Saint86

Tactical change? Do you mean having lavia (and actual central midfield anchor) fit? 😅 It's been our issue all season with both Jones and Ralph. Our midfield is appalling when we're having tk rely on the likes of AMN or Diallo as pivotal defensive midfielders.

I get its personal oppinion, and it's always interesting how fans see the game so differently to each other 😊. But in that vein I would also say Tino is not as good a defender as kwp (currently - Tino is young) 😅. I always remember him being caught out of position, or needing to be better defensively vs wingers / wide forwards last year. I am not knocking Tino by any means, but he'll develop with play time and experience - I would always have put kwp above him if picking purely for quality though. Also the sad reality is that we don't know what level Tino will be in when he comes back.

Those expecting a main striker to come in and Immediatley perform with a goal every 2 games are talking about a player coming in an having a minutes per goal ratio of circa 140-150. There aren't many regular startering strikers in the league that have achieved that so far this season. Haaland, kane, mitrovic, toney, and rodrigo are the main ones. Wilson is there (6 goals in 13 at 148minutes per goal, but always has injury issues), and firminio is similar but is used often as an impact player. Ditto ings, 6 goals in 17 games, but ofc... Shock horror from the lethal xg chance conversion machine, he had a goal every 127minutes despite playing in a largely appalling villa side for most of the season. Almiron has a goal every 167minutes in the prem (but is a midfielder). Ditto Foden and maddison are similar. So in terms of attacker's, there is realistically only 5-6 regular players that are achieving it, prem sides are unlikely to sell us one, and any player that is that good won't be cheap and is a gamble - I.e. Nunez and scammaca.

Would struggle to disagree more. He is superb at holding the ball up rather than losing it, he'll look for quick 1-2s, and run off the shoulder of players, and his dribbling skills make him a great threat when he gets into the box in tight spaces. He also makes great runs carrying the ball to move us up the pitch and to make space for others, which allows players like jwp to drift in behind or overlap to support attacks and put crosses in etc. He's the best attacking full back / wing back I can recall at saints. And he ain't bad defensively either. I'll be stunned if we get a better player than him as a replacement, and it we'll lose the balance he brings us (good defence / attack) down that side. When he finally goes it will be a loss, but for the sake of his career (and England chances - and he should already be in that mix when fit) he probably should be looking to move up to the right big club now - unless saints can really pick up and return to our top 8 finishes... Doubtful right now let's be honest.

Quite a lot of praise for Ward Prowse in his joining interview. That's another young player we've signed that's looking forward to playing with him - Interesting to say the least.

Feel a tiny bit sorry for him... they were clearly going to use his signing announcement to distract from a man city loss, and instead he's been partially lost in the bemused happiness over that city win! 😅🤣 Either way, looks like he could be class, and i hope he is for many years to come (for us). A midfield unit of Lavia, JWP, and Alcaraz does sound tasty to me!

Repeat of 2017 final with a different outcome? Beat Newcastle and re-sign gabbi for a bit of vengeance?

Yeah he's quality. Did you see klopp totally disrespect him the other day?

Good spot.

Interview largely was fair enough. A few pointed comments re the flack he had, but fair enough after a cracking win and was reasonable. We're a fairly level fanbase compared to some. We don't go as negative as others, and we don't go overboard either. Suspect the fans will now back him and the team and have some patience now. Only said, "with greatest respect" once. Which was a particular highlight for me. If he can get that down to 0 he'll have come a long way.

No way we man beat united over two legs right now imo. They're on a roll and people still haven't clocked on to what ETH has done there imo. With Newcastle they've got to travel down here and we have that first leg to turn them over and get our foot in the door. Take a lead back to SJP and we've got a good chance.

Nah we got this. Lyanco will bully them off the pitch. Plus we all saw where their priorities are after shef wed game. They have to get CL as it blows wide open the FFP restrictions and will be transformative. Plus their starting to feel their smaller squad.

Henderson can't play vs United? Are we due a repeat of the 2017 final?

Called it 😝

Really don't want forest. Too much chance of niggly tackles in a grudge match. Actually take Newcastle.

He isn't a CB, is an absolute lunatic of an athlete that can play a bit of samba.

Also, we're in the semi final hat 😅

Generally is the case that most of the team deserve 10/10. I'm looking forward to a bit of salty pep. Wonder if we'll get gracious or salty.

Absolutely bloody superb. I liked the line up and thought we'd have a chance. But they didn't even have a shot on target... It was comfortable... Like wtf. Fair play to Jones and the players. Shocking what happens when lavia is fit and we played a midfield 3!! And lyanco, I mean I still think he is an unhinged loon, but he was magnificent at the back. All 3 cb's were superb! KWP and JWP back to their absolute best as well. People saying jwp can't lead... For weaks now he's been leading!!

5-3-2 then, but i fancy JWP, Lavia, and Diallo as a better midfield 3 than Jones has fielded so far. Interested to see how Armstrong and Mara get on. What does it say that i was dreading a worse line up? 🙈 The fact that city's weakened team can still comfortably feature players like foden, grealish, alvarez, laporte, walker, and cancelo.... with Haaland and KDB on the bench. Actually horrific.

By that logic we'll announce him tomorrow, not tonight.

May just be me, but I am chuckling at these complete Souness-isms 😅. He wastes no time saying basically exactly this any time he's allow to do punditry on small wing/full backs!

https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/23070309.motherwell-player-callum-slattery-fined-homophobic-abuse/ Not covered himself in any glory here...

I'd give season ticket holders a vote personally (and i say this even though i am no longer one myself - colour metaphor puel). ST holders are match going fans and the ones most likely to buy the kits. Also stops skates or casuals (that never attend / buy club merchandise) from voting.

Imagine being involved in our kits for next year (both at hummel and at saints), seeing this on a message board, and then instead turfing out the usual absolute garbage.