S-Clarke

I don't want us to be one of these teams that's a neutrals favorite, but never quite gets the points. It's pointless putting in all the effort that we did today, and at City, if we continue to make the same basic naive mistakes at key times and in key positions. Quality players will cost you. That's what frustrates me, it's so basic how they score, it's so avoidable. 2 free headers they got in the box today, just a little more attention and those goals wouldn't have happened. In terms of defending and closing down in open play we're terrific, but it means nothing if you cannot defend set pieces or give away the ball for no reason. City and Man Utd had very few chances against us in open play, which tells me that our tactical formation and how we setup is working to that extent. It's just so annoying because there's so much good about us. 2 weeks to take a breather though, let's not panic. Long way to go.

Very naive, Adkins has got it tactically wrong in 2 games now. Totally got it wrong against Wigan by switching to 4-4-2, and didn't make the right call today in terms of the timings. Not all 3 changes should have happened within the time frame they did, totally changed the game in the wrong way. He'll learn though, he's young, positive and intelligent enough to learn as he goes along. I just hope he's given time.

Quality performance. It shows that if 2 parties can bang their heads together, it can all work out ok in the end. Technically he's a very good footballer, but this was his best ever display for us. - Maybe his career in terms of the level he was at.

Morgan ran the show, him and W-P bossed the midfield. Made Carrick look like an idiot. Terrific young players.

Oh come on, if you're going to pick him out for that then you're looking for faults specifically. Where was fox? Why was Jay Rod beaten so easily? They're more culpable.

I tell you what, this sort of player is what we need. Experience at the top level is missing from this team. We're naive. Having someone like him in and around the players, and on the pitch, would be a stunning effort. It has to happen.

I'd say he's done a fantastic job for us so far. Anyone who thinks otherwise has an agenda. Both have had such positive effects on this football club in different ways, and it's frustrating that they can't bang their heads together here. Both at fault.

Sorry, what did he do wrong today? Can someone please answer that? Is he a scapegoat or what???

both of them need to bang their heads together and grow up. MLT is not helping himself though.

Everyone will jump on Cortese, but there is fault on both sides here. They both need to grow up, and MLT more so as he doesn't need to come out with stupid comments like this.

Welcome to the Premier League. It only takes a second for a player to take a touch and score at this level, a game can be changed in a blink of an eye. Unfortunately we are naive in certain area's of the pitch, which is costing us at the moments. Actually, I think ''naive'' is the perfect way to sum up this game really. From a tactical point of view, It was slightly naive of Adkins to make the wholesale changes he did - in the time-frame he did. Way too much change, way too quickly. What with their introduction of Scholes, Fergie totally won the tactical battle there. But there weren't many negatives, that's what frustrates the hell out of me. We caught Man Utd on a sloppy day and we took advantage of that, but we even had the chances to make even more advantage of that - we could have had 3 today if we were more clinical in and around the box as Utd were all over the shop at times. The best department of the team for me was the middle. For 60 odd mins they ran the show, Ward-Prowse will not be here for much longer if he continues to put in displays like this - let's be honest. Morgan had his best game of the season and confirms everyone's beliefs that he was always a premiership quality footballer. Davis added that steal and experience in there as well, and he had a very good game in the middle of the park. The front 3 of Lambert, Lalanna and Puncheon were terrific - that was as effective over a prolonged period that we have been in this formation, and it's all down to playing the correct players in their natural positions! No more strikers on the left, and no more midfielders on the right. Puncheon had the game of his life, probably his best ever performance for us. Well done that lad. I Never had any worries over Lambert. He's a goal scorer, he will score goals wherever he is and at whatever level he plays at. He's natural and the way he pulls away on the far post is a gift, his movement in that area is unplayable when the delivery is right. We used that so often last year and it's good to see that's still an effective option this year as well. That's probably the most effective part our play, the diagonal balls to Lambert - that's contributed to so many goals over the last 3 years. Unfortunately the reality is that we're bottom, 3 games, 0 points, -4 GD. But what I'd say to everyone is sit back, take a deep breath over the next few weeks - and don't panic. I would imagine Adkins is saying exactly the same. There are so many positives about us, and we need to feed off those. It might be a case that we have to ''score more than you'' up until January, but we've got the players to do so. It was always going to be like this at the start of the season. I'd expect a similar effort at Arsenal next week as well, we're just too naive at this current time against teams like these. We'll learn and we'll grow because we're a young group (that's including the management), but it really was unlucky to hit all these teams at the start. The pressure on the Villa game is going to be immense though....that's what worries me.

