austsaint

Would rank as the silliest post I've read for a long time. Mane may be missing a few goal opportunities at the moment; mind you some of those opportunities only he could have created, but his overall game of movement, pace, control, trickery and visionary passes are all there. Did you see the game v Arsenal Wurzel? If he goes in the summer he will be a greatly missed; a spark not easy to replace.

Mane might be missing the target lately but he's still exceptional around the park and getting himself and others into dangerous areas. One thing I've noticed about the new formation is much less attack from opposition players down our flanks and driving towards the box - the wing backs seem to be occupying the space higher up the pitch which seems to be drying up that route.

He hasn't disappeared today.

Big Vic critics must surely doff their caps to him today.

Might go back to Ole Gunnar Wotshisname - Tadic would probably disagree but he is really suited to a sub or part-of-game role.

Less than a week ago Ron was a dead man walking, apparently.

Hasn't Davo picked out a few passes today.

Both on Long.

Vic has looked committed today.

More great pace and movement by Long and Mane - both Cedric and Targett are backing up their Watford performances. Davis good in AM role. Fair play to JWP for the sublime free kick and well taken pen.

Credit where it's due - great free kick by Ward-Prowse. I'll be delighted if he can prove me wrong and build on this with an overall, influential game.

Would fit with the rumoured Pelle bye bye too.

Did you see his attempt on goal which ended in a collision with the Watford goalkeeper? No lack of commitment, and a whisker away from a brace, if not a hat trick last night.

A great performance and a vital win. I thought the midfield of Romeu, Clasie and Davis laid the foundations for the win. The three at the back were solid, in particular VVD whose aerial work was supreme and Long and Mane despite some wastefulness were a handful for Watford - Cedric and Targett played the wing back roles to perfection. Before this game gets muddled in people's memories one observation needs to be made to the posters fond of likening Steve Davis and JWP as similar players or in competition for the same place in the team. Davis had a game last night the like of which JWP to this point has never come close to matching; maybe he will in time but up till now JWP has never produced the movement, influence, run and creative distribution Davis produced tonight. They are quite different players and JWP has a lot of ground to make up before he can be compared; even if he does have 10 years by comparison to do it.

Will all Clasie doubters please report to the Forum.

Ronaldo impression from Dusan....and 90 minutes for Clasie.

Certainly has - midfield great tonight.

Deserved!!!

Cannot question Mane's commitment there. Saints pressing is impressive tonight.

He has played well - the covering of Fonte was committed and crucial.

We should be - but a great half of Football; special mention for Targett and midfield of Clasie, Davis and Romeu working well.

I hope you lot don't think the rest of us living in Oz are as wacky as the OP.

Quite agree with you about Jack Cork - Viafara comes to mind as another hard working midfielder without technical skills who did a job for the Club and added steel in front of a back four. Getting back to Reed, I don't think the U/21 set-up and fixture list is a barometer of whether he has kicked on or regressed. The point is, Reed has shown he has the goods at first team level - go back and watch the Everton and West Ham games from last season. His biggest problem this season is lack of opportunity not regression in his game. You're probably right about Targett, he's a long way off being a regular left back and I suspect he would find the Championship hard going at this stage too - let's hope we don't find ourselves down there any time soon.

Yes, I agree - most of the youngsters are not good enough and may never be. I feel a bit sorry for Ron in that his quote about the academy players might seem harsh in print, yet he is essentially correct. The Club cannot expect to churn out Bales, Shaws and Walcotts every season and the idea of getting to a point where 50% are academy products is fanciful. I am arguing that Harry Reed is an academy player who has shown he can play well at first team level and he's not getting the opportunity to build on what he's shown as an 18 and 19yo.

Disagree with you about Reed - he has done a lot more in several appearances than "running around a lot". Ever since RK commented (last season) in interview that he doesn't have technical skills, the lad hasn't been given the opportunity he deserves, while the other academy graduate who does have technical skills has largely squandered and floundered in 100 appearances and his opportunities continue. I also don't think Targett is as bad as you describe him, though he certainly is not good enough for regular starts.