Saint Fan CaM

It would be tough enough even if the teams above us didn’t win a point while we climbed up. But obviously that’s not going to happen - there’s every likelihood that 6 teams will win as many points as us, or more. Plus there are teams just below us that could start picking up points too. So a play off place is possible, but highly unlikely.

Think we can take ‘em. 0-9…[cough] 1-2.

Well now, far be it for me to say ‘told you so’…but I did say that past scoring history might be down to wrong teammates. It’s early days of course and that might be the first and last goal from Larin, but the signs are good…the right movement in the box losing his man and bullet header that their keeper had no chance with. If he gets a little fitter I think we’ve got a great acquisition. At the risk of overstating it, Welington is hugely better than Manning…he actually stops crosses. Bree has provided equally good balance. Both have allowed the two CB’s so we’re more loaded in mid-field. Peretz has good reactions and positioning sense…just needs to think a bit before giving cheap balls away. Both these changes have led to clean sheets. Good to see Edozie get minutes. I wonder whether there was some bad feeling between him and an influential recently departed player such as AA?

And yet the attendances generally are always still 27k + despite the standing of the club. Something’s going right or have expectations fallen that much?

Surely a no.9 is going to be a starter? Looks to me as though Stewart will be saved for end of games - pointless putting Larin on when you’re taking off Scienza and Fellows around the same time in a match because they’re spent.

What is?

After posting on another thread this morning, I got to thinking about the unlikely scenario of us getting into a play-off place and actually winning the final. What players are good enough to remain as a first team choice and so how many new players would be required in-bound? My initial thoughts are… GK - Rambo back (if possible) or new GK, Peretz 2nd choice CB - 2-3 new players required with THB retained as back-up FB - with decent CB’s there’s a chance that Bree and Welington could suffice, however I think we’d need another FB capable of both sides DM - 2 new players required. Downes not good enough and Charles/Jander only OK as backup. AM - Scienza, Fellows and Azaz could be OK, but we’d need at least one more decent player that could operate across the field. Striker - at least 2 new players required - none of the current players are good enough. So for my money that’s 9 new players required - almost an entire team - and I don’t think Spors or SR have what it takes to make that happen. And if we don’t go up this year (unlikely), the chasm in player quality is only going to get bigger, particularly as SR start selling off our best players (history tells us that’s inevitable).

I think Cyle Larin is a loan with option to buy also, although I don’t think the fee was disclosed?

Simple. We didn’t spend enough money on enough EPL quality players. We thought a lucky play-off win was indicative of being ready for the Prem, which was of course stupidity of the highest order when you review our results in the previous Championship season. To cap it all, we had a smug twat of manager who thought he could get our sub-standard squad to pass the ball like an elite Man City.

I think you’re getting ahead of yourself, even if SR are rubbish. It’s not too hard to remember the clusterfuck of a season we had just LAST season. It truly was horrendous. It’s easier to re-build a squad going up into the Prem, but when we went down with a bloated squad of largely rubbish, there was a massive re-build to be done over what will end up being at least three windows. The huge test for SR will be improving the squad further in the summer without losing our best players, but for now we need to be content that slowly, Eckhert has a slimmed down squad that’s more suited to the way he wants to play to get results.

He’s been a decent servant to the club, but it’s clear that he’d become stale and his time here was over. Good luck with Wolves…you’ll need it!

Welcome to Saints with a heavy dose of scepticism thrown in - not your fault - it’s SR’s seeming wish to completely destroy this club in a slow and painful downward spiral. You’re just trying to do a job and find a home for a short period. As Saints fans well give you the benefit of the doubt all the while you bust a gut on matchday. Stroll around and expect abuse. A goal or two early doors will be most welcome and somewhat unexpected.

Not sure stating that SR set a super low bar when it comes to CF’s is demonstrating any form of allegiance to them. I’m as sceptical as many on here, but there is a rationale and balance to the argument that the guy may actually bring some benefit to the team, remembering that this is the January window and we’re hardly pushing hard for promotion. What will be interesting is the terms of the deal - if there’s an option to buy then we’ll know SR hands are all over this and it’ll end badly.

Oh and another point on Larin. Nobody seems to consider that his drop in form may have something to do with the other players he’s been playing with. How many times have some on here observed how players that are not performing for us, go on and have great seasons at their new club? Larin MAY experience a better return with better players such as Azaz, Leo and Fellows around him…who knows?

Why? He’s been playing football, so a couple of training sessions and he’s ready. I mean how long does he need to be told “the goal is that way - put the ball in it”?