Southampton suffered a set back at Sunderland but it need not be a terminal one, but there w ill need to be work done at the back and there needs to be changes, this is the first big test for Russell Martin’s management skills at St Mary’s.

The performance at the Stadium of Light was unacceptable, but in truth a bad day was made worse by a series of defensive blunders, poor organisation, a lack of marking, giving the ball away,you name it we committed it against the Mackems.

Now as Leicester arrive at St Mary’s on Friday night, we have to ensure that this does not mirror the last time they played here on that day of the week.

That doesn’t just mean getting the players themselves right, but making the right selections, dropping Shea Charles was a strange decision last timeout and hopefully it won’t be a mistake Russell Martin will make again.

I wonder if the manager is considering going to a back three, he now has the personnel to play that way and it might suit our style in that it will enable the full backs to get forward with more cover behind them.

This is going to be an entertaining season in terms of goals that is for sure, we have the firepower up front with perhaps the best striking options in the division, but it is the back four that let us down.

So we need to get that right and build from there, after the turmoil of last season and the uncertainty and multiple comings and goings in the transfer window, that isn’t as easy as it seems, we are still not only a young side, but one that i still finding it’s feet playing together, we haven’t gelled yet, even though we won 3 out of the first 4 games and the debacle at Sunderland showed that.

We still lack a true leader of men and that I think is going to be a big issue to overcome, but perhaps one will emerge in the coming weeks.

It’s a big game this weekend, win it and we really throw down the gauntlet, lose it and the knives will be out, but this is a long season, one that has yet to throw up a true outright favourite for automatic promotion, hopefully the quality of our squad and the quantity will give us the edge.

Photo: Action Images

davidargyll added 09:44 - Sep 11 Friday night v Leicester. Let’s hope it’s not raining too! One thing you can guarantee is that they will come at us like whirling dervishes, to harry, to hassle us off the ball, to unsettle us, fully aware that all we are thinking about is not going down the same way as last time. And an early goal - or two - against us will surely stuff us, and herein lies the problem: you cannot turn a defensive sow into a castle keep of a silk purse in a couple of weeks. Why? Because it’s not the skill set - or lack of - that’s the problem, it’s the mental strength which needs a serious shot of growth hormone, and I for one am concerned that this Friday is too early for any such injection to take effect… But here’s hoping my worries are seriously wide of the mark…!

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DellBoyWally added 10:07 - Sep 11 Whilst this buffoon in is charge we won't be keeping clean sheets or low concessions anytime soon. He wasn't able to stop his 2 previous teams conceding excessive numbers so why is this style of football going to change now. At Sheffield, fist game, and I'm thinking "What the fu..?!" It was abysmal! A favourite for relegation (Wednesday, not us!!!!) and we scrape home in extra time. Next up, Norwich, a proper team. They stroll 4 past us and we're saved by 2 very questionable penalties. They stuffed us. Plymouth, newly promoted, and we struggle! Fluked an added time winner. QPR, a mid-table team and we scrape through. Sunderland, another mid-table team and we all know what happened there. The majority of our goals have come in panic attacks late on, we don't create many chances throughout the game; we're to busy phaphing about with our thumbs up our collective asses at the wrong end of the pitch thinking we're Man City. BUT! City actually attack and score goals during the game, not added-on time every match!! With this manager we are going nowhere, certainly not back to the PL. SR's policy of bringing in un-proven managers just because they play differently hasn't proven too good yet (anyone remember Nuthin Jones? What happened to Luton when he left! They got promoted the same season!!) Try getting a proper manage, play proper football and maybe we will start looking like a decent team and our forwards might start scoring goals during the game and not as add-ons at the end. Until that happens we better get comfy in the Championship

