SaintBobby

Really, really good second half. I'm one of those who'd long since written off J Rod, so serve me up some humble pie.

God, we're boring. Exceptional defensive record, but hell's teeth we need some new options up front.

I'm appalled and disillusioned. We will be lucky to stay up. Shocking mismanagement.

Don't much care about the Palace game - put out the second string side for that. Tonight - and next week's Europa League game - are much more important. Play our best players tonight and on Dec 8th and give them the weekend off if necessary.

Even on the basis of the little we have seen of Boufal so far, I am confident he is up to the League One standards of Sadio Mane.

Basically, yes. Boufal is the Mane replacement. We haven't replaced Pelle though (other than treating J-Rod as a "new signing")

Que sera sera 3-0!

So, Maya at RB.

Where did we find this Puel guy from? I'd never heard of him until he was in the frame to be manager. I'm now pleased Koeman left. We are a very canny club with a very smart manager.

Identify and ban the morons involved. Hooliganism is under control now. It's not perfect. But we now talk about if it's okay for ****ed Saints fans to toss beer bottles into a canal in Milan. Not how many people have been stabbed or arrested.

I think Puel has got the rotations about right, but I can understand why the media are obsessed with it. Essentially, it provides a talking point about how seriously you're taking a particular game - given that in many instances, you're actually choosing NOT to field your best starting XI. I presume that if the Inter match had been a "do or die" and the Man City match a total irrelevance, then certainly Fonte and very probably Austin would have started in Milan. We still fielded a strong team and were unlucky to lose, but it does provide storylines about the balance of priorities in the manager's mind and that's fair game IMHO, even if it does become a tad repetitive.

Not sure I question this. But obviously our aspirations are higher than 3 or 4 years ago. Plus we have (at least) six Europa games. So, I still think lack of depth rather than lack of quality is what will bite us.

Nope, I'm suggesting 5 centre backs and 3 CFs. I guess the definition of a CF changes, but Long, Redmond, Boufal and even J-Rod are sort of winger/forwards. As far as I'm aware, you can register more than 22 players, so on average you'd expect to have more than 2 per position. A squad of 22 wld be very light indeed. (I also think youth players don't count towards the total, if my memory serves, so Hesketh and Olomola can stay in the squad). A back up player who can play right back would be useful. Am not adverse to having a utility back-up player who can cover a number of bases (didn't Jack Cork play in about 5 different positions for us?). I stick to the view that out biggest problem isn't quality, it's squad depth. Doubly so if we progress in Europa and put together a cup run.

I think we're one injury from a crisis up front. It's also a mystery to me that we only have 4 established CBs in the squad (compared to 3 keepers and 3 right backs). If Pied is out for the season, we probably need RB cover too. I don't have any names in mind - but, against our usual recruitment policy, I'd look for established players in their 30s to bring in on loan to cover CB, CF and RB positions.

I think we're one injury from a crisis up front. It's also a mystery to me that we only have 4 established CBs in the squad (compared to 3 keepers and 3 right backs). If Pied is out for the season, we probably need RB cover too. I don't have any names in mind - but, against our usual recruitment policy, I'd look for established players in their 30s to bring in on loan to cover CB, CF and RB positions.

If we have to win 2 and lose 1 of the next three games, I'd chose to win against Sunderland and Inter and lose to Chelsea. However, there has to be a good chance we'd beat Sunderland with a second/third string side.

If we have to win 2 and lose 1 of the next three games, I'd chose to win against Sunderland and Inter and lose to Chelsea. However, there has to be a good chance we'd beat Sunderland with a second/third string side.

Bumping this thread in the interest of truth. Certainly based on the last few games.

Bumping this thread in the interest of truth. Certainly based on the last few games.

Agree he is very unlikely to return. But I think it's a real shame when very good players get buried in some mega-club's reserve team. I guess he might move on to Monaco or some other French team, no?

Agree he is very unlikely to return. But I think it's a real shame when very good players get buried in some mega-club's reserve team. I guess he might move on to Monaco or some other French team, no?

Really pleased with that. The Saints defence really is superb. Romeu just ahead of Fonte and Virgil is so solid.

....your pace in a crowded place And they don't know what to do Cos....something something something....

Is anyone actually going to this?

Annoying injury for Bertrand...especially if hamstring....