NewYorkSaint

Still waiting for tall Paul's opening goal. It's coming... it's coming....

It's a mystery ever since we signed him, why tall Paul never given a proper chance. For a team in desperate need of a great striker it made zero sense. So damn happy to see us now building our game plan around him. We deserve to be ahead. Huge second half coming up. I guess TP will be subbed pretty early. Would be unreal if he got his goal before that.

Armstrong's been doing his part in an occasionally impressive press, but I agree he shd give way to tall Paul or Archer. I'd keep Dibling on. How good would a clean sheet feel? I'm v happy to have Bednarek as captain. Feel he's been a seriously under-appreciated player. Always gives his all.

9 wins, 5 draws, 8 losses... it's hard to remember what it's like being on a winning streak, but stranger things have happened.

You really are a miserable bunch. I grant you it's a lot more fun online to take the piss... but not me. I still find myself looking forward to each game, torture and all, and get HUGE pleasure from the moments when we're playing well. And despite it all there have actually been a lot of those moments. I'm happy to be the counter-voice here who believes we're actually really close to a run of wins. If tall Paul comes on in the 60th minute and in the 70th minutes heads home a winner from a cross whipped in by Dibling or Fernandez or KWP... then I would like a little appreciation please. That event could easily be in our v near future. I think at this point, it's pointless to sack Martin. We're trying to compete in the world's best league with teams that have spent way more than us... and we're precious close to getting it right. There are so many games where we've been competitive and exciting to watch for large parts of the match. Of course, when you lose, the narrative gets completely rewritten as a shitshow. But watch how that changes if and when the results start to go our way. I think Sunday will be a thunderous game... and we'll edge Spurs out 3-2. Saints fan for life... through thick and thin......... Hold the faith!

the weird thing is that if all you looked at was the general run of play for the half, an independent viewer would say it was even stevens. We gave as good as we got... just as many sweeping forward moves... and, in the conditions, they made as many mistakes as we did. Am I wrong? And if I'm right, the narrative that our squad isn't premier league quality is false. Even missing 5 of our best players, we're competitive. Tis a game of fine margins. And so far, they're not working in our favour....

Genuine question. Which would you rather have happen to day? - a tough, battling 2-1 win, with no bad defensive error... and a nice goal that comes from playing Russball style from the back - evidence that seems strong enough for RM to stay in the job for the coming weeks. - a crushing 3-0 loss with at least one goal coming from defensive error at the back, and the final straw for RM so that he's sacked in the morning? Reply 👍for the first and 👎 to the second. I'm v curious to know.

So it seems that the reason VAR disallowed the goal is because the ref disallowed the goal on the field. BUT it seems pretty clear that the reason the ref disallowed the goal is because the linesman raised his flag. And I'm pretty sure the reason the linesman raised his flag was not for Armstrong but for Archer, the goal-scorer. So why the heck can't the humans involved just have a rational conversation? VAR to referee "Can you confirm? Was your disallowal because you thought Armstrong interfered with the play? If so, we won't overturn it. But if you were just supporting your linesman, you should know that Archer was onside." Surely that would be better than bringing the system into disrepute... and UNFAIRLY KICKING AWAY LITERALLY 28% OF A TEAM'S ENTIRE SEASON'S POINTS (on top of three prior bad VAR calls).

On the bright side, our 4th choice goal keeper made a beautiful pass in our penalty area between two pressing Brighton forwards to escape. A glorious miracle!

I actually think the necessary tweak to our playing style isn't that radical. Players HAVE to have permission to occasionally look for the long ball out of defense. w/o that we invite overwhelming and unrelenting press. It's clear from McCarthy's reckless pass last w/e that the players are not fully clear on how to juggle being brave AND playing quickly AND having permission to clear long when needed. I personally love Russball for the most part. Unlike with Nathan Jones or Claude Puel or Mark Hughes, there at least is a clearly argued for plan. The logic of retaining possession as long as you can when you have it makes a lot of sense provided you eventually do something positive with it. Often it's when the press is most intense that we have our best chances. Because when we break the press, -- and we often do -- there's a lot of space in midfield and we can move forward at pace. Meanwhile the consequences of hoofing it long almost always gives up possession, and against Liverpool often led to attacks just as dangerous as those from losing possession near our penalty area. So I get the logic for Russball. I just think it has to escape from being too predictable. When the opposition know we'll always play short, the press gets stepped up until we crack. We need to fine-tune our response to that. With Che Adams we had a great front man to receive the long ball out and do something with it. There were strong signs against Liverpool that Tall Paul cd do the same. I really hope he's fit to play today, because I think we need that. He did enough last week to encourage Martin to build a strategy around him... both for the out-ball, and then also for earlier attempts at crossing to him in the box. I guess SR will stick w RM through December. If we haven't picked up a couple of good results by the end of the month, he'll be out. But I'm still holding out hope this will all start to click into place just in time....... I feel like I'm about the only person here trying to hold onto hope. I still see a scenario where this turns, and where in a couple months' time we're all breathing a sigh of relief and congratulating the board on bravely doubling down on bravery. I agree that we will PROBABLY lose today. But I think the odds of a surprise Saints win are a better than the 7-1 the bookies have against us currently. If were I allowed to legally bet here in the US, I'd do it, provided TP playing. Not advice. Just an opinion.

What's clear is we have the PLAYERS to be prem league. Key Q is are we close to getting our system to work or not. CLEARLY there has to be permission to clear long when it gets tight. But was McCarthy's crazy decision to pass to Fernandes at that moment Russell's fault? Not clear to me. Meanwhile, if Tall Paul can get a winner second half, there will be a whole new vibe here............ love him.

Personally I welcome this bold assay. We're mere minutes away from tall Paul scoring from a Wee Ryan cross. ...and a 1-4 loss!

No Downes = feeling down. ...and maybe going down. too sad.

We're the better team. Hopefully the second half will allow justice to be served. (And please... we need some dibling dribbling.)

Must be just me then. I counted at least four occasions against Everton, apart from the goal, where, yes, we passed it around the back for a bit, with a certain amount of risk, and then... pow!.... Ramsdale or THB pings it sharply up the middle to Downes or Fernandes, who either turn their man, or flick the ball out to an open full back, powering up the field. Those moments led to hugely promising attacks. And more than that, they were the exciting payoff of Russball. If you get used to the idea of a slower, more tactical build, the whole thing is actually hugely enjoyable. If you rewatch the game, I think we could easily have been a couple goals up by half-time. The fact that we weren't meant that yes, Lady Luck, and a brilliant goalkeeper, were needed in the second half. But on the balance of play I think we fully deserved the win. And I think we'll prob win tomorrow. So there.