Claude Puel gambled by making multiple changes again and he would have gotten away with it too if it hadn't been for those meddling kids.

The initial thought of many Saints fans when they saw the starting line up for the trip to Norwich City was that Claude Puel was metaphorically committing footballing suicide, in terms of his job he seemed willing to stand on a stool with a noose around his neck and wait for someone to kick it away.

However although he gambled, he did at least keep a strong back four in place although with no Fonte even on the bench he had no back up central defender.

Strangest decision was to give a debut to 19 year old keeper Harry Lewis, I can see why he did it, but you have to ask the question who will be on the bench on Wednesday night, will it be Lewis or Stuart Taylor, I would imagine that Puel would go for the experienced Taylor for that one and if so surely it would have been better to give him a game to sharpen his reflexes.

But Puel was confident that his virtual second string would be good enough to beat Norwich's side, itself weakened by a few changes.

The first half was textbook for Saints, they got on top of the game, dominated possession, created chances and took a deserved lead before half time when Virgil Van Dijk ghosted in at the far post to crash home a half volley.

At this stage you thought there would be only one winner, but shortly after the break we conceded a soft goal, Lewis who apart from this error had a good game, tried to take a touch from a VVD back pass and i was too heavy, as Jerome nicked the ball Lewis panicked and brought him down when there was really no need with the player heading away from the goal and out of the area, penalty and 1-1.

But Saints kept their composure and Yoshida headed home from a Hojbjerg cross, a goal that surely won't be bettered this season for a header.

From this point Saints should have won it and for the remaining 23 minutes of normal time and 2 of the 3 minutes of injury time you would not have bet against it, but then all the good work was undone in that final minute of injury time, Saints lost concentration and left Naismith with a free header to equalise.

In many respects Puel's gamble has paid off, we got the team spirit and confidence back up again , we have come through this game without injury or a sending off and will now hopefully have a virtually full squad to pick from against Liverpool.

Puel has been able to get down off his stool and take off the noose at least for the time being, but this was not a total success and indeed although it has silenced his critics a little, the real test is on Wednesday night when he needs to show the supporters that he knows what his strongest side is and puts it out to get a result against Liverpool.

What the fans know is that we have a strong starting XI and some experienced back up, what we also know is that we have some promising youngsters, but some are not as promising as others and that in most instances, slotting them in en masse is a recipe for disaster.

Against Championship Norwich you can get away with a bit of rotation, against Liverpool we need to be going all guns blazing and we need a team of experienced players who know what the job is all about, ask 30,000 Saints fans what the team against Liverpool should be and you would not get much deviation, for perhaps the first time this season Puel needs to stop being too clever and go with proven experience.

The game against Norwich has been a small step forward, we are still in the cup and the season is still alive, on Wednesday the manager needs to show the fans he knows what he is doing and has what it takes.

Photo: Action Images

AmericanSaint added 10:54 - Jan 8 Nick - I didnt get to see the game but followed on the internet. I agree, why didnt he start Taylor in goal since Taylor is our backup. Also, the reports I read said Shane Long missed several golden opportunities. Is this true? if so, then JRod needs to start on Wednesday as SL is not getting the job done. He should be on the bench and brought in to run the defenses ragged and maybe nick a goal at the end of a game. His work ethic can't be questioned, but his goal scoring ability can - if the reports I read are true. Also, is Fonte going to sit on the bench until the transfer window is over? I think we need to go after Sahko or another CB and get another striker we are not proving to be able to score even against Norwich.

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DPeps added 11:01 - Jan 8 I agree that we looked quite good, and really should have won. I don't blame Puel for the result. We pride ourselves on our 'home grown' talent, so how else is this talent going to get a game unless Puel rotates? In fact, the players who were most ineffectual yesterday were not the youth players but those more 'established' players: e.g. JWP and Long. A couple of things were clear from the game: 1.) the midfield trio of Hoj, Reed and JWP was too porous, letting through too many attacks, and 2.) more clinical finishing is needed from our strikers (as if we didn't already know that!)

