I HAD high hopes for Mr Pellegrino, I still do. I sincerely hope he gets it right and I’m not advocating him going.

However, I am bemused by the continuing glaring failings in the Saints team and the tactics which frankly show marginal improvement on Claude Puel’s latter period.

The league cup final was an object lesson in how to entertain and offer an alternative, it proved to be an island however. But we went down fighting and, result apart –which was desperately unlucky – we enjoyed it.

Against Newcastle on Sunday we still had no ability to make an incisive (and early) pass to give the forwards something to bite on.

It’s all so one-paced. It’s boring, it’s monotonous, it’s frustrating. We effectively had six at the back and a line of four up front. The middle was vacant. Result? Lots of passing between the back six and nowhere to go. High possession, low entertainment, zero penetration.

Same old things, same old result. Apart from one surprise forward punt and a piece of Gabbiadini magic (he gets such scant service), time is surely up for some players?

Nathan Redmond seems to prefer to go backwards rather than attack. Fraser Forster is currently too often a liability. Dusan Tadic simply disappears for long periods then pops up and shoots wide. They need to be dropped.

If I didn’t have a season ticket it would be cheaper and more entertaining to watch paint dry.

In more than 50 years I have been largely entertained (Branfoot era excepted) by largely adventurous teams. What is the point of high possession safety-first football if it results in lacklustre performances and poor results?

Can we please have some excitement, the odd change of pace perhaps, some entertainment?

Bob Barton

Chandler’s Ford