david in sweden

Saints set the grade on this one back in 1977 when (following the departure of Mel Blyth), Lawrie McMenemy utilised a young CB named... Forbes Phillipson-Masters . (Lawrie later commented that he sounded like a half-back line ....all on his own). Unfortunately FPM's Saints career was short-lived (9 apps.) as Lawrie later signed the slightly-better known .....Chris Nicholl who clocked up over 250 games, and later became Saints manager after McMenemy had left.

well said....FSJ. Broja started very well at the front end of last season, but by New Year the season is only half over and May seems a long way away. I think he got a slight injury in there somewhere (?) but was almost invisible in some games during the Spring. Wherever he plays this season will show if he is a real talent ...or just " a one-hit wonder ".

Typical Man Utd fixture, with the media trying to suggest that they were totally superior to Saints, whereas United may look back and think it was the hardest 3 points they will earn this season. Even though he took home the points on every visit to So'ton, Jose Mourinho was justifiably scared sh*tless every time he came to SMS with United. Saints " new look" young side coming together well in quite a short time with " the new crew" costing just £60 million together and I think we have some real bargains, both in midfield and at the back. Unfortunately United have the wherewithal to pay a similar amount for just one player who was their match winner. (The Liverpool result showed the real disparity between the " top end clubs" , and those with pretensions to being a Top 20 club).

Agreed Vectis. At one time we thought that Adam A. was a goalscoring striker (?)...and Djenepo was an attacking forward. Now both have been given new roles, and seem to be looking the part, but won't get any closer to the area where they can score goals. Having grown up watching the likes of George Kirby and Ron Davies, ...then skipping a few decades to James Beattie, Rickie Lambert and laterly Graziano Pelle, I really do miss seeing a big CF who can terrorise defenders and knows where the back of the net is. Although Che Adams puts himself about a bit and takes the knocks, he's still not coming up with the numbers on a regular basis. YES I know .... he's got 4 goals already, but if he's still in single figures by New Year, he really won't be DAJFU that we might have hoped for. Mara and Aribo are beginning to show up, but its hard to adapt to the Prem. and I'm not sure we've got that sort of time to experiment.

Sadly, the young goalie we have loaned from Man Utd. just doesn't look up to it. Studying the videos of the first two U18 games he just doesn't move or dive to save shots, and is more of a spectator. With most of last season's U18's having made the move up to the B team, I think this squad is going to struggle unless they can get themselves sorted PDQ.

The change of role suits him, and he's got the pace for a winger. Sad that he hasn't scored much but we know he can and he makes a valuable contribution to our attacks, but maybe we'll see some goals from him later on. A change of position can sometimes benefit the team more than it does the player. Djenepo was never likely to nail down the left wing spot, but as an attacking wing back he looks fantastic.

just a couple from the junior groups showing up. Perhaps unusual but not totally uncommon. Tyler Dibling was 15 when he came into the U18 side last season, and Dom Ballard was just 16 . Historical note: Jake Vokins got his (then) U23 debut whilst still aged 15, and kept his place for several games afterwards. There are several more Saints lads who have already been taken into England U16 squad, but not played for Saints U18s yet.

For years we've tried to find full backs who can go forward and play like a winger. Moussa may not be a natural full back, but going forward from deep positions and taking on the opposing full back - he's terrifying. His footwork is a delight to watch, and I'm not even sure he knows what he's doing himself, but it's very effective and his crosses into the box are top rate. If he scores himself soon, it'll be no more than he deserves.

Agree with many of the points you make CC, but I think that statement could be said about most of our new signings.....aside from Aribo .

another era, another team, but they did have a wheelchair pitchside to get him back to the dressing room at full time....

Quite frankly - no I can't imagine that, but i do have some doubts about UFO's, and the moon landing, and .......

Hard for Jack to get established and being taken into the team after the departure of Fonte and VvD he was on a hiding to nothing. He never really made the grade as a Prem.CB but may well be a better defender if he drops down a division. Like Romeu his options are limited when getting closer to 30. He has given some good displays but the lack of consistency is noticeable when he only comes in for occasional games. All things considered he has come through the Academy and likely had more game time compared to others in his generation (except JWP of course ). A move would be a win-win situation.

