Chewy

I noted this quote with interest: “I enjoy working with him, I am learning every week. Every game is different, every approach, and all the tactics are different.”

Ross Stewart is perfectly suited - “do you mind if I sit this one out, boss”

It’s a tough one. On the one hand I really think some perspective is needed here. Talk of our proud history etc is a bit OTT. We’ve been through worse and been through far darker times. We’ve also won one serious trophy ever. I’m not sure having an arrogant and thick manager (infuriating as it is) is worthy of a concerted protest movement. I’m also conscious of the impact it has on the players - for example what the hell has Dibling done to deserve playing in a toxic environment. I didn’t boo on Wednesday because a large portion of the team actually acquitted themselves well and were not why we lost so humiliatingly. And rightly or wrongly, the majority of the players seem to like RM; publicly slating him is going to cause a divide between the fans and some players and I don’t think that’s healthy. On the other hand, the message does have to get through to the hierarchy somehow. The current predicament is 2+ years in the making and is frankly down to the board (Ankerson?) and primarily their horrific recruitment of both players and managers. And it isn’t improving. If there is to be a target it needs to be the board - they need to feel the pressure. I don’t think staying away is realistic - you won’t convince enough of the fan base to engage to the level it makes an impact. Crowd chants can work as it doesn’t need anywhere like the same numbers to be really loud, or to commit to anything as drastic as avoiding a game in order to participate. A few thousand people singing sack the board for 20 minutes, childish as it sounds, is probably more impactful than most other activities. It doesn’t harm the players, doesn’t target RM so doesn’t give him yet another excuse. And if it’s done on a TV game it gets a very wide audience. Remember what our owner does for a living - I presume he believes in the power of TV. Its not much but in fairness I don’t think our current ‘plight’ is really deserving of a march with banners, a picket line, a mass sit-in (or a mass sit-out) etc. The board are a bunch of imbeciles and loudly telling them (and anyone else who’s tuning in) is probably the right response for the moment

I’d like Rohl personally. I mean, I’d really like Potter but don’t see it happening. I’d be happy with Cooper. I’d be ok with Moyes (no one is saving this season so not sure I see the point in an arch pragmatist now). But I think Rohl is equipping himself really well, has a connection, no baggage and is attainable. On the face of it his current clubs predicament is far more attractive to ours, but Sheff Weds are skint, have a bonkers owner (yes yes, I know…) and he’s probably getting them as far as he possibly can. Whereas whatever happens between now and August we’re still likely to be one of the favourites and biggest clubs in next years championship, with one of the biggest budgets. We will be an attractive proposition for someone like him offering a very realistic chance of being a premier league manager the following season.

I’ll be honest, I didn’t expect any points before I went last night. But even so, that shit-show was far beneath anything any of us deserved to witness. The board, RM and our captain should be utterly ashamed. we were 3-1 down before Jack’s latest pathetic childish act, so any talk of it changing the game is nonsense. We had played well and were probably the better side until their second but after that the heads dropped. That was when the game was done. On 16 minutes the game was done. Due to our complete inability to protect our goal. And this is entirely on RM. We don’t have a set-piece coach because presumably we don’t bother practicing them. Why else would we be so utterly incompetent at both attacking and defending set pieces. Statistically we’re dreadful; in person it’s laughably bad. And it doesn’t matter what choice keeper plays, if we insist on having our risky passing to break the press within 25 yards of our goal we will continue to concede a lot of goals. Statistically we are the worst. Statistically RMs teams concede shed loads of goals. It’s a fucking fact. It’s also patently obvious. The players we have doing this are Centre backs and keepers, who aren’t our best passers. Added to which, all footballers make mistakes, misplace passes, lose possession. It has always and will always happen. However, If the possession and ball are nowhere near our goal, it’s less likely to result in a goal-scoring chance. And yet all we hear is how it’s not the system, it’s just individual errors. Utter cr4p. It doesn’t matter if it’s our 1st or 4th choice keeper - we offer up freebies in every singlee game. Football is hard enough, especially at this level, without gifting goals. I actually like some of our attacking play. But we can not continue with a footballing philosophy that is so defensively inept. He has to go. And if he has to go, it ought to be done immediately. Jack Stephens is an utterly pathetic bellend. And all of this - relegation 2 years ago, cluster-fuck recruitment of players and horrific managerial appointments - is on the board. What a disgrace.

