Match Day Thread Southampton vs Portugal, 12pm Sunday, 14th February (Amazon Prime)

I think that's a bet that you'll win!

 

I look forward to the avatar

 

We need something
No League points since 4 Jan!
We need to be going into the QF with some confidence so we need to start getting points in the league

WIN WIN

 

Looking forward to seeing Minamino now he’s had some time with the team

 

Interesting that Forster's place isn't being questioned, as far as I can see. I don't think it should, but given the strongly held view expressed on this board at times that a traffic cone would be a better bet I'm surprised that it hasn't raised a comment. Always difficult to see what a goalie is doing on telly, but he seemed in good shape to me. The save was instinctive and he got some deserved luck. But what really impressed me was the way he came out to clear danger. When he headed the ball away into touch I cheered. We all know Alex would have tried a Cruyff turn there and they'd have scored.

 

Can’t see KR dropping Alex just yet. Forster has got the QF placed nailed.

 

I think Forster is 100% a confidence player. With no crowds to give him stick (and that is just his fans), he can concentrate a bit more and realise that he is actually a good keeper.

 

OK, so drop a keeper who just kept his third clean sheet and bring back the one who's just shipped 12 goals. Given that he managed another total **** up against Newcastle, I'm surprised that it isn't being considered.

 

In all Forster`s games this season, he has had very little to do. What he has had to do however, he has done competently. Another clean sheet on Thursday will continue to build his confidence, and I`m delighted for him.

 

The big difference is that in FF four clean sheets he has only faced five shots to save, would he have made any difference to the United score?

 

I too am impressed with the way he's been alert to danger and coming off his line. I'm interested to see how he'll cope against a team who pumps crosses into the box.

Still not overly confident he's suddenly become a good goalkeeper, he's not faced many shots on target I don't think?

Should still be trying to move him on this Summer as he's certainly not worth being our top earner.

 

Surely we don’t think FF is going to displace McCarthy? He’s had one foot out of the door for years. I think he’s using him to give McCarthy a rest.

 

Ralph on McCarthy: "I have seen the games and I cannot see many mistakes from Alex. In the last game, there was one, the third goal wasn’t looking good. But with the other two, there was no chance to make a save. He kept us so often in games this season."

 

I'm not surprised that it isn't being debated.

...But that's because, to me, the case with sticking with Fraser tomorrow is so overwhelming, it's just a given.

(In reality though, I accept that isn't the case for many.)

 

McCarthy has been great for most of the season....he didn't ship 9 goals in one game all by himself. I'll take Ralph's judgement on this.

 

I’d stick with Mecca. Rarely let’s us down

 

But how much would being dropped result in that confidence being dented again? I can't see any justification for doing that.

Sure, he's barely had anything to do. But that's not his fault. He can only do what's been put in front of him - and that's four clean sheets and (as I recall) zero errors. He cannot have done any more.

It's not like we have much riding on the rest of the PL season, so why not reward him with another chance? If we eventually get to a game where his goal is being peppered and he reverts to being a rabbit in the headlights, then at that point we can drop him. No material harm done.

 

The problem with Ralph is that he looks into things too deeply rather than just giving us a knee jerk reaction after a cock up or a couple of bad games.

Where’s @Onionman with that fancy word definition

 

The bingo hall, or the Islam shrine?

 

I still don’t get why people are considering the word “dropped.” Ralph didn’t drop Alex for the earlier cup games, he chose to use his squad and play another keeper in cup games. I don’t think Alex was dropped for the Wolves game. It was a pre-set plan.

Fraser has come back in and done really well on the cup games and the Liverpool game. 4 excellent clean sheets, but if Ralph decided to pick Alex, then I have no issues with that and wouldn’t see it as Fraser being “dropped”

If he selects Fraser to reward him as has a look at him over a few consecutive games, then I’m fine with that too.

Fans seeing 12 goals against and thinking “bad keeper” when in reality, I’d agree with Ralph, one very bad mistake.

I’m easy either way.

Que sera sera