kitch

I was Puel 'in' until about a week before he was sacked. I rated him as a man, I thought he was intelligent, tactically aware and a good manager. I moved to the 'out' brigade because I was worried that, for whatever reason, he was failing to get results and showed no signs of turning it around. I lost faith in him a bit as the manager of Southampton, but I was still confident that he was a good manager. Ideally, he'd have had a strong run towards the end of the season like Koeman tended to do, and we'd have finished the season with more confidence about us. With MP2, it's different. I've never once had confidence in him. I was there for the first game against Swansea, and alarm bells rang that day for me. Puel was defensive, but knew when to try and kill a game off. MP2 doesn't go in for the kill - ever. The only reason we beat Everton so comprehensively is because they were so woeful, and we had an in-form Austin who was being allowed to score goals like it was a training drill. The only positive I've seen recently is the Spurs game, where the players did appear to be fighting for the manager. I'm sure he's a great guy, but I'm still waiting for him to make his case as manager of this club, because so far it just hasn't happened. In answer to the original question, I don't regret wanting Puel out. Nothing for me showed that the follow up season was going to be any better. The problem was in the appointment of his replacement. I do feel, however, that Puel was very poorly treated by the club, and that the negative press that surrounds the board regarding his sacking is justified.

To be fair, the manager knows him better than we do. He's worked with him before, probably knows he can be effective there.

I've got a GNVQ in IT, which makes it even worse that the fact even a complete lemming like me can see the problem, yet those paid an absolute fortune at the top, can't.

Because the rest of the squad have already played in a way that would benefit Gabbi in the past. It's the same team that made the most of Long in '15, by playing to his strengths. When they started playing to his feet last season, while he had his back to goal (presumably because that's how he'd been told to set up) he became hopeless. I don't think it's the striker's job to do everything (unless you want to fork out for an Aguero), it's the midfielders'. Tadic is capable of that killer pass, but is constantly played out on the right, where he is at his most ponderous. Davis was key in that style of play too, but recently he's out of sorts, and I suspect won't ever return to the '8/10 Davis' we saw a few years ago. We have proof that it worked, because that's the style we were playing with Gabbi arrived, and look what happened there. Ever since, we've been getting more and more reluctant to play a higher line, possibly because we don't have a Wanyama to mop up the mess, and haven't had a CB of VVD's quality since....well, VVD. All this does is leave Gabbi isolated on the front line, with no support at all. Last season, he was forever coming back into his own half looking for the ball, such was the defensive manner the team was set up. He, along with Austin, is a natural finisher. Add to that the fact that he's much more creative (2nd goal against Utd in the EFL Final proves that) and I really feel for the bloke. I don't even think he needs a 2nd striker there, he just needs some bloody support from the attacking midfielders behind him, who I'm guessing have the reins on them due to the manager's seemingly complete reluctance to attack the opposition.

I'd say that, in effect, we need to alter our game to adapt to the players we've got, who've proven what they can do when utilised. The treatment of Gabbiadini recently has been one of the bigger facepalms the club has made amongst supporters. Someone has said it further up - we're relying on Shane '6-goals-a-season-striker' Long to keep us up. It's going to end in tears. The squad is a decent squad, on the whole. Gabbiadini is one of the better parts of it, IMO. Not using him is madness.

PEH.

All the talk of Davis having a howler of a game, yet all the highlights I saw (admittedly only MoTD) showed him in the thick of it, and also being instrumental in the build up to the JWP goal?

I like him. Puts in a shift, and as others have said, it can't be easy being out for months at a time, and then just being thrown in and asked to handle it. Then factor in the injury etc. Never seems to complain, just acts like a professional and gets on with it. Certainly not the level we need for a starter, but a perfect backup RB in my opinion.

Completely agree. Something's not right at a deeper level than just the manager. That said, I also believe this manager is tactically inept, which is a lethal combo. Two weeks ago, I'd have said we won't get dragged into the bottom three mess. Now? I genuinely think we're in trouble. It's going to be just like the old days, only we've got no MLG!

My thoughts exactly!

I was gutted we didn't go in for him back in the summer. Class player.

Jesus! Glad I didn't get that last minute ticket after all!

I like Shearer too, especially with his insight from a forward's point of view. He's perfectly qualified to comment on practically any attacking move, by any team, as far as I'm concerned. I actually don't mind Keown from the defensive POV, but only to a point. I also like Henry, and would say Jenas is quite good on air and in the studio, but not so great in the commentary box. Souness talks sense, but just can't be dealing with hoddle. And yes, Sutton is a reason to switch off. Awful!

Spot on. It's like Henry said at half-time; If you want the penalty, you've got to let him trip you up! He would have tripped him up, it would have been a penalty, but he went down by himself. Smith committed a dive, before Boufal committed a foul. Ref got it spot on IMO.

How did PEH do? Was he playing a more advanced role, or was he back with Romeu?

I think Bertrand started to tail off in the last 15-20mins. Up to that point, brilliant, but the standard of his passing and the effort seemed to thin out a little bit. But then, complacency is a cruel mistress!

Eddie Howe? Bournemouth/Burnley?

Exactly as I see it. Spot on IMO.

Another here who thinks he should be given a go. He has a nous for goal that not many others in the squad have, but the team doesn't play to his strengths. Telling him to sit behind a no.9 is dumb. Put him up the top, and put the balls on a plate for him, because finishing while under pressure is what he's good at.

Quite literally, in some cases.

I was about to say something similar, to be honest. If Wanyama is just knocking 5yd sidefooted 1-2 passes around the middle of the field, he's going to have a high completion stat. Romeu is much better at passing, and will try to play it forwards or switch the play if he finds himself on one side of the pitch. Much more adventurous, and the fact he completion rate is only just shy of VW's - considering how much more varied his passes are - that speaks volumes about him. He's much more composed on the ball too. Would I have him over Wanyama? Dunno. I like Romeu, he's one of my favourite players, but when you need a bruiser in the middle of the park he's just not quite as effective as Big Vic was, and right now, that's what we're missing. So any other day of the week, Romeu for me, but right here right now, I'd have Wanyama in the side.

I think some people are getting mixed up 100m times in seconds, and measured speed in metres per second! Gardos is one of the slowest (relatively speaking) there. My school time in year 10 was 12.96secs, and I wasn't anywhere near the fastest in the year.

I told the kids I'd managed to get tickets for tonight's and the weekend's games, and they were really excited. Even the 5yr old seemed keen, and he got bored last time. Proper family night out Then I looked outside. Right then.....

Awww, you went to all the trouble of replying just for me!