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DellBoyWally added 11:27 - Sep 11 And there's more!!! Looking at the players, we have a GK who, even on metrics allowing for the carp defence, was the worst GK in the PL and is heading for the same title in the Championship. He needs coaching out of the spotlight, bring on his obvious talents. At RB we have a player who thinks he's Terry Paine without the abilities; and with all due respect to Mr Paine, defends like him! At LB we have Ryan Manning! Enough Said. Will Smallbone, for whom I had high hopes hasn't shown his abilities. Downes should be flourishing at this level. Charles, a class DM. So let him spend most the game on the bench and bring him on as a CB!!! But none will perform whilst they play with their backs to the rest of the team and play tippy-tappy with the CBs. Edozie, looks light Nathan Redmond later in his career, lots of flourishes and no end product. Ryan Frazer, a proper winger, proven scorer and provider at this level and above, can't get a proper look-in with KWP trying to hog the limelight with not much success. Adam Armstrong! What is he? No 10? winger? MF? Striker? He should be left up-front, let the MFs do their job and he get on with scoring. Adams? Well, now the transfer babble is over, get him up front with AdamA and give them chances to score. I feel for Stewey Armstrong. He puts in class performances for Scotland but generally only gets the ball for us in dead-end positions. He should be strolling through the opposition but, like many others, spends 74% of the match watching from a distance as the ball gets played around at the back. We actually have a pretty decent team if they were allowed to actually play!! But, while this usual tart is in charge, most of the players are wasted, we are going nowhere and promotion is a very distant dream

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DellBoyWally added 11:31 - Sep 11 * meant to be "useless" tart! With no apologies!!
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saintmark1976 added 11:54 - Sep 11 So, what’s your point again DellBoyWally?
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landerwal added 12:06 - Sep 11 It's all very well playing procession football, but you can't keep playing it back to the defence. Forward players are making runs forward, but players who receive the ball already have their backs to them and are playing the ball back to a defender. In the end frustration wins and forwards don't bother just join in playing tips tappy football. A team that has the most possession, but loses 5-0 has not got the right system of playing.

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IanRC added 12:06 - Sep 11 If Manning starts I will turn off
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DellBoyWally added 12:26 - Sep 11 ST Mark, can't you read?? We have a decent team but a totally useless manger with blatantly farcical tactics. Sorry if you think he's a genius!
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saintmark1976 added 13:22 - Sep 11 Calm down DellBoyWally. All I was attempting to do was make a lighthearted comment about the fact that you had posted three times before lunch time on a Monday morning. Come on fella, haven’t you ever been in a meeting where someone goes off on a rant which lasts five minutes or so, they finally finish only for another person to immediately say “ what’s your point again” thus causing all others present to have a good titter? For what it’s worth, should I have written your three comments I would have been proud of myself because like yourself I think our current manager is anything but a genius.

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ElSanto added 13:25 - Sep 11 Everything all right at home, Dellboy? It’s ok to talk.
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DellBoyWally added 14:08 - Sep 11 Saint Mark Apologies. Been up too long, even when I writ me comments!! I should have laid before posting!!
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saintmark1976 added 15:15 - Sep 11 No apology needed DellBoy, we’ve all done exactly the same at one time or another.
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Redrum added 16:04 - Sep 11 All good teama are built on a strong defence but midfield will always be the most important position. The right balance of defence, possession and creativity will determine how successful a team is.
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Bowlercow added 16:28 - Sep 11 I don't get it Why do Saints supporters always want the opposite to what they have I love the possession football tha RM preaches It is still a work in progress and needs to give more emphasis on forward play and be speeded up These things will come when they are more familiar with each other so for me a settled team is the priority right now
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underweststand added 16:33 - Sep 11 ...after wading my way past the two angry gents. above who seem to be having a bad Monday, we should look at realities. Having sold 3 of our CB's from last season and loaned out a fourth we have a potential crisis with injuries to Stephens and Bednarek. The backline may well choose itself given the available replacements we have. A similar situation in midfield where, for all his critics JWP may prove what a class act he really in a " a better team ", and he will be impossible for us to replace in the short term. The truth is we are playing with half a new team, (some without any real experience in EFL )....and the remains of the squad that got us relegated, and a manager who trusts in yet another new system - the fourth in a year. The only people who recognise that - are the fans, but maybe we are making too many loud judgements whilst the new boys are still settling in. I like the possession style and faster passing (although that needs to improve), but as a the man said ..." whilst we've got the ball the other side don't get a kick ". We've had luck so far; having stolen a point from the jaws of defeat v. Norwich and getting wins without over-impressing in 3 other games, or being able to field the same side twice. The Sunderland game was wake-up call and now RM has to select a side from his walking wounded, and Leicester may prove to be one of the biggest challenges this season. Those anticipating a drubbing on Friday may already preparing their verdict, but IMHO getting one point - against a side who were unlucky to be relegated - would be a " moral victory " regardless of how we get it.

