Southampton match thread sponsored by Trevor Morley's head

[Ian Royal]

One of the better displays I've seen from us this season. But you can see the confidence evaporates the second something goes wrong. Bar the miss I'm pleased with how alf has done. Needs more ball to feet though. Hrk looks good, as does guthrie. Akpan has been a bit anonymous. Karacan poor. Not a pen to us. Fed bottles the challenge, stopping, and lets Rodriguez win it. Gunter's been pretty good.

Their goal was a comedy of errors for us. Should have been our throw. Kelly should have controlled or headed to fed. Fed should have won it.

Mariappa not been great. Mcanuff ok. Morrison and kelly ok.

Need to come out strong. Liking adkins style.

[ankeny]

Watching this I realise how much of the blame has to go to McDermott for what's happened this season, failing to buy the right players, lacking a plan B and looking to HOOF.

When we've gone 1 down our confidence has drained and we've gone back to the way we played under McD, out default, hoof.

Really depressing season.

+1

[Esteban]

Federici - bottled it for the goal
Gunter - lots of effort, not enough quality
Mariappa - looks a bit lost
Morrison - raw, naive and showing it
Kelly - made the mistake that led to their goal
Akpan - done nothing of note except get pole axed by Lambert
Karacan - anonymous
Guthrie - shown glimpses of quality, but not enough
McAnuff - usual 6/10 performance
HRK - looked decent in spells, but needs more space to work in
Le Fondre - should have scored

And that pretty much sums up our season. Squad not good enough by a long stretch. As if we didn't know.

Positives are that we already look like we are playing differently and buying into Adkins' ideas, have shown that we can actually pass the ball and if we don't lose too many key players next season, we should do pretty well in the Championship.

[sputnik]

With Karacan and Akpan barely in the game, would we be better off with Pog upfront with Alf ?

[Camel Royal]

Hate to say it but don't care if we win or not (well I say that now). More about seeing something to be positive about. Spirit alone can get you so far but you've got to have a bit of quality to keep the ball and then show some creativity. We'll see.

[Big Ern]

Only caught the last 7 or 8 minutes of the first half, but we were terrible in that spell.

Might as well go to 442 now as we have nothing to lose.

Can we just end the season now?

[Ian Royal]

With Karacan and Akpan barely in the game, would we be better off with Pog upfront with Alf ?

Jem is easily the sacrifice. Whether its for mcclesry pog or legs doesnt matter much. Who will probably depend on when it happens.

Legs on, akpan off. Oooook.

[Archie's penalty]

I think brining Pog on for Karacan might work, one problem though, then we don't have anyone in midfield to make the tackles.

Next season's priority, buying a defensive midfielder who can play clever passes who isn't a crock like Carrico.

Legs on changes things. So Jem can come off later for Pog.

[Pool and Darts]

Reading playing MUCH better football (than before). Really happy so far.

Not a penalty.

Guthrie, much as I dislike him, doing well.

I thought we'd be missing Legs but I don't think we are.

Their goal- cant be harsh on Morrison or Feds, I think they both confused each other thinking the other would clear it. Just bad luck.

Gut feeling: we can win this.

Have to pretty much agree with that.
The Legs debate (!) is an interesting one. There is no doubt he is very good at breaking up play in front of the back four, but this means that we sacrifice a bit if possession/going forward in the midfield. I think that maybe we haven't missed him today because of the way that Saints play. Maybe not. I'm no expert.

Lots of reasons for optimism today though. On th eplus side, if we don't win today, at least we can dispense with the remote possibility of any hope of beating the drop and start focussing on next season. Some of us will not give up all hope, no matter how remote and unlikely, until it is virtually impossible....

[Mike Hunt]

Kelly is struggling on the left

[Camel Royal]

Karacan off later, McCleary on and HRK upfront with Alf.

[Camel Royal]

Karacan off later, McCleary on and HRK upfront with Alf.

[sputnik]

cmon urzzzzzzzzzz

[Pool and Darts]

Legs on for Akpan at HT.....

[Mike Hunt]

Kelly does not have a left peg...

[Pool and Darts]

COME ON UUURRRZZZ!!!

[Ouroboros]

Legs on for Akpan at HT.....

Hang on then, I'm confused - do we still love Adkins or hate him?

[southbank1871]

Kelly does not have a left peg...

Tells you what Adkins thinks of Harte and Shorey.

[sputnik]

COME ON UUURRRZZZ!!!

Yeah that's what I said. (Only you said it a bit louder)

[Pool and Darts]

Legs on for Akpan at HT.....

Hang on then, I'm confused - do we still love Adkins or hate him?

Was just reporting. No value judgment attached.
I think he's alright. You can't polish a turd.

An eye on next season.