Saint Fan CaM

It's OK, despite having to pay £5 for the privilege of booking I've got two tickets to the match now, so we can win. Actually thinking on it, that probably means we'll lose. Oh well, better than watching TV I s'pose.

The Special One. It is the only choice and you know it makes sense. Who knows, he might like to lord it over the team that was able to out-play his Chelski team on more than one occasion? He might relish the idea of taking a mid-table team and getting them to out-perform his old adversaries in the Prem? Would wages really be an issue if the Board wanted to maintain the transition to the big-time? OK, back to reality...Gary Monk it is then.

We will lose this 0-2. Just cannot see this team putting in a performance at the moment that can beat the likes of Palace.

Ziyech and Remy. No brainers.

OK lets bust some 'myths'... 1. I don't think Wanyama deliberately got sent off. Schneiderlin was super fit and covered a huge amount of ground meaning that Wanyama's job was easier. Now he has found he needs to cover more ground - is not fit enough to do so and so by 60-70 into the game he is tiring and fatigued - that is what makes players jump in with daft risky challenges. 2. Clasie made one crucial mistake in the game, which led to their goal. Yes, this is true but every player makes at least one mistake per game. The real problem was the lack of movement AFTER he was nutmegged. He just froze with no effort to get goal-side of the ball. If enough players in a team do that, games will inevitably be lost. The team that got us promoted had the fitness and team spirit to match the technical ability of 'technically better' sides. 3. Martina has had how many 1st team appearances - 2 or 3? Have these performances been any worse than Soares? No. The guy is improving every game and deserves more time. 4. JWP - why does he keep getting picked? Because the club need to sell and need him to perform to a level that tempts other clubs he's the 'next best thing' from our great Academy. Problem is, he's pretty mediocre - probably L1 - Championship level and definitely does not have enough in his kit bag to suggest he can make an impact in a Prem game. Catch-22 and I would hazard a guess that Koeman will be instructed to keep picking him. 5. Jose is a great captain. So where was he when Wanyama needed on-field guidance? Do you ever see him motivating his team-mates? I don't know - a great servant - a good defender on his day, but I just don't see enough spunk and determination being driven into this team. Blast away.

We looked shattered by 60 minutes - making the team play in such quick succession has lost us the game.

Can only see a tonking from Wet Spam in this game. (-; 1-1

Superb game. Admit I was totally wrong about the result. Cuco was a revelation - not just the goal (which was world-class) - he owned their left side and Walcott didn't get a look in. All round fab team performance.

Anyone know of his chap? http://www.getfootballnewsfrance.com/2015/southampton-make-informal-contact-for-henri-saivet/

If the teamsheets I've seen are true, we will see Walcott up against JWP and Cedric. We will be ripped a new one down their left in this case. I would rather see Davis in front of Cedric or even dare I say it, Ramirez.

Sadly can see a loss against Arse - probably 1-4. Wet Spam we may get lucky with a draw...1-1. Norwich away probably a loss where we have 65% possession, they have a couple of attempts on goal and score from both...2-0. So 1 point from 9 and in trouble. The Board need to splash out on Remy, starting playing Mane central and put some trust in Ramirez to bring some much needed pace and creativity to the side. I don't believe the Chambers rumours and certainly don't believe Wanyama's currency is as high as some make out...he is nowhere near the level required by Arse for example.

What is this thing you call...shot on goal???

Look at the trend - the trajectory of the side since the season started. It doesn't show a good picture and it's needs arresting or we will definitely be sucked down further and with the fight being shown in these players I'm not sure I'd trust them to get us out of the mire. The spine has gone, the quality has diminished, the spirit that took through 2 divisions is long gone. Make no mistake, the club is in trouble, Koeman is under pressure and Les Reed needs to ensure there is money spent in January on some quality - hopefully perm or loan to buy, not loans (but I doubt it). Remy would be a the type of addition that would show intent and provide something we haven't got. Anything less and they're dicing with a huge amount of money gained by staying in the Prem.

I take it you've not been watching the games live? Seriously, there needs to be a shake up in the team...Koeman needs to change things to make a difference...hoping it will change will see us relegated. That's not overreacting.

