S-Clarke

Can't find a decent stream anywhere today, just one of those days. back to Solent commentary I think. Old Skool.

I don't know these days to be honest.

That's such a generic thing to say really. Why is it always the opposing team have to have an off day for us to win? Could it just be that, maybe....just maybe, we make it very hard for them to get anything? and our excellent play and football gets us the results?

One of the main reasons has to be the recruitment programme. We obviously didn't want to sell so many this summer, but the club have done an amazing job pulling replacements over the line. In many cases, these are like for like replacements - and in the odd case, better replacements. I look at Liverpool (and Tottenham from last season) for an example of how not to recruit. It was slap dash, ill prepared and spare of the moment stuff. That may sound like a huge assumption, but it doesn't take a genius to look at players like Soldado, Lamella, Markovic...and think if there was a little more TLC in the recruitment process, they may have been able to get a better feel of their personality or how they'd adapt within their current group. It sounds a bit corny, but 'The Southampton Way' is what we follow. We have attributes and personal qualities we require in any player we bring in, and that's why as well as having excellent technical players, we always seem to have down to earth decent blokes on top of that. That gives you a great opportunity to build a team, the mentality and personality of the squad is important. (There may be the odd 1 or 2 that don't quite fall in that category, but I'd say the recruitment guys have done a damn fine job on the whole - and you'll get more success stories than duds by following our method) But all of that needs a manager in place to glue it together. What strikes me is that there is a clear idea, a clear plan on how we play and how we set up, and he was provided with a blank canvas to work with - the players have taken to it superbly and Koeman has put his idea's across better than any of us could have imagined. I think his support staff are also very, very strong and offer all sorts of qualities that we may not have had before. Sammy Lee seems like a happy guy, probably a little out of his depth as a manager, but I think he's a damn fine coach. At the end of the day, if you combine a well thought out and well researched recruitment policy with a grounded and talented coaching staff - then you've always got a chance. We may slip and slide at some points of the season, but the ground work has been done and IF (if being the key word here) we can keep this lot together and BUILD on it, then we may be on the cusp of something a bit special. But whatever happens in the future, I feel we're in pretty safe hands with the likes of Les and Paul Mitchell in the background.

A Hull fans thoughts on this weekends game:

You can never say never, keep a look on the sale windows and the criteria when it comes out - but I'd say it's very, very unlikely to make general sale.

Those stats are so damn impressive. At this moment in time, we're functioning like the perfect machine. Lots of shots, lots of goals, few shots against you, few goals against, lots of possession and passes. We're like the ultimate team, it's stuff you see on computer games!

Just like penalties were the best we could hope for last night, and that we were out once it went to 2-2? Your mindset is so transparent.

Outstanding tactical insight.

Tremendous tactical insight from our good friend Lawro. What a pundit.

Why drop Davis! Key, key player in everything we're doing right now.

Too true. I don't want to belittle our season too much last year, as we were excellent (and there's a long way to go this season!)....but, it was a times a bit too tippy tappy for the sake of it. Lack of pot shots from outside of the area being one. Don't think we scored many outside the box at all under MP. But Koeman seems to have released the shackles on the entire side. The midfield rotates, the front 3 interchange, the full backs bomb on....yet they all still press and get back into defensive positions without any problems, but it makes us so much more fluid to watch and so much more lethal up top. In my opinion, I think Pelle is an upgrade on Lambert. His mobility is one of the main reasons, and his relationship with Tadic is just beautiful. You'd have thought we'd bought them both from the same club...

Poor return.......

To be fair, it makes a good story. Seeing a team doing well, despite what's happened etc. Makes it more of an interesting read, rather than just saying Southampton have won, bla bla. (Ok, for us it's annoying, but it probably makes it more of an interesting read for the neutral)

Didn't we have the new Fernando Torres at one point as well? (BWP)

To be fair, only the odd nut case is suggesting that. Most people can see Forster as the better keeper. The only criticism I'd have is his lack of commanding for the succession of corners (although Stoke did well to tie him to the line) and that first goal was savable, in my opinion. But he also made a good save from an over head kick, which came from no where and he was also unsighted. So, good and bad last night. Certainly shouldn't be dropping him though!

Huddlestone, Diame and Livermore are pretty good to be honest. Midfield is easily the strongest area of that team.

I think you're right. If anything, Morgan will look at the summer as a close escape. Going to Spurs isn't a step up in my eyes, maybe in stature and size of club, but they're a poor team and are years and years away from doing anything of note. We're not as big as Spurs, but as every day passes I think we may be on the brink of something a bit special. The only reason he'd move is for more money, and I don't think he's that sort. At this moment in time it's a poisoned chalice and he'd be gambling with his career.

Can't see it catching on. Sky Red button, maybe, but why would any run of the mill fan want to load up an app to look at all sorts of angles of a goal that they've just seen live? and should naturally be jumping up and celebrating about? You'll end up missing more as your head will be in your phone! All for having a better WiFi/3G connection before and after the game, but the usage during the game doesn't interest me and never will.

Didn't realise, but they're going through something of a mini injury crisis at the mo. (not that it'll make it any easier!) Dawson and Jelavic both out for 4/6 weeks, so will miss out Saturday. Harper in goal is also doubtful, and Allan Mcgregor is still out...so they could be down to their third choice GK. Looks like Bruce will play at CB alongside Davies, with Chester at full back. Abel playing up top on his own, with Ben Arfa in and around him. Obviously they can't even select Gaston for the weekend, so they are somewhat down to the bare bones.

Feel a bit sorry for him, as I personally felt we dicked around with it at the back too much prior to that slip - and the ball to him wasn't exactly ideal, he was put under enormous pressure with the hospital pass and unfortunately lost his footing. He lost his head a bit after that, but he's a good player and I'm not too concerned.

What strikes me is the weight and selection of his passes, always 100%. I've never seen someone so consistent with their weighting of passes. It's not so much his pace, or his ability to get passed 5 or 6 players (which he can do!) but it's just his consistent end product. No huff and puff from his game.

Tough game. Would expect.... Forster Clyne Fonte Toby Bertrand Wanyama - Morgan Davis - Tadic - Mane (if fit/ if not...Long) Pelle

***Seconds doddisalegend....seconds!!!!

They don't play physically, apparently.