You don’t want to see the inside story on how saints revolutionized football and secured world domination? It’ll be a must watch, you mark my words.

He didn’t cost much and hasn’t had much opportunity in his best position but … and I only say this knowing you live miles away so can’t easily attend games … if you saw him in the flesh I think you might be less sympathetic. Bit like Mara - maybe it’s his natural demeanor but he looks epically lazy and disinterested. Not just slightly, but massively. I remember a particular moment v Man U, he needed to bust a gut to get in the box and he broke into a slow jog. I can’t be doing with that. At his price it’s nowhere near the worst business we’ve done and he might be right in the championship but his attitude needs to improve significantly. ArmA is also championship standard but at least he continues to work his socks off.

Sugawara passed it forward twice, once for the goal and once later on which caused RM to have a tantrum on the touchline because we lost the ball. He mentioned it later in an interview, how we didn’t get the ball back for 6 minutes even though the crowd cheered it. Id be amazed if Suga isn’t dropped altogether. I hope RM isn’t quite that petty but have my suspicions.

This place … still, only 9 months until the new season when things will finally start looking up and everyone will be in a better mood. So chin up everyone, it’s not long now

Just trying to follow the logic here … we had to spend 50m to stand still. So without promotion we wouldn’t have had that 50m and would have gone backwards. Let alone having money to spend on Adams’ and KWP’s replacements (year early as it turned out for KWP). And getting promoted was contrary to what’s best for the long-term plan of the club? Your argument/scenario is fundamentally flawed. PSL does have an impact, and maybe the club’s spending is restrained this season by PSL. But PSL is ongoing and is very dependent on income, which is massively enhanced by being in the premier league. Added to which the club publicly stated their ambition to immediately return with promotion. You are talking arse. The club wanted promotion, needed it just to stand still as you’ve stated yourself so to argue promotion was an unhappy accident is plainly boll0cks. BTW - where have I got angry and taken the p1ss out of Rasmus? I mean, he is horrific, clueless and totally out of his depth, dabbling in an industry he knows nothing about. But not sure I’ve been previously vocal about that? Please feel free to quote me and show otherwise.

In simple terms, with PSR being an ongoing issue, where in the world does getting millions and millions of extra income from being in the premier league this season equate to being worse for the long-term of the club than not having that money. Even under this bunch of cretins I can hardly see them thinking “well that’s our plans f***ed, we’ve got millions more to play with than we planned for.” Although, maybe that’s why they spaffed a few million on BBD, Wood, Edwards, Archer and Cornet. Just trying desperately to get rid of all the horrible unwanted extra cash. Or maybe you’re talking rubbish 🤷🏻‍♂️

I appreciate it’s all a bit irrelevant as a) we’ll bravely lose and b) no one can pick what the tombola will decide, but any thoughts on a team? I assume Ramsdale, Bednarek and Lallana are all out along with Smallbone. I also gather Ross Stewart is a couple of weeks away. Stephens will obviously be there to lead Ross’ charges, displaying bravery and ineffectiveness in equal measure. I guess something like McCarthy KWP THB Stephens Manning Aribo Downes Fernandes Dibling Armstrong Fraser some odd choices but I’m trying to second guess the weirdness. Could just as easily see Bree, Larios or Taylor randomly played. Who knows, maybe BBD? Been a while since we last saw quite how inexplicably immobile and sh1t he is. Whatever happens, we’ll get two out of the following three: bravery, possession, points. Wonder which 2

Whitesplaining … And anyway, there’s no jungle in Kenya, just Savannah, mountains and lakes. And some blokes with huge c0cks.

