david in sweden

....thought it was a rather weak-looking start line-up compared with previous game(s). Also noted that no Harry Lewis in goal ...was he injured ...or ?

I really don't think that we are alone with this problem. Most clubs have players with this complaint, and it's often complicated by a lot of " heavy-training". The fitness demands on footballers is much greater than it was years ago, and many put in a lot of mileage in the course of many seasons and not just in matches. Had a knee injury myself years ago and physio told me 80% of his clients were athletes, and that the knee was one of the most complicated joints to heal properly. I read ..somewhere?..that Eric Black (a teenage prodigy at Aberdeen during Alex Ferguson's time) suffered such after he moved to France and had to retire early. Ferguson later said that it ws because Black had played too much football when he was younger !...OK - except that it was Fergie who played him so much in his teens. At any rate that's Pied out for the season, so do we keep Martina?......or sell him to Koeman and buy in another RB?

We have plenty of options in midfield, and it just a case of finding a formation that functions well. Matt Targett is unlikley to get LB spot ahead of an in-form / fit Bertrand, but Koeman's experiment with 3-5-1 also showed that Targett CDAJFU in a more forward role. Somewhere there is the correct set-up between; Davis / Romeu / Hojdbjerg / Clasie /Tadic and JWP but we just haven't got it right yet. I'd like to see another striker ....and keep JayRod, but as it seems Redmond has a "nailed-on place " under Puel, it's mere a case of rotating / subbing in partners between Long, Austin and JayRod till you find the best combination.

a lot of contributors keep quoting this, but although we made a short-term profit on transfer deals..we still have to pay these men large salaries for the duration. Not everyone thinks about, but after Lallana move to Liverpool one journo wrote that his (AL) 5 year deal willcost Liverpool around £50 million, and he's only one player. Granted Liverpool a " bigger club ", larger ground etc, but we're not in " that particular League" when it comes to income and the knowledge that Saints lost around £50 million on the Gaston / Osvaldo deals (transfer fees / salaries, etc ) is little consolation when you must spend money to improve the quality of the squad. Thankfully... we have the new TV deal upcoming to give us more cash, but we can't live on credit and spend that money before we get it. As for finishing bottom half (we older fans) have been used to that for decades and although I don't see us making top 6 this season, I think we'll be top half.

As a matter of fact ....so did I, but he didn't score.... and when you look at the final result you have to tell yourself that's why he was there. On the other hand....I am one of many who was glad for JayRod and hope to goodness he doesn't go out on loan. Just keep rotating JayRod and Austin ....till it works.

NO (!)...but he started a couple of League cup games, and (as memory serves) was given around +/- 20 sub. apps totalling around 300 minutes in Prem matches... (not a lot of time....if you look at it one way,) but tbh...when he was put on in some games, I scarcely noticed he was playing. Perhaps a good player in the right team, but not with Saints.

well ALMOST ...in RK's first season we lost first game (Liverpool) drew the second against a boring West Brom. and didn't get a win until game 3 (West Ham). Then (as now) came the international break (after game 3) before we eventually kick-started the season. Last season (ironically) gave the sort of same results as this one has so far - in other words, played 3 games = 2 points. Now we are talking; a new manager, unfamiliar Diamond formation, late-returning, "tired" internationals who didn't get a pre-season, and not replacing those summer's "deserters"etc, etc. All these have some basis in fact, and perhaps it's a little of all this... For some reason we rarely have a good start, (there have been a couple of exceptions ..in the last 10 years) but we always seem to fumble the first couple of home games in hot, sweaty affairs with no real promise of a good season. I sat and sweltered along with the other 30,000 watching the Watford " bully boys " batter Long and Redmond without them getting any real protection from the ref. and watched us squander a dozen good chances in two halves. Yesterday was little better and the only bright spot being the re-emergence of a "fit " Jay Rod. Puel will be a brave man, if he now let's him go out on loan... and everything goes pear-shaped later on in the season. The reality is, that many fans seem to be pinning their hopes for " a successful " season on a good run in the Europa League, where the Diamond formation may suit that style of game better, and if we progress then it will indeed be ....a long season with everything depending on the last 6 weeks, or (as we saw with Spurs / Liverpool) teams eventually falling at the last hurdle, and so holding out until the last game is all important. Don't forget both the EL and the Prem. are marathons and not sprint races. We might not be even talking Europa League had we not had that v. good finish to last season. New season, new manager, new players, new formation...and already we're all asking - where's the magician to make it all work?.

just like a number of others on here, I am /was in favour of giving Jay a chance to get some real game time with a loan-out, but now.....? On today's performance it was Charlie Austin who needed the loan out . Claude Puel can already feel the hot breath on his neck, and IF he allows Jay Rod to go out on loan he will incur the wrath of more than a few unless we improve dramatically, ansd start scoring goals. 3 games....An unfamiliar formation giving over average 60% possession, 53 shots....(only a handful of those on target).....Result just 2 goals, and 2 " lucky " points. The " big man / 9 spot " is up for grabs between Charlie and Jay Rod. If Jay Rod leaves on loan, then Charlie gets the job - by default (not a good solution) Chas. maybe a bit off-form, but if he needs to spend any more time on the treatment table, we'll be in real trouble if JayRod is at the Hawthorns all season.

another good, well thought out analysis, but you must be careful Fabrice....this sort of sensible post really does upset our bedwetters and the potential wrist-slitters. A poor start to the season (once again) and Armageddon is coming in two weeks time .... some people on here need to get a grip. Still 35 games to go.

