shurlock

Subs made sense Mellis was ****e, replaced by Mills who's a natural left-sided player. Lallana who's a right footer switched sides. The decision to do it at half-time rather than wait 20 mins was decisive and spot-on. Paterson was too lightweight, replaced by Thomson who gave us more width on the right, freeing Lallana to play down the middle. Not a big fan of Thomson but we were desperately narrow on the right in the first half (see Mellis above) Perry replaced by Schneiderlin. What was the point of playing a flat back four when the opposition was happy to camp in its own half. Schneiderlin came on to bolster the midfield as we switched to 3-5-2 and provide more options with his range of passing.

JP would be smiling. Not bad but I think there's one too many attacking players. I think its three from Lambert, Saga, Lallana and Waigo with somebody left on the bench.

For me, this has been the most disappointing and worrying aspect of our game. It's also one of the hardest things to solve, isn't it? Requires composure on the ball, willingness and ability to exploit space and effective communication.

There aren't many youhgsters from last year and for every one that is reserve team status (James, Paterson), there is one with promise (Mills, Lallana). AP has said that the biggest disappointment of the transfer window is not loaning out more youngsters (including fringe players like Thompson) - so he certainly doesn't buy any of the hype peddled by the old order. I agree today was extremely disappointing to the extent that we didn't force a save from the keeper with 11 against 10 (apart from Paterson's cleared shot off the line and that was before the sending off if i remember). But I don't think we are 4 or 5 players short, its just that the positions in which we are weak -CM, CF- are pretty key ones.

One of the funniest moments of the day was in the first half. Ball was cleared out of their box and it came to James on the volley who was going to lob it (harmlessly) back in but only ended up spooning it in the air. Ball went up a mile but must have landed only a few yards from him..

Why was the Perry sub dumb? Thought it was quite astute. They had a couple of free-kicks/throw-ins in dangerous positions and only pushed two men forward while we had 8 men in the box - said everything about their attacking ambitions (of lack of). Having the extra defender was a waste - when Schneiderlin came on, we went to 3-5-2 with James staying in midfield rather than dropping back to RB and Thomas going more central. Taking a defender off and putting another in the middle, in the absence of any strikers, was the most positive thing we could do. Admittedly, Lallana has been playing with greater discipline; but he is better suited 'in the hole' and with his current good form, playing him down the middle would both provide the team better balance and play to his strengths.

Was very encouraged by Mills return - he can get forward, track back and good with the ball in tight spaces. Hopefully, he starts atCharlton. I don't think its a question of getting to grips with big, strong teams - with Thomas, Trotman, Hammond, Harding and Jaidi (I thought Perry was OK today but no way MOTD), we have more than enough in that department.In the last three/four games we've tightened up and KD has had little or nothing to do. The problem, as AP made clear, is the lack of athleticism and pace upfront combined with the quality to open teams up (Lambert is hardly mr mobile). I think Lallana is adapting quickly, and has been pretty impressive since Birmingham, so is part of the solution not the problem. The three positions that need most attention are a partner for Lambert, right midfield and central midfield. I don't think Lallana should play on the right -exacerbating our lack of width. THat suggests he plays down the middle (Pards switched him there towards the end). At the moment, it seems he would partner Lambert but I don't think Lambert should be accorded any special treatment or become a sacred cow not least because in the two games Lambert and Saga have played together -Birmingham and Stockport- Saga has actually offered more. Lambert and Lallana would be my first choice, but there's no reason why Saga and Lallana couldn't play together. Papa Waigoo seems an obvious candidate for the right while providing support for the front two. The last position CM is a tough one: I think James was meant to offer more cover (especially after Swindon and Huddersfield) but doesn't offer much going forward (except to chip balls into the box from the middle of the park). Does somebody like James offer the right balance and mentality for home games? Indeed, with the additions of Trotman, Jaidi, Hammond and the return of hardworkers like Mills, do we need that cover fullstop? Could Schneiderlin be given another go?

Did he really need to take three touches:D

Illuminating interview with Pards on Saints Player - took a shine to a nonleague player but didn't work out; the major disappointment was that we didn't offload any players - in particular, some of the younger ones on loan and one or two senior ones. Interesting who Pards identified as the 'core' of the team which could go anywhere -Liverpool or Carlisle- and compete (Davis, Trottman, Jaidi, Perry, Lloyd, Hammond, Morgan, Saga, Papa, Lambert, Patterson)

Supposedly we have a personal connection at the mighty viola which helped seal the deal for Papa. Wonder who that might be. Indeed, the West Ham General Manager thought we had f**k all chance of getting him. http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10280~1787575,00.html

Who in the club would present pardew with a fait accompli? I thought we had purged it of all meglomaniacs? Certainly Cortese seems to be intelligent and humble enough to defer to experts on footballing matters - hence the DoF idea. To the extent that we don't have a DoF (and even then signings would probably be a cooperative exercise - only in the basketcase world of Lowe isn't it), can't believe AP wasn't involved.

...of course, if you believe some crazies on this forum, keeping MS&MS against their will is a terrible, terrible thing and their suspect temperament and commitment will be a cancerous rot that slowly eats the club from within blah blah blah.

"Lloyd is a very good player who I enjoy playing alongside. I think we compliment each other well, but I've played with Paul Wotton and Morgan Schneiderlin and they're both very good players too. We have created plenty of competition for places but I think we'll gel ok" This clinches it. Sh*t or get off the pot, please...

We go&get a result at Charlton next Sat (in addition to winning tmrw), i might dare to dream or whatever horsesh*t Sky is spouting this year. Charlton gives us the opportunity to really test ourselves and send out a statement; with slow but steady progress since Huddersfield/Swindon, I don't think it will take much for us to turn that elusive corner and for the players to start believing. provided we win...

When you're behind the likes of Mutu, Gilardino, Jovetic etc in the pecking order, I think I'm going to cut the guy some slack.

dont think this one has gone up

Great to see he's got the Henri Camara wristband.

Got a feeling Papa will play up front with Lambert, Mellis will stay on the right, James will play alongside Hammond in the middle and Lallana will stay on the left until Mills returns from injury.

Am sure he can handle L1 -half Senegal's team - Sonko, Henri Camara, Diagne-Faye, Diao- play for rough-and-tumble Stoke (maybe he got us confused with them). And there's also the skate-spitter lege El Hadji Diouf. All can mix it up...

a bit of him in action (goal + assist) against juve

...can you imagine Paul Wotton joining in that.

Anybody that can cut it at Verona can do the biz for us.

sounds like something from the Harry and Paul football manager sketch

on twitter

+1. Indeed AP has been on record praising Saga's attitude.