Vancouver Saint

First things first, let's just see if we can go the first 15 minutes without conceding. We were dead in both Newcastle and West Ham 'must win' games within that time.

Newcastle 1-0 up. Agree keeping Huddersfield close our best bet.

Surprisingly calm. Have failed the big test before we even started. Stoke fans must be laughing their heads off at the Hughes effect they predicted. Close to 50 years supporting the Saints. Unbelievable how such incompetent management of the club can kill hope and passion. Years of selling and replacing with lesser players comes home to roost. Always pray for our survival but am now Zen about our inevitable relegation. FA Cup a terrible distraction but we're only one hammering away from being out of that - no doubt our players will turn up for the games that don't count.

Super special I agree - can remember it clearly as a schoolboy listening to it on the radio - but times have changed since then. The price of not being in the PL and the difficulty of getting back in once you're out is just too high. I live in Vancouver now...televised coverage is all PL - lower leagues don't exist... So it's League, League, League for me.

Am I the only one that really couldn't care about the FA Cup this season? - it's a distraction from the single-minded focus of staying in the Premier League. It's good that Hughes gets a 'free game' against Wigan to see what he's got...I honestly couldn't care if we win or lose that as long as we don't get any injuries and we get the points required to keep us up in the games that follow.

David Wagner. Two birds, one stone.

How about David Wagner? Would feel bad for Huddersfield but a good tactical move for us in two senses - we get a good, motivational, attack-minded manager - plus throws a relegation rival into a tailspin.

"Not a single positive to take out of that game for Southampton' says TSN commentator here in Canada (where they can take a positive from anything!) Beggars belief this incompetent manager is still employed. 100% of blame now at management and owners door. Every game this muppet remains as our manager is pressing the self-destruct button harder.

Well I did not see that coming after going 0-1 down. Lemina just immense - a total class player. Great result Saints. Why on earth didn't he start that team against Brighton at home? Doh! Let's hope that great Lemina goal is the pivot point to start moving our season onwards and upwards

3 Scenarios: 1. West Brom come out guns blazing...Jay Rod, Sturridge, Rondon any combination put them 3-0 up before half-time. Ends 3-0. We claim moral victory having 'tightened it up in the second half 2. Incredibly we score in the first 10 mins...triple rebound off Carillo's new botty...we pull back immediately to protect our lead. They equalise just before half time 1-1 HT. Hold on for the draw second half...lose 3-1. Interview goes something like...hard to digest...new striker proving his threat already...look forward to the next game blah blah 3. Either 2. above i.e. we're a flukey 1-0 up, or it's 0-0 approaching the 89th minute...Jay Rod or Sturridge score an incredible goal to deny us 3 points and or win the game for West Brom. 'Hard to digest'...blah blah

LOL. Keep smiling Dublin, you're not alone! Marriage in the toilet to be expected - but the whole Saints team in there too - too much! On this thread topic...my expectations have been so lowered by this supposedly personable (pliable...thick?) but incompetent manager...I never thought I'd slip from OTT diehard fan (a little bit too over-emotionally involved with the fortunes of Southampton FC) to now being apathetic...even missing games on the telly from here that I couldn't have imagined at the beginning of this season. So boring, so tactically inept, so predictable. The guy isn't going to resign, it's a board issue and has been for a least two months. it's incredibly frustrating that they're not acting to change things. They're not stupid people. Makes me think - what do they know that we don't?

They all stay above us with one less game and easier fixtures and more home games than us in the run-up...

Longest winless streak in all four divisions. What other worst records is this hopelessly out-of-his-depth manager going to have to break before he gets fired? Every other team gained ground on us today except West Brom who are saving it for us.

Agreed Mikey. Made the fatal mistake of reading this thread before posting - can't believe the negativity about that game from some. I am the first to admit that I had us down for a heavy spanking and that MP is a clueless muppet that would be truly exposed - wrong on both counts today. That display showed that the players were playing for him. He put a decent starting line up - and I applaud his bravery for putting Obafemi on...we needed the threat of a pacey outlet up front to keep their defenders back - had he converted that chance would we have been crediting him with a masterstroke? (I doubt it). Crowd support sounded great on the telly too. I am not convinced by MP - but I want to be fair to him too. A point gained for me and a first glimmer of hope that we can turn this around with a motivated squad and a bit more bite up front.

- and a goalkeeper! Astonished we haven't prioritised that - a good goalie is worth as many points as a good striker IMO.

