derry

Moffi was hopeless last night, hardly touched the ball, trotted about, didn't challenge and wasn't any sort of threat. Elyonoussie mk2, No thanks.

I will say that if he got in a dominant English speaking centreback skipper/coach then he could possibly get it to work as it would supply on the field direction..

It's not the conflict that's the problem it's the three centrebacks dogma that the players know doesn't work with them for whatever reason. We know it doesn't work with them and we don't have time for this. He has to get the best out of the existing players and get in some reinforcement. Because his three at the back worked for him at Luton doesn't mean it can work here with these players. Conflict will relegate us therefore if there is conflict he has to go. We can't change the players.

Employing a manager that doesn't convince the players will end in relegation for us and the sack for Jones. The players will still be here.

I believe that we have to stop this NJ out rubbish and give the bloke a chance or we are just shooting ourselves in the foot. However if there is any truth in the rumour that the players are in conflict with Jones over how they set up he has to go. I say that because five at the back has been an absolute failure with the current squad and they are right to object. Secondly if Jones doesn't listen and imposes his system there isn't a hope in hell of winning matches. Neither will playing only those that agree with him as most of them are those that were so abysmal v Brighton. We aren't going to get in enough players to do it his way and the only way we are going to get results is if the players believe in the manager, Conversely the manager needs to convince the players. We know the three centrebacks has been a failure in the recent past, we are worse playing it. The players know that and because of that it won't work without the players being happy with it. To get a team better than the sum of the parts which we need desperately won't happen unless there is a coming together. If there is the slightest confliction he has to go because the players aren't going anywhere unless we are relegated. With 22 matches left we don't need dogma and egos we need a united effort from within the club to pull away from the threat of relegation.

Adams and Armstrong in the distant past may have scored goals but Armstrong isn't at all, worse still seems to be hiding and Adams has only four this season and misses most of his chances or doesn't get into the box enough. I've been watching Tella carefully at Burnley and he is scoring regularly now and some of his finishes are of a quality we've not seen from any Saints player. Add Elyonoussi etc playing regularly and lacking pace nowhere near scoring it would be crass to ignore him. He has a contract until June 2025 and It gives us another option we don't have at the moment.

I watched Lorient this afternoon, Although 7th in the table they looked awful and lost 0-2 at home to Montpellier who were about fifteen points behind them before the match. Moffi was hopeless, strolled around up front, gestured at closing down but never did, looked athletic but hardly touched the ball or got into a dangerous position in 95 minutes. there can be only two reasons for this in my view he isn't that good or he was staying out of it in case it spoilt his move away. Either way on what I saw, not for me.

Firstly give the guy a fair go. I didn't like either team he has selected to date. If he doesn't get what he is working with then he and we are in even deeper mire. I will say that there are many players that flatter to deceive in training but are hopeless in real games. Performances in games are the only measure of a players worth. With that in mind if he doesn't ditch the showboaters, lazy and mentally weak, and over impetuous and rash players by the time the cup games are over then it's going to be obvious to everybody he doesn't get it. Included in that are forwards despite plenty of opportunity, hiding, don't get into the goal area, spectate and miss chance after chance. Until then give the bloke a fair go because it won't take long to see the players favoured and the blend or lack of it and effort. If the players don't bust a gut now they never will. A manager stays or goes on his results. If it isn't turned around quickly it will be obvious.

A wish list is all well and good but we need two goalscorers and a powerful captain at the back. How we are going to do that I haven't a clue except any player brought in will probably be at an inflated price to get what we need. However we have to in the meantime carry out drastic surgery on the existing team. We need to stop playing as starters, Elyonoussie, Diallo, Djenepo, Lyanco, A.Armstrong for a start. Bring back Tella, Bednarek, Stephens and Smallbone to thicken the squad again. Play Bazunu, KWP, ABK, Salisu, Perrault ( Liveramento when fit ) Lavia, S.Armstrong and JWP, Edozie, Adams and Tella in a 433. That leaves Mara,CC, Walcott,, Aribo, McCarthy and Caballero plus the non starter list and the loanees to cover injuries. The squad is wafer thin because there are too many non performers. We need to play in packs closing down the ball as a team not just.single players standing off and being picked off. Play on the break quickly from back to front. Cut out Kamikaze full back attacking and play a tight defensive back four plus Lavia and JWP and get some clean sheets and goals on the break. This is the quickest team apart from JWP in the club.

Rangers press saying up to now no interest from Saints. Saying he's too erratic for the Premier. We'll see.

