Junior Mullet

Thanks for giving a view, especially when you know it is going to be unpopular. I can see the sense in what you are saying if we were comfortably mid-table, but we aren't. We are in serious danger of being relegated - with the exception of West Brom all the other teams down there are picking up good points. With the talented squad we have, relegation would be crazy but this does have the hallmarks of being a crazy season. In my opinion we need to stay up at all costs and reassess in the summer. There are managers out there who I believe would give us a boost we need to get over the line. We won't be a very attractive proposition for managers of players if we slip to the Championship. Having said that ^ I don't think for one minute MP will go before June. The club would surely have done it in January if they were so inclined.

Totally. Klopp was taking the ******, as he did in his interview about not taking risks. He was quite clearly having a dig. VVD was interviewed on MOTD2 and seemed to enjoy his day out (he also made a reference to fans not understanding stuff behind the scenes - I wonder if that was a reference to broken promises, club's change of ambition etc). Seeing Klopp put Lovren on for the last few minutes was the biggest ****** take at a Saints game since Le Tiss wore the shirt. Massive middle finger at us Saints fans.

That may have something to do with where the high balls are delivered from. It's very different coming onto and heading a ball that's played up from the back as opposed to balls that are whipped in from wide areas. I also think the quality of delivery in the Prem is better than Italy.

Good grief! The thought of Hoddle inspecting young players checking to see if they had a 'man' body. I think I just puked a bit. Interesting thread. I think he's got a lot of potential and I think he's developing well. I'd stick with him. I imagine just about every other Prem League team's fans are having similar discussions about the weaknesses of their defence. I can't think of too many defences that are really solid.

Kat has played a blinder, there's no doubt about it. I agree with Alps, she is shrewd and knew the best time to sell - just before our decline became obvious. And yes, Kat was the reason for Cortese's departure. He wanted her to sell the club to someone who could fund it in a way that would have delivered on his plan. She took a more conservative route which unfortunately has meant losing our best players and managers ever since because their personal ambition is greater than that of the club. We will never know how it could have worked out, but my guess is we'd be in a better place financially and in terms of challenging under Cortese. Do you remember how the pundits used to rave about Saints? The way we pressed, the beautiful football we played, the way the team played as a team, a desire to bring through good young talent, a desire to bring through English talent. We have lost our way. Where's the plan? The glue holding it all together? We just look like any old mid table Prem league team now - a collection of random players who may or may not be able to play together, panic buying and paying over the odds for average players from foreign leagues.

I disagree. A bit of electricity in the stadium might help, especially if the players give a toss about the manager and by all accounts he has not lost the dressing room. I'd gamble. Staying calm and carrying on will change nothing and I'm afraid that's relegation form.

He will be here until the end of the season. Meanwhile Swansea have taken 10 points from 5 games since changing manager: European form. Fact is, MP has failed from the outset to get the best from a talented bunch of players.

Lee Holmes and Lloyd James at Exeter. I think Jake Thompson is still at Havant and Waterlooville. I really thought Thompson would make it big.

That goalie is an absolute loon! :0)

Patience. He has to select a watch, learn to play the piano, shoot the video and kiss his old team mates goodbye first.

It takes a while for central midfielders to reach their potential. Morgan Schneiderlin took several seasons before nailing down a first choice spot. I have been very impressed with JWP this season and is one of the few players we have currently who would flourish in a better team. The ball in to Stephens on Sunday was an absolute peach - everyone knew it was coming but Spurs still couldn't defend it. On form, talent and on commitment JWP would be in my starting 11 for sure.

Anyone else think MP is just here on a scouting mission for his old club Liverpool?

Interesting that. I was thinking about momentum earlier and how important it is in football. Both during the course of a game and longer term such as a month, a season, several years etc. MP has been slow to react to downward momentum in games this season. On a larger scale, the club have failed to stop the rot since Koeman left.

So what are we going to do about it? We should be going bat **** crazy! St Marys should be a couldron of hate tomorrow, directed at the Board. We won’t get anything vs Spurs anyway, so use the day for something useful. Guan was right, club are sarisfied all the time the peasants are quiet.

Thanks for the image mate! Literally made my lunchtime. The thought of Alpine and Turkish 'duelling'..... The club really should care about that.

Why are people banging on about debt as a bad thing? Yes, in football you run up debt to create something of great value. Which is what happened and why KL sold a majority stake to Gao last year, when the investment had probably peaked. That looks like a bloody great deal for KL, in no small part thanks to the part played by her father in the first instance, Cortese and the current board latterly. Whatever we think about Cortese and the current board, you have to say that KL has played an absolute blinder here. She's gone about her business quietly and carefully and with fine timing. Problem is, I think it means a period of disappointment now for the fans. Don't expect Cortese back any time soon, don't expect MP to be sacked this Jan, don't expect the current board to be sacked either and sadly don't expect big signings this Jan.

Made me laugh

Were you surprised though? Your last sentence is spot on and why would it be any different. He isn't a Saints fan. To footballers it is just a job, and their attitude is much the same as most people with a job. Bear in mind most footballers are millennials, that tells you everything you need to know. Loyalty is key to the baby boomers and to a lesser extent to generation X's, but it pretty much dies out thereafter. I think fans need a dose of reality.

Remember, accounts are prepared in arrears so this is old data now: http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/10945892/premier-league-and-efl-wage-rises-analysed-in-deloitte-study 2016/17 figures - puts us 9th, slightly behind West Ham: https://talksport.com/football/every-premier-league-club-ranked-their-total-wage-bill-2016-17-171109261432?p=13

Pretty sure that's public info accessible from Companies House accounts or pulled from info the clubs have to present to the association. I remember reading the figures and a report last year which indeed showed us as 8th highest spending. The report showed how much each club pays in wages against its turnover, thus giving a percentage of income used as wages. Interesting stuff. I'll see if I can dig it out. The last set of accounts showed that pretty much all income from transfers out has been reinvested in transfers in. The figures pretty much balanced which shows that until that point the owners hadn't been taking money out from transfers. That may of course all change now that Gao is involved. KL's strategy was therefore one of capital growth rather than income, and proved to be a success when she sold a large chunk to Gao. I imagine the new business plan also envisages capital growth rather than asset-stripping/income in which case the board and owners will be desperate to stay in the Prem. Interesting to see what action they decide to take. Personally, if I were Gao I would be talking to Cortese with a view to replacing Les Read assuming of course KL has veto'd that. I would also want to replace the manager pronto. It'll be an interesting January.

I agree with you.

Sack. He got lucky with Koeman. Last two managers have seen the good work started by Cortese eroded. He was never the man to fulfil the ‘Southampton way’ philosophy. Get Cortese back!!

At home to Woking. My old home team. Grew up watching them and they were unlucky yesterday to only draw with Peterborough. Woking would bring a lot of fans down too. I remember being at Goodison in the 90's after Woking beat West Brom 4-2 at the Hawthorns - great day.

Forster VVD Yoshi Hoedt Cedric Romeu Lemina Bertrand Davis Long Gabbiadini

Sort of thing you'd do with an ex