There is no way to dress this up or try to look for positives, this was a Saints team devoid of leadership and passion.

From the very start Saints looked like a team with no leadership, there was no one out on the pitch who showed any leadership qualities and there seemed to be little from the sidelines.

The players themselves did not look motivated and seemed to be waiting for Liverpool to score and put them out of their misery, when the opening goal did come it was slack play from Dusan Tadic, what he was doing dribbling across the edge of hs own box is anyones guess, Forster had no hope from a perfect curling shot from Salah.

In fairness the second goal was probably offiside, but again Saints were all at sea and it was no surprise, in fact the only surprise was that Liverpool only added one more after the break.

But I have to say i cannot remember such a lifeless, gutless, leaderless, passionless performance from a Saints side, even last season we not produce a display like this and I think you have to go back to our first season back in the Premier League five years ago for the last time a Saints team walked on a pitch with such a lack of motivation.

Each player seemed to be playing far below 100% effort, Virgil Van Dijk was arguably our best defender, but he wasn't really interested, he was going through the motions, he was comfortable but didn't seem to be bothered about extending himself.

This was the case with virtually all of the players, they could comfortably hold Liverpool for most of the game, but they didn't have that extra effort and motivation at key times, they were happy to coast.

This is the worry, the squad is not bad, it just seems to have had every ounce of confidence and passion beaten out of it lately, the manager appears to have lost the dressing room and there is very rarely any way back after that.

It is fine for some to rant and rave about this being our worst time ever etc, but we have to look at the root cause and it seems to be down to the manager and his inability to set up his sides to play to the strengths of the players he has.

I am very loathe to call for a managers head, I cautioned against this last season with Puel, I said he needed time, but back then the issues were ones that might have been rectified, sadly I can't see any way forward with the current manager at the moment, he seems to be a rabbit stuck in the headlights and unable to be decisive.

This is not a bad Saints squad, I have to reiterate that, but it needs leadership, that starts at the top, Les Reed and Ralph Krueger have to make a tough decision and they have to make it fast, sometimes you have to, before things spiral and get out of control.

It seems that they have made a bad appointment, but their are not the first to do so in football and won't be the last, it is always about what you do next, there is a time to stay cool and not make knee jerk decisions, but there is also a time to be decisive and that is now !

Next Sunday's game is now crucial, it is a six pointer, Saints win and they go up the table and can start to perhaps edge away from the drop zone, but lose it and the crowd will turn and will demand the managers head.

Photo: Action Images

steve73 added 23:25 - Nov 19 I don't normally comment on these verdicts because by the time I've got over the post defeat depression everyone's normally said everything that needs saying. On this occasion though I have to say that the manager is copping the lot which is unfair. This squad is absolutely flawed in it's assembly. The talented players couldn't give a toss and look like they're being forced to stay under duress. The others do their best but aren't up to it. A lot of them look like they can't stand each other. I've never supported such a self entitled bunch of overpaid overrated losers. Who the hell do they think they are? I don't expect miracles but we the fans deserve better than this!! For various reasons if Forster, Bertrand, vvd, Cedric, Redmond, Tadic, Long and Austin never donned the proud Saints shirt again I'd be delighted. Pathetic bunch of egotistical....aaaggh I need to stop I'm still too livid to make l any sense.

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JimmyMeliaPhD added 03:04 - Nov 20 SaintNick is slowly coming round to face reality! But he still insists this squad is ok. It's NOT. Most of the front players (Long, Austin, Tadic, Redmond) are objectively speaking below EPL grade and wouldn't get a start even with the bottom 3 teams. Gabbiadini and Boufal are given a partial benefit of the doubt, because everyone knows they haven't yet been given the right conditions to succeed. But the bottom line is that NOT A SINGLE ONE of the SIX players MP has to choose from up front is genuinely of Premiership standard. MP makes that sad fact worse every week by insisting on playing only one up front. He then sees, no doubt, that the squad doesn't include a single player who can be the midfield-front link that ANY team needs...most teams have someone who can play that role, we have absolutely nobody. We can probably agree that the DM and defence are adequate, but you cannot relay upon them unless you also have a reliable GK. We haven't got one. All of this is sad and as everyone has pointed out in one way or another it's the result of bad recruiting. But it's all made worse by a manager who is philosophically OPPOSED TO ATTACK!!! See the interview in the Echo with Romeu a couple of weeks ago, Romeu explains how MP thinks that even when you have the chance to go forward you have to think defensively first. Everybody who has watched this team all season sees how that works--i.e. it doesn't. The negativity in MP's coaching is so deep a conviction I can't see how it could ever change. Even with Puel you knew he could instruct the players to be less defensive when he felt like it--thus, great game last year against e.g Everton and the cup final. Nothing like that with MP who has not shown even for 15 minutes in any game that he knows how to play positively. So I suppose I'm saying a) the squad is pretty crap, but b) this manager only gets the worst out of them.

