HarvSFC

That’s really disappointing. I suppose I don’t like Burnley that much, but a small consolation.

If Brighton had a goal scorer they would win the league. Contrasting with other clubs, who would get a lot worse, if they were given a goal scorer.

He was an expert at finding Championship quality to be fair! Had the biggest budget in Scotland with Defoe, Ramsey, Kent and co. moving up there and he has delivered, although Celtic are back on top for now.

Guardiola proves what I wrote earlier. Not a single substitution tonight, but he’ll be one of the loudest voices calling for five subs and a reduced fixture list.

You only have to look at the semi-finalists of the League Cup to see who benefits from the five sub ruling - Tottenham, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal. Then you look a bit deeper and the winners, Liverpool were 3-1 down at half time against Leicester in the quarters before bringing on Konate, Milner and Jota at half time and then Keita on 59 minutes and an unknown in Beck at 80 to bring it back to 3-3 and get the win on penalties. Sparing Klopp's blushes after getting his line-up wrong, but he was able to change half of it and bring out the inexperience of Bradley, Koumetio and Morton before they cost any further goals with subs to spare. We were also guilty of playing a second string team in the last round of the FA Cup because we could bring on the big guns when needed with five subs, it's not something I want to see. I want to see the best possible team put out for each match. Then you have the big six managers moaning every week that they don't have enough subs, before only making one or two in the next match. While, we don't make full use of our subs either. Bringing Long on, on the 94th minute against Watford yesterday at 2-1 down and Djenepo on the 85th minute at 2-1 down against Newcastle being the two recent examples of subs being too late to make an impact. But, now we want 5? It might help us against the likes of Leeds, Burnley, Brentford and Norwich, who all have paper thin squads, but it's going to make competing with the top clubs even more difficult than it already is and I'd rather we didn't spend the rest of my lifetime focussing on how we're going to beat the likes of Leeds, Burnley, Brentford and Norwich.

Our next CB signing needs to be in the Lovren, Alderweireld, Van Dijk bracket. All three were still developing in their careers and hadn’t hit their peak when we got them. However, all three had also played in the Champions League and were fairly experienced for their age. We’re currently searching for potential, but for players with limited experience, which can prove costly and bring in too many in-match errors at centre-back. A bit of experience but still with potential to grow is the perfect balance and those three were our most successful centre-back signings of recent years.

First of all, you could tell Watford have a relegation escapist expert in charge now. They were very good at the “dark arts”, delaying the game, feigning injuries, etc. Whoever the ref was, you’d say he was in their pocket, without making any major decisions, he gave one of the weakest refereeing performances I’ve ever seen. Secondly, the starting lineup was all wrong. If Broja’s out of form and not starting, replace him with Armstrong, the player we spent £15m on to replace Ings. Replacing him with Smallbone, who is as effective as Walcott is in the Premier League and isolating Adams up top, who is a support striker, not a lone forward is just pure crap. Without considering the fixture is Watford at home. Thirdly, for the second game in days, we’re playing walking football. All our players look for the easy pass, then the other traps the ball, killing it dead and then moving it sideways. The ball needs to be constantly moving. It hasn’t been with us for the last few fixtures now and isn’t going to be any good against Watford, who have been a team of athletes and powerful runners for years now, since they got promoted with Ashley Young and Marlong King back in the day. Broja, Armstrong and KWP were our strongest ball carriers, but other than KWP nobody takes anyone on now. Fourthly, if I was a cynical person, I’d be suggesting that Salisu is done here. We know that he either signs a new contract, or he’s gone this summer and judging by current performances he’s not playing at 100% like Van Dijk wasn’t when he decided he wanted to go. His body language off the ball is also similar to that of Ings last season. He’s a shadow of the player who bossed City recently and on current form he’s useless to us, as Van Dijk was, who was a far superior player when he stopped bothering to show up. Finally, not great form to be heading into the FA Cup fixture against City. Reminiscent of the semi-final at Wembley from a few years ago when we didn’t turn up, if we carry on. I guess the next phase is to find players with a winning mentality, these lot strive for safety and then stop. Europe was a possibility 8 days ago, considering we could have been on 44 points if we had won all three from the week, but now the season’s over barring a Cup upset.

