Saint_John

Totally clueless from MP2. The opposition make 2 changes on the 61min replacing a full back and a wide player with 2 central players who will make runs into our box. MP2 just stands and watches the opposition change their game plan. Within 3 mins of coming on one of those new players makes a run unchallenged to the dead ball line and crosses with easy. MP2 still doesn't change the setup of Saints, does he expect the players to sort it out for themselves ?

If we sack him now all we will get is Black, which with his track record (Relegation and Relegation) it will be worse. What the "Management Team" need is somebody with a tactical understanding of the game. When Ronald was here it was accepted that it was him brother Edwin that provided that. MP1 has his assistant (Jesus Perez) to give technical advise. Even nice Nigel used Andy Crosby for advise. The problem for me is that MP2 has nobody in the coaching team to give advice, there seems to be a lot of "it my job to put out the cones" type of coaches. (I wonder what they are looking at on their laptops and tablets during games, is it porn movies ? or are they logon to Saintsweb to see if the fans have any technical advice for the manager?)

Any news on the injuries : Cedric and Ryan ? We have one of the biggest games of the season coming next week and we need both to be available. (IMO the Manager needs to go but the 3pts next week are more important)

TOP POST. It is funny how those (non ?) Saints supporters who keep suggesting selling him and buying somebody else but NEVER SAY who they would buy and whether they are available in this window. We are in a relegation battle along with all the non-top6 sides this season. Only a side asking to be relegated sells ONE of their best players in Jan. And for those suggesting he played poorly the other night I was there and there for the full 90 mins and there were at least 8 others who were far worst i.e. Tadic, Boufal, Lemina, Romeu, Cedric, etc etc but the worst performance came from the Manager.

Exactly, imo it was a clear deliberate stamp he isn't even looking at the ball only VvD foot. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xED1143RMcI but we should wait until late in the game before taking kicking him (but tell him during the game that he is going to get a good kicking before the 90mins are up)

Even the Saints Highlights of the game didn't show it !! (imo that is poor Saints) I was directly behind the goal and Boufal was NOT passing the ball, he attempted to dribble the ball towards the RIGHT of Arsenal player and the left back deflected the ball in the other direction straight to CA on the left. It was NOT a pass, and I would also have liked to see it again, but I didn't expect anything other than a decision to arse from Madley (94th min soft pen last season up there when a player is lying with a head injury directly in front of Forster- he should have stopped play then instead he gave a soft pen as soon as the ball was kicked into our box).

Keep him. He should only be allowed to go in the summer for a figure in excess of £70m. (please stop quoting that cut price figure of 50 that is planted in the press by the bin dippers)

Does anyone know who does what in the coaching setup - Carlos Compagnucci (Assistant Manager) - Xavier Tamarit (Assistant 1st team Coach) - Eric Black (Senior 1st Team Coach) I know Xavier has written a book on coaching but who out of the above gives advise to MP2 before and during games. I.e. The opposition have changed to 3-5-2 at h/t should we match up ? (wba) ; the opposition have just brought on 2 forwards for the last 15 mins should we change to stop them becoming a threat ? (burnley) . Don't play with the ball on the edge of our box because the opposition look to "press in that area" and nick the ball. Who gives MP2 technical advise on whether we should play 4-2-3-1 or 3-5-2 ? and explains their role to the players. Who should be telling Redmond that he should be playing 15-20 yds in from the touchline so that (1) he is closer to the lone striker ? and (2) he is not blocking Ryan's overlaps by sitting in his deck-chair on the touchline watching the game go by ?. My question really is ; What roles do Carlos, Xavier and Eric have at the club?

I've voted out because he is TACTICALLY CLUELESS about (1) how to set the team up to get lots of players into the opposition box or (2) how to stop the opposition playing i.e. 3 tight central midfielder against liverpoo to stop them playing as we did last year. But I am concerned with who takes over. I fear that Les would just appoint Black, and a few months later nothing will really change and the Black Out campaign will start.

IMO England will only take 2 left backs to the world cup next summer and there are a lot of good LBs around. Now is not the time to be playing at his "best" and being "burn out" come March/April. The 2 that go will be decided around the Feb/Mar/April time. (If I remember correctly, in the past England have taken players (midfield ?) to the w/c who have been Motm in the Cup Final and done very little before that). IMO there are 6 possible LBs for England Rose - out injured at the moment, but was in the PFA's Team of the year for the last 2 season. Cresswell - good delivery into the box but is often found out when defending. Shaw - If he leaves united in Jan I can see him having a strong second half of the season and if he returns to his Saints form he could go to the wc. Gibbs - was playing for England in the last couple of years and left Arsenal to play more first team football to put him in with a chance of going. For me he didn't stand out last week but it is a long season and could improve. Young - For me he has been playing really well for united this season at LB and England may take him as the 2nd LB because he could also play as a winger. At the moment Ryan is in the first 2, but it is a long season and the ones that are playing well after xmas will be the ones that will go, if he looks "burn out" then one of the others could well overtake him.

