gio1saints

Congratulations THB! He joined Saints and he must have been hoping one day that joining Southampton Football Club and playing regular minutes despite his age would help him to get exactly this. And it has. This is absolutely a terrifically validating result for him, SFC ~ and RM. Other ambitious young players considering joining lowly Southampton- or indeed currently at the club - wether it’s us at the bottom of EPL or relegated to the Championship have a contemporary example right in front of their eyes now. No need to reference young players who got International call ups from decades ago. It CAN happen if you are at Southampton. 👏

Enjoying the thoughtful posts on here. That’s more like it. It’s not always black and white, in fact rarely if ever. I guess why footie can * be fun. * I never like losing it’s not fun. But I go to the footie not just for the result. The feeling at final whistle last week was more than just a “ win” and three points at that stage. Same for the Final. It’s something transcendent. And in order to b this feeling to really matter it’s often the case that it needs be in the most improbable and difficult of circumstances. I wonder how joyous Man City fans felt when they beat us 1-0 compared to us beating Everton. I’d say ours was probably a 9/10 and there’s was a 3/10. Both3 points but vastly different impact to the supporters. And longer lasting.

Interesting analysis. Thank you. Bears out what I’d been thinking vis Downes propensity to play forwards. It does seem he is the key go backwards hold possession passer a lot of the time. Maybe, against championship teams, our squad was superior so endlessly recycling the ball as Flynn tends to do ends up being a good thing as we end up facing against all the opposition and or their weakest area eventually. But in the EPL I think the endlessly recycling thing is not so effective and, there’s good players everywhere and so if we are in a promising but unusual position on the pitch, and flynns got it, it’s probably not going to be a chance creation or a shot - whereas with some of the other names mentioned you’d feel it more likely. All last season games without Flynn we were obviously not as good. IMO. BUT This season he actually may, arguably, be holding us back - especially when you consider Fernandes and Dibling and Lallana Yuki and KWP all seem switched onto “find a goal mode”. The absence of Smallbone has also raised my eyebrow. Has that been a blessing or not? He certainly was making late runs into the box last year that Flynn cannot. But, and this is probably his defence, playing as that 6 I guess he is responsible for ball retention and recycling so maybe should not criticise him too much as he’s the best we have in that role!

Agree. Winning this one when a draw was fairer probably maybe does not make up for losing to foxes or drawing with Ipswich - both unjust on saints and easily draws or home wins there’s a strong case - results been unkind to a degree in that way imo - nor failing to take at least a point at Newcastle. nor missing stupid penalties when on top v Man Utd which changed game tone completely. Boscombe and forest were just shit. Arse was ah well. It’s small margins in the EPL. Don’t get run of the green you are sacked. Get some luck- you’re a genius. But as Kipling wrote - success and failure are two twin imposters. Oh, and haaland would have scored both AA other chances I think - or at least got them on target!

Hypo? Upset? He was fucking born upset. 😭 . Saints beating Everton means there’s been a rush on hankies at his local Asda he’s that gutted.

Fair analysis. MOM for me was Fernandes. Easily. He, sadly, looks like he’s too good for our mf. Expect him at a top six club next year for £50m. ION Ryan Manning gave us more attacking options on the left than BDD and MC combined have all season. Which is not a good thing but kudos to Manning after all the criticism he’s had, good to say decent job when he’s done alright. I also thought AL was obviously high class. Shame his legs aren’t but his mouth certainly works and he is a leader for us alright. Gave kwp a bollocking I saw first half for what seemed a marginal mis-positioning situation.👏

Seconded. The vast majority of RM haters on here are allowed to post whatever shit they like. Including abusing pro Russ posters. Normal posters with a balanced -not-obsessed with RM viewpoint tend to work out very quickly how toxic this forum can be if you are not in the anti RM “in-gang”and just don’t bother to post due to the amount of disgusting abuse comes flying if they do. So, it’s mainly otherwise normal saints fans telling each other how much they hate hate hate RM and how fucki g stupid cu ts everyone who thinks otherwise is for thinking different. Ask the 7000 Northam cheering him at full time if they hate him. Did not sound like it to me. But yeah bunch of mr. Angrys always got to find a scapegoat on here is a majority of course

Fair result. At last. We been done over so much lately it’s a relief to get a decision our way. Onwards and upwards!