Good observation Lighthouse. In a game where we "gifted" two goal to the opposition, it was a good turnaround in a game we had effectively " lost " after 60 minutes. Many people see the start side as the manager's best / first choice selection, and the substitutes as " second best " after the first guy has " failed ". You don't see the real pattern of the game until it really develops and we can now use 5 subs. as a new tactic rather than a poor option. Using your cricket analogy, a change of formation, good use of subs. is like putting on a spin bowler on a turning pitch, or getting " the new ball ". It was the subs. who saved the game v. Leeds. Adam. A showed his pace with a good assist for Aribo, and Mara's great defence-splitting pass put it on a plate for KWP who finished well from a very tight angle.

I think we are (administratively speaking) but the real problem is that after Reed and Wilson departed we were left with all their lousy signings on long contracts and large salaries cluttering up the place, and there were no extra funds to bring in more talent until our new owners arrived.

As for the "non-question" about replacing Ralph, You won't get an answer but be sure the Board has a list of possible replacements lined up. Why? Any sensible organisation would. The real question is not is he good / should he be replaced, but who will take over if he is knocked down crossing the road. I previously worked in two companies where that happened The people concerned were key members of staff and it was very difficult to recruit someone with suitable experience. We may not have won anythng during Ralph's tenure but we have survived every season, and quite a few managers have failed to achieve that. Ralph has never had " his own team" instead battling it out with the bunch of misfits he inherited after the Reed / Wilson spending spree that preceeded him.

Using the early season league table as a guide to form is also a highly-dubious pursuit. For decades past I've noted that often one newly-promoted side may start in the top 6, but then ends up fighting relegation. I try to avoid any sort of " long-term analysis " until at least game 6 or 7, even then teams who start in the drop zone may well survive OK. Fortunately, Saints usually survive in the end, but like last season we have a very tough start to the campaign.

There are a few good points to take away from yesterday, but not many. Bazunu did a good job of avoiding another 9-0 , but our defenders still aren't talking to each other. I've waited since the window opened to see us get in a good CF, someone with a goals scoring history but we can only hope that we can find " a real striker ", before the window closes and not leave it all to Prowsey. At the moment it looks like we are going to be "scraping the barrel " before the end of the month. Although we had a bad goals against record last season, we also finished with 14 draws(?), when an extra goal in a few of those games might have given us a top half finish. I suppose the only consolation today is to see that we are only just behind Man Utd - on goal difference. (haha)

.......and don't forget that Leicester have also lost Kasper Schmeichel

If it's possible to get any perspective on this game..we should remember that Spurs have spent more on ONE PLAYER ( Richarlison ) than we have on the half-dozen recruits we brought in during the summer. (Glad he's suspended.) On paper we have almost zero chance of a win but remembering last season anything is possible and a goal from KWP and a red card for Hojbjerg would be a good present for my son's birthday. That would upset Daniel Levy.

...and something to tell our grandchildren about .....

45 minutes against one of the best sides in Europe isn't an ideal comparison to make on his debut considering he's new to the club

Whilst many fans are lamenting Tyler Dibling's move to Chelsea... perhaps some may have overlooked the fact that Dom Ballard scored 22 goals last season ( 17 times for U18, and 5 for B team.) Both lads had similar number of apps. for both sides, but apart from his fantastic hat-trick game @ Newcastle, Dibling didn't make it to double figures during the whole season. Hopefully ........we may have kept the right player.

Mmmm.but with Stuart A. playing further upfield maybe RH is testing the possibility of ...." playing him as a striker? " surely not ? that doesn't sound right.

It's also true that almost ANYONE looks good playing in a good side. Teenagers getting a bit of game time with a big club don't become game-changers. I recall Luke Shaw looked great with Saints, but he got lots of support playing alongside Fonte & Co. After moving to MU he was out of his depth when left " on his own " to DAJF them at LB. It took time for him to develop and with all the MU managerial changes MU, he's lucky to still be at Old Trafford. There are a host of youngsters at Chelsea who get minutes in Prem. and Cup games but they are hardly upto taking a major role in " an average Prem. side ".

I've been a Saints fan for 60+ years ....and counting, but am I the only person who misses having a tough s.o.b. of a CF up front who can terrorise defences .... and actually SCORE GOALS ? ...then let's get someone PDQ. Names are still being bandied around and if there is any mileage in the rumours about Dembele (?) then providing the man isn't some sort of criminal, or a bad role model for the younger players at the club - then let's get him (or someone similar). The fee is irrelevant, (considering the money we've squandered over the last 6 years since the Koemans left) ...then surely someone with a year left on their contract and his goal-scoring history won't cost a fortune and must be a positive addition to the squad. Ugh !... rant over.