Brumsaint

My takeaways from watching us in the two games post Martin compared to the rest of the season so far are that keeping possession didn't help us to create any more chances to score a goal and win, but put us in considerably more danger of conceding through sloppy play near our own box. Not groundbreaking analysis, I know, but there was no point in the risk without any reward at the other end. We just haven't been creative enough in most games to win the match when conceding as much as we did, so there was no chance of success. Yesterday, we lacked any kind of creative spark or threat going forward, but I felt fairly confident that we'd keep them out with Rambo behind the back five. Juric has a hell of a task to sort out this squad and give us any chance of getting 20 points let alone 30. I am sure we'll go down, but I am hoping for a better second half with some green shoots of recovery and not just a whimper like last time.

Napalm Death most certainly are, though:

I couldn't quite believe that Ralph had actually put him in as a CB, but to be fair he played OK there. I didn't see much that he did wrong.

Hard to disagree with that! Somehow, Broja's managed to dislodge Shlong from the first team squad, too. Quite the upgrade, I'd say. I wish Dan well, but I'll be surprised if he sets League one alight this year.

Obligatory highlight video:

I really don't understand why we gave hime a two-year deal. Can't see any chance of him getting in the team when Ralph played anyone but him there last year when KWP was out. Bednarek was awful in that position! Hope it works out for him, but I can see more chance of me consuming headwear than Ramsey becoming a Saints first team regular.

I punched the air when I saw this. Terrible signing who has cost us so much more than just the fee! Hopefully, a few more leave early, too, as that's what we need most to be in a position to sign the fresh blood we so badly need.

Surely, if we had any interest in signing Rose, we'd have taken him on loan in January to see whether he's worth signing.

I did initially think the rumours around signing Strakosha must be rubbish, but seeing Ralph doesn't have faith in any of the keepers we have, it does make sense if we know we'll be able to shift at least two of them: https://www.givemesport.com/1694152-southampton-transfer-rumours-saints-interested-in-serie-a-goalkeeper-who-was-once-valued-at-43m

My preference in defence would be to play Ferry at LB and see whether he can handle it against an already relegated (so objectively one of the weakest) team and then play Salisu and Vestegaard together to see if they can do it, as I think they're our best two central defenders. Diallo has something to prove, so I would like him to return to CM alongside JWP. If Theo wants a contract, we need him to show he is worthy of it and the early season form can de repeated. I also want Tella to get some more game time against a team he is likely to get chances against. I'd go for: McCarthy KWP Vestegaard Salisu Ferry JWP Diallo Theo Tella Ings Adams

I have absolutely no expectations of getting anything out of the game having seen that lineup. They were already minimal, but now I just despair. What is he thinking? Stephens was awful at LB when he played there before. Salisu's not perfect, but so much better than Jack! Also, when Theo started we looked so much more threatening. Why's he not starting today?

People say: "Ralph has no plan B". Ralph tries plan B (playing three at the back). Everyone says: "Please don't ever do that again!" Desperate times, but not so bad that we should play 3 CBs.

Watch the highlights of the U23s match against West Ham and tell me if you think Ferry is a good enough back up LB to play in a top half premier league side: https://www.southamptonfc.com/news/2021-01-29/b-team-highlights-west-ham-united-3-1-southampton-fc-premier-league-2-2020-21 He looks decent going forward, but dodgy defensively - hence us conceding 3 and it could have been many more!

Highlights are up on the website https://www.southamptonfc.com/news/2021-01-29/b-team-highlights-west-ham-united-3-1-southampton-fc-premier-league-2-2020-21 Ferry looks good going forward, but not sure LB is his best position. Anyone think he has potential as left sided number 10? Overall, the defence didn't look too solid, but hard to judge on 5 minutes of highlights. What has happened to Ledwidge and Olufunwa? I thought they were supposed to be highly regarded, but haven't seen either feature this season.

From this article it sounds like we were pretty close until Koeman stepped in: http://sportwitness.co.uk/southampton-bid-for-la-liga-defender-saints-moving-closer-for-player/ - he also fits the bill of being versatile! No idea how quickly he'd adapt to Premier League, though. AMN definitely has the advantage on that front. If we could get both of them, that would provide more squad strength! I know this won't happen, though.

I hope both full backs come in and prove the doubters wrong. I'm more concerned about missing KWP because he's been so excellent this season. Valery should be hungry for an opportunity to show Ralph that he can trust him, or to another manager that he would be a good investment for their team. This will be a big test. He needs to come through it. I've been impressed with Vokins every time I've seen him play, so let's hope that continues. As others have said, our team is about systems, so if they have been listening to Ralph and get their positions right, we have strong midfield and CB partnerships to support them. I still think we can win this!

It's hard to believe that the last B team match was against Leicester! This was the team that day: 1 KINGSLEY LATHAM (GK) 2 YAN VALERY 4 DAVID AGBONTOHOMA 3 JAKE VOKINS 5 KAYNE RAMSAY 11 WILL FERRY 6 ALEXANDRE JANKEWITZ 8 WILLIAM SMALLBONE BENNI SMALES-BRAITHWAITE (76′) 10 CALEB WATTS 7 NATHAN TELLA (C) KGAOGELO CHAUKE (72′) 9 TYREKE JOHNSON Smallbone and Tella are both out injured. Johnson's gone to Gillingham, but I wonder how many of those others are in contention for Shrewsbury. I reckon at least half of them will be. I reckon we'll see something like: Forster Valery Ramsey/Tchaptchet Stephens Vokins Diallo Jankevitz/Chauke Walcott/Armstrong Ferry Long N'Lundulu JWP & KWP have played every minute this season and although they are incredibly fit, I'd like to see them given a rest ahead of a punishing schedule over the next month or so. I'd definitely have Che Adams on the bench, but our options are going to be very limited!

