HarvSFC

Mike Dean played a big part in the United 9-0. But, yeah, Leicester were just relentless against us. So many games fizzle out after an early onslaught, like last night, taking Saka off at half time and then bringing on the rest of the squad players throughout the second half (Cedric). But, we just didn't have any answer for Leicester that night. Ayoze Perez became prime Messi. It was embarrassing.

Watched Lyon vs Lens tonight. A few ex-Saints. Lyon lost 3-0 with Caleta-Car and Maitland-Niles making up half of their back four. Maitland-Niles received a straight red at 2-0 and Kevin Danso scored the third for Lens.

Then you all get to go on holiday, see you in three weeks.

The more I see them play, the more I think both Jackson and Gakpo were two more poor finds from our scouting teams last season and we dodged a couple of bullets there. Would've been a few more million wasted. The two are struggling at Chelsea and Liverpool where chances are coming aplenty each game. Ramos also isn't pulling up many trees in France, but that's more from his stats pages, rather than watching him play for PSG.

That was abysmal. A Millwall side who had come into the fixture winless in 7 and losing 6 of those 7. Millwall's gameplan was to put some early challenges in, put some fear into our players, hope one of ours picks up a knock from the challenges and go for a scrappy game. It worked. Fraser, the victim of their rough play and his replacement Edozie didn't take his man on again after the first heavy tackle he received. Our play was summed up by one of our corners going straight out for a goal kick before it reached the box. The frontline today looked good on paper, but Adams was too isolated upfront, every time he got the ball nobody was playing off him and he had to come backwards every time. The same for A. Armstrong when he replaced him. Why we didn't play a two up top today at any point during today's game, I don't know. Brooks didn't do anything, just recycled the ball and as said, Edozie was too passive today, never committed his full-back. S. Armstrong made one run at the start, but anonymous after that. Really think this needs to be his last season here when his contract's up at the end of the season. Isn't suited to the English game anymore, but we'll probably give out one of those charitable contracts. The whole team were just really poor. Every time they just opted for the easy pass and usually that was to one of Bednarek, or Harwood-Bellis, rather than going forwards. Not one player tried to make something happen today, which is pathetic against 20th in the league. Even Walker-Peters was bad today, but again he's getting shoe horned all over the place. I know Alcaraz wasn't a key player in the unbeaten run, but he was a member of each and every match squad. But, he scored a cracking, decisive goal against Plymouth a month before his departure and a goal against Blackburn in the 4-0 win two weeks beforehand off the bench after missing the penalty. Letting a player who was contributing in the side go was just pure arrogance by the decision makers. Neither Leicester, Leeds nor Ipswich let first team players go in January. But, we'd have probably sold KWP if the right offer came in such is the lack of backbone at this club. Then replacing Alcaraz with Rothwell was moronic. But, then we spent money on two players this season. All of the season's budget on two players who have contributed nothing for us. Not really blaming Charles, he plays well for Northern Ireland and should be growing into his position with Downes out. But, we shouldn't be spending £10m+ on a player that the manager doesn't want to use.

Too many passengers in the team tonight, can't get away with it at this level. Manning, Rothwell, Smallbone, S. Armstrong and Mara were all bad. It's key for central midfielders these days to be able to play on the turn, Smallbone can't do that. Whenever Bazunu gave him the ball, Bazunu then received it back under pressure because Smallbone can only pass the way he's facing, leaving Bazunu to hoof it to a Hull shirt every time. Destroyed our game plan, surprised we had as much as 58% possession and Smallbone isn't good enough defensively to make up for his predictability on the ball. Even at the end he sent in a few weird balls to no one when we were putting on the pressure. Mara was a huge let down too. I talked him up the other week, his good cameos have fooled me in the past, but I thought where he made a good appearance from the start against Watford in the cup that he might be coming good. Unfortunately, not. Didn't do the basics tonight and when you can't do the basics at least pressure the opposition when they're on the ball and move when your team is in possession to give an option to. He did neither tonight. A. Armstrong laid off a good ball near the end of the first half and Mara was running away from the ball leaving the Hull defence and goalkeeper to deal with it easily. He's too unreliable. Martin said the second half was an improvement, but we couldn't have been any worse than the first half. I didn't think we were particularly good in the second half either, until the last five minutes when we scored. Their keeper had very little to do tonight. No excuses for not playing your best eleven in this modern era. 2011-12, Lambert, Fonte and Lallana (now a sicknote) all managed 40+ starts with three subs and a five man bench. Cork and Hooiveld just missed out with 39 starts. The luxury of having five subs and a nine man bench to choose from is being wasted, squad rotation isn't as necessary as it was 12 years ago with a lot of players only playing for 60 minutes a match these days.

Small murmurs around Corberan being replaced at West Brom too.

Yeah, Adams wasn't giving us enough movement upfront. A key part of our play these days is when we move the ball from the centre-backs to the striker. However, in the first half, Harwood-Bellis just wasn't able to find Adams and each time he tried to play the ball, it was going to a Huddersfield player. This changed in the second half with Armstrong and then Mara in the middle up top and giving the team options to pass to. I've been really impressed with Mara recently. He seems to have learnt what he's good at and is certainly making a case for the starting eleven.