It appears that the Big6 and their lackey (scudamore) have lost / given up trying to get the 14 votes they need. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41734454 Well done Saints for being in the "against" camp. Perhaps the 14 should have a vote of "NO confidence" in the lackey now, he appears to be only interested in the Big6.

BT Sports who showed the match yesterday have put up a 3 min highlights. http://sport.bt.com/highlights-southampton-1-0-west-brom-91364222685109 Boufal goal starts at 2:11 and the commentator for BT Sports says "LEMINA has done well to get away from Nyom........he might go all the way LEMINA......... some run still LEMINA" It is not until the replays that he says Boufal. I suppose one African looks like another to BT Sports

and by booing him it makes it MORE likely he leaves in Jan, which is exactly what his Agent wants. By ignoring his comments or giving him a polite round of applause means the Agents plan will fail. Remember we have had only one article from Saints since the close of the Transfer Window http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/09/01/virgil-van-dijk-staying-put-southampton-shows-saints-sticking/ which contains the following

I hope we never buy their GK , 1st and 2nd goals !!

There is a good article in the Torygraph that sounds imo as if it has come straight from Ralph or Les http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/09/01/virgil-van-dijk-staying-put-southampton-shows-saints-sticking/ The most important paragraph for me that should be read by all "bin dippers" and the other non-Saints supporters on here :-

IMO I thought with Sweden shock defeat yesterday their chances have improved slightly. They now have HOME games against both their rivals Bulgaria and Sweden, win both and they could/will be 2nd and into the Playoffs in Nov. Sweden (13pts), Bulgaria (12pts) Holland (10pts)

IMO the atmosphere at St Marys will be VERY TOXIC against Les / Ralph if they give in now. That will overflow to MP and the players on the pitch which will bring back memories of the anti-Lowe days of 2006. How many remember that 2-0 defeat against Ipswich (I think) where suddenly in the 80th min without creating a chance in the match the whole of the ground including "middle-England" fans stood up and demanded that Lowe left the club.

Be careful those who want to do a deal with Chelski. If we change the "status" of the player from "Not For Sale" we INVITE the bin dippers back in. As I understand it they cannot make an offer for him in this window while the our stance remains the same, if we change it they can. It is interesting that the amount in the papers is the exact amount that the bin dippers want to pay and not the £75m we value him at. IMO this all smacks of desperation from the Agent, who come 1st Sept may well be out of a job, or will struggle to get more clients if things stay the same.

Saints Player is showing the 2nd half https://southamptonfc.com/news/2017-07-29/live-saint-etienne-southampton-pre-season-friendly

Somebody (manure fan ?) staying at the same Hotel as Saints in France has posted some clips from Saints training (more detail than the OS) and he asked MP about VvD He replies were "I was in Southampton's training camp. Pellegrino told me: "Van Dijk will stay." and "For your information, he repeated "Van Dijk will stay" twice." https://twitter.com/VintageRomelu

If we starting talking to other sides (Chelski, Man City etc) we will also invite them in. I think the PL told them last time that they would be charged if they made another attempt to sign him in this window, hence the Liverpoo Echo article is really saying they are afraid of the PL actions, not us. Yesterdays rumour (Tom) that he was considering other sides is also part of the same plot to try and get other sides to get Saints to change their "Not for Sale" stance. I.e. if we suddenly received a £80m offer from another side suddenly that would be matched by the bindippers (£20m cash plus their £60m rated Sakho (real value £18-20m)) and the player will ONLY choose one side.

IF they win their next game (31 Aug) they could be top of their group. If we keep VvD training on his own without any playing time I don't see him playing in that game. Saints MUST stay strong on this and keep him. otherwise if they give in it could be followed by others (e.g Ryan)

Daniel Geey (Football Law) says they are still in place https://twitter.com/FootballLaw/status/887597693392084992 Some of the comments about MS article :- " Terrible article!",.... "just a tad strange that the premise of the piece is that the rules have ended.".... "Kenwright's mate Samuel, deflecting blame towards UEFA"......"He used to be an interesting and relevant journalist but now just bizarre and pointless"...."Thanks for clearing that up Daniel. Deliberate misinformation. Bizarre piece"

It is a W/C year and Holland are currently 3rd in their group 3pts behind France & Sweden. They have to play France at the end of August (31st) after Saints have played 3 league games and a few weeks later they play Sweden. IMO if he is sulking or training with the reserves he probably won't get picked to play against France and I would expect some of the other Dutch players to be giving him stick for putting their w/c interests at risk.

Remember this is the same Agent that Les had a run in with last summer. The story I was told goes that after "the lying dutchman" verbally agreed a £3m a year deal and went on holiday only to return with this new agent, who told Les that Everton were willing to offer £7m and that he wanted £4.5m a year to stay at Saints. Les said no and the offer was still £3m a year. The Agent then said that his client would see out his final year of a contract and then leave and take players with him. Les again called his bluff and said he would be put on "gardening leave" for his final year. I don't see Les giving way this year to the same agent. it's becoming a matter of principle.