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I_would added 16:38 - Sep 11 As long as RM sorts his hair behind his ears properly, maybe even use some gel on it, I think we'll be alright. Then he can concentrate fully on getting those favourites on the pitch and achieving 102% possession and a decent goal deficit by half time.
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Block8 added 17:07 - Sep 11 If we are to continue the way we play we will inevitably let in goals. We can address this, to a degree, by being aware of where we are on the pitch. We all seem to bomb on with no account taken for if we lose the ball. If the FB's push on then the CM's must cover or we leave the CB's totally exposed. This was clear for all to see at Sunderland & RM has to ensure it is remedied before Friday.

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A1079 added 18:24 - Sep 11 The defence was a mess at Sunderland but it is not a new problem - I have lost count of the number of seasons where defence has been an issue. At Sunderland there were other issues. In the upper tier it was there for all to see. No protection from the so called midfield - in fact the gap was so wide and open you could have played a game of cricket in it. When they moved forward it was like a shoal of fish swimming in the same direction only to come to a grinding halt in the final third and turning round and swimming the other way to try and stop the Sunderland player who had escaped with the ball and was bearing down on our goal.

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cotswoldsaint added 21:30 - Sep 11 "...lose this, and the knives will be out..." Seriously? We're not even mid-Sept, just five games in to a long season and won three of those and drawn one, not a bad return even in these early days. So why would anyone want to sack the manager if that's the implication??
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SaintPaulVW added 13:12 - Sep 12 5 games in and we are already up for sacking the manager and abandoning the style of play that we have now shaped out squad to play. All this after one loss in the league and a probably 'thrown' cup game. We have weak areas in our squad but so does every other championship side. The possession style really relies on familiarity with the system and team mates. That isn't there yet. It may be that this style doesn't work out for us but it's a way too early yet to say. Modern football does seem to be able to really punish teams with high scores once a team stops defending effectively. So defence is key to this system. Need a settled back row to build confidence. COYR

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Boris1977 added 14:23 - Sep 12 Sports reductives decisions contributed to our relegation. RM was sacked by two clubs with lower expectations than saints for diminishing returns. The past is the only barometer of the future. Agree we need to see what happens but the precedents set regarding the above are not something to fill the majority with much hope. I love my club and want us to succeed but mediocrity breeds mediocrity. COYRs

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Peterx added 11:43 - Sep 13 We had a good start, 10 points after 5 while in transition is a good result, yes we were lucky in a few games, but results and momentum count. RH absolutely has to be given credit for that. The Sunderland result could be a blip and I think the timing of the window ending meant Che was unlikely to start so Mara was given a chance and Jack's injury meant we had a choice of rushing Holgate in or playing Charles in not a first choice position. Clearly Charles would have been better (but hindsight is 20/20 vision). To me the major tests coming up for RM over the next few games are: 1) Giving Larios time over Manning - he has his favourites but defensively Manning is poor whereas Larios is likely a lot better defensively, alternatively (as another said) start 3 at the back where both Manning and KWP's defensive fragilities will be less exposed. Would not be surprised to see a cameo from Larios soon to signal that he may be considering starting him in the next few games. On the 3 at the back I would be interested to see what that would be like, but you would think THB, Bednarek and Bree could be ahead of Holgate at this point. We do need Jack back though - that to me is obvious. 2) The midfield mix, Charles to me needs to start, Smallbone has quality but a bit lightweight, Alcaraz is off form, Downes has done OK but not reaching the heights, Stu is looking good but can't give 90 mins. Personally, would prefer to see Charles, Downes, Stu, and AA at 10 for now with Alcaraz and Smallbone as strong optios off the bench. Let's face it we have quality, but the Manager needs to make it work as a team. Clearly what we do in defence and midfield is going to show us if we have a real football manager or a just a good motivational speaker who talks a good game.

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Peterx added 14:19 - Sep 13 Sorry in a time warp, when I said RH in my comment obviously meant RM :)
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