gio1saints

Just read his exact responses to the exact questions. More saints forum Death Squad work at its worst. Some- and yes it is a minority - Literally are so desperate to find fault with him that misattributing his words in interview is par. He even addresses that people might consider him arrogant but explains his take on it - in a fair enough way. Not fair enough for you hyenas though. Please don’t be standing next to me in a few hours in the Northam with all your negativity oozing out of you, making me desperate to shower soon as I get home to remove that stench of cynicism. I’m there to support the team not spend all week undermining them and the fan base. COYS

NO DEFEATS IN FIVE : “stop trying to defend the indefensible” You couldn’t make it up. You’ve got serious negativity issues I’m afraid if you call that indefensible. Just about sums you up though.

Did Russell Martin shag your wife( or your husband)? Did he murder your gran in cold blood. What has he done to deserve this ire? Yet more Death squad misery talk at its finest along with your acolytes who ❤️it when you tell RM he can fuck off. oh- yeah - its 5 games & top six unbeaten so obvs he’s a cu nt or a co cl or whatever. We should have had Harry in or some other football dinosaur Manager. But not a foreigner obvs. in case you notice the list of European Champions league or EPL winners applying to manage saints was not all that long. We’ve got who we’ve got unless you and Death squad goons want to put us all through the misery of getting rid of yet another manager. Bring back Nigel? Beg Ralph to return? Ask Potter to come back? Just who TF would want to come to saints with a toxic bunch of cynical negative fans like you? Oh the misery! You need to cheer up fella.

What was it about how bad we were in attack, how poor we were in defence, how rubbish we were at holding onto a lead, and even worse at holding onto a manager last season that makes anyone so confident we will smash this league? Let alone binning a third of the squad including our four “ best “ players ( JWP, MS, BK and OR) and attempting to integrate a new system plus bring along youngsters with promise? For many of us actually being in contention at top end of the table playing a consistent style makes a helluva change! The fantastic and admirable belief ( despite the facts) in Saints innate superiority as a club v rest of the league is something Nietsche would be proud of. - and which is riddled throughout so many of the discussions here. We lost a lot of what I felt Saints are truly about when we lost our humility as a club. Arguably we are now the kind of aBilly big boots club Saints fans used to despise with this u fathomable and unjustified sense of innate superiority. Saints the plucky underdogs, the relegation survivors against the odds and the team many had as their “ second” team replaced by swaggering this league is shit and we should win every game attitudes. Im hoping we beat Brum. I think we will. Best team on the day will though.

I think that’s a fair argument. Probably not quite favourite with the bookies but still a reasonable and fact based pov. Thank you and respect. Dman.

I think the nub of it is that we are doing most of the right things most of the time. BUT we are not scoring enough plus we are still not as resilient in defending when we lose possession as we’d like. I think the plethora of yellow cards is testament to our defensive strategies not quite fully working yet. As is goals conceded obvs. I think our rubbish goal scoring from chances is another obvious factor. There IS a lot of good though and very obvious significant improvement from last season - considering the turnover *- albeit lower opposition. * we lost our four best players - JWP joined WH, Oriol plays for Barca now (!) and Salisu and BK our two allegedly best CB’s both gone. Add in we had no idea what forwards we’d have for the Sheff weds match and 12 games later we are in a play off place unbeaten in five. Lots to criticise but, let’s try to be fair, lots to commend Saints for as well.

So, if I understand right, Southampton, already filled up with plenty ex Man City players, with a Man City DOF and unashamedly trying to emulate the success of Man City- but on a budget- is lacking only one thing. Which is an ex Man City assistant manager? 😃 In other words we are not Man City enough? That’s an interesting variation. Our players are good but Maybe we are still too committed to the Saints past epitomised by losing and should go all in on Man City model ( but without the money or soon to be massive points deduction for FFP cheating). Russell is not Man City enough for Saints. Are there any other ex Man City back room staff available that you can think of? Arteta springs to mind. Arsenal fans wanted him out early doors as I recall but he has obviously turned it around. No comparison of course to RM. Though the vigour which Arse fans showed in wanting him out- and it was vicious- looks a bit ott in retrospect now to most Gooners. Let’s hope Saints follow a similar path to Arsenal I guess is the moral of the story!

I’m going to check ( ok sample!) the atmosphere at the Unity taproom pre match. That should give me a heads up on the match vibe or in any case not be so worried about the result 😃

TWO matches in. It’s crazy. I don’t rate him as a Manager but that treatment is just vile. I hope we do not get the rebound on us! Just goes to show there’s vile abusive idiots all over the world. At the rate we are heading managers will get one match - and must win that - before so called supporters or “ fans “ turn on them. Then it will go down to whether so called supporters like the New Managers first press conference and finally it will be down to his haircut or choice of attire when he’s announced. Football support is just the convenient alibi for bad behaviour. Birmingham (who to the best of my knowledge have as small a trophy cabinet as Saints) fans should be delighted they have a high profile English legend as manager who might be able to attract half decent players. I just hope they are still in the learning phase with him and we can take three points to make it six games unbeaten which as others have said would be a disgrace because with this squad we should win every game.

