gio1saints

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 There were some positives. 😅 Vast majority of fans at the match around me thought it was an improvement. There was no booing or big hate going on at SMS- the support was given some great examples of the promise - but also the fallibilities inherent in this team. Many of us were purring with excitement at some of the performances and skilful moments from the likes of Tyler, Mateus, Lallana and yes , Ramsdale. World class saves btw. But all annoyed at some of the duff stuff also amd me personally at how good Ipswich were. I secretly Wanted them to be weak - but they were not. Overall it felt like we had to fight like hell for that point- and fight we did - which reminds us to reflect once more on how easily we been giving goals away before and how valuable they are. But the fight was evident. Stupid free kick fuck ups can be rectified, lack of fight a bigger problem and we didn’t have the latter., Don’t know if you watched the times we played them last season but Ipswich were certainly better than those two games yesterday - and we showed that our game is on the up too. Did not rate them last year but yesterday fair dos to them, decent team well managed. Fair result overall. It’s not a match to throw everything out the pram over though, imo. 😇

He is playing like a shorter but nippier version of BBD. Certainly he is Not as offensively minded as when he’d was playing for us last year. He had the big giraffe marking him and I thought he’d get joy but he never took him on or turned him once. Him and BBD are very “ professional” about how they play safe safe safe don’t take chances keep possession but neither added value today. I guess at least Weeman has some defensive values which BBD does not nor did Sam E. I’d have put Sam Amo left wing last fifteen and said give it a go son. But we don’t have that option…

I think Archer played so-so / alright and was basically unlucky a few times. The balls sent up to him if it was RS might have stuck better. RS looked a nuisance to me up front when he came on and I’d keep him there. Certainly gave us a physical presence in the middle up front. Please stay away from defending deep & giving away stupid free kicks which he should know better though! BBD looks shot to me. Sorry to say it but Not a good buy on performances so far imo. Does not have pace to go around a player does not have tricks to go around or through a player does not dominate physically except by playing rough giving away free kicks and has just one predictable pass when he’s at Left wing - the square ball inside. Had his chance and blew it over the bar. He’s a nasty player alright but don’t see much else. Surely Cornet offers more or indeed Kameldeen. Ramsdales two great saves. ✅. Would be goals most other goalies. Lallana class is permanent. Mateus will be a star ( though probably not playing for us) as will Tyler. Ipswich played better than the last two times we played them but they did not win this time. That is progress no matter what and that sockeger of a late goal draw probably deserved on balance of chances. Lots to criticise first half but overall that was our best performance of the season and we are now seemingly able to put together longer and longer spells of domination. Too few points but performances improving. Those calling for him to be sacked are not getting Xmas card from me or my dad either. 😎

Thanks @Badger for your comments. Russell is one of the clearest examples ( to me- I make no assumptions a for the reader!) of ( perhaps or even probably) foolhardy resistance to life’s unfairness. The powerlessness often inherent in life due to “ the way it is”. The reality in our world is that the EPL is like an oligarchy and it’s really unwise for anyone to speak up or defy the masters. RM is Berated everywhere for his insistence on playing this way. Carries on not winning that will get him sacked. Terribly weak, short term decision that IMO. This conviction he has is often transmuted into arrogance - by his detractors. There’s no doubt you need strong character and will to keep saying the paradigm is faulty and there must be another way when everyone is calling you an arrogant prick etc. Yet persist he does. Good for him. And good for Saints. I’m proud he is our Manager and is sticking to his principles. I predict the time he gives up those principles- his main strength - and tries playing football likes he is told, Saints will have blown any chance of breaking this achievement stranglehold for another X years. Back to mediocrity and knowing our place.

I’ve got a feeling it’s sometimes quite related to whether the team is winning or losing. if yiu measured how long any team thats winning, especially last third of match spends in goal kicks I’d wager it’s significantly longer than same for team that’s losing.