Ended up making errors for the two goals, first one is the first highlight, second one is at 0:35.

Another week, another Sam Johnstone error. The worst one of the lot, closed down, kicks it, hits the attacker, in.

Their two scorers cost £58m between them, that's it, that's the difference. We can't spend a total of £58m in a summer transfer window after selling Ings and Vestergaard for £45m. KWP the best Saints player on the pitch by a country mile and he's playing out of position. Livramento's been showing his age since he got kicked to bits against Aston Villa at home in November. He isn't ready yet, Perraud's looking better on the left, play KWP in his natural position and Perraud in his position. Too much sideways passing, playing the easy ball, not enough intensity and you aren't going to beat Dan Burn aerially.

@Dan Sheldon, The Athletic I've got a bit of a scoop for you/the Newcastle Athletic reporter. So, I was at the match tonight and I noticed this new phenomenon. It all started from the 15th minute and involved a Newcastle player going down after the ball had gone out of play. The other Newcastle players were then going over to Eddie Howe, receiving instructions, etc, while Southampton players also went to Hasenhuttl, to be fair. This happened six or seven times over the course of the match and led to 9 minutes being added on after the end of the regulated time of both halves with no major injuries in the match. I'd really like this looked into, as I don't think any other team in the league would do such a thing. The Newcastle player was fine to continue after treatment, etc. I would also really like to understand Keith Hackett's view on this matter, so he might be worth getting in touch with and interviewing, as he's the expert on this alongside any other mainstream media that have jumped on previous non-stories, creating a bit of hysteria over nothing. 👍

Bradley Wright-Phillips retires the 6th placed MLS all time top goal scorer. I was excited by his signing 16 years ago. Signed off a Coca Cola prize, scored a debut goal against Derby, but didn’t work out for him here. Forged a good career elsewhere.

Calvert-Lewin's a weird one. Looked good under Ancelotti, who seemingly knew how to get the best out of him, but prior to that and now he's barely looked Premier League standard.

Everton have had two shots on target in their last three league games.

Feel as though both Everton and Leeds got their appointments wrong. Both needed one of the old merry go round relegation fighters. A second spell for Allardyce. It’s looking more and more likely as though it’s between them and Burnley for the final spot, and you’d back Dyche to come out on top.

Nobody in yellow had a good first half, only Forster was keeping it at 1-0. They've just been better than us.

Great win, onto the quarters we go, I know they're the giant killers, but we'll take Middlesbrough in the next round, or Boreham Wood when they get their expected win tomorrow night, please. I have no concerns when I see Jack Stephens in the team these days. He's grown into a solid CB for this level. However, I never thought I'd see the day where Valery looks competent in a back two against Premier League opposition. I always thought his future would be further up the pitch, but he's proven me wrong. Strange how he can't defend at RB, but can at CB. Perraud's turning into a very good signing. Really putting up a fight to start at left-back in the league. Adam Armstrong, although didn't look like scoring tonight, put in a shift again. He's at least having an effect on matches. If his contract isn't extended, I would like that to be Caballero's last match for us. End on a high, a win and a good save. But, he was at fault for the goal and the good save came from another of his errors. Too risky playing him in the latter stages of the cup when Forster's in the form he is. I guess, Djenepo and Diallo from the squad players failed to impress tonight too. I always want Djenepo to come good after his start to his Saints career, but he's just not at this level, he doesn't know what he's doing himself. While, Diallo surprised me. He's looked capable previously, hopefully a one off, but he really showed the importance of having Romeu. Great times to be a Saints fan though, now we go onto Villa at the weekend with what should be a pretty fresh squad.

Broja’s made Dawson his bitch this season.

What a goal. He’s been threatening that in the league. I don’t think it’s a one off fluke, I think he has that up his locker. A good weapon.

Hopefully we stop being linked to Johnstone. Goals at 1:27 and 1:50:

And how right Clattenburg proved to be.

Obvious dislike for Liverpool, but Kepa missing after his refusal to sub off a few years ago makes up for it. Part of the penalty shootout is psychological and facing Alisson or Mendy would have played on the shooters minds a lot more than what we saw with two goalkeepers looking like they'd never save a penalty.