austsaint

Has to be appealed and has to be rescinded.

Clinical stuff from Pelle; Long being Long, hang your head Dusan despite the assist. Davis had a great half as have Clasie, Romeu, VVD and Bertrand. Couple of impressive tackles from Targett. Anyone expect 2-0 at H/T? Thought not.

Andy; hang in there. Sure, dips in form and defeats like Bournmouth are hard to take, but the "bounce back within 24 hours" maxim is crucial. Cast your mind back a few years to 'Arry consigning us to League 1 and the dark days before Markus' arrival. Do not lose interest - you've got all Summer to do that!

Your final sentence really is a shower of nonsense - we are having the season which reflects our level......a bad run where we haven't played that badly then a really good run where we have had our share of luck. To claim we have missed out on Europa League through bad luck and Ronald's bad decisions is crazy. To lose interest as a supporter is also a bit naff.

Great to get the late equaliser. Not Saints best performance but Romeu in mid-field was superb and VVD outstanding all day. I thought Mane had a bright second half and can't understand the negative comments from posters about his game. Pelle on the other hand was awful - he should have made way for Yoshida, not Mane. Bertrand's first half was very good, and although Martina gave the ball away twice in dangerous areas he actually got down the line into attacking areas often; he's not that bad as a fill in for Cedric. The late point makes all the difference to the rest of the weekend.

You are not the only one - we should be 2/1 up and there has been some nice interplay with Davis, Bertrand, Tadic and Mane. Bertrand so much better at conventional LB with a licence to get forward. Clasie a little quiet in midfield but we have created three good chances and there should be more to come. Agree Pelle is poor today.

He really was. Just the same, the boy can play a bit.

A fairly hard report card Shance. I think it's fair to say SM has not produced his best since the game (Norwich?) he was dropped for being late - but I still see him doing good things and getting into good channels, but two things have worked against him; there have been so many long balls recently just belted up to the Austin, Long, Mane direction and when Mane has played he's been stuck out on the wing, with little service from midfield or wing back. IN the game against Bournmouth I noticed three times ( JWPx2 and Davisx1) hit a square pass hard out to his wing in a cramped part of the field with nothing on - I think, in part he is missing some of the interchange with Tadic, Davis at his best and even an inform Pelle, because without some of the on-the-carpet passes in and around the box some of our play lately has resembled a non-creative overly direct aerial bombardment.

Just as a matter of interest Tom, just what would you be expecting JWP to do up there in the forward line alongside Long? Or do you see him as a 10 role candidate, something he hasn't managed up till now.

There was zero creativity in mid-field last night - Romeu had too much holding work to do with Ward-Prowse along side and Davis had a really off night when he came on. The fact that Saints got few corners or attacking free kicks really showed up the shortcomings in the rest of Ward-Prowse's game. I felt a bit sorry for Mane, Long and Austin because there was no supply apart from hopeful long balls and square passes in midfield. It looked as though Tadic should have come on earlier but Bournmouth had such a head of steam up it was apparent nothing was going to turn the tide on the night. I'll bet Boruc enjoyed the night!!

He's been more involved than Long and Austin to be fair. There's just no delivery for our attacking three - I think Ron has to try Tadic or either Long/Austin or Ward-Prowse.

Great work by VVD - they have really out enthused us in the first half with their pressing and offensive running.

Missed defensive header from Prowse gifts the two B'mouth shots. Midfield has to be addressed at H/T.

We look light on in midfield - Maya or JWP off for either Clasie or Davis.

I have always thought the whole idea of a "team of the week" was a weak idea whether Crooks was the judge or not. I just can't believe that someone like Crooks watches every minute of every game before selecting his team, which you really would need to do before coming up with a final side. His capacity to then make the right choices are a different question again.

Yes, and it would be a nice circular wind down to his career - back to where it started. Has anyone got a clip of him missing the penalty?

We looked like the away team, couldn't maintain possession and invited Willian, Hazard and co to run and pass into dangerous areas - something had to give. I thought Mane should have been on earlier and Pelle's arrival put even more pressure on a retreating midfield and defence. We would have been very fortunate to nick that 1-0.

Good line-up and bench...maybe Tadic to replace Targett if we go behind. If Mane doesn't start tonight he must be off somewhere in the Summer.

I think there has been a lot of unjustified negative comment (rubbish) directed his way. He did not go on strike; he was left out of one match, no different to Morgan when he had his head turned, and like Morgan, Vic has pretty much given his all in most games this season. Yes, his red card tackle v W.Ham was unnecessary but surely you see both the card and the ban as too harsh. He may go in the Summer, but the negativity towards him from sections of this forum have been way over the top.

How's our Ronald done tonight behind the microphone? Should Michael Owen be worried?

Great clip - professionally put together and a marvellous soundtrack. I hope he remains with Saints too; there's been so much rubbish written about him on this forum in recent times.

I'm going to hold you to that last sentence Andy. Big call!

Yes, agree that Leicester, and therefore Manager Ranieri, deserve the highest praise just for breaking in to the top four, let alone if they win it. I take your point too, that if Tottenham do go on and win it, the pressure they, and Pochettino will be under to do well in the Champions League and maintain their lofty Prem position the following season will be immense and would have a bearing on Pochettino's reputation if the big Clubs come calling. I still think an adjective like superb rather than creditable in front of performance is more apt.

"Win it this season and it's a creditable performance". Come on Wes, Poch might be seen as a shifty character for the way he left us for Spurs, but if he guides that lot to Champions status he's earned a bigger accolade than "creditable performance". He was a very good Manager for us; a very good one for them and will be successful at the next Club he goes to.

I think the point with players like Khazri, Ozil etc is that their crossing and dead ball techniques are just part of the tools they have in their kitbag. Not that JWP has to measure up to their standards but the question remains is a very good crossing and dead ball technique alone enough to justify a regular place in the team?