I feel passionately that all Saints fans should support the team ( and that includes the Manager ) even more in the hard times than in the good. Growing up I always felt uncomfortable and mystified by “ glory hunter” supporters who revelled in winning everything ( you know- the Man Utd, Chelsea’s, Arsenals, Liverpools and nowadays Man City’s etc of this world) and who wore the shirts proclaiming allegiance. They, Incomprehensively to me, enjoyed the glory of winning trophies. But literally had no “ feeling” than that for their club. It was all about the prestige and bragging rights. I translated that in my young mind as “ if you support the right team it means you are a winner- successful- clever - and conversely “if you support the wrong team - a loser - failure- stupid.” That really got me in the core of my rebellious stomach. Consequently I never felt anything in common with those glory hunter people at all. My every sympathy and support was unerringly with the underdogs and often the sneered upon. Maybe my background as the son of immigrants to this country impacted that but all the same, where there was a little un against a big un I always knew where my support lay. One day I happened to chance upon some footage of Leeds United on TV humiliating this team called Southampton 7-0 playing “Ole” football. Even the commentators were smirking. Bastards! I hated it and I hated the commentary even more. Public humiliation was funny was it? That was when I first started to support Saints. Think it was 1973 or 1974. Fast forward what is it - over 50 years - and I realise I am an extremist - a partisan idealist when it comes to Saints ~ and it shows in my defence of team and manager from ( what I consider) unfair criticism. So there’s a few on hear prob get triggered into saying ever more unfair things about RM the Club, the players (and me) but you all ought to know that I’m 100% Saints wether it’s in National League or EPL , wether we win 1-0 or lose 10-0. My support transcends results because Saints have always represented far more to me than “ just “ a football team and a match result. So, if we end up ( predictably) losing today I will be cheesed off like everyone but the results will never change my attitude about Saints. And, this is my main point I guess, in Russell Martin I see someone with what to many seems a self destructive insistence on doing it his way and not Kow-towing to what everyone who knows better says he should do. It’s obstinacy by another word, doggedness another. Stupidity for some or even many. Fighting back against the status quo is a way I look at it. He fucking challenges most preconceptions of what’s winning football in the EPL right now. Will he succeed? Will he fail? I don’t really care - though obvs hope he succeeds. What matters is he - Saints - are resisting the prevailing paradigm and refusing to play the way they are supposed to. A big FU to all the glory hunters and a role model for those wishing to achieve in life- with honour and integrity, against the odds. That’s Saintly, for me. Don’t get why anyone would not want to support Saints who gets that. As for fan debates- criticise tactics yes- blow off steam yes - have a hate on a player or Manager if you must - but as for the critical underlying premise that Southampton Football Club represents? Support, Support, Support. 😇

Fairly wetting yer pants in joyous anticipation aren’t you, traitor.

Our next Manager.

Think your point about our attack being limp is accurate. Only Tyler seemed intent on getting around his player - but I guess that’s because he’s under special instructions s like Sam E was. The propensity to risk one on ones anywhere apart from penalty area/last third is not just a saints thing though. Seems to be a contagious thing and even when we get to last third it takes ages. It’s quite understandable ( though not pleasing on the eye) that a team founded on retaining possession chooses by default tactics which moderate loss of possession. I do think ( well I strongly hope!) in players such as Tyler and Mateus playing more often that will change. But it will be a slower process than many would like and it’s obviously RM’s judgement call.

Quite intrigued how such a clued up and experienced manager who some have suggested CDAJ for saints like Sean Dyche could not work out how to beat us easily by using a high press at selected trigger points. Was it because he only used his reserves? Surely tactics are tactics - Everton’s pressing was incoherent and frankly badly trained. THAT to me is a stark reason why they are bottom. Saints are supposedly an open tactical book - so that makes Sean Dyche some kind of football illiterate. Or maybe we are not so open a book and as easy to unlock after all? We just need two other illiterate football managers in our league to be safe. 😂

Sorry! 1. Les - Les Dawson. Rotund and usefully inappropriate .. 2. Mateus : Mateus Rose, chilled. 3. Tyler: Tyler Swift performs well on big stages) 4. THB : Thierry Henry’s Brother ( on loan from Goztepe) 5. Alex - Alex Stepney who could not save a shot at 12 mph from 49 yards out in 1976. 6. BBD : Big Bollox Dave - security detail 7. RF- unofficial Russian media outlet and very left wing. 8. MC - he’s a pretty famous veteran rapper we signed two windows back where were you in the 80’s and 90’s? 9. AA: takes 30 -60 minutes on average to arrive in the area. 10. AR : Sound saints fans make when wishing to imitate Hampshire farmers with whom they have no connection bar that one ancient song about strawberry growers. 12. KWP : big name financial accountancy group lots of money being discussed for Saints. 14. CT: scans the pitch looking for danger. Only currently used in emergency though - or cup games. HTH ( Harry The Horse - Harry the Dogs nephew now leading saints yoof) 😇😁