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Jesus_02 added 11:12 - Jan 8 Mistakes happen when the team don't work together regularly. Europe is gone, Christmas is over. Playing on Saturday then Wednesday is too much of an ask. We should have been fielding the same side we expect to play against L'pool. It would have been a great confidence builder and may well have prevented a replay.
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SanMarco added 11:39 - Jan 8 I thought the side was strong enough and I would accept that the Lewis mistake was just one of those things (FF at Palace was worse) and shouldn't have cost us anyway as we went on to retake the lead. The recurring pattern is the inability of our front line to score. The centre-backs have got 75% of our goals in the last four matches and you have to go back quite a few matches before you can get to a stage where the blokes paid to score the goals are getting a majority of them. Of course we will quite rightly blame the defence for the shocking second equaliser but it wouldn't have mattered if we were 3-1 or 4-1 up. My worry is that it is difficult for any defensive unit to maintain the highest standards week-in week-out when those in front of them are not doing their bit. I know that it isn't just the forwards, it is our attacking midfield options too + managerial tactics but this was another game, and we can all name at least half a dozen others, where, even though we weren't brilliant, we should have won. My view is that this will continue all season unless we buy this month. If the defence goes awol we could still end up uncomfortably near the relegation struggle. PS of course it might still continue if we buy badly...

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corkcitysaint added 11:53 - Jan 8 I didn't see the match, only `Match of the Day highlights but I can't agree e that the result or performance yesterday " got our team spirt or confidence back" had we won, yes but to concede as we did so poorly in the 2nd minute of added on time must be a blow surely or are we now in such a bad state that a draw away to a lower league side is a good result? Goalkeeper and maybe ``Stephens aside, it was still a strong enough line-up. Regardless of the team we put out, i wasn't expecting us to run rampant but the fact we have to rely on our centre backs to score is a worry. Cracking header by Yosh to be fair but of late, it's been Bertrand, VVD and now Yosh scoring. Should we go for the ultimate rotation and play our defensive line-up up front and put the forwards back ?!

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SaintBrock added 13:27 - Jan 8 Sorry to say but I have lost all confidence in Claude Puel as it seems so have many of you on here but where do we go from here. Les the "Yes" Man has suddenly become Les the "No" Man; No transfers in the Jan window No knee-jerk reactions No manager firings... "...in fact lads everything is just fine as it is and it'll all come right in the end" Who can have any remaining faith at all in Reed's words or judgements if this is what he really thinks and if it is then we know exactly where the buck stops at SFC. I cannot recall the last time I felt so alienated from our football club and its hierarchy and less excited about forthcoming matches. Like many even having tickets for the Liverpool match this week is not a compelling reason to bother going up there to watch the dross being served up by our team and the ineptitude of those on the bench. Season ticket renewal time will be challenging indeed if nothing changes.

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Saintcole7 added 13:42 - Jan 8 SaintBrock, could not agree more with your last sentence, I feel so dissolutioned with "The Premier League"/"football" in general and with our total lack of ambition I'm asking myself do I rearly want to continue paying out, very sad times? The attendance for this replay will be interesting to judge whether we will all just turn out like sheep or say enough is enough?

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vanmans added 14:03 - Jan 8 Well said SaintBrock, I could not agree more with all you have said. I also don't look forward to forthcoming matches anymore. I have followed saints since the sixties when we had the great Ron Davies up front. I cant remember a saints team which has been so lightweight up front we have always had good strikers. I am afraid if we don't buy at least one striker in January we end up in a relegation fight.

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bstokesaint added 14:35 - Jan 8 This was a definite kick in the nuts, and conceding such a sloppy 90th minute goal after calamitous defending for the first goal. Had we scraped through then we'd all have been talking about using the rotation successfully ahead of the Liverpool game and the mood would have been very different. Fine margins. On the subject of rotation I can't disagree we're a bit boring at the moment, but I still believe this is down to the manager inheriting a squad minus it's attacking contingent. The department heads obviously sat down during pre season and agreed the continental European rotation system was going to be how we approached this season. If we're fully invested in that you can see why the club are reluctant to abandon the system halfway through and go gung-ho on a contingency. By all accounts the media in France were highly impressed with Puel before joining Saints and his teams were described by many as "exciting to watch". Based on those reports, the fact that I don't want to see us sling the towel in so early and that the manager hasn't had a chance to bring in his own players, I'm going to give Puel a chance to prove himself. I remember Poch taking a little while to get Spurs to adopt his pressing game and look where they are now. Likewise Everton fans are turning on Koeman and how many of us were singing his praises just a few months ago.

