Southampton v Aston Villa Pre-Match Thread - Friday 5th November 8pm

[ez]

It's as near as dammit to a pivotal game for Smith. Managers don't usually survive  5 or 6 straight losses and Dean is dangerously close.

[villadelph]

I cannot believe that facing Southampton has me nervous.

[KevinGage]

SJM has played a lot of football this season and probably needs a rest. Agree that Sanson is the obvious right side replacement. The only question is whether he's up to speed or not. It would be a very brave man to drop McGinn tomorrow despite a very poor performance against West Ham.

Yes, McGinn, Luiz, Mngs and to a lesser extent Martinez will all prob need to be rotated throughout the season. With the late ending of the season last year and their commitments in the summer. Makes the folly of not bringing in a CM/ DCM even harder to fathom.

We won down their last year but used up a fair degree of luck in the process.

Battling draw at best in this one. 1-1 or 2-2.

[gpbarr]

No respite tonight.

3-1 defeat, we will be over-run in midfield, and out-coached by Hassenhuttl

[Allan C]

I don't think this is quite the decisive game that others do for Smith, but he needs to get something from the next three games (Soton, Brighton, Palace). To me, a 4 game losing streak is par for the course for any team even in to the European places ... an 8-9 game losing streak, however, going to get you the sack at any club, bar one expecting to be anchored to the bottom of the table.

Just checked previous managers.

Lambert was sacked after 5 straight defeats (no wins in 10 overall)
Sherwood was sacked after 6 straight defeats (no wins in 11)
RDM sacked with no wins in 9 games (shows what a balls up he made of that)
Bruce sacked with no wins in 9 aswell

O.k different owners but DS from that probably a few games away from being under serious pressure if that's the metric.

However we obviously have a better squad than in those times and we've now established ourselves back as competitive premier league club so that needs to be taken into account aswell compared to some of those bleak seasons.

Different manager too, Smith being superior to all of the others. I have faith in Smith’s ability to turn it round while the others were just various levels of poor managers

[KRS]

I’m not looking forward to this…it feels like being made to watch something that you really don’t want to watch. A few indicators for me will be the players body language, communication, team spirit and performance…regardless of the result, if we don’t see positives from those things then it’s safe to say that DS is a dead man walking.

[dorsetvillian]

Saints will press high from the start just like Arsenal. Please God Smith will have an answer this time. To me we need to pass into the channels for the first ten minutes,  turning Saints around and not play out from the back and invite pressure.

[Fred Crump]

Time for Hassenhuttl’s annual 0-9 defeat tonight I think.
The fight back starts here !

[Ian.]

I’m quite glad I’m in Otter St Mary tonight watching the locals run through the streets with burning tar barrels on their shoulders.

[LeeB]

I’m quite glad I’m in Otter St Mary tonight watching the locals run through the streets with burning tar barrels on their shoulders.

I read about that, I've been through there on the way to Escot with the kids. Looks ace!

[LeeB]

Anyway bollocks to it, fire up the Rocky training montage, we're going to win tonight.

[Behind Bluenose Lines]

I cannot believe that facing Southampton has me nervous.

Same here: I've been feeling physically sick all day. I need to find some calming dolphin music on YouTube...

[Duncan Shaw]

Right, ftf tonight boys, all together in the fight! 

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Saints will press high from the start just like Arsenal. Please God Smith will have an answer this time. To me we need to pass into the channels for the first ten minutes,  turning Saints around and not play out from the back and invite pressure.

This. Until now we have no answer when teams press us.

[olaftab]

Sadly I expect this to be Dean's last match in charge of the team.