Tom28

Looks like a few have said it; I know FF got MOTM but Alderweireld was comfortably the best player on the pitch last night. For either side. He was head and shoulders above the rest of the outfield players. Not Saints related, but Aaron Ramsay was atrocious.

You obviously weren't at the game. If you were, you'd have seen that Long was absolutely shattered. He never stopped running and by the end his legs had gone.

Hahahahahaha. Wait, this is a joke, right?

Are you really questioning Koeman?! 26 points. 3rd in the league. After an unprecedented summer of transfer activity. Absolute crackpots - the pair of you. We were beaten by a better team on the day. Move on.

Horses for courses. Mane isn't in good form but after Montero tore Chambers apart with pace, I'd play Mane and tell him to just keep running at him.

You forgot about our midfielder who cant pass.

I definitely think Pelle had one eye on City tonight. He was so scared of picking up a yellow that he didn't get in the game at all

Was dreading coming on here after that game but apart from the usual idiots, it's been a pretty fair reaction. Not a great performance - although it was as one sided a game in terms of possession and territory as I've seen in a long long time, we lacked intensity, pace and fluidity and probably the draw was about right. Take the point, move on. I fancy us to get 6 points from the next three.

Options, innit.

I think it's telling that we haven't signed a backup for Pelle. In the recent news releases about the training facilities it has been mentioned that as part of the scouting, we scout our own players and compare our youth players against targets to make sure we aren't bringing in players from outside on top of emerging talent. I believe the club rates Gallagher as the natural backup to Pelle (when he's fit) and that's why we haven't signed someone.

I get the impression we'll pull out all the stops to get him signed permanently. The £6m fee that was "agreed" would need to be increased significantly though. What came across in that interview was his desire to start and play matches. Could you say without any doubt that he would start at Arsenal, Chelsea, Man City, Man Utd (maybe he would now but when players return from injury), Liverpool? I don't think you could and so I think we will have a shot at signing him. Wasn't too concerned by anything he said. He was very respectful of Simeone and AM which is what you would expect because they still own him.

From that press conference, I reckon we'll line up as follows: Forster Clyne Fonte Alderweireld Bertrand Cork Wanyama Schneiderlin Mane Pelle Tadic Subs: Davis, Gardos, Yoshida, Reed, Long, Mayuka, McQueen Feels light in midfield with Davis unlikely to play, JWP already out, and Schneiderlin a slight doubt. I suppose Alderweireld can step up in there if required. The sooner we get JWP back, the better.

We had this same debate last year. In the end we went out of the league cup to Sunderland and still dropped out of the Champions League spots. Let's just take it game by game rather than plotting some strategy about where we focus attention

Plenty said exactly the same about MS when he was JWP's age. In fact, most on this board wrote MS off very early. JWP is what, 19-20? JWP is ahead of where MS was at the same age. He'll be a world class centre midfielder, I have no doubt whatsoever about that.

When Hiddink was appointed, wasn't Danny Blind appointed his number 2 and lined up as his successor? Even if Hiddink leaves, Blind is next in line anyway.

Bertrand for me. Our full backs are crucial to the way we play. Bertrand and Clyne for me are battling it out for POTY so far with Pelle, Morgan, Wanyama, Fonte and Tadic.

Can't actually believe some of the c&nts on here. We are winning away against a tough side, who have a very tactically astute manager, after what has been a pretty gruelling week. Long has been our busiest player - he's a complete nuisance for them. Lay off him. He's doing his job. Wanyama has been collossal. Alderweireld's best game so far for me too.

I was very impressed with Koeman coming out and saying we were poor in the first 20 minutes and were 2-0 up by sheer luck. It was true, and it means he'll be looking at that rather than getting carried away with us racking up a rugby score against a team that gave up. Stoke won't be giving up next week and I get the impression Koeman will not be letting up on the players one bit. These next four games are now hugely important. We have the possibility to get another 8-12 points in them before we enter a tough run of games. I'd be in dreamland if we went into those tough games with 24-28 points after 12 matches. Incredible.

Is an upgrade on Luke Shaw. Hand over £10m on January 1st and tie him up to a permanent contract.

Roy Hodgson and the England National Team can **** right off. ****ing old ****, **** off. What a chance in a game that counts to play Chambers as centre back to see if he's the long term solution alongside Cahill, and give the best right back in the league on current form his first start, and Hogdson has ****ed it right up. Clown.

To every fan in the country besides Arsenal fans it will be a joke. Standard England mentality though if it happens - go for the guy who is second choice at a big club rather than the guy who is first choice at a smaller club (and the best right back in the league at the moment). I won't bother watching the game off if Clyne doesn't start. I can't get behind a team that solely exists to stroke the ego's of the big clubs and players at the big clubs. It's utterly amazing (and frustrating) to me that Ryan Shawcross can't get in this England squad when we have only one decent centre back (Cahill).

The following Saints players will be away on international duty next week. There will be virtually no one left at the training ground. RK's wife will be pleased.... Only Kelvin, Jack Cork, Ryan Bertrand, Jay Rod, JWP (both injured), Gazzaniga, Isgrove, McQueen, Gallagher and Cropper will be about. World Cup doubles anyone? That's very impressive - must be the most number of international call ups we've ever had for one international break? 1 - Kelvin Davis 2 - Nathaniel Clyne - England 3 - Maya Yoshida - Japan 4 - Morgan Schneiderlin - France 5 - Florin Gardos - Romania (tbc) 6 - Jose Fonte - Portugal (at last!!) 7 - Shane Long - Ireland (tbc) 8 - Steven Davis - N.Ireland 9 - Jay Rodriguez (injured) 10 - Sadio Mane - Senegal 11 - Dusan Tadic - Serbia 12 - Victor Wanyama - Kenya (tbc) 16 - James Ward-Prowse (injured) 17 - Toby Alderweireld - Belgium 18 - Jack Cork 19 - Graziano Pelle - Italy (tbc) 21 - Ryan Bertrand 23 - Fraser Forster - England 24 - Emmanuel Mayuka - Zambia 25 - Paolo Gazzaniga 27 - Lloyd Isgrove 28 - Harrison Reed - England U-20 33 - Matthew Targett - England U-20 38 - Sam McQueen 40 - Sam Gallagher 41 - Cody Cropper

Sorry if covered elsewhere but does anyone know what time the presser is?

If Chelsea have the option not to sell at the end of the season, should we offer to buy him now? I think we should...get in there before he becomes too high profile. No supporter in the league could genuinely argue against the opinion that Bertrand and Clyne have been the best fullbacks in the league for these first 6 matches. Outstanding both of them. I'd nip in there now and take up that £10m option to buy. Lock him down.

Player of the season so far for me. He's been unbelievable. Not just his play but he looks like the leader out there. Always talking, always directing. First class.