It took seven years, Administration, and a philantrophic billionaire to get us back up. I'd take the 0-9 every day of the week and no relegation. In any event who thinks we are going to get through the next round in either cup.

He obviously has had some good coaching from Kompany. His positional awareness and ability to come into the middle on the blindside is much improved. Unlike any of our other forwards he is lightning quick. His last two goals where he nipped in and pinched the ball as the opposing centreback chested it to the goalkeeper about three yards away. Last night a classic. Up on his own, wide on the left just inside his own half with two centre backs inside the halfway line one near, the other nearer the centre. He checked his run, stayed in his own half until the long through ball was played, burned the first defender cut inside, keeper and other defender closing down, feinted to shoot in one movement squared up the keeper and hit it into the corner from fifteen yards before the second defender could get a challenge in. We have had loads of chances this year and virtually all of them were atrociously missed. The way he is playing he is better than any forward in our first team squad and a damn sight quicker. Bring him back for the Cup.

Lyanco watched the cross coming in and could have cleaned out Lallana and the ball but did the Southampton press - stood three yards away flatfooted waiting to see what would happen next. Attack the ball you twat you're supposed to be a central defender FFS. We have no idea how to hunt in packs and play in triangles. We need to double bank on the touchlines and close off that route. The full backs need to defend first, the midfielders need to make up the pack and everybody needs to bust a gut to get back so kick the strollers out. It's bloody elementary Nathan so get it done.

Tonight Tella scored again. Came on as a sub on the hour. Yard inside his own half checked his run to stay onside took the long through ball in his stride, took the first defender out as he cut right goalside across him, then with the other defender and goalkeeper closing him down without breaking stride did a little feint opened the keeper and shot crisply iinto the corner.from about fifteen yards. 17 starts, 3 sub 8 goals 1 assist playing from the wing and coming into the centre when the play is on the other side. He Isn't the finished article but he could do a job for us He's better than anyone we've got on the books

I've watched Tella for Burnley a few times this season. He is quicker and better than anyone else in our current squad. A Armstrong, Elyonoussie, Djenepo aren't in the same class and he is getting his share of goals albeit for the top Championship side. Bring him back and while we are at it Bednarek would be better back here if we have sunk to playing Lyanco. All hands to the pump. The stronger we make the squad this month the better chance we will have.

You don't have to be a multi millionaire Premier manager to work it out. Pick the wrong team with no pace, discipline, shape or blend and the ratshit display is the result. Elyonoussie is a showboater lacking determination, steel and the courage to compete. Diallo has no idea, likewise Djenepo. Lyanco is another case of paying a budget fee for an ill disciplined, off the cuff defender that dives in, gets dragged out of position and drops his team in it with rash forward runs often losing the ball. We have better players than those like Stuart Armstrong not being picked. Those four players in the team were enough to destroy any chance of a providing a cohesive team against a cohesive team that couldn't believe their luck. The two full backs playing kamikaze football left acres of space behind them to be exploited. Neither play a disciplined defensive game. There is no chance of clean sheets. The defenders have to first and foremost defend. We aren't good enough to think of playing both full backs like wingers. JWP trotted along tracking March too far away, We need to defend in groups getting tight, snapping into the opponent with the ball, We were isolated and bypassed with no effort because we didn't defend as a team. It's all very well getting goal side but we need to recover the ball quickly as Guardiola's Manchester City and Barcelona sides did. The simple fact is the team selection was awful. We are not going to win another game unless we become a ball winning team all over the pitch. Dropping back without pressing hard doesn't cut it.

That match started badly at two o'clock when the team was announced. It was a clusterfuck waiting to happen and it happened. Lyanco, Diallo, Djenepo and Elyonoussi just aren't team players. Lyanco is a tackle away from a red card, erratic and creates no stability. Diallo tries to play off the cuff, doesn't pass, loses the ball or gives it away, can't tackle and just doesn't cover. Worse still he doesn't read the game. Elyonoussi is a lazy stroller that thinks a few showboat touches is enough. Djenepo tries hard but appears to have little idea of how to read or play the game. Bazunu should have saved the first but had no chance with the other two. McCarthy is not the answer. The first two down the left and the third from the right were down the side occupied by KWP who isn't getting tight. JWP is so out of confidence that there is no positivity from him. Adams was on his own up front he needs a partner. Edozie is a tyro but better than anyone else. Salisu was ok. Perrault gets caught forward like KWP. Play a back four, then they have to mainly defend not Kamikaze runs forward, sucking in the midfielders and creating big holes either side of the centrebacks.We need at least three proper new players, two attackers and a proper player/coach type leader organiser with a loud voice. We need to set up and be difficult to play against. S.Armstrong was a big improvement, swopping full backs made little difference, Aribo shows a tendency to trot back that needs to stop. Mara needs time on the field alongside Adams until hopefully we sign a couple of forwards who have got to be quick and have a goalscoring record. IMO Bazunu, KWP ABK MS Perrault. Until Liveramento is fit then look at it again. RL and JWP behind Edozie and S. Armstrong wide with Adams and Mara together, a non supported single striker doesn't work. It's all very well trying to pick players from the training ground but that is flawed. The deadwood will take us down, time to get ruthless.