.......if it wasn't the voices in his head ....perhaps it was in the tarot cards?

Absolutely ! ....a lot of these lads look very good playing youth football, but that's a long way from the Prem. level. Noted a comment last season that Chelsea (OK they are a bigger club)....had 32 players out on loan both in Britain and several Euro countries. Whilst we are not prepared for loan-outs of that volume, the experience is invaluable and (example) Jack Stephens certainly looks to have benefited from his loans. I'll be interested to see how Jason McCarthy develops during his spell at Walsall....as he became a fans favourite at Wycombe in just half-a-season, and (hopefully) we will see an improvement in Sam Gallagher's performances whilst he's at Blackburn. Eventually getting one of these into Saints first team squad could save us £10-15 million (or whatever the going rate is) in a few years time.

.....sounds OK for Europe then, but has the new station in Beersheba opened yet?

?? ....I never had any medical training..... so tell me Doctor ...which parts of the body are those ?

Ugh oh ! - if he doesn't like flying:scared: .......how is he going to get to Milan and Prague ....a limo? .....and as for the trip to Beersheba ...forget it !

Of course his critics will be on here quite soon saying we've been landed with him for another 4 years......I for one say " great " . Well done Les ". Yes... he's still fairly young, but few players we are likely to sign have been in a European winning side, and he does well alongside Fonte. Cedric is improving all the time, but few players adapt to the Prem. in their first season (although VvD was a good exception). He's brave, and fights for the cause, and took a few bangs in the face resulting in blood and black eyes last season. Defenders take the blame for mistakes all the time, but many wingers are fast and it's hard to be a good wing-back and be a top class FB at the same time.

Don't think he's "bad" at all. He's just " young ". He was signed this time last year and played much of the season for the U18's. Towards the end of last season he played a number of games for the U21's, which had been the regular task of Gazzaniga - who was already "over-age ". With PG out on loan for the season, even moving up to the (now) U23's is a big ask for a 19 year old, so signing Taylor is a sensible move (in the event of ....?). Many young keepers have potential, but few ever make the grade at such an early age. Looking back 10 years, we experimented with both Bart and Gazzaniga (at various times) but neither really made it and were nowhere near proper Prem. level. I've always maintained that most goalies don't make it until they are past 25, and over the years very few have done so. The best goalies Saints have had (historicallly) have all been 30+. No-one expects Taylor to get a first team game, but he has the experience that Lewis clearly lacks.

comment in interview with Stuart Taylor...when he said " I know a couple of the lads here ..." Who ? I thought . Has to be someone closer to his generation.... but looking at his history, I noted various loan periods at Villa and Reading on his CV......so maybe...... it was Steven Davis and Shane Long?

Nice post, but be careful because putting forward a sane and sensible opinion can get you into trouble with the trolls on here who love to criticise. Shame you've only posted 92 times.....be good to see more .

not sure he 'd want to come back ..but if so, at least he knows how to get to SMS.

Has probably been frustrating for him being no. 2 at Arsenal and Man.City and Villa.....who had bigger names as regular keepers for long periods. McCarthy will be second choice - if Forster catches the flu' ..but if Taylor is called upon to play and keeps a clean sheet, he'll have DAJFU and worth the investment.

Umm..although I grant you that Adkins tried to play him as often as possible (in between injuries), we'll have to wait for Nigel Adkins autobiography to hear the whole story, but somehow I got the impression (rightly/wrongly) than GR wasn't his choice, but as the club's record signing he was forced to play him. Especially at £65K / week. Ramirez certainly didn't impress Pochettino enough to be selected regularly and was subbed in almost every games he started, after which Poch put him on the bench more than 20 times and only then used him sparingly. Hardly a vote of confidence. Certainly Gaston didn't do enough to impress Koeman who (as you pointed out) loaned him out twice for longer periods during his two seasons as manager. This may be seen a condemnation of Koeman (we were quite happy with his selections upto the end of last season), so RK must have had a firm opinion of Ramirez and didn't want him.

Maybe he knows somehing we don't (officially). Cedric was influenced by Jose Fonte to come to Saints, and can't think he'd sign for longer time if he didn't think / know that Jose is definitely staying on. Claude Puel hinted at it in his interview, but nothing confirmed offically on the OS ....yet.

....but often with a different scale......Have you seen a complete map of Canada?

......alternatively ...you could take a red rag instead .....

the main airport is at Tel Aviv, so it'll be a dusty bus ride down to Beersheba ....for an hour or so .... However, Israel seems surprisingly small .....if you don't look at the map too closely.