Lighthouse

Long starts again. Gabbi not in the squad again but there is room for 3 central midfielders on the bench.

Does beg the question of why we signed Gunn. I know he looks better than FF but from a financial point of view it seems like madness when we've already got Fraser as back up and we can't get rid of him. Yes, he is a weakness but he isn't hopeless. Given choise I'd have spent the Gunn money on a decent AM or a decent RB.

I'd have a front 3 of Ings, Gabbi and Redmond personally, with Armstrong in behind. Don't want to see either Austin or Long starting.

And? What’s not to like about that?

I’m not bothered personally and I agree it’s better for Saints. I just find the big club bias rather irritating for the sport in general. Players like Cleverley and Heskey getting more caps than Le Tiss or Kevin Phillips.

I remember the 'cool kids' doing that when I was in 6th form.

Yes but it's a good game for Man Utd and that's what counts. Who could forget Calum Chambers having 2 good games at Arsenal, which got him into the squad, or Walcott in 2006 who didn't even have to make an appearance.

Based on the stunt he pulled off last year, I reckon he should be knighted in the New Years honours list.

He may be our top scorer but 14 goals in 2.5 years is a pretty meagre return for a striker. I’m sure some helpful soul will be along with some stats comparing his goals per minute ratio to Aguero or something but his lack of game time is a glaring weakness, not en excuse. The fact is he isn’t fit enough to play more than he does and hasn’t been for many years. Thankfully, none of the ‘whinging’ on here has any bearing on the teams performance.

Well, he played 130 minutes without scoring in more important games, which we didn’t win, so yes it does matter. No complaints about last night in isolation but criticism of Austin is well founded in many areas.

They seem to have forgotten about the other 130 minutes he played before last night. In fairness, they were pretty easy to forget but he did play.

That was a reaction to the Brighton match, where he was very poor, lacked pace and was a disappointment. It’s not writing him off.

Quote one post writing him off.

Play him; yes but I would be starting him. There is an obvious advantage of coming on second half when you’re up against defenders who have been running around for an hour longer than you have. If he can have an impact against some tiring legs, then he should be considered for a starting spot. I don’t think anyone is written off before they can adjust. The likes of Gaston, Boufal and Mané all had plenty of opportunities to prove themselves.

He scored a hat trick in a cup final against Man Utd. What I find frustrating is that we know what he can do, in a decent team which gives him decent chances. His first goal against West Ham on his debut was exquisite as was the equaliser in the cup final. His movement and anticipation is among the best I’ve seen from a Saints striker but sadly we have a squad full of cloggers who aren’t on the same wavelength. It’s a shame we never got to see him play along side Mané and Pellè, along with an in form Tadic. Then we’d have seen what he’s capable of. If we do sell him, that’s a pretty dreadful collection of strikers we’re left with. Austin and Ings will be in the treatment room sooner rather than later, leaving Sunday League Shane to chase defenders around like a terrier after his favourite tennis ball.

I wasn’t at the Leicester game but from most accounts he was quite decent up until the dive. It was a silly thing to do but I’d much rather a decent performance ruined by a moment of stupidity, rather than just being crap from the get go. Having said all that, I think he is suspended.

Not seen anything of Moi yet to suggest he’s good enough to be starting. I’d have Gabbi in to switch around the front 3 with Redmond and Ings. Apart from tha, looks good to me.

I doubt Long reads this forum and if he does, he’s probably got you on ignore.

I remember that Wycombe game for 2 reasons. Firstly the kids having a penalty shootout at h/t and secondly the 50 tonnes of sand they’d spread across the pitch, killing the bounce stone dead.

#Itscominghome

Didn't Merrington say Gabbi had a late fitness test? Austin just isn't fit on any scale. Starts the season playing 70 minutes, then 35 minutes, then 25 minutes and when he is on the pitch he looks yards off the pace.

Just seen MOTD as I was working yesterday. Have to say 1. Definite dive, Hojbjerg is a plank. 2. Can't believe people are blaming Hoedt for the first goal more than Moi. A sliding tackle on the half way line went to a Leicester player. So what? We still had plenty of other players who should have dealt with that afterwards. 3. What Moi and Cedric were doing I have no idea, it's basic communication stuff. If nothing else, can we spend an hour in training teaching our players to shout, "MINE!!!" Cedric should have been heading that ball out for a throw in and Moi nowhere near it. 4. Maguire was Austin's man for the winner but even having only been on for 25 minutes he looked like he was running through knee deep treacle. Vest... Was he not paying attention or what? It was the last chance in injury time, Maguire was obviously going to have a pop.

Signing dross like Pied is the reason we're in this mess. We should be signing someone genuinely decent to compete with Cedric, instead of Koeman and Puel's old mates. Martina should only ever have been emergency cover, the fact that he was actually chosen to start when Cedric was fit says something IMO. Surely with the tens of millions we're chucking at players, we could find someone with a decent physique to play at RB. There must be somebody with a bit of pace and height who CDAJFU.

On the evidence so far, West Ham, Cardiff and Huddersfield are also absolute garbage. Several other teams are a bit suspect. As with most survival situations, you don't need to out run the wolf, you just need to out run the fat kid.

I think Leicester might have lodged a complaint if he'd done that. Seems rather unprofessional if you ask me.