austsaint

Would be a travesty if Reed and Kreuger stay and Hughes isn't signed up. He has saved their unworthy backsides.

Chez, you've never really rated Targett, have you? Much as I have never been able to understand people's high rating of JWP!. I agree with you on MT..........Should Bertrand leave we definitely need a quality replacement; sadly Sam McQueen falls into the same category - not quite good enough for Prem level Football.

Matt, I think you've got Gabbiadini all wrong. It's been the limited nature of our midfield which has held him back. If you look at his history he plays best on the shoulder of, or wider of the main striker..someone like Austin. The slow build up, "possession based game Pellegrino played ending in floated crosses didn't suit him at all. Go back and have a look at the Cup final v Man U and you will see a different player to the one you're describing.

Shaqiri, apparently available for 12 mill. is not an expensive prem player; he's a proven attacking midfielder who has goals and assists to his credit. He is the type of player that we need.

It's been a huge night for Mr Gao. Here's hoping he's got the intelligence or good counsel to show Reed, Kreuger and Wilson the door.

Shaquiri (sp?) is a good shout, and probably quite likely if Sparky is rightly kept on.

Brilliant...ok, maybe he did go to take the big money at Everton; but he was great for Saints, and there's still a suspicion that Reed's heavy handedness had something to do with Ronald's exit.

I hate criticising someone when they are down, but FF wasn't only down on confidence, he was down on fundamentals and agility. McCarthy's command of the box, shot stopping and calm demeanour have been inspirational and season saving. The Club has a history of persisting with poor goalkeepers too long; even "super Kelvin" should have been replaced long before he was.

I think the Club should be buying into Hughes' mentality, not the other way around!

What did big Ron have to say?

He just cannot be kept on - Reed I mean; Mark Hughes has earned the job, and must stay on.

Just to take your point about Gabbiadini a step further - quite apart from his goal I thought his cameo was excellent; lots of good hold up play, nice touches and passes and good decision making in tight situations. I know he probably won't stay, but I'd love to see him in Saints colours next season. LOng's cameo was also good. Some posters were calling for Hoj to be replaced at half time but he and Romeu worked all night to contain and eventually overpower the three man Swansea midfield. Alex McCarthy has proved himself a quality keeper and his belated promotion on top of all the other delayed decisions or non-decisions by Reed, Kreuger and Wilson are the only sour feeling on a glorious night for SFC.

This times a hundred. Epic stuff.

Take one of the back three off and put Gabbiadini on to run the channels in support of Austin.

Hoj has been good - put through the pass to Austin who scuffed it - we need that midfield of Hoj and Romeu to remain solid.

Midfield is working harder - they are just outnumbered!

Yet they have had all of the play except the last 5 minutes of the half. Really missing Lemina; their 3 man midfield is controlling things. Let's hope for more from Redmond, Tadic and Austin - on another day Austin would have nicked one of those chances and we'd be 1-0 to the good, against the run of play.

Judas Escariot loves it at the Marriott

Sounds like Lemina is out.

It's going to be incredibly tense to watch. The dream is we despatch a brace early, silence the crowd, flatten the Swans and dominate for the rest of the game with the "we are staying up" chant pulsating from the away stand. The stakes are so high! A little luck would go a long way too.

Fair enough - I take your point about JWP's set pieces - but beyond that there's just not enough attacking or defensive impact; whereas with Lemina and even Hojbjerg there is that capacity for driving runs, and quicker movement into dangerous areas rather than just the shuttling of passes and delayed hopeful crosses. Goals of the style of the Tadic brace and the Redmond header is what we need against Swansea not just the hope of a goal resulting from a corner or a free kick, as welcome as that would be.

I would be very interested to read more about your argument for including Ward-Prowse over Lemina (assuming he is fit). That midfield of Lemina, Hojbjerg and Romeu worked well in the first half v Everton. Lemina was different class against Bournemouth.

Let's hope he's not around to deal with the parachute payments!

Thank you Art. Perhaps Forster to add height and composure at CB as well.

It really is; where's Carceres when you really need him? Reed and Kreuger really need booting for their incompetence.