TheAlehouseBrawlers

He scored 4 goals in his first PL season and 5 in his last. Our new strikers have barely played that many PL games for us yet. Once the goals come it will breed confidence, Archer proved he's got an eye for goal and can finish in the cup game. Defensively it was a schoolboy show right at the end that cost us and it was gutting walking out of the stadium yesterday but it was better.

Tough game, we're both down there, win and we go above them. But they're a united club still on the crest of a wave of two successful promotion seasons and on the back of a good away point at Brighton last week. They'll fancy this one. We need to change the way we play to get anything from this, they'll press us aggressively and no doubt we'll make the usual mistakes if we don't. If we abandon RM's favoured tactic of slow possession, particularly in and around our own box, and find a bit more urgency then we have a chance. We really need to win this one. *one thing both clubs have in common, both lost 9-0 to Man Utd

I think a few that were against it from the start are a bit too keen to jump in and write it off straight away, it's that desire to shout 'I told you so'. A victory, even just a goal could change things. Fans wanted the Archers back from the aways back at the Dell as it was clearly the best area for creating atmosphere at the time, once it happened it wasn't an immediate success. The stewards/OB were continually forcing fans to sit but one night against Newcastle everyone suddenly stood (and never sat down again) when we needed to get back into the game against Newcastle and the volume went through the roof. And we came from behind to win that match under Bally. It was a decent ‘end’ after that.

No doubt about it, big game, three points a must to kick-start our season. Crowd really need to step up, let's do our bit. Bring the noise.

I think people are forgetting how poor the atmosphere has been at St Mary's for many seasons even with home fans either side of the aways. It's a bit like when a (often average) player is out injured for a while but suddenly becomes the answer to all our problems on the pitch. That playoff game suggested what it could be like but with promotion we've now got an even more limited 'playlist'. I think a lot of it is down to the fact this new set-up hasn't even witnessed a goal yet, let alone a win. It wasn't exactly a united wall of singing against Forest but it was pretty good at the start, the shit being watched on the pitch eventually killed any enthusiasm, had we scored early that day then this discussion may not have been taking place. We're still too limited on decent chants though.

Are these two related….? https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyl0xnrynzo https://www.bbc.co.uk/hampshire/content/articles/2007/03/20/ted_bates_statue_feature.shtml 😄

I don’t think anyone has ridiculed him tbf, it’s just the ridiculous situation and the gamble the club took for a position that needed filling immediately. I would also think that every Saints fan hopes he will be a big success, maybe in a week or two……………..

I think Mr Farmer is in East Sussex, signal strengths... https://www.signalchecker.co.uk/east-sussex

I’d think Lallana would be an arm-around-the-shoulder kind of manager, he’d almost certainly need a Sammy Lee-type alongside him for the more gnarlier stuff.

It would be interesting to see a compiled list of all those posters calling for his head after 3 games, I would think it would be a relatively short list tbh. He’s yet to put out our best starting XI and hopefully he will address our obvious problems in and around our own penalty area but the concern is understandable.

From what I read the vast majority of posters are not calling for the manager’s head after 3 games at all and just reacting to what’s happening on the pitch in the here and now. Many are saying that they hope it changes/adapts to better suit this league, if little changes the outcome is inevitable. I hope and actually believe it will for the better once the new additions are embedded (and with less fannying around at the back 😉)

It's been glaringly obvious that the club have had one or two log-ins on this site over the years so someone far more superior to us lesser mortals can pop on to put us right when there's rumblings in the ranks. They'll comment on little else.

Where is the Loch Ness Drogba, Where is the Loch Ness Drogba, Where is the Loch Ness Drogba, Where is the Loch Ness Drogba, Where is the Loch Ness Drogba, Where is the Loch Ness Drogba......................

I once saw us play Vancouver Whitecaps at the Dell with (bizarrely) Jimmy Greaves making a guest appearance for the Saints. Think we must have drawn as I seem to recall a US style shoot-out at the end. Must be well over 40 years ago.

I assume the work permit refusal is a Portuguese thing (not sure how these things work) rather than a European thing if not an issue in the Netherlands or Turkey. I guess Tall Paul will likely follow out the door last minute too.

