austsaint

I can't wait for the new Manager to come in and transform the likes of Long, Austin, Stephens, Hoedt, Ward-Prowse, Redmond and co. into really good players.

Not many Saints staff return - let's hope Mitchell does - youngish, and a good record of successful recruitment. Why is wee Ross bullet proof?

Continuing to play the likes of Austin,Long and Ward-Prowse will see the end of Hughes and maintain our birds eye view of the relegation trap door. I thought Hughes picked a good side today - but the subs were awful. Romeu was the player we needed to bolster the midfield; Obafemi for the injured Ings. Lemina, Gabbiadini, Hoedt, Yoshida and Armstrong in patches were all good today. McCarthy made several important saves.

Got to play him ahead of Long and Austin - neither have any future in the Prem. and are like anchors to our attack.

Who ever is appointed, it's going to feel like a long overdue renewal. Quite apart from Reed's poor last 30 months or so, he personified the staleness and atrophy which has descended on SFC. He seemed like an ageing civil servant waiting for the final superannuation payout.

you have summed it up perfectly.

completely right ....Wee Ross must also go, pronto.

Yep, that's the first positive feeling supporters have had since the win against Swansea. Long overdue, and Reed leaves with a tarnished legacy.

See a lot of the Japan National side out here - he is a very good player; big upgrade on Long and Austin. Can't see it happening though.

Seems like Saints have an unhappy knack of keeping mediocre performers too long. Watson, Kelvin, Les Reed, Ralph, Wilson, Long, Austin, Ward-Prowse, Pellegrino. It's a long list.

You are probably right yet the thought of BFSam as Manager is as dispiriting a prospect as watching the past 2 seasons and 11 games. It looks to me as though Sparky and his offsiders have joined several other British Managers like Pardew, Moyes, Warnock, Allardyce, Pulis and even Hodgson as journeymen Managers who the game is passing by.

I think Lemina is the one most likely to be picked up, and maybe Hojbjerg - if we stay up.

In the first half, by my count, he had five possessions - one of which was failing to control the ball, leading to their first goal. How you can say he was better than Hojbjerg is hard to work out. He weakened our midfield, and Romeu would have been a much better option.

If Adkins had the likes of Hoedt, Ward-Prowse, Redmond and Long in his starting team he would be tonked 6 - 1 as well.

He really cannot tackle - nor does he often try to. It's no myth.

I'd be happy if Saints showed the sort of intensity and courage Derby are against Chelsea at the moment.

A real black mark for Hughes, persisting with Austin. Plenty of effort from our lads, but short on quality and short on the element of luck needed. Lemina the best today.

Poor quality half. Austin needs to be replaced. Lemina, Redmond doing ok, Elynoussi better, Ings trying hard.

This is the doomsday outcome which is scarily close.

Feck sake mate, time to let JWP go; he is not going to make the grade.

Let's hope Sparky can see this too - probably the only chance he has of keeping his job for longer. Any word on Lemina's fitness?

Yet replacing Hughes would be addressing just a small part of the malaise Saints have slipped into. As the article points out, it's been the loss of quality - particularly Mane, and a decline in the quality and recruitment of replacements which is at least as important as the quality of Manager. A painful read indeed; but hard to argue against any of it.

Good on him. I still think he can make an impact at the top level and I still rate him a much more skilled attacking player than Ward-Prowse.

Yes, more time is the only hope because he's been really underwhelming so far. Hasn't shown the eye for a pass that Tadic did and hasn't shown a turn of speed or ability to take on a defender.

Definitely a Championship player at best these days. Likewise Shane Long. It's a big part of the Club's problem these last two and a bit seasons.