I haven't seen anyone fall for it. We all appreciate it's a load of rubbish, but it's a discussion point on a discussion forum.

I'd stick him up against Buttner on the right...welcome to the PL.

Mayuka should feature, possibly from the start I've heard. Would be a surprise to throw him right in though!

Exactly, the way we played at city was tailor made for a player like him. He would have slotted right in, as in a weird way, we alrady seem to be built for him. Possibly sightly early to say, but he looks perfect for us

This is a really good read: http://www.insidefutbol.com/2012/09/01/southampton-snare-gem-in-gaston-ramirez-but-uruguayan-needs-time/68226/?

I think it's about results at the end of the day. He hasn't just smashed the clubs transfer record, twice, to see us struggle and limp over the line. I can be sure of that. He wants progress this season and in his eyes, survival by the skin of our teeth will not be seen as progress. I love NA, I think he's a refreshing, positive character, he's infectious and you can see it in the way the teams play. I just hope he's given a fair amount of time and I think he will, but the reality is that if we lose lots of games then he won't be around for long. As harsh as that may sound.

Very lazy, but you can be sure as hell that this will be discussed ''in depth'' by the gurus on the Sunday Supplement tomorrow.

Once again, he ruins a thread. Why is he being allowed to run riot on here as he is? Now if the comment about him preferring Sharp over Rodriguez/Ramirez isn't to attract ''bites'', then I don't know what is. He's a troll. and he's been allowed to troll for a good 7 years now. Why he is still allowed to do it is beyond me. I can accept peoples opinions, but what I can't accept is the continuous trolling of negatives, and turning positive situations into a negative by twisting it all over the place. He's turned the signing of Ramirez into a negative and turned the thread into an argument, in the only way he can. I did give him the benefit of doubt a while ago and accepted that he may just be a passionate fan who wants us to succeed as much as the next fan, but I don't see that anymore. The obvious nature of his posting pattern is a telling sign, when things are going well he's not around - 1 or 2 posts a week possibly. But when there's a slight problem, or a situation that may be negative, he's here. Daily. 10/20's posts a day. If we were in the CL, he would still be exactly the same. I don't know why he's being allowed to continuously wind people up, because that's what he does. He attracts abuse because that's what he wants, and he takes threads off tangent because that's what he wants. Define: Troll. = alpine. Should put it on wiki.

Rodriguez is a completely different type of centre forward. He's better technically for a start, has more to his all round game and can bring others in to play with his ability. We're yet to se the best of him, but i've always been a fan. I think he's far superior to Sharp and that's based on me seeing a fair bit of both and their all round games. I am still of the opinion that the club felt we needed a striker in January to get us over the line, we tried for Hooper and tried again for Rodriguez - but it didn't happen. That's when we resurrected the Sharp deal as it was quite a good deal being under £2m at the time. The deal did what it was itended to, an investment into a goalscorer to get us over the line. And we've now made his transfer fee back, and then some. Come the summer, we're in a position to approach Rodriguez again - and this time we're able to sign him. Therefore with the return of Lee, the addition of Rodriguez and the arrival of Muyaka then he's too far down the pecking order for me - and he deserves to play, that's what I think the club have put to him.

It wasn't. No mind games by anyone. The final bits of paper work to officially complete the deal were signed after 12, so he wasn't registered in time for the weekends fixtures. Also, NA has even said as much.

It actually did happen.

Southampton FC ‏@officialsaints Gastón Ramírez's exclusive first interview since joining #SaintsFC will be available on Saints Player and http://www.saintsfc.co.uk this evening.

Drogba and Anelka are free agents.

Wouldn't blame him, he's 5th choice CM this year, and even down the pecking order for a place on the right. Would expect him to go on loan at some point, he deserves to play.