First goal wins it. Unless it’s us. Pretty much as expected first half. Two teams not all that fantastic. Some of our moves were “ almost” great but no shots on target tells its own story. That needs to be rectified second half or Everton will steal all three points and it will be a mess on here..

Lallana on the pre match rondos….is too good. Levels above rest of team with his nimble feet. And then he claps the rest of the players around him at the end like he’s taking the session. Very much Head coach in the making….

Classic. Exhibit 1.1.👏

@Fabrice29 was going to DM you this but fuck it can’t be bothered, I’ve got a big match to deal with this afternoon. And Anyhow - please don’t spoil there fun game of telling everyone how much they hate RM ~ and in so many fun and cringeworthy ways too. They are and continue to be so inventive about it. Ive even noted that there’s a feeling that even IF we win today ( some chance with that legohead in charge!!) that it will be despite RM. Haha that’s a nice touch- good one! FWIW - Even if we score from a long throw and TP nods it in it will be despite RM and even if Tyler and Fernandez who are starting every important match, are playing it’s despite RM as he knows nothing about football. Oh, and if you or I should say “ but don’t you think this pantomime Villanisation of RM is a bit OTT - he doesn’t actually get onto the pitch, you know, to kick the ball around, and politely may I add for the most part, they will come on here and say, and I paraphrase “ Anger anger anger previously aimed at RM now full square on another Saints fan for suggesting that we may be able to look at this in another way. Oh NO, NO, No, NO this is not how the narrative rolls out —-frustrated anger is now to be aimed full square at anyone does not fully agree - so this means they automatically are a “ fuck shit crap wank cunt Lucy, Martin, martins mum, SR employee, cretin, fanboy, troll, mental, stupid, idiotic, apologist for the indefensible idiot etc etc etc “ 🤭. Of course we are. And so very inventive all the ways to abuse another saints fan. That we ALL are all of those things - and none of them at the same time is neither here nor there, 😂, but as a student of human psychology it’s telling that NUANCE is totally absent as you comment - that there can only be two sides - like in a football match - in this debate strikes me as rather apt. The passion the RM haters display - and their hatred of the “ opposition” is exactly the same as if you go to a derby match. These posters willingly would get out there fathers gun and shoot people like you and I- at a match - and on this forum - despite fact we are Saints fans through and through. Why? We take the place of the source of there anger by posting in here and becoming the” easy” target for there weird emojis and paragraphs explaining why one is a cubt. 😂 Anyone fancy meeting me for a pint pre match to prove I am not as bad as some here might think. Please form an orderly queue. 😇😂

Pretty much how I see it. Nervy match for both I’m sure! On a side note: I really cannot believe what I’ve seen from BBD and MC. And RF! Apart from that goal v Lazio and getting the barstripe guy off, the Left Wing has made almost no contributions this season and has done exactly the same things every time on the pitch, NOT AN UPGRADE ON Sam E verdict after 8/9 matches I’d say with some conviction! 1. BBD - get passed the ball on the left wing, try to control it then pass it back to left mid or centre mid. Stop moving, have a fag, job done for this half. 2. MC is even better as he has not scored preseason nor got a guy sent off - his touches have been - get passed the ball on the left wing, try to control it then pass it back to left mid or centre mid. Stop moving have a fag job done for this half. Oh I forgot occasionally he does this : get passed the ball on the left wing, stand up the right back, kick the ball against his legs and hope it’s a nutmeg, as it isn’t stop moving have a fag, job done for this half. 3. RF: this one is a good variation because his job is to try to win the aerial battle with his taller right back, three or four times in when Aaron delivers a 60 yard high pass, Right to left, to try and “ catch out” the opposition defence by pumping it long instead of the 12 passes in the six yard box game. Fails every time of course. His other job is to make “ darting runs” but he is not allowed to beat his player for pace or skills as that’s a fine. When he is asked to defend it’s exciting, but oh dear he’s a forward not a full back. Ask Vardy. 🤭

Arguably there are Two sides to the debate - one side points out that there are alternative ways of looking at the situation with RM even pointing out the positives and also recognises 1 point is relegation stuff- the other feels obliged not only to trash talk any alternate point of view (on auto-reply than the ( Russell is shit) but also -and this is a clear distinction - to load up with abuse disrespect and invent new terms of insult for the poster. Let alone deliberately misread posts. Those who do that just get away with it time after time. By resorting to personal abuse and insults like you mostly all do I know ( and you know) that you have got no argument - abuse and word violence is not a discussion. Many of that ilk seem massive keyboard warriors ~ quick to hurl off insults from the safety of your devices but I’d guess in real life you’d never say what you say to anyone’s face. I guess in that sense it’s a home for cowards, and there’s obviously a lot out tonight all eager to gang up on anyone who cares to voice an opinion that is not “ Russell is shit”. Enjoy rest of the nights moans. The only thing makes you happy gets you excited is moaning about RM. Quite a sad state of affairs don’t you think.

