Suddenly just when we really need a big performance, we are hi with injuries and suspensions, a heavy defeat up at Wembley could be the first nail in Mauricio Pellegrino's coffin.

Saints are now starting to pay the price for a series of puzzling team selections and tactical decisions meaning that we almost have to write off the next few games and hope that those below us can't drag us into a relegation fight.

Pellegrino is likely to be without Soares, Bertrand and Austin through injury and suspensio,, plus Van Dijk with what is now his trademark sulking.

The frightening thing is that we have not played badly in recent games but in each one given soft goals away that has cost us dearly, we cannot keep giving the opposition free headers in front of goal etc.

Thats bad enough when you are playing Huddersfield, but if we can't get away with it against the Yorkshire side, how are we supposed to against the likes of Harry Kane who don't need free headers to score at the best of time.

Quite bluntly there can't be a Saints fan out there who is looking forward to the next two games, we are a good side, but we are poorly led.

Let's get Boxing Day out of the way and hope that the board get shot of Van Dijk quickly and reinvest the money quickly in another quality central defender.

Xmas time is a time for giving, we have already shown that we are a very generous host against Huddersfield, we have to dig in and toughen up, we will soon find out whether the players are ready to play for the manager and save his job, or will these be his final games.

Photo: Action Images

perazi added 08:16 - Dec 26 Nick, The Manager should already be gone, for playing players out of position; for ridiculous rotation; for not playing his best side when points are on offer; for delayed and crazy substitutions; for a complete lack of tactical nous; for keeping one of our best attacking talents (Boufal) on the bench or not in the squad while repeat attacking failures Tadic, Ward-Prowse and Redmond get starts and multiple minutes on the pitch; for blunting and ignoring the talents of Gabbiadini, and for failing to replace the injured Soares with an obvious specialist RB in PIed rather than shoehorn Stephens in with weird "support" from a player who doesn't fit in anywhere in JWP.

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skiptonsaint added 08:45 - Dec 26 I was thinking that in that in this run of 10 games there have been a lot of late goals against us, posts hit in the last minute etc and some positive performances in there other than the result Is MP just a plain unlucky manager ? In which case is he going to have a game where all the luck goes his way in one ? Of course he doesn't help himself with everything that has been said on here previously with his teams, subs etc Anyway lets give Hesketh , Sims etc some time today. Lets start looking to the future

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FaroSaint added 08:51 - Dec 26 Yes long past time to man up and act as a coordinated team. We have to accept the fact that we are disorganised, lacking creativity and are very likely to be in the relegation zone come the New Year. The players and Manager have not jelled there are obvious frustrations at all levels . 2 successive succesful Managers have not been able to get this team scoring goals and until that changes we are looking at the precipice.

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A1079 added 09:33 - Dec 26 Even when we have been a half decent team, our record against Spurs, has not been great in recent years, so I doubt that there isn't a Saints fan or a neutral fan that does not see anything other than a convincing home win. Indeed, in the current climate, I am not sure that a Saints fan would predict a win against any side, such is the sense of disarray in the team. Injuries and suspensions, which are not helpful, but cannot be used by this manager as an excuse as his rotation and odd decisions even when players have been available have all contributed to the sense of confusion, lack of organisation or structure and ultimately a season of generally very poor performances and results.

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darthvader added 11:28 - Dec 26 When we beat them at there place a couple of years ago we were a good side looking to win and us as fans expected to win or at least look like we could win these games . Now in these shït and troubled times what we hope for is a gutsy draw or a gutsy anything. We could get hammerd here today but i hope not . I'm behind the team when they are playing hoping for a bit of luck and a bit of fight. A goal or two would be fantastic . Coyr

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saintpp added 11:38 - Dec 26 Well there cant be saints fan anywhere looking forward to the next two games,we cant even beat these teams when playing well. The loss the fbs and Austin has made it even more unlikely but there is no evidence that VVD is sulking maybe he has told the manager he is out of his depth. Tho possibly a deal has been struck with man city for the rumoured 60 million and they dont want to risk him. As for the first nail in MPs coffin there have been nails going in every week the next two games will add to it but the final nail will go in if we fail to beat palace. No doubt Yoshi will play give 100% make his usual mistake and cost us a goal or two id sooner have VVD at 76% than him tho if true he is being sold to city then makes sense not to play him. Mp has been lucky with injuries and fixtures and still made a pigs ear of it,heaven knows what he will do with key players missing.

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SanMarco added 14:46 - Dec 26 " a heavy defeat up at Wembley could be the first nail in Mauricio Pellegrino's coffin" - is 5-2 heavy enough. I regret moving into the "Puel Out" camp so don't want to be hasty but that was truly shocking today. True he hasn't got the quality or balance to seriously challenge Spuds but basic organisation is surely not too much to expect. Puel wouldn't have lost like that. We look like a team who COULD be relegated...

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