derry

Adam Lallana was very quickly dropped by the England system, I wonder why that was, after being promoted as a unique player that was a natural to play in the hole. In a football world where the best teams require more than cameo appearances, he may well find that the pinnacle of his career is as a part time first team squad member in a poor premier club. Alternatively a selection of lesser clubs. Unless the lad harnesses his undoubted ball skills to a disciplined approach he will experience similar treatment to the Under 21's. I would prefer him to do that with us but I don't think it will happen. If that is the case then the sooner a decent left sided player is brought in the better. We lack an attacking central midfielder at the moment but I'm not sure he could do that job. The only place other than that is as a second striker and Connolly looks a much more lethal striker. If we are to win promotion next year probably one third to a half of the present team won't be with us in February 2011. The present team still isn't nearly good enough despite some decent results. You only seem to post on Lallana issues and are never objective just defensive. You never objectively and persuasively argue his case on technical issues but criticise the posters in a disparaging way. If you think his technical and team skills are so good, an explanation as to why he doesn't track back and cover his full back and justify how the way he plays makes it easier for teams to counter our other threats and attack us down our left side. We are losing games because of it.

I'd like to see that team play, one final position to try Lallana in.

I think it was Swindon, Bmth & Bosc, Reading, QPR in 1956.

If we sort the dual problem of a proper left midfielder and a proper right back I think the centre could well take care of itself.

He looked pretty decent for Grimsby against Leeds, who played their best attack. The own goal was a deflection off him whilst trying to block a cross shot from Gradel. (He would be a cracking left midfielder for us)

I would still play Jaidi but with a proper right back.

The lack of a proper quickish left midfielder, a right back that is too slow to cope with nippy attackers. I will say that if the talent of Lallana could be coupled with the discipline to provide the necessary wide left that would be the best result. If he won't play as a proper left midfielder then I think it is only a matter of time before they try him somewhere else or replace him. The left midfielder would double up with Harding and give us width and depth in defence. A better right back would give the central defenders more support. The two together would strengthen us immeasurably. Against Brighton our lack of threat down the left allowed the defence to double bank our pacy right midfielder, that made it very difficult for us to get back in the game.

There was a lot wrong with our lack of a left midfield and a right back lacking the pace to be effective when taken on by wide players. That exposed our two central defenders. Brighton won nearly all the second ball but I think our lopsided shape allowed them to do that.

What is predictable is Lallana's representative on this site leaping in with a remark that has nothing to do with objectivity, but because somebody has the temerity to criticise aspects of his game that are causing the team to lose matches. If Adam Lallana doesn't come to terms with disciplined team play he will in the not too distant future be dispensed with. When he leaves Southampton in the foreseeable future he will find it even more difficult at a higher level to be a free spirit and have a free role. I am not anti to Lallana but I am disappointed that he appears unable or unwilling to put his undoubted ability to one side at times and fulfill the requirement to protect his fullback. That also allows the opposing defence to compact, play narrow and curb the real threat of the pace of our right midfield. Many talented players who indulge themselves and were not prepared to bend to the teams needs, have in the end become journeymen playing mostly reserve team football, being seen as a luxury that isn't required for the good of the team.

We didn't play 4-4-2 against Brighton. We played 4 at the back, three in the middle - 2 centre midfielders and a wide right, two up front and Lallana all over the place. We were narrow had no real shape, no threat from the left, allowed the defence to compact and double bank Antonio, it also left Harding exposed as our only left sided player whist Lallana showboated wherever he felt like. James lack of pace and an overworked left back, caused our centre backs to have too much to do against two quick strikers. Until Lallana or somebody else plays like a proper left midfielder in front of Harding it doesn't matter a damn what formation the other players play. We need to play a proper formation whatever it is without a single player doing their own thing. Brighton and Bristol Rovers exploited it and won't be the last.