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saintpp added 03:49 - Nov 20 Good post Nick Its never good to sack a manager so early in the job but the writing is on the wall already. Losing games is one one thing and in the past we have at least played well when we have lost but we have rarely looked like winning any games this season. Some fans are calling for player clear out which is what had been the problem in the past but we have kept players this season to have stability now some say we should rebuild! We have a team full of internationals and players that have performed admirably in the past,they havent suddenly turned into bad players. Redmond 8 goals last year and tadic 24 assists in previous seasons but they arent doing it now either to loss of form confidence or the way the manager is playing them. Those two are getting stick from fans but the fact is the whole team are below the level they have shown in the past.and that can only be down to the manager. He has to go,he cant even motivate them to play at anfield which one of the most toothless efforts ive seen from a saints team. I really do hate to call for the managers head but nothing he does or says fills me with any confidence he can improve things. Playing defensive line ups against weaker team we should attack and making subs too late. His interviews are confusing heaven knows what his team talks are like. Seems to me the players have no faith in him either Reed needs to act soon admit hes made a mistake and get someone. in who can fire the players up. Puel got slated by fans but some of the games we did play some good football i have seen very little apart from home to man utd when we looked like saints of old. We are becoming a boring team to watch when we are known by neutrals as a team that allways plays attractive football,MP has lost our identity and if he continues we may well lose our Pl status. We are short on goals so he leaves Gabbi and austin on the bench the two players who can find the net which is bizarre. Charlie averages a goal every two games but expecting him and gabbi to come on with ten minutes to go looks like grasping at straws. Two up front may weaken our midfeild but it would give the opponents something to worry about instead of the other way round. Very worrying times and i really cant see any way it will change unless we get a manager in who can fire players up and get the best out of them.

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saintpp added 04:01 - Nov 20 The blame lies with Mp the players have all performed admirably in the past they have havent suddenely become bad players. Redmond 8 goals last year tadic 24 assists in previous season are two players getting stcik form the fams but the whole team is underachieving. The toothless lack of fight at at Anfield shows the manager couldnt even even motivate them them for that big game. Seems to me the players who are mostly internationals have no belief in Mp and from his puzzling interviews defensive tactics against weaker teams grabbing at straws substitutions leave me feeling the same way, We need goals but gabbi and Charlie two proven goalscorers sit on the bench with Long as a solo striker what manager would do that. Hate to call for his head but our reputation of playing entertaining football has gone and its time to get someone in who can fire players up to play the southampton way. Reed has to see has made a mistake and act quickly or we will not only lose our reputation as good side to watch but our Pl status.

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saintpp added 04:17 - Nov 20 Hate to call for the managers head so soon but the toothless display on saturday shows the managers is either unable to motivate the players or they have no faith in his ideas. We have rarely looked like winning any games and while i accept we will lose games to better teams on the day his defensive tactics and bizzare straw grabbing subs leaves us unable to beat weaker teams. Our two most consistent scorers get left on the bench while Long plays as a solo striker what manager would do that with our goalsscoring issues. We are no longer attractive to watch yet we have a team full of internationals who havent just become bad players. Redmond got 8 goals last year Tadic has 24 assists with us are two players who get signaled out by fans yet the whole team is underperforming. We are losing our reputation as entertainers and the way its going we may well lose our Pl status. Reed has to act now admit his error and someone in who can fire the players up.

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underweststand added 08:50 - Nov 20 (comment to Richardmd Cooper) .whilst I go along with your comments about Hesketh, Sims and Stephens, it should be noted that Hesketh has only just returned to U23's after a 6 month lay-off and Josh Sims is still out injured. If MP had seen Jack Stephens playing towards the end of last season he might well have continued playing him with Yoshida but after being told VvD was staying he has to play him in order to secure "our investment "...before we eventually sell him. It'll be a long time until we have another player in the £70 mill class and witht hat sort of profit we could buy half a team.

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sandywelsh added 08:51 - Nov 20 Bottom 3 Bye Christmas. Something has to CHANGE. Black Out to start with.
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SaintBrock added 09:48 - Nov 20 The spirit that rid us of Lowe must be found again. Where's the plane, where's the banner, where's the Itchen Bridge song. Swing High, swing low etc
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Whiteknight added 09:48 - Nov 20 This is now embarrassing - utterly gutless. I worry about the fact that everyone sees that there is a problem but no one really knows how it started or how to properly fix it. My own view is that it starts from the top of the club and works it's way down - we have an owner with no passion for the club and this seems to have worked it's way down throughout - via Reed, Krueger to the players - I wish they would all go. I agree with RichardMDCooper - Graham Potter would be a really interesting appointment and very much in the Saints mold.

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LordDZLucan added 11:31 - Nov 20 What we’re seeing here is that the endless selling of our best players has finally come home to roost. A couple of seasons ago we were the best of the rest and looking to push on even further. Now our relative strength, which was our ability in the transfer market, has been matched and surpassed by a number of other clubs. I think Claude Puel was well aware of the limitations of his squad and made the best of the situation he was given. Unfortunately Manual Pellegrino is struggling to match what Puel achieved last season even though he has a squad that was strengthened over the summer albeit not in the attacking third. Does that make Pellegrino a bad manager? Not necessarily, so I would give him time to learn from his mistakes. If we’re going to direct our anger anywhere it must be at the board and not at the players and manager. We can’t let them use the manager/players as a lightning rod for their own failings.