I was pretty tired of us having to set up to scrape an away draw at any top ten side . Ditto playing at home to a top six. Ditton being hopelessly outplayed at home most games. Tired of Putting everyone behind the ball scrap for your lives hope to get a lucky goal ( like Rotherham). It’s no way to live frankly and definitely not enjoyable to watch. We were just treading water in the EPL before the inevitable. Given we played not good yesterday but took a point and had the ball 71% away from home I’d rather we played like us than played like PNE, I’d rather we played like us than like Rotherham. It’s become a recognisable style but it has also got tweaks. Much better than before. For me anyway. Bad performance but a good point. Used to be a sign of a good team doing that away with 5 changes - we ARE a good team. Move on.

Pre season Bet365 had us at 1/1 to make top six. I took £20 on that. Few points: 1. According to FACTS ie points and results we are currently a top six team. 2. According to OPINION we should be up there with LCFC top of this league 3. OPINIONS are often translated here into beliefs. And many of those forum beliefs have become entrenched. 4. The biggest now semi/permanent belief-that’s-not-a-fact-just-an-opinion is this God given right to automatic promotion. 5. Along with this is our players are too good for this league/ too good for this manager belief. We were not too good for the EPL . We will find our position in the Championship. But starting from the premise of humility not the incredible arrogance displayed. Last time in this league we our players and manager were NOT saddled with the insufferable entitlement of expecting to win the league. Carrying that around every match is like sandbags on everyone. For goodness sake unload them and let us support freely and enjoy a last minute equaliser. Let the players enjoy it too. Stop burdening them with these misguided expectations. It kills performance at any level.

Dont like personal stuff but I think that’s about the most positive thing I’ve ever heard you write TDmickey. You cannot help but belittle fellow saints fans I guess. We are not clapping seals for you to pour your scorn over neither are we satisfied with not winning and gullible easily pleased. You too often equate fair minded saints people who do not share your opinions with scum and it oozes out of virtually every emoji or abusive comment you make. Just try to think back last time we went five unbeaten. And enjoy it. Life is short and I do t know for sure I will ever see that again. So try to resist putting us down. Please.

Nice bit of Saints history there I was unaware of in the year of my birth! Thanks John B.😇COYS!

STU GOOD POINTS : Great character. Great experience. Stu is one of the few players confident enough to exhort/ encourage the Northam support when it comes to corners at that end. He is not afraid to have a shot. He scored a great direct kick I did not know was in him. He’s not afraid to take the ball in mf and drive forwards centrally. International player and proud of it. Strong on the ball - running in that danger area is his calling card. Shots from distance also. Deceptive pace and strength on the ball. Takes corners and free kicks now instead of JWP. STU LESS GOOD POINTS : Does not score enough. Final pass / lucidity of mind after his extended mf runs into central position to give it to the goal shooter (😁). Shooting probably too many over the bar not testing keeper, running back and being effective defensively he finds less fun - he’s not the worst cough cough Charlie - and given he’s a AMF his job is to be ahead of flynnn and Will so it’s harder for him to get back- all the same needs to kick them oppo players a bit more show more fighting. Corners are a little inconsistent - maybe having a 6ft 2” cf to aim at will help! Overall : a very firm fan favourite always gives his best. But he’s no Jude Bellingham obvs.

Reading between the lines from his presser I think Charlie may be given a rest but brought back for Birmingham. The same might be said of Stu. What I think I got ( unspoken and only by inference) from the presser was that we lacked mental stamina second half v Rotherham and he wants fresh and fit minds in there to prevent a recurrence v Brum. Resting two of the mf who have been travelling and on international duty makes a certain kind of sense in that context. But it also means not necessarily picking our “ best” 11 to start v PNE. Of course I’m mind reading and may be totally wrong but it feels like a RM move. If I’m right, there may be one change (or two) to the midfield starters - and obviously the replacement for RM. Personally I’d keep KWP at RB and just introduce a specialist FB at LB- which for me is Bree not Holgate. Shuffling KWP to RB so he can go on those mazy runs and cut in is all well and good but on that side we have KS who is not as disciplined in defending the space as AA is on the right side to cover for those KWP runs. That’s makes it more expensive risk playing him at LB and I don’t see it worth doing. Id further task Bree on mainly sitting in with KS on that LH side so he does NOT need to show anything attacking apart from ensuring that the LB position is tight and basically just give the ball to KS and clean up if / when KS loses possession. It’s a big responsibility but it removes need for Bree to consider himself a modern footballing playmaker full back ( which I feel RM does consider himself to a degree) and more a trad conventional row z defender. Might be wrong and he might go for continuity in the hope of resting players later second half if we doing well. That’s the beauty of football though, we can’t ever tell 100% what team he’s gonna put out and it gives us something to talk about!😇 The absolute priority is Win or worst case draw v PNE. The performance they deliver v Brum, especially 2nd half is only a luxury consideration if we get this first result. I’ve just been trying to think a move or two ahead about it in context of the PNE match like in chess about it that’s all.

