austsaint

Sims on, yes; but Tadic has been good today - surely it would be Ward-Prowse coming off. Have to get someone on who can run at the defence - Sims it is.

WE look like a Championship side; but not a particularly good one. It's a sad situation Saints are in.

One of your best Duck.

Sorry Andy - that front three would only hasten our demise - you can't be serious?

If we do use Ward-Prowse the game is definitely up. We are not going to survive the precipice by scoring from corners and the occasional set piece. The pace of Sims; the guile of Boufal; Lemina further forward - Tadic, Redmond out.......three midfielders....Romeu and Hojbjerg holding with Lemina forward of them.......Austin and Gabbiadini in the frame.....Yoshida back in for either Stephens or Hoedt.

Let's take Shaqiri and give them Prowsey.

FFS, we are scrapping to stay afloat.....it's 50/50 at best. Let's wait until or if we flop over the line before we go seeking out Promes, Shaquiri and co. !!!

Mane, Vic and VVD

Redmond's a frustrating player and has been much inferior this season compared to last. I'd much rather have Sims or Boufal playing ahead of him. You get the impression Hughes probably rates Redmond on what he's seen in the past, similarly with Tadic. He probably hasn't seen a lot of Sims; I hope that doesn't mean Sims won't play much of a part in the crucial last 8 games.

Indeed, and with Carillo so ineffective a better return from the two was never likely and presented the midfield space for Wigan, in the first half. Long made a difference, but against a side like Chelsea there will be a case for Romeu, Lemina and Hojbjerg. Likewise, Yoshida for Stephens is about the only option to tighten up the CB pairing; a real weakness as things stand - how we could do with a player like Sakho to shore things up.

Second half so much better and the win is a great platform to take to West Ham. I've nearly seen enough of Carillo and I thought Tadic was lucky not to be subbed, he was poor again. Despite the two misses, Gabbiadini made many good runs into dangerous areas. Hoedt and Stephens looked a it wobbly - our lack of depth at CB is a worry. Good to see Hughes on the field and congratulating players - why Pellegrino was kept so long will always be a mystery.

Carillo and Tadic off - Sims and Romeu or Redmond on. Saints look unsettled and second best - Wigan waltzing through our midfield and Stephens and Hoedt look like they don't know each other. Tadic is such a disappointment - Gabbiadini making some good runs - Cedric's been poor

Good line up - Sims a great option for more pace when needed. Pleased to see Ward-Prowse out of that wide right spot.

The other thing is Palace look to have too many class/impact players to be relegated, so Huddersfield are probably more realistic to hope for. Zaha, Benteke, Sakho at the back, even Townsend are match winners and savers - an area in which we are lacking.

He does, and I think he will. I also hope he goes for speed and guile with Sims, Boufal and I expect he will play Redmond. Lemina, Romeu and Hoj are musts as regular midfielders. He should leave Ward-Prowse on the bench,

I agree with you - take out Lemina, Bertrand, Romeu and perhaps Cedric, Boufal and Gabbiadini - Sims for promise and our squad is definitely bottom 5. Just the same, I'm glad Hughes is here - he gives us a sniff of staying up.

I thought his interview was good - straight-up, hopeful, realistic and genuine. Given our circumstances, Hughes is a really good appointment; he has been given a big task - but there is some hope now, a week ago there wasn't.

It's going to be a nervy experience, isn't it. Best players in their best positions. McCarthy Cedric Yoshida Hoedt Bertrand Lemina Romeu Sims Gabbiadini Boufal Austin/Carillo Hoj. Jack S. Hesketh JWP Long Davo Tadic. Are there 7 League games left or 8?

Well said Crab.

Quite so. Here we are 5 minutes to midnight with 8 games left and people are expecting Managers' who already have good jobs to come on over, or Silva who clearly is destined for Porto or Everton, or Bilic who tailed off badly at West Ham. In the circumstances, Hughes is a good appointment. The real anger should be directed at the belated sacking of Pellegrino, not the bloke coming in.

I really hope Hughes resists the temptation to play Ward-Prowse, thinking his corners and dead ball deliveries are going to lift us to safety. His last few games played wide right have exposed his lack of pace in attack and defence and slows our movement down - players like Sims, Boufal and even Redmond/Gabbiadini have to be the players wide to up our speed and movement. Agree about Gabbiadini; I think he will be used in tandem with Austin or perhaps Carillo if Austin is unavailable. I expect Lemina, Romeu and Hojbjerg to play a lot of Football in our remaining games and if Yoshida is fit he will be played, probably in preference to Stephens. If Tadic can lift, or be lifted, he could play a part, wide left. Speed of movement and quick build up is needed, not possession based, slow build up ending in hopeful crosses which are not going to get us over the line.

Your observation about our attacking players is a worrying prospect for the new Manager. That starting four last Saturday - Tadic, Redmond, Ward-Prowse and Carillo is in my view the least effective and slowest in the Prem. Players like Sims, Boufal, Gabbiadini, Austin need to be drafted in attacking midfield support from Lemina and Hoj. Players like Redmond, Tadic and Long sub roles only.

He was badly misled by his career advisor. Seemed to be mild mannered.

He is the (type of) short term fire-fighter we need. Whoever it is, our remaining games look the most difficult of all relegation threatened sides - Stoke aside perhaps.

It really is - had to happen; should have happened ages ago. There is now a glimmer of hope!!