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SaintJez added 12:23 - Nov 20 From the moment the teamsheet came out, the result was inevitable and for that (once again) you have to be looking at the manager. Liverpool play with 4 10s. They will look to exploit that gap in between defence and midfield. Closing it down has to be a priority when you play them. Yet, once again, we pick a team with 3 show ponies who offer zero (Boufal, Tadic, Redmond), a centre forward who's willing but no real cutting edge and just Romeu and the ineffective Davis to try and cover the whole of the midfield. There just seems to be absolutely no thought about how we might win a game (or try not to lose it) nor do we learn anything from previous games where we've done exactly the same thing as Saturday. The manager HAS to go or else we are in real relegation trouble and we aren't that bad a squad if we had a few tactics and brains.

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NewburySaint added 13:17 - Nov 20 Walked out at half time......the 2nd goal did it for me, i wouldn't expect my 8 year old daughter's primary school team to be beaten so easily by that. Thank you Saints for wasting my day, my enthusiasm is being severly tested particularly when having 2 young children that i can spend time with rather than wasting my time on Saints at the moment.
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helpineedsomebody added 15:43 - Nov 20 for goodness sake bring back big mac he would be a fantastic dof in the next few games the owner will have to make up his mind about the chairman mr dof & the manager its his club he cannot afford to lose hundreds of millions of pounds
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Santos added 15:49 - Nov 20 Not sure how this game has finally woken people up to the fact MP is not up to the job. Puel was master tactician in comparison although I will admit I was 50/50, but now rue it in hindsight. Silva was obvious choice 5 months ago so with a limited choice now I am very worried as this decision will define our season but no obvIous choices out there this time round of those available. 12 games and no tactical changes so feel that a loss to Everton and it will be bye bye MP. Sorry!!

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petedoors1 added 16:08 - Nov 20 Looks like the last 2 years of under spending has finally caught up with us. TV money has gone up and we don't spend in like all the other clubs have been doing. Now all the clubs that were below us have now overtaken us leaving us in the mire. The only money we ever spend on new players comes from player sales. Where has all that TV money gone?
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Jesus_02 added 16:17 - Nov 20 If we sack MoPo 2 I wonder which PL team he will join. I also wonder who will be put in temperary charge, Black or Les
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ExiledSupporter added 17:18 - Nov 20 Puel: sacked for only achieving 8th position, erratic selections, defensive and unambitious tactics, a poor scoring record, an early exit from Europe and...a Cup Final appearance at Wembly and a long injury list and signings that in the main were not his responsibility. Pellegrino: should be sacked because apart from having no opportunity in Europe and self evidently no chance of reaching 8th position (on current form) or a cup run of any sort, he has the same if not marginally worse attacking record with much the same players, is erratic in his selection when he has options, has inherited an unbalanced team and has no tactical flexibility...oh and seems even less inspiring than CP. Bring back Koeman asap, beggars can't be choosers, pay him whatever we need to, let's swallow our pride and get an experienced, no nonsense and well tested manager, respected by the players. It's urgent. No more messing about with promising youngsters to learn from their mistakes in the PL.

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SanMarco added 17:49 - Nov 20 I join Santos in regretting moving into the "CP Out" camp towards the end of last season. I agree with Exiled over MP but do wonder whether RK would be mad enough to come back - it is blood out of a stone to get this lot scoring and January feels like it is a long way away.
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BarnetSaint added 17:54 - Nov 20 Whilst i agree the manager ( plus those appointed him) are largely to blame, any manager coming in now will have to workwith this set of players. Yes we’re ok in midfield and defence, but can anyone see a worse strike force than ours in this division?
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IanRC added 20:19 - Nov 20 I don't disagree that Pellegrino and Black should go but I do disagree with some of your comments. Until Tadic decided to play Russian roulette on the edge of his penalty area I thought we were reasonably comfortably containing Liverpool. I agree that after this ridiculous goal our heads went down but until then I thought we were fine. The lack of a reaction was disappointing although the second goal was a kick in the teeth at just the wrong time (it wasn't offside although I too thought it was until I saw the replay).

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Braveheart added 10:58 - Nov 21 Will the fans accept ROKO back? Here is a reality check; its not up to the fans whether he comes back or not. If a previous manager has more tactical nous, knowledge and ability to manage a premier league team then whoever that is should be back here regardless of what the fans think. The consideration of past greats like Strachan, Hoddle, Koeman, Adkins, Pardew, are all out there waiting for a call, while our beloved board are quite content to sit back on their fat arses and watch our club go down the tubes again because they would rather see cheap non entities come in and bollocks it all up! If fans are not happy because a previous good manager had chosen to go elsewhere and for that reason they are not wanted back at the club, then perhaps they also should go and support another club. The likes of Derek McInnes at Aberdeen and Brendan Rogers at Celtic all have their price. Perhaps the money should be spent on bringing a decent established manager in and not some tippy tappy clueless manager. Who would also bring with them a decent backroom staff and goalkeeper.

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