Golac's Cunning Stunts

Is it something to do with grass not growing on well beaten paths? 🙂 If not, do tell, I could do with a laugh and the mods round here are non existent compared to the old days

What else do we want? What a stupid question. off the top of my head - to win more than 1 game in 13 to have a manager who doesn't make ridiculous team selections to have a manager who makes sensible in-game tactical adjustments To have a team that doesn't concede so many goals and to not always be worried the team are going to ship an embarrassing shed load of goals to have a flexible manager who is able to set the team up for success according to the opponents we are playing to start enjoying being a saints fan again

Ralph will soon set him straight

ballball was some of the best football I ever saw saints play...at least when Alan was on th field playing it 🙂

I agree a lot of that is Pony. Regarding Ralph - I don't think for one minute he is deliberately throwing matches. I think he is so lost and clueless how to turn things round that it just appears that way. Personally, I think part of the problem stems from all the drubbings and sizeable losses he has had during his tenure. He's now scared to deploy full Ralphball any more and we end up with a halfway house of ralphball paired with Southgateball. Difference being, England have far better players to play 3 at the back etc

How people can defend the muppet with stats like that is beyond me

Just what mlg loves. I think the saying is don't wrestle a pig, you get dirty and the pig likes it

I think we would actually be better with no manager than with our current clown. I reckon the players would do a better job sorting out the tactics amongst themselves!

Still thinking Valery is looking very good? And Bednarek not as bad as last year? And expecting our clown manager to change his tactics?

yep agreed. Lyanco would be a liability

Wouldn't it also have FFP implications? Not to mention being lumbered with a massively high earner and not being able to bring in others because of it

Wouldn't it also have FFP implications? Not to mention being lumbered with a massively high earner and not being able to bring in others because of it

This isn't a negative post, but genuinely interested - which teams do you think are definitely worse than us? Bompey, Fulham... then there are a bundle of clubs who look to be about our level. We'll see how Forest do. They might do fairly well (ie finish above bottom 3). Perhaps Brighton and Palace might not do as well as last season... interested in how you think we match up with these clubs as those are the ones we will be fighting for survival

hmm I think it's pushing things a little far to say Valery looked 'very good' He gets caught wrong side too much for my liking Remind me who was responsible for the late season tactics you describe as gung ho and half arsed? I believe that man is still in charge... I hope we're not looking at finishing fourth bottom as optimistic 🙂

me too

If you do the fantasy football, load up on spurs players I reckon

Get the excuses in early mate

If you only got nuance, sarcasm, the idea that nothing in the world is black or white but shades in between, this forum would be a better place

That does sound painful!

Someone on the game thread was saying he is a very good centre back. He isn't. And you're right - he gets wrong side a lot and that will get punished in the prem.

What, having a run out in a friendly is going to overload them? meh

Yes, why not? At least I expected to see the 1st choice start the game. How else will they gel, get confidence etc?

I agree with your overall point that we will never be in a position to make risk free signings, if there even is such a thing. Still think signing youth team players is a higher risk than signing the players being discussed above. It is the way of things: The rich teams get richer, more successful, more dominant. The rest of the league need to come up with a strategy that gives them some sort of edge and I'm happy that our owners and management have one and are going to give it a go, so no complaints - just hope it will pay off.

Not going to argue with you. The point I was making is they were all doing well in some of the top leagues in Europe (not sure how you rate the Dutch league as 8-10th level btw) as opposed to basically doing well in youth leagues.

"For Oriol playing as a six is a little difficult because he’s not such a holding midfielder, he likes to go everywhere," Hasenhuttl said, speaking after Southampton's goalless draw with Watford on Saturday. "This is the reason why I tried to bring in more up front. I know he’s not the quickest one in this position but he knows how to score goals in this area and it’s one of the things that we’ve tried and it worked quite well."