Shame it didn't work out, but ahead of him in the thoughts of the manager for a CM role now (based on who's been on the bench) are: JWP Romeu Diallo Smallbone Jankewitz Chauke That's a lot of players when there are only two spots in the first team. I wish him luck at Gillingham and hope he secures a permanent deal somewhere in the summer. I guess a minimal fee and sell on clause are the best we can hope for now.

Walcott's versatility gives us options, but if Adams is fit, it's safe to assume that he and Ings will start up front. That surely then means Theo and Armstrong as number tens with Romeu and JWP playing while Diallo misses out very unluckily. Unless there are any more injuries or positive Covid tests, we should only be missing Vestergaard from our strongest 11. I can see us winning in Leicester for the second season running, so long as no-one does anything silly (including the ref).

I agree with resting players. I don't want to risk Ings from the start, but would have him on the bench. Forster Valery Stephens Bednarek/Salisu (if fit) Vokins Diallo Smallbone Armstrong Tella Long N'lundulu Subs: Lewis, KWP, Ramsey, JWP, Chauke, Walcott, Ings

More than anything, I want us to show that we can score goals. All the clean sheets are great, but we are relying on marginal penalty calls, or JWP's free kicks as pretty much the only way we look like scoring at the moment. Ings is a big miss, but we mustn't rush him back. Long looked awful yesterday. Every run he made in behind was offside and I don't remember him collecting a pass and finding a team mate once in the whole match. I would either play N'Lundulu or Walcott up front, but if whatever RH goes for isn't working and we don't look like scoring, I would like him to try using substitutes this time. Diallo has shown he can be trusted, but Romeu will come back tomorrow. Am I right in thinking Prowsey's 3 yellow cards will be wiped come the new year, so we don't need to worrying about a possible suspension unless he's booked in both the next two matches? Fingers crossed that something clicks in attack and we get to celebrate a win!

I was concerned that it would be a worse result when I knew we'd be without the key players. Stephens didn't do much wrong, although he didn't dominate as much as Vestergaard, obviously. Diallo also didn't do a bad job and improved as the game went on. I suggested Long from the start. I was so wrong when I thought he might get into the game better in that case and I found it so hard to believe that Ralph didn't change things earlier. As many have already said, the subs were a joke. Long should have been taken off around 55 minutes at the latest, with Djenepo coming on and Walcott playing up front. N'Lundulu should also have been given a chance if we hadn't improved, so that he got at least 20 minutes, rather than coming on in added time! We can score without Ings, but not if we don't learn from our mistakes! I hope we put up a better performance against Wet Sham and get back to scoring ways at the very least, because three games without scoring would start to be very worrying.

I would like to see this team: McCarthy KWP Bednarek Vestergaard Vokins JWP Diallo Armstrong Walcott Adams Long Subs: Forster, Stephens, Salisu, Bertrand, Smallbone, Redmond, Djenepo, Nlundulu, Tella I just have a feeling that if Long is given a chance from the start, he might come good and create more space for Che. Bertrand looks like he needs a rest and there are two games in three days. Let's have another look at what Vokins can do before the window opens. Hopefully, Armstrong will come back stronger after being tested. I know this is unlikely to be the lineup that Ralph selects, but it feels to me that it would be good to rotate a little, but without losing too much "automatism".

Theo was fantastic yesterday, and I thought he still looked full of running at the end - his chasing back was superb. KWP also had one of his best games and that made the contrast with the left wing even starker. I was rooting for Redders to start, but when he replaced Moussa, I couldn't quite believe my eyes that it was the same player who came on and scored last weekend. Che did brilliantly in the middle of the park battling to keep and win possession, but he had no service where it hurts and we seemed to be relying on luck - for the ball to bounce kindly, rather than creating any clear cut chances. I thought City defended very well, but we lacked a cutting edge at the end of some very good build up. Danny hasn't looked himself, even before the injury, so I hope they look after him and get him properly fit, rather than rushing him back again. Jannik was almost faultless once again and his passing was fantastic. I just wish we had a couple of other players who could pick a forward pass nearly as well as him. It was really disappointing to get nothing from the game, but if you don't even test the keeper, you can't really expect too much. Onwards to a couple of very winnable games that will show whether we can sustain a push for European places.

I saw that we were linked to Zinchenko, but he looks more likely to go to Wolves, so that may just be agent talk to make it look like there's a bidding war. I am disappointed that Ralph doesn't trust Vokins, as I've been impressed with him whenever I've seen him play, but obviously Ralph has seen more. If we can get Williams, or someone else in on loan, that would be good, but I reckon any permanent signings will wait until the summer. As well as most of the team played yesterday, we didn't really look like scoring, despite all the pressure around their box. Redmond had an absolute mare when he came on and if teams have worked out how to stop Vestegaard getting on the end of Prowsey's set pieces, there's nobody else who seems able to. I really hope a lack of quality back up strikers doesn't become an issue.