Sry mate I know you are a massive long term fan but your argument does not work on multiple levels for me. 1. relegated teams are always amongst the favourites to get promoted. With a Manager who knows how to get up from that league we’d be even more favoured. Without the instability of managerial/ personnel and style overhaul even more favoured. Not rocket science. 2. the system RM uses DID work in the championship and were it not for ridiculously once in many many moons form from the other three we’d have walked the league. A record unbeaten run and if you think it was because the rest of the teams were poor - well it’s the championship - that’s the standard we have to be able to beat. And we did enough. 3. We did not abandon PB football and get promoted accordingly. Russball put us in the position to get promoted. It’s the other way around but not for diehard RM out people I guess. We put more defenders on the pitch for Leeds and WBA - 5 at the back - but if you were at Wembley ( I’m sure you were) you might have noticed a I think 15 pass move for our goal from defence to attack before AA scores. That is exhibit 1.01 classic totally recognisable Russball. And THAT is a fact. We still passed the ball around them like they weren’t there and when it works - as per AA in the Final Playoff- it’s a thing of great beauty that we are all proud of.

I think that your conclusion is correct - that RM is for staying. I still do not get why so many people expected us to be EPL level overnight. And seem so angry that we are not. Are they all unable to just think ahead a bit and see what the likeliest scenario was for us and take some deep breathes and get on with this learning curve? It took Sir Alex Ferguson 7 seasons to win the league for Man Utd, which is 6.75 years more than many here are prepared to give RM. IF RM and Saints learning curve is too slow and too shallow for sure we are relegated. We may already be. But if anyone thought this was an unlikely scenario whichever manager whichever formation we played- well I think they may have been overconfident -and unaware of the reality of statistics on the survival chances of newly promoted teams. Is he trying to do something spectacular? I think yes. Is he just trying to survive- I think no. Is that inspirational or is it stupid? I prefer to consider it extremely daring- and yes, courageous because he knows it’s odds against and still refuses to give up. but foolish? Yeah foolish at same time especially the amount pathetic and disgusting abuse he has to endure from some of you., I think the likeliest outcome is we will go down - but get better and better at playing this way so it may be closer than people suppose at the end. If we change manages, style, personnel- my opinion is we will just go down and it’s a toss up if we keep the new guy in the championship- and wether we can regroup to come back up. Whereas I’d like to think if RM took us down with what he and team have learned in two seasons we’d be hot favourites to get promoted and have a better stab at the EPL next time. Thats what I think. Wail away moaning Millie’s.

Yup my dreams are flawed. Guilty. Of being an optimist. I’d love Saints to win the World Club championships in my lifetime. Sry for wishing that,I know it will invite the usual posters to personally abuse me. But cannot account for ignorance and it’s there problem not mine. I still believe we can overcome the system that keeps clubs like Saints ( and many many others) in their place. But unlike the vocal critics on here I don’t think it will happen by essentially playing the game by their rules and their way. There are more than a few Managers out there who could “ do a job” of keeping us in the EPL. They know how to gameplay the Premier league to extract the maximum points that more limited budgets can handle - and can give you a chance of staying up. Moyes is a class act and could do it probably easy for instance. For one season or five or ten - but we surely all know by now that it needs a long term plan to get up there and stay there - because the likes of Man City Chelsea Liverpool Arsenal Man Utd don’t get relegated anymore. It’s going to be one of the others. Including Saints. Unless our structure and foundations are super deep. Getting to the dizzy heights of 7th is the best we can hope for given past history otherwise - but since then the gap between the super clubs and us has only widened. So even that’s a “dream”. FWIW : We have a squad of mostly average and below average EPL standard players. Tyler and Aaron are not one of those but the rest - average at best, frankly, and that’s not being disrespectful- just objective. Our Manager knows almost zero about EPL management. Winning with these players and manager without being radical in your tactical approach -well the chances are slim to none because virtually every match home and away most of the opposition are favourites to win at the bookies. But - play radically get beaten - people getting angry to paraphrase The Specials. Play conventional and stay in your lane - and in your place - and still get beaten- fans still angry. There’s no incentive is there. But at least the first option we are fighting not just to survive but to thrive. And that’s the difference.

