saintant

Always disappointing to lose but on reflection I thought we were a tad unlucky today. I accept we perhaps should have gone for the jugular in the first half but overall there is no doubt we deserved to get something from the match. It was just one of those games where we probably didn't quite get the run of the ball whereas Hull scored two good goals against the run of play and apart from that did very little offensively. It was a smash and grab really and we've won matches ourselves in the same manner - it happens. I don't think we should be overly critical of the manager or the team as they put a shift in after a tough game three days ago and created the better situations but in the end it was Hull's day. There are no easy games, every team has some qualities and yes, Hull took the points on this occasion but we were undoubtedly the side that showed far more quality. In football luck plays a part and today they had more than us - we fought back after the shock of conceding the two quick goals and created chances but didn't get the rub of the green. Not the end of the world and I'm sure the players are as disappointed as we are but they put the effort in so we can't ask for more than that.

So with squad rotation it seems that some would advocate you can play as poorly as you like and still get a game just to make up the numbers. What a strange concept.

Don't get why anyone would pick Clasie based on his recent performances.

Clasie is not good enough for the Prem in my opinion. I've watched him closely in the last two league games and his contrubition has been sadly lacking. He seems to patrol areas in the midfield where he almost knows he won't receive the ball or have to engage opponents. His passing is nearly always short and without any risk, he does not make anything happen offensively. To sum up he is a player who I believe realises he's out of his depth and so hides making him somewhat of a passenger - unfortunately you cannot carry passengers at this level.

Romeu! What a player. He ran, harried, intercepted, tackled, read danger, headed, broke up play and used the ball with intelligence. A superb holding midfield player. Compare and contrast with Man Utd v Chelsea - who was their holding midfield player, did they even have one? Time and again Chelsea walked through and engaged the Utd back four unopposed. How do Utd possibly leave out a player like Morgan? - they paid all that money for him, it's clear that they need a holding midfield player and yet they waste his talents. Hats off to Romeu who just seems to get better and better.

Romeu! What a player. He ran, harried, intercepted, tackled, read danger, headed, broke up play and used the ball with intelligence. A superb holding midfield player. Compare and contrast with Man Utd v Chelsea - who was their holding midfield player, did they even have one? Time and again Chelsea walked through and engaged the Utd back four unopposed. How do Utd possibly leave out a player like Morgan? - they paid all that money for him, it's clear that they need a holding midfield player and yet they waste his talents. Hats off to Romeu who just seems to get better and better.

I'd like to know how many minutes Charlie Austin has played for us - I would imagine his goals per minutes ratio is pretty impressive.

First thirty five minutes was dire. Then there was a light-bulb moment when we suddenly realised we needed to get our two full backs higher up the pitch. Bertrand started it and this led to Austin's goal which he took sublimely. Second half, with West Ham having to come out and both full backs bombing on, we tore them apart and could easily have scored six. Brilliant assist from Austin for Tadic - not many players could have picked out and executed that deft pass, it was pure quality. I'm not JWPs biggest fan but he did take his goal very calmly - when some might have lashed at it he tucked it neatly into the bottom corner. Bertrand MoM for me. That second half was very encouraging. As for West Ham, they look a shadow of the side they were last season but I think Slaven will sort them out eventually.

Arsenal's first goal should have been disallowed for dangerous play - two of our players tried to head the ball clear but were faced with Koscielny's flyng boot. Spectacular finish that it was under the laws of the game today it constituted an act of dangerous play. In Europe you only have to raise your foot above knee height. The penalty was of course even worse. Does anyone doubt that had we cleared the ball and broke towards Arsenal's goal Madeley would have stopped play to allow treatment to Koscielny for an obvious head injury. Yet, because Arsenal were attacking he blatantly chose to ignore the rules of the game, let them play on and then compounded his error by harshly awarding a penalty for a tangle between Fonte and Giroud which could have been called either way. The fact that there was a long delay for the penalty kick while Koscielny received treatment says it all really. One of the most blatantly biased pieces of refereeing I've ever seen. Disgraceful and Madeley should be taken to task over it and forced to explain his decision to representatives of our club.

Will never play for the senior England team let alone captain them.

Any stats on how many of those shots have seriously troubled the opposition 'keeper? My guess is that it would be extremely few.

No pal, was thinking of the 18 games we won, plus the draws and even some defeats where we could easily have taken three points given the rub of the green.

You can't polish a turd and I don't believe we can make this diamond sparkle. it's clear that the players do not buy into it - if in doubt watch VVDs interview after today's tepid affair. Last season Saints gave the impression that they could give any team a run for their money and beat most of them and so it proved. I fear this is going to be a season where we wonder where the next win is coming from and we go into matches not expecting wins. It is evident that confidence is not high and we look beaten almost before we kick off. Where are the smiles, the swagger and the team spirit?

Some people keep banging on about how many shots we've had as though this is some indication of how well we must be playing. A better indication is to look at how many of those shots were genuine chances and did not result in goals due to bad misses - it will be very few.

Heat-maps do not score goals or win you points or affect your league position. If you're going to change your system at least change it to something that work. Madness by those making the decisions.

I can answer that - it doesn't work in the Premier League. Might be ok in France but that's not where we play.

How do you have 0.7 or 0.3 of a shot? Just asking.

Diamond system explained in three simple, easy to understand words, 'IT DOESN'T WORK'

As Harry Enfied would say, 'If Claude Puel came round my house and started spouting off about systems and said we're going to play the diamond I'd say, CLAUDE, NO!'

Can we have our football team back please. Does Puel know how to play any system but the one that doesn't work? If not we are deep in the mire and it's all our own making.

Diamond might work in tippy tappy tepid French football but is is not suited to the cut and thrust of the 100mph Premier League. If it aint broke don't fix it is a good maxim but for some crazy reason we've decided to abandon a style of play that served us well for this turgid diamond formation. I get the feeling someone at the club has been too clever by half and it's backfired.

Predictably dull performance from a predictably dull team playing in a predictably dull formation set up by a predictably dull coach. The sign of things to come I'm afraid. Watching paint dry suddenly sounds quite exciting.

Three major things have changed from last season and that sets alarm bells ringing because it's too much upheaval - those three things are the manager, the playing system and the squad which is weaker for the loss of Mane, Wanyama and Pelle. I can't fathom out why we had to opt for a manager who was going to change the system - a high risk strategy....changing the manager was something we had no option over but we should have brought in one who was happy to play our way to give continuity. If we are not careful we will find ourselves playing catch-up and to make the diamond work I think we'll need to sign two or maybe even three quality players which I don't see us doing. I thought we prided ourselves on being a forward thinking club always operating three steps ahead but to change both the manager and system is bonkers in my book. I don't call that good planning.

Let's hope diamonds are not forever.

Play him in a system that suits him and he will bang in goals - you wouldn't buy Rooney and put him in goal!