derry

Personally I thought Stepens was a prat. Firstly he's the Captain. Secondly the minimum number of defenders in that position was two because diagonally the second defender gives one depth and allows the first defender to stop the runner without being the last man. Thirdly he wasn't bright enough to recognise that our kamikaze attacking was leaving us vulnerable to a break. A sending off against ten men wasn't too much of a problem and secondly having allowed the situation to happen through his lack of captaincy it was really the only thing he could have done to prevent the goal. I don't think he's the sharpest tool in the box and shouldn't be captain.

Still says ankle injury he's had trouble with previously.

In three league matches 5 goals 4 scored by defenders. One solitary goal from Robinson. Nothing from anyone else. It is a given that Armstrong can't play up front on his own. Downs and Stewart are a long way from being an answer. BBD has never been tried there. Archer looks lost. Bring in a dynamic big centre forward to lead the line. Unload a couple of the above. I'm not sure Azaz will come now, we really do look poor playing this way.

Playing three at the back with the players we have is a nonsense. Their slow passing sucks the life out of the team. Sideways sideways sideways diagonal to full back back to centre back into midfield lose the ball to the press. When we conceded the first goal we were caught on the break FFS with three centre backs all lacking pace. The second goal needed Stephens to be hard headed and take a last man red. Play a proper back four and counter the break. We don't need two holding midfielders and one striker or no wingers. The side lacks balance. Get back to basics 5 defensive, 5 attackers, 4 1 3 2, 4 3 3, 4 4 2, I don't care. certainly not 5 3 1 1 it's garbage and slow. Speed everything up there is no tempo or cutting edge especially with the ball continually being crossed hail mary style no wonder we lost.

About 40 years ago I flew the Southampton team to Norwich in a Fokker F27 of Air UK. If I remember correctly they lost.

It is better not to display arrogance and assumed superiority because it makes the perpetrator look a right prat if things don't go well. All I can say is no game is easy. I'm hoping for further improvement, a centre forward and a win.

I wasn't suggesting balls up to Wellington, I was suggesting missing him out and hitting the top left quarter for Robinson and Armstrong to attack the space and vice versa on the other side. I'm afraid balls to the full back invariably invites a return or square across the centre backs that's what was causing so many turnovers.

Quarshie and THB could improve their's and the team's performance immeasurably if they just stopped the short recycling and hit the ball up the lines. Most of our problems were caused by losing the ball cheaply and far too often.

I used it a bit yesterday to look at several Premier and Championship matches and all worked well on Smarters.

Sunderland hammered WHU 3-0 today. Maybe Fernandes should leave that well alone.

Playing tonight at Northampton

Still shopping in Poundland.

£35m + £8m add ons. Our quoted counter £45m + £5m easily attained add ons + 25% sell on. A long way away.

Provided Saints lower their asking price. that's the important bit. That isn't happening.

He may not have put the ball in but he played an important role in Stephen's goal. By making that run he effectvely took out Coady who was the only Wrexham defender leaving Stephens at the open far post to score.

After all the stick he has taken, Bazunu had a decent game, my man of the match for that save at 0-1, miss it and that was a defeat. Shout out for Ryan Manning, where did that come from plus a decent win and cross for the much maligned Jack Stephens at the back post. Over 75% possession, 27 shots, 47 touches in the box, hit the post, two penalty shouts one a definite shirt pull. It was all about Wrexham from the outset on Sky. I thought we were far the better team against a counter attacking team.

He's training with a group of senior players who aren't in contention to play against Wrexham. Neither is he for two reasons, he's probably not totally fit and the fall out from the transfer speculation. Furthermore the German club connections make sense as ROOF are a German agency.

If he kicks off, stick him on the subs bench for the U21's and tell him to come back and see the manager when he grows up. He can't be allowed to rock the boat. Robinson will more than fill his boots given the way he performed after Martin left. Everton can piss or get off the pot. Pay the asking price or push off.

Fernandes and Downes training today. Dibling not shown but video was fragmented.

Looking at Dibling and his according to Will Still ambivelant attitude and just getting on with it behaviour, whether the real pusher of this potential transfer is his agent trying to engineer a big profit for himself. Saints have set a baseline, Everton have a ceiling which seems below that. I can see Everton wriggling a bit but unable to agree the fee and walking away. In any event for me apart from money nothing sits right about this deal for the lad especially Everton as a destination. I can see him stagnating there. Moyes had a new manager bounce last season but there is no guarantee that they will not be struggling again, new stadium and players are no guarantee. For him maybe the best move would be to pass on this, sign a new contract and improve himself knowing a big club coming in with a big fee would open the door rather than risk his future at a club that has been a basket case for years.

Having watched his pre season I can only say that in the main he has done well. Not being a victim of the Martin obsessive system looks to have freed him up.

When it comes to good players that are valuable to us attracting big clubs at home or overseas the big scam is a loan with an option to purchase which never materialises. That way we lose a real asset and get little in return. If they're that good load up the fee and make it plain no timewasters, put up or push off.

I've taken a one connection, for laptop, tv, Firestick, iPhones, uses Smarters, only the Firestick was a bit tricky. For Smarters just log out and log back in using provided data. The chat support was very good. Paid with Paypal.

Looking at Ramsdale, I find it difficult to believe that he would want to play for a bottom six Premier League club or sit on the bench for a top ten club. I can see nothing more soul destroying than to lose week in week out whilst picking the ball out of the net. Playing for England will get more competitive and playing for a poor team or on the bench will hardly help his cause. There may be an attraction of a good financial deal living where he's happy and hopefully playing for one of the top clubs. It sounds like Dibling and his family are contented where he is but his management company wants to transfer him and make a killing. That could be resolved by the family in due course. Saints are right to demand an excessive fee. As for THB and Fernandes, we really need to keep them both. Again excessive fees should be the asking price of any enquiry.