With Will Still gone, Saints supporters travelling to Loftus Road will be hoping to find that at least part of the problem was the former manager and that now the team can find some leadership, organisation and confidence.

The proof of the pudding will be in the eating as Tonda Eckert becomes the 5th manager either permanent or temporary, to take charge of the Southampton team in the last 11 months, with a 6th due imminently.

The last 13 games have been notable for a side that had slowly disintegrated from a team that hade made an average start to the season, with the potential to make a run into the promotion race with a couple of straight wins, to one that was almost falling apart in front of our eyes.

I have always maintained that we have a good squad at Championship level, so now we will find out how much of the slide was down to Will Still.

Tonda Eckert is an unknown quantity, he is clearly highly rated at the club and with experience as an assistant coach at senior level and extensive experience at academy & youth level, he is clearly earmarked for a bigger role at St Mary's going forward, but it would be surprising if that is the route that Johannes Spors will take now.

Hopefully Eckert will get back to basics, even with the injury issues he can still put out a good side, but what is needed is the right balance and some leadership.

The news on Oriol Romeu returning to the club has gone quiet, so I would assume that he will play no part in this game, but Eckert has other options.

What Saints fans want to see though is firstly a team that knows what the task is ahead and a manager who gives players a chance to get into gear, a solid starting line up in a formation that the players can easily slip into and square pegs in square holes.

A team that knows what it is doing and how to play that formation and one that plays to the strengths of the players that are available.

We don't want to see wingers crossing the ball into the box for other wingers and short forwards, keep it simple and play to the strengths of the strikers.

This would be a good time to find our form again, hopefully the players will feel rejuvenated and ready to step up a gear.

Saints supporters will be ready to back them, they will be loud and with a weight lifted off their shoulders after the performance on Saturday will hopefully be able to back the team and Tonda Eckert and give them the chance to show what they can do.

I hope that he keeps it simple, a 4-4-2 formation, Adam Armstrong & Cameron Archer up front.

Leo Scienza, & Tom Fellows out wide with probably Flynn Downes & Caspar Jander in the centre, although I would not upset to see Finn Azaz in the side or Joe Aribo for that matter.

At the back Mads Roerlev on the right and Ryan Manning on the left, with Ronnie Edwards & Taylor Harwood Bellis in the centre.

In goal I would go for Gavin Bazunu, he did little wrong to get dropped and things have not got better with Alex McCarthy in goal, so I would restore the Irishman.

This I feel is a balanced team, it has other potential options and we will have them on the bench .

So the message is keep things simple rebuild the confidence and the quality will shine through.

All Photos Via Reuters

SaintPaulVW added 09:43 - Nov 5 Just need to find an identity and cut out the endless side to side stuff. No biggie😂 COYR
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A1079 added 10:11 - Nov 5 Some people have been maintaining we have had a good squad for years and yet (apart from the one blip of promotion through the back door) we have been in Universal decline no matter how managers we have had or who they have been. If we have such a good squad why do they keep under performing? Why can't they defend? Why can't they stick the ball in the net from 6 yards out when it is seems harder to miss than score? Why does our midfield relinquish the ball so readily? why do any of the copious number of corners fail to offer any real goal threat and all too often end up working to the advantage of the opposition? why do our goalkeepers have such consistently bad lapses and lack of presence and control? why can we only ever perform partly decently for one half of a game? why do they show such a lack of fight and desire? Year in, year out this has been the case. I am sorry, but don't just tell me this is all down to who is in charge. I know my job, I know what I have to do, I don't need someone to tell me every day. Some of those misses against Swansea were almost criminal and as has been the case in other games. We are not talking about inexperienced players here - we are talking about players that should know what to do - how to defend, how to attack, how to hit the bl**dy net at least some of the time. Managers can be blamed for all sorts of things - tactics, motivation, game plan, etc but not for being bl**dy useless at what you are being paid to do. Then for players to suggest they have not been trying - completely unprofessional and unacceptable and should almost be sacked for it - but that never happens to players does it? I will believe we have a decent squad when they start being.........well..............decent......over a period of time (not just when they feel like it and when they think they are in the shop window).

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Farlow added 12:22 - Nov 5 If they play Manning he must play further up the pitch cause as a defender he,s no good. JayRob has to start.
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sandywelsh added 12:29 - Nov 5 Lets hope they play 4 at the back and Crap Jack is not one of them.
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halftimeorange added 12:52 - Nov 5 I agree with A1079 however, it's not just midfielders losing possession, it's our atrocious passing all over the pitch. As for the probability of starting Armstrong and Archer upfront, neither at this point in time deserve to be opening the game but, what else do we have. A radical decision to start both Robinson and Oyekunle would bring the same problem, no height but, probably more enthusiasm than has recently been on display. If we play wingers they must be instructed to cross the ball at ground level. And neither Roerlev or Manning are wing backs. It rather looks like same old, same old to me. If Scienza is off-colour, quite frankly I can't see us creating many chances. Is Tonda a member of the Magic Circle, because he'll need to conjure up something different.

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saintmark1976 added 13:04 - Nov 5 Brilliant A1079 absolutely brilliant. Thanks for articulating what I and I have no doubt countless others have been feeling, not for weeks or even months but for years now. I want my football Club back.Not a Sports Republic controlled Player Trading Company and Fun Fair employing players with over inflated opinions of their own abilities, that admit they don’t give 100% every time they put on.

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saintmark1976 added 13:06 - Nov 5 the shirt.
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underweststand added 16:19 - Nov 5 I prefer a defence that doesn't depend on THB and Capt. Jack (who still haven't recovered their confidence from last seasons debacle). Individual mistakes have cost us in almost every game, but as long as I've been watching football you win games by scoring one goal more than the opposition. Sadly we have no striker(s) capable of scoring on a regular basis and losing (by a single goal margin) or even drawing - when we should have won has become endemic for this squad and they seem to start games with a losing mentality. Why not try a new CF every game until we find someone who can put the ball in the net. I don't care where you find him..one of our defenders, a kid from the Academy - just do it !

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