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Can Saints get their first win of the season? If not, pressure will start to mount?

hmmm but as we are following Arsenal with a French manager going for 1 0 win

For me this is a must-win.

Pete from Oz wrote:For me this is a must-win.

A little early in the season but I think you could be right there Pete. A win for Saints could set them back on course for another top-half finish........anything less could signal the start of a scrap at the foot of the table.

Oh dear......1-1.....now why do I get the feeling that Claude is upsetting the applecart by insisting on his diamond formation? Also, is he upsetting some of the players? Did you see Shane Long's reaction when he was substituted at Old Trafford?.... and I don't think Long will have been best pleased by being left out of the starting line-up for Sunderland.

well thought I would wait a couple of days before posting, to be fair there were some positives from the gam which tend to overlook, first 20 minutes we played well, well in charge a few chances which we didn't take and a couple of good saves. Finished strongly and again have come from a goal behind to gain a point so there is some character still in the team. The problem is the team are struggling with the formation, Redmond is despite what Claude Puel thinks not Tiery Henry, the midfield of Romeau Davis and Hojberg not effective though Hojberg is looking decent, and Romeau was better, Davis was pretty ineffective for most of the game came into it at the end. Tadic seemed lost, hardly any impact in this game. We finished the season with Long on fire and Tadic our most creative yet both are back to questionable if they start, now that Boufal has signed where will Tadic play?

As I said we started well, Austin had a couple of snap shots, caught offside a few times but partly due to players taking to long to his the pass. But after 20 minutes formation up front seemed to change, Austin went wide with Redmond in the front and we were hopeless. Not help by another appalling incompetent performance from Lee Mason, how this guys is classed a premier league ref is beyond me, surely we have others better than him. Only Sunderland threat was from set pieces and Kone headed wide when he had a good chance, apart from that no threat.

Second half pretty boring we had plenty of possession but limited to a few shots form edge of box well saved by their goalie. only threat to us was from free kicks and Mason's hatred of us, sure after the stick he got for sending of Mane last year which was rescinded he wanted his revenge. One free kick after a dive from Juananez easily saved by Forster then a fairly soft penalty. I am pretty sure Defoe bought the pen, the ball was going behind him and while Fonte was to close Defoe simply stopped running as lost the ball and then went down as Fonte made contact. 9 times out of 10 a ref would not have given but Mason couldn't wait.

At least that seemed to fire saints though Puel's subs were odd aside from bring in JRod on who duly obliged with the equaliser which their goalie really should have saved. Still had the pressure at the end and the only team looking to win. That is however two draws against two poor sides, also two hopeless referees but then both were poor last year so no way they will have improved. Tactically Puel doesn't change it if behind, just moves the chess pieces around but same formation. Redmond needs to be played out wide and is not Henry or a central striker, playing 442 is not always a bad option and the midfield is to light for 433. If he wants to stick with this then think Classie has to come in for Davies.

Forster 6 hardly anything to do, should try and stand tall for penalties as opposed looking to dive low.
Targett 5 another not convincing performance, caught out several times in first half and we will improve with Bertrand back
Virgi 7 another strong performance
Fonte 5 hopefully he will get his head in gear and now start to focus on the football, though why he hasn't signed the new contract means I would sell in Jan
Cedric 6 better than against Watford got forward well in first 20 minutes.
Romeau 6 better than last game doesn't seem comfortable in the formation
Davis 5 seems a bit lost
Hojberg 7, again looked good going forward, a decent prospect, needs to have some support and in a 442 think would excel
Tadic 5 pretty ineffective, not for lack of trying just didn't seem to know where to be
Austin 6 started well but faded, caught offside but we were to slow to make the passes
Redmond 5 had a couple of shots but think he would be better from a wide position

Subs
JRod 7 a goal and hopefully and end to the nonsense of sending him on loan
Long 6 didn't really have any opportunities
Ward Prowse, 6 didn't do anything, right or wrong

Mason 3 unfit, inconsistent ( my worst complaint) and has not been at the right level for 3 or 4 years now

Thanks Matty, an interesting and informed report as usual