MarkSFC

Statistically he is "ok". He has averaged 1.3 points per game which is about 49 a season. But the complete extreme of performances is my major concern. He seems to experiment too much with lineups and systems too often it feels making it a priority over the win. 3.5 seasons is enough for me. New manager, new players....go.

The policy of the club is fine. Buy young, develop and sell for good profit 2 or 3 years later. But right now we have a squad full of developing players or not good enough/past it players except for JWP, KwP, and Tino. Perraud, Che, Tella and Salisu will hopefully be much better over the next season. Everyone else in my eyes can be replaced, or should be replaced. Certainly, Long, McCarthy, Stephens, Moi, Walcott, Redmond and Forster should go. Others, like both Armstrongs and Romeu can stay for another season. Diallo, who cares. Bednarek I'm 50:50 on! We need to sign 2 x GKs 2/3 x CBs 1 x DCM 2 x No10/winger types 2 x Strikers Unlikey I guess but IF we do have a new manager soon hopefully the new owners will back him quickly rather than over a few windows as we have had over the last 4 or 5 years.

I doubt we'd try and he might not even jump ship, let alone be allowed too, but I'd not be disappointed with Potter (and not because of today's result!!).

He does need to go now. I suspect that the owners/board have someone lined up and likely someone most of us have never heard of. Probably from a lesser league but one who is proving his worth and has skills within development. But I feel we need someone who is a big more match savvy than just a developer. Anyway, change now and give then a few weeks longer to get ready for next season.

This is clearly our best route but what I'm hoping this new ownership/investment will facilitate is the levelling up of the "young players" we buy in the sense that they go from is to a top team straight away rather than perhaps the level between us and the real top teams. Higher quality to start with...but probably slightly less time with us!

The new owners need to make a big call in the summer and replace Ralph. His comments abouts retiring was ill-judged and I don't think that has had a major impact but it wasn't smart. More significantly is the utter inconsistency of our performances. I'd be surprised if there's another team with as big a variance in level, possibly in tbe whole pyramid system!! When we are good we are really good and arguably play top 6 type level. But when we are bad we are less than Premier League standard. He has been here long enough to be better than this. It feels to me that he "experiments" in different games when he considers the result less necessary. And by experimenting I mean formation changes and personnel changes which don't always makes sense given what has gone the games before. He is clearly a good coach but I don't think he's as good a manager. We need someone who is more focused on results than development than Ralph but not someone who is only focused on results (a Mourinho type). Thank you Ralph for all the positive you've brought to the club but time to give someone else a go, with the new ownership hopefully going to invest more than the last one🤣

Precisely. The problem is that people's expectations and standards move too easily and generally from one extreme to the other. When we win or go on a run we must perform like this forever. When we lose or go on a bad run we are the worst in the world and everything is bad. IF at the start of the season we had been told that after 29 games we'd be top 10, no where near relegation danger and in the FA Cup QF, the vast majority would be very content with that. Of course we always want more but the over reactions to one or two matches rather than taking the overall perspective on the season is frustrating ro read!!! This is a reasonable season so far, one that has seen development of individuals and of the team as a whole. Progress. We also have some (potentially) brilliant progress and change off the pitch. It "could" still be an awesome season if we somehow win the cup (unlikely but possible). Judge the season and Ralph as a whole.

Completed.

Anywhere he damn well pleased🤣

Just listened to the interview. Semmens is hugely impressive, open and honest. The model he has implemented and refined is perfect for us. It a very interesting situation that Ralph has said he wants to retire when his contract is up, and it sounds like Semmens/the club were not expecting him to publicly state it (even though they have talked internally)!! It is a lovely time being a Saints fan right now, with the new ownership, the state of the business, the results and the way we are playing. Fingers crossed t last for quite a while!!

Superb performance.

Might potentially be the best 40m we have ever spent if we do. Does anyone know how much Broja, Anurin and Tino have played together previously?

"Soon"??!! They've only got 5 days left this window!! Isn't this guy normally spot on with things?

Depends who they are. Stephens, McCarthy, Forster, Long, Djeneppo, Walcott, do not need to be here for too much longer🤣

Zero goals🙄

Tino was always going to fall out of form, that's almost inevitable for players of his age. He will return no doubt and as you say needs to be better defensively overall. But he is an exciting talent but I do think that his long term position is further forward. Really like KWP, the type of character and abilty we need.

Done. Chose Wham as worst🤣

Maybe buzzing cos he's coming to Saints😂😂

Thats why I think it will be c.100m for Phillips, because Leeds don't want to sell, and because he doesn't actually want to leave (apparently, I live in and around Leeds fans and by all accounts he would like to stay his whole career). Only a massive offer will get him. Liverpool will be his likeliest destination as they will look beyond Firmino and Henderson and make another long term signing.

I think your opinion of Phillips is wrong. Let's see what happens in the summer!!

I really can't see us selling JWP even for 100m as he is seen as that important. Not just for the team now but for the story/culture of our club, in that you can make a successful career here from being here on the academy etc etc. The link to Liverpool is typically lazy, by a pundit fixated on the biggest clubs and pretending that he watches matches in detail. The most likely player I see Liverpool spending c.100m+ on is Kalvin Phillips.

I think we just don't know what the new ownership plan in terms of cash investment for players. Its clear that our situation has altered / improved but to what extent we are yet to find out. It's too soon to judge either way. I would imagine Brojas sale price will be 20-25m, although Chelsea might start higher, and I would expect us to meet that. If not, nothing will of changed significantly. Not that I am expecting 3 or 4 players in that price bracket every window but one, yes. The better we get at getting the Livramento type deals the more there should be for one or two like Broja, more expensive but still young with bags of potential.

Yeah O don't really get the negativity for him. Sure we can do better, and perhaps we should in tbe summer, but Him Salisu, Lyanco and New first choice is a decent group, with Simeu possibly coming through next season. I'd move Stephens on at the first opportunity.

Exactly. That's why I said right now. Perraud will likely get better and Targett won't. Will be interesting to see whether Small is any good.

Precisely that. We don't need any more FBs at the moment. More important positions to improve, GK and No.10 for starters. DCM and CM for sure and Striker/Broja.