S-Clarke

Come on Salisu FFS. The way he's going I'd bench him for ABK when he's back.

The goal actually came from a KWP ball from the right, so straight away it looks more balanced.

Awesome, for the first time Adams wins the ball and there is JWP playing in that position which is perfect for him. That's what we need Adams to do more of, as the threat is around him! Great start, just what you need.

Not on the game, to be fair. They're been pretty shit, but we gave them a free header in the box. Apart from that they've not really caused us many difficulties, the shape has been good and we've kept them at arms length, that's what makes it so frustrating and why there is an inevitable feel about it all.

The shape and approach to the game is correct, having 3 and pushing JWP further up 'works'. Our problem today has been the horrendous quality in that final third. Adams/Edozie are not pressing, winning the ball or doing anything of note. Elyounoussi has been restricted in his role, but he struggles to then escape further up field as he's so slow, whereas Moussa had the legs to push higher. So, tactically it's not all wrong, it's the personal that is wrong. Mara may have been tired after the Weds game (he's a young kid Afterall), but it just shows up the lack of quality in the squad. I know Jones speaks about ''we may not get a number 9'', but that is exactly what we need - a competent number 9 who is able to hold the ball up, because without that then we're toast already.

We're always going to get good saves from Pickford today, just inevitable. We don't create much as it is, but then he'll save the few opportunities we do. This has an inevitable feel about it, and sadly if it ends like this the curtain on our PL life is halfway down.

He's lost when he's expected to play 'lone' like this. Mara did a much better job, but Armstrong was closer to him. Edozie hasn't been great.

Adams is having an absolute nightmare today, get him off at HT. It's like playing with 10.

He just had a free header, Salisu's jump was all wrong. He is a bit of a fraud of a CB to be honest.

Oh what a shambles.

Oh Diallo, he has to be better there. Horrendous effort.

Couple of good moments there, I like the positions JWP is picking up just in and around the D. Salisu straight at the GK though from the corner, should be working him harder.

That's the biggest difference I've noticed from Wednesday, the shape/system is the same, but there's not enough spark in the press and it all feels a bit half arsed. Probably because the players we need to press in Ely and Adams are pretty crap at it.

The attacking and cutting edge from Wednesday is rather ridiculously on the bench, so no surprise to see us struggling with energy up there.

So the answer is no, no one is getting emotional and aggressive about it.

I don't think there was anything particularly new in the interview, but it's good to hear from them all the same (Rasmus in particular). I haven't agreed with the criticism of Sports Republic this early, it's way too soon to throw rocks their way in terms of ''SR out!'' - as I've seen people say. Sure, we can criticise, we can have opinions, but they need to be allowed time to mould it in their image and fix what happens in front of them. It would be naïve to think Southampton was a perfect and serene environment before Sports Republic came in, it may have been the intention to leave it alone as the assumption was that all is good, but maybe once they got under the hood they realised that standards across multiple area's internally were not up to scratch - so they have taken action on multiple fronts. Change takes time and change will always cause pain, and in football that's difficult as there is very often no time. Fans have no patience to start with and the media do fuel that to an extent, but my view is that they need time and just over a year isn't enough time to really see their vision born out. I'm 100% sure that being bottom of the PL wasn't in their plan, but I think it's fair to say that they are committed whatever the outcome. Everyone makes mistakes, and so have they. Quite obviously not sorting out that attacking area in the summer was a massive balls up, but they need to rectify that this window and by all accounts that is what they will do. We can't sit here and demand owners that change and invest one minute and then sit here and moan when they do invest and change because it's caused a bit of a ripple. This club had become stale as hell over many, many years and there was always a risk that change would lead to some bumps along the road.

That's a shame, this is so often the case after serious injuries though.

There was nothing wrong with his opinion and it was somewhat telling to hear that from a fellow manager, my main issue is that he got over emotional in his comments and that lacked professionalism as a follow manager. He should not have said ''Lyanco wouldn't get into my Havant team'', as that's an incredibly daft thing to say. He clearly would.

Much more to it than that. 3 in the middle, allowing more freedom for JWP and more legs and numbers when we were off the ball. The 'back 4' was fluid, it was a 3 at points and a 5 and a 4 - based on if we had the ball or didn't, that gave us a lot of flexibility in how we could attack and take risks as we had the assurance we had some cover. DCC and Salisu stuck, but it was Lyanco with more of a licence on the ball. It worked well, lots of noticable changes to the team shape throughout the game as well. The extra numbers ‘off the ball’ allowed us to close down any angles City can usually find, as we had the numbers in front of them. But in addition to that, the extra number in CM meant that we never became too deep or sat on top of our CB’s. We always made sure we had an out. Tactically it was light and day to the Forest game, you could see what we were trying to do.

Glenn is as passionate as us all and just says it how he see's it, that's why his blog has gone so strong for over 10 years. I think people have been right to call out Jones somewhat, maybe not to the levels that have been on social media (the personal abuse sent his way), but he hasn't been perfect. There is no getting away from the fact that the Forest home game was truly inept, no football was played - alarm bells were ringing loud and clear a week ago. Tonight is a step for sure, but we have a long way to go before anyone should be asking people to eat their words imo. (on both sides of the fence)

He's got that little bit of star quality about him, the ability to make space with his touch when there is no space around him to start with. Not many can do that, only the elite guys. I think we'll be looking back in a few years a little bit proud that he was once at Southampton, because he will go right to the top as long as he stays fully fit. It somewhat makes a mockery of City that they didn't feel he was ready, so they went and splurged £60m on Kalvin Phillips who Lavia just roasted all game.

I will forever believe that Xg is just nonsense, it's a stat put out there to make people feel better when they lose. ''well, we had a good xG so we're doing the right things''. Irrelevant in my opinion. Stats can be worthwhile, but it's things like this just cloud the game. Shots/shots on target and the score in the top right hand corner are all that matter.

We protected him really well, but what he did well tonight was his presence in the box I felt. He came for balls when he needed to, made the right calls when he needed to. He was calmer in his play and equally his distribution. One pass in particular in the first half was put on the foot of Moussa, it was ridiculous.

Yep, quote after the game. agree, the guy is absolutely critical to everything we do. For an 18 year old that's insane, but the guy is a proper wonderkid to turn a FM phrase. He certainly won't be here for long.

Let Lavia sit deep, break the ball up and pass it onto Alcaraz who can then make the pass into the wide area's. I think this is how we will play from now on - 3 through the middle, somewhat fitness dependant though.