itchen_dan

It seems we have reverted from the 4-5-1 that we started the season with and moved to a move 4-4-1-1 v Villa so wouldn't be surprised to see us stick with that and get some more practice with it. Expecting something along the lines of... Boruc Butterfield Stephens Seaborne Shaw Cork JWP Chaplow Mayuka Guly Rodriguez

http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/news/article/boruc-pens-saints-deal-382387.aspx

officialsaints: Saints can confirm the signing of Polish goalkeeper Artur Boruc on a free transfer until the end of the season. More to follow. #saintsfc

I think you'll find that this is his Facebook account, not the one screenshotted above https://www.facebook.com/paulo.gazzaniga.1

Should get until the end of this season at least. If we stay up, but only just, I expect him to leave and a more experienced man to come in and help us kick on for a second season. If we go down, it wouldnt surprise me if he stays as IMO, there is no better manager about for promotions. Sounds odd but that's how I think it'll go. See Rafa Benitez's name is being bandied about today in a few places. 20/1 to come in IF Adkins gets sacked.

I think he is a top player. Gonna be a star in the future but I was a big fan of Richardson (even when he signed and everyone else was against him) however Clyne is a big upgrade on him IMO. Solid defensively, good at 1-on-1s and possesses good pace to get himself out of any tricky situations. I do however think he and Fox have been exposed due to a bit of tactical naivety from Adkins. He has told the full backs to attack and push on but you can't do that in this division when the defence / CB is as weak/frail as ours is. At a club like Chelsea with Terry & Cahill or City with Kompany & Lescott, they can do it because of the strength in the CB pairing and our tactics would be ideal but with 2 of Fonte, Hooiveld or Yoshida, at our club, these just aren't good enough for us to be this attacking. We need to tell Clyne and Fox, their main duty is to defend. I didn't like Butterfield at League 1 or Championship level because he didn't attack enough and get beyond the wide man BUT in this division, his defensive style would be ideal to use. Stay solid, push up to the half way line / 5 yards over (when attacking) and no more. No need for the overlap every time. Cross from deep if need be. Let the wingers do the attacking, you focus on the defensive side. This way you then still have the 4 defenders and the DM shielding the back 4. This lets the other 5 "attacking players" score the goals and create. I think the criticism of Fox and Clyne is unfair because our tactics are leaving them exposed big time. These 2 are then in turn leaving the 2 CB's exposed big time. Therefore leaving the GK exposed big time. It is a domino effect. Get the 2 attacking wingers to win the ball high up the pitch, if not, drop back, support the full backs and track your runners (something both Puncheon and Lallana were guilty of v Arsenal) Then, as the season progresses, slowly give the FB's a bit for freedom and licence to push when we become more accustom to the higher level if things are getting better. A little tweak would IMO stand us in good stead for the rest of the season.

Please please please.... alex_crook: Hearing #saintsfc back in for former Sunderland keeper Craig Gordon. NA hinted last week he might bring in some free agents.

From what I understand he is both footed. Watch the videos of him playing for VVV Venlo on YouTube. Many of his clearances are pin point long range passes with both feet. Adkins said when he arrived that "he is comfortable on either side of the CB pairing".

From watching the game yesterday, I thought Yoshida looked very good. Calm, composed, good passer. I think he misplaced 1 pass to Fox and that was it. Got sucked in for Gervinho's goal but he had just come on and only done 1/2 training sessions. I think he'll do a decent job for rest of season.

http://www.talksport.co.uk/radio/sunday-exclusive/120916/cross-i-cant-see-southampton-surviving-their-current-state-181065?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter First couple of minutes is entirely about Kelvin and back four. John Cross says defence and Davis just not good enough. Also says Yoshida needed translations and instructions? Um, he speaks perfect English. Rest of interview is crap. Completely contradicts the rest of it i.e: "Southampton were poor and I fear for them" then next Q & A Q: "How good were Arsenal?" A: "Arsenal were fantastic!" Surely that is why we lost because Arsenal were fantastic and better than us?! Okay we were poor for first 40mins and some of Arsenal's play was brilliant, hence 6 goals and not 3 like Spurs v Reading today, but second half we were on top for a lot of it and had chances to make it 4-2 / 4-3.

McDermott said this week he was fit to be in the squad to play Spurs but he has made some huge clangers this season. He has made Kelvin look like Buffon. JonnyFordham: Federici told fans outside ground he wasn't in team. If true, he's been dropped as McDermott confirmed he was fully fit #readingfc BroadcastMoose: Big Reading team news the keeper Adam Federici has been dropped and Alex McCarthy comes in MirrorFootball: Bad news for AVB as Reading drop butter-fingers Federici for this relegation six-pointer. Youngster Alex McCarthy is in pots instead.

