Europa League

Well Inter Milan, Sparta Prague, Haepo be'er shava think will be tough to qualify as others have that experience and need to be on form for first couple of games, home win and a point away to give us a chance

Cannot go to Haepo game as away for 3 weeks in sept in states but hope to do Prague and Milan away. Flight and acconodation booked for Milan, just need the tickets!😀

Great, look forward to seeing your reports Matty

My reports will depend on what I can remember!! For Milan going out with mate Wednesday, wives joking us on Friday come back Sunday. We have Friday to sober up😂 Prague likely to be more booze game and home, though agai due out the following Saturday night so will need to recover in time, no wives allowed on that trip😀

Sparta Prague tomorrow and hope we can get off to a winning start.

Wouldn't be surprised if a draw, our inexperience in European showing up though I do have a sneaky feeling Puel will be better in the Europa games

Well a good start to the European campaign sound from the live updates Sparta Prague did not offer much but good to get 3points and a clean sheet. A win against Swansea on Sunday will make the season look brighter.

Haepo though could be the dark horses, beat Inter to night which is a real shock, we need to take a point off them now as was hoping would be a straight fight between us and Milan but that result has thrown a big spanner in the works. If we don't win in Milan will need to take 4 of the 6 points against Haepo to even out, looks like Sparta will be the bottom side unless they are good at home.

After result spent the afternoon sailing with our friends in San Diego, pretty good day all round

Tricky-looking away game in Israel on Thursday. Hoping for another good result.

A point would be a good result, they are a good side and how were the 4th seeded team. Having beaten Inter they know a win against us will make them red hot to go through, you would think they will beat Prague and with an away win in the bank 3 home wins will probably be enough.

If we play like second half against West Ham will be a good game but they like to play on the counter attack so could be a cagey game, I am going for a 1-1 draw.

Back to UK on Saturday

Excellent result especially with key players rested, Inter losing again leaves wide open.

Slightly spoils though by the news around Black, suspend him immediately, interview in morning, sack in afternoon. Bringing the club into disrepute must be in their contracts, Gross misconduct, sackable for first offence. Get rid of him, no place for guys like him at the club and only employed because he could speak French

A goodish result, but a bloody terrible performance. Long and Redmond were absolutely clueless and the 3 points were there for taking. Hope we won't find ourselves regretting this outcome at the end of the stage,

Now have my ticket for Sparta Prague away game as well as Milan away

Hope you can bring them good luck Matty

Will be tough with the injuries and 2 league games in between. I think he would have played a few youngsters originally but with Milan losing both their first 2 games a chance to put Inter out of the running if we could beat them. I don't mind losing to Man City so I would go with a strong team against Inter.

Fly out Wed, due back Sunday with wives coming out on the Friday, though a strike planned for Friday which could see a lot if saints fans in Milan the day after

Oh dear, Saints really need to find the way to turn attacking pressure into goals

Should not have lost and if we had a top striker alongside Austin could have won comfortably. IRod I am afraid looks like he will never be back to his best, looked slow and bottled it on a number of occasions, sure he would have been subbed first  if not for Long injury. 

Still in Milan fly back tomorrow, great effort from saints fans.

Forster 6 didn't really have much to do but no chance with goal
Martina 6 really good first half second dropped off but  if dye to no support
Yoshida 6 the usual some great blocks then looking nervy on the ball
Virgil 6 lost his man for the goal though came closet to scoring should have done better
MacQueen 7 thought he did really well real threat first half and didn't look out of place
Ward Prowse 6 worked hard think he should have done better with his chance in first half
Hojberg 5 disappointing gave the ball away early on and seemed to struggle with his role
Romeau 7 another strong performance 
Tadic 6 really good first half, second not in it, lack of tracking back and helping at fault with their goal
JRod 5 unfortunately think unlikely he will ever be a top player now his injury still in his mind
Long 6 couple of typical runs but didn't really look like scoring

Subs Austin 6 tried in his firs 15 mins but not great service
Davis 6
Boufal 6 he may annoy me, to clever by half may be an issue

Rotation did not work despite our chances, no Classie or Davies showed in midfield though to be fair Hojberg had been good before so can see why selected. It is up front where we are struggling, sadly the best JRod has to offer now is rest time for Austin, think time for a youngster to be given the opportunity.

Thanks for your comments Matty

A big game Thursday. Unless Saints win this one, I think they will struggle to reach the next stage.

Would agree really a must win  what the manager change will do for team, an early goal for saints will be important, get in front and can then relax but the longer stays level can imagine us getting stretched as pile forward. I want to see our strongest line up for this one but think he will play a few younger players, expect McQueen Hojberg and JWP to start plus Yoshida. 

I want Fonte playing, he is club captain and needs to be on the pitch

And maybe another start for Boufal?

Will do a report tomorrow, shattered. Deserved the win but made hard work of it. No idea why Tadic is let anywhere near penalties. Just like his miserable effort at Burnley a couple of years ago, Ward Prowse is 2 from 2. 

Ward Prowse and  acQueen our top players, prowsies best game I can remember, McQueen looked so mature. Marina poor again he needs a rest, disappointing that we left Austin, Fonte, Classie, Davis, Bertran, Boufal on bench.

All to play for now

It looked as though Tadic was going to miss even before he took the spotkick. Even those he has scored from, have been pretty flukey really. Anyone else in the team could do at least as well.

As I said last time I think, Saints really do need to convert pressure into goals

Forster 6 not playing that well, no movement leg or arm on goal, very static and again slow to get down and failed to hold on to shot. Not sure if carrying an injury
McQueen 8 another impressive performance would think been in the first team for a couple of seasons
Virgil 7 solid at the back and a goal threat
Yoshida 7 not as impressive as v d but solid tonight
Martina 5 really struggling and needs a rest
Romeau 6 not as good as normal, a few missed passes
Ward Prowse 8 top performance really dominant winning tackles and intelligent passes
Hojberg 6 mixed performance some good and bad, tired towards the end.
Tadic 6 poor penalty, still came over and pounced around free kicks by JWP but did put in some good crosses
JRod 5 never looked like scoring, backed out of winning the ball back, sad really but think never now to come back
Redmond 6 poor first half much better second

Subs 
Austin 7 made himself a threat, early shot, challenged the CBS and made life uncomfortable replaced jrod
Davis 6 brought some much needed support to midfield replacing Tadic

Thanks Matty.

Yep, thanks Matty

Here we go again, can Saints get a win so they won't need to worry about messing things up in the final group game?