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the_saint added 14:51 - Jan 8 My fear is attracting the youngsters our future fans as this football is not exciting enough for them to come back, as I've said before my youngest nipper has already said he don't want to renew his ticket next year
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Redrum added 15:17 - Jan 8 Well this is the season fans will be tested the most.If it all goes pear shaped then both Puel and Reed will have to go.
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bstokesaint added 16:20 - Jan 8 @ Carroll There's no guarantee that your local team will always be exciting. I started supporting Saints back in the 80's because my next door neighbour was a season ticket holder (he actually said we'd lose every game we ever played - although he'd never give up that ticket) and he took me when his wife couldn't go. For me football was all about The Dell and basically survival. I could never imagine having supported another team. My nippers are only three, but they're being born into a Southampton FC family. If they choose to support anyone else they'll be waiting a while before they get to travel to a game on their tod, or watch it on the TV. They'll be no plastics in our household!

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abingdonsaint added 17:04 - Jan 8 Looking at some of the comments on here, I sometimes think that we have been too successful in the last few years. Our fans have become spoilt. I have a particular problem with the amount of grief Les Reed gets, when he is one of the main reasons behind our progress. We have outperformed every club outside the 'Big 6', who have an enormous financial advantage over the rest of the division, because we have a coherent long term strategy. This season has been disappointing so far, but talk of removing him is absolute nonsense! The jury is still out on Puel, but while I have some reservations, he needs at least this season and the summer transfer window before making any decisions. He would be under less pressure as it is if our forwards could shoot straight. And don't get me started on 'lack of ambition'. I'll tell you what that is. It's Bournemouth making eleven changes for an FA Cup game with a week until their next game, and no real danger of relegation. It's Stoke saying after holding us to a nil nil draw 'at least we've got to 20 points. Halfway to safety'. We are constantly looking to improve, and whilst we may have stalled a bit at the moment, we are still 10th and in a cup semi-final. I would be really interested to hear suggestions of how we can be more ambitious. And please don't say 'keep all our best players'. It's not 1984. Not realistic I'm afraid! For the record, I will be renewing my season ticket next season, as I have since 1968. Remember, you could be an Aston Villa or Sunderland fan......

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halftimeorange added 17:07 - Jan 8 Wednesday is the key to our season. Roll over and the fans are ready to abandon ship such is the mood. A season full of promise is coming to nought. It's not a single thing that's caused it. It has been brought about by too many changes all at once - a weakened forward line, new key midfielders still settling in, a dissatisfied skipper, a new manager, a new style of playing. If we'd started off expecting to be below midway at this point we wouldn't be moaning however, apathy breeds apathy and it's gathering a head of steam. A thrashing on Wednesday will mean a tiny attendance for the Norwich replay and confidence evaporating throughout the team.

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the_saint added 17:14 - Jan 8 Bstokesaint My lads would not support any other team as me, my dad and my dads dad are and were all big saints fans I've been going since the 70s but my point is children in general will support big clubs and not ours thus not going to our games and if your children are only 3 then you do not know what will happen in the future but no plastics over hear and they travel away and have been lucky enough to come to Milan with me

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SaintPaulVW added 18:56 - Jan 8 A few of these comments smack of a P*ssing contest in who can out do each other on social media. I can't believe anyone who supported Saints during the mid eighties to late 2000's is so devastated by our current form/ manager/ boardroom that they are going to pack it in. 6 years of success and suddenly the team takes a downturn so cash in my chips and off I go. Stuff that. Even last season there was a time when people were predicting we'd get relegated. As Shakespeare said A few bad games does not a season make or something. Still in both cups still in a fight for the EL place again. We are doing okay but could do better. Just where I want us to be mid season.

