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The difference dear David, is then we had little in the way of finance to make a difference back then.. Today we have just wasted close to 30 million and are no better off or nearer to resolving our dilemma.

I think Adkins will be given till Ramirez and Cork return. If he still can't get the team into winning ways I think that will be the time for him to stand down. Yet the fact we didn't bring in a decent defender in the 3 months the window was open defies the simplest of logic. In the past a player like Rodriguez would have been drafted into defense. He's big enough and surely we've enough strikers not to lack from cover. Guly too is big and ugly enough to block opponents strikers. Anything is better than the current set up. in defense

Gordon's not the answer but I do know he would have used last nights match to get the first team players playing how he wanted. Adkins, not only had us thrown out of the Cup, but threw away a golden opportunity to tweak Sundays team into winning a game. I can remember Gordon arranging closed door games, Charlton comes to mind, but it worked and got back the players confidence. All I read is players being given time off, taking holidays when the free time could be used to get things right.

This was the golden opportunity to get the team from Sunday with one or two tweaks getting a good result. Instead Adkins refers to the Charlton blueprint that Reed insists he abide to and picks a team of donkeys ready for the knackers yard together with two future stars {who'll be wondering what the hell they came here for} Lost the plot, Adkins doesn't have one. This is a repeat of his previous inability to adapt to the Championship when he got S****horpe promoted and relegated back to League One. When Bournemouth went for Howe we missed out and will regret it for a long time to come. Surely not even Cortese can sit back idly and let this continue. Maybe it's the pay off on Nigel's contract that makes sacking him too costly.

Seems Gazza's been made the scapegoat for our atrocious defense. Really gutted when neither Boruc or Kelvin are going to keep us in the Premier League. Just wait, anyone who plays well tonight will go straight into the team next game, regardless of the fact we should be building on the team who did well 2nd half Sunday. Adkins is going to have an awful lot to answer for. I get the impression he's using this season to experiment all his quirky ideas, or, at least, up to the new year when he hopes everything will fall miraculously into place and keep us up.

Great guy as were Theo and Oxo. Nice to see these former players showing love and respect for the club that did so much for setting them on the road to the big time. Didn't notice anyone mentioning that Michael Wilde was Bale's sponsor for a number of years. Was wondering if Michael still sponsors players or has any involvement still with Gareth Bale

We have a home game coming up. Time to leave Cortese, Reed in not doubt about our feelings for Ricky. If Holt can make it big in the PL then Ricky can make it even bigger. Rumors like this are just a distraction for the real issues.

We're not the only supporters who found Championship football far more enjoyable. Time has come for the creation of the Phoenix League, spoken of some 10 years ago. The past 3 years I enjoyed my football more than I have since the days when Ted Bates was in charge. It really is tragic that a decent man like Nigel Adkins ends up being rewarded for all his hard graft by life in the Premier League

Not very fashionable. Nigel's soiled undies from the West Ham game would be more in line what punters go for these days!

Have I missed something, or what has happened to the Annual Radio Solent Fans Forum? That used to be a way of the fans connecting with the Chairman, Manager and players. Any word for LadySaint who always spoilt us with summaries of what was said and what went on from a Bird's Eye View.

Not Cortese but REID is putting the strings and making sure Nigel stays as manager. Bringing in anyone with any Premier League Experience or ability would see REID out of a job and put in his place for what he is. There will be no decent manager at St Mary's with REID in the boardroom, with the exclusive ear to Cortese himself.

Former Saint Dan Petrescu had a fair run in management but seems to be struggling since he moved to manage Dynamo Moscow. Certainly knows a lot about good defenses and is someone who's always been in work when Saints were in need of his services.

Wotte behind the scenes was the Reid of today. However Reid knows that keeping Nigel keeps him in his ill gotten job. No manager of Premier League experience and ability would accept to report to the likes or Reid. Hence unlike in Jan's case Reid is keeping Nigel in place to protect his own position. Personally Jan Poortvliet would be an asset to the current setup and coaching. Jan played as a defender and it's the defense that needs sorting. Could see Jan and Nigel getting on well together and producing great passing football and getting the best out of the youngsters.

High time we supporters do something to relieve the pressure on Adkins by once and for all turning the spotlight on REID and his role in our absymal start to life back in the Premier League that equals play under Gray, Wigley, to name but two past managers.

I reckon Dickson's being given the same treatment that Puncheon was because his thinking differs from Cortese. Can see this guy eventually up and motivated will be a revelation.

Wasn't referring to yesterday but to Rodriquez being played for a number of games on the wing. He was played out of position as Yoshida was yesterday.

Why blame Yoshida? Why not blame the person who decided to play him there. The same person who had Rodriguez playing on the wing. Ward Prowse would have done a better job but let's no suggest such things in case he ends up there.

What would make a difference is bringing in someone experienced in the Premier League to work along side Nigel to teach him what matters in this League. Les Reid definitely isn't that person but Steven Coppell, Harry or even Hoddle would make a difference and allow Nigel to find his way. What's Joe Jordan doing at the moment? In the end Nigel's going to succeed, but, with who, and what price, that is the question.

Sorry but the one thing Adkins hasn't done is lose the dressing room. The players are giving their all but just aren't up to Premiership standard in a defense that Adkins isn't concerned about. We have shown brilliant play only for Adkins to screw things up by abysmal substitutions and bad timing in making them.

Previously Adkins stood on the touchline and very rarely consulted anyone else. Nowadays he sits a lot of the time with the two stooges on either side. He is definitely not running the show like before. Changing Adkins is one thing but do we have the players at this time, especially defenders, for a new guy to turn things round? Very little can be done before the January transfer window, but, honestly, who will be ready to join a sinking ship. Strachan went for old hands like Williams and Telfer to shore things up, but, today, the quality in the Premier League is streaks ahead of then.

Adkins obviously thought that Gazza was the reason the defense have been so bad. Yet another Adkins failure to see where the real problem lies. After Boruc's display at the start of the second half I don't believe throwing on Kelvin could have been any worse. In fact he may have kept the score down to 2.

Genuine comments or made up? http://www.clubcall.com/southampton/adkins-reveals-job-worry-1487471.html

Sam is proving that he is open to changing his formation and today they made at least 3 formation changes to match the way Saints played and where their weaknesses showed. The team that Pardew put in place. that was tinkered about with and now has a 50% air of ever achieving Premier league success. This is basically a Championship side and for all the outlay of 30 million looks very tatty indeed. Nigel doesn't appear to be capable of taking on the powers of NC and his boardroom advisers.

Redknapp returned to Farton a 2nd time and turned things around and went from better to better and then to Spurs. At this moment in time there's few better to bring in. If only as consultant, he would do a good job. Times are different now than they were in Lowe's time. Some managers are brilliant but can't handle the top leagues. Nigel got S****horpe to the Championship then took them straight back down. Luggy couldn't handle the upper league yet was brilliant in the lower leagues. Nigel is still young but needs time elsewhere to learn the Premier League. Nigel has lost the plot on his recruitments, his team choices and substitutions.

Abysmal. Just when we were turning things around after the appalling 2nd half start, Nigel goes and upsets things by yet another badly timed substitutions. He pussyfooted but then when hope was there he acted. When is he going to realise that taking off Puncheon gives the opponents an open door to get control. Let's face it, even Gray and Wigley got better results and didn't have the money to buy in players. Heard Sir Clive's out of a job, maybe he's the answer to getting Nigel on track