redkeith

If you swapped the keepers and Davis for Ericson, we would have won 5 nil. Good performance, but we need a goal scoring AM for next season. Plus, Michael Owen is so full of sh#t . If I had the time, I would get a video package of all the dubious free kicks (eg Penalty versus Pochetino) that he dived for.

Sorry, but this just seems like a 2 + 2 =5 story to me. Saints may have had a scout at St James Park yesterday. So that means they must be watching a player. Clyne is thought to be off, so lets say they are looking at a right back, oh , and the keeper is out for a year so lets say they are looking at a keeper too. Or, maybe Saints were just watching Spurs who they play next week ? I like both players, but I don't think that he would be happy as number 2 if Fraser gets fit. Also if Ashley sells Janmat , one of Newcastles only decent players, after just one season there will be a riot up there. These sort of stories pop up from time to time when, if the Journo could be arsed to check the fixture list, it is obvious that Saints are just scouting the opposition.

Ellias was very poor today. At times we got into some good positions, but only put in one half decent cross, the one Howard made the worldie from form Pelle. Other than that, and the JWP long and Free kick , that was it really. Please Mr Reed can you get us a proper Number 10. Someone to score goals, create goals and also take free kicks and corners. However much everyone likes JWP and Davis there are no stats that suggest that they are remotely suited to that position, unless you want them to do a job, like JWP marking Carrick at Old Trafford.

On football weekly they suggested that anyone caught diving should have to wear a "bib of shame" for the next few matches, so the officials can be wary of them. I'm sure that refs do this to some degree, as players like Long and Pahars never seem to get a penalty unless the defender has got in his car and run him over. On the time wasting issue, adding enough time on to allow for it would help a great deal, although some matches would go on until 6 30 on a Saturday. Also action should be taken against clubs that take the p@ss, such as the ball boys sitting down after WBA had a 3rd minute lead. When Villa won the league in the early 80's , the ball boys would give the ball back quickly if it was to Villa, but if the opposition had a corner, they would wait until Villa defenders were all back until they returned the ball.

Athletico can buy out the clause and take him back, but they can't force him to sign for anyone. He could just sit on their books for the next 2 years. By the sound of things, he has been bitten once by a big club, losing his first team place and now he wants first team football. Maybe he trusts Ron to give it to him.

I hope to go to Bordeaux, but not if England are playing there. I went to see a world cup match in Toulouse with a mate, and we were going to go on the lash and sleep it off on the car, but all the bars were closing early because England had a game there in two days time. No fun.

Shane Long

West Ham had 2 lightweights up front today and Palace just sat deep and countered, and they weren't bothered at all until Valencia his a belter from 20 yards ( no one on our books looks capable of doing that ). If we put Long in for Pelle they will do the same to us. I think Filip should start as we need someone to run at the 9 men that they will have in their Penalty box. Pace won't be an option , as they defend so deep that there is no space to run into.

Nothing up front at all, apart from Bertrand really. If Shane Long is the answer, then I don't like the question. Long works hard, but is never going to end a goal drought. WBA did a job on us and , apart from the City and Chelsea away games, everyone is going to play like that against us. We need something to go in of someone's arse. Also this summer, the number one priority must be someone who can take free-kicks and corners.

Out Gaston - 4 million Osvaldo - Breach of contract - court case Clyne - 15 Million Morgan - 25 Million Ins Gourcuff - Free Transfer Claise - 15 Milllion Byram - 5 million Trippier - 8 million Toby - if he wants first team football

One bit of magic from Couthino and a complete cock-up from us for the 2nd. Can should have been off in the first minute, but who would haver taken the Pen ? Also JWP and Davis should NEVER start in the same team .

I know some of you were worried about the ref, but Christ on a bike were you right! Need to get Mane on for JWP. Liverpools Mo 10 is a constant threat, ours just takes corners .

He handled outside the box, so it doesn't matter whether it was a goalscoring opportunity. Mane and Adrian were both man handling each other, we could have gone either way, but that shouldn't influence the sending off. What next. Will Big Fat Sam appeal his next sending off because the lino gave a throw in the wrong way in the build up.

No soup for you!

Clear plan to get behind them which worked well, but still the final shot/pass was off. Not Sure what Elia did when he was one on one in the first half, as the stream dropped, but we had enough chances to be comfortable at half time. Yoshi did well at left back, with a god break forward and assist for the goal. Lets hope for a Wham win against united, but with lots of injuries and a few red cards .

I read somewhere that Juve were going to pay a €375,000 loan fee to Inter for him, which is a bit cheeky since Inter never paid Saints a loan fee. Maybe Saints just want the loan fee. or maybe they can get another forward on loan from Juve ?

I'm no tactical genius, but if I was in charge of a team playing against Spurs, I would put a man on Eriksen, particularly for the last 10 minutes. Take him out of the team and they would be down with Everton in the bottom half.

I was hoping that Bertrand and Toby would be signed this window, but does anyone know if loan players still get bonuses if their parent clubs win anything? That might explain them waiting until the end of the season, particularly Bertrand.

Genius management. Ron's tactics are up there with Trappatoni . It was like watching the away league of a champions league semi final. Brilliant display.

Morgan is the top scorer in that team! Pelle needs to play , if we want to score, and a goal would do him the world of good. Right back is a problem, as we have no wing-back in the squad other than Clyne. If Yoshida is available, I would play him there. It doesn't matter if he is tired as he will be away with Japan for a month after that.

Could easily of been 8 0 . Pelle hit the post twice and had one cleared off the line and JWP should have had a hat-trick. We got lucky with Gardos for the yellow card but we should have been 4 nil up by them. Can someone start a thread slagging of JWP cause it worked well for Mane.

That's the one. Although we did still have Le Tiss, Egil and Berkowitz up front, not Mane and Long .........

I know that it has been shown recently that our squad is too small, but even Chelsea or City would struggle with that many injured and suspended! Could be our youngest bench since Wotte was in charge. I'm just hoping for a miracle, like when we played the Boro team that had Ravanelli and Juhinnio et all with Neil Maddison filling in at Centre Halve. Some of the kids are really going to have to step up for this one.

We don't seem to have a deputy for Clyne coming through the u21 team and the same goes for Morgan ( Reed and Hesketh played there in the last u21 game). January would be a god time to fill these gaps with some up and coming players that fit the "Southampton Way" . George Thorne at Derby would have been my choice for midfield, but he has the same injury as JayRod.

All three goals were so unlike the way we had been defending this season. No DM shielding the back four for the first, allowing Yaya time to shoot. Davis giving the ball away for the 2nd and then jogging back, you can see him spot Lampard way too late and start to run toward him. For the 3rd no-one picked up the runner. City hounded us well, particularly Tadic, but we had ridden the storm before the errors cost us. Just hope Cork is ok for Wednesday. 3 out of six midfield injured is stretching us.