lambtiss

It isn't, but a new manager would probably want to avoid this match as his first fixture. Hence, appointment after the City match

Bit left-field that one ..

I'm assuming RM's training regime prioritises retaining possession. That is probably not going to help with fitness. It would explain why we let leads slip in the 2nd half of matches.

So what did Google come up with?

It was a tactical gamble that backfired Surely, the better choice would have been to replace the left full back we had lost (KWP) with another full back (Taylor) rather than a winger who is out of both form and match practice. Combined with the unjustifiable replacement of Fernandes with another player short of form and match fitness in Smallbone, the surrender of a 2 goal lead is on Martin. Similarly, Dibling was replaced by a third player who is short of form (a whole season) and match practice in Sullemana. Three poor subs which weakened us whereas Fatawa strengthened Leicester City

You must have watched a different game to me. I thought Lallana was class against Ipswich. He is the one player we have that can control the pace of a game.

Your point being?

Just when you thought it couldn't get any more embarrassing, even Roy Cropper taking the piss ... https://x.com/awaydays_/status/1847687842362733031?s=48&t=Ll4_R0i8BeBKwwtE8XHBxA

Called it

Sorry to hear that. Let's hope your return is rewarded with a Saints win.

I know exactly what you mean, but I think he will be sacked before the next international real if results don’t improve

I think you may well be right. I have a sneaky feeling that the next international breakwill be the next decision point. Unless, that is, we either have an embarrassing defeat or it's clear that he has lost the dressing room.

I have heard that nothing is happening until, at the very earliest, the Leicester match.

This doesn't make any sense to me at all, I believe that Russ is going nowhere at the moment. Let's see ..

Who is that then?

That doesn’t make any sense though. Surely, nobody (even Saints) would have taken the decision to sack a manager and then wasted a week until a charity match was over to actually sack them. Especially, as Russ could have still had the charity match anyway. The only reason that I can think of is that a manager that Saints wanted had agreed terms?

Yeah, fekin Starmer🤣

He obviously saw how well it worked for Saints against Bournemouth

I would be very happy with Graham Potter as a manager; I just think he will be aiming higher now.

I doubt that anyone anticipated anything other than a tough season and, as you say, most of us were very happy when the approach became more pragmatic at the end of the season with a commensurate uplift in performance and results. However, I don't believe this was intentional pragmatism, it was simply fortuitous after Bazunu's injury forced RM's hand. What has frustrated me this season is, as you say, knowing how difficult this season would be and having seen the benefits of pragmatism at the end of last season, RM seemed completely oblivious and reverted to type with the same risky, slow, possession-based football against better opponents with better players. This is why I have flipped my support for RM, he doesn't seem to have learned and is not setting the team up to have the best opportunity to get results in the toughest league of all. They say that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, and based upon that definition this club is currently insane. Your depiction of Saints fans as fickle is unfair. The reason that the majority has lost belief in RM is not the mistakes that he makes but the lack of willingness to learn from them, indeed, to repeat them over and over again. Personally, I feel his approach has definitely cost us points this season. The opening day fixture is an obvious example, conceding a ridiculous goal from risky possession at the back leading to a mistake and a gifted goal against a team with 10 men on the pitch. Do I think RM could have avoided some of those losses if he had been more pragmatic, as at the end of last season, yes I do. But his failure to do so leaves me frustrated, time and time again. If he is unwilling to try a different approach then we need a manager who will.

Nailed it 😂

The thing for me is many of the examples of Russ "learning" are mostly accidental. For example, the only reason we tightened uo at the back and played less possession at the back was because Bazunu got injured, not because Russ realised that Mccarthy was a better keeper. Similarly, Russ didnt put our best CB pairing together last season when we embarked upon our long not losing streak, it was because Stephens got injured. In fact, as soon as Stephens was fit, Russell's desperation to shoehorn him back into the team caused disruption and some confused performances. Again, this season Russ didnt spot the potential usefulness of Tall Paul. His hand was forced by the injury to Stewart, who, with his injury record was rushed back too soon and is now injured again. At the first opportunity, Russ resorts to his Plan A, demonstrating that he hasnt learned at all. For example, after tightening up the defence to get through the playoffs he reverted to type straightaway in the Premier League, resulting in numerous errors that have lost us 6 matches. Rant over 😂

Only if he was successful, which would be fine.

I agree that TP looks much more of a goal threat than Ross, so surely He should have started ahead of Ross, with Ross coming on as a sub while building up his fitness. Assuming the idea was to have a tall CF who could act as a longer ball outlet and hold the ball up to release the Arsenal pressure, he should have replaced Ross rather than coming on at the tail end of the game.

I couldn't agree more. The problems always start at the top.