0-4 to the Arse - they will show us how to play a fast passing game. We will slow down before passing the ball backwards or sideways, then losing the ball for them to counter on. It's become so predictable and lazy. Drop Pelle for Long, drop Wanyama for Reed/Romeu to pair with Clasie. Put Tadic in central behind Long. Put Ramirez or Seager on the left-wing. It cannot get any worse.

Just before Spuds scored we had 66% possession with no serious attempts on goal. They score with their first real attempt largely due to switching off in midfield and comical defending - players sauntering back rather than busting a gut to win the ball back. We are slow and predictable in attack - no simple triangulation as there's little movement and no good quality defense splitting passes. Just more of the same old cut in-field and run into a brick wall type attacking. The one chance we had in 2nd half stoppage time - we need 10 more of those in a game...one might just sneak through. Pelle is too lazy and slow in his game to be worth anything other than a 75 min start to either chase or close out a game. After improving, Wanyama is now back to his old self and making a dog's dinner of 70% of his passing game. Gazzaniga - probably better than I thought in terms of basic skill, but his command of the defence in front of him stinks - the only time he makes his feelings known are when he tells Fonte and VVD that he wants to take a goal-kick long (probably because he's scared to attempt a short pass out to defence). Tadic as a playmaker is OK, but as part of the strike force he is slow and predictable and his role in defence is almost non-existent. Romeu and Reed as CDM's please - give them some consistent game time together. Steven Davis is great chap to bring on to muster the troops when closing out a game - he is no CAM and is hardly a goal threat. Mane needs to be fed with quality balls - I think Tadic should play central and then we either play Seager or Ramirez or buy another top striker for the left. We need to massively improve (a) attacking passing and (b) threat on goal.

Thing is, I don't mind us losing a game if we've played well. But the tactics and the ability to shoot on target across the entire team is absolutely woeful. Mane is looking like a shadow of his former self - probably because he believes his own hype.

I take it all back - Gazzaniga is as good a keeper as any other keeper we have on the books - he has a very decent ability to save a game.

Can't tell you how poor this game has been for Saints - no ideas whatsoever in attack - very, very one dimensional. Really not happy with the manner in which we're playing now - most of the players look utterly knackered.

If Long is not good enough, then nor is Pelle. Fact is we will not get our £12m back for Long and there's not too many in the same price range that would do as good a job. What we need is a striker who can provide Pelle competition...a Lukaku type player for example.

I have to agree with this - it's time to be brave and start dictating the play rather than be dictated to. Palace will press hard though and if we try to play through midfield I suspect we will be found out. There is little confidence in the team at the moment.

0-2 to Palace - they're growing in confidence under Pardew. And we're not under Koeman for some reason.

We will lose this 2-0. Palace are a well oiled outfit now - Pardue has done a great job and we're on the slide.

I have only one issue with him and that his is pace - he is always the last to the ball when there's an apparent 50-50 in the offing. I remember Graeme Le Saux is the last days of his career - he had lost his pace, but his football brain made up for it by knowing how to intercept the angles and gain extra ground - it made up for that little bit of extra pace he didn't have the locker. JWP does not have that - either the pace or the brain to know how to gain an advantage. He may be 21, but he's had lots of SFC and England exposure, so you would think he would have picked up some good habits by now. The trouble is it's not technique - if it was he would be fine - it's all about having the natural gift of anticipation to steal a yard for example. On balance I'm afraid he is below the level needed to achieve the clubs' much vaunted ambition.

Cabaye and Imbula should have been definite targets IMO. But for me it's all about the pairing - Vic and Morgan were great together. Cork and Romeu or Clasie might have been good together. Every time we shipped out another little part of the side that gained back to back promotions, another chunk of team spirit got shipped out too. We are now left with a bunch of disaffected and disconnected journeymen and the academy lads who show some spirit can hardly get on the bench let alone near the 1st team. It's happened to other teams of course - Swansea etc. - but now we'll be joining the mid-lower table teams that never get a look-in at the top table of the Prem...we've missed the chance now. It will happen to Leicester too I expect once Vardy et al get their big money offers.