BARCELONASAINT

I'm stuck at work with only the benefit of reading the comments on here so difficult to judge how things really are. However I was at the game on Wednesday and was really concerned at how poor our defence was and it appears the same is being said again today. I'm not going to say this is disastrous but I do honestly believe we are in for a terrible season because I do not believe we have done anything to address our defensive frailties. The best sides are built on a strong defence and we have one made of glass.

went to the game tonight and obviously delighted with the great turn around. However had that been a Premiership game we would have been dead and buried by H/T. WE ARE ABSOLUTELY SHOCKING AT THE BACK....I hope the new lad comes good but i'm not convinced he is any better than what we already have. In what was a very poor first half the players that stood out for me were Armstrong, Gabbi and Bertrand. Second half was so much better but lets be honest here we were playing a very ordinary Celta Vigo....but credit where credit is due the players that played in that second half put in a shift and were rewarded. Great cross for the first goal and Austin did what he does so well......if he keeps fit and we provide the service he will score goals. We need to keep Targett based on tonights performance. Was really pleased for Armstrong when he scored because he had a busy game and could be a really good player for us. I have said it from day one that Gabbi is the most intelligent of our strikers and he looked very good tonight. Long was just bloody awful, Romeu and Davis were ponderous. I really want MoEly to be that jewel in our crown and he did show some nice touches and finished the rebound well but overall I was disappointed in what i saw of him.....but it is early days and he is bedding in. All in all great comeback and plenty of positives.....but i'm still massively concerned when teams attack us.

what a goal by Slattery!!!

I know the friendlies so far have been all about fitness and Mark Hughes getting a real feel for the squad but i for one am worried. I've seen nothing so far from these friendlies that tells me things will be different from last season. We put 2 past an extremely poor Dijon.......not exactly inspiring stuff! I look at our current squad and look at who i would fear as an opposition player.......at the moment i see nothing that would worry me. I'm going Wednesday night and really hope i see something that will make me feel a bit positive about the new season.

when Ings signed for Liverpool there was a firm offer on the table from Saints also. Ings has a straight decision to make between us and them.....however it was not a simple decision at the time because Ings is particularly close to his sister and her kids who live here in Hampshire and because of reasons i won't go into and are personal Ings was really torn which to choose. I happened to just be in the right place at the right time back then to get this first hand info and it was just a question of luck with my job. I said it back then and i will say it again now.....I believe there is far too much baggage involving Ings for us to take a punt on him without even taking into account his in juries!!!

I've thought about this for quite along time before posting my thoughts. Like many on here there were times during the last 2 seasons that i would have happily seen the back off Tadic....looked uninterested, no stomach for the fight and seemed to start every game no matter how ineffective he had been for weeks on end. However there is no disputing that on his day he is brilliant and the one genuine creative player we have.....the only player that POTENTIALLY comes close is Boufal and i'm convinced he does not have the temperament for the Premiership. So why are we allegedly selling him? Not sure anyone on here knows the real answer to that and it is just speculation that the club has decided to cash in on the player. However it could easily be that Tadic has expressed a desire to move on and his heart is no longer in it. Personally i'm not against him going and i honestly believe he has lost his mojo and wants a fresh challenge. If Saints can make a profit on him i will be happy but i would want the money invested a replacement. I do think some fans are way too quick in assuming it is always the club just trying to make a fast buck and that players never want to go.....I think the last few seasons have shown that when a player decides it's time to move on NOTHING can stop it......and please don't even go there with the Van **** saga.

I honestly hope he stays and Hughes recognises he is the most gifted of all our strikers. If we can once again play attacking football with good service to Gabby in the box he will score a hatful. He has been utterly wasted by the previous idiot of a manager.

i really wasn't sure who i wanted to win the game.....i hate them both. However my hatred for Liverpool shone through and it wasn't long before i was cheering FIRST SALAH going off and then the keeper being more generous than Santa Claus. Full credit to Bale though......i said to my Liverpool supporting mate 2 hours before kick off "If Bale plays you will lose, he been on fire"....hey presto!

I have a real problem here!!!!!........I bloody hate Liverpool but i also nearly vomit at the thought of Real winning. Whoever wins.....I lose!!

I personally hope he stays. IMHO he is the best striker at the club and miles better than what we other options we have. I think it was shocking how he was treated by the clueless so called manager.

so we live to fight another day......It really is the hope that kills you.....off to Cuba now for the next 14 days.....our fate will probably be known by the time i get back. Internet in Cuba is really poor, i'm not sure if i'm relieved about that or not!

can you imagine we had lost yesterday and Bournemouth had just all but sent us down while securing their own Premiership survival. Some idiots might just have used it as an excuse to cause merry hell and we would have all been criticising the police for not being prepared! Prevention is better than having to deal with the after effects of some riot.

ummmm, you have said it in those last few words........the players have given up and some of them gave up months ago. There are far too many just happy to collect a pay packet.

