After time to work with the squad on their trip to Barcelona, we will now see how our new manager's thinking is going.

In the Everton game we were never going to see the true Mauricio Pochettino, how could we, he would have known little about the players, as any manager will telll you unless you watch a player live in action you cant get a feel for how the player actually is in certain situations and what his reactions will be, with few people left who worked around the first team squad at St Mary's he had little in the way of those who could counsel him either, so he had no real choice but to stick with the same team that Nigel Adklins had picked and pretty much stay to that formula.

However having now spent time in the training camp in Barcelona with the squad he will now have a better idea of what the capabilities of this squad are and whether the current squad has what is neccesary to play the way he want to set up his teams.

So although he will still be limited in what team he can put out, we will start to see how much Pochettino can influence and change their ways starting with Wednesday's trip to Manchester United.

In many ways this game is more important for the way the team plays than the result, to be blunt we are not expected to get anything here, a draw would be a great result, but perhaps the real achievment will be if we can come away from Old Trafford with our heads held high after a good solid display, similar sentiments were expressed prior to the trip to Stamford Bridge and we all know how an inspired display saw us get an unlikely point, however United are not a team in turmoil, especially at Old Trafford where United have won 10 and lost only 1.   

So Saints fans will want to see the green shoots of the Pochettino reign starting to sprout starting here.    

Photo: Action Images

SonicBoom added 09:37 - Jan 29 God help MP if he gets a draw.......
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Pecky3 added 09:49 - Jan 29 It would also be nice to see the signs of strengthening the squad. I have always felt the current squad has not got enough cover in key positions and if no one is brought in this week (as seems possible given the new manager's comments) I believe we will struggle to avoid the drop!
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1962saint added 10:35 - Jan 29 “see how much Pochettino can change and influence their ways”. After the bad start Adkins managed the team into accumulating 18 points from 12 games which is top 10 form. Do their ways need to be changed? 11 days on from his dismissal I still think it was a flawed decision and I am surprised how readily so many Saints fans have jumped on to the Pochettino band wagon. What makes people think he is going to be better or even as good as NA? He wasn’t able to sign Coutinho yet under Adkins we were able to sign Ramires. Adkins wasn’t perfect (no manager is) but if a change was to be made it should have been at the end of the season. To change at this stage of the season is stupidity.

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montecristo added 10:48 - Jan 29 you do not know how many other players we missed out on and how much more Saints had to pay to get Ramires. We are strggling to get top players in simply because we are seen as a small club still and that is going to take time to get over. We may not get anyone else in but I doubt if the club is prepared to compromise on quality and just get any bodies in its not the Southamptno way.

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StSaint added 10:51 - Jan 29 1962saint - I don't think that you will find many people that feel it was the wrong decision to get rid of Adkins, though the decision has been made. He's gone and you need to move on!
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amsterdamsaint added 11:06 - Jan 29 Adkins should have stayed. Shameful decision.
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legod7 added 11:30 - Jan 29 Amsterdam, As StSaint said The decision has been made. Get over it. What we need now is for everybody to pull together and back the new manager. We do not want the Benitez influence at this club. In the FA Cup Chelsea completely outplayed us at SMS. In the league game at Stamford Bridge I believe it was the Benitez influence that allowed us to come back at get a draw.
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slynch added 12:02 - Jan 29 borac clyne yosh hooi shaw spider cork punch ram jrod lambo davis forren davis jwp ridder lalla ??
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A1079 added 12:38 - Jan 29 I am not prepared to jump on the MP bandwagon. He was brought in on the basis that he could offer something better than what we had. The sacking of NA was appalling, but having been made I now expect things to happen big time, otherwise what is the point of making the change and sacking someone who did not deserve to be sacked. So, I do expect something from this game - a win. Unrealistic - may be, but if he is to offer something that NA didn't then getting wins against top sides surely has to be the outcome and to lose to Wigan would possibly be a reason to call for his dismissal (tongue in cheek!). No moaning about inheriting an existing team - he knew who he had when he took the job, after all, he had been lined up for some time. No honeymoon period for me with new guy. I expect results immediately and to see climbing that table in no time. I am not saying our new manager is not going and he is not to blame for what happened or that we shouldn't support the team no matter what, but if he is not supposed to have an immediate effect, which is about results, then what was the point and reasoning for sacking NA when we did and the way we did. Support the team yes, but to support this manager - the jury is very much out for me. Has alot to prove before I am convinced or believe what was done was for the good of the club.

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