Few thoughts ; 1. Lallana was a class above everyone on pitch. His vocal leadership was just another excellent ( and necessary) added extra. He can do it all- makes himself available wherever and his ball receipt, control and release is invariably excellent. Knows when to be where and how to play wherever he is. Needs young strong legs (like Les) next to him to really make it work though. 2. Les is looking good to me. He feels reassuring like he will win most his 50-50’s in MF - which is not something I’ve always been used to. A starter for me v Ipswich. His physicality buys our other players extra milliseconds of time to make those special passes. 3. Mateus is a high ceiling attacking mf. Looks technically excellent clearly wants to get on with it and play progressive football. Speeds up our sometimes pedestrian game. 4. Just like Tyler - who is why you pay to watch Saints play. He is our great hope. Must be Starter v Ipswich. 5. The return of THB. So happy for him, the armband, the goal, the performance, the penalty, the win. Fair play mate after a bit uncertain start. Straight back into the team as starter on Saturday. 6. Thank you for the Pen save and the other good save Alex- BUT- their goal was all on you not clearing that corner. 7. BBD, RF, MC and AA - lot of running from AA and RF as usual but id like to think they all have more to give in terms of quality meaningful impact. No one really said I must start v Ipswich on those performances so I’d be tempted to go CA from the left RS central and AA from the right Saturday. 8. CT provided some quality balls and experienced know how. My suggested Team for Saturday(433) 1. AR 2. KWP 3. CT 4 JB 5. THB 6. LU 7. AA 8. FD 9. RS 10 TD 11. CA Nb KWP at left back.

No he is not. Simply applying derisory epithets to him does not help. He may not start at any other club - opinion- but in terms of an on pitch encouraging voice he happens to be the best we have got ( fact). The season we went down and the squad that RM inherited was notable for its relative meek natured silence on pitch. JS cannot do it alone but in that regard he is way better than the other skippers I can recall we have had in last year ; AA, AM and FD ( oh and Che at Gillingham!) Getting sent off and mouthing off is not clever but the guy has fight in him wearing our shirt our crest ffs and for that alone we should be more respectful.

Oh yes he is.

Fecking well is. Captain Hack is our leader!

Kinhell you got the SR hate bad 😂. Last season the “hipster “ manager got us promoted playing some of, at times, the most beautiful football we’ve seen Saints play in many years. Some of the goals were a delight. In trying to recreate that so far this season weve ducked up. We lost four in a row. 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 But your plan - which is essentially to start from scratch ditch the Manager and the coaching staff in favour of - blank- just anyone not hipster RM sounds more generic “that’s what clubs owners are supposed to do “in four match losing run “ than an actual plan. Indeed it’s the kind of thoughtless sort of action you’d criticise SR for because there’s no coherent plan behind it- like signing Tall Paul for instance. If only football were as easy as “ sack the manager and sack the owners” Saints are trying to do things there way despite all the odds against. They deserve our respect, at least, for that, They have that plus my support for what they are TRYING but currently Failing to do.Dont give up - don’t surrender 😇

Think you’re making too much out of it. One missed penalty and we can draw any number of bad conclusions- none necessarily correct - but most very liable to be interpreted through the dark prism that defeat always endows. It was not ridiculous to give our in form goal scorer the opportunity to take the pen. He missed - and RM has taken the blame like the man he is - but to draw conclusions about our future performances and RM “ management” from a missed pen is tenuous frankly. Would people be praising his excellent management if Archer scored? Of course not.

I’m not happy with losing every week @obelisk though if it’s me you are referencing - though I guess your comment was rhetorical. I do think first 30 was very good. First time this season I thought we are getting somewhere. If you think it was as shit as the other matches because ultimately we lost - youve got a fairly Uber pragmatic but rather one dimensional pov - ignore the perf just look at the points is pretty simple way to bash people like me up after that game - but in my eyes it’s more nuanced than that and this performance , set up, style, showed what’s still possible. Get rid of RM and it’s a fucking circus..

It was better than the Brentford and forest games. Yiu clearly don’t agree. There was improvement. You clearly don’t agree. Or more likely in your understandable upset at a bad loss you are just plain angry at everything. Most of us are as well. BUT - Team performance, player selection and formation tactics ARE heading in the right direction. Too slow? All that was really missing was the ball in the net from the penalty a 1-0 home win likely. But was not to be. As for pens- Come on man - our #1 pen taker off the pitch and you giving it large because his direct replacement took it and missed? It happens.

