S-Clarke

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.

The whole feature on us was bizarre, but we mustn't get into this debate as we cannot question how we're covered in the media apparently.

Find it odd how they're looking at the price of Ramirez (well merson in particular) and acting as if it's some sort of mega gamble, and that it's over priced. Steven Fletcher joined Sunderland for up to 15m. Jarvis joined WHU for up to 11m. Rhodes joined Rovers for up to 8m. We have got a snip, it's just their lack of football knowledge outside of the top 6 which makes them think otherwise.

I think we all know where this thread is going.

Having all his pics and interviews done today, ready for the unveiling tomorrow.

Thanks again. Love this bit “Ramirez is a great young player. As a comparison, he had more impact in Italy than Pastore had in Palermo before they sold him to PSG for €43 million. So we can say Southampton completed a good deal for ‘just’ €14 million. Ramirez can dribble, kick with both feet, is quite speedy and has good stamina. He has to improve his mentality, stop (trash) talking with opponents and referee first.”

Not good enough to shell out £6m on, that's for sure. Blackburn living in cloud cuckoo land.

Height 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)

Scott Dann stayed put, I think we were interested to a degree but I kind of get the feeling that if he had of arrived late in the window he'd have had an element of panic about him. But we don't seem to do that, we just bide our time for the right player(s). I imagine the few short comings we have now, will be addressed in January and I believe our current squad is enough to get us through to then.

Don't expect too much from his straight away, although I think he's got the attributes to do well at this level. We've got quite a big, powerful team now.

Can't really argue with that. I cannot see NC has gone through all the work of securing Ramirez to watch us struggle away in 17th all season. Even though we'd survive we'd lose most weeks, and I don't believe Adkins would survive that at all. I want him to succeed massively at this level, I really like him - I just hope he's given a realistic amount of time to make this work and that the finger isn't already on the trigger.