Tom & Gerry

How do you know that it was he that instructed the team to park the bus ? I don't think he wanted the team to play like that. Do you think that's how he said he wanted the team to play when he was interviewed? Maybe the players have been brought up to be risk averse and getting them to be more adventurous takes time. Neither of us know for sure. There is risk either way but for now sacking the manager is the greater risk because it almost certainly leads to decline. In the end we'll appoint an Allardyce to keep us up end up like Bolton, Blackburn, Sunderland, West Ham and Palace.

May be not but the principle is the same. It would be much better for the club if the current Manager could turn things around and he has a better chance of that with encouragement not stunts to under mine him.

Seeing as sacking Managers frequently usually results in diminishing returns as the new man has to pick up the pieces of several previous incumbants failed visions don't you think it might be a more sensible idea to get behind the Manager and players and see if we can right the chronic lack of confidence caused by a lack of goals that is the main problem we have which goes back to last season. If we scored some goals for instance the spotlight and pressure would be off Forster as his odd fumble wouldn't be noticed. If we lack confidence it doesn't matter if we play 3 at the back or 2 up front the result will be the same and the fans can give the players confidence by getting behind them rather than attacking them. We once had a manager who was out of his depth and didn't have a clue for over 2 seasons . He was so clueless that he went on to win the FA Cup, promotion,Get to a league cup final,2nd in the league, Europe and sign the European Footballer of the year. Give him some time.

Pretty good for a team that until 51 years ago had never been in the top division and for which the promised land was just to get there. How expectations change,

A lack of confidence leads to safety first football. Safety first football leads to a lack of confidence. Which came first the chicken or the egg? We need to get out of the rut or eventually we will start playing risky all guns blazing football which will end up in us getting hammered. Some on here have forgotten and others don't know how hard and unforgiving the Premier league is.

I well remember his goal at Plymouth which wasn't a classic, in fact it was the opposite of a classic - he miss hit it and the keeper dived over the ball - but it was of vital importance in the history of the club.

Managers either fit clubs or they don't. Some of our best managers are much less well regarded elsewhere (McMenemy, Ball, Strachan). Claude didn't quite fit even though he did some good things(reached a final, gave fringe players a chance). Will he fit at Leicester? The communication problem with the fans could be his major obsticle. They are used to Ranieri. I've no doubt he can keep them up.

I think those who think Redmond lacks talent are embarrassing themselves. It should be obvious to anyone that he has pace, can dribble, beat players, shoot and score vital goals. He has done all these things since he has been with us. That he does not do enough of them often enough I accept and like a lot of young players he lacks consistency, our slow build up does not help. Boufal also lacks consistency but is undoubtedly a prodigious talent. The manager has to decide which player will be the more effective in any given situation and I think he got it about right on Saturday.

He has a confidence problem which our so called supporters seem keen to exploit.

Tend to agree. When we've played it at home in the past it always seems we've got a wasted player at the back.

Seems he's injured so may be out any way.

Maybe

Maybe could be a non commital answer to a question from a journo about whether something might happen on the transfer front in January which gets twisted to being VVD is agitating for a move. It's how the press work. VVD should know if he wants a move he needs to play well, and that is easier done with the fans not on his back. He should also know Saints don't sell in January and they won't sell to Liverpool.

I'd much rather watch a skillful player than a runner but Saints lack energy going forward and Long, for all his faults provides that in spades. Hopefully that helps the likes of Tadic, Redmond or Boufal to produce more alongside Austin or Gab.

We don't seem to get the ball to him enough in positions where he can be dangerous. I'm not sure if that is his fault or the team's. He doesn't appear to read the game very well and he maybe another Walcott in that respect (He's not as good as Walcott at the minute). He definitely has ability and potential and maybe 1 day it will all click in to place but at present Long would be a better attacking option in that position.

The decision not to start with him was a disaster. Watford must have thought it was Christmas.

He's not as good as Messi I agree. Mere mortals can be marked out of games though. Perhaps we have someone as good as Messi that I don't know about to replace him.

If Tadic isn't playing well it's because the opposition have identified that he is our most creative player. They will go all out to deny him space and to stop him getting his passes away. Don't drop him, that's exactly what the opposition want us to do. It is up to the manager to devise tactics to help Tadic and get him in to space and it is up to the other players to take advantage of the room created by him being tightly marked.

To be honest - yes, To do their best as they see it for the club- yes, To get every decision right - no (they are human)

At his best he makes it look easy. I personally prefer his type to a smaller jack in the box type keeper. He made some good saves on Saturday, go on give him some credit...........thought not.

I suppose it's good that a few of our players want to take a penalty. The time to worry is when noone wants to take it.

There's only one position on the pitch where arguably we could not do better and unfortunately he doesn't want to play for us at present.

I think some are being incredibly harsh on Fraser. With the first goal he had a fraction of a second to deal with a hard shot with a light ball at full stretch. Try to turn it round the post and there is a danger you will get too weak a hand on it and it will end up in the net, get too strong a hand on it and it can go back to the opposition, it's really down to luck and every goalkeeper can and does get it wrong sometimes.

Does this mean we no longer have to bow the knee to Liverpool?

I must admit having Pompey as rivals is a bit like Man U having Oldham as rivals. I know nothing about them or what players they have. I'd imagine the Liverpool game should produce an atmosphere of at least similar bitterness and intensity but that's up to you the fans.The authorities and Liverpool have done nothing to dampen the situation.