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Can Saints get the win?

Think it will be a close game, a chance to see Hoedt play I hope and Lemina so should look stronger at the back and in midfield, its is the front 3 that worry me. Can guarantee will be Gabbadini, Tadic and Redmond starting and only Gabbadini deserves to. Being an optimist going for a saints win by the odd goal. To early for VVD to start, think Man U at home likely to be his first game

Well awful result and awful performance. Not sure what Pellegrino does with them in training but they hardly looked like they knew each other or what they were supposed to be doing. Dropped Tadic which was good but then dropped Lemina, because of his travels. Feeble excuse really, they travel first class everywhere they train with their countries and he is our record signing, start him. Pellegrino looks to me a cautious manager, like his subs, never to change a game always in response to something and tends to leave to late.

Boufal had a chance to shine but was poor, JWP looked lost and seemed to be played ahead of Boufal for most of game, subbed at half time. Redmond did nothing for 75 minutes came alive towards the end but far to little to late. An international goalie Forster should not get beaten like he does from distance, his reactions are just to slow.

Watford were not much better as far as creating chances but worked tirelessly unlike our players and closed down quickly, we stood off and let them have the freedom of the park, Chabolah looks a great player, why Reed didn't try and get him in is beyond me, but then he is quite a physical type of player and that wouldn't fit the Southampton Way. And that I think is the problem, this is not Pellegrinos team, like it wasn't Puel's. The team/squad is basically Reeds, He decides who the club buys, the manager/coach then has to develop them around a 433 system that all the saints teams play. The problem is others have moved on and we are being over run and out fought in every game. Ward-Prowse, Davis, Tadic, Boufal, Redmond all to similar and hopeless attacking.

We only showed any effort in last 15 minutes, when Long came on, yet he took Gabbadinin off???????????????

Yes he brought Austin on shortly after but why not start Long and Gabbadini and give the guy some support and look to have a more resilient side with 3 out and out midfield players (Romeau, Lemina + Davis/JWP but in honesty neither of those look good enough) with a 4th midfield player such as Hojberg supporting a front 2. I would lay money Hojberg has had a falling out with Reed and now out of favour.

Not really any match bits to cover, we were that bad.

Forster 5 so slow he couldn't catch a cold
Bertrand 5 again a different player to the on 18 months ago, I would drop and play Targett yet were going to send him out on loan!
Stephens 6, did okay though still some weak headers for a big guy
Hoedt 6 looks decent, a few good recovery tackles when others had messed up
Cedric 6 Did his usual effort but little support going forward
Ward Prowse 4 awful and seemed out of position and just what he was supposed to be doing, he played better under Puel
Romeau 5 one of his poorest games
Davis 5 just slows us down nowadays, goes sideways or backwards to much time to be dropped, and as captain doesn't get after the players to fire them up
Boufal 4 couple of early touches then vanished
Redmond 4 he would get in many championship sides
Gabbadini 5 no threat no service

Subs

Tadic 5, if he dives one more time and feigns injury I wish our manager would take him off even if he is a sub
Long 6 chased down some lost causes, created a few problems he must start against Palace. it is embarrassing Redmond plays 90 minutes every week
Austin 5 didn't really do much did bring the ball down well once but good defending blocked just as about to shoot

Where is Hojberg????

Thanks Matty.

Thanks for another excellent report Matty.

Sorry, I haven't been on here for a few days, I've been trying to forget about Saints.......life seems happier that way at the moment!