First 30 minutes was the best weve played all season. We outplayed Man Utd and should have gone in 1-0 up. My view is we can build on that first half hour. It was a massive improvement on Brentford and Forest albeit nil points nil goals. Anyone can’t/ won’t accept that but just wants to pull trigger on RM - I get it- fine - but no new manager comes with a points or goals scored or conceded guarantee - whereas that first 30 v a good team had promise for me and looked like something RM can build on. Frankly one bad pen miss and the match turned. Should not mean the entire fan base turns on RM. Obviously does to his detractors on here but I hope SR do not get swayed into binning him for another newbie or old timer and what will probably be season of managerial changes because we ARE favourites for relegation after all and when that’s ever more apparent later in year whoever has the misfortune to replace RM will get the same criticism once more from same people on here. Surely it makes more sense to back him and what we have seen improving in terms of starters - especially the new and the younger ones - and to give his new formation (s) and new player(s) time? Oh and stamping out the bad stuff?

I think that the formation will be fluid all match. Sometimes it will look like a back three others not. Pointing to what our starting line up is going g to be is a bit like that ( paraphrased) Mike Tyson line- “ everybody has got a plan until you get punched in the face” We may start back five but hyper aggressive- we may start with a back four more conservative. Depends on how much running our players do! I personally think player selection will be the clue as to starting intent. Hope it’s positively aggressive myself. NB prior to the Forest match I’d of grabbed a point all day long from this fixture. Losing to forest though has cheesed me off and I would like to see a reaction at home- and to go for the three points not like the stupid U formation thing of last home match.

One version might be : Ramsdale THB - JB - JS YS- AL - Flynn -Mat - KWP TD CA.

I think this set up would suit Saints. And the type of players we have. If you get to watch the highlights all the goals are very “ Saintsy”. It’s a 3-5-1-1 basically. Insert whoever players you like in it but I think it might be interesting…

Wonder if RM watched what a great job Italy just did on France. From being the most disappointing team at the Euros to an excellent demonstration from Luciano Spalletti of next generation football tactics. Im certain this match would have given Russ food for thought versus a full strength France team, at home. Italy, despite conceding yet another early goal ( 13seconds) won 1-3 and it could and probably should have been more. With players most of you have never heard of - though Tonali and Arsenals new boy Calafiori were excellent tbf. Italy played a kind of 3511 against one of the scariest teams in World Football - Mbappe & friends - and made them look impotent. I think it’s VERY well adapted to Saints and this season in the EPL. You get a chance watch the match. I’m sure Russell and his coaches will be studying it because it was a Masterclass. PS. Good article by the ever Italy enthused James Horncastle on the match and tactics in The Athletic if you’ve access. PPS: reason I’m even commenting on it is that Italy were so disappointing at Euros - bit like our start but - Spalletti did not get the sack and, well, his generally unheralded players gave him a result and a performance that’s incredible - Italy had not won in France since Julius Caesar times don’t think 😂. Of course it’s only Match Day one Nations League bollix - but it was France in France and that’s always going to be tough. So there’s hope for Saints yet!😇

Games til he gets sacked or inadequate points by when he gets sacked by is a morbid subject of discussion - perfect for many dark-humour loving Saints fans. 😈 Half sister to that narrative suggests these last three matches have taught many fans nothing they did not already know (and fear) about RM, the team and its ability in the EPL. He was not good enough he is still not good enough - to summarise it politely. Opinions do seem mixed though and there is still some belief (or vain hope) in some ( like me) that RM and team have learned and are learning valuable lessons the best way - through bitter experience. The (perhaps vain) hope is that, surely, avoidable mistakes can be better avoided and the less avoidable mitigated somehow by improved tactical set-ups, formation changes, replacing players, giving starlets and newbies a chance etc etc. All possible without unduly compromising PB footie principles. But there’s also a quite noisy school that fears he will never change and Saints be relegated with fewest points ever etc etc. What cannot be changed with a magic wand swapping out a few players and removing a CB or playing 3 forwards and so on is the squad and team morale or indeed the manager and coaches morale, ultimately everyone’s belief. If that goes it does not matter what formation or who starts we are beaten. I happen to believe this is our strong suit. Given the time and the support ( from us especially) I feel that the new team spirit and the bond between players and manager - and fans - developed only in last 12 months, could be massively influential this season. It could make a team and a club and a support that on paper might appear inadequate versus most the rest overcome and defy the bookies and the rest of those already having us down as relegated. Lose the fan support and it just makes it 10X harder - indeed I’d say impossible to stay up without SMS being at max positive volume for every home match and our excellent away fans doing there stuff on every trip. We have a fair chance IMO if those two happen and the team pick up results.