Scorer Connolly was close to being dropped (From Daily Echo)

AP sums it up really well...Saints are vulnerable when playing 4-4-2 as they don't defend as well. Going forward though and they were great against Norwich. The 2nd goal just didn't come in the first half when they more than deserved it.

Fair play to AP's substitutions as well...Murty for Antonio putting James into the midfield...then Waigo for Ricky...who almost won it at the death. I though Lallana had a great game and should have scored again too. Saints scored 2 great goals on the day and gave away 2 sloppy ones...they are going to have learn to keep clean sheets sooner rather than later or we'll have no chance of the playoffs this season!

I like players with enthusiasm, but every one of them should accept that they are part of a team squad, things can go astray if player power overules the manager, so if th AP wants to play a side to match the opposition, individual players must accept the decision and respect his reasons, and yes, a little more bite would not go amiss, I still reckon that there is a role for Paul Wotton, particularly in away games, the impact players coming on later in the game.

We could try a 3-5-2 formation against some of the weaker sides. That way, we could keep a potent strike force and maintain a reasonably solid and defensive midfield to protect the 3 central defenders.

jezza wrote:
We could try a 3-5-2 formation against some of the weaker sides. That way, we could keep a potent strike force and maintain a reasonably solid and defensive midfield to protect the 3 central defenders.

I don't think the players are good enough to fit into a 3-5-2 formation...it's not just a question on filling in a team sheet these players have to know exactly what their roles are on the pitch and which opposition players they are picking up. With 3 at the back you need to have very good defenders who are capable on the ball and can move into the midfield and start the attack.

I think 4-5-1 is still the best formation away from home...but at home as long as Connolly is fit I prefer to see Saints start with 4-4-2. It is a show on intent as well that we are to go for it from the start...especially as we attack the Northern end in the first half!!

Gosh! Now I know I’m getting old!

I can remember when everyone was critical of managers for messing with this new-fangled 4-4-2 formation!

Mr Pardew knows his team’s strengths and weakness and such matters are best left to him. He doesn’t need my six-pennth!

An observation rather than a gripe – very happy with Pardew. I thought during the game, however, that he was 20 minutes too late in getting James into midfield to pick up Hoolahan in the hole – a terrific little player involved in everything. It was very clear that he was the danger man. If Pardew was intent on shutting up shop as he now claims, then surely he would have went 451 after Connolly scored?

Seemed to me at the time that in fact Pardew was happy to keep going forward and only became more defensive after they had equalised for a second time and we were pinned back for a while.

Agree it wasn’t Davis who was most at fault for their goals – his defence was too slow of the mark following in on both occasions. And Lloyd James’ tackle was him at his worst. He is getting better defensively over time but Murty will surely replace him at full back.

Great game and a draw was a fair result. A timely reminder after the euphoria of the past few weeks that we are very far from being unbeatable in this league. Add 10 points back on and we are still a fair way from a play off spot. I know we had a bad run at the start of the season until we got some new players in and the manager had a chance to work with the team but we have been lucky with injuries so far and there is a long winter ahead. We are short of cover up front, pretty much OK in midfield (at least in terms of numbers of players of similar ability), OK at centre half but short of cover at left back. And, of course, if our loan players don’t stay on then there will be other holes to fill.

Two things I can’t figure out. Are we a better team than we were last year? . I suspect we are player for player and as a unit. But if that is the case, what happened to that gulf in class that we all expected between the two divisions?

Secondly, I have much, much more confidence in our defence than last year when it was just dire. I feel we can protect a lead (not so evident lately) and I don’t have to shut my eyes every time a high cross comes into the box. Yet we are loosing a lot of goals. Can only be because we are set up to be too attacking. So, that argues for 551 to be always available from the bench at home or from the start away. That line of thought prompts the question why wasn’t Wotton on the bench Saturday?

I think we a need a player LIKE Wotton - just a decent younger version of him as i agree that the role he plays is a useful one. (Just that he's not that useful at playing there anymore).

And yes, we do tend to get caught on the break. We don't always keep the tempo high enough and close the opposition players in possession quickly enough. Pressure is what causes opposition mistakes, time gives them goals. SIMPLES!