derry

😁You've got too much time on your hands Andy.

Only a fool would think that passing the ball endlessly around the defenders, JWP and Bazunu would do anything other than allow the opposition to consolidate and dominate by outnumbering our attackers. They obviously pay no attention to the number of times we are blocked by numbers in the penalty area when we eventually now and again get the ball up the pitch. Bednarek said this week we needed to keep the ball and have more possession. Pedestrian slow possession in our own half contributes to our lack of cutting edge. The strolling nothingness of Elyounoussi does nothing except add to that lethargy. Personally I think that Selles is nothing more than an academically qualified theoretical coach that has overcomplicated team selections. Football is an easy game. It needs team selection to allow the players that play best together and complement each other. Week after week we see players that can't do this being picked so that there is little cohesion. Playing to a plan, yes but not suited. The plan should be formed by picking a side that dictates what the plan should be. Alec Ferguson was the most successful manager for years by playing players in their natural formation, 4-4-2 nothing complicated but nice balance. We don't do that, Example, Onuachu is a box player so get him to press in midfield, totally crass. Last week he nearly rescued us doing what he is good at so let him play there. Djenepo is erratic but use him as an attacker wide with Sullemana on the other side. Play Mara/Alcaraz with Lavia and JWP. Stop playing KWP at left back he just doesn't get the fact he needs to face the other way, he plays on the left like a right back so constantly loses his position. Play Perraud at left back. Bednarek and Bella-Kotchap are our best centrebacks until Salisu finds the toys he's chucked out of his pram. It's not rocket science. Stop trying to regiment players into a pattern. Pick the players in their natural positions and let them blend.

Another assist, Burnley win 2-1 and are promoted.

There's no option to purchase and Tella's loan agreement expires after Burnley's last regular season match. They would even have to get a new agreement from Saints if they needed to play in the play offs and wanted him to play for them. Tella immediately reverts to his Saints contract so there is no way Burnley can get him unless we want to let him go.

The team selection and tactics were moronic. If that's the best Selles can come up with he needs to study successful management and chuck the statistical crap in the bin along with the obsession with own half possession and Elyonoussie.

Because no matter who we pick the ball is played sideways and backwards to allow the opposition to get goalside. The key ingredient is to leave the three attackers up and force the opposition to keep four with them and get the ball forward quickly and get more players up in support quickly. Everything is the mindset, quickly and aggressively not slow and passively.

I've had time to reflect, two spot on posts from James and DT. That performance was moronic. The team selection that led to it was moronic. The defending of the free kick that gave the goal away was moronic. Never mind the grappling attack the fucking ball you idiots. The number of set piece goals we have conceded by playing a zonal spectator defensive set up is on its own sending us down. That team selection was a clusterfuck. I understand the moronic safety first, stay in the game bollocks, that worked didn't it? Just pick the best quickest, team and go balls out for it. We are in deep enough as it is without trying to be clever. That's the trouble with coaches, too much complicated theory. A much more simplistic approach is required. For example, Elyonoussie, a nothing player, nearly closes down, nearly tackles, nearly gets back, loses the ball having sucked everybody out of position, ducks out of challenges and is weak. We are not going to score with him as a forward or win the ball with him defending. I don't give a monkey's about the analytics. I see what I see, a nothing player. Onuachu scored 17 goals in 19 games for Genk nearly all like his header yeasterday, in the box getting across the defender, so play him there, he's not a midfield grafter he's a goalhanger. Sulemana should have started with pace on the other side and Alcaraz on front of Lavia and JWP. That really is our only chance. Stop the obsessive go nowhere possession and move the ball wide quickly. get up the line and stick the ball into the box. Selles is picking the wrong team playing the wrong way and hoping for a goal whilst praying for a miracle. We are going down without a fight if we don't do something different. I'd sooner we went down fighting than losing 0-1 every week.

I couldn't see how the three WHU players in offside positions weren't interfering with play by being tight on the defenders and stopping them attacking the ball. WHU had a free header. the player that scored wasn't offside however the goalkeeper had no idea who was going to head the ball. The fact VAR took so long looking at it made me think they were looking for a reason to give it rather than give a fair decision. 56% of mostly own half meaningless possession. We used up loads of time going nowhere. I'm not blaming the centre backs they were all we had. I thought JWP especially was at his negative worst possession at all costs. Lavia played well but the four forwards were no real threat. WTF is it with Elyonoussi. He is a nothing player, so play him and you get nothing. I don't give a toss about about the statistics he shouldn't be playing. Armstrong had a big share of the ball but did practically nothing with it. Mara needs pace on either side to give him a chance so was isolated and snuffed out. Walcott in spells was doing his best. The bench looked better than the team. Onuachu showed what he isn't and what he is. He isn't a run around build up player he is a goal hanger and needs to play up on the centre backs. He almost grabbed the goal we needed getting across the centre back. Sulemana given the ball can run at defences, Alcaraz could play behind Onuachu, Maybe play KWP on the right, needs must with AMN at right back. I think that would have caused WHU a lot more problems. Alternatively I recognise that Orsic hasn't looked good, maybe we should play him his way not make him play like an advanced full back. Shit or bust after City and Arsenal we should just go flat out. It's no use buying players and trying to get them to fit in. Either play to their strengths or buy somebody else

Adams taken off limping with Scotland.

