Saint_lambden

Fans in great voice. Deserve better.

64 minutes to make the first sub when we've been 2-0 down since the 14th minute. Clown.

*For 2 years

2019/20: 11th place, 52 points 2020/21: 15th place, 43 points 2021/22: 15th place, 40 points (3 games to go which it’s hard to see us getting anything from). Going backwards. Squad and coaching staff need refreshing.

We should be all over Lewis O'Brien from Huddersfield. £12m release clause and one of the best midfielders in the Championship. Superb tackler, composed on the ball and a great dribbler. Making Middlesbrough look very, very average right now.

If our chances didn't look slim enough already - Mike Dean is referee.

Graham Scott on the whistle. Lost 6 of our last 7 with him in charge.

Sounds like he's going to rotate, highlighting that it's 5 subs in FA Cup rather than 3. Sigh.

Russia nearly doubled their interest rate this morning. Even if they do succeed in taking Ukraine, it'll be of no economic benefit by the time they have done so unless China is willing to prop them up.

Nearly 2 days extra rest than them and safe in the league should = full strength side. Could maybe justify Perraud coming in to freshen up at full-back but confidence is high so no need to tinker.

Interestingly, when Adams went down for treatment during this period of the Everton game, Coleman was going mad at the referee. Presumably he was saying that it's not a real injury etc. Suspect more and more opposition will remonstrate on the field about it now but nothing the referees can do about it really as they cannot just play on, assuming it's a 'fake' injury at the risk that it is genuine.

Simon Hooper refereeing us again. Given us 10 yellows and a red in 3 games.

None at all. You can easily just create a new supporter number for someone, took about 30 seconds when I did it for the Cov game for taking a Saints fan who hadn't been for a number of years.

No doubt there will be a fair few cockneys in the home end. Still tonnes of tickets on sale from looking just now.

Weather is going to be horrendous for this. 55mph+ winds and rain forecast. Had to double check we weren't playing Burnley.

Where's that come from? Manager just said everyone bar Tella is fit.

The midfield battle will be key. If Ori and JWP can get the better of Van De Beek & Allan, we're half way there. They're a big side so we need to have one of our better days at defending set-pieces/balls in to the box as we're very hit and miss at that. They're defensively shite though so Broja and Adams should be looking to get the better of Holgate and Keane who are having a very poor season. They've won 1 of 11 away from home but represent a bit of a bogey team. 2-1 win if we play the same team as last two games.

Confidence, a competent goalkeeper, Armstrong coming in which allows us to keep the ball better in the final third and utilise the full-backs when he tucks inside; and getting the front two partnership right.

In fairness, all they need to do this window is improve on what they have in a few positions and do enough to stay-up. In summer, they will be attract a higher echelon of player if they're still in the Premier League but the top tier of player won't want to go there yet whilst the threat of relegation is still real.

Burnley now not signing Orsic but are pursuing Weghorst who would be a decent replacement for Wood. Still don't think they'll have enough to stay up.

Not really relevant to his football ability though, which stopped being Premier League standard a long time ago.

Those 2nd and third goals were horrendous. Forster shouldn’t have come for the 2nd and then he assumes the first header is going in rather than anticipating a bounce off the post. Defence stops playing for the third. Didn’t really learn much new from that - they’re better in both boxes than us.

They've a few out injured, including Neto, Neves and Marcal and Boly & Saiss are at AFCON.

The fact that none of Chelsea's striking options have nailed down their number 9 spot makes it near certain he will go back there. Lukaku wants out already, Werner doesn't suit the Premier League and Havertz isn't conventional in that position. We could try and use Livramento as leverage in any deal, to 'sell' him back to them at cheaper than whatever buyback we have agreed with them or in part exchange, but their urgency for another right-back could be less severe than their need for a top striker, which Broja clearly is. As others have said, a second year on loan is the best we can really hope for. It would either maximise the potential fee Chelsea could then ask for from other clubs at the end of year two or the potential of the player they would then put back in the first team. I can see him ending up somewhere like West Ham. They need another striker to support Antonio, they could outbid us and it would keep him in London.

One of, it not the best central midfielder outside the 'big six' for me. Perhaps pipped to it by Rice but his contribution is enormous.