Tommy Mulgrew

I, too, would like to see what we can achieve with an extra midfielder and only two CBs. The main point of progress, however, would be if we can drastically reduce the number of crosses coming into our six-yard box - that should be possible with either 4 or 5 at the back - and play a goalkeeper who makes saves and is not afraid to come and catch or punch crosses, even if he is less assured with the ball at his feet. I have previously drawn attention to our sister club’s good performance in Turkey. Goztepe have conceded only 9 goals in 16 games; that is three, five and six better than the next-best defensive teams in the league. Goztepe play with three CBs, usually in a 3:4:1:2 formation. True, they don’t score many but surely some inter-club dialogue could take place and we might both learn from each other. An extra midfielder would give us more and better options when trying to get the ball forward quickly to our attackers and to get runners onto cut-backs in the opponents’ penalty area.

You say our defenders were all over the place whereas, according to Carragher, they should have won the game for us. Coventry might well rip us apart but we play them at home next Saturday. That’s when, again according to Carragher, our attackers will win the game for us. Our defenders will probably still be all over the place but the logic that you seem to accept suggests that the key to us winning lies not with our defence but with our attack. Nothing is ever as simple as that, however; we shall need every player to be on their game to get three points next Saturday. Sorry to be so picky, 😇🫏🐑🐓🦆🐺; I just could not understand your logic.

If Tonda has a red-hot poker, we win 3:1; if not, we lose 3:1. It’s as simple as that.

Is Daniel Peretz a good goalkeeper? Peretz is a masterful shot-stopper, as highlighted by his penalty expertise and general all-round performances. He is also a modern custodian in that he is excellent with the ball at his feet and accurate with his distribution. Goalkeeping GK Diving74 GK Handling75 GK Kicking73 GK Positioning66 GK Reflexes77 Pace74 Acceleration30 Sprint Speed42 Shooting75 Positioning7 Finishing8 Shot Power55 Long Shots7 Volleys6 Penalties12 Passing73 Vision41 Crossing8 Free Kick Accuracy8 Short Passing32 Long Passing30 Curve15 Dribbling77 Agility35 Balance39 Reactions68 Ball Control19 Dribbling14 Composure33 Defending35 Interceptions11 Heading Accuracy11 Def Awareness9 Standing Tackle9 Sliding Tackle14 Physicality66 Jumping62 Stamina30 Strength71 Aggression22 Daniel Peretz's overall rating in EA SPORTS FC™ 26 is 73 Daniel Peretz is a professional footballer from Israel who plays as a Goalkeeper (GK) for Hamburger SV. Daniel Peretz's Overall Rating is 73. Age 25 Nation Israel League Bundesliga Team Hamburger SV also, we seem to be interested in a 19-year-old youngster from Chelsea, named George; a right Charlie, apparently. 😁 https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/southampton-interested-in-chelsea-tyrique-george-transfer/

Two games, one straight after the other: what’s not to like? Good luck against the magpussies, boatmen.

Yet another 3:1 victory. Please try to make it less of a struggle than today’s 3:2 result. Attack is the best form of defence; tell our defenders and midfielders to at least try to close down their wingers and prevent crosses; pack the midfield, not the defence; crash course in commanding the box and positioning for whoever is in goal; don’t stop trying to score, even in extra time; don’t defend too deep in the second half; just for once, have two CBs, even if only for the second half. And out-sing the Canaries. UTS

and this:

Your older readers, willo, will remember Sabrina ( who could forget “them”?), aka Norma Ann Sykes - no relation to Eric - but are less likely to know who Sabrina Carpenter is. Younger readers, see this link: https://nylon.net/sabrina/pages/pix-proofs.htm Older readers might want to recall happy, er, mammaries. (I have no idea what all that has to do with Spors.)

Corrected while you posted.

Another 3:1 victory.

👀 Marco Rose, Thiago Motta, Erin Terzic, Erik ten Hag, Bruno Lage, Quique Sanchez Flores, Patrick Vieira, Dejan Stankovic, Tim Walter, Brendan Rodgers, Michael Carrick, OGS, Southgate, Xavi, Puel, Hasenhuttl, Eckert: dream and then 🫵 take your pick.

IMO was the one to deny Salah scoring from a low cross from the left to him surging forward into the rhs of the penalty area. Baz came rushing out and smothered the ball soon after Salah had struck it goalbound. Definitely saved an otherwise certain goal and one that plenty of keepers would not have made. I’ve yet to see Baz make a better one.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cn09xjlxjz6o Redmond signs for Sheffield Wednesday!

