austsaint

And still he won't change things - no help for Lemina. Tadic ****e, Ward-Prowse absolute ****e, Davis awful. Anyone disagree?

Agree, but it won't happen. I still don't see the point of JWP wide right either - yes, yes, his corners are good.

He would have. Lemina is a bright spot for Saints today.

Should have been a red card for Austin. Well taken goal but the team is awful so far.

Championship team on paper, and playing like one too so far.

Where's Boufal, Romeu, Hoj and VVD? Pellegrino out.

Listen up Dalek - two things the Club aren't guilty of are arrogance and complacency. A hasty policy to sell off valued players and not replace them with anything like a similar quality is one major failing of Reed and his merry men. Another failing has been the indecisiveness and delay in appointing good coaches and managers, and in Puel and Pellegrino's case, indecisiveness and delay in replacing them. SFC executive were much too quick to concede the strong position we were in with a miscalculated assessment of the Academy; the trumpeting of the likes of Redmond, Ward-Prowse et al and the poor and delayed recruitment when it was obvious we needed replacements at CB, striker and attacking midfield. Nothing to do with arrogance or complacency - just poor decision making and lack of leadership at executive level.

No - Sims has already shown skills and attributes that mark him as good enough to make an impact at Prem level. That moment at Anfield alone, with his run, speed and perfectly weighted assist, was something you can't fluke.

Josh Sims would/will be be an improvement on Redmond.

Why wouldn't Pied start at RB in place of Cedric? Boufal has to play - Austin and Gabbiadini up front; and I'd start Romeu, Lemina and Hojbjerg provided Lemina's ankle is ok - and give both Lemina and Hoj licence to play box-to-box roles.

I think the "Sammy Lee" up and about approach is a big factor in galvanising team, squad, Club morale. Obviously coaches and managers have to know their stuff and be competent, but their personality and temperament does count. With Black, Pellegrino and Watson there's not a lot to be enthused about. Then look at the demeanour and on field petulance of players like Redmond and Tadic! Not exactly a motivating environment, is it?

He is the sort of player we need on the flank, in place of the likes of Redmond or Ward-Prowse, with Boufal more central or on the other wide spot. The difference yesterday when Boufal came on, and Austin was massive. Manager erred in keeping on Redmond and subbing the impressive Hojbjerg; Redmond was awful. One of my dislikes of Manager MP is his blind spot withthe obvious quality of Boufal and his failure to realise that Redmond, Tadic, Ward-Prowse are never going to win and influence games for Saints.

And there's the problem - we have a dud Manager who won't resign because he wants his compensation; Reed and Kreuger who won't act because they would be admitting their mistake and the Chinese owners who probably don't know enough about English Football to make an informed decision!

They've got Benteke, Zaha and Sakho; we've got Redmond, Ward-Prowse and Tadic.

Yep, he has always looked casual on the pitch, even pre-Klopp love in. I remember watching him coast around the place at Celtic....upping his game when he had to, but always with an effortless ease. I still think he is giving his best for Saints, even if it's filling in time until the Summer.

Very average player.

Couldn't of been that private.

He wasn't rubbish three years ago, or even one year ago. He is in decline now. Verlaine, it's time you shifted your focus to a player like JWP; when are you going to call him out?

Hoj didn't play! His recent performances have been outstanding. Davis id definitely on the wane. Has been a great servant just the same.

Davis was poor tonight, as were our entire midfield. No doubt in my mind, he is in decline from the hard working, shuttling, eye for a good pass player he has been for Saints for so long. Hojbjerg is deserving of more Football at Davis' expense - JWP is not the replacement for Davis, and with Tadic and Redmond mostly mediocre, an attacking midfield replacement is badly needed.

This sums it up well for me. Puel used to cop flak for tinkering with a team playing Europa; Prem and Cup matches. Pellegrino chops and changes, on the basis of what? Hojbjerg and Stephens were great performers last weekend; you have to back them up. I was stunned to see Tadic left on the pitch for so long tonight; Boufal was much more industrious and involved, but hauled off on the hour....for Redmond?? There's a contagion around the team, and Pellegrino is at the heart of it.

Why Boufal off, who at least has shown a bit of desire and flair, instead of Tadic who has been hiding for most of the game?

Brightened me up no end.

I know it's a stretch to single out one of our players, but what an insipid, gutless player Tadic is. No fight, no busting a gut. Pellegrino has to bring Gabbiadini on; also PEH for Davis, or even Tadic. Manager has to go.

I like the idea of those three starting and pushing Lemina more forward. Perhaps "would pretty much be competitive against most other midfields" is a more grounded wrap.