austsaint

Spot on.

You've lost me there Ron - JWP for Romeu.

Yes, Long and Bertrand very poor today.

Romeu's been good today.

Just done for pace wasn't he! With Bertrand pushed higher up the park, Bolasie exploited the gap.

He's been our only real attacking threat for a while.

I'm with you on this "9" - Clasie has more to offer than those writing him off after so few starts. I would argue that Mane showed the class skills to come quite early in his Saints career. I would like to see Juanmi given more minutes in favour of JWP if the latter is considered for an attacking role. Got a good feeling about a result today in South London.

I've been impressed with Joel Campbell - would be an upgrade on S. Long.

I meant Dele Alli, not "Dia".

Prowsey will never be as good or as influential as Barkley, Dia, Dier etc - he just hasn't got the attributes that many other young English players do - I think that's the point of this whole thread.

What are we going to be like when/if/when Sadio departs. He's the one attacking creative spark we have along with occasional flashes from Tadic and the odd cross from Bertrand.

WE certainly seem to overdo the cross and the high ball - not much on the deck in-side the box.

Agreed; he's not a token value of the academy being forced upon Koeman; he's a better player than that. Just the same, the aura built up by the Club's PR and marketing department along with sections of the national press seem to have created this mindset about how good he is and how good his future is going to be, and as long as the perception of him remains so distorted I think we're going to be disappointed.

As I remember it, Poch used to haul JWP off the park regularly or send him on as a sub late in the game - and his performances were remarkably similar to the present time. I'm happy to be corrected on that. I think most would agree that JWP has been the hopeful next star from the production line of the academy, and it hasn't worked out.

If he was seen in this light I'd be happy enough because I think you've summed up his current status after 100 or so appearances. The trouble is the hype and publicity about him has always been bugled as the next big thing, while if you watch the guy week in, week out, he's just a plodder with a few technical skills, akin to a Rugby player who can kick penalties from all over the park but not much else. If the hype levels abated and the evaluation of JWP's capabilities were more realistic then we have a tremendously versatile squad player able to fill in and play a role for years into the future.

When Toby (who could have covered for Cedric at RB) wandered off to North London we needed to get a Trippier/Ward (Palace) type in.

I think this is the context for Vic's dip in performance, not a lack of motivation but a flimsy set of midfielder around him, especially with Clasie absent.

Poor old Yoshi has had a shocker - on a positive not Caulker has been solid since replacing the ©.

Indeed, but you can put their third down to JWP turning it over.

Apart from Mane we don't look to be posing any attacking threat though.

He's a future England captain according to many.

Long has to be replaced.

Along with Wanyama, Clasie looked our best player - it's out wide on the counter we are being mullered.

Clasie the really good thing to come out of the first half.

Long right off the pace - the sting goes out of our attack without Mane.