Vancouver Saint

Emery (okay PSG an obvious reason now but weren't at the beginning of this debacle), Schmidt, Howe, de Boer, Garcia...and agree with you completely angleman we don't want a knee jerk appointment that's my point...take the pressure off ourselves - better to wait for the right candidate than rush a decision. I am not ITK...I am genuinely surprised that we are not attracting more interest from higher calibre candidates than we are. I mean Zenga, Carvalhio, Puel, Pereira even - is that the best we can expect? Pelligrini is a gent but not our man I think.

Blackballed? Does anyone else sense that the 'Managers Club' have put the word out we're a poisoned chalice for whatever reason? Cannot understand why so many out of work managers would not even want to talk with us. Easy to understand a quick call from Frank de Boer to his mate Koeman would put the kaibosh on that particular move, but others too...Garcia should not be out of our league. Now we're being associated with a whole raft of no-names with less than stellar CV's that totally underwhelm me. Think the deadline we set for ourselves is silly - adds pressure to make a quick decision from limited options. Our desperation is beginning to show. We should make a statement saying we'll take however long it takes to get the right person.

Mature and proper Doughnut. Am trying hard to be as big. Can't help but reflect on the bald hypocrisy of Boruc's tweet...and some of the smug Everton comments about bigger club etc...do they think Koeman's ambition stops at Everton? Ha, give it a season. For us - it might just be a blessing in disguise...Koeman was great for us for two years, but he's not superhuman like the media are making him out to be. Let's get a great new Manager in and march on.

How would we feel if the deal collapsed at the 11th hour and Koeman wanted back in? Stranger things have happened and the longer deals like this drag on the less likely they are to happen, despite the reassurances. I'm kind've in the damage has been done already, let's move on with someone new camp...but if he came back with an explantation of not being given reassurances about investment for players, or (more plausibly) that he didn't get the respect from LR he thought he deserved...guess we'll never know if that's the truth

I always felt 'why bother' when he was substituted on...always looked a step behind the pace and physicality of the PL...but it could be he could have grown into it and wish him well.

Unai Emery. Why not? He wants PL experience. Saints in Europe. Great squad, with anchor talent to build on even if a couple leave. Why would we not 'do an Everton' and pay him double his salary to come too...we could afford it - especially if it was linked to success.

I like the international profile and what he says about Virgin 'doing things differently'...perhaps that means staying long-term as a high profile sponsor. No coincidence about the timing. Think everyone outside of SFC and Everton are bored with the RK saga - and their announcement will be washed over by the start of the Euros.

Well I sincerely hope we don't fall victim to the 'newly liberated' team that's just been relegated putting themselves on display for buyers and playing out of their skins...we've all seen it before. We need a couple of quick killer goals to snuff that out...then go on and put another three or four in. Just thinking out loud.

Great result, happy. Fine margins is true though. At 1-0 we're always only a bad decision or a deflection away from an equaliser. Understandably the tone on this thread changes with the result - sometimes it's too much praise when we shade a 1-0 win and too much negativity when we lose narrowly too. I think we're better than Man Utd. Very close to West Ham. Weaker than the top four (although any of them are capable of having a bad run and giving us an opportunity). So 5th place is a definite possibility...even higher if we continue this form. But given where we were a short 6 games ago, none of us should be too despairing if we finish in the top half.

Nice birthday present for me, thank you Yoshida and Saints. Exhausting second half though. Great boost for the team to hold on for the win.

A point gained for sure thanks to Forster and a solid defensive display...VW, VvD, Fonte and Romeu all had good games. Happy with result. Would someone please explain to me why we still play Juanmi? He gave the ball away about three times in the 10 minutes he was on, any one of which could have resulted in a Gunners goal. He doesn't have physique, speed, vision or touch - I don't get it...I've seen absolutely nothing to suggest he's Premier league quality good enough to unlock defences or merit the Saints shirt. Don't like picking on players and would be delighted to have this posted back to me if goes on to score 10 goals in the remainder of the season - but this is not the first time I've thought he was more a liability than an asset. Am I alone in thinking this?

Very clever. If a little cheesy.

Good day all round. Well done Saints. Heard a bit more noise from the crowd on the telly too...let's hope it's the start of a great second half of the season.

Why does Juanmi even merit a place on the bench?

I have criticised Long and Targett in the past. Today they were the best player and most improved player on the park. congratulations to them. Win will hopefully set us on our way to more...

Does anyone have stats on how far we a running in games vs the opposition? Fitness/energy seems to be an issue. Having watched Poch's Spurs team they are young and out-run opponents...that's where we used to be going. We can't seem to come back after going down (which is now a habit)...it's more than confidence I think, lack of energy/fitness is a factor. What do others think?

Me too. Don't get all this Moyes admiration...did a solid job at Everton without ever reaching any heights...is the height of our ambition being solid mid-table forever? I want more.

Dr Evil, please give our mojo back.

Quite. Turned on at 7.09 am to watch, missed their goal and knew that was going to be the result. You get a game or two like this every season - flat for no reason. I'm not over-analysing it. We are a good team capable of beating anyone on our day. If you think we can't finish, look at Arsenal today...should have won by four or five goals and managed to lose. Let's move on.

So glad we won that. Understand Allardyce's tactics, but seriously, do even Sunderland fans want to play one up at home and hope for a 0-0 draw? Such incredibly negative tactics when they have goalscorers on the bench. Fortune favours the brave. C'mon you Saints!

Klopp will have them totally fired up for this game and they will all be out to impress him...atmosphere will be one of great expectations from the Kop...perfect time to spoil the party and get some payback from some terrible refereeing decisions against us in this fixture in the past.

Agree - we lost it in the midfield second half. Always nervous with KD in (and Yoshida frankly)...but it was certainly not all KD's fault we were so bad second half.

We all watched the same game then. Credit to Leicester - best team performance in the second half I've watched against us by far. Substitutions changed the game...Mahrez (why not on from the start?) and Dyer for them, Clasie (wrong game to start him) Yoshida (out of position out of form) and Rodriguez (didn't need shoot on sight needed hold-up outlet)...5-0 on subs to them. We were as bad second half as we were good second half against Chelsea. Game was screaming for Romeu. Bit of grit to break their forward momentum up and some defensive solidity and good distribution. We can all see it - why couldn't RK? I don't get it at all.

Definitely a cross - lucky goal - although you'd have hoped Stek would have got it anyway. He fooled the TSN commentators here in Canada but not the panel (who were players and knew he was trying to whip that in to the far post).

Yes, agreed - just had a look and they at least give us the credit we deserved.