

Cedric was struggling all game ever since he got clattered in their penalty area first half.

Ooooh I'd love a twinge in my groin.

That depends on what happens to Puel, if he were to leave. If he's straight into another job then he'll likely come looking for players with whom he's worked before. All managers are the same.

Much better last night and created lots out of nothing but he still doesn't seem to be an integral part of the team.

No. If the whistle hasn't gone you can let play run on a bit to see if there's an advantage. For what little it's worth, I thought it was outside the box but I haven't seen a replay. The ref looked over to his assistant who wisely kept out of it before pointing to the spot. It's strange but these 'questionable' penalties often end up not being converted.

We played at times like a group of unknowns playing their first game together. Short passes going astray, players not where othere expected them to be, a general lack of cohesion. Things picked up in the secondhalf and then Mourinho's nasty gamesmanship took the sting out of the game just as we were starting to build up a head of steam and sorry Eddie, Targett had several opportunities to put in a good cross and mucked it up every time. He got skinned down the wing in the seconf half and had to be reminded of his duties by Redmond and others. Not bad for a return after a long injury but not what was needed on the night.

And without them for the whole of next season

Quite a few regular STS missing near me in the central Kingsland. At one stage the whole row behind was empty.

Good player with a great future. As a central defensive partnership though he and Yoshida are often both go for the same player and get pulled out of position leaving a hole in our centre.

They're both attempts in my view. The flag didn't got up for Rodriguez so a goal would probably have stood. Like most of us the Assistant Ref down below us spent most of the game looking at his watches.

Thanks for sharing. All a bit late for me but if I needed somewhere to lie down for a nap in the afternoon I'll know where to look