See Federici has been dropped from Reading's squad for this afternoons game with Spurs after at least 1 bad mistake in each game so far. Shows McDermott has the b0llocks to do it and Adkins should follow suit by putting Davis on the bench as we dont have a decent 3rd choice keeper. Reading fans saying they're glad he's been dropped and hope he doesnt play again. To go from one of best keepers in Champ last year to not good enough for PL puts him in same position as KD - just he has a managed strong enough to make a bold call where I'm not sure if Adkins has that bottle to do so?

Was gonna suggest exactly the same although with a slight tweak. Bit of a 5 man diamond (as some of you may know, I prefer the diamond and is the formation I want us to play) Gazzaniga Clyne Fonte Hooiveld Fox Schneiderlin Puncheon JWP/Davis Lallana Ramirez Lambert - Davis has had his chance, and blown it. Gazza to come in. - Still keeps the DM that Adkins seems to want to protect the back four. - Still allows the full backs to bomb on like Adkins wants. - Still allows us to potentially outnumber the CM with 3/4 players always there. - Still allows Lallana freedom to attack and join in with attacks. Ramirez can play his preferred and best "number 10" role with little defensive responsibility and Lambert gets someone for support and someone who can play in and around him. -As close to the 4-4-2 that many want but keeps with the 4-5-1/4-3-3 that Adkins wants.

I think that will eventually happen. Davis Clyne Yoshida Hooiveld Fox Schneiderlin JWP Lallana Puncheon Ramirez Lambert/Jay Rod S. Davis didnt impress me at all today from his 45mins. Been solid so far this season, if unspectacular, but the game totally passed him by today. When Cork gets back, there will be a huge competition for places in that CM. Huge! (Schneiderlin, Cork, JWP, S. Davis, Lallana, Chaplow, Ramirez (potentially)). Plus, I said during the game that Jay should've come on 10-15mins sooner than he did as IMO, this formation is just not for Rickie. Forget about the goals he scored, he has struggled playing it throughout pre-season and even 4 games in, doesnt seem to fit it. He needs a man in and around him to knock down to and also feed off of. With this he is just too isolated. Perhaps with the arrival of Ramirez, he will fit better as Ramirez will more likely than not be one of the furthest players forward supporting him so who knows? Time will tell but for the time being, I'd have the mobility and pace as well as height of Rodriguez upfront but thats totally IMO.

I am actually shaking with anger. So poor. Shocking infact. Kelvin nowhere near good enough. Please blow now ref.

Well what great timing.... SimonPeach: Adam Lallana is having one hell of a week. England call-up, #SaintsFC at #AFC & just found his missus is about to drop their first #PAsoccer

Good. Adz looked much more at home and more comfortable on the left, linking with Foxy and cutting in. Very confident with CM 3 of MS, SD & JWP. Give it a couple of games and I think Adz will be back there and Ramirez one wing and Puncheon on the other. Very happy Puncheon is still in. Very impressive v United. Hopefully give Gibbs / Santos a good test aswell. Very confident we'll score today but still uncertain re: defence with Fonte and Jos there. 2-2.

Yep. £26.8m is €33m. Good work from yourself, poor from the Grauniad.

They're the figures that have been widely reported. In fact, reports say Jay was closer to £6m and that Guardian article says Ramirez was £11m so that knocks the total I have down from £28.8m to £26.8m meaning I'm now £6.2m off the £33m bet spend reported.

Rodriguez - £7m Clyne - £2.5m Gazzaniga - £1m S Davis - £800k Mayuka - £3.5m Yoshida - £2m Ramirez - £12m Total - £28.8m. Means I'm £4.2m out somewhere going by reports of £33m. Have I missed anyone?

NUFCOfficial: Sam McQueen has fired Southampton U21s ahead against #NUFC after 51 mins with a great strike from 18 yards

I think there needs to be a sticky at the top of the main board stating this with a link to FirstRowSports, Wiziwig etc with links to software as these threads crop up before every single game.

There we go. danbsfc: @billysharp10 Will you ever get the @Foundationljs wristbands on sale in the #SaintsFC club shop? Would sell a lot with 30,000 most weeks! Foundationljs: @danbsfc no sorry. It's not something the club will support at the moment.

Don't quote me on this but I'm sure I read on his twitter whilst he was here, that Billy asked for the bands to be sold in our club shop but the club wouldn't do it because they already had the Saints Foundation ones or something along those lines.

Great piece on him on the Premier League site today. The reports differ from Tim Vickery's opinions! http://www2.premierleague.com/en-gb/news/news/gaston-ramirez-could-be-new-le-tissier-for-southampton.html? Judging by the article, he will be a huge success IMO. Just needs to adapt to English life and learn the team's style quickly and he'll fit in an absolute treat.