Saint Fan CaM

Sell...his head is still elsewhere and the Money is calling him. Need to re-invest.

Superb feel good factor style win. Hojburg was simple sensational...covered a massive amount of ground, tackled with conviction, spread play around with superb range of passing and generally bossed midfield...a mature performance beyond his age. Thought JWP, Cedric and Hoedt we’re both much better too. Boufal is starting to show some very promising signs of being more than just a 128 trick pony. Subs were perfect too. What were the key differences in today’s tactics and team set-up? 1. No Redmond, 2. We moved the ball quicker...in fact many attacks involved several single touch moves. 3. Austin looked fitter and more mobile so he found space. HOWEVER! We should get too carried away....this was a really awful Everton side...worst we’ve seen at SMS this season IMO. I commented that we needed a big GD to compensate for the arse tear we will suffer a the hands of City.

Nail on head. Top post.

Maybe, but who else is there? Dear Les has bled the squad dry of decent quality attacking players...bet if MoPe had Mane and Pelle it would be a totally different story.

If MoPe is to be sacked right after the Everton game is the best time. We’re expected to lose against City so the pressure will be off the new Mgt team. Personally I don’t think it’s about him though, more about the dross in the forward line.

Don't be naive- Reed will never allow that...it's all part of the Southampton Way. Which is no bad strategy if you've got decent players to execute it. Reed has allowed the squad to become so weakened only major surgery on it will turn things around. Sacking MoPe will achieve nothing other than save Les Reeds face temporarily - until the next manager finds he's inherited a bunch of sub-standard players.

Can’t believe Les would appoint Black even in a caretaker role. If he did it would signal to me that he has lost any sense and focus that he may have had. It would also be a very red rag to supporters and would seriously make me question renewal of my ST...I can’t bear to watch the club do a “Lowe” again.

You mean the one that had a fully fit Austin? Austin is finished at this level and in fact probably was when we signed him if truth be known. We did it on the cheap again thinking he would be able to fill Pelle’s boots (what a joke)! And anyway even if he was fit he would need sympathetic and capable attacking players around him. We have Redmond Tadic and Long - all of them no better than mid-table Championship level and worse than that they don’t work well together.

It's NOT the time to dismiss a manager while he has to work with bang average players like Long, Austin, Redmond and Tadic and Forster. Having said that, his swapping around of the CB's is strange. I also think VVD is a bad apple and Eric Black needs to be shipped out...he's like some kind of bad stink that won't go away.

Let’s not forget that other teams in the upper half of the Prem are always looking to improve. We’ve not done that....in fact we’ve gone backwards in terms of forward line quality. Long Austin and Redmond are all too damn comfortable playing their Championship level (at best) brand of football.

And we’ve scored how many across the entire front line? Plus you cannot underestimate the effect a seasoned player with international credentials (and a decent football brain) can have on his younger peers.

Disagree...we need attacking players with guile, experience and a football brain. We've got pace in Boufal and Gabbi. Redmond Long and Austin do not possess enough between them.

Funny...I wonder if he is any worse than that 'old timer' at Bournemouth...the one that still scores for fun? Lets face it we could do a lot worse (and have done).

Like others had some interaction with him during the last of the Lowe years. Nice chap and sorry to hear the news. RIP SaintLee.

Anyone think that Pochetino would get the same results with this squad and Black hovering like a bad smell in the background? No, I don’t either.

I don’t think a change of manager will make a difference with this squad and the manner in which Uncle Les wants the team to play (the Southampton way). The last two seasons should be a clear indicator of that. Reed has royally fooked up allowing the quality of the squad to deteriorate, allowing player unrest to dictate team spirit and appointing cheap managers who will bow to his footballing philosophy. Add to that a significant coaching deficit in Black and putting all eggs in the Forster basket (case) and you have a recipe for the disaster we watch unfold. Relegation is not with us yet, but the writing is on the wall.

I refer to my pre-match comment. The only thing I got wrong was that Burnley were not good enough to score twice.

I think if you don’t feel a sense of hope when thinking about the game on any given match day, it’s probably time to stop going. It’s been different the last two seasons though...I don’t have the same optimism about ANY game even when we’re at home. Mostly because of a distinct lack of creativity and cohesion in attack. Today will be no different...if we score first we’ll try to defend a 1-0 lead and end up buckling to pressure. Or they’ll score first and we’ll be looking for a lucky break to claw back a point. Today will be tough...Burnley are looking good and have the team spirit we had 4-5 seasons ago. My prediction 0-2, boos at full-time and a full blown meltdown on here. What I wish for is that something finally clicks into place and we romp home with a 4-0 win - but then I woke up.

Dross effort from our 'attacking' players.

1st attacking effort and guess what, Redmond fooks up.

Utter rubbish - no attempt to change the game so take off Boufal for Redmond. Dreadful management decision.

Thought this was a nice bit of fun from the club...nothing bad about.

Doubt Boufal will get the start he deserves. Whoever scores first will likely win. Brighton know how to play high possession teams and know how to score from route one play. It will not be an easy match.

Funny, I thought Brom played just like we did but with poorer players and added a bit of time wasting into the mix. Boufal needs to start central and given a run of games. The talk about him not tracking back is rubbish...ask where he started his run from before scoring - half way inside our half winning the ball. He is more physical than many make out. The only issue he has is lack of experience which means he makes wrong choices sometimes but without game time he’ll not learn. He is a far better prospect than Redmond, but Redmond is English and Les needs to show his mates in the FA that he can produce top English talent. Fraser poor again. Lemina is excellent. Romeu worked well too. Long flatters to deceive. Austin has heart but is finished at this level. Gabbi needs more service. Generally we need a new top class striker.

Setup the team too defensively at home. Not good.