Mjvilla

I'd agree with most of that. I would put in there though that a central midfielder would be useful. I actually agree with @TRO that we need a tough tackling, high energy DM. I think to have the option to play a different way would be ideal. Also, if Doug gets injured, I don't think and more importantly I don't think Dean thinks that nakamba is up to it. I think LB would ok till next summer in all honesty. Targett isn't a world beater but he is ok. I think DM and probably a back up CB would be of more importance. a decent backup CB might give Mings incentive. It's perhaps abit too comfortable for him right now. Also, a attack minded player that could play in a number of positions. A utility attacker if you like. I don't like el ghazi at all.

This is spot on for me too. Even after losing to west ham and Brighton, it still felt ok because we played well and there's a sense of the results will come with those performances. It's better than losing and not trying to win.

Or, it shows how expensive it is to assemble a squad at this level and how well Smith has done to keep us afloat and progress the manner he has. £140m of talent started at West ham, a game in which we dominated and should've won. £20m came off the bench. £30m worth of talent injured. The rest on the bench. I'd say that this shows that recruitment has been ok. Not perfect, but better than most other teams in the last 2 years. Some players haven't developed to where we would like. Name a side where this doesn't happen. Any excuse to dig at the manager/recruitment when in reality, when you break it down. What you've said is incorrect.

This is how I feel when I question you comparing us to pre lockdown level of performance and you don't respond. I feel extremely strongly about this. I feel you are so wrong you are doing it to intimidate....

Been trying to work out who gaz is?? Really struggling

Don't worry, just ignore my whole post and quote our defensive record in 50% of our games this season. That's fine.

No, but I can see a better level of performance against last season. I can see the improvements against the games we lost last season. Last season we lost and it was inevitable. Can you honestly say, when watching the west ham and Brighton game, it was inevitable we were going to lose? Right up to the end, we deserved and I thought we would get something from the game. I think we had a poor game against Leeds, we struggled against the work rate. But still missed chances to go ahead which would've resulted in something very different. And this was the beginning of the turnaround in form. But, not performance level in my opinion. We've had some bad luck, some wonder goals against, and some lapses in concentration defensively 100%. But to compare it to pre-lockdown is verging on the insane to me. Honestly, cut out the defensive lapses and we will win games. You talk of losing the midfield battle and the like... We won the midfield battle comfortably against West ham. We dominated the ball, created chances, fought hard and battled well. We still lost. I honestly believe a couple of defeats and a defeat when playing well will be a positive in the long run.... Someone like Mings.. I think our good run and playing for England has made him think he is better than he is. Hopefully, he will go back to basics and doing the defending right. Might just kick them up the arse a bit. Look, my only issue with your argument at this moment and Ive had to come and post especially about this, is the comparisons to pre-lockdown. It's nothing like that. It really isn't. That's hyperbole at is most dramatic level.

None of this explains how we are insipid and back to pre-lockdown levels of performance. That level of performance is so far removed from what is actually on the pitch then I have to question it.

So, you're quite happy to say we are the same as pre-lockdown and that bad. And then say this final paragraph? Pre-lockdown, we were going down. Without any question. What do you think? Smith to take a team going down to a team who's top half in 1 transfer window. This after promotion against odds, building a squad entirely, cup finals. He's achieved a hell of a lot since he came here. It's you who keeps pushing that bar higher everytime he gets there. 'we won't go up' - go up 'we won't survive' - we survive 'We won't get past midtable' - why don't we wait and see huh. You've been wrong enough to know I should trust Smith above your opinion.

That's just simply not true, is it? Pre lockdown we were awful, never looked like getting a result. There was no work rate, no desire, we wre going down. 100% going down. We've lost 4 out of 5 yes, we are all very frustrated. But 3 out of those 4 we could've comfortably got a result. Leeds was poor. Certainly the last 2 games could/should have resulted in 4 points minimum. We couldn't say that pre lockdown. If you think we are at pre lockdown level of performance right now, even with the defeats, then I'm lost as to your take on football. I can't agree with it at all.

Bright Osayi-Samuel? @Villan4Life what's your verdict? Seen him a couple of times, looks strong, powerful and quick with a final pass. I like the look of him.

I find it absolute lunacy that Dean Smith gets far more stick and criticism than Bruce did towards the end of his tenure from a certain few. How is it even possible to think this way?

Not looking good for Indiana. It's another pointer towards not throwing youngsters in that aren't ready. So often we read on this site 'isnt there someone coming through that could do better' or 'just try so and so instead'. Indiana fits into this category and yet here we are, 12 months later and he can't get a game in league 1.