Thanks Alex. Nicely summarised.

My guesses are: Fairly confident; Depending on RS form- Che to leave on loan or sale to a bottom six EPL club. Ditto possibly Mara same if someone EPL or Ligue un in need of a possible rough diamond up front. Just guessing optimistically : Depending on league position ( if we are in play off spots or not basically) 1. Saints to resist selling KWP to EPL for anything below £25m. 2. Saints to resist letting Charlie go for anything below £25m. 3. Saints to resist letting KS for anything below £40m. Bids above those figures for our players I think they will be sold. Bids below I have fingers crossed we resist. 4. A random young French speaking winger / striker and an old hand FB brought in on loan.

🎼he can set you up free he can make you a meal he can do any thing he feeeels ….K-W-P it’s wise to pass to the KWP…🎼

To the tune of YMCA; Young Man ……Kyle was once in your shoes Thats when…. I knew that we’d never lose because …….. 🎼It’s wise to give the ball to the K - W - P ….to give the ball to the K -W - P 🎼 Yeah. I know what you’re thinking. Wasted talent . I should have been writing for Elton John or something 😇😂

Hi Noodles do you post from Italy or have a IT connection if I recall? If so: Ciao e Forza Saints!. Back to Wednesday night Preston v Saints. If we are not winning or it’s even a draw from 19.45 onwards I’m encouraging Saints fans not to be too hard on themselves - and others including the team and posters here online. It was evident from the Hull in match comments that some of our online support were ( rightly at times - but not to the point of suicidal despair or nasty abuse) very upset we were only drawing. I’m not sure that was the view of the 2000 who travelled though. So, IF we are only drawing away to Preston - which we will be at kick off - I’m just encouraging fellow Saints to not take it too badly. Maybe it’s this suicide awareness course I’m doing but I’m just aware that with something as emotive as the team we love if anything there goes wrong it can cascade into daily life as well. And it can be the final straw. Just looking out for fellow saints that’s all. And I’m not God squad either. Just a stupid man like most of us. My prediction away win and Charlie to actually score a goals not let there goalie do yet another wonder save like last two matches!😂

https://www.southamptonfc.com/en/saints-foundation-what-we-do It’s what Southampton FC Foundation is trying to do too. Thanks for your support. And if you think that the mental well-being of saints fans is not an issue try this: https://www.hampshirelive.news/news/hampshire-news/ten-hampshire-areas-see-suicide-7579252

Agree that it will be Bree but in the interests of keeping as settled a team as possible I’d start Charlie again.He’s got to score at some point- last two matches goalies done worldies to deny him! Is it inevitable Bree plays RB and KWP switches? If there’s a possibility of not changing our best players position - and this season far and away it’s kwp- I’d keep him in the same position he’s been brilliant at all season. Surely Experienced Bree can handle it?

Considering we were 60 seconds away from a mass uprising and release of hate on RM and team yesterday I’d say Wednesday is a must win . I cannot personally live my life holding that much anger and poison in me waiting for something as bad as “ only” a draw away to Hull- or in this case a draw or loss to Preston to give it release. I try breathing exercise or go gym or do yoga ( my wife is an instructor) or just read a book and yeah a large whiskey on occasion as an alternate safer outlet. I do understand how without access to other frustration and anger outlets that it can get like that for saints fans and maybe it’s also the safest way- online we can say and behave in ways perhaps we would not dream of in real life. I just hope our Saints support family gives itself a collective break from “ feast or famine , glory or disaster - because the reality is we are always somewhere inbetween and it’s not the destination but the journey they matters. I want us to win the world club championship in my lifetime but as long as we play - and support - with ❤️ that’s more than enough for me. We did yesterday and frankly barring some bad days have done most of season.

I don’t want to be a party pooper but it might be better for all our mental health sake if we try to temper expectations of RS. If he is a two chance one goal finisher that will be way better than what we have to date last few years. And it may take some time for him to get up to that playing with new teammates. The way we play may have to change to accommodate his skill set- or will he be asked to change to accommodate the way we play? THAT’s the question in my mind and I rather think the latter will be the answer. At present our tactics are not primarily aimed at laying the ball on a plate for the No. 9 to finish. Midfielders arriving late yes or pull backs from by-line yes- but we do not hit it long to the big number 9 ( ok at 6ft 2” he’s not massive but he’s way bigger than Che, AA and Mara) to challenge for in hope of getting second ball, or to hold up or run with or lay off to his nippy sidekick - so it’s going to be interesting - and vitally important - to see how he is utilised.

Thank you CSA 96. Glad to see yours is the most upvoted post on this thread! Rightly so. If Saints supporters who travelled all that way don’t get acknowledged win lose or draw it’s very bad. I don’t really care if RM and team do cartwheels, punch the air, juggle balls, come over and clap or do a HULK like Che - I really don’t care how as long as they definitively ACKNOWLEDGE THE SUPPORT. When they do it - like yesterday - it should not be discouraged. The opposite, and your post summed it up brilliantly.