5string

Charlie Austin coming on. Now we will have a target man. Maybe the midfield can play the ball forwards now. Oh, and Beersheba v Inter now 2-2. Hmmm...

And again! Oof, close!

Hojbjerg not looking good - dead leg apparently. Romeu coming on. Boufal getting ready, too

Wherever I look on the pitch, we have fewer players than them. Are we too predictable? Making bad passing choices? Poor movement off the ball? Are we too spread out, so our passes are longer (and floatier), giving them the chance to catch up? Been trying to work it out, but I'm struggling. We do go backwards a lot, I've noticed. That seems to be the first option, even when there's space going forward.

Their 'keeper & defence look like a bad U12 side. Unfortunately our attack ranks with the U10 B team! Hojbjerg's 'shot' a fine example.

Thanks for the description. Yep, seen MoTD highlights now. That save was incredible, wasn't it? I agree, Fonte & Cedric were the stand-out 'outfield' players based on those highlights. Romeu & VvD also looked pretty good, as usual.

I haven't seen any of it (MoTD for me tonight), so I presume from this, and other forum comments, that: We defended well against a good attacking Liverpool side Our [attacking] midfield weren't on best form - missing Tadic? No potency for us up front as a result - we're not a 'lone striker' side, really. We did well to get a draw. Incidentally, nothing on this forum about how Forster did today. I read that he made some saves...?

Well, that was a disappointment.

We came from behind against Inter. We can do it again vs Hull. Boufal, Redmond & Austin up front? Come on, decent forward line should get us some more goals.

Nononononono... Really??? Come ON, Saints!! Bit more sharpness in attack, please!

He's making Hull nervous when he's on the ball during open play - he's just rubbish at set pieces. Ooh, close from Hull..! We don't need to give them anything. Oh dear!

Haha then he hoiks it into the top tier - they have to fetch a new ball cos nobody's there to throw it down

Yep, they're generally man-marking quite effectively. Oh, Clasie yellow for an undone bootlace.

Still plenty of possession. Another corner...

VvD off the bar, from a corner we shouldn't really have been given. Getting closer...

Adventurous idea: is it worth giving Boufal a run out, to replace Romeu (give him a rest)? Makes us way more attacking. Clasie could probably hold the DM ok. Then, depending on how things go, Hojbjerg on for Tadic later?

Ok, half-time 1-0. Relatively easy at the moment, if any PL game can be called 'easy', though usual issue of not finishing what we start from midfield. I'd be satisfied with a 1-0 win (a win's a win), though we should be aiming for 3 or 4 goals against this Hull team.

Or even ecClasie-astical? ba-da-boom...

Good ball by Redmond to Austin - another save. Picking it up a bit...

More incisive runs from midfield, we should make.

More men down! It's like the Somme out there! (appropriately enough, being so close to Remembrance). Tadic gets a booking for being injured lol - ooh, not a good challenge by him!

Stripes with black shorts vs stripes with black shorts. Didn't really think about that one, did they?

This usually works well for me: http://www.keepsporthonest.net/match/3995/

My [limited] opinions on the journalistic points: Space out wide: fair point. We used to be strong out wide. However, too many of our signings have been central, and we've been unlucky with injuries to wide men, so a tactical re-design has been necessary. Having Redmond & Tadic with Cuco/Cedric & Bertrand/Reed would be great for our wide options. Tadic is better on the left, with options to move infield. He occasionally switches, causing opposition problems, but needs a fellow 'switcher' to enable this - JWP & Redmond can both fulfil this role. I think Clasie was/is seen as a Davis/Romeu replacement or support. With both of these players doing well, Clasie is left looking weaker. However, I think he deserves more time (just like JWP has had) and could fulfil an important role in DM/CM. Needs to develop better stamina, though. Hojbjerg's energetic arrival has also not helped his case. Cuco has his way of playing which can benefit us hugely, but is now being found out by better players & coaches. Trying Stephens is an interesting idea - McQueen has worked out well & Puel is willing to try youngsters, unlike RK. VvD: disagree. Leave him to do what he wants. He's good enough and he's our best player currently. With Fonte alongside, he can play with more freedom. Fonte is the catalyst for so much of our good defensive play in recent years - he makes others look good (Yoshi, Lovren, etc) because he plays in a solid way that allows them to make positive decisions. VvD is benefiting from this, too, but he's much better than any other of Fonte's previous partners.