Leicester - £30m Ayoze Perez (very average player, none of the fans want him playing) £13m Filip Benkovic (who?) £12m rachid ghezzal (who?) £22.5m Adrien (did he even play?) £13.5 Vicente Iborra (who?) £25m iheanacho - Is he a success? I wouldn't? When Vardy goes, they are still going to need to spend big on a striker. £28m Slimani - terrible signing £17.5m Ahmed Musa - terrible signing. £160m in 4 years on players that have barely played, have left, not good enough. But yeah, Leicester have fantastic recruitment. Any other clubs other than Southampton or Leicester have such fantastic recruitment that they can spunk over £100m on players that barely play? If we had spent this kind of money on players that completely fail last summer... We certainly wouldn't have been able to stay up. I'd say, given what we've done, that recruitment in the last couple of years has been amongst the best in the prem.

Except the worst Brazil defensive performance in the last 3 games (only 1 of which casemiro has played), was in the game casemiro played. Small sample size I know but dougie hasn't played many games for Brazil!

Sofiane boufal £17m - released to angers on a free a couple of years later. Manolo gabbiadini £16m - terrible signing. But apart from those 7 players for over £100m, fantastic recruitment.

Yes, of course. Added to original post.

Wondering if there's anyone here who knows a bit about bikes? We have a really good cycle to work scheme with my work and I'm considering doing it. I have no idea what I need to be looking at buying though. I want a bike that I can use on the road but also take off for picnics with the kids and stuff. I've looked at hybrids but just wondering what everyone's opinions on hybrids were? They sound ideal for what I need. Somewhere between £700 and £1000 is what I'd be looking to spend.

I wonder if Southampton fans have spent the last evening bickering amongst themselves as to why they've given up the most amount of points from winning positions for the last couple of years considering their league position against where it was last year. Or if they just appreciate the journey they are on under the manager. And, also, when you consider that stat. And the fact we almost pegged them back and only started playing when they allowed us too (apparently) , wether there is something a bit deeper there in the mentality. Are they calling all this into question and questioning the manager (they're not, for clarification). Hassenhuttl deserves some credit and some slack, as does Smith. Hassenhuttl and saints have been praised to high heaven on here... Smith is picked apart every time we don't win. We are 3 points behind them with a game in hand.

Really? We were linked to many strikers, not all were wanted and there certainly wasn't calls to sign them all. That's just hyperbole. You can't blame the medias links on the club or fans? The only time there were calls to sign an extra one, I guess, would be rashica. To add strength to the attack line. I'd still argue to high heaven we need that now. I would also agree that depth is needed in the back line to faze out hause and Taylor for starters. But, we are a work in progress clearly. It's not really any of this that is the issue, it's the comment about wanting 10 Grealishs when if anyone makes a similar comment toward the other way. It's jumped on.

Burnley taking a lead against palace with some amateurish defending. These players should surely know better, hundreds of premier league appearances between them!

Looks to me like Konsa has maupay who is laying the ball back. He can't leave maupay to go into that area and have Mings up against both strikers. He has to follow. Welbeck, who scores the goal, is Mings man clearly behind him there. Mings should sense the danger and drop in deeper 5 yards to cover any run his man makes. If he had done that, it's not an option to play the through ball. And there would be no danger.

Not just that @Keyblade, but Leicester didn't have to come up and buy a whole new squad because of so much previous Mis management. We had 2/3 players worthy of a shirt in a premier league side. Leicester, the season they came up, added 3/4 players to the already decent squad they had. Then added a couple more. Recruitment was obviously very good. Mahrez, Kante stand out. Our recruitment, now the players have had time to settle and develop, looks ok. One or two excellent signings with players still developing and increasing in value too. The variables are so different between us and what Leicester did, that it's impossible to compare the 2 instances. I'm not surprised by it though, Dean can't do right for some. He has the wolves waiting after every single defeat. Did Bruce have the same? I think I've proved the answer to that before.

This is the exact kind of thing you jump on other people for. No one has said they want 10 jack Grealishs. Most have said they appreciate the importance of hard work and defending right. So, why this comment? How would you react if I said 'we would have 10 Roy keanes if it was left to some'? It's not fair on other people who have differing views to criticise their opinion in this backhanded, sly way.

Keep up, I've even said in a post no more than an hour ago it was a sending off. I suppose though, Bamford continued: “It’s like when you try to murder someone and don’t kill them, you still get done.” “Yeah, but you get done for attempted murder," explained Ayling.