I watch saints with pride every time they play with honour belief courage. Couple of matches this season that was not present otherwise yeah they are not a joke to me - quite the opposite.

One two or three teams are going to win the league, the cups and all the medals. The rest are playing to be 4th loser or beaten finalist or not relegated or got £3m extra cos we gained a place on final day. Thats the most likely reality this EPL season. And It was always very likely Saints were playing for “ not getting relegated” or at best “ got a few million extra by gaining a place on some other EPL “make up the numbers “ team. There’s about 14 make up the numbers teams in EPL and they just rotate each year for the most part. Unless an Arab sovereign wealth fund buys you or a major hedge fund ( and even then FFP is a bitch) it’s now almost impossible to breakthrough. So- all those pragmatists out there - I admire your stoic acceptance of this status quo, but forgive my naive idealism in hoping and believing what RM has got going - which everyone seems to criticise - is our only shot at making Saints a superpower. Whenever I see and hear so many fans and football pundits indignant at what RM is doing it just reassures me that the powers that be don’t like it and dont want us to succeed. Change play like the rest of the losers and maybe we too can make up the numbers or get to be a “ beaten finalist” once every decade. I’m glad we are currently firmly set on not doing that. We are going for the big prize- or die trying. But at least it’s a honourable death not a lickspittle existence hanging around the lower reaches of the EPL for crumbs from the big boys. So I say, Carry On PBF Russell and ignore the critics. Even Pep has intimated and said as much. I Hope it’s a wonderful match today and sry I can’t be there with our loyal, and passionate, away fans. 😇

Just supporting saints the odd 52 years or so been to one or two matches in that time only been ejected once and never involved in any reported disorder offences as far as I know, apart from invading the pitch at Elfsborg I think it was on a preseason tour once. Think the site owner was with us on that little Scandinavian away trip matter of fact. Perhaps my naivety is not so much naive as someone who does not consider our style as “pound shop total football” and someone who recognises that in the absence of being able to helicopter in the best players in the world this attempt to persevere at getting better at this style making average players better as a team than the sum of their parts is pretty much our only route to long term success. Oh, and that much derided term “ courage” - it’s effing courageous to keep on trying in the face of the amount of shit he and team gets from our own fans. If he was chicken shit cowardly he would be long gone. Long may he stay. The longer he is here the more likely we are to break the code to winning games. That’s my view not yours and many here stm. I hope I’m right you are wrong but I accept maybe I’m just hopelessly positive. Naive even. Always will support saints whatever position whatever league though.

You think they might be? Of course they are not. You believe it’s shit tactics that’s why we are second bottom. Fine. Not going to even try argue that with you as clearly you e convinced yourself that only sacking Russell will make us avoid relegation- or worse - what is “ worse” by the way? Going into liquidation? Getting best 9-0 every week? Being uncompetitive every single match? Moving RM before “ it gets even worse” … hahahaha Our best bet is to hope that this comes good eventually second half of season and a dynasty and style is irrevocably instilled into this club. If it takes a few relegation/promotion-relegations to do it better that than we join the rat race.

Predict Tyler will be replaced by Fraser early doors. He is having to mark Madvidi in defence down there left and is already on a yellow. Sensible to let Fraser do the running ( and fouling of Madvidi who is a decent player) for that.

Unbelievably , another goal for Everton or Saints and we are out the bottom three! of course this signals an Ipswich and foxes come back…damn should have kept my mouth shut… At least the atmos ar SMS is much more upbeat than I was thinking it might be whatever the score. I really did not want to attend in case it got truly horrendous but Glad I’m here and made the effort to support the team in this big match.

And all last season btw. If he is fit he HAS to start, contract status bollix or not.

Yup I agree. Make it £4m then. Or whatever number you like. It’s a number though for sure. Whatever it is - it’s money could be spent on better players not the bloke who watches them play.