That was an awful performance from a shocking team that will deservedly be relegated. First half was full off missed passes, no support for our two strikers.....whats the point off playing two up front if the plan is to park the bus for the entire 45 minutes?? Second half slightly better but lets face it it couldn't have been much worse. They totally deserved to win it and we can have no complaints. Will be so glad when we are eventually put out of our misery....it's the hope that kills!

It is very sad to see thousands of tickets unsold for a cup semi final at Wembley.....however this is all the clubs doing going for cheap crap options which have royally backfired and given us fans two seasons of dire football. It's my duty weekend at work....yes i could have got someone to swap but do you know what.....i cannot be arsed, i am so disinterested and thats after over 45 years of supporting the club. I'm not even going to bother asking to finish an hour early so i can get home in time for the game....... After over 45 years am i bad fan?.....NO!...Just one very ****ed off fan.

not logged onto here pretty much since the West Ham debacle. Totally understand why there is so much apathy towards this game and i don't blame any fan that has decided not to waste their hard earned money on what will be another very expensive day to watch our team......after all what have the players given us all season....NOTHING...IN BUCKET LOADS!!!!

I have no idea if the second half got better or not as i turned the game off after the 3rd goal. The American commentary team couldn't believe how gutless we were and i was absolutely ashamed to be a Saints fan. I won't be sorry to see any of that starting 11 **** off at the end off the season the spineless bastards!.....with maybe the exception of the keeper. There is no way on gods earth i am wasting my money by buying a semi final ticket only to watch us get stuffed!

absolutely shocking performance 3-0 down to this lot.......i really give up with this bunch of players

If i'm honest i don't think a change in manager now will make any difference. It has been left too late to suddenly expect the new man to get this misfiring bunch to suddenly discover how to score one end and stop conceding soft goals the other end. This is too little too late i'm afraid. However i will cling onto the tiny grain of hope that we can suddenly be something we haven't been able to be ALL season....a decent side capable of winning games!

Definitely not my choice of manager but beggars can't be choosers and if he keeps us up that is all that matters. Would love to be in that changing room when he tells the likes of Tadic to take his boots off and get out!.....He will demand fighters and if he has been watching any of our games he will know exactly who needs a firm kick up their arses!

I realise we may not have many options available to us and HUGHES may be what is available. Really dislike the guy and do not want him anywhere near our club and will not be happy if we appoint him....I honestly do not think he is the answer long term. That said i will understand if we appoint him and he will get my support.......i will hope it is not a long term appointment!

I am as delighted as the rest of my fellow Saints fans that at LONG LONG last the board have acted.....too late?....we will see, but at least now i feel there is hope where there was none before. My biggest fear now is who the replacement is....the news being touted about is they want the new guy in by the weekend, it's not Silva and they want a manager with Premiership experience....hmmmm I don't want ANYONE but MP....so that includes Mark Hughes who i absolutely hate and don't want anywhere near our club....I honestly do not believe he is the answer (certainly not long term). Who else?....well i'm struggling....but i do think they have already sounded out whoever it is!

I have said from day one that we has a class striker in Gabbi and for the life of me i cannot understand what our duck wit manager has been doing not playing to his strengths. The way he took his goal yesterdays showed what we have been missing. We have been missing that attacking edge to our game for months because we have lacked pace in our attacking build ups. Hey presto and duck wit puts Sims on who completely changes things, not only as a genuine goal threat but also as a provider for others. We have come to the point in our season when Mopo has to go for it now and develop a backbone. We have to attack Stoke from the start next week and have players that will cause their defence problems...Sims has to start for me as well as Gabbi. I really like Prowsey but he is too lightweight for the game against Stoke. C'mon MOPO show some bloody guts and set up an attacking side....Stoke are there for the taking!

I'm in two minds about this game......our Premiership survival is all that should matter and we should not be risking and normal starting 11 player who is not 110% fit.......on the other hand winning and advancing in the cup could give the players a much needed confidence boost that they can still win games and CAN avoid the drop when it comes to league games.....Sod it, play our strongest side and bloody win!!!

Thought i would wait until the morning before posting my thoughts. Very poor start to the game, Liverpool were all over us pressing and making us make mistakes. Our 2 CB's are Championship standard and nothing more and the first goal perfectly illustrated this. After that goal we actually got better and started to give Liverpool problems and we looked like the team that would score the next goal.....then bang that killer second goal, the movement was excellent in the build up and clinically put away. The moment that second goal went in the game was over and you could visibly see that on the players faces. There was no belief that they could get back into the game and that played out in the second half. I have no idea why Lemina was taken off??...He was our best player by a country mile that first half. If we can play like we did for the first 45 minutes for the rest of the season then we have a chance of staying up.