ant

Worth noting that Jelert made a really good run to get into a position to make the assist. Don't worry - we'll soon coach that out of him.

I'm so sick of watching us turn attack into defence.

Let's see how the precious darlings react, then...

In a 4-2-3-1 you're not actually that reliant on the full backs being strong defensively, as the central midfielders are the first line of defence. CDMs are a protective layer for the defenders, and recycle the ball for the attackers. They're not necessarily expected to contribute much to the latter. At the top, top level you may have some that can play box-to-box and, say, chip in with goals. But it's a bonus rather than necessity. Scienza, Azaz, Fellows and Armstrong are our prime sources of goals and assists. So let them get on with that. If nothing else Fellows would more frequently find himself in better positions to get on the attack, rather than starting deep - as he sometimes has to. Seems a better, more pragmatic fit to the personnel we currently have, rather than trying to shoehorn a club philosophy at all costs.

This daftness stood out. 2 goals and 5 assists in 17 appearances (only 9 of which he played more than an hour). A cameo role, but a key one.

While I understand the club doesn't want to loan in Premier League players (with the view that you have to spend to stand still), I increasingly feel frustrated by that logic. By my count we only have Jelert and Long on loan - neither of which making the matchday squad. That essentially leaves 5 loan slots we could make use of to improve the starting XI and/or bench. Perhaps we ought to make strides towards securing promotion before worrying about us not owning the players that spur us there? Also, we don't have to be sentimental about any loan players that do us a service. Like with Ryan Fraser after Martin got us promoted - thank him very much, send him a case of champagne and move on...

Our 'start fast' tactics are either no longer in place or have been found out - and when we can't do that, we flounder. Doesn't help when every sub makes us weaker, rather than giving us a boost or galvanising. Truly grim.

We made almost no effort to win it, and have reaped what we deserve. Overall quality? Awful. Zero plan, zero cohesion, zero clue. Colour me concerned.

Fellows starting.

Yep, did that one as well. The famous Craven Cottage 'neutral' blocks were right next to our away support, and were almost entirely Saints fans. I'd not been quick off the mark with getting tickets so was in that neutral area - but only across a set of stairs from our lot. It was indeed an excellent, sustained rendition of OWTS. When we were losing, some old boy next to me was calling Adkins all sorts. I told him not to be so wet, and he grabbed me by the scruff of the neck, ha.

Cardiff away in 2013. Made further memorable by driving there from my then-girlfriend's dad's house - inside Whipsnade Zoo. A commanding 0-3 victory, whilst the Cardiff fans were protesting their ownership. I remember it as being Gazzaniga's first clean sheet, though further research suggests he got one in 2012-13 - i.e. the season beforehand. A Poch team, containing prime Schneiderlin, Lallana, Rodriguez and Lambert. Good times.

It started in a Chapel, in 1885, I loved them as a nipper, I'll love them 'til I die, Le Tissier's our king, and Micky Channon too, Our saviour Markus Liebherr, we'll sing this song for you, Allez allez allez, Allez allez allez, Allez allez allez, Allez allez allez.

I'm late 30s. And whilst we really ought to have added to our major trophies during my lifetime, reading this thread makes me realise I've done alright out of big memories. For me, it'll take some doing to beat the Coventry match that secured promotion under Adkins. The thumping result itself, in such a crucial match; The feeling of being BACK, after nearly ceasing to exist; The celebrations at the final whistle, and long into the night; Being there with my uncle, who's the reason I support Saints in the first place - he used to cart me around to home & away games as a kid.

Just checked the ticket app on my phone and it's the same scenario. The main 'Southampton FC' app now has a My Tickets tab, claiming digital tickets will soon be hosted there. But seems odd to blow up the existing solution before implementing the replacement.

Last night felt like odd timing. On reflection today, I wonder whether SR feared that if we fail to recover from Millwall, they'll lose the (evidently fragile) fan support RE: Tonda? They do seem extremely reactive and insecure about criticism from the stands. If that's wide of the mark, then why act on the eve of the match rather than at any other point of the week?

This feels correct. If we're going with Eckert, we need to give him some form of security and to protect ourselves from potential poachers. Whilst finding the balance of not going OTT. It's not a terrible gig for your first managerial job... I wonder whether he'd be amenable to an incentivised mid-term contract, with a performance-related automatic extension?

Wouldn't you be more concerned if there was zero discourse about Eckert and his methods? He's undoubtedly staking his claim, but there remains risk factors in making him permanent. And - perhaps - risk factors if we don't. It's a bigger conversation than any single result. Especially when that has its own thread.

I'm not arguing against playing it around at the back, but the key (which it isn't clear from your word soup whether you're for or against) is how the ball is subsequently used. If it's played along the rearguard as a method of pulling the opposition hither and thither, that's great. But if it then goes forward at a glacial pace - and/or includes unnecessary 5-yard passes to every player en route - the opposition resets, we get to the halfway line and there's nothing doing. Having watched us do the latter for all too long, I grew bloody weary of it. I don't think I was alone. Yesterday was a much more dynamic approach than we've become accustomed to.

The recycling at the back was largely inconsequential to that move. You could just as easily cut it out of the clip. It was two consecutive bold, between-the-lines passes that made it happen. Often we overplay that ball out of defence, hitting the boots of every player in-between. The speed of transitioning from defence to the halfway line was key. Keeping hold of the ball is fine. But at some point you've got to take a chance and make a beeline for the opposition box. Not every side will be as naive positionally as Charlton, but even with teams playing low blocks you've more chance with countering with pace than ponderous buildup. Is this Eckert's influence, or simply the players let off the leash? Guess we'll see.

Best we crack on with being the bullies our financial status suggests we ought to be, then.

Anybody else indulging in imagining the scenes within the Charlton dressing room as Jones combusts? 🤭

I make that 25% of Charlton's goals this season conceded in under 25 minutes. What a stat!

Gotta love an opposition sub within the first half hour. 👌

"Nathan Jones, your football is shit." 😆

Surprise surprise, top Championship players can play a bit when unshackled. Continues to feel like a black mark against Still rather than any mega advert for Eckert. IMO.