He did top the Sky fans poll for the managers job. I wonder how that happened:rolleyes::smt074

The 4-4-2 certainly didn't force Lallana to stay wide left, he was hardly ever wide left and played all over the place. Mellis for Connolly you have got to be joking. Leaving Connolly out I can understand for 4-5-1 but Mellis is an unproductive tyro lightweight.

I think it's a case of the manager not rating him. He's playing tonight for the reserves.

Exactly where I'm coming from Bill. I watched the game live then came home and watched a recording from the opposite side. Knowing what I was looking for and being able to stop the game and look at multiple replays and stills really just reinforced that view.

I think we have a problem with Lallana, we want to play him but have to fit him in warts and all hoping that the positives outweigh the negatives. Mills doesn't have the touch to play wide midfield his belted crosses are too difficult to get on the end of. There is no doubt he will track back but two full backs down the left isn't the answer either. The only place left to try Lallana is alongside Hammond in centre midfield he has tried everywhere else. If I was the opposition I would be delighted to exploit the hole down our left.

Harding was trying to mark two players as there was nobody in front of him tracking back. James is so slow he can't keep up with attackers and just allows them to run by him as per the third goal yesterday. When the winger checked back he lost him for pace and the ball was squared for Croft to belt it in. The centre backs were having too much to do because James is poor defensively and Harding was marking two. That allowed the nippy strikers to get between and behind them for the first two goals. We badly need to sort out our wide areas, a proper right back and somebody in front of Harding, either Lallana or a proper left midfielder.

George Kirby wasn't at Saints very long at all that's why I wouldn't count players like that. He didn't do a lot when he was here. George O'Brien was as close as you would get to a legend for me 180 goals, 2 every 3 games and one of my favourite players. Ron Davies at the time he played for us in the first division, was arguably one of the best strikers in the world at the time, he could have gone anywhere but didn't, that's what makes him stand out. Derek Reeves was a very hit and miss player, scored 45 in one season but Sydenham, Paine, O'Brien and Mulgrew/Clifton were a pretty lethal combination. He missed a hundred more. Good club man but no legend.

I realise that, they only had three the previous week. If clubs who can afford the players are allowed 7 they will have 7 on the bench or even 11 if allowed. Reducing the number and having a competitive standard regional reserve league made up of primarily senior players not in the first team would I'm sure be of more benefit than the present situation. If they got rid of loans it would be the only way to get games.

You are absolutely right in all respects. The transfer windows are a ludicrous joke, as are loans. What is needed is a proper reserve team structure with all but the selected first team playing on a Saturday together with a reduction of the first team substitute requirement from 7.

Charlie Wayman wasn't at Saints very long so I wouldn't class him as a legend, his best years were elsewhere. Which Kirby?

That might be but I've seen them all since 1954 and include Shilton, Keegan, Armstrong, Benali, etc.etc but would still only class those 5 as legends. Apart from being outstanding international class players, they were intensely loyal to Saints and apart from a winding down of careers played mainly for Saints in their prime.

Irvine was also on Sky and said much the same thing. Trotman seemed to be a key player up until then. All of a sudden he is left out for the Charlton game and substituted yesterday. It may well be that we wanted him to stay but he has decided to go back and that has damaged the relationship.

Legends, for me Terry Paine, Ron Davies, Mick Channon and Matt LeTissier all the other names were great servants. Ted Bates is in a class all of his own, player, coach and arguably the best manager of all time bearing in mind the supporters gave him £1000 to buy his first player and where he took us.

The fact that Lallana doesn't fill the left midfield position and roams all over the place IS the problem. The first goal was because Harding was on his own, Brighton bypassed him and the cross was turned in. It also allowed Brighton to get two players double banking Antonio. If Lallana played left midfield it would stop teams from compacting our right side and stretch them out. Given a choice of Lallana using his abilities and filling the left side or carrying on the way he is, or replacing him with a proper left midfielder I would take the first option then the third.

I admire Adam Lallana's ball skills, but our left side is an open door and wherever Lallana plays, here or somewhere else he isn't going to be able to do his own thing for much longer. Before we can move forward up the leagues the wide left and right back positions need sorting with or without Lallana.