Forest at home was disappointing, an anti-climax, we were fucking dire. Spirits were lifted at Cardiff, it was entertaining albeit against a lower side’s B-team and we could easily have lost it before the 2 late goals. But we had a striker who hit the net twice (he’s certainly starting at Brentford…), Fernandes was excellent and withdrawn early (he’s another one) and Big Les was surely starting alongside Downes. That was probably most fans thinking. Cue Saturday and we get the same starting line-up as the Forest debacle,,,and same mistakes…knocked back before we’d even started. RM says he won’t change the way we play, every other PL side must be saying “thank you very much, you’re making it very easy for us”. Russ may love it that the players are sticking to his principles with all this possession and passing (until pressed) and may very well dismiss fan criticism as what-do-they-know but he’s got ex-pro pundits calling out his tactics each week, can his assistant coaches not see where this is heading? If you’ve got £40-50m players in every position you can get away with it but that rules out 75% of the PL I like the fella, hope he changes it.

Just one Cornet ohhhh Give it to me Just keep on scoring For SFC 🍦🥴 Good signing this one, remember him ripping us up at St Mary’s last time in PL

Pedro Kay apparently...

It does sound like Arsenal want Garcia, probably just each waiting for the others knees to buckle so likely go til late in the day. I don’t think Ramsdale would have gone straight in tomorrow anyway whether signed/registered in time or not. Couple of weeks on the training field and then baptism of fire at home to Man U.

To be fair, that’s a bigger fan club than we’ve got in Salt Lake City, Utah

Ah, you got that stream as well....remember us playing well first half in the league there last season, hopefully we don't get a repeat of the second half this time. Gotta be happy with that show despite level of opposition.

So, was anyone at the Joiners 'that night'........................................?

Are we the only ground in the country that can sell-out a month in advance and so turn many more away from being able to buy tickets, yet still have the same empty seats (particularly at the front of the Itchen) every home game?

There was always going to be teething problems with so many changes, although as far as I could see the new QR code tickets worked well, these will sort themselves out over the next few home games. I think fans coming out of the Northam will realise turning right out to Britannia Road and walking up to Northam Road and going left over the railway bridge won't be much different to the time it takes queuing to get over the footbridge. I'm still reading one or two bemoaning the loss of the Itchen North crowd and being forced into the Northam for safe standing, there was an option. Some safe-standing is available in the KIngsland North (Block 38), you could have done your thing there. I also noticed Saturday that there was still fans joining in the singing in blocks 1-3 and I think they were still anticipating some standing towards the back as the Corp boxes were boarded off in that area. Maybe they could have just remained there.

Hi Jeyyy, Great that you're coming over, hopefully the club will arrange tickets for you if you haven't already sorted them as the game is already heading for a sell-out a month in advance. Southampton is a port city, more industrial than a tourist destination, so not exactly the most gripping of cities. It's most famous for its docks and the many famous liners that sail from here, they'll likely be some in port during your visit. The Titanic sailed from here and of the 1,500 lost in the tragedy about half came from Southampton who were working below decks. We have the Sea City Museum at the Civic Centre that recounts our maritime history. If you're possibly into aviation, Southampton is the home of the Spitfire, the Supermarine factory was bombed in WWII, as was much of the city, and there's the Solent Sky Air Museum situated near Ocean Village which is a recommended destination with plenty of places to eat and drink around a marina (and about a 1.5km walk to the stadium). Both museums are smallish venues. Not sure if that would interest 15 and 16 year old boys, they can go in pubs but can't (officially) drink alcohol until 18. They'll probably enjoy the fanzones at the stadium on matchday. 12 miles north of Southampton is the historic city of Winchester, a very nice place to visit, about 15-20 minutes on the train from Southampton Central. We're also about 70 miles from Central London, an hour or so by train. There's a massive shopping mall called Westquay so maybe hide the credit cards from your boys! Hopefully helps a bit, I'm sure others will chip in with better ideas. Edit: Just remembered the Southampton International Boat Show will be on while you're here if you like to see how 'the other half' live, maybe worth a visit. Held at Mayflower Park near Westquay.