Not true or fair - Onuachu immediately indicated he needed to come off. I would happily see RM sacked but I don’t see the point in making stuff up to criticize him about

But it’s not true, is it. Factually there were some cheers, but it wasn’t all 30,000 was it. Way to insult a bunch of people for doing nothing. I assume he didn’t at the same time criticize his captain for wasting the entire final minute with his idiotic challenge and spat with Salah? Thought not. Pick on the fans as a soft touch no matter how unreasonable. Secondly, if we can’t gain a ball back after 6 minutes maybe something is wrong with packing the team full of backwards passers rather than anyone who can press or tackle? Not that it was 6 minutes obviously. Thirdly, assuming he’s talking about Suguwara’s punt up the touchline when he was surrounded by 4 Liverpool shirts (you could see him having a tantrum at him on the touchline) it was the right f*cking decision anyway. He could have pulled off the hugely risky pass and got us up to the dizzy heights of the halfway line I guess but it was 90% odds we lost the ball in a dangerous position and conceded another good chance. There are times to risk it, but even in the last 10 minutes there are times you clear your lines. Maybe that is a bizarre British mentality. Or maybe the vast majority of us have watched enough football to have a vague idea of what is likely to be successful and know this isn’t it. And maybe it’s my British mentality that can see through the utter drivel he talks, time and again. I didn’t cheer the clearance, BTW. When the ref went over to book one of his coaching staff (don’t think it was RM but might have been) I noticed RM continued the argument with the 4th official to the point he wasn’t looking at the game when it restarted. Sums him up - completely futile, unproductive, childish, ineffective behaviour to make himself feel better, while ignoring his bl00dy job. His behaviour, is egotistical and unproductive His football is egotistical and unproductive As a football manager he is egotistical and unproductive.

I can’t believe they’re allowed to show this before the watershed. It’s unsuitable for children and anyone of a nervous disposition. Surely Bree, Manning, Suga, the tea lady … anyone would make more sense v Salah? When he played there v Leicester he had the worst 10 minutes of his professional career against a kid. Salah is the best right winger in the world. I guess I have to hope but f*** me that’s as insane a line-up as the one v AFCB. We’ll do well to only be 3 down at the break. As for the subs bench … 9 spaces, two right backs, one left back and no centre back. Ok then. I really do hope I'm proved completely wrong but I suspect after this afternoon I’ll feel like I’m done with Saints until he’s gone. I can accept losing, I struggle to accept capitulation via insane and idiotic decisions.

I’d agree. I think there’s a player in there, especially as a traditional, more destructive dm. It’s why he’s currently excelling. Bring him back and he’ll either be played out of position or asked to do things he’s not entirely equipped to do, which is what happened last season. It’ll damage his confidence and stunt his development. Ideally he returns, with a new manager, and develops into a solid dm for us. I think he could be very good. Next best thing is he does get a move that develops him and returns our investment. Bringing him back now under RM would be a bad option IMHO

Jesus Christ - after nearly two weeks of dreading this, I’ve just started to muster a tiny bit of enthusiasm for what I’m about to endure and then hear we’re going to try and win by being brave, aggressive and sticking to the plan. This is going to be horrible, isn’t it?

A classic case of someone not reading the comment they’re reacting to properly. I didn’t say he was better, I said they’re all sub-standard. But, IMHO, at least Edozie has the potential to get better. FWIW i think Fraser is probably the best but his form is off and I’m concerned his legs are going. Then, insanely, I’d probably rate Manning next best, but only because BBD and Sulemana are beyond atrocious. I’d honestly rather see Moi back than play either of those. And like everyone else I have no idea if Cornet is any good. He did have a good game v us for Burnley about 3 years ago but nothing since then so I’m sceptical. On balance then, I don’t think seeing Edozie out therei instead of one of those is the worst idea in football. Certainly better than many of Russ’ choices this season

You’re both wrong - Dibling and Fernandes should be playing as Centre forwards, as they did v Bournemouth. Can’t believe no one except Russ can see that.

I guess we all admire the bravery and sticking to our noble principles, but

I’d rather a frustrating Edozie on the left wing than Sulemana, Manning, Fraser, Cornet or BBD. If ever there was a position that summed up our quantity over quality mentality it’s here - 6 left midfielders, all sub-standard. At least Edozie has the potential to get better if played. So we sent him out and kept the other 5. Genius.

So no damage done then

That’s not important - need to know the possession stats, please. Bravery level too if possible

Didn’t the dastardly b4stard get sent off the last time we played them to give them the advantage of being 10 men against us under NJ? Thats taking cheating to a whole new level.