Not the tallest but a leader RIP.

Because it was a friendly game made up of squad players giving them a game.

And maybe we don't go 3-1 down.

Lets not let the result mislead us. The selected team at the start was rubbish. Selles tried to justify why Elyonoussie is important but yet again he proved that he is a waste of space. AMN did really well as a stand in centreback. JWP, Lavia and Alcaraz are our best Midfield, Sullemana has to play down the left. The goal aside Walcott was a threat on the right. Mara did well and gave us the momentum. Adams nearly missed his goal but it counted. Walcott took his well and JWP smashed his penalty. The team that finished is more likely to get us points than the one that started.

Good job I'm not doing the training. They'd be on their knees with their tongues hanging out or being sick over the railings after a display like Brentford. They wouldn't have to like me but they sure as hell wouldn't be looking forward to the next day. I think displays like that would be few and far between. I wouldn't be taking a vote on it either.

The problem all the time with us is that the coach decides on a shape for the day. He then picks his flavour of the day eleven and tells them the shape they are supposed to play. We should be picking the best players for back, middle and front and putting them out in their natural shape. Anything else is flawed and won't work.

We spent £60m to try and strengthen the team and Elyonoussie, Adams and Walcott is the answer. I'm afraid Selles is the academic side of football he sees a load of meaningless bollocks that results in running up the white flag again today. We need a manager that sees football in simple common sense terms. It is a simple game. With a few exceptions e.g. Guardiola, coaches overcomplicate and rarely make successful managers. It has the look of a clusterfuck today. It'll either be a lacklustre display and a possible hammering or a crap Spurs display and a lucky result.

Use his pace, stop overlapping him. Give him the ball or through balls. Get Onuachu into the box, forget trying to get him pressing in the midfield. Get Alcaraz up with him. maybe play KWP in front of AMN. Forget as starters, Elyonoussie, Adams, Armstrong etc they won't get goals. If we are going to play Adams get him up alongside Onuachu and stay onside for once.

And spend £60m on five players who hadn't even played in the Premier League. At least Tella had the 41 matches he had previously experienced and now has the confidence to exploit that. However we don't seem to have much idea in the coaching set up to try and get the best out of players especially if they see Elyonoussie as a key player. Onuachu, instead of playing in and around the box and being fed has wasted three matches trying to press like Adams. Sulemana the fastest player on the pitch going backwards to allow Perrault to overlap and neutered. So maybe Tella wouldnt have worked as we used either full back to overlap him.

I've just listened to Selles's second briefing talking about Elyonoussie. It was a lot of gobbleygook justifying how good he is. I think it's a case of "The Emperor's New Clothes". Everybody can see what he doesn't do, yet Selles talks about him being one of the best most reliable players. Lost Onana for Everton's goal and was too weak. Doesn't tackle just waves a token foot and avoids contact, doesn't assist or score. Selles just looks like an idiot spouting crap. Talking about the "Red" zone. Brentford JWP covering the near post FFS. A midget to stop the flick on, that worked. It needs the best headers to attack the ball and one of them has to cover the near post ball.

This mathematical bullshit is meaningless. All one needs is two eyes and a football brain to see what he does. I can see that Adams, Armstrong and Elyonoussie have no idea, make no runs and don't have Tella's pace. He plays on the blindside and on the halfway line and is always available for through balls and to come in on the 45 off the back post either behind the defenders or late across the ball watching defenders to get to the ball first. That's why he is scoring so many goals. He looks like a top class striker. If we put a big price on him he'll be going nowhere.

Maybe we are where we are because of the three managers and their sometimes bizarre selections. The question has to be asked why are Elyonoussie, A Armstrong, Adams, Djenepo, Walcott, Onuachu, Orsic, etc even at the club. They are nowhere near good enough so who the hell identified them as targets. Whoever it is scouting them needs replacing because it's still happening. If we play Onuachu we have to play to his strengths, to expect him to fit in to our way is more stupidity.

Bringing in Elyonoussie was sheer stupidity on the part of Telles. Scoring goals will not come if Elyonoussie is one of the forwards. I don't care about the analytics. Can he create? Can he score goals? the answer is no. Can Che Adams score goals? No, the only thing he is expert at is getting offside and not being aware. We need to do something different because these two are getting us relegated. Equally A Armstrong.

If any Saints manager thinks that any of those are better than Tella they need replacing. Keeping Tella is a no brainer. Elyonoussie, Armstrong A, Adams aren't in the same class as a goalscoring front man because he has lightning pace. He reverts to being a Saints player at the end of the season. As for the January window, it was purely a Saints decision, Burnley and Tella had no say in it apart from asking if he could stay as there was a recall clause in the loan agreement which was confirmed by Kompany in December. I think Villa wanted rid of Bednarek anyway. Maybe Stephens either didn't have a recall clause or we waived it as we did with Tella.

Tella playing in the Cup for Burnley at Man City, we'll be able to see how he performs against the very best opposition.

Then don't go over the ball into the shin, uncontrolled and dangerous. I had my leg broken by a tackle like that.