Think this could be the day he demonstrates his tactical genius. We go all out attack...3 across the top like Liverhampton...high pressing game... Lose 0-6 as they dissect at will. "Hard to digest' muppet comment in post match interview. We must analyse and look forward to the next game. Would love to be proved wrong of course. May only be 0-5.

Half time - like most of us I suspect - I asked myself: "so how are we going to screw this up and lose or draw from 2-0 up and an excellent first half". Well we have the predictable answer...a really poor error from an off-form Davis leading to their first goal which was the turning point...a cheats 'goal' in the last minute (how do we all just know the opposition are going to get it in the net somehow)...wrapped up in negative, sit back and invite pressure tactics that have failed 100% of the time. First half we proved our players are capable of aggressive, pressing football - we looked hungry and won the majority of 50/50 balls. Second half we stand off them, let them saunter into our half and pop long balls in time and time again - you just know they're going to score. I'm not being a smartarse - I was saying sub Davis with Lemina even before he made the fatal error -he was well off the pace. You know what's going through MP's mind - he's the captain blah blah, see him through a bad patch blah blah, need his support blah blah. To be fair he did finally sub Davis off (and it looked like a punishment subbing to me)...but it doesn't make up for his overall defensive approach. They have obviously not heard 'fortune favours the brave' in Argentina.

This. Reality check - we are 20th out of 20 in the PL form table based on the last six matches, Watford are 18th - the difference being they have actually won a game. I will be the first to admit I'm wrong if MP turns from muppet into magician - as the board obviously think he will - but I've seen to nothing to suggest he knows how to get the best out of players or the tactical nous to better opponents. He has not changed his defensive 1-striker up front strategy all season - even at home against lower half teams - at least not until we're losing and he has to throw caution to the wind. If we do manage to squeak a goal we retreat to defend, inviting pressure on an inadequate defence. I haven't heard a single player come to his defence. The VVD cloud is a pathetic catchall excuse for the board, in a last ditch attempt to save face and/or money. He's had time to influence the players - the results, and more telling - the performances, say it all. 20th out of 20. We are going down with this manager...in his own language he is 'hard to digest'. At this point I hold the board accountable for not acting earlier - think they've left it too late to salvage now. Would be delighted to be wrong.

Can anyone think of a single player who has improved under MP?

Sobering reminder that one good performance against Utd doesn't disguise the difference in form between us and Palace. Felt good after that game but suddenly we're in 15th, Palace on a high...Newcastle, Brighton, Bournemouth even Swansea all improving...we MUST win this - and hopefully in style. The form books would say otherwise.

Well, didn't see that very good performance coming. Shlong unlucky not to score. McCarthy made a difference - actually catching the ball, no rebounds, coming off his line and decent distribution - deserves a decent run now. Have been very critical of MP and one swallow doesn't make a summer - but that was a good all round performance and a 'bonus' point - even if Utd were below par.

Hmmm...or a No to both. Sturridge too injury-prone we all agree, Theo okay but would be breaking the golden rule 'never go back'. Besides, I believe we'd do better looking for the next Theo. I'd do Dembele before either and a new goalkeeper before anybody else (anybody have ideas who?)

You are joking! Can you name one player who has improved under this muppet? I mean seriously improved, not just playing well because they've been given a run like PEH. I have never called for a manager to be fired but this guy is totally clueless. He has had more talent to work with than Puel ever had and done significantly less with it. No idea how to get the best out of individual players, no idea of shape, no game-by-game strategy...he's a one trick pony whose trick is to sit back and defend deep away from home against the bigger clubs and hope for a lucky breakaway goal. There was no pressing today when we're out of possession (I hate watching us sit back and wait for the inevitable killer cross to come in)...no working hard to make yourself available for an easy pass...no fast breakaway when we were 1-0 up (Austin not fast enough, Redmond heads for the sidelines)... Read StJackoinHaworth above - totally agree. Enough already.

You know it's time for the manager to go when you find yourself wishing Huddersfield score a late winner just to eliminate any possible doubt the hopelessly out of depth MP needs to be fired in the morning. He MUST have been told nothing less than a win against Huddersfield at home will keep him in his job...whatever the performance. Then he starts with one striker at home (who has no pace to play the lone striker role) in a must-win game. If ever there was a time to play Gabbiadini and Austin together with Boufal creating things behind, this was it. Totally clueless. Get rid of him now so at least the players know they are going to have to perform for someone else...Tuchel? Please.

Well we were all screaming for Puel to bring exciting attacking football to St Marys - and he did!