Saint Charlie

Amazed he hasnt been on loan before. Really encouraging performance today. Has always had many good attributes and his kicking is excellent. Whether he plays next week or not who knows but once FF is back get him out on loan and if he does well then great!

So Ronald has said if we sign anyone in Jan then it will be a striker and after Ron said Pelle needs injections in his knee to play then it would seem like a good idea. What sort of striker would people target attribute wise? Obviously you want someone who can score goals (!) but for me we should be looking at someone who has a physical presence to help link with Tadic and Mane but who is more mobile than Pelle and can occassionally stretch defences in behind. Probably for what we will spend there isn't anyone like that though. Austin is often mentioned here but allegedly wants monster wages (and lucratively is a free agent in the summer) plus RK said he is too expensive. Does he also fit our style and link well enough with players around him?

Especially as Pelle is having injections in his knee to be able to play.

I don't think so, but if we don't pick up more than 3 points in the next say 4 or 5 then we could get sucked in. Still have lots of quality, just not playing well and very reliant on the form of 1 or 2 players to get results. Glad we have the points we do though and not 5 or 6 less. Could use a couple of back to back wins soon and maybe one good Jan signing.

I love Boruc - what a guy!

@JacquiOatley: Koeman: "Pelle was not fit enough to start. He's been struggling for several weeks with a knee injury. He needs an injection". #saintsfc

Why has he not featured of late? He was meant to be a key signing yet hasn't made an impact. The fact he isn't playing is indicative of the problem - we need someone with his attributes but he isn't being selected, presumably as he has been somewhat exposed when he has played.

Koeman saying performance was "very positive" and the wind was a big factor. Hmmm.

I don't blame Koeman a great deal, although some odd recent selections. You cannot keep selling your best players and replacing with leaser quality and expect to improve. Schneiderlin over the last three years was probably our key player in terms of how we played and despite knowing for at least a year that he was going we haven't replaced him in any reasonable way. Clyne also extremely reliable in defence, always fit etc and we have Cedric who has potential but only plays 90mins in 50% of our matches. This season was always going to be harder than last and our summer business (ins and outs) was 5/10 at best and most of the positives of that was down to the signing of Van Dijk.

Thats what those examples are! Jesus. In any case, the thread is about Long not Jay Rod! And Long has been a poor signing. Imagine if we had that £12m to spend in Jan!

Rodriguez had numerous cracking finishes for us: Fulham, Newcastle, Spurs, Sunderland away all spring to mind plus Chelsea, Liverpool at home. Can only think of one Leicester at home PL finish from Long that I thought was tidy. Obviously scores the long shot versus Villa too. Actually...cannot believe its even a debate tbh. Long is a poor finisher hence his poor goal record.

He is. Has never scored more than 7 PL goals in a season. Scored in 3 games last season of the 32 he featured in.

That was meant to be Clasie. He has been a massive disappointment, especially as Morgan was so good and effective in our side - he needed replacing in some form and the Club seem to have failed to adequately do it.

Weird tactics, weird selection and another poor display, Gazzaniga aside. Have totally lost the pressing, tempo and energy we used to have. Poor summer signings mean we aren't better than lots of teams we were superior to last year. Others have improved and we have made ourselves worse being trying to be too clever in the transfer market. Top 10 seems a bit of a way off considering upcoming fixtures. Very disappointing, and fans becoming disillusioned with the team which is never good. Only a short time ago we had academy players playing, 5 Eng Intls etc and a lot of positive feeling about the club. Even the press conferences are so negative now and negativity breeds.

Long showing today when you need a chance taking that he isn't the man. Not good enough.

You give yourself a chance though. Reed etc were very smug last season when the signings made all the player sales look like an excellent plan. The summer signings this year have been largely poor and mostly only to replace players we lost. Other clubs have added and it shows. Thats all. You can't expect to be better than the likes of Palace, Stoke, WH just because we were last year.

I think people just care and say what they see. Its far easier to make excuses.

Other sides like Stoke, Palace, WH have moved forwards. We haven't kept up.

Cabaye isn't a number 10.

Extremely disappointing lack of impact thus far when we are crying out for someone with the attributes he apparently has.

You generally find the best teams win the FA Cup. If we slip to 15th its because we are getting worse, therefore very unlikely to suddenly win a cup.

And you can delude yourself we are playing well. Its been ****. Don't be so precious.

Don't know about you but I hope we lose so I can write horrible things about the club in the post match thread.

Got to be Yoshida and Long off surely?

Mostly good first half of last season when new signings were probably less well known to opponents. 2015 not a brilliant calendar year in some ways.