https://thefosseway.net/2025/11/26/southampton-3-leicester-city-0-at-least-it-wasnt-nine/ Interesting viewpoint from Foxes in turmoil. Very pessimistic on their prospects, never mind the points deduction that is possibly coming. Other Foxes’ reviews of the game are similar in tone. A bit like us a couple of weeks ago. The manager seems to be on borrowed time. Let’s hope they leave it a few months before sacking him. If he thinks the same, perhaps we should cut @gurru991 some slack when he posts on here, generous in spirit. Some quotes: Their two wingers, Leo Scienza and Tom Fellows, completely tore Leicester apart. Each of them was in acres of space every time they received the ball, and for about 10 minutes either side of half time the Foxes were in a state of mental collapse Between Bade Aluko’s red card in the 33rd minute, and Bobby De Cordova Reid replacing Jordan James in the 57th, Southampton had 10 shots, eight of which came from inside the box, one of which went in. They only had eight other shots across the other 70 minutes. Gavin Bazunu made the first save of his career to deny Jordan James an instant equaliser Scienza danced into the box, cut in off the left wing, and came agonisingly close to scoring while Jannik Vestergaard slide tackled Wout Faes just off to the side the most dangerous place on the pitch was … wherever Faes happens to be. Vestergaard, meanwhile, at least had the good sense to hide his mistake in the middle of an excellent Southampton breakaway move, so everyone would be too distracted by the scintillating football to notice. His decision to surge forward to try to win the ball back ended with him standing next to a bemused Harry Winks 30 yards from the opposition goal, and Southampton in a 3v1 breakaway against Faes, which may be akin to planting explosives in your own basement. Southampton looked better prepared. They got their key attacking players into dangerous areas with regularity, their wingers kept isolating our defenders in 1v1 situations. This was 3-0 going on 6-0, and his decision to try to get out of dodge without too much damage only worked because Southampton missed their chances and then declared after an hour. every change in possession looked like an existential threat even with a full complement of players. The difference between the two clubs is that even under Still, Southampton’s underlying performances were pretty good. Leicester’s underlying stats are awful: 17th in the league according to expected goal difference before this game (18th afterwards). The defensive numbers, implausibly, are worse than the attacking ones. Southampton are not comparable to us, they have young, fit talent in their team. The surprise is perhaps it has taken longer for it to gel and click (like Ipswich) than expected. We have an old poor group of veterans who should be put out to pasture as they are far down the decline of their average careers. Failure to bring in younger talent , JJ aside, is the problem.

If you go to transfer market.co.uk and go to Southampton and then the individual player you can get the playing time per match for each season that player has played for us.

Just been on the Foxes’ forum. It took until all of the third post for the 9:0 to be mentioned. Best bits were: Itchen to see this one; a Test against an improving side, Shirley not; Hedging my bets; it won’t be Eastleigh; Southampton play three at the back with a packed midfield; they (us) are a pessimistic bunch. So are they (pessimistic): most expect a bruising game and a draw at best; few posters expect to win. Manager seems unpopular, no surprises there. The future’s bright … . coys

Next couple: just like at least the last 18, I assume you mean. 😉

or perhaps the other way around. 😇

Unless we appoint the right person, and that is not Tundra, I doubt you need concern yourself unduly about that. ☹️

What are we waiting for? Let’s pretend that we are a mid-Championship side: Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Solskjaer confirmed that he would be open to managing in the Championship. "I love living here as well, yeah. Of course, mid-Championship and up [he'd be willing to manage]. I'm a football man. It's about working with people. I love just trying to make the most, or make them, be the best of themselves

Quote from bbc website: Southampton interim boss Tonda Eckert is expected to remain in charge of the club on an interim basis for the time being. Despite reports the German was going to be made Will Still's permanent replacement, it is more likely he will continue in his current role. Prior to the international break, Eckert, 32, won both of his matches as interim boss, beating QPR and Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship. "What I do think is that after two wins he has a shout," BBC Radio Solent's sport editor Adam Blackmore posted on X, external. "But it more than likely could depend on the next three-game batch after the international break for which he could well still be in interim charge. "Saints have spoken to candidates but they can afford to be patient with Eckert's good start and it allows them time to see the market develop so it's highly unlikely anything imminent occurs either way." After the international break, Southampton have three games in the space of a week as they travel away to Charlton and Millwall either side of welcoming Leicester City to St Mary's.

West Ham women v Saints women 2nd half just starting 20.02 watch here:

bbc coverage of our problem: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cz0xjdn5zz0o no new insights.

Malak and Yildiz.

Another good game from him today but without a goal or an assist. He is at present by far our best attacker and looks as though he could score, with either foot, from almost anywhere in the final third of the pitch. He usually looks to go forwards, which makes him almost unique in our team, and does so with real pace. He is direct and runs at defenders and knows how to support others who have the ball: just watch his positioning in support of AA for the third goal; not many of our players would have moved so intelligently and offered another outlet if Arma had not fancied a shot himself. I hope he gets through the season uninjured - his legs and ankles take a battering every game. His corners are pretty good. And I like his can-do attitude. Two things he could do better imo: not go down almost every time someone makes contact (he’ll get a reputation for diving) and insisting that he should take some (if not all) of our scoreable free kicks instead of Manning. I hope we can keep him beyond the end of this season.