S-Clarke

It was very disjointed to be honest. The midfield two just didn't work at all. The full backs were dross, even after the subs. Mount kept giving the ball away, Kane was isolated and wasn't holding it up. Bowen ran around a lot, a committed player but very low in quality. We had absolutely no one to really stretch it, it was very one dimensional and one-paced.

Hungary are a good team, they can more than hold their own against anyone. The guy who scored against us is a big talent, he's been moved between the RB clubs and is at Lipzig now. Probably odds on for a big money move in the next 18 months. Will Orban I've always been a huge fan of, a no-nonsense centre back who just does his job. He was captain for Ralph in his RB team. The other centre back Szalai was someone we were linked with last year, plays in Turkey now.

It's just like watching Southampton.

Yeah that's a fair view, lots of attributes to help our game but that only works if there are better players around him (as we had when Mane/Tadic etc were about) The prob with Long in recent seasons is that he's sort of been hung out to dry. The quality around the squad (attack specifically) has subsided enormously so work rate and 'running' no longer gets the plaudits as it's not equating to the wins. He's then put into the position to finish the few chances we do create and more often than not fluffs it, with no better quality to dig him out. Not discrediting his contribution to us, but players like him for all their effort and commitment to the cause need better players around them to really be a success, otherwise it's all a bit pointless. You could argue that's probably why the likes of Armstrong haven't ever got going here.

Once Sevilla wanted him it was game over.

That's a pretty dated view in my eyes. It should be filed in the ''We have to play 4-4-2'' and the ''Just get it in the box'' category.

Yep, good points - if he's ambitious enough he may feel he can jump straight into other teams too though. Hopefully we start to see more concrete links in the coming weeks, all a bit vague at the moment!

Highly rated player that guy. Spurs were looking at him too, as well as AC Milan. Not sure we stand a chance, although he'll be affordable to us because he's out of contract next year.

I'd say let's have a chat about transfer targets rather than seeing yet another thread being derailed by the tedious tool that is MLG, but we don't have any real news so away you go MLG.

His goal against Watford was one for the record books as well. Generally a decent player for us over a long term and we got our £11m back no question. No, he doesn't really score goals (which is a massive blot on his copybook) but he was still part of some of our most successful periods as a club. Certainly shouldn't be keeping him around anymore as he can't really offer anything nowadays, but I'd never discredit his commitment and contribution during his earlier years here.

I'd massively argue that. He got Ingolstadt from the second division in Germany, to mid-table in the Bundesliga in 3 years. Inglostadt are now in the third division in Germany. He took over RB Leipzig in their first season in the Bundesliga and they finished 2nd. He had some money for sure, but you have to be a decent coach to do that.

Must be on a wind up.

You're right, we should have just stayed in sheds.

I wouldn't be against having Elyounoussi in and around the squad, as you're right we can't move absolutely everyone on. But his appearances need to be less than they were this year if we are to truly progress.

Maybe this is more of a case of an option had they stayed down? That I could somewhat believe. But If they can't keep Garner they'll have to aim higher than Smallbone to stand a cat in hells chance of survival.

Sounds like that horrible clique of player-power morons have got rid of yet another 'voice'. Rangnick said it how it was, so rather than play up for the manger they down tools for him and then ensure the club ditch him in any capacity for next season. Ten Haag has a very toxic job there. The players will probably get him gone in 6 months tops.

Shane Long can 'keep on going in the summer' as contract end approaches | Daily Echo Please don't, Saints. Please.

I mean the bar isn't set that high to be honest. His goal contributions from the number 10 areas are higher than the other number 10's, sure, but they're still absolutely pitiful and nothing to be happy about.

Worrell isn't streets ahead of what we have, in my opinion. He's like Liam Cooper who came up with Leeds, top in the Champ but will likley be average in the top league. I do like Garner though, I think he's such a tidy midfielder. The links we have are very predictable though. Colwill, Gibbs-White, Garner - all would have been in the England youth teams when Crocker was in charge. Talented young players, but I'd like to see some links to experienced players too!

There were similar scenes at the Euro Final a year ago at Wembley, it was all about the fans then and the dreadful behaviour of them. The videos I've seen from last night show exactly the same. Groups of fans jumping over railings, busting through barriers, knocking over fences - yet the fans are being absolved of any blame? Of course innocent fans are going to be caught up in the carnage which is never nice to see, but that's the only people they're interviewing so they're going to get skewed views. It looked clear to me that somehow Liverpool got more fans into their end than they should have. Real Madrid, one of the most successful clubs in the world, seem to have got through last night without many problems with their fans quite comfortably filling their end and looking more organised. But of course, it's not Liverpool's fault.

No, I'd imagine their direct manager would be Matt Crocker and someone at that level.

I think with the budget they 'were' operating under they've done fairly well. I have more confidence than I did previously. If you look at our record since Crocker came in and re-shaped the scouting we've brought in Tino, Broja, KWP, Diallo, Salisu, Small, Perreud, Armstrong, Lyanco, Theo I'd suggest that there were more hits than not in that group. You're never going to get 100% success, but you want to make sure you get the majority right which I think we have. Signing Theo is the only massive blot on their copybook atm. If you compare it to where we were previously - Adams, Moussa, Armstrong, Redmond, Hoedt, Lemina, Boufal, Vestergaard, Carillo, Ings, Gunn, Elyounoussi- you get the picture! Maybe 3 or 4 successes out of those.

It does seem like he landed this coach role by default because he was 'good to have around the club', but fundamentally his job was to coach and assist and challenge Ralph but I don't think that ever happened. Stick him in an ambassadorial role if we want someone who is 'good around the club'. I'm not disagreeing that he is a good person, and he will be remembered by Saints fans for ever. He's a good guy. But you can't say it's been working with him as a coach (he was a first team coach before Ralph too)

I would agree that one more big sale, when the squad is in the state it currently is, would be curtains for us. I don't see it happening though, I can't imagine Sports Republic want to start the regime by selling our best player and captain. By all means our model is still going to be selling our best players over time and re-investing, but you have to choose that time carefully. If we have a big summer and end next season which a much better team and more standout players, then it's probably an easier time for him to leave as we could absorb it better. At the moment you sell him and pretty much start from scratch and that's a lot to do in a single summer.

I don't know what you'd expect to see in this scenario. They were coaches in the backroom staff, you're not going to get the ownership of the club on a call to give them a send off. That doesn't happen in the real world anyway, I could give my company 20 years of service and I'd probably be told on a video call with my direct line manager and that would be that. I imagine Ralph was fully briefed and involved before hand.