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aceofthebase added 19:01 - Jan 8 Giving up on Saints if they don't win is whata non fan says. Well I'm supporting Saints until my last breath and who know what the team will be, who the manager is or who the owner is. I might suggest the odd change whilst I still have my senses, where do I start, but giving up on the club is not an option.
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the_saint added 19:08 - Jan 8 This is what is so good about our beautiful game everybody has a different opinion,there is no right or wrongs it gives people a chance to put there opinion across. And the thing I like about this board against all others is that there are no idiots on here just a simple arrow up or down
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heroholmes1 added 19:41 - Jan 8 Great stuff " aceofthebase" I would like to know who the " sack Puel" lot would like to manage our club in the event of him going? He's made mistakes as has Reed but who hasn't? Wednesday's not Make or break for anyone.We are not going to beat Liverpool over two legs with the second away, no chance. I'd be delighted to still be in the tie with 30mins to go. But I will still go and next season. At least those who don't renew will be safety tucked up at home waiting for strictly to start.Who wants to be in the pub with their mates talking about Football !!!

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Saintcole7 added 19:52 - Jan 8 Abingdonsaint, I totally agree with you that Bouremouth were a disgrace with 11 changes, they are effectively safe and a cup run/final would be brilliant for there fans, saddley that is not football today? Ambition is us building a team, not constantly selling, VVD has signed for a further 5 years from end of this season, see him in a Saints shirt on 01.09.17, no chance? That's why I say we lack ambition, we'll buy a few 10m players in the hope we stay up and can sell them at a profit, to me that's what's wrong? I appreciate your view but I want us to win something, though dismissed on her as not existing my best day out was the JPT final, before that the 2003 FA Cup final, then the ZDS final, league cup final in 79 and a couple of semi's in the FA cup. Now we appear to just want to settle for a comfortable league position as its now a "business" and not a "dream"? I'm of the "dreaming" type and as I said am falling out of love with this game which is now dominated by Sky's money, the fixtures are all over the place and unless your in the top 6 or somehow Leciesters miracle last year we stand to win NOTHING so why waste so much money and emotion?

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froggysaint added 20:06 - Jan 8 I think the scoreline demonstrated where our problem lies; both goals from our central defenders. We urgently need more firepower in attack. Jay Rod seems to be back on the right road, but is only one player. Nathan Redmond isn't the finished article yet, Shane Long seems to be trying to set a new goal drought world record, Sofiane Boufal is starting to make his mark in the club but PLEASE let's sign a confirmed goal scorer. Poor Lewis - I did feel for him, but I guess he'll have learned a lesson he'll never forget. Maya's header was brilliant, what a goal. However he was entirely responsible for the Canaries' equalizer. You are a DEFENDER Maya. Do try and remember that sometimes.

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bstokesaint added 20:22 - Jan 8 @Saintcole7 Some good points, but I genuinely don't think we buy a handful of £10m players to just make a profit. I think the hope is one day (as revenues slowly increase elsewhere) that we'll be regularly in the market for exciting names and that then the players might realise we could win something by sticking around.
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Saintcole7 added 20:35 - Jan 8 bstokesaint, I like your optimism, I'm guessing you travel from Basingstoke, I'm SW London so we both travel to "home" games, a lot of money and time on top of tickets, I know that you can never turn back time but it's now just money and we will never finish 2nd or Wimbledon come all the way up from div 4 to finish 2nd? Yes I know the unthinkable romance, but that's my problem, as I see it its all about money and dreams and romance are no longer, as I previously said it's very sad but I've now got other things needing investment so it's getting harder and harder to completely ignore the cost of football?

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SanMarco added 21:09 - Jan 8 I suspect no one is going to give up on Saints. I would tend to agree with the earlier comment that we have been a bit spoiled in recent years. I have been a bit down at some of this year's performances and was livid after Prague away and Israelis at home but like everyone else on here I will die with my Saints boots on - not before I have given up on them a few hundred more times and had many more 'last straws'.

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bstokesaint added 21:15 - Jan 8 Cole, I'm certainly not going to knock you or anyone for putting the miles in and how expensive it all is. It all amazes me how many whole families travel to away games up and down the country and I know how much it means to them. My point is I genuinely believe our board are doing the best they can to adapt to a changing environment. Football isn't the game it used to be. Television money and player wages are out of control. And there is no loyalty. The satisfaction I take from the game now is from enjoying players whilst we have them and just hoping one day there will be enough of them to actually win us something. In the meantime if we get some football in Europe or reach the latter stages of a few domestic cups then I'm quite happy with that.

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