Phenomenal. One of the best games I've been to, beats the Jonno Forte comeback against MK Dons. Rothwell's first goal too, one of the best. For a lot of the game it looked like we weren't going to hit 25. 2-0 down at half time, and Huddersfield deserved the lead. We didn't test their goalkeeper in the first half. Then the second half started, we blitzed them in the opening five minutes, had two penalty shouts before Rothwell's first and then second. Then the momentum went back in Huddersfield's direction and looked as though it was going to be a slog of a final half an hour, Huddersfield score from a deflection and it looked like it wasn't going to be our day. But, it was and the side never gave up. Tremendous. Another shout out for Mara, a player, like Aribo, who I thought wasn't going to make it here. He's made a lot of improvements to his game this season and that's a sign of good management and coaching. After years of seeing players decline after joining the club, we're now seeing a lot of them improving, Bazunu, Bednarek, Smallbone and A. Armstrong to add to the list. Shame the ref was a bit crap. Did nothing to stop the gamesmanship/timewasting from Huddersfield, for a period of time it felt like every time we attacked and the Huddersfield goalkeeper got the ball, a Huddersfield player would hit the deck and then the game would stop and go to a drop ball. He was very weak and held the game up a lot. When there's 13 minutes added on at the end without any major injuries something isn't right. Oh well, 25 unbeaten, pulling away from Ipswich now and keeping ahead of Leeds with a game in hand. Up the Saints!

Could Meghoma be another Shaw for us if we get promoted? Young talent from the academy replaces struggling defensive full-back and doesn’t look out of place.

There’s a real feel good factor around the club at the moment following the horror show of last season. Long may it continue.

So two out of the three Premier League managers last season will be in League One. Says it all.

Well, that's annoying. I like him, he was one of the few positives last season and the Plymouth goal gave us a reminder of the quality he has, just lacks consistency at 21. For whatever reason, under Jones, Selles and Martin he's never really had a consistent run in the starting eleven, though. He can play on the turn and opens up space too. I think he's going to be one of those who looks better with better players around him. Weird move from Juve, and yeah, they probably can't afford a £35m+ option for him, so we'll likely be seeing him again next season... Actually, they'll probably get in his head and he'll demand a move, refusing to return and train, etc. Or they'll include that Soule we've been linked to.

How come it isn’t deadline day tomorrow?

Forest have FFP hanging over them and a goalkeeper is their top priority. Can't see Alcaraz going and would be disappointed if he did.

Thought Brooks was out of reach after his performance against Swansea last week and was disappointed that we were unlikely to sign him following that one game. Now, happy, of course. Think he's got a bit more about him than what Benson's got and while Benson could have helped get us over the line, I think Brooks has potential to take the extra step with us.

That's the key. At the beginning of the season we had too many players standing still and almost admiring their pass after making one. That made us extremely slow, predictable and easy to play against, as the Ipswich player said. Now, we have players making passes and then they're back on the move, we play some very quick one twos around defences and the opposition has failed to contain us for the last couple of months, relying on hitting us on the break. Also, these days it's almost a necessity that a central midfielder can play on the turn, which is an important skill in most systems and why Lavia was so good last season. When we brought the first team on + SAA in the last half an hour Watford couldn't contain us and were hoping for the 1-0.

That was easy.

Benson started just the 14 matches for Burnley last season too. He was Tella's backup. A short term loan option for off the bench could work for us, but I don't think anything for the long-term would be too beneficial, which is possibly what Burnley are looking for, a loan with a buy option included. He's 26 too, so not particularly young and probably already reached his level.

Looks like the three big players in Dibling, Meghoma and SAA went off at half time while 1-0 up with the FA Cup in mind.

1 West Ham United 28 16 5 7 44 29 15 53 2 Southampton 28 15 6 7 51 31 20 51 3 Cardiff City 28 13 11 4 45 30 15 50 4 Birmingham City 27 13 7 7 46 27 19 46 5 Hull City 28 14 4 10 28 25 3 46 6 Blackpool 28 12 9 7 45 35 10 45 7 Reading 28 13 6 9 35 27 8 45 Points totals on the right hand side after 28 games in 2011-12. This race is still far from over and why a draw was the best result last night as keeps both within our sights. Ipswich have won one of their last seven, Leicester have won two of their last five. We've won six of our last seven. They're slowing down, we aren't.

When Ward-Prowse stopped playing for the manager there wasn’t any saving Jones. The two passed up free kicks in shooting positions against Wolves. Also spare a thought for Semmens who probably got a nice pay day today, but he did have to take some time away from his family. Remember, as Saints fans we should have been grateful to have made up the numbers in the Premier League.

Preston and Coventry the only two sides to have led against us since September.

Can't see McCarthy going this window, no one is going to match the wages he's on here and in the summer he'll earn a bonus signing on fee for whoever he signs for anyway.