mrfahaji

In general I agree, but it sounds like you're hinting that Redmond was awful today. I don't think he was, certainly no more than the average Saints player. I would prefer to see Sims or Boufal play instead of him because I think they are more unpredictable and direct, but I won't be slagging off Redmond for his performance today. It was even his calmness following the Madley clothes-line that started the move for the goal.

Burnley weren't great today, but boy were we lucky to get an equaliser at the end. Pellegrino can normally point to a 'spell' in the game where we've done ok, sometimes 5 minutes, sometimes 20 minutes (rarely longer), but I'm not sure we even had that today.

Well it took a great downfield block from the referee, but thank god for that. Good play by all players involved - Redmond, Sims, Carillo (?) and Gabbiadini.

The problem is that this manager has drained all the energy and hope out of our side. Bringing on Boufal and Gabbiadini would once have been reason to hope and be excited, but now they look as defeated as everyone else. Sims has had the benefit of being injured and not being affected by the general malaise in the rest of the team. I simply cannot believe that we still have such an awful manager in charge and that we're going to be relegated because of it.

I feel like we should just declare and accept relegation, would be preferable to watching us play like this every week. We are so sh1t it's untrue. Pellegrino should be arrested for stealing a living, Reed should face a firing squad for overseeing a complete sh1t show.

Relegation impending.

With the other results it's now looking like we to win this, not just avoid defeat. Even our basic passing is woeful today, and I'm not sure I've seen us head the ball to a fellow Saints player all game.

I didn't see any reason for Redmond to be singled out as poor in that first half tbh. Didn't do many good things but wasn't any more awful than anyone else.

I think it was John Lennon who said "life is what happens while you're making other plans." I think a more appropriate quote would be "life is what happens while you're waiting for Southampton to play well or score a goal"

I'm happy that Redmond has done a few more things that he hasn't done enough this season. He's got to the byline, he's had a shot (when there weren't better options). I do wonder if we are taught how to defend though. When the ball drops in our box it's like our players have been told to run away from it.

I’m never sure about Redmond but the biggest problem is that Tadic ends up on the right. The fact he is central today may help in that regard.

So, Redmond on the left and Tadic on the right? If so, it really shows that Pellegrino has learnt nothing from when he arrived. It’s like he has ignored the fact that our results have been a bit better (emphasis on ‘a bit’) in the past few weeks and he can’t wait to get back to his preferred personnel/formation.

It's because he wants to get a place in the Portugal World Cup squad. Definitely no other reason. (fwiw, I don't have issue with players like Fonte and Pelle going to China to earn shed loads of money before they retire, just find it amusing that players can never just come out and say it!)

This. It's the main reason why I hope the bubble bursts. Unfortunately I can't see that anytime soon.

Sims is definitely too risky. I saw him kick the ball forwards at least a few times at the weekend. Need to get him out of that habit.

Don't you know? Anything BY Scousers is called a sense of humour, anything ABOUT Scousers is called offensive.

Most people would choose winning the cup because we've won the cup once in our history. For anyone around at the time it was one of the best moments of their lives, the closest the rest of us have got is crying to Abide With Me. Even those who aren't so positive about our ability to bounce back still value that one off euphoria over having a (small) seat at the top table each year.

Even though I agree with your conclusion, some of our best days actually came during the relegation fight. Wimbledon away and Everton home in 99 two examples that immediately spring to mind. Difference was, back then we were in a battle every year because we didn't have much money and had average/poor players. Whereas now it feels like we are woefully underperforming.

Was that not also to do with wanting Pellegrino to be sacked, as opposed to not wanting the distraction of the cup? Some comments do end up looking silly in hindsight, but if SKD's view was "We will get relegated with Pellegrino in charge, I therefore want him out asap, therefore not only is the cup the next game, but also I'd rather sacrifice a cup game than a potentially vital 3 points", is that really such a disgraceful view? I don't think I could ever want Saints to lose, but some defeats are easier to get over (and see the positives) than others.

Is it not possible that the Portsmouth game could be moved instead?

From the stories I hear from my Dad, I'd quite like to see John McGrath in the side for games against the big boys, assuming the ref is being extra lenient of course. From my own time, I'd probably go for Michael Svensson, Matt Le Tissier, Ronnie Ekelund & Rickie Lambert. Frankie Bennett just missing the cut.

Was hardly a huge miscarriage of justice though, even if it was debatable. Makes a change for the referee not to shirk a decision against one of the big boys, especially media darlings City.

Who cares about that at the expense of a memorable experience and once in a lifetime moment of glory? Isn't that missing the point of sport? May as well go and support Barclays Bank or General Electric.

Depends whether the question is about the ultimate outcome or the effort/focus. If you could guarantee an FA Cup win at the expense of PL status, I'd take it. But that doesn't mean I think we should prioritise the fixtures over the league or let it be a distraction.

Ha, I was actually going to suggest this earlier but thought it might get shot down as an outrageous comment...