doddisalegend

Tbh though I've heard the manger say the same thing so you have to assume the players aren't taking it on board.

I think Puel can take some credit on the defence because a. He is doing it without Victor sitting in front. b. We are only playing one holding DM instead of two like last season c. The defence has still looked solid when we have rotated in Yoshida, Cuco and McQueen which wasn't the case last season.

My take is most fans would happily take are current style if we were winning 1-0 in most of our games and sitting in the top six tight now. I bet playing super exciting football but losing nine goal thrillers most weeks would get old pretty quick.

What is the definition of good football? The issue is everyone has different ideas of what is good football. Some like ball possession and controlling games, some like fast counter attack, some like route one to the big man, some like high press. Chances are their definition of good football is just different to yours. If I'm honest good or bad football is less of an issue than winning or losing to me. I'd rather saints win playing ugly/bad/boring football than lose playing sublime/beautiful/exciting football but others will disagree.

Under Puel was are solid at the back and defensively in midfield we wont get overrun by anyone ( baring a keeper calamity hour) puel should get credit for that especially given people,said wed struggle,without Victor. By the same token though up front its just not working. Jrod was always a gamble but I was happy to see him get a chance, Austin was doing ok (and before the injury I'd bet on him to get more goals than Pelle this season). Long is the big disappointment he hasn't pushed on from the decent season he had last year. With Austin out, Jrod unlikely to ever get back to the player he was and Long not performing we need to do something in Jan. Get Sammy G back ( I believe we have a recall option in Jan) and look for someone else maybe a proper AM. I think if we can sort out the goals problem we will have a decent season.

Lol we have the most clean sheets in the PL bar Chelsea .....

We looked more likely to win before the red card. We started off well but once Stoke went down to 10 men and sat deep we had no ideas. We really need to work on what we do in around the box. Endless crossing seems pointless.

Yeah to whip/float in a cross that no one will get on the end of. Puel really needs to work on what happens in the final third.

We have a team of midgets these days which is why constant crap crosses in to the box makes no sense I wish we'd try and pass it through teams around the box more.

Yeah because that's how football works.....

What the hell happens to our play once we reach the opposition box how do all players become incapable once they reach that final bit of pitch.

Perfect game for Austin ?

Yep Davis is at his best turning defence into attack on the counter seeing as this is mostly one way traffic I'm not sure Davis will add much now Tadic might just give us the key to unlock them.

When was the last time we scored from a corner seems like a while since someone just powered one home with their head.

Dave Merrington seems to think stoke have put 9 behind the ball and making it much harder than before the red card...but what does he know

Got to be Tadic time surely though who makes way Long probably a waste now as their will be no space in behind for him to work in.

Are you surprised Stoke have gone in to full bus parking mode for the rest of the game we were doing better when Stoke wanted to actually play.

Free kick speicalist don't you know.

Sounds like the sending off has helped stoke more than us ?

Cheers it would help if Blackmore paid more attention the game rather than blathering...

Solent got no clue wtf is going on someone sent off, jwp diving, boufal injuried?????

As assists go it wasn't much of one. Lets hope for lots more give the ball 5 yards to Boufal and let him shoot assists tonight

Don't worry Derry hasn't been happy with a saints manger or team since 1976...

would be nice...actually he has got a lot of catching up to do better start with a hat-trick tonight

Well there is pace and trickery up front. Not convinced by JWP being better than Clasie or Hoj but meh and as Appy said Cedric must be injured again. Bench looks strong