Saints take on Middlesbrough knowing a win could take them back into the top 10 of the Premier League.

Reading social media since the Europa League exit and you would think that Saints were firmly entrenched i the bottom three and had barely won a game all season instead of being a team that despite a bad run of games in recent weeks are still within sight of the top ten.

Indeed if we had beaten Hull away we would now be 8th possibly even 7th and if we had added to that by drawing at Palace we would be 6th.

Now I know that is all if's and but's, but what it shows is how near we are to having a good season in the Premier League and that there is not much wrong with the club that beating Boro can't go a long way to putting right.

Thursday evening was not the first cup defeat we have suffered which has been crushing, however in my memory it has been the only one that has provoked such a reaction against the manager and team.

I have heard Nathan Redmond compared to Guly by some knee jerk reactions, some need a reality check and need to realise that in the past few years we have come a long way and our performances increased in standard, there will always be setbacks, but some Saints supporters are not used to things going wrong and cannot seem to accept that sometimes you have to go backwards to move forwards.

Hopefully Saints will need little motivation for this one, they need to go out and show that Thursday night was a blip and we can find our form and move towards our League Cup semi final in little under a month.

Claude Puel has to show the fans that he can turn things round, yes he has to take some of the blame for the Europa League exit, but not for Thursday but for the teams he put out in both Milan and Prague.

His selections on Sunday will be crucial, he has to strike the right balance, the goalkeeper and back four should pick themselves as should Romeu and Davis in the centre, the real key will be the remaining four positions.

First consideration is the third central position, for me I think we need to bring back Jordy Clasie who can move the ball quickly to start up attacks although I can see Puel going with JWP for his passing.

But most important are the three attacking positions, without Charlie Austin I would go for Shane Long, the irishman is more fitted to Puel's attacking blueprint than Austin, he can offer heading ability but is fast and mobile.

Normally I would then suggest Dusan Tadic, however perhaos the Serbian has not been back in training long enough to last the pace of a full game, therefore I would air on the side of caution on this one and use him off the bench .

That means Sofiane Boufal should play if he has recovered from the mystery knock that kept him out of Thursday's game.

So who should have the final third attacking position ?

I don't think it should be Josh Sims, already too much has been heaped on his shoulders and that was shown on Thursday in a game when he was perhaps worse than the fans thought Nathan Redmond was, but was excused on the grounds of youth and plenty of effort.

Sims will be a great player, but on Thursday he showed why he needs to be used sparingly to continue his footballing education and get used to the pace of the game, his time will come but only if he is allowed to develop, otherwise the fans will start to get on his back as they have done with JWP who like Sims started as the next boy wonder and although he is a very competent Premier League player has never really made the step to superstardom and therefore the Saints support have not warmed to him.

So the big question is should Puel play Nathan Redmond ?

I would say yes, Redmond will have the motivation to show the supporters that they are wrong to make him the latest scapegoat, I think from that perspective it is important that he starts rather than comes on from the bench to present a focal point for some.

This is a winnable game, we should beat Boro, but we should remember just over a year ago when just after an appalling home defeat to Liverpool in the League Cup we could only scrape a late draw against Aston Villa who were rock bottom of the league.

Back then the manager was being called all the names under the sun for tactical ineptness, Sadio Mane and Graziano Pelle were being slagged off by sections of the support on a regular basis week in week out and were the main scapegoats as a large minority of the support claimed that we had failed to sign a striker in the summer and were paying the price for it.

Sound familiar ?

Photo: Action Images

highfield49 added 11:42 - Dec 10 I'd like to see Clasie and Reed play tomorrow and probably McQueen as well. Weird when you're looking for a midfielder to score and take pressure off the forwards that Clasie hasn't been picked. Just like Long who hasn't scored a goal in ages, neither had Clasie till the Arsenal game and lots of players gain confidence from that single strike and go on to score regularly. I'd expect Long to knock in several chances once he breaks the duck so put him in a position where he has real opportunities, in the centre of attack.

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SanMarco added 12:05 - Dec 10 "Indeed if we had beaten Hull away we would now be 8th possibly even 7th and if we had added to that by drawing at Palace we would be 6th." Throw in wins at Arsenal, Manure, Leicester and Man City + 5-0 thrashings of Chelsea, Sunderland and Watford and we would be top. Tempted to suggest that Guly will be insulted - but whoever we put out slagging off our own players before and during the match is plain stupid. In the pub beforehand or on discussion sites like TUI fine, what's the point of posting or talking over a pint if you don't say what you think but screaming abuse aimed at your own players - how in the hell can that help? It is not Redmond's fault it is not working out. I personally think he is not good enough but I wont be telling him that on the day. After the last Euro debacle we came out of the traps at 100 mph and got the goal - we need to take the same approach tomorrow. If Boufal is fit he needs to play and start showing us he can make a real difference.

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saintmark1976 added 12:40 - Dec 10 It was good to see that despite the disappointment of Thursday most posters appear to realise that the manager can only do the best with what he inherited. I agree with SanMarco that Redmond is not up to it but there is nothing to be gained in giving him stick. Perhaps we can all now turn our attention to what really matters and forget about second rate cup competitions. Staying in the Premiership should be our prime objective from now on particularly given the fact that the owner gives every indication of wanting away. Having the uncertainty of new owners will be difficult enough to deal with let alone relegation to the Championship.

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wibbersda added 13:45 - Dec 10 With respect saintmark you are talking nonsense. The quality we have means we will not be in a relegation battle and it is about time we pushed for silverware. Remember Chelsea last year, abysmal, but the same players this term are likely to win the league. The managers tactics are at fault this year for us.
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petesmaterob added 17:19 - Dec 10 Nick. I would agree other than the fact that Thursday was not a blip. The sterile style of play has been a feature of the team this season and increasingly as teams work it out we are becoming less effective. The only time we are truly dynamic is when Virgil is on a run. We have got to bring our back four further forward and encourage the midfield to pass forward rather than sideways or back which is their preferred option at present.

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SaintPaulVW added 18:09 - Dec 10 I hope the players, who show time and time again, they have the right attitude come out of the traps at full speed tomorrow. Blitz them in the first half. I'm sure they are as pissed off as we all are about Thursday. Just hope the ghost of saintsmas past Ramirez doesn't come back to haunt us.
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SaintBrock added 18:57 - Dec 10 Our inability to score goals is not something that has just happened and can be put right easily. Even with the all out attacking style used at the beginning of the Everton match and despite having the lion's share of possession thereafter we did not score again try as we did. This team at best now has one goal in it against PL opposition. How can that change tomorrow with half the team knackered after Thursday and Austin in the stand? It can't and of course Ramirez id going to come back and haunt us. This has 1-0 to Boro' written all over it.

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BoondockSaint added 01:04 - Dec 11 wibbersda-Chelsea last year was Costa and his fellow rats downing tools because Jose wouldn't coddle them. This year they are putting in the effort so they can say, "See it was mean old Jose's fault."
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AmericanSaint added 10:46 - Dec 11 Some good comments all around. I like Clasie and Boufal to play with Long. I think Dusan needs to play if possible and Redmond needs to sit on the Bench. Watching him play lately, I think he thinks he needs to do it all himself and always pull off the tricky pass etc., instead of playing it simple. Also, If MID parks the push, then I think JRod needs to come out on the wing and move the ball quickly. We will see, but there needs to be desire, hustle and energy or this will not end well. If the players dont show that then Puel needs to take some of the blame, as he needs to put a fire up their butts to make this game count.

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