We are getting the runaround It is a hopeless selection. Elyonoussi, Diallo and Lyanco are a waste of space. Stuart Armstrong, Bella-Kotcha and Aribo rediculously left out.

Firstly let me say against Lincoln The 69% possession came at a cost with the defenders and midfield indulging themselves in absolute garbage sideway and backwards putting up the percentage figures but often eventually giving the ball away and causing us problems caught on the break. If people are looking for a passing game this garbage isn't it. Lavia showed the way, win the ball and make incisive forward passes to attacking players breaking quickly and attacking the space behind defenders. The long ball wasn't a first reaction it was mostly because we were going backwards being pressed and eventually hitting it long. I have Adam Armstrong hiding whilst low on confidence. He needs taking out of the line and given a few games in the B team to try and rebuild his confidence, better still if he's that fragile try and swop him for Brereton with Blackburn. AMN was hopeless in possession and lethargic, better at fullback. I'm not a fan of Lyanco, I find him erratic and gives away too many fouls together with being caught in possession. Better he hits it long than being caught and giving goals away. I see KWP, BC, MS and Perrault as our best four. I don't like the way we play with three centre backs but if they do then CC rather than Lyanco. If Lavia isn't available maybe we should forget playing a holding midfelder unless maybe CC could sit in front of the back four or just play three midfielders, maybe JWP between Stuart Armstrong and Aribo with Edozie behind Adams and Mara. I'm wondering if Lyanco could play alongside Adams as another physical presence pending a proper striker touch wood. I'm not a fan of Djenepo, Diallo or Elyounoussi either. We have to get back to basics and make results all important. Playing Kamikaze in front of our own goal is a nightmare waiting to happen. If that means early long balls into a pushed up defence then so be it.

This is garbage. Two forwards, Two sideways midfielders, five defenders and a headless chicken and playing like it against a third division side. Go back to a 4-4-2, up the tempo and take Elyonoussi and Lyanco off. Give JWP and AMN a big kick up the backside neither rate a place and JWP is not improving.

Probably 1957/58 before TV and Saints in Division three. I've never seen a better goal anywhere, ever, Don Roper in the centre circle volleyed the ball so hard on a flat trajectory that it flew under the diving goalkeeper hit the steel net support at the back of the goal and rebounded down and out under the still airborne goalkeeper. I was behind the old dugout in the West Stand on the centre line. I've never seen a harder shot since, including the Great Bobby Charlton who had a rocket shot.

I know it's off the subject but I've remembered who his attitude reminds me of. Without the individual mannerisms and transparent blatant arrogance he reminded me of the great Brian Clough in his early years.

The signs were there of more dynamism with a higher tempo. Personally I think the manager did the right thing. In real time he had a look at 15 outfield players. He will be viewing plenty of videos. I'm sure he will have identifed the core and the surplus to requirement list. AMN, ABK, Caleta-Car,Salisu, Lyanco, Perraud, KWP, Livramento, Larios, Lavia, JWP, S. Armstrong, Edozie, Aribo, Adams possibly the core. Elyounoussi is a mystery, Shows some nice touches but shirks the hard yards. Doesn't make an effort to cover problems and can't tackle. I see him as a luxury we can't afford. I've had it with A.Armstrong but who's going to want him on his salary. Maybe swap him for Brereton-Diaz and send him back to Blackburn or a loan and subsidise the move. We have to get a couple of reliable goalscorers up front. Walcott looks neat and tidy but that's not enough. Mara, Djenepo,and Diallo are unreliable and on the fringe. I like the intent and the very close to the surface steely resolve. I don't think there will be any sub-hundred percenters allowed. I think we will see a totally different team after the World Cup.

SKY Nathan Jones